Hardball Bracketology: Two brackets for two Americas

There are all sorts of methods for filling out your NCAA tournament bracket, but here’s a new one: What if you picked based solely on the politics of each school? That’s how we came up with two very different brackets – one for Blue America and one for Red America.

Here’s how it works. We took data from Niche.com, which polled 50,000 college students nationwide and ranked schools based on how liberal or conservative they are, and applied it to every contest in the 68-team field. For each match-up in the Blue Bracket, we penciled in the schools that are ranked more liberal.

So, for instance, in the first-round game featuring Oregon (rated as the 55th most liberal college in the country) and Oklahoma State (ranked 799th), we declared Oregon the winner.

In the Red Bracket, we did the opposite, penciling whichever school is ranked more conservative.

So in the Blue Bracket, the team with the lower score – i.e. the one that is *more* liberal – wins every game. And in the Red Bracket, the team with the higher score – i.e. the one that is *less* liberal – is deemed the winner.

By doing this, we produced some truly bizarre results, but also a handy rooting guide for partisans on both sides of the aisle. The Blue Bracket represents the perfect outcome for lefties, and the Red Bracket represents heaven for the right.

Watch the Segment (with Steve Kornacki but On Hardball (Chris Mathews (Not Up)) from two days ago here!

#4 Terps Battle #13 Valpo in NCAA Tourney Friday

Courtesy Maryland Athletics

Dez Wells is averaging 17.5 points per game over the last 13 contests for the Terps.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 4 seed Maryland men's basketball team takes on No. 13 seed Valparaiso on Friday at approximately 4:40 p.m. EST in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

WATCH: TNT - Ian Eagle (Play-by-Play), Doug Gottleib (Analyst), Evan Washburn (Sideline)

LISTEN: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play), Chris Knoche (Analyst),

Westwood Radio: Dave Sims (play-by-play) Jim Jackson (analyst); Sirius 157, XM 204, ESPN 980, 105.7 FM

SOCIAL: Follow @TerrapinHoops on Twitter for updates

Storylines

• Maryland makes its return to the NCAA Tournament after a four-year hiatus. The Terps are making their 19th postseason appearance in the last 22 years. Maryland made 11 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1993-2004 and have advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen seven times in the last 20 years. Maryland made consecutive trips to the NCAA Final Four in 2001 and 2002 and captured the 2002 NCAA National Championship.

• The Terps were ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for 15 straight weeks, the longest streak since 2002-03.

• Head coach Mark Turgeon was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. Turgeon has led Maryland to 27 wins this season, a 10-game improvement from its 17 victories in the 2013-14 season, a mark that is second among schools in the Power Five conferences.

• Several milestones have been established this season...Maryland won a school record 26 games in the regular season...head coach Mark Turgeon has won a single-season best 27 wins during the 2014-15 season...Dez Wells scored his 1,000th career point at Maryland on Nov. 17...Jake Layman notched his 1,000th career point against Indiana on March 13 in the Big Ten Tournament.

• Maryland rode a seven-game winning streak into its first-ever Big Ten Tournament - the longest winning streak within the conference to end the regular season since Wisconsin won seven consecutive in the 2007-08 season.

• Dez Wells is on an absolute tear as of late, scoring in double-figures in 13 straight games, while averaging 17.5 points per game with a .523 field goal percentage during that span. He is also averaging a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game during the stretch. Melo Trimble leads the team in double-figure scoring games (30), 20-point games (10), assists (102) and steals (41). He is fourth nationally in free throws made (199). The duo averaged a combined 35.5 points per game during the Terps’ two games in the Big Ten Tournament.

• Head coach Mark Turgeon is 5-5 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. He led Wichita State to the Sweet Sixteen in 2006 and guided Texas A&M to the second round four straight seasons between 2008-2011.

Terps Go 1-1 in First-Ever B1G Tourney

• Dez Wells scored 22 points, Melo Trimble added 17 and No. 2 seed Maryland won its first Big Ten Tournament game, beating Indiana 75-69 in the quarterfinals, on March 13.

