Published Mar 15, 2023 by Chris Bieri The 2022-23 season has been an undeniable success for the University of Alaska Fairbanks hockey team.
But over the last 10 days, the Nanooks have gone from ferociously checking their opponents to frequently checking their phones. UAF wrapped up its regular season on March 4, posting a 22-10-2 record. The mark puts the Nanooks, who have no conference affiliation, as a contender for an at-large berth in the 16-team field for the NCAA tournament. Conference tournaments wrap up this weekend, leaving the Nanooks, “on pins and needles,” according to UAF head coach Erik Largen, as they await Sunday’s tournament selection show.
“You’re checking your phone constantly and watching bits and pieces of highlights and scrolling through social media trying to decipher what teams you need to win and whatnot,” Largen said.
The object of their checking and scrolling has not only been other teams’ scores but the men’s Division I PairWise Rankings. The PairWise is a system which mimics the process for determining the teams in the NCAA men’s tournament.
As of Tuesday, the Nanooks were ranked No. 15 in the PairWise. Six champions of conference tournaments are offered automatic berths in the tournament, leaving 10 at-large spots.
While that ostensibly puts UAF inside the top 16, the two teams playing for the title in the Atlantic Hockey tournament — Canisius and Holy Cross — are both rated much lower than UAF. That bumps the Nanooks down to No. 16 and right on the cutting edge for the national tournament.
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