We’ve got mail, and we’re loving it! We took a deep dive into the Bracket Breakers inbox, and here are our responses, beginning with some hot breaking analytical news.
Reader Israel S.: What are the takeaways from the Purdue upset, if any? Additionally, is this loss additional evidence of a problem with Big Ten basketball?
Peter Keating: I don’t think Purdue’s staggering loss to Fairleigh Dickinson says much about Big Ten basketball, because when it comes to style and tournament results, Purdue is an outlier in the Big Ten. In fact, it’s an outlier in the NCAA. Purdue is the worst tournament favorite of all time. At least dating back to the dawn of the modern spreadsheets era, meaning 2007 (the earliest we can get play-by-play data).
This distinction had been earned by Georgetown during the John Thompson III era, and until recently, I really didn’t think it would ever seriously be challenged. After dispatching UMBC in 2008, the Hoyas lost to Steph Curry and 10-seed Davidson in 2008. And then to 14-seed Ohio in 2010 and 11-seed VCU in 2011. The next year, they interrupted their string of disappointments by beating Belmont, but promptly lost to 11-seed North Carolina State in the second round. In 2013, they suffered probably their most ignominious loss, to 15-seed
