For each region, I list the average rating, the average rating for the 1-12 seeds (so as not not have the lower teams skew this too much), and the average ranking for each of those groups too. The bold indicates the toughest rating/ranking and the italics the easiest.
| Region | Avg. Rating | Top-12 Avg. Rating | Avg. Ranking | Top-12 Avg. Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South (Duke) | 86.480 | 88.886 | 49.875 | 22.083 |
| West (Syracuse) | 86.259 | 88.360 | 49.438 | 25.667 |
| East (Kentucky) | 86.120 | 88.184 | 49.5 | 26.25 |
| Midwest (Kansas) | 86.088 | 88.283 | 54.125 | 30.5 |
From this, it would appear that Duke has the toughest road to the Final Four with the highest average ratings and the highest ranking for the top-12 seeds. And Kansas, as should be the case given they are the top seed overall, has the easiest road.
This goes against some of the analysis I've seen that claims Duke has the easiest road. Clearly the computer disagrees and we'll have to compare bracket performance to determine whose is right.
Questions? Comments?
Interesting analysis! I’m really excited about the 2010 NCAA Men’s College Basketball tournament. I try to enter as many free March Madness contests online at various sites. When I fill out the brackets, it’s rare for me to have two that are the same. However, if I could only fill out one bracket, I’d have Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia, and Baylor in the Final Four. I’d put Syracuse and West Virginia in the championship game, with Syracuse winning. It should be an interesting tournament though.
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