Details about this story

• Source: Raleigh News & Observer
• Date: March 16, 2008
• URL: Read the story
• Bylines: J.P. Giglio
• Topics: Sports , College
• Data Types: Other Data
• Description/Excerpt: The NCAA tonight will unveil its 2008 men's tournament bracket, a diagram in which millions of fans will try to divine the path to the national championship. But a change in how the bracket is arranged has made it easier to guess the winning route: Pick from the shortest ones. The distance teams travel grew in importance six years ago when the tournament selection committee began organizing its 65-team field into geographical groupings known as "pods." The intent was to make it easier for fans to attend early round games. But the change had another effect. It has created "super seeds," top teams that get the weakest early opponents, avoid grinding travel and play closer to their fans. A News & Observer analysis of the past 12 years of tournament data found that the distance a team travels for a game is a telling factor in the outcome. Teams that played within 250 miles of their campus won 69 percent of their games. Teams that traveled 500 miles or more won just 46.5 percent.
• Database or Graphic: Go to site (html&sortby=TEAM&sorttype=a&wherefield=WINNER&wherevalue=N)