>This year the Committee picked the top 12 teams in the nation.  Those 12 teams
>were nicely split with 6 teams residing in the East and 6 teams residing in the
>West.  I didn't do an "average RPI" for each region but I would suspect
>they were close.  Certainly the top four teams are evenly divided, as well as
>the bottom four.  So why the manipulation?  What was the raison d'etre for
>sending Wisconsin to the Knick, and the Chiefs to Munn?
 
To promote east-west competition, I would imagine. Historically, there has been
a lot of bantering about--which is better, the east or the west? Without
cross-overs, you'll get two east and two west in the semifinals.
 
To expose fans from one region to teams from another, I imagine. I have
already seen MSU, LSSU and Michigan play; I would kind of like to see
some different teams. Seeing Mass-Lowell and Northeastern will be a
treat. They don't travel to the midwest much, and I don't go to Boston
very often.
 
If there was more east-west play (like an interlocking CCHA/HEA schedule),
then it wouldn't matter so much.
 
Keith