BracketBuster 2008

[TheAsianSensation]

Two more wins should lock Bradley into 5th on the pecking order (Drake, ISU, Crei, SIU). That is maybe probably enough for a TV game.

As for opponents? If we get a second-tier TV game, that usually means a lower conference leader. I guess that would be Marist/Niagara, or perhaps Davidson. I'd also take Nevada with what figures to be a better WAC next year.

Or they can do something absolutely insane like 2 years ago when they tried to pop our bubble with Tennessee Tech. Also, I think we have enough of the Horizon that'll probably be on our schedule next year, we don't need UW-M.

[BradleyBrave]

Two more wins should lock Bradley into 5th on the pecking order (Drake, ISU, Crei, SIU). That is maybe probably enough for a TV game.

As for opponents? If we get a second-tier TV game, that usually means a lower conference leader. I guess that would be Marist/Niagara, or perhaps Davidson. I'd also take Nevada with what figures to be a better WAC next year.

Or they can do something absolutely insane like 2 years ago when they tried to pop our bubble with Tennessee Tech. Also, I think we have enough of the Horizon that'll probably be on our schedule next year, we don't need UW-M.

I was wondering today if 13-10 and a top 100 RPI would be enough for a TV game. If they take recent performances (winning 6 of 7), injuries (Ruffin), last year's prime-time performance (a road win at VCU), and name recognition (Sweet 16 2 years ago, NIT last year) into consideration, I would think that 2 wins this week would get us a TV game. It might an 11 AM game, but a TV game on the ESPN family nonetheless. All things considered, getting on TV at this point would be pretty impressive. However, this isn't the NCAA Selection Committee, so who knows what they look at.

But, one game at a time. Let's get back to .500 in the league tonight before we start booking our TV game in February.

[squirrel]

IMO, Niagara would be a TV game.

Nation's 2nd leading scorer, BU Sweet 16 in 2006, Niagara representing MAAC 2 of last 3 NCAA's. . .

[BradleyBrave]

IMO, Niagara would be a TV game.

Nation's 2nd leading scorer, BU Sweet 16 in 2006, Niagara representing MAAC 2 of last 3 NCAA's. . .

Nation's active assist leader, last year's national 3-point leader...I am with you Squirrel, it would be a nice matchup with a lot of storylines. Let's hope the powers-that-be think both are TV worthy.

[MacabreMob]

IMO, Niagara would be a TV game.

Nation's 2nd leading scorer, BU Sweet 16 in 2006, Niagara representing MAAC 2 of last 3 NCAA's. . .

Nation's active assist leader, last year's national 3-point leader...I am with you Squirrel, it would be a nice matchup with a lot of storylines. Let's hope the powers-that-be think both are TV worthy.

I Like the sounds of it guys.

I will post the numbers again some time tomorrow evening with maybe another update Friday night.

[Grassman]

I know I am prejudice but, with Bradleys Basketball reputation, as opposed to 95% of the other possibles, and a FULL HOUSE at Carver, I would think ESPN and their sponsors, would love to have BU on TV!l
Follow the M-O-N-e-Y!

[TheAsianSensation]

I was wondering today if 13-10 and a top 100 RPI would be enough for a TV game. If they take recent performances (winning 6 of 7), injuries (Ruffin), last year's prime-time performance (a road win at VCU), and name recognition (Sweet 16 2 years ago, NIT last year) into consideration, I would think that 2 wins this week would get us a TV game. It might an 11 AM game, but a TV game on the ESPN family nonetheless. All things considered, getting on TV at this point would be pretty impressive. However, this isn't the NCAA Selection Committee, so who knows what they look at.

But, one game at a time. Let's get back to .500 in the league tonight before we start booking our TV game in February.

Yea, let's win 2 more games first.

But I actually think our name recognition (the Valley, frankly, has become the flagship of the whole shindig, and we've got a sweet 16, and we've got a nationally recognized PG in Ruffin) will cheat us into a TV game.

Man, so this is what it feels like to be a BCS school.

[MacabreMob