Has this always been the case?  I seem to recall a fairly
recent NCAA tournament with a West team as a #1 or #2 in
the east.  I'm not even sure if this is the case,
but I think I remember it.  (For some reason I think it was
LSSU).
==
Dan,
 
Despite the RPI and PWR rankings, the NCAA will seed two
east teams in the east and 2 west teams in the west.
 
Look at last year.  Of the Eastern TUC, BU had a top 5
PWR and RPI, while UVM was around 8 or 9.  I thought,
given the rankings, that 3 western teams should have gotten
seeds, but the selection gang put UVM as a #2 seed.
 
Things DO get intersting at placings 3 - 6.  The NCAA will
move a western team to the east or vice versa IF it can
improve the local gate.  Witness Michigan State.  I believe
they were an "eastern" seed because the seeding placed
them at Munn Ice Arena, helping guarantee the sell out.
Putting our school (Clarkson) in the East helps because
Clarkson (and Cornell) seem to bring a lot of fans to the rink
that would not happen if they were shipped out west
(Remember when Clarkson was at joe Louis and played
before a HUGE crowd of about 1000?).
 
Joe
 
Mistakes are from my faulty memory.  I, after all,  can
clearly remember Clarkson winning the NCAA title in 1977
<g>.
 
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