Bradley Bracket Buster opponent announced

[jeffsu]

I say the entire MVC donates their return games to ISU to boost their SOS next season...

Best idea today.

Gold star for the post!

[epistibrain]

Maybe instead of having a press conference tomorrow to announce that we are playing Loyola, we should instead have a press conference announcing that BU is working feverishly with ESPN to see if there is some way to get Chicago St., University of Chicago, Robert Morris College, Wheaton College, Lake Forest College, Moody Bible Institute, and the DeVry Institute of Technology all involved in the Bracket Buster games in the future. That way we can guarantee that we will have a game against a lousy basketball team in the Chicago area every single year.

Hey ER, Wheaton was ranked number 1, before their three game slide to Carthage, Elmhurst, and North Central.

[Jack Bauer]

Greetings from Luanda. We're stopping the revolution as we speak...

What a terrible game. Proof positive that conference play in our league means very, very little in the eyes of the East coast Sports Programming Network. Evansville is barely out of play-in contention, but is able to ride the boost from playing at UNC to a TV game, while BU gets stuck going to the house of horrors that has been the Gentile Center. Yes, I understand that our RPI is 100, but we're tied for 2nd in our league with 2 teams that got TV games. We won at 2 places that ISU didn't. I don't think we're getting 'picked on' or anything, but I think we've outgrown the whole 'BracketBuster' idea (and by 'we' I mean the whole league). Putting part of our scheduling in the hands of bureaucrats who clearly don't have our better interests in mind is just a bad idea. The MVC-MWC Challenge should be enough to replace the BracketBuster. More than enough.

[TheAsianSensation]

Greetings from Luanda. We're stopping the revolution as we speak...

What a terrible game. Proof positive that conference play in our league means very, very little in the eyes of the East coast Sports Programming Network. Evansville is barely out of play-in contention, but is able to ride the boost from playing at UNC to a TV game, while BU gets stuck going to the house of horrors that has been the Gentile Center. Yes, I understand that our RPI is 100, but we're tied for 2nd in our league with 2 teams that got TV games. We won at 2 places that ISU didn't. I don't think we're getting 'picked on' or anything, but I think we've outgrown the whole 'BracketBuster' idea (and by 'we' I mean the whole league). Putting part of our scheduling in the hands of bureaucrats who clearly don't have our better interests in mind is just a bad idea. The MVC-MWC Challenge should be enough to replace the BracketBuster. More than enough.

Make no mistake - if we're designated a home team this year instead of an away team, we have Evansville's game. We'd have a Top 50 RPI team coming to our place.

That's absurd to think a simple home/road split can cause such a huge discrepancy in opponent.

[Jack Bauer]

Make no mistake - if we're designated a home team this year instead of an away team, we have Evansville's game. We'd have a Top 50 RPI team coming to our place.

That's absurd to think a simple home/road split can cause such a huge discrepancy in opponent.

The whole event is absurd at this point. This event has yet to pay the dividends for us that it is supposed to. The only year we danced we weren't even on TV. Some may say it's a mistake to thumb our noses at ESPN, but I say 'What have you done for me lately?'. Outside of potshots at Peoria, the answer is nothing.

[Bradleyguy10]

It still hurts a bit thinking about going to VCU and beating them handily on their court, and then watch them as they go to the NCAA tournament......

It was fun to watch them beat duke.....little piece of me died though...should've been us

[squirrel]

exactly...fans want games in Chicago, the coaching staff wants opportunities to play in Chicago, and this is a good, winnable game...

When you're RPI is sitting at 100, you really can't complain about the matchups.

That's what ticks me off more than anything. This is the game BU wanted. Irresponsible when you have Drexel sitting there with a 100 RPI, playing as well as anybody else in the field (10 of 12, only a few of them close), and will be even better next year because they only have one senior contributing.

[braves12]

Wily,

Road trip for sure to Chicago. See you at the luncheon. Retirement is great. I won't miss many road games now.

[braves12]

I wish BU had a better game in the Bracketbuster, I wish much more that BU would have won against UMKC, UWM and the Bluejays at home. If these would have happened, I think BU gets a good game and on TV. They didn't, and thus they got Loyola. Playing a Drexel may be a little better for the RPI, but BU has not put itself in a position for an at large invitation. Beating Drexel wouldn't do it either. We can blame ESPN but it would not surprise me 1 bit that BU preferred to go to Loyola than to go to Drexel.

