For those that don't know, because of Covid, the NCAA picked 20 host schools. Only these 20 can host this year, so if there is a 1 seed outside of the 20, they have to travel. Here is the RPI ranking among the 20 preselected host schools (** with 2 schools added that I want to talk about with a star by their name):
1. Arkansas
2. Vandy
4. Tennessee
5. Texas
6. TCU
7. Old Dominion*** (cannot host)
8. Miss. State
9. Arizona
10. Texas Tech
11. Notre Dame
12. Oklahoma State*** (cannot host)
13. Ole Miss
14. Stanford
15. East Carolina
16. Oregon
17. Florida
18. South Carolina
22. Southern Miss
23. LA Tech
26. Gonzaga
29. Charlotte
50. Pittsburgh
After the Gamecocks blew it in Hoover, I posted that our best, and potentially only, shot of hosting was for Old Dominion to win the Conference-USA tournament. Now that they have done so, I can lay that out.
Old Dominion rose to #7 in RPI after winning the tournament. It's not a fluke of RPI either, they actually have a really good resume. They're 42-14, SOS of 33. 14-6 in Quad 1 games, 8-5 Quad 2, 6-4 Quad 3, 7-1 Quad 4. I just don't see any way where they are not a 1 seed.
So, since they are a 1 seed and they cannot host, they have to be sent somewhere. There are only a few options because remember, they can only be sent somewhere among the 20 above schools that is not chosen as a 1 seed/host. The only schools on this list that aren't going to be 1 seeds are: South Carolina, Southern Miss, LA Tech, Gonzaga, Charlotte, and Pittsburgh.
Well, rule out 3 of those off the bat. Southern Miss, La Tech, and Charlotte are all conference foes of Old Dominion, so you wouldn't think they'd be sent there. That leaves, South Carolina, Gonzaga, and Pittsburgh.
This is pure opinion, but it seems like Columbia is just the most practicable option on every level. If you want to look at it from picking the school among the 3 with the best resume, that's clearly South Carolina. If you want to be the most fair to Old Dominion, South Carolina is the closest destination as well. There's also a question of whether Oklahoma State will be chosen as a 1 seed over LA Tech. OK State has a much better RPI than them. If they are chosen, you would think Gonzaga would be a likely destination for them.
Of course, I suppose there's always the option of sending Old Dominion to Columbia, but sending the Gamecocks elsewhere. That would perhaps be the most fair (as D1 baseball has pointed out, Old Dominion will obviously have far from a home field advantage here), but it seems unlikely to me that the NCAA will do that because it would weird and very few people would go to it.
For these reasons, I just have a feeling that Founders Park is going to see some post season baseball. I have no insider knowledge or anything. I think this is what the NCAA should do, but of course, I've long since given up trusting the NCAA to do what it should do. Here's hoping! Go Gamecocks!
1. Arkansas
2. Vandy
4. Tennessee
5. Texas
6. TCU
7. Old Dominion*** (cannot host)
8. Miss. State
9. Arizona
10. Texas Tech
11. Notre Dame
12. Oklahoma State*** (cannot host)
13. Ole Miss
14. Stanford
15. East Carolina
16. Oregon
17. Florida
18. South Carolina
22. Southern Miss
23. LA Tech
26. Gonzaga
29. Charlotte
50. Pittsburgh
After the Gamecocks blew it in Hoover, I posted that our best, and potentially only, shot of hosting was for Old Dominion to win the Conference-USA tournament. Now that they have done so, I can lay that out.
Old Dominion rose to #7 in RPI after winning the tournament. It's not a fluke of RPI either, they actually have a really good resume. They're 42-14, SOS of 33. 14-6 in Quad 1 games, 8-5 Quad 2, 6-4 Quad 3, 7-1 Quad 4. I just don't see any way where they are not a 1 seed.
So, since they are a 1 seed and they cannot host, they have to be sent somewhere. There are only a few options because remember, they can only be sent somewhere among the 20 above schools that is not chosen as a 1 seed/host. The only schools on this list that aren't going to be 1 seeds are: South Carolina, Southern Miss, LA Tech, Gonzaga, Charlotte, and Pittsburgh.
Well, rule out 3 of those off the bat. Southern Miss, La Tech, and Charlotte are all conference foes of Old Dominion, so you wouldn't think they'd be sent there. That leaves, South Carolina, Gonzaga, and Pittsburgh.
This is pure opinion, but it seems like Columbia is just the most practicable option on every level. If you want to look at it from picking the school among the 3 with the best resume, that's clearly South Carolina. If you want to be the most fair to Old Dominion, South Carolina is the closest destination as well. There's also a question of whether Oklahoma State will be chosen as a 1 seed over LA Tech. OK State has a much better RPI than them. If they are chosen, you would think Gonzaga would be a likely destination for them.
Of course, I suppose there's always the option of sending Old Dominion to Columbia, but sending the Gamecocks elsewhere. That would perhaps be the most fair (as D1 baseball has pointed out, Old Dominion will obviously have far from a home field advantage here), but it seems unlikely to me that the NCAA will do that because it would weird and very few people would go to it.
For these reasons, I just have a feeling that Founders Park is going to see some post season baseball. I have no insider knowledge or anything. I think this is what the NCAA should do, but of course, I've long since given up trusting the NCAA to do what it should do. Here's hoping! Go Gamecocks!
