BracketBusters 2010

[RedSoxDSM]

Don't forget that this year's Bracket Buster game will not have a return game next year but instead will happen the year after that.

This also means JL will have another game to schedule for next year that he normally would not have to find. Hopefully, he takes TAS's advice and avoids the SWAC like the plague.

[LittleBrave]

Actually would be good to get a team that looks promising for next year too, so we can get another good non-conf. road test...oh yeah, that didn't work out too well for us this season.

[LittleBrave]

Don't forget that this year's Bracket Buster game will not have a return game next year but instead will happen the year after that.

This also means JL will have another game to schedule for next year that he normally would not have to find. Hopefully, he takes TAS's advice and avoids the SWAC like the plague.

I didn't forget - just didn't know!
I guess it won't matter too much if we play a good team this year that might be good next year too.

[TheAsianSensation]

Les has been really good about filling out the back end of the schedule, so we'll be better off, frankly, with the extra slot.

[MacabreMob]

I'm not sure if it's solely based on RPI, but I'd like to see these pairings:

Siena @ Butler
Old Dominion @ UNI
Wichita St. @ VCU
Nevada @ Missouri St.
Akron @ Bradley

It's not solely on RPI - but the top matchups do rely on the RPI as well as Conference Standings.

The intent of the BracketBusters event is to showcase some teams likely to make it into the NCAA field and then potentially Bust the Bracket of 65.

The lower RPI teams not leading (or near the top of) their conferences will be matched up more on a regional basis - though not always.

NOTE (mainly for Squirrel): Teams can not play another team from their same conference. Teams can not replay an earlier season matchup.

[MacabreMob]

Here's some projected match-ups (just for fun).

UNI vs ODU
Butler vs Siena
Kent vs Wm & Mary
Utah St vs Wichita St
VCU vs Buffalo
NE'rn vs La Tech
Murray St vs W Carolina
Iona vs College of Charleston
Missouri St vs Nevada
Pacific vs ORU
E Ky vs W Michigan
Ohio vs Indiana St
Radford vs Morgan St
ISU vs Long Beach St
Vermont vs S Carolina St

We fall into a game against maybe Fairfield, NM St (Bobby Parker could give the team a tour of the town ), Wright St, Morehead St, Drexel, UCSB, or Akron... unless we want Valpo, SEMO, UIC or SIUe.

[MacabreMob]

UPDATE

After MVC's Weekend Games (color coded with Bradley and potential opponents)

HOME
15 Northern Iowa
23 Butler
46 VCU
71 Northeastern
72 Missouri St
78 Murray St
84 Iona
85 Utah St
86 Bradley
92 Kent
100 UW-GB
107 Pacific
110 Radford
111 George Mason
116 Illinois St
118 E Kentucky
124 Creighton
133 Bowling Green
136 Vermont
138 Austin Peay
144 Detroit
146 S Illinois
147 Miami-Oh
150 UW-Milwaukee
156 Hofstra
159 Ohio
165 Appalachian St
166 Fresno St
172 Montana State
174 Canisius
178 Idaho
183 St Peter's
184 Cleveland St
198 Loyola-Md
203 E Illinois
207 Deleware
208 CS-Northridge
220 C Michigan
222 Boise St
224 UC-Irvine
236 Manhattan
240 Hawaii
244 CS-Fullerton
256 Georgia St
265 Gardner Webb
266 Ball St
267 Evansville
269 UC-Riverside
286 Jacksonville St

ROAD
30 William and Mary
32 Siena
40 Old Dominion
53 Louisiana Tech
61 Wichita St
64 Western Carolina
69 Nevada
75 Buffalo
83 Indiana St
88 W Michigan
95 College of Charleston
105 Long Beach St
108 Loyola
117 Drexel
121 New Mexico St
123 Fairfield
128 Morgan St
131 Akron
132 Niagara
142 Morehead St
143 Wright St
145 Oral Roberts
158 Boston
160 UNC Wilmington
163 San Jose St
169 UC Santa Barbara
171 Rider
194 Youngstown St
197 South Carolina St
209 Drake
210 N Illinois
212 Tennessee Tech
226 Valparaiso
227 E Michigan
230 Winthrop
249 Cal Poly
251 James Madison
263 Southeast Missouri
274 Illinois-Chicago
277 Elon
280 Tennessee St
293 New Hampshire
294 Presbyterian
298 UC Davis
305 Towson
320 Toledo
321 SIU-Edwardsville
330 Tennessee-Martin
339 Marist

[TheAsianSensation]

The sad thing is I still bet ISU is ahead of us in the TV pecking order.

We have 2 weeks to fix that.

[MacabreMob]

Updated after MVC Games thru 1//20.

