Bracketology: The study of brackets.

ESPN would have a field day with the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series bracket.

You don’t have to be an expert in Bracketology to figure out the JUCO bracket ... but it sure helps.

Because of the new television contract with College Sports TV, the championship game was moved to Saturday no matter what.

Traditionally, the tournament could be done on Friday if one team went undefeated.

The change was made to guarantee a Saturday championship game and some minor tweaks had to be made to the JUCO bracket.

Game 18 is set for 2 this afternoon, with a second game one hour after the conclusion of Game 18. There is no run rule in effect, another concession to television, but the teams will get a one-hour break between games.

The stadium will not be cleared between games.

To guarantee a Saturday championship game, one game was played on Thursday instead of the traditional two.

“The coaches vote on the bracket,” JUCO Tournament Chairman Jamie Hamilton said. “There are pros and cons to the bracket but if anyone comes up with a better idea, we will take it.”

The major con to the bracket has been fact that Spartanburg Methodist received two days off in a row instead of one after defeating Young Harris College on Wednesday.

“Any time you can rest your guys it is going to help,” New Mexico Junior College assistant coach Gerard Pineda said.

The task of creating the bracket is not an easy one, because 10 is a difficult number to divide into a bracket.

“Brackets are made for four, eight, 12, 16,” Hamilton said. “They are not made for 10. It is difficult to get enough games on that first day.”

One saving grace for the bracket is that every year it rotates districts, allowing different teams to benefit from the positive kinks in the bracket, like not playing until Sunday night, or as in Spartanburg’s case this year, having two days’ rest.

As the Pioneers enjoyed two days off, New Mexico benefited by earning a spot in the championship game no matter what happened on Friday night because the Thunderbirds had played the most games of the three remaining teams.

“It all works itself out in the end,” Pineda said. “It is a difficult bracket being a 10-team tourney, but it is done in a good way to get more teams here.”

If CSTV does not broadcast the games next year, the bracket will return to its original form.

But Hamiliton does not see that being the case.

“I’d like to think that like most people who don’t know much about us, then comes to see JUCO, everyone in Grand Junction will treat them well and CSTV will say, ‘Why aren’t we doing this?’ ” Hamilton said.

The television crew will be setting up this morning for today’s game.

The championship game will be aired on June 4 at 4 p.m. (MDT). It will be repeated June 5 at 4 p.m., June 11 at noon, June 14 at 2:30 p.m. and June 21 at noon.

“It is great exposure and this is a great year to do it,” Hamilton said.

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Patrick Bahr can be reached via e-mail at sports@gjds.com.