Which scenario do you believe is better for BU?

[TheAsianSensation]

Speaking of the Chicago area game, does anyone know if we have tried to schedule Northwestern? Last year they scheduled Brown and Butler...

We'd probably want a home-and-home with them, and Northwestern is about the last team in the world that would look to schedule that type of series with a team like Bradley.

[MacabreMob]

Hopefully soon Bradley will be on TV in Chicago enough times in a season, we won't have to feel like we have to schedule a game there every year.

[MacabreMob]

... In recent years, there has been numerous talk about how the Creightons, Missouri States and Illinois States of the world get the shaft year-in and year-out. The reason they get the shaft year-in and year-out is too many 200+ pri teams on their schedule and the NCAA doesn't take Missouri Valley accomplishments seriously.

You are very right IMO about the NCAA not taking the MVC accomplishments seriously.

I just wanted to expand a little on Mo St. In 2006, they played (and beat) the following 200+RPI teams: @ 229 Ark St, 201 Tx A&M CC, 229 Ark St, 233 Illinois St, @ 233 Illinois St.

The knock on Mo St that season was their Wins against the Top 50 RPI only came against In-Conference foes (and those MVC schools cracked the code and cheating the system of the RPI). So no "marquee" Non-Con wins kept them out.

In 2007, they picked up the Big Name "marquee" win against Wisconsin on a neutral floor (Wisky finished 2nd in B10 with an RPI of 4). Their 200+ RPI wins were against 314 Alabama St, 237 UW-Milwaukee, and @ 262 UNC-Wilmington.

Also, just an fyi... Mo St's SOS in 2006 was 46 and in 2007 t was 42.

[SFP]

Welcome back MM and great statistical information to back up my thoughts. As I said nothing against NIU but with their rpi way down there's not much good it can do us.

[MacabreMob]

Tks SFP.

To expand a little.

And I risk sounding snobbish... but I mean it only in the sense that I respect playing on the road. I don't turn my nose down on anyone - IMO, EVERY game is a BIG GAME. EVERY GAME. Some have more impact - positively and negatively - than others. But ALL are BIG.

I think BU Rick may have taken this a little personal and the poll doesn't say a Top 15 vs H-n-H vs NIU.

So let me break this down. All in my opinion - and I took a look at only the Regional teams. (I couldn't see anyone stating a case for playing Home-n-Home with Sacramento St who was 341 last year in the RPI versus playing a "buy-game" at UCLA)

I looked at the following States: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio.

From those States, I have 3 categories (excluding MVC schools):

Buy-Game
Illinois
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Arkansas
Wisconsin
Marquette
Michigan
Michigan St
Indiana
Purdue
Notre Dame
Kentucky
Louisville
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Ohio St

Home-n-Home
Northwestern
Depaul
Butler
Memphis
Xavier
Cincinnati
Dayton
Loyola
UIC
SLU
UW-Green Bay
UW-Milwaukee
Cleveland St
Kent
Wright St
Miami (Oh)

Home Only
N Illinois
Chicago St
WIU
EIU
UMKC
SEMO
Ark St
Ark-LR
Ark-PB
Central Ark
C Michigan
E Mich
W Mich
Oakland
Detroit
IUPUI
IUPU=Ft Wayne
Valpo
Ball St
Morehead St
E Kentucky
W Kentucky
Murray St
Tn-Martin
Austin Peay
Belmont
Lipscomb
M Tenn St
Tn Tech
Chattanooga
E Tenn St
Youngstown St
Akron
Toledo
Bowling Green
Ohio U

Obviously - we don't live in my dream world. I'd be ok with a 2-for-1 with some on the Buy-Game list and the H-n-H list. And I would also be ok with an occasional H-n-H (or 2-for-1 in our favor from the Home Only) lists.


BU Rick may think this is an attack on NIU, but it is more of an attack on the "level" some of us expect out of Bradley to perform on the road. Some of us would like to see us in a winnable game against a tougher opponent (on paper). But don't get me wrong - I think this could be a tough "trap" game after the Vegas trip no matter the results out West (and I respect playing ANYONE on the road).

