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| Make way for UW-La Crosse in the Field of 64!. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com |
The Road to Fort Wayne will have a slightly different look for everyone, but the interesting parts of this bracket start well before the final four teams converge on a new home. Here's the 2019 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament bracket as released by the NCAA this afternon.
In the bracket projection we posted last night we hit on 18 of the 20 at-large picks. Although the NCAA told the men's basketball selection committee that they could no longer automatically exchange a certain number of teams' SOS percentage for a certain number of wins, that didn't change how strength of schedule was emphasized. And in the end, the NCAA took Ramapo (18-9) and UW-La Crosse (17-9), where our committee had taken La Roche (24-3) and Centre (23-5, 21-5 vs. D-III).
If the NCAA were holding the cheapest bracket possible, it would have sent Whitman to Texas to play against two Texas schools, but instead, they flew three teams up to Walla Walla, Washington, where Whitman will host. And then, since the winner of that pod has to get into a plane regardless, the committee sends them all the way east.
Amherst is not hosting in the first weekend, which is a sign that the Amherst women will be announced as hosts later this afternoon (2:30 p.m. ET). UW-Oshkosh is not hosting for the same reason, but instead of being a clear top seed at someone else's host site, the Titans get sent, puzzlingly, to St. John's. Wittenberg was in line to host in the first weekend as well, but perhaps they failed to file the necessary paperwork to host. They will get sent instead to Guilford, which is hosting two other South Region teams. UW-La Crosse, as perhaps the last team in, gets a tough first-round draw against St. Thomas, then would face Nebraska Wesleyan if it advances.
Automatic bids went to Rosemont (15-12) and Emerson (16-11), but the lowest seed has to be Eureka, at 13-14. They are in perfect position to face the defending champs in the first round.
More analysis will come, plus Dave McHugh will talk to committee chair Sam Atkinson on Hoopsville this evening.