|
INCH
4x4
January 29,
2008
The
INCH 4x4 represents how we think the NCAA Tournament field
will look WHEN THE BRACKET IS ANNOUNCED Sunday, March
23 |
| ALBANY
East Regional |
WORCESTER
Northeast Regional |
 1.
Miami |
Our top overall seed; a sweep of
Michigan Feb. 8-9 would strengthen their claim to the post. |
 1.
Denver |
The thought: DU holds firm, CC fades
a bit, and NoDak's late charge falls just short of a no. 1. |
 2.
Clarkson |
Intriguing series at CC this weekend;
the Tigers have more to gain (and lose) in this set. |
 2.
Michigan State |
MSU could make a run at a 1, but
time is running out -- they won't catch Miami or NoDak. |
 3.
Boston College |
Our pick to win the Hockey East tournament.
That said, the Eagles would appear to be stuck as a no. 3 seed. |
 3.
Providence |
Depending on your view, the Friars
are either at the bottom of the list of near locks, or the top
of the list of iffy candidates. |
 4.
Bemidji State |
The Beavers have cruised
through the CHA thus far. No reason to expect any different
from here on out. |
 4.
RIT |
Last year
they couldn't play in the tournament downtown. This year, it's
RIT's to lose. |
| MADISON
Midwest Regional |
COLORADO
SPRINGS West Regional |
 1.
North Dakota |
We like the Sioux to go on a second-half
run similar to '07 and finish second to DU in the WCHA tournament. |
 1.
Michigan |
Seems like DU should
be here, and they probably will be. This is payback for '03
in Ann Arbor. |
 2.
New Hampshire |
UNH is the least discussed really
good team in the nation. And you get the sense they like it
that way. |
 2.
Colorado College |
You remember the 2003
West Regional? CC, the top overall seed, gets sent to Yost and
loses. |
 3.
Wisconsin |
Someone's gotta emerge from that
WCHA quagmire. Bucky appears best equipped to do so. |
 3.
Notre Dame |
The Irish are one of
the few teams that appear eternally locked to their current
projection. |
 4.
North- eastern |
We think the Huskies
are closer to the team that went on a 9-0-2 run earlier this
year, not the one in the midst of a 1-4-1 skid. |
 4.
UMass Lowell |
Our last at-large
invitee, UML plays a huge series with Northeastern Feb. 29-March
1. |
|
Last
two in: Northeastern,
UMass Lowell First
two out: Massachusetts,
Minnesota Duluth
Stock rising: North Dakota, Providence Stock
falling: Colorado College
INCH's projected auto-bids: Atlantic Hockey-RIT;
CCHA-Miami; CHA-Bemidji State;
ECAC Hockey-Clarkson; Hockey East-Boston College; WCHA-Denver |