We may all be happy we just win the game - but some will still argue against scheduling the game period. (Maybe this is the "best" available" and instead of playing a Non-D1 at home or getting slaughtered on the road after a Holiday Tourney against a top 15 team... let's take what we can.. and then do what we can.)

Bottom line - you gotta win games. Last I checked, winning (no matter who you play basically but not always) does help the RPI.

So let's go out and win at NIU.

[BradleyBrave]

This one is a no-brainer, and I am glad to see most folks on here think so.

[wizard1]

Scheduling

86% favor BU playing a top 15 on the road and thats it! Somehow, this needs to be communicated to JL, VHB, the Pres., and the new AD if we ever get one! Also, I would think that if the PJS people ever wake up, they would also want to comment on this.
My only other thought on scheduling is that if we don't make the NCAA or the NIT, our season should be over. The players need to know what the goal is at the beginning of the season and that there is not going to be another option open to them to play in a second rate tournament if we don't achieve the goal.

[TheAsianSensation]

Remember, everyone: In order to play a top-15 team on the road, the top-15 team has to actually be interested in playing us in a one-and-done. I see the big boys would probably be much more willing to use lesser upper mid majors for those purposes than MVC schools, and Bradley, in particular.

[squirrelgotdead]

Excellent point TAS. . .

Although, a perennial Top 15 program would be significantly more likely be arrogant enough to not consider a Valley school a serious threat (i.e. Syracuse has had some embarrassing home losses the last couple seasons), whereas, an upstart program (like Mississippi St) that figures to be a Top 15 team may aim to schedule down at home as much as possible to avoid risk.

The reality of it for me, and in part why I'm not really that upset with it, is the way our sked is shaping up, this may be the only game I have an issue with--and I think it will turn out to be an excellent home game for us next year. If this is the worst game on our schedule that we have control over, I'm not going to be too upset with this slate at all.

[Samd2]

Thats easy, top 15, they are always open to be upset by what they consider to be a mid major.

[TheAsianSensation]

Excellent point TAS. . .

Although, a perennial Top 15 program would be significantly more likely be arrogant enough to not consider a Valley school a serious threat (i.e. Syracuse has had some embarrassing home losses the last couple seasons), whereas, an upstart program (like Mississippi St) that figures to be a Top 15 team may aim to schedule down at home as much as possible to avoid risk.

The reality of it for me, and in part why I'm not really that upset with it, is the way our sked is shaping up, this may be the only game I have an issue with--and I think it will turn out to be an excellent home game for us next year. If this is the worst game on our schedule that we have control over, I'm not going to be too upset with this slate at all.

I'm just saying a school like Syracuse would rather schedule a Cleveland St than a Bradley, for example. Don't give a Valley team ammunition for an at-large resume. Cleveland St isn't as likely to build that resume.


That puts the Valley in no-man's land. No one wants to give them the signature win oppurtunity if they can help it. Instead of scheduling the 45-RPI Bradley, for example, schedule the 70-RPI Cleveland St. The RPI difference is minimal. You're going to be hurt rather equally if you lose to either.



And if this is the worst game, then I'm OK. I'm treating this as the equivalent of a home cupcake, only it's being done for non-resume boosting reasons.

[Braves4Life]

If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............

[squirrelgotdead]

If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............

That is the way Molinari used to do it. . .

[TheAsianSensation]

If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............

And then the selection committee would whine we're not scheduling hard enough. At the same time that we'd be getting rejected by the very schools we need to schedule.

[lefty]

If the Top 15-30 programs are afraid to play BU then we need to seriously look to schedule the Top 30-75 teams consistently. BU needs to go after perrenial lower conference powerhouses like Davidson, College of Charleston, Gonzaga, San Diego St., St. Mary's, Butler, ODU, GMU, VCU, etc............

I think this is more realistic. Scheduling teams that are consistently top 20 is unrealistic......