[Dillon Compton]

I think the claim that the "big name" teams were together for the entire time are entirely spurious - I will, however, say that a number of teams had clustered plays - one team playing another multiple times, or one team playing with another multiple times.

This was NOT limited to the "big name" teams playing with/against one another, and indeed did NOT have any appreciable effect on the outcome of the event.

The teams that got into the afternoon would've gotten there regardless of the qualification matches (for the most part). They were chosen, or chose, because they had the best 'bots at the regional, not because they did or did not play each other.