{"id":1473,"date":"2014-03-18T07:00:01","date_gmt":"2014-03-18T07:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.msdn.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/2014\/03\/18\/raymonds-highly-scientific-predictions-for-the-2014-ncaa-mens-basketball-tournament\/"},"modified":"2014-03-18T07:00:01","modified_gmt":"2014-03-18T07:00:01","slug":"raymonds-highly-scientific-predictions-for-the-2014-ncaa-mens-basketball-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/20140318-01\/?p=1473","title":{"rendered":"Raymond's highly scientific predictions for the 2014 NCAA men's basketball tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once again, it’s time for Raymond to come up with an absurd<\/a>, arbitrary<\/a> criterion<\/a> for filling out his NCAA bracket<\/a>.\n This year, I look at the number of followers of of the basketball team’s official Twitter account, or one tenth of the number of followers of the school’s athletic department if the school’s basketball team does not have its own dedicated Twitter account. The fraction 1\/10 is completely arbitrary, but that’s what makes this algorithm highly scientific<\/i>. And yes, counting fans also includes people who hatewatch<\/a> the team. I accept this, because if a lot of people hate a team, it’s probably because they’re “too good.”\n This works similarly to last year’s algorithm based on Facebook Like<\/i>s, but now I’m using Twitter because Facebook is for old people<\/a>. That may be why last year’s predictions were so awful.<\/p>\n

Once the field has been narrowed to four teams, the results are determined by a coin flip<\/a>. (I should be doing this when the field reduced to eight teams rather than four, but I’ve been doing it wrong for so long, it’s now a tradition. Also: highly scientific<\/i>.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n

Opening Round Games<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\nNC State<\/a><\/td>\n(23,060a)<\/td>\nNC State
(2,306)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nXavier<\/a><\/td>\n(6,394a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nAlbany<\/a><\/td>\n(3,969a)<\/td>\nMount St Mary’s
(942)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nMount St Mary’s<\/a><\/td>\n(942)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nIowa<\/a><\/td>\n(34,643)<\/td>\nIowa
(34,643)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nTennessee<\/a><\/td>\n(33,945)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nCal Poly<\/a><\/td>\n(777)<\/td>\nCal Poly
(777)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nTexas Southern<\/a><\/td>\n(1,551a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/p>\n

Group 1<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

1<\/td>\nFlorida<\/a><\/td>\n(16,048)<\/td>\nFlorida
(16,048)<\/td>\n		Florida
(16,048)<\/td>\n		Florida
(16,048)<\/td>\n		Kansas
(71,239)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nMount St Mary’s<\/a><\/td>\n(942)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nColorado<\/a><\/td>\n(9,395)<\/td>\nColorado
(9,395)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nPittsburgh<\/a><\/td>\n(5,661)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nVCU<\/a><\/td>\n(10,966a)<\/td>\nSF Austin
(1,387)<\/td>\n		UCLA
(13,052)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nSF Austin<\/a><\/td>\n(1,387)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nUCLA<\/a><\/td>\n(13,052)<\/td>\nUCLA
(13,052)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nTulsa<\/a><\/td>\n(1,512)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nOhio State<\/a><\/td>\n(35,574)<\/td>\nOhio State
(35,574)<\/td>\n		Syracuse
(41,327)<\/td>\n		Kansas
(71,239)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nDayton<\/a><\/td>\n(7,612)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nSyracuse<\/a><\/td>\n(41,327)<\/td>\nSyracuse
(41,327)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nWestern Michigan<\/a><\/td>\n(351)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nNew Mexico<\/a><\/td>\n(17,182a)<\/td>\nStanford
(4,886)<\/td>\n		Kansas
(71,239)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nStanford<\/a><\/td>\n(4,886)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nKansas<\/a><\/td>\n(71,239)<\/td>\nKansas
(71,239)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nEastern Kentucky<\/a><\/td>\n(1,741)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/p>\n

Group 2<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

1<\/td>\nArizona<\/a><\/td>\n(17,523)<\/td>\nArizona
(17,523)<\/td>\n		Arizona
(17,523)<\/td>\n		Arizona
(17,523)<\/td>\n		Wisconsin
(30,913)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nWeber State<\/a><\/td>\n(3,365a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nGonzaga<\/a><\/td>\n(9,559)<\/td>\nOklahoma State
(14,271)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nOklahoma State<\/a><\/td>\n(14,271)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nOklahoma<\/a><\/td>\n(15,869)<\/td>\nOklahoma
(15,869)<\/td>\n		Oklahoma
(15,869)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nNorth Dakota State<\/a><\/td>\n(1,538)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nSan Diego State<\/a><\/td>\n(13,813a)<\/td>\nSan Diego State
(1,381)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nNew Mexico State<\/a><\/td>\n(4,510a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nBaylor<\/a><\/td>\n(18,310)<\/td>\nNebraska
(18,484)<\/td>\n		Nebraska
(18,484)<\/td>\n		Wisconsin
(30,913)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nNebraska<\/a><\/td>\n(18,484)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nCreighton<\/a><\/td>\n(13,585)<\/td>\nCreighton
(13,585)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nLouisiana-Lafayette<\/a><\/td>\n(909)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nOregon<\/a><\/td>\n(15,640)<\/td>\nOregon
(15,640)<\/td>\n		Wisconsin
(30,913)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nBYU<\/a><\/td>\n(12,953)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nWisconsin<\/a><\/td>\n(30,913)<\/td>\nWisconsin
(30,913)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nAmerican<\/a><\/td>\n(1,629)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/p>\n