• Trimble scored a game-high 22 points but No. 3 seed Michigan State utilized a strong second half to defeat the Terps, 62-58, on March 14 in the semifinals.

Tourney Terps

• Seniors Dez Wells, Evan Smotrycz and Jon Graham have past experience in the NCAA Tournament. Wells, who tallied 14 points in 29 minutes in a 67-63 victory over Notre Dame in the second round, averaged 5.3 points per game in 23.6 minutes in three tournament games while at Xavier in 2011-2012. He saw action in a 70-58 victory over Lehigh and a Sweet Sixteen loss to Baylor.

• Smotrycz averaged 14.6 ppg in 18 minutes through three tournament games while at Michigan (2010-2012). The senior recorded 15 points in 24 minutes in a 65-60 loss against Ohio in 2012. During the 2011 NCAA Tournament, Smotrycz averaged 10.6 points per game in 15 minutes of action. The Reading, Mass., native totaled 13 points in 14 minutes in a 73-71 loss to Duke in the third round.

• Graham was at Penn State in 2010-11, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament and lost to Temple,

66-64, in the second round.

A Job Wells Done

• Senior Dez Wells has scored in double-figures in 13 straight games, averaging 17.5 points per game with a .523 field goal percentage as the Terps have gone 10-3 during that span.

• The Raleigh, N.C., native, has recorded 20-plus points in six games this season, including four of the last eight and led the team in scoring (26), rebounds (7) and assists (4) vs. No. 5 Wisconsin (2/24).

• He ranks 10th in scoring (15.3) and eighth in free throw pct. (.805) in the Big Ten.

Trimble Shines in Freshman Campaign

• Maryland freshman Melo Trimble has been sensational in his rookie season in College Park.

• Trimble is averaging a team-best 16.3 points per game while leading the No. 8-ranked Terps in assists (102) and steals (41). The Upper Marlboro, Md., product, has scored 20 or more points 10 times this season, including a 31-point showing against Arizona State on Nov. 24 which fell just two points shy of the Maryland single-game record for a freshman (Joe Smith vs. Rider, 1993).

• He is currently fifth in the Big Ten in scoring.

Courtesy Maryland Athletics

The Terps had some fun at their open practice on Thursday afternoon in Columbus.

Terps Prep for Friday's NCAA Tourney Action

COLUMBUS, Ohio - On the eve of the school's 25th all-time NCAA Tournament, the Maryland Terrapins filled their day in Columbus, Ohio with an hour shootaround, a team meeting, a media session and an open practice at Nationwide Arena.

The Terp players were affable during their 30-minute interview session with the local and national media and followed with an open practice in front of adoring fans and supporters.

The real test begins on Friday when the No. 4 seed Terps face No. 13 Valparaiso at 4:40 p.m.

Terps head coach Mark Turgeon, who led Maryland to a school record 26 regular season wins, is excited for postseason play to commence.

"This is the best time of year," said Turgeon, who previously guided Wichita State and Texas A&M to NCAA tournament appearances. "I'm happy for our players, coaching staff and fans. It is really an enjoyable team to be around."

Named Big Ten Coach of the Year earlier this month in the school's inaugural season in the conference, Turgeon will rely on the outstanding play of All-Big Ten performers Dez Wells, Melo Trimble and Jake Layman.

Wells and Trimble, who sat at the dias answering questions earlier on Thursday, were asked to share their favorite Maryland tournament moment.

Both Terps nodded their head, smiled and agreed it was Juan Dixon.

And who could blame them as Dixon, who led Maryland to its lone national championship and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Final Four in 2002, set the standard.

"We're excited about this opportunity that we have in front of us," said Wells, who has scored in double-figures in 13 consecutive games. "It's special time and we can't wait to get started."

And who can blame Wells and the Terps who began workouts this past June to ready themselves for the ultimate opportunity.

To be a part of 'March Madness.'