FAU doesn't feel at home at Gainesville Regional
By Chuck King
When is being the higher seed devoid of perks? When you are the No. 2 seed in the NCAA’s Gainesville Regional.
If the Owls play No. 3 seed Oregon St. in an elimination game on Sunday - which looking at the scoreboard seems more and more likely – FAU, the higher seed, should be
the home team, right?
Well, that’s what FAU coach John McCormack figured, only to learn NCAA rules dictate that privilege goes to the Beavers.
It’s Rule 3-A of the Championship Handbook that applies specifically to FAU’s situation. Both teams have been the home team an equal number of times in this regional – FAU in the opener against OSU, the Beavers right now against Florida.
Since FAU was the home team in the first meeting and both teams have been the home tam an equal amount, OSU gets to be the home team this time around. Which begs the question, why even bother with a seeding to begin with?
Here’s an idea: Highest seed is the home team. Period. Quit trying to be fair and reward the accomplishments of the regular season.
Should the above scenario play out, FAU will have been the home team the same number of times as recently departed Bethune-Cookman – the lowest seed in the regional.
The good news for FAU is that if it gets past the Beavers it should be the “home team” later in the day against Florida.
In case you’re wondering, should Oregon St. rally to win this game and send the Gators into the loser’s bracket, the home team in the FAU/Florida game would be determined by a coin flip.