HOME
19 Northern Iowa
24 Butler
41 VCU
63 Missouri St
68 Northeastern
72 Bradley
76 Iona
77 Murray St
78 Utah St
80 Kent
100 UW-GB
103 George Mason
104 Pacific
112 Illinois St
117 Radford
128 Bowling Green
131 E Kentucky
132 Creighton
133 Austin Peay
140 Vermont
146 Detroit
156 UW-Milwaukee
159 Miami-Oh
163 Fresno St
165 Ohio
168 S Illinois
170 Hofstra
172 Cleveland St
173 Idaho
175 St Peter's
177 Canisius
187 Loyola-Md
188 Appalachian St
200 Montana State
202 E Illinois
207 Deleware
208 C Michigan
219 CS-Northridge
223 UC-Irvine
224 Hawaii
226 Manhattan
234 Boise St
237 CS-Fullerton
245 Ball St
254 Georgia St
266 UC-Riverside
270 Gardner Webb
279 Evansville
282 Jacksonville St

ROAD
31 William and Mary
37 Siena
45 Old Dominion
48 Wichita St
55 Louisiana Tech
62 Nevada
65 Western Carolina
73 Buffalo
90 Indiana St
91 College of Charleston
97 W Michigan
107 Long Beach St
109 Loyola
113 Drexel
114 New Mexico St
115 Fairfield
125 Akron
130 Niagara
135 Morgan St
143 Wright St
152 Morehead St
153 Oral Roberts
155 Boston
160 Rider
167 UC Santa Barbara
169 San Jose St
174 UNC Wilmington
191 Youngstown St
198 Drake
205 Tennessee Tech
209 South Carolina St
214 N Illinois
220 Valparaiso
229 Winthrop
238 E Michigan
253 Cal Poly
260 James Madison
263 Southeast Missouri
268 Illinois-Chicago
278 Tennessee St
280 Elon
292 New Hampshire
297 Presbyterian
301 UC Davis
307 Towson
322 SIU-Edwardsville
323 Toledo
330 Tennessee-Martin
339 Marist

[TheAsianSensation]

I am going to laugh my butt off so hard if we end up ahead of ISU in the pecking order.

[MacabreMob]

I am going to laugh my butt off so hard if we end up ahead of ISU in the pecking order.

If we win our next 2 home games (vs Eville and CU) and ISU splits their next two road games (at SIU and and at Wich St), we'll be tied and a key matchup at ISU on Jan 30th could decide the pecking order. Now... if we win 2, and they lose 2... and then we lose at ISU... we might be ahead of them in the pecking order since we'll be tied in the league but a better rpi. Then again - our overall record might kill us.

[TheAsianSensation]

And since I'm a projectin' fool, and everything has changed in the last week:

ESPN2
1) Old Dominion @ Northern Iowa (CAA #1 vs. MVC #1) - W&M lost by eleventy billion at VCU, reliquenshing control of the conference, so the path is clear for this matchup to occur
2) Siena @ Butler (MAAC #1 vs. Horizon #1) - Book it
3) Wichita St @ VCU (MVC #2 vs. CAA #5) - This requires a leap of faith because VCU is one game behind W&M and 2 behind GMU, N'eastern, and ODU in the CAA, but VCU has a better profile than the other home options
4) William & Mary @ Missouri St (CAA #4 vs. MVC #3) - Don't see any way around it
5) Charleston @ Murray St (SoCon #1 vs. OVC #1) - Here's to ESPN looking to highlight dominant lower conference teams since no one else truly stands out

ESPNU
6) Nevada @ Bradley (WAC #2 vs. MVC #4) - Nevada is very likely to have to travel, and I think they'll prefer "biggest name available" over "best profile available". Hence, Bradley slides in here.
7) Louisiana Tech @ Kent St (WAC #1 vs. MAC #1) - I'm predicting Kent gets out front in the MAC and LT takes best resume available to boost their own
8 )Indiana St @ Green Bay (MVC #7 vs. Horizon #2) - I'm guessing they stay local here. Indiana St as MVC #7 jumps both #5 Illinois St and #6 Creighton for a TV game because they're the road team while the other 2 are away teams
9) Buffalo @ Iona (MAC #2 vs. MAAC #3) - Local, etc
10) Western Carolina @ George Mason (SoCon #2 vs. CAA #2) - Self explanatory, I think
11) Morgan St @ Radford (MEAC #1 vs. Big South #2) - Radford should get on top of the conference by this game, though

ESPN360
12) Western Michigan @ Iona (MAC #5 vs. MAAC #4)
13) Fairfield @ Vermont (MAAC #2 vs. AEast #1)

Notables off the TV board (home)
Creighton (MVC #5)
Illinois St (MVC #6)
Utah St (WAC #3)
Pacific (Big West #1)

Notables off the TV board (away)
Akron (MAC #4)
Niagara (MAAC #5)
Wright St (Horizon #3)
Loyola(IL) (Horizon #4)

[cpacmel]

And since I'm a projectin' fool, and everything has changed in the last week:

