BracketBusters 2011

[TheAsianSensation]

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?

Simple - they're too big for the contest. That's why Butler and Gonzaga don't participate. If there's so few impact teams in the event, there's no point for the MWC to join. Could you imagine the A-10 with Temple, Duquesne, Xavier, Richmond, and Dayton? They'd all be in the top 5 games and get zero resume help. Ditto BYU and SDSU.

[JBinPeoria]

Thanks A.S. I see what you are saying and it makes sense to me. But I still believe that some of those schools (e.g. in the MWC and A10) could benefit by being matched up against another strong non-conference opponent to bolster their resume. I doubt it would determine whether or not they make it into the NCAA, but it may help them get a better seed. Teams like Butler never get as high a seed as they deserve. I take it the lower level MWC and A10 teams don't participate either?

Thanks for helping me understand this better...

[MacabreMob]

UPDATE
games played thru 1-30-11
rpi from jerry palm at collegerpi.com

HOME TEAM
31 Old Dominion
34 St Marys
49 Wichita St
53 Drexel
54 Northern Iowa
55 Valparaiso
66 James Madison
95 Coll of Charleston
99 Wright St
103 Long Beach St
111 Fairfield
115 Indiana St
126 Buffalo
130 New Mexico St
133 Rider
137 Murray St
141 Liberty
145 UC Santa Barbara
147 Wofford
159 Presbyterian
163 Akron
166 UNC Wilmington
169 UNC Asheville
173 Southern Illinois
178 Siena
182 Oral Roberts
187 Winthrop
189 San Jose St
194 Tennessee St
199 Loyola
201 Cal Poly
207 Boston
210 Nevada
214 Louisiana Tech
216 Western Michigan
218 Fresno St
219 Montana St
222 Western Carolina
229 Morgan St
238 Drake
242 Tennessee Tech
253 Towson
256 High Point
262 Portland St
265 William and Mary
270 Stony Brook
281 UC Davis
287 Northern Illinois
290 UT Martin
293 Youngstown St
302 Niagara
305 Marist
306 Idaho St
315 Eastern Washington
323 Toledo
327 SE Missouri
333 Eastern Michigan

ROAD TEAM
29 Cleveland St
30 Utah St
33 George Mason
45 Missouri St
51 VCU
78 Kent
85 Vermont
94 Montana
96 Hofstra
105 Miami (Oh)
108 Iona
109 Austin Peay
112 Morehead St
117 UW Milwaukee
118 Evansville
131 Creighton
134 Delaware
135 St Peters
138 Northern Colorado
139 Maine *
142 UW Green Bay
143 Pacific
162 Boise St
171 Idaho
172 Loyola (Md)
174 Northeastern
176 Ohio
181 Ball St
183 Weber St
184 Detroit
196 Northern Arizona
202 Davidson
203 Hawaii
208 Delaware St *
211 Canisius
224 Georgia St
231 Illinois St
232 Appalachian St
235 Charleston Southern
243 VMI
248 Eastern Kentucky
249 Bowling Green
258 New Hampshire
260 UC Riverside
266 CS Northridge
274 Bradley
278 UC Irvine
279 Loyola Marymount
280 CS Fullerton
282 Gardner-Webb *
292 Seattle
301 Manhattan
309 Eastern Illinois
318 Central Michigan
320 Radford
334 Jacksonville St
340 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.

[MacabreMob]

Sorry if this was posted elsewhere.

Bradley vs. Tenn-Martin

http://www.mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php...tart=30#p11478

IMO, UT-Martin can happen.

For some reason, I feel SEMO.

[MacabreMob]

IMO, UT-Martin can happen.

For some reason, I feel SEMO.

Wow - I apologize. See it's a done deal. Still... Wow.

[TheAsianSensation]

Thanks A.S. I see what you are saying and it makes sense to me. But I still believe that some of those schools (e.g. in the MWC and A10) could benefit by being matched up against another strong non-conference opponent to bolster their resume. I doubt it would determine whether or not they make it into the NCAA, but it may help them get a better seed. Teams like Butler never get as high a seed as they deserve. I take it the lower level MWC and A10 teams don't participate either?

Thanks for helping me understand this better...

The conference as a whole skips the event as far as the MWC and A-10 go.

And yes, they could benefit by being matched up against another strong non-con opponent. But the problem is they mostly won't. If the A-10 joined, for example, the pool of quality at-large worthy opponents would probably be about 50-75% A-10 teams!

They can already get quality games within the conference anyways - BB is designed to offer programs from lesser conferences (i.e. the Horizon, CAA, WAC) an extra chance at a better game.

[LittleBrave]

The Valley's Top 3 drew some pretty good match-ups IMO, meaning these BB games could be criticial for an At-Large berth.

If UNI continues on their hot stretch, loses only 1 Valley game the rest of the way, and wins their BB game, they may have the best chance at an At-Large bid. It would be strange for UNI to come in 2nd in conference, yet beat out Wichita for an At-Large bid. Could happen if WSU goes 15-3 and UNI 14-4, with UNI winning in a rematch vs. Wichita this month, AND if UNI gets to the Valley Championship game, while Wichita St. does not. That would make UNI 26-8, and after making the Sweet 16 last season, it would be hard to shut them out from the Top 68 teams.

Too many scenarios, but UNI is still alive...but with little room for error...in tournament talk, aside from Arch Madness.

Missouri State needs to win the Valley outright, and win their BB game to have a shot, but their schedule looks to be in their favor.

Wichita State needs to do the same probably.

[LittleBrave]

WSU got some help last night with Virginia winning over Clemson & Tulsa with a win at Memphis. Both wins were vs. teams with RPI's in the 70's.

If Tulsa finishes above .500 and VA finishes at .500, this could bode well for the Shockers' chances, provided they win the Valley and win their BB game vs. VCU.

The BB games are looming larger for WSU & UNI with each passing win.
Without O'Rear for the season, though, UNI's challenge will be VERY difficult.
Not impossible, but REALLY tough.

Realistically, I think each team can afford just 1 more loss until Arch Madness.