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BracketBuster 2007

MacabreMob said:
squirrel said:
I'd gladly take a third game against a higher-rated than us Valley team.

I'd also take a rematch with Loyola.

The five scenarios on my radar (Marist has dropped off after their ten point loss to Wright):

1. WMU--probable loss, but despite popular belief, they are a good team and I love their SOS which benefits their draw as well. If you're going to lose, you want it to be a helpful loss.

2. Loyola-Chicago

3. Nevada

4. VCU

5. Another Valley team.
Click to expand...

Well, since I don't recall ever seeing it in print that the BracketBuster will not involve teams in the same conference... nor have I seen in print the intent to avoid earlier in the year match-ups... You are free to take the position of desiring those match-ups.

But, IMO and from my understanding of the intent of the BracketBuster, they will NOT:

1) Match 2 teams from the same conference.

2) Match 2 teams that have already played earlier in the season (especially if the 2 teams have to play one another again the following year... no school is gonna tie 2 early non-con games up just because of the BBuster)

Nice angle on W Mich - tough SOS.

In spite of your belief, it is possible Bradley can win a road game.
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I have gone on record numerous times saying road games are not a concern anymore. Too much experience from games won last year. Still tough, but the team is mentally tough enough to finish on the road, something that hasn't been seen in years until February. These guys should win 2 road games in league play.

The only bad thing about drawing a league opponent is that you are stuck playing a league team in the non-con next year.
 
To my knowledge, the Bracket Buster people have never matched 2 teams from the same conference together in the BB games, and have said they will not do that. The original purpose was to get a game outside your conference late in the season, and maybe give teams from weaker conferences a chance to improve their RPI.

So it's been mentioned here several times that we might get a MVC matchup.... that won't happen. A lot will change with these RPIs before the end of January.
 
Agree-
the two top considerations for matching up BrackBuster opponents, are that the two teams cannot be from the same conference, AND the opponent cannot be a team that you have already scheduled or played this season in either a regular game or tournament.
Beyond that, then RPI and geography are considerations, and I suspect some intangible factors might be added such as getting us a good instate opponent whose coach used to work here, or getting us matched with another BU (either Butler or Bucknell).
The proposed matchup with Bradley at New Mexico State is also intruiguing because of the long rivalry Bradley once had with NMSU when they were part of the MVC.
 
I know it is too early to speculate. I am guilty. I wanted to start this thread updating rpi's and BracketBuster participants.
 
Too early to speculate. But from glancing at the list of teams....we should get a TV game if we don't disappoint, and we should get a solid RPI opponent out of it.

I still think it's time for the Valley to get out because this starts actually hurting our RPI....and this event was created to give "mid majors" the chance to play a solid opponent to build that at-large resume. The Valley, with their success and schedule, don't need this boost anymore.
 
Da Coach said:
To my knowledge, the Bracket Buster people have never matched 2 teams from the same conference together in the BB games, and have said they will not do that. The original purpose was to get a game outside your conference late in the season, and maybe give teams from weaker conferences a chance to improve their RPI.

So it's been mentioned here several times that we might get a MVC matchup.... that won't happen. A lot will change with these RPIs before the end of January.
Click to expand...

While I haven't suggested it would happen, I think that it should. The idea of the event is to help these teams. In order for it to help Valley teams, they may need another game against one another.

I am aware it is also a drawback for the following year, as it takes away your ability to schedule another quality out-of-conference foe.

I would think if the league stood to take a serious hit from it, they could lobby to make appropriate arrangements.
 
With Lunardi and JPalm doing their 1st Bracket Projections... Check out the initial post in this thread for current RPI of Home and Road teams to be matched up.

The BracketBuster event is based on RPI matchups for television. Then past the top 10 matchups, they try to keep them regional (and interesting).

I think MVC teams will be featured in almost every ESPN game.
 
As it was last year, it's looking again as if the top rated Bracket Buster teams include so many MVC teams, that most Valley teams will inevitably be paired with teams with lower RPI's. SIU looks like they'll get the one highly rated home BB team, Butler. Northern Iowa looks like they'll get Nevada, then Bradley could be left with Siena, New Mexico State, Long Beach, Hofstra, Marist, or maybe Boise or Fresno. Most of those could make for a long road trip. I've been to New Mexico State and to Siena, and they're not an easy trip from Peoria. Long Beach would be nice in February :lol:

Things could still change a lot.
MacabreMob- What is your guess for Bradley?
 
Da Coach said:
Things could still change a lot.
MacabreMob- What is your guess for Bradley?
Click to expand...