ESPN2
1) Old Dominion @ Northern Iowa (CAA #1 vs. MVC #1) - W&M lost by eleventy billion at VCU, reliquenshing control of the conference, so the path is clear for this matchup to occur
2) Siena @ Butler (MAAC #1 vs. Horizon #1) - Book it
3) Wichita St @ VCU (MVC #2 vs. CAA #5) - This requires a leap of faith because VCU is one game behind W&M and 2 behind GMU, N'eastern, and ODU in the CAA, but VCU has a better profile than the other home options
4) William & Mary @ Missouri St (CAA #4 vs. MVC #3) - Don't see any way around it
5) Charleston @ Murray St (SoCon #1 vs. OVC #1) - Here's to ESPN looking to highlight dominant lower conference teams since no one else truly stands out

ESPNU
6) Nevada @ Bradley (WAC #2 vs. MVC #4) - Nevada is very likely to have to travel, and I think they'll prefer "biggest name available" over "best profile available". Hence, Bradley slides in here.
7) Louisiana Tech @ Kent St (WAC #1 vs. MAC #1) - I'm predicting Kent gets out front in the MAC and LT takes best resume available to boost their own
8 )Indiana St @ Green Bay (MVC #7 vs. Horizon #2) - I'm guessing they stay local here. Indiana St as MVC #7 jumps both #5 Illinois St and #6 Creighton for a TV game because they're the road team while the other 2 are away teams
9) Buffalo @ Iona (MAC #2 vs. MAAC #3) - Local, etc
10) Western Carolina @ George Mason (SoCon #2 vs. CAA #2) - Self explanatory, I think
11) Morgan St @ Radford (MEAC #1 vs. Big South #2) - Radford should get on top of the conference by this game, though

ESPN360
12) Western Michigan @ Iona (MAC #5 vs. MAAC #4)
13) Fairfield @ Vermont (MAAC #2 vs. AEast #1)

Notables off the TV board (home)
Creighton (MVC #5)
Illinois St (MVC #6)
Utah St (WAC #3)
Pacific (Big West #1)

Notables off the TV board (away)
Akron (MAC #4)
Niagara (MAAC #5)
Wright St (Horizon #3)
Loyola(IL) (Horizon #4)

So are these projections for today? Or are they projections for what they will be come the middle of Feb?

[Tulsa Brave]

And since I'm a projectin' fool, and everything has changed in the last week:

ESPN2
1) Old Dominion @ Northern Iowa (CAA #1 vs. MVC #1) - W&M lost by eleventy billion at VCU, reliquenshing control of the conference, so the path is clear for this matchup to occur
2) Siena @ Butler (MAAC #1 vs. Horizon #1) - Book it
3) Wichita St @ VCU (MVC #2 vs. CAA #5) - This requires a leap of faith because VCU is one game behind W&M and 2 behind GMU, N'eastern, and ODU in the CAA, but VCU has a better profile than the other home options
4) William & Mary @ Missouri St (CAA #4 vs. MVC #3) - Don't see any way around it
5) Charleston @ Murray St (SoCon #1 vs. OVC #1) - Here's to ESPN looking to highlight dominant lower conference teams since no one else truly stands out

ESPNU
6) Nevada @ Bradley (WAC #2 vs. MVC #4) - Nevada is very likely to have to travel, and I think they'll prefer "biggest name available" over "best profile available". Hence, Bradley slides in here.
7) Louisiana Tech @ Kent St (WAC #1 vs. MAC #1) - I'm predicting Kent gets out front in the MAC and LT takes best resume available to boost their own
8 )Indiana St @ Green Bay (MVC #7 vs. Horizon #2) - I'm guessing they stay local here. Indiana St as MVC #7 jumps both #5 Illinois St and #6 Creighton for a TV game because they're the road team while the other 2 are away teams
9) Buffalo @ Iona (MAC #2 vs. MAAC #3) - Local, etc
10) Western Carolina @ George Mason (SoCon #2 vs. CAA #2) - Self explanatory, I think
11) Morgan St @ Radford (MEAC #1 vs. Big South #2) - Radford should get on top of the conference by this game, though

ESPN360
12) Western Michigan @ Iona (MAC #5 vs. MAAC #4)
13) Fairfield @ Vermont (MAAC #2 vs. AEast #1)

Notables off the TV board (home)
Creighton (MVC #5)
Illinois St (MVC #6)
Utah St (WAC #3)
Pacific (Big West #1)

Notables off the TV board (away)
Akron (MAC #4)
Niagara (MAAC #5)
Wright St (Horizon #3)
Loyola(IL) (Horizon #4)

Iona is playing twice that day...cool...

[TheAsianSensation]

So are these projections for today? Or are they projections for what they will be come the middle of Feb?

What I think they'll end up being. If it were today, I think I'd still have ISU in Bradley's spot.

The problem for ISU is while they have star power, their computer numbers are honestly pretty hideous (in terms of how good an RPI it usually takes to get a TV game), and with more bubble teams starting to form on the away side of the draw, they're going to ask for a sub-100 RPI opponent. Bradley is already there while ISU has work to do to get there.