A thorough analysis of non-conference scheduling

[MacabreMob]

5) Bracketbuster doesn't seem to be quite working. We got a few good games, but it seems like, on average, the return game for the BracketBuster hurts a lot more than it helps, and the lack of flexibility by being forced into the game hurts a bit. I'd revisit this if I were Elgin. We can get games comparable to BB games for the profile on our own.

First of all - again, GREAT WORK AND ANALYSIS TAS! THANKYOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND SHARING!

I just want to make a comment about #5. Understand, I agree with you that we can find comparable games (if not better when you figure in the return game the following year) to add to our profiles. But what we can't do on our own is garner the exposure that comes with the BB Event. (and using teams in an example just for the example) Yea... Bradley might be able to get a game with Hofstra... but it will be a little hard to convince ESPN2 or the U to televise it in December. But.... come February, (if) when Bradley is leading the MVC and Hofstra is leading the Colonial... and both are in the Top 50 RPI... that game becomes VERY appealing to the ESPN Network and to a basketball audience.

So yes - we can get the same matchup for the profile... but we may not get the EXPOSURE. That's where the BB is still an event we need to be a part of. Cause if come February a team is good enough, they will get a good matchup with the exposure.

[TheAsianSensation]

First of all - again, GREAT WORK AND ANALYSIS TAS! THANKYOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND SHARING!

I just want to make a comment about #5. Understand, I agree with you that we can find comparable games (if not better when you figure in the return game the following year) to add to our profiles. But what we can't do on our own is garner the exposure that comes with the BB Event. (and using teams in an example just for the example) Yea... Bradley might be able to get a game with Hofstra... but it will be a little hard to convince ESPN2 or the U to televise it in December. But.... come February, (if) when Bradley is leading the MVC and Hofstra is leading the Colonial... and both are in the Top 50 RPI... that game becomes VERY appealing to the ESPN Network and to a basketball audience.

So yes - we can get the same matchup for the profile... but we may not get the EXPOSURE. That's where the BB is still an event we need to be a part of. Cause if come February a team is good enough, they will get a good matchup with the exposure.

Ok, I'll cede one of the points about exposure. But we only get that if we're at or near the top of the Valley. Basically, only, say, 3 Valley teams reap those rewards.

I'd rather see Elgin quit the BB and schedule an open date for the league for nonconference games in February. Then, you can schedule a marquee game (maybe we get to keep the Butler game this year if we put it in February?) to get that exposure and get ESPN to bite.

[TheAsianSensation]

I have obtained some non conference SoS rankings. Make of it what you will.

Bradley 58
Indiana St 88
Northern Iowa 195
Creighton 214
Missouri St 237
Drake 275
Wichita St 325
Illinois St 330
Southern Illinois 343
Evansville 346

Oy vey look at that cellar. 40% of our league is in the bottom 25.

[SFP]

TAS fantastic piece. You should be writing for someone because people get paid for what you put together.

On the BB I agree with you. I know for a fact that St. Mary's got out of the BB because it never helped them.

[real fan]

Some coaches believe that if you play a weak non conf. schedule and your team wins 9 out of 10 games that they will be very confident before the start of their conf. season and believe they can beat anyone, the bad thing about this is your fans end up watching games that are not good and attendance suffers.

[versace4pres]

..and your team and coaching staff really does not have a good handle on just how good the team is..or isn't.

[real fan]

No they don"t but some coaches believe that it works.

[TheAsianSensation]

Updated numbers, for funsies

Non-con SoSs

Bradley 68
Indiana St 112
Creighton 137
Northern Iowa 254
Missouri St 269
Drake 279
Wichita St 329
Southern Illinois 332
Evansville 336
Illinois St 345

In overall SoS, Bradley has plummeted to 37.

[tornado]

that's what you get for playing ISU!

[Fansince69]

Does anyone know who BU already has scheduled for next year's season ?

[Da Coach]

Does anyone know who BU already has scheduled for next year's season ?

There isn't much known yet. There are probably some games that they have already tentatively lined up, but BU, like all schools, is very secretive about revealing scheduling news and we aren't likely to hear anything official until mid or late summer-

Here is what's rumored or known-
-Northern Illinois is slated to play a game at Carver Arena
-There have been rumors we will resume a series against Butler, but nothing certain there yet either.
-There will be a home game against a Mountain West Conference team (not BYU) that is part of the MVC-MWC Challenge
-and they could possibly be working on another early season tournament that will involve 3 or 4 games (similar to the Las Vegas and Ft. Myers tournaments)

[real fan]

Old Spice in Orlando would be nice or the one in Puerto Rico would also be ok.

[TheAsianSensation]

Don't we have one game left on the previous Butler contract, or did that run out last year? I thought we skipped this year.

[BradleyBrave]

There isn't much known yet. There are probably some games that they have already tentatively lined up, but BU, like all schools, is very secretive about revealing scheduling news and we aren't likely to hear anything official until mid or late summer-

Here is what's rumored or known-
-Northern Illinois is slated to play a game at Carver Arena
-There have been rumors we will resume a series against Butler, but nothing certain there yet either.
-There will be a home game against a Mountain West Conference team (not BYU) that is part of the MVC-MWC Challenge
-and they could possibly be working on another early season tournament that will involve 3 or 4 games (similar to the Las Vegas and Ft. Myers tournaments)

I thought we already had a commitment to the Chicago Challenge for 2010-2011?

[squirrelgotdead]

I would hope we opt out of the CCI as long as its held at UIC Pavilion (since the Sears Centre went under last year, they had to find a new site to hold it) and if UIC is profiting from the event in anyway, after the way they shafted Bradley fans in ticket sales when we went there a few years ago we have no need to go back there.