Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

I need some help with an NCAA pool my buddies and I are doing. It's my first year in it so I have no prior experience. Here are the rules:

*8 man buy-in.
*Each guy picks 8 teams in a snake draft format
*Point per win for any of your teams
*Most points gets 75% of payout
*Whoever drafts the overall NCAA winner gets 25%

I don't know my pick yet (the draft is Wednesday), but what teams do people like here.

Things i'm looking for are

1) low rated teams that could likely go 2-3 rounds
2) high rated teams that have no chance of making elite 8
3) good value in the 10-13 range.

I'm thinking that the 10-11 seeds are worth more than the 8-9. The 8-9 almost certainly gets hammered in the 2nd round, whereas the 10-11 could play a weak 2 (see memphis/wisky).

Thoughts or advice appreciated.

Snu

Re: Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

I'd look at George Washington; they are solid and if they get past Vandy I think Wash. State is very weak. Look for Memphis to fall early, they had a very weak schedule. Also, Kansas always loses in the tourney (granted, they're better than usual), so I would avoid them as well.

Re: Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

Do you get more points for picking a lower seed? I assume "yes" since you say you're looking to take a 10 or 11 seed but I don't see where you mention it.

Re: Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

If you picked 8th in the first round, you could probably get all 4 #1 seeds. I wonder what the EV would be of doing that and then picking the best overall teams with your other 4 picks and just going for winning the 25%.

Re: Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

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If you picked 8th in the first round, you could probably get all 4 #1 seeds. I wonder what the EV would be of doing that and then picking the best overall teams with your other 4 picks and just going for winning the 25%.

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Re: Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

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I'd look at George Washington; they are solid and if they get past Vandy I think Wash. State is very weak. Look for Memphis to fall early, they had a very weak schedule. Also, Kansas always loses in the tourney (granted, they're better than usual), so I would avoid them as well.

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I'm very curious about this Washington St. bias. What's your basis for this? Which side of the country do you live on?

They got 2nd in the very competitive Pac-10 by two games. Their 5 league losses were by 3 at UCLA, 3 (OT) at Stanford , 3 (OT) vs Oregon, 5 at Oregon, and 8 vs UCLA.

Re: Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

Most rating systems have WSU nowhere close to a 3 seed, many have them ranked in the 30's. Getting destroyed by Utah doesn't help.

Re: Interesting NCAA Pool format - advice needed
 

I live in the middle of the country (believe it or not, there is a middle, not just two sides) and I think that mainly because they are not an experienced tournament team. Also, they will have a tough road to the Sweet 16...ORU is underrated and either Vandy or George Wash. could knock off the Cougars.