Pool Placing Scenarios

There are 8 different ways that the national championship game can play out.  Below are who will place in the top three of each pool based on each of those scenarios:

North Carolina defeats Gonzaga

Main pool:

1. Will
2. Aiden/Big Chris
3. Aiden/Big Chris

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Tommy/Dave
3. Tommy/Dave

North Carolina defeats South Carolina

Main pool:

1. Aiden
2. Big Nick
3. Jim W

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Tommy
3. Aiden

Oregon defeats Gonzaga

Main pool:

1. Will
2. Aiden
3. CW

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Aiden
3. Shaymus

Oregon defeats South Carolina

Main pool:

1. Aiden
2. Will
3. Jim W

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Aiden
3. Shaymus

Gonzaga defeats North Carolina

Main pool:

1. Will
2. Big Chris
3. Scott P

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Matt B
3. Aiden

Gonzaga defeats Oregon

Main pool:

1. Will
2. Aiden
3. Big Chris/Scott P

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Matt B
3. Aiden

South Carolina defeats North Carolina

Main pool:

1. Aiden
2. Big Nick
3. Jim W

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Aiden
3. Shaymus

South Carolina defeats Oregon

Main pool:

1. Aiden
2. Will
3. Jim W

Gambler's pool:

1. Big Chris
2. Aiden
3. Shaymus

Standings after Day 8 - 2017

Carolina, Carolina.  The last two spots in the Final Four were taken by South Carolina and North Carolina setting up a possible border war in the national championship game.  Personally, I was rooting for a Middle Tennessee State - East Tennessee State finale, but I guess this will have to do.

The drama is over with in the gambler's pool as Big Chris has clinched the top spot.  In the main pool, only Aiden or Will can take down the title at this point.  The champ will be decided in the first semifinal game on Saturday night.  If South Carolina wins, Aiden takes the main pool.  If Gonzaga wins, young Will will be crowned champion.

To see the entire standings, click here.

Standings after Day 7 - 2017

Who will have home court advantage at the Final Four this year in Arizona?  No matter who wins tomorrow's two regional finals, they'll end up as the road teams in next weekend's national semifinals.  That's because Gonzaga and Oregon earned trips to the Final Four on Saturday.  The Zags are making their first trip to the Final Four while the Ducks haven't been there in 78 years.

That Oregon upset over top seeded Kansas allowed Aiden to stay on top of the main pool, but CW and Will are still lurking close behind.  In the gambler's pool, there is only one scenario where Big Chris won't end up victorious.  Chubbs can catch him if Kentucky ends up victorious in an all-SEC national championship game.  Under any other scenario, Big Chris wins.

Here are the standings after Day 7.

Standings after Day 6 - 2017

Before Friday night, this tournament lacked an overtime game and it lacked a buzzer beater.  Wisconsin and Florida killed two birds with one stone.  After Wisconsin hit a leaning three-pointer to tie the game with 2 seconds left, Florida returned the favor by hitting the game-winning running trey at the overtime buzzer to steal the final spot in the Elite Eight.  They will meet fellow SEC club South Carolina in the East final, while North Carolina and Kentucky will battle in the South final.

The story at the top of each pool hasn't changed, but one pool got considerably tighter, while the other pool might be clinched very soon.  Aiden still leads the main pool, but his lead is down to 1 point over Big Nick, Jim Weissinger, and CW.  CW's bracket has the most potential of all those in the main pool, as her national champion pick (Kentucky) is still alive.  Another person whose bracket still has a lot of potential to win is Will Peerenboom.  Young Will chose Gonzaga to cut down the nets in Arizona.

As for the gambler's pool, Big Chris continues to dominate and it will be very surprising if anyone catches him at this point.

Here are the standings after Day 6.

Standings after Day 5 - 2017

Kansas provided the only blowout on Thursday night as Oregon, Gonzaga, and Xavier hung on in the final seconds to advance to the Elite Eight.  Those four results provided some separation in the pools. Aiden now holds a four-point lead in the main pool despite choosing Villanova as the champion.  He'll have to hold off the hard-charging Stephanie Grimes to stay on top.  In the gambler's pool, Big Chris has extended his lead to six points, with the Schweitzer brothers being his closest pursuers.

Here are the standings after Day 5.

Standings after Day 4 - 2017

After a ho-hum first round of the tournament, the second round continued to deliver on the upsets as Duke and Louisville were sent home.  North Carolina, Kentucky, and Oregon were fortunate not to join them.  Those upsets had an effect on at least one of the pools as Big Chris has separated himself from the pack in the gambler's pool with Chubbs holding on to second.  In the main pool, Aiden has a tenuous lead over Big Nick and Jim W.  You can see where you stand by clicking on the latest standings.

Standings after Day 3 - 2017

The first bit of madness in this year's tournament came when Wisconsin sent the defending champs packing.  Villanova was the most popular pick to win it all in each pool, so if you chose them to go all the way, you have plenty of company.  Time to start rooting against the other top seeds.

Here are the standings after Day 3.  This year's pools have gone big as Big Nick leads the main pool and Big Chris leads the gambler's pool.  Their pursuers are not far behind as 5 people are within 2 points in the main pool and 3 folks are within 2 points in the gambler's pool.  Will more top seeds get upset in the last set of games before the Sweet Sixteen?  Tune in now as Sunday's games have already begun.

Standings after Day 2 - 2017

Not too many upsets on Day 2 of the tourney, so not much of a shakeup at the top of the standings.  Big Nick and Vince are joined by Chubbs at the top of the main pool, while Big Chris and Shaymus make things more crowded at the top of the gambler's pool.  Here is the spreadsheet after Day 2.

Standings after Day 1 - 2017

I haven't had time to do a full recap, but you can see the Day 1 Standings here.  Just go to the Main Results and Gambler Results tabs.  Big Nick and Vince are currently leading the way in both pools at the moment.