New SI article: Study: Unconscious human bias exists in tournament selection

[caduceus]

Interesting article. Link to story is here.

The study, by Jay Coleman, Mike DuMond and Allen Lynch, looked at selection data from 10 tournaments (1999-2008) and found that when seeding the tournament, membership in one of the six BCS conferences is worth an average of an extra 1.75 seeds. The study also found that having a conference representative on the 10-member selection committee resulted not only in a higher seed but also in a better chance of getting an at-large bid. According to the authors, a true bubble team (one with a 50-50 chance of getting in or being left out) would have a 49 percent better chance of getting in if its athletic director is on the committee, a 41 percent better chance if its conference commissioner was on the committee and a 23 percent better chance if a fellow conference AD is a member of the committee.

...

While the authors' findings probably wouldn't surprise anyone who has ever sat on a barstool and debated the selection committee's seeding and at-large choices, this is the first time anyone has performed a statistical analysis to determine whether the conventional wisdom is true. The appearance of bias, meanwhile, is a sensitive subject to the NCAA, which distributes millions of dollars to conferences and schools based on how many games each school plays in the tournament.

[alaskazagnut]

Totally believable

Why do you think Notre Dame was so high and we were so low. Historically we are snubbed either quite dramatically or very subtly. All of it gives the edge to our opponents if the WCC has no direct support.

We win more than they want us to, and that really pisses then off, I can tell you that.

Its true in every sport, business, church, corporation, and politics. If at some point, accountability or checks and balances are avoided, corruption to acheive personal gain is the end result. Always.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[CB4]

Sounds like Gonzaga needs to get someone on that committee!

[applezag]

Very interesting. It is worth noting that leagues have more than a reputation-based interest in their teams being in the tournament. The big bucks that come with a bid go to the league, not the school.

[titopoet]

Why do you think Notre Dame was so high and we were so low. Historically we are snubbed either quite dramatically or very subtly. All of it gives the edge to our opponents if the WCC has no direct support.

We win more than they want us to, and that really pisses then off, I can tell you that.

Its true in every sport, business, church, corporation, and politics. If at some point, accountability or checks and balances are avoided, corruption to acheive personal gain is the end result. Always.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I don't think it is anti-Zags bias, but pro-BCS bias. It is less "how do we get the Zags" and more "how best to help the teams from my conference, example Notre Dame." One of the ways they do it is by bargaining with the other powers. PAC-10, "I'ill move Notre Dame up if you can help for UW play in San Jose." No big school wanted UTEP in the first round, Butler gets them. Then look around after the deals and Zags are going to Buffalo. Opps, Well, here is the party line, and the the public will buy it.

Attending UTEP and I saw this all the time. They did not hate UTEP or Don Haskins then, they were out to protect their own and that meant shafting the UTEP. The more things change the more the stay the same.

GU can do nothing about seeding short of joining the Pac-10, and that will never happen. Even if GU added Football and joined the MWC, they would still be shafted. Look, MWC is gaining on the PAC-10. What will the Pac-10 do, oh yes, just watch it will take UTAH away from the MWC.

It is fairer system than Football, though, as GU still can win the games. Just don't expect favors from the seeding. anytime anywhere motto came from facing this reality.

Win two and they are in Salt Lake City.

[DADoZAG]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Or we could just say that most of the time human beings will be human beings and stop wasting time and energy over the obvious. Gonzaga is, even with it’s amazing accomplishments, a small market school coming from a small market league.

It would be nice if the WCC and Pac 10 had better quality officiating, but the rest is what it is, and titopoet is right.

Win two and they are in Salt Lake City.

‘Seems the mantra "control what you can control" is a much better use of energy. The seed is the seed, the venue is the venue.

It’s time to just focus on giving it our all.

It’s time to just be winners.

Go ZAGS!