Loyola is not a great game, but it is close for fans, and it will get some (but very little) notice in Chicago. I am one who thinks that a game against Loyola will not help our recruiting.

Some say get out of the Bracketbuster, OK. Who can BU schedule that will give them a chance to get on TV? The Bracketbuster gives BU a chance to get on TV. BU blew this chance by losing games they should have won.

If and when BU has the consistent success that SIU and Creighton have had in past years, may (I say may) be able to get a TV game against another strong mid-major from ESPN regardless of the Bracketbuster. Then BU could schedule a tough opponent and get on TV. Today that is not just possible. The Bracketbuster is the best opportunity for BU to get another game on national TV. It is not up to ESPN to take care of BU, it is up to BU to take care of BU.

Am I a big proponent of the Bracketbuster...no. Do I think the game against Loyola is great .....no. Do I blame ESPN......no. When the program is consistently above mediocre, then we fans may have a legitimate b!tch about ESPN and the Bracketbuster. Currently, the program is consistently mediocre. I think the wringing of hands should be about getting consistently better than mediocre. At this point in time I am confident the rest will take care of itself.

[wily coyote]

I wish BU had a better game in the Bracketbuster, I wish much more that BU would have won against UMKC, UWM and the Bluejays at home. If these would have happened, I think BU gets a good game and on TV. They didn't, and thus they got Loyola. Playing a Drexel may be a little better for the RPI, but BU has not put itself in a position for an at large invitation. Beating Drexel wouldn't do it either. We can blame ESPN but it would not surprise me 1 bit that BU preferred to go to Loyola than to go to Drexel.

Loyola is not a great game, but it is close for fans, and it will get some (but very little) notice in Chicago. I am one who thinks that a game against Loyola will not help our recruiting.

Some say get out of the Bracketbuster, OK. Who can BU schedule that will give them a chance to get on TV? The Bracketbuster gives BU a chance to get on TV. BU blew this chance by losing games they should have won.

If and when BU has the consistent success that SIU and Creighton have had in past years, may (I say may) be able to get a TV game against another strong mid-major from ESPN regardless of the Bracketbuster. Then BU could schedule a tough opponent and get on TV. Today that is not just possible. The Bracketbuster is the best opportunity for BU to get another game on national TV. It is not up to ESPN to take care of BU, it is up to BU to take care of BU.

Am I a big proponent of the Bracketbuster...no. Do I think the game against Loyola is great .....no. Do I blame ESPN......no. When the program is consistently above mediocre, then we fans may have a legitimate b!tch about ESPN and the Bracketbuster. Currently, the program is consistently mediocre. I think the wringing of hands should be about getting consistently better than mediocre. At this point in time I am confident the rest will take care of itself.

b12, well put. I couldn't agree more. We need to get better on a consistent bases and sustain it for years not just a stretch. I too do not like the system but if we take care of business and not get beat by teams that have no business beating us,maybe ESPN will put us on the tube. Until we do that we have no one to blame but us. On the bright side, Its a game we can see in person and I think the troops are coming to get us there. Patience is a virtue. Go Braves

[TheAsianSensation]

Guys, we can get the Chicago game whenever we want. UIC or Loyola.

The main advantage I see in BB, beyond the obvious of helping your resume, is exposure. New conferences and programs you have a chance to play.

You can play a CAA team, get exposure in Philadelphia, and have a quality opponent at home next year. Why can't we reach out?


There is absolutely NO WAY you can tell me that a @Loyola this year and Loyola at home next year is a better plan than @Drexel this year and Drexel at home next year.

[TheAsianSensation]

Also, I was about to come and flame UW-GB for getting a TV game ahead of us, but, well, they took that away from me

I can't believe Liberty/ODU is on TV and that they thought it was a better idea than Bradley/Drexel.

[braves12]

TAS,

Help me understand...are you upset with ESPN for the Loyola game or BU people if they asked for it?

[BUFAN]

I don't know a lot about Loyola, they beat UMKC and have some size. It will be a good match for us. We just need to win this game and not wouldda couldda, shouldda...

[TheAsianSensation]

TAS,

Help me understand...are you upset with ESPN for the Loyola game or BU people if they asked for it?

I'm upset at everything.

Honestly, both. The ODU/Liberty decision is indefensible and I'd rail against it no matter what. It's even worse that we're the apparent team who got screwed by it.

I don't know what options Les and friends had after that, and it's possible Loyola was best available. So I'll grant that. But it felt like we could do better and get more exposure by branching out east for once.