Keith explains:
>>>From: David Parter <[log in to unmask]>
>
>>Can you say something about why Alaska-Anchorage is in the West?
>
>The independent always gets put in the last remaining slot.
 
    Also recall that the committee tries as hard as it can to keep the
    teams seeded East-West (as stated last year).  However, sometimes
    one region does have seven teams in the top 12 (including the independent)
    and the other has five.  In 1988, the East had seven, with Merrimack
    seventh, so Merrimack was shifted to become the 6W seed.  That's how they
    played at Northeastern.  As Keith said, it all depends on the last
    non-independent seed's region.
 
    And, the independent gets put in the last remaining slot because it has
    never had as good numbers as the other 11 seeds.  That could change
    someday and it would be seeded higher.
 
 
    - mike