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BracketBuster 2008

. . .still crossing my fingers for Niagara. . .things could be headed that way. That would be a steal for us too, because they are a real potential tourney team from the MAAC, and therefore could have an outside shot at TV.

I know I owe you a reply Macabre. Been busy the past few weeks with several projects. Will get back to you within the next five days.
 
Its to bad we can not play Austin Peay, they are almost exactly like us with a great point guard in Derek Wright and they have no rebounding and can shoot the 3 very well.

Derek Wright even wears #20 and he plays very much like Ruffin very quick, controls the game and is not a bad shooter.
 
squirrel said:
After BU's win tonight. . .(according to realtimerpi.com)

RPI Team Record

114 Bradley 11-10
115 Niagara 12-6
Click to expand...

Squirrel,
Whats up with this fixation with Niagara?.. Are you from upstate NY?
Do you idolize Calvin Murphy? Have you been to The War Memorial Audi in Buffalo? Do you love lots of snow?
Did you honeymoon in Niagara Falls?
 
Grassman said:
Squirrel,
Whats up with this fixation with Niagara?.. Are you from upstate NY?
Do you idolize Calvin Murphy? Have you been to The War Memorial Audi in Buffalo? Do you love lots of snow?
Did you honeymoon in Niagara Falls?
Click to expand...

Glad you survived the third consecutive one-pointer the other night!

Niagara would be a steal in my eyes for BU in this thing.

Why?

Stability. Niagara could represent the MAAC for the third time in four years in the NCAA Tournament.

Two of their assistants were my top choices for BU's assistants positions last year: Phil Martelli, Jr., and Luke Dobrich.

Dobrich is from DePue, IL in Bureau County.

The staff was named the best coaching staff in the state of New York 2 of the last 3 years.

Niagara also has the nation's 2nd leading scorer in Charron Fisher (27.0).

Given Fisher's scoring status and the fact that Niagara is a probable tournament team based on experience, a pairing would likely be televised.

And you get a team with a very good NCAA shot on your home floor.
 
squirrel said:
Glad you survived the third consecutive one-pointer the other night!

Niagara would be a steal in my eyes for BU in this thing.

Why?

Stability. Niagara could represent the MAAC for the third time in four years in the NCAA Tournament.

Two of their assistants were my top choices for BU's assistants positions last year: Phil Martelli, Jr., and Luke Dobrich.

Dobrich is from DePue, IL in Bureau County.

The staff was named the best coaching staff in the state of New York 2 of the last 3 years.

Niagara also has the nation's 2nd leading scorer in Charron Fisher (27.0).

Given Fisher's scoring status and the fact that Niagara is a probable tournament team based on experience, a pairing would likely be televised.

And you get a team with a very good NCAA shot on your home floor.
Click to expand...

Well then, Go Purple Eagles!:)
 
squirrel said:
Glad you survived the third consecutive one-pointer the other night!

Niagara would be a steal in my eyes for BU in this thing.

Why?

Stability. Niagara could represent the MAAC for the third time in four years in the NCAA Tournament.

Two of their assistants were my top choices for BU's assistants positions last year: Phil Martelli, Jr., and Luke Dobrich.

Dobrich is from DePue, IL in Bureau County.

The staff was named the best coaching staff in the state of New York 2 of the last 3 years.

Niagara also has the nation's 2nd leading scorer in Charron Fisher (27.0).

Given Fisher's scoring status and the fact that Niagara is a probable tournament team based on experience, a pairing would likely be televised.

And you get a team with a very good NCAA shot on your home floor.
Click to expand...


Does anyone know if we pursued Coach Dobrich? I grew up in DePue but haven't talked to him in some time now. Just wondering if there was any interest between the two?

-MML
 
I had heard from someone close to him that he was interested. I don't know for a fact that he applied or not, but I would assume that he did.
 
Through Saturday's games and RPI.

Just guessing top 19 matchups (home team on left):

15 St Mary's vs 37 Kent State
22 Butler vs 8 Drake
45 Ohio vs 53 Creighton
46 Illinois State vs 57 VCU
55 So Illinois vs 62 George Mason
56 Oral Roberts vs 82 Nevada
63 Cleveland St vs 73 Miami (Ohio)
83 Akron vs 79 Wright State
87 CS Northridge vs 92 Indiana State
89 Valparaiso vs 88 Davidson
99 Utah State vs 95 UC Santa Barbara
101 Appalachian St vs 81 Marist
102 Wisc-GB vs 117 Niagara
106 Winthrop vs 105 Georgia Southern
109 Pacific vs 158 Portland State
112 Bradley vs 97 Wisconsin-Milwaukee
113 No Arizona 177 Wichita State
120 No Iowa vs 164 Illinois-Chicago
122 Missouri State vs 185 Western Michigan

Squirrel - I like your Niagara, but I am only guessing here. And based on "RPI/opponents already faced"... Wisc-GB trumps us for Niagara. Honestly believe Niagara is a very likely opponent though... the BracketBusters matchups have historically been whacked after like the first 5-10 games. We could get just about anybody - regardless of RPI and location.
 
