BracketBusters 2011

[SaintLouBrave22]

Too bad Forrester's SIUE team isn't DI yet...

We could actually beat them.

[Da Coach]

Too bad Forrester's SIUE team isn't DI yet...

We could actually beat them.

Huh? SIU-Edwardsville has been officially a D1 team for a couple years now. They played in the Bracket-Busters last season (they played at Cal State Fullerton)-

http://www.siuecougars.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/092409aab.html

http://www.siuecougars.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/022010aaa.html

For some reason they are not participating in the BracketBusters this year.

[dogsrus]

CAn WE opt out like we did for the last EIEIO tourney....last thing we need right now is a loss to Chicago State or the like......

[TheGuy]

You guys seem to be in an interesting spot, just as the redbirds are. I know after the TV games, they try to limit the travel, but RPI wise, it would be nice to line up with what looks like a horrible Nevada team right now so to get them at home in 2 years

[bugregshu]

Dave Snell said on the radio last game that he thought we would be playing UIC in the bracketbuster. They aren't listed on the VCU spreadsheet though, are they participating?

[MacabreMob]

Dave Snell said on the radio last game that he thought we would be playing UIC in the bracketbuster. They aren't listed on the VCU spreadsheet though, are they participating?

UIC dropped out this year thinking they could schedule better on their own... they picked up a neutral floor game with UIUC instead... and won.

j/k

But in all honesty here - UIC is NOT in the BracketBuster as far as I know.

I've been busy lately and hope to update the list of teams with rpi's for everyone soon.

[MacabreMob]

Update with RPI from Jerry Palm's collegerpi.com site based on games played thru 1-17.

HOME
31 St Marys
35 Old Dominion
42 Wichita St
49 Valparaiso
61 James Madison
66 Drexel
79 Northern Iowa
84 Coll of Charleston
86 Long Beach St
102 UC Santa Barbara
107 Murray St
108 Wright St
114 Indiana St
122 Akron
129 Fairfield
135 UNC Wilmington
136 Presbyterian
145 Rider
147 New Mexico St
156 Liberty
157 Winthrop
158 Southern Illinois
162 Oral Roberts
166 Wofford
167 Siena
174 Buffalo
186 Western Michigan
187 Boston
188 Loyola
191 Morgan St
195 Montana St
200 Fresno St
203 Tennessee St
207 Cal Poly
209 UNC Asheville
213 San Jose St
220 Western Carolina
226 Nevada
236 Drake
246 Youngstown St
247 Louisiana Tech
255 Towson
257 Portland St
258 Northern Illinois
260 William and Mary
270 Stony Brook
275 Idaho St
281 Marist
287 UC Davis
293 Tennessee Tech
294 High Point
295 Niagara
309 UT Martin
324 SE Missouri
325 Eastern Washington
331 Eastern Michigan
332 Toledo

ROAD
30 Cleveland St
38 Missouri St
44 Utah St
50 George Mason
72 Vermont
74 VCU
77 Kent
88 Iona
89 Ball St
93 Miami (Oh)
97 Austin Peay
111 Hofstra
120 Montana
125 Creighton
130 Morehead St
133 Pacific
134 Delaware
137 Northern Colorado
143 Evansville
150 Idaho
152 St Peters
153 UW Milwaukee
161 UW Green Bay
169 Weber St
172 Boise St
175 Loyola (Md)
178 Detroit
182 Northern Arizona
183 Ohio
185 Northeastern
190 Davidson
194 Maine *
197 Georgia St
202 Charleston Southern
219 Appalachian St
223 Delaware St *
225 UC Riverside
229 Hawaii
231 Canisius
243 VMI
244 Illinois St
249 Loyola Marymount
253 Bradley
261 New Hampshire
266 Bowling Green
272 UC Irvine
273 Eastern Kentucky
279 Eastern Illinois
284 Gardner-Webb *
289 Central Michigan
302 Manhattan
304 CS Fullerton
305 Radford
306 Seattle
311 CS Northridge
342 Sacramento St
344 Jacksonville St

***Teams were said to be in the event, but they don't have BBuster on their schedule

We are easy to find in bold red.

IMO, potential opponents in maroon italics.

[MacabreMob]

Sadly - it looks like we might get someone as low as SEMO for a draw... or maybe as high as Loyola.

Whatever the case, I hope Bradley, Coach, and fans don't make a big fuss about it.

[TheAsianSensation]

We can convince Nevada to do a series, right? Let's do that. Do it.

No matter what, Les, do not yield to the urge of getting an OVC team. no. no. no.

[TheAsianSensation]

It is finally the time to project some projections.

ESPN2

1) Utah St @ St Mary's - this has been a game before I think, and I'm pretty sure both schools would prefer other opponents, but I bet ESPN strongholds this into a primetime slot.

2) Missouri St @ Old Dominion - this is a bit tricky because ODU has slipped to 4th in the CAA, but there's power atop that league. I think as the best at-large resume outside of Utah St on the road side of the pool, I think they go ahead and give MSU best RPI opponent available.

3) Cleveland St @ Wichita St - CSU co-leads the Horizon. It's either this or a CAA team for Wichita at this point, and none of them are going to quite provide the at-large boost WSU needs.

4) George Mason @ Valparaiso - GMU is 1 GB in the CAA, Valpo co-leads the Horizon.