Group 3<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

1<\/td>\nVirginia<\/a><\/td>\n(8,022)<\/td>\nVirginia
(8,022)<\/td>\n		Memphis
(35,231)<\/td>\n		Michigan State
(63,034)<\/td>\n		North Carolina
(153,062)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nCoastal Carolina<\/a><\/td>\n(4,763)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nMemphis<\/a><\/td>\n(35,231)<\/td>\nMemphis
(35,231)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nGeorge Washington<\/a><\/td>\n(2,811)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nCincinnati<\/a><\/td>\n(15,545)<\/td>\nCincinnati
(15,545)<\/td>\n		Michigan State
(63,034)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nHarvard<\/a><\/td>\n(3,059)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nMichigan State<\/a><\/td>\n(63,034)<\/td>\nMichigan State
(63,034)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nDelaware<\/a><\/td>\n(9,419)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nNorth Carolina<\/a><\/td>\n(153,062)<\/td>\nNorth Carolina
(153,062)<\/td>\n		North Carolina
(153,062)<\/td>\n		North Carolina
(153,062)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nProvidence<\/a><\/td>\n(9,413a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nIowa State<\/a><\/td>\n(26,881)<\/td>\nIowa State
(26,881)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nNorth Carolina Central<\/a><\/td>\n(868)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nConnecticut<\/a><\/td>\n(10,417)<\/td>\nConnecticut
(10,417)<\/td>\n		Connecticut
(10,417)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nSt Joseph’s<\/a><\/td>\n(2,608)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nVillanova<\/a><\/td>\n(3,574)<\/td>\nVillanova
(3,574)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nMilwaukee<\/a><\/td>\n(3,719a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/p>\n

Group 4<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

1<\/td>\nWichita State<\/a><\/td>\n(15,957)<\/td>\nWichita State
(15,957)<\/td>\n		Kentucky
(62,164)<\/td>\n		Kentucky
(62,164)<\/td>\n		Duke
(102,300)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nCal Poly<\/a><\/td>\n(777)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nKentucky<\/a><\/td>\n(62,164)<\/td>\nKentucky
(62,164)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nKansas State<\/a><\/td>\n(445)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nSaint Louis<\/a><\/td>\n(6,604)<\/td>\nSaint Louis
(6,604)<\/td>\n		Louisville
(14,844)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nNC State<\/a><\/td>\n(23,060a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nLouisville<\/a><\/td>\n(14,844)<\/td>\nLouisville
(14,844)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nManhattan<\/a><\/td>\n(3,290)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nMassachusetts<\/a><\/td>\n(5,863)<\/td>\nIowa
(34,643)<\/td>\n		Duke
(102,300)<\/td>\n		Duke
(102,300)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nIowa<\/a><\/td>\n(34,643)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nDuke<\/a><\/td>\n(102,300)<\/td>\nDuke
(102,300)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nMercer<\/a><\/td>\n(2,749a)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nTexas<\/a><\/td>\n(14,097)<\/td>\nTexas
(14,097)<\/td>\n		Michigan
(96,095)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nArizona State<\/a><\/td>\n(4,941)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nMichigan<\/a><\/td>\n(96,095)<\/td>\nMichigan
(96,095)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nWofford<\/a><\/td>\n(945)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/p>\n

Finals<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\nKansas<\/td>\n(3)<\/td>\nKansas
(3)<\/td>\n		Kansas
(3)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nNorth Carolina<\/td>\n(2)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nWisconsin<\/td>\n(1)<\/td>\nWisconsin
(1)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nDuke<\/td>\n(0)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Oh, and if you need some advice on how to fill out your bracket, you can watch Slate’s Mike Pesca fill out his<\/a>. Okay, maybe he’s not giving advice, so the whole if\/then<\/i> thing was a bit of a lie. Chris Wilson has actual advice<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once again, it’s time for Raymond to come up with an absurd, arbitrary criterion for filling out his NCAA bracket. This year, I look at the number of followers of of the basketball team’s official Twitter account, or one tenth of the number of followers of the school’s athletic department if the school’s basketball team […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1069,"featured_media":111744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[107,103],"class_list":["post-1473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oldnewthing","tag-highly-scientific","tag-non-computer"],"acf":[],"blog_post_summary":"

Once again, it’s time for Raymond to come up with an absurd, arbitrary criterion for filling out his NCAA bracket. This year, I look at the number of followers of of the basketball team’s official Twitter account, or one tenth of the number of followers of the school’s athletic department if the school’s basketball team […]<\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1069"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/oldnewthing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}