:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69367120/2021_Nebraska_Baseball_vs_Rutgers9400.0.jpg)
Nebraska heads to the Fayetteville regional as a #2 seed. The #1 seed is Arkansas, who is the #1 overall national seed.
Below is the Arkansas Regional. It’s hard to believe this is the selection.
The Fayetteville Region
— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) May 31, 2021
1. @RazorbackBSB
2. @Husker_Baseball
3. @GoNUbaseball
4. @NJTechBaseball pic.twitter.com/vihGa5cZ8a
FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) May 31, 2021
1️⃣ @RazorbackBSB
2️⃣ @Husker_Baseball
3️⃣ @GoNUbaseball
4️⃣ @NJTechBaseball#RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/FL33Dzzi7X
Maryland to Greenville
Maryland, who finished #2 in the Big Ten, will head to the Greenville regional as a #3 seed. The regional includes #1 Eastern Carolina, #2 Charlotte, #3 Maryland, and #4 Norfolk State.
The Greenville Region
— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) May 31, 2021
1. @ECUBaseball
2. @CharlotteBSB
3. @TerpsBaseball
4. @SpartanBSB pic.twitter.com/lFKbkomC4G
Michigan To Notre Dame
SOUTH BEND REGIONAL
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) May 31, 2021
1️⃣ @NDBaseball
2️⃣ @UConnBSB
3️⃣ @umichbaseball
4️⃣ @CMUBaseball#RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/W5XFld3wPr
Reactions
Nebraska’s selection to Arkansas doesn’t make much sense. It doesn’t make much sense for the Razorbacks either, as the Huskers are a pretty decent team. I’m sure they would have rather faced Maryland.
The twitter reaction is as you would expect:
The NCAA Selection Committee just paired a top-20 national team with the number one overall seed in the tournament. I’m gonna need an explanation.
— Ben McLaughlin (@bmclaughlin4) May 31, 2021
I got worried when they started the Fayetteville regional with two teams that they needed to fly in. The NCAA had to save money somehow. Bussing Nebraska to Arkansas is a quick way to save some coin.
— Nate Rohr (@RohrOfTheCrowd) May 31, 2021
Welp, if you want evidence that the @bigten 's conference-only scheduling killed baseball & softball, all you have to do is print the brackets for the NCAA Tournaments. Terrible, terrible, terrible decisions by the league.
— Nate Rohr (@RohrOfTheCrowd) May 31, 2021
On the road, in the #1 overall seed's regional.
— Nebraska Baseball (@Husker_Baseball) May 31, 2021
Don't care.
GBR. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/R65sDXC4sB
Will Bolt’s comment:
Huskers coach Will Bolt about earning the No. 2 seed in the Arkansas region: “It’s five wins to Omaha no matter how you draw it up.”
— Brian Christopherson (@Husker247BC) May 31, 2021
Conclusion:
Okay, so Maryland and Michigan have an easier road to Omaha. It’s as if it might have been better to not have won the Big Ten.
Do you think they paired Nebraska with Arkansas because of the Dave Van Horn story line? Did they clearly punish the Big Ten for not playing a non-conference schedule? Or is this about logistics?
I’d love to see the discussion.