Bracket Watch: NCAA Madness has Des Moines seeing blue

Greg Edwards wants us seeing blue.

Edwards, president and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, is among the city leaders prepping for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

And they’ve chosen an official color for the event.

“Our theme is going to be to light the metro in blue,” Edwards said. “So, we’re asking the buildings in downtown, like 801 (Grand), the financial tower and all that to light up in blue.”

Blue is the predominant color on NCAA logos, which will be splashed in and out of Wells Fargo Arena when first- and second-round games tip off March 17.

They’ll also be conspicuous in hotels and restaurants.

“We’re going to be talking to the suburban areas, to do the same,” Edwards said of his blue push. “Office buildings. Malls. We just want all the fans, wherever they may be staying or wherever they may go, to get the feeling ‘Hey, these people know we’re here and they really get it.’’’

Five weeks remain until Des Moines hosts what may be the most nationally significant sporting event in the city’s history.

“We started having monthly meetings way back when we first learned the tournaments were coming (in November of 2014),” Edwards said. “Now, we’re doing weekly meetings and we’re covering everything from parking, transportation and signage throughout the whole metro.”

The top perch for Hawks

At this point, it seems Iowa could lose two or three games and easily land in Des Moines for the NCAA’s first and second round.

In fact, Sports Illustrated elevated the Hawkeyes to the top overall seed earlier this week.

“The Hawkeyes don’t have another ranked team remaining on their schedule,” SI.com’s Michael Beller wrote, “and thus have a very real possibility of winning out leading into the Big Ten tournament ...

“If that were to happen, Iowa will have a great shot at being the No. 1 overall seed.”

NCAA tournament bracketology: Projecting the field of 68

That would also keep coach Fran McCaffery’s team close to home.

“We think it would be great if Iowa came to Des Moines,” Edwards said. “We’re still going to get seven other teams in here if Iowa should be one of the eight. So I think we’ll fill up (hotels) as we plan to.

“It would be a great atmosphere.”

A slight shift for Cyclones

USA Today began the week Iowa State as a No. 4 seed in Oklahoma City. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi also had the Cyclones as a No. 4, but in Denver.

USA Today updated its bracket Wednesday and put Iowa State back at No. 3 in St. Louis, with a possible second-round showdown against Duke or coach Steve Alford and UCLA.

Possible return trip

Wichita State rolled past Drake 74-48 on Tuesday and may be back in Des Moines when the Madness begins.

The Shockers seemed like a longshot for an at-large bid in December. But point guard Fred VanVleet is healthy and they’ve reasserted themselves as the Missouri Valley Conference’s best team. Last weekend’s loss at Illinois State has Wichita State in the No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9 range.