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Peter Tiernan has been using stats to analyze March Madness for 22 years. He writes for CBSSports.com and has also contributed to ESPN.com and SI.com. His insights into the NCAA basketball tournament can help you build a better bracket.Sign-up questions? Click here.
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Category Archives: Champ Credentials
Quick-and-dirty final Champ Check
Now that the seeds are announced and the season has played out, we can list our final teams that meet the qualifications that the last dozen champions have possessed: A one, two or three seed Member of a Power conference: … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials
22 Comments
Mini-Champ Check: Then there were five…
I’ve been pre-occupied getting the Pulse Check out, so I’m going to do a super-abbreviated evaluation of potential champs based on our traditional eight stats and KenPom metrics. First, the standard champ check. You know the drill—the last dozen champions … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials
6 Comments
Four different champ tests say Indiana is the favorite
The top of the college basketball rankings got jumbled up again yesterday. But unlike last week, there were also a couple big changes to the two champ lists we track.Every Tuesday, we do a champ check based on stats we’ve … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials
9 Comments
For Insiders: Rules for picking your Final Four and champion
Bracket picking time is just two weeks away, and I’ve finished my analysis for the rules for picking your Final Four and champion. This is the annual Insider feature piece that I use to fill out one of my bracket … Continue reading
Posted in Bracket Tools, Champ Credentials
7 Comments
A new set of champ rules to consider
After UConn won the 2011 tourney, I adjusted my champ rules to factor in the trend toward low scoring in college basketball. My scoring threshold for champions used to be 75 points a game. The fact is, 24 of the … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials, General News
2 Comments
Few changes on traditional champ list—but two meet KenPom thresholds
While the AP Top 20 had its share of shuffling this week, the list of teams that meet tourney champion credentials barely changed. For those who haven’t been following our weekly “champ check,” here’s the skinny: the last 12 champions … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials
3 Comments
Seven teams make champ list—but are their offenses prolific enough?
After a week that saw volatile changes in the AP Top 25—with Miami, Michigan State and Kansas rising as Duke, Michigan and Ohio State fell—you’d think there would be big changes in the list of teams with champion credentials. In … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials, Tourney Trends
4 Comments
Are a$$-whoopings warning signs?
In the wake of Michigan’s meltdown in East Lansing last Tuesday and the Duke demolition in Miami, a couple of readers have asked whether tourney champions have ever suffered such thorough beat-downs in their pre-dance games. The answer is yes—and … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials, General News, Team Ratings
6 Comments
Six teams make champ list—but only three meet efficiency criteria
Just three weeks ago, 10 teams met the statistical conditions of the last 12 champions. Since then, conference play has weeded out four pretenders. North Carolina State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Kansas have all fallen by the wayside over the … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials
2 Comments
Raw efficiency numbers say Kansas won’t be the next champion…but Gonzaga might
If you’ve been reading my recent Champ List posts, you know that I’ve added a secondary analysis of the teams that meet the offensive and defensive efficiency rankings of the last nine champions. When I first did this analysis, way … Continue reading
Posted in Champ Credentials
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