When the pairings are made on 2/4, we will likely be winners of 5 in a row, 6 of 7 (with the loss by one to world-beaters Drake).

Our RPI will also have likely crept closer to or below 100.

I think we have a real good shot to draw up for the event. And a TV game.

Given the teams we are likely to draw, Niagara just seems like it has the most upside.
 
I am not that familiar with the Niagara basketball program. Their conference affiliation is rather unimpressive as is there 235 SOS.

Is there a rich tradition of basketball greatness at Niagara that I am uninformed about?
 
Some tradition but not extensive. . .Calvin Murphy led them to the NCAA in 1970.

Other than that just 2 out of the last 3 years they have represented the MAAC in the NCAA and I believe their overall team experience takes them back this year.

Also, the MAAC still has quality teams at the top, but since expanding from 8 to 10 teams, their bottom has sort of dropped out.

As for the SOS, the 4 teams they played with RPIs below 230 have all been in-conference.

Larry Costello, the first ever coach for the Milwaukee Bucks was also a Niagara alum.
 
Two more wins should lock Bradley into 5th on the pecking order (Drake, ISU, Crei, SIU). That is maybe probably enough for a TV game.

As for opponents? If we get a second-tier TV game, that usually means a lower conference leader. I guess that would be Marist/Niagara, or perhaps Davidson. I'd also take Nevada with what figures to be a better WAC next year.

Or they can do something absolutely insane like 2 years ago when they tried to pop our bubble with Tennessee Tech. Also, I think we have enough of the Horizon that'll probably be on our schedule next year, we don't need UW-M.
 
TheAsianSensation said:
Two more wins should lock Bradley into 5th on the pecking order (Drake, ISU, Crei, SIU). That is maybe probably enough for a TV game.

As for opponents? If we get a second-tier TV game, that usually means a lower conference leader. I guess that would be Marist/Niagara, or perhaps Davidson. I'd also take Nevada with what figures to be a better WAC next year.

Or they can do something absolutely insane like 2 years ago when they tried to pop our bubble with Tennessee Tech. Also, I think we have enough of the Horizon that'll probably be on our schedule next year, we don't need UW-M.
Click to expand...

I was wondering today if 13-10 and a top 100 RPI would be enough for a TV game. If they take recent performances (winning 6 of 7), injuries (Ruffin), last year's prime-time performance (a road win at VCU), and name recognition (Sweet 16 2 years ago, NIT last year) into consideration, I would think that 2 wins this week would get us a TV game. It might an 11 AM game, but a TV game on the ESPN family nonetheless. All things considered, getting on TV at this point would be pretty impressive. However, this isn't the NCAA Selection Committee, so who knows what they look at.

But, one game at a time. Let's get back to .500 in the league tonight before we start booking our TV game in February.
 
IMO, Niagara would be a TV game.

Nation's 2nd leading scorer, BU Sweet 16 in 2006, Niagara representing MAAC 2 of last 3 NCAA's. . .
 
squirrel said:
IMO, Niagara would be a TV game.

Nation's 2nd leading scorer, BU Sweet 16 in 2006, Niagara representing MAAC 2 of last 3 NCAA's. . .
Click to expand...

Nation's active assist leader, last year's national 3-point leader...I am with you Squirrel, it would be a nice matchup with a lot of storylines. Let's hope the powers-that-be think both are TV worthy.
 
squirrel said:
IMO, Niagara would be a TV game.

Nation's 2nd leading scorer, BU Sweet 16 in 2006, Niagara representing MAAC 2 of last 3 NCAA's. . .
Click to expand...

BradleyBrave said:
Nation's active assist leader, last year's national 3-point leader...I am with you Squirrel, it would be a nice matchup with a lot of storylines. Let's hope the powers-that-be think both are TV worthy.
Click to expand...

I Like the sounds of it guys.

I will post the numbers again some time tomorrow evening with maybe another update Friday night.
 
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