The NCAA lacrosse tournament selection committee has a new chairman this year --- Bucknell senior associate AD Tim Pavlechko. But it's not like it's his first time he's been involved in the selection process.
It's his second year on this committee, and he spent three years as an assistant director of championships with the NCAA.
Pavlechko clarified yesterday that the distance teams are allowed to bus in the first round is 350 miles. And yes, the two-flight restriction remains in place, as well, though Pavlechko indicated there could come a time when the committee has no choice but to use more flights. With Denver losing to Ohio State last night, chances are it won't happen this year.
One other tidbit: Don't expect the three Sunday games (Notre Dame-Ohio State, VMI-Canisius, St. John's-Duke) to cause too many headaches for the committee. They'll all be done by 3 p.m. (the selection announcement is in the 9 p.m. hour), and the committee will have data at its disposal to project what the final RPIs, strength of schedules and results-based criterion depending on the outcome of any of those contests.
Here's some other insights; the last one in particular on the relative importance of head-to-head matchups should be required reading for anyone who is inclined to complain about the 16-team bracket that will be unveiled tomorrow night.
On the selection process in Indianapolis:
"We'll have our staff liaisons there, have our RPI experts that are playing out scenarios for us. As those results and as they automatic qualifiers are determined, we'll continue to evolve [the process]. We'll work Saturday night pretty late and come in Sunday morning and get going and wait for those games to be done and finalize it and put it to bed."
On reliance on mathematical formulas:
"Every time you come to the end and you're leaving teams on the bubble, you're looking at what different teams have done. You come to a point where it just just seems like there are a lot of teams that are going to be under consideration for that last spot. It just doesn't come down to two teams usually. You're talking about how some have beaten others, there's no direct head-to-head for others. There needs to be something that's different and another tool. I think the mathematical RPI, when it gets to that point, it's one of the tools.
"Maybe years ago, people and coaches always said 'If you had one big win.' Now, I think there a lot of 'one big wins.' I think that's where it comes to how the game's grown and how programs have evolved. You look at the conferences that are stronger, and that's great for the game. It does create some challenges for the committee. I think that's where the perception it's a numbers game comes from, that the numbers play a more important role."
On the value of head-to-head, which is NOT one of the primary selection criteria.
"It's something where it's part of our criteria. It's another tool. It's not the only thing. It is something that is used to evaluate the cross section of a team's schedule and the wins and losses they've had. It's a matter of how much weight does it give? It give weight, looking at seeding and two teams on the border. But there are rarely two teams on the border. It is relevant where there are only two teams left you're looking it. There are so many other factor and so many other tools. It's not just black and white, this team played this other team. There are so many other peripherals. Head-to-head is one tool. It's not the only tool."
--- Patrick Stevens