5) VCU @ College of Charleston - SoCon leader vs. CAA co-leader.

ESPNU

6) Ball St @ Drexel - Ball St leads the MAC, Drexel is fading.

*note: the pool of candidates falls off a cliff after this. There is zero at-large consideration to these.

7) Creighton @ Long Beach St - LBSU leads the Big West and Creighton is usually willing to make these trips.

Austin Peay @ Northern Iowa - meh

9) Hofstra @ Indiana St - Two teams near the top of their conference who have wretched at-large profiles. Natural fit

10) Northern Colorado @ James Madison - Big Sky runaway leaders vs. RPI Top 100.

11) Kent St @ Fairfield - Just to get the MAAC on the board

Break it down!
CAA 6
MVC 5
MAC 2
Horizon 2



As for Bradley, they're directly in Nevada's crosshairs in the RPI so that is by far and away the target. Other schools lurking in our target area are Niagara (for you squirrel ), Western Carolina (oh wait), Northern Illinois (oh wait), and Youngstown St (oh no). Looking above, it's reasonable to think you can convince Loyola (Chi) to take a game against us. There's not much else in terms of local availability. There's some MAAC and OVC schools you don't want a part of nearby. Illinois State is in virtually the same boat as Bradley, so they'll provide an interesting contrast.

[LittleBrave]

As for Bradley, they're directly in Nevada's crosshairs in the RPI so that is by far and away the target. Looking above, it's reasonable to think you can convince Loyola (Chi) to take a game against us. There's not much else in terms of local availability. There's some MAAC and OVC schools you don't want a part of nearby. Illinois State is in virtually the same boat as Bradley, so they'll provide an interesting contrast.

Obviously, Nevada would be a good draw for next year's return game. Selfishly, I'd like to see BU travel to Loyola - it's always fun attending a game at the Gentile Center with the majority being BU fans. And as I haven't been able to see my Braves live in person this season, I'd make the 20 min. drive to see the game - who knows - it could be our first win since the Detroit game. And let's face it - they could give us a good test next season at Carver. And if not, when's the last time we blew somebody out at home???

[MacabreMob]

Update with RPI of games played thru 1-26 (RPI from Jerry Palm's collegerpi.com site)

HOME TEAM
31 Old Dominion
40 St Marys
43 Wichita St
58 Valparaiso
61 Drexel
64 Northern Iowa
71 James Madison
91 Coll of Charleston
103 Wright St
104 Long Beach St
110 Indiana St
115 Fairfield
127 UC Santa Barbara
130 Buffalo
142 Murray St
145 Liberty
148 Rider
153 Akron
156 New Mexico St
158 Wofford
167 Presbyterian
169 UNC Wilmington
171 Southern Illinois
177 Oral Roberts
181 Winthrop
183 Siena
184 Tennessee St
185 UNC Asheville
191 Loyola
192 San Jose St
197 Boston
198 Fresno St
201 Morgan St
205 Montana St
206 Cal Poly
207 Nevada
218 Western Michigan
227 Louisiana Tech
230 Western Carolina
231 Drake
252 Portland St
262 Youngstown St
263 Tennessee Tech
267 William and Mary
268 Towson
273 Stony Brook
277 Northern Illinois
279 Idaho St
280 High Point
290 UT Martin
294 Niagara
295 Marist
298 UC Davis
318 SE Missouri
325 Toledo
326 Eastern Washington
331 Eastern Michigan

ROAD TEAM
29 George Mason
33 Cleveland St
38 Missouri St
39 Utah St
60 VCU
82 Vermont
83 Kent
92 Hofstra
95 Iona
100 Miami (Oh)
101 Montana
119 Evansville
123 Morehead St
124 Austin Peay
131 Northern Colorado
132 Delaware
134 UW Milwaukee
136 UW Green Bay
137 Creighton
139 Ball St
144 St Peters
146 Pacific
149 Maine ***
154 Boise St
162 Idaho
168 Loyola (Md)
174 Northeastern
175 Detroit
188 Weber St
193 Hawaii
200 Northern Arizona
208 Canisius
209 Ohio
213 Delaware St ***
220 Charleston Southern
221 Georgia St
224 Davidson
225 Appalachian St
233 UC Riverside
236 VMI
239 Illinois St
244 Eastern Kentucky
245 UC Irvine
249 Bowling Green
261 Loyola Marymount
264 New Hampshire
270 Eastern Illinois
272 Bradley
274 Gardner-Webb ***
281 CS Fullerton
296 Seattle
308 Manhattan
309 Central Michigan
315 CS Northridge
316 Radford
342 Jacksonville St
343 Sacramento St

***Teams were said to be in the event, but they don't have BBuster on their schedule

We are easy to find in bold red.

IMO, potential opponents in maroon italics.

[MVCfans]

Sorry if this was posted elsewhere.

Bradley vs. Tenn-Martin

http://www.mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=704&start=30#p11478

[TheAsianSensation]

**** the OVC.

[JBinPeoria]

Looking at these match-ups (especially the televised ones), my first reaction was that this is not the year of the mid-majors. I cannot see any of these teams being a Cinderella story in the NCAAs this year.

But that made me wonder about a few other mid-majors that are on my radar as of late. Teams like San Diego State, BYU and UNLV for example. I can see them doing very well in the NCAAs. How come they don't participate in the bracketbusters tournament. Why don't some of the bigger names in the A-10 participate?