If they set the pairings today, I predict (RPI Road Team - RPI Home Team):

8 Southern Illinois 4 Butler
11 Appalachian St 19 Missouri St
18 Drexel 41 Creighton
51 Winthrop 43 Indiana St
69 Ohio 44 Wichita St
25 Northern Iowa 46 Nevada
36 Bradley 73 Siena
74 Utah St 76 New MexicoSt
81 Sam Houston 79 Long Beach
106 Evansville 80 Loyola(Chi)
92 Holy Cross 86 Hofstra
75 Old Dominion 87 Marist
81 Sam Houston 95 Boise St
133 Albany 97 VCU
140 UC Irvine 98 Fresno St
93 Hawaii 102 UC SB
134 Akron 105 Drake
 
But I DO think it will change.

Some will look same.

But App St will drop.

And I think Indy St will drop.

I hope we elevate.

:wink:
 
TheAsianSensation said:
Hofstra and Marist should start piling up wins and get in our RPI range.

I hope.
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I have changed my guesses (which will change again and again).

My Bracket Buster Predictions (for the 13 ESPN TV games):

Drexel @ Missouri St
Southern Illinois @ Butler
Appalachian St @ Creighton
Ohio @ Indiana St
Northern Iowa @ Nevada
Utah St @ Wichita St
Bradley @ Hofstra
Winthrop @ VCU
Sam Houston @ New Mexico St
Hawaii @ Long Beach
Holy Cross @ Loyola (Chicago)
Old Dominion @ Samford
Albany @ Marist
 
Squirrel - you bring up a good point..... I know a lot of fans have wondered why the MVC is still in the Bracketbuster and think the MVC is too good for this type of event and likely will be playing teams below themselves in the RPI.

Think about it this way though. If the MVC wasn't in the bracketbuster, what are the chances that the teams everyone plays for their last non-conf schedule would have been as high in the RPI? I don't think the chances are too good, especially since a lot of teams had to fill out their schedules with a non-Div 1 team. So getting the top 7 MVC teams getting for-sure Top 75 or Top 100 RPI games? I think that is a very good thing for our conference.

So the next time you hear someone say the MVC shouldn't be in the Bracketbuster, tell them they are wrong. We get likely 5 to 7 TV games on ESPN channels, and our RPI is likely stronger as a conference compared to if teams had to replace this game on their non-conf schedule.
 
Updating my Top 13 matchups for tv (1-16):

Drexel @ Missouri St
Southern Illinois @ Butler
Utah St @ Creighton
Bradley @ Nevada
Appalachian St @ Wichita St
Ohio @ New Mexico St
Old Dominion @ Indiana St
Winthrop @ VCU
Northern Iowa @ Hofstra
Holy Cross @ Marist
Hawaii @ Long Beach
Sam Houston @ Oral Roberts
Albany @ George Mason
 
Heres a question who do people WANT to play in the Bracket Buster game? Personally I just want to see us play a team that we are going to beat, I think we're going to make our resume in conference play, and I'll take an easier win over a tough rpi booster.
 
I dunno, I'm not sure how well we would match up with Nevada, worried Fazikas would tear us up. But then again, I'm not real sure as to what else they have.

I would be happy with a VCU, Hofsta, or NM St.

As long as it's on tv... :wink:
 
MacabreMob said:
Da Coach said:
Things could still change a lot.
MacabreMob- What is your guess for Bradley?
Click to expand...

If they set the pairings today, I predict (RPI Road Team - RPI Home Team):

8 Southern Illinois 4 Butler
11 Appalachian St 19 Missouri St
18 Drexel 41 Creighton
51 Winthrop 43 Indiana St
69 Ohio 44 Wichita St
25 Northern Iowa 46 Nevada
36 Bradley 73 Siena
74 Utah St 76 New MexicoSt
81 Sam Houston 79 Long Beach
106 Evansville 80 Loyola(Chi)
92 Holy Cross 86 Hofstra
75 Old Dominion 87 Marist
81 Sam Houston 95 Boise St
133 Albany 97 VCU
140 UC Irvine 98 Fresno St
93 Hawaii 102 UC SB
134 Akron 105 Drake
Click to expand...

I hope BU plays Siena. I would love to do a road trip to Italy :roll:
 
I guess I would just be surprised if ESPN puts Butler and SIU (probably the best two teams to pair in the field) in the same game.

Just my humble opinion. That's why I think the blockbuster nightcap between SIU and Nevada is more likely.
 
Squirrel - Creighton is supposedly interested in the late game again like they normally host in Omaha. I think the fact that BU plays Butler next year might preclude us from playing them.

I see BU likely drawing Nevada, VCU, Hofstra, or Marist. Those would be my 4 guesses. I also think Nevada and Butler are the 2 best teams in this field. Again - this is a good thing for the MVC... there will be some nice showcase games on TV for the MVC schools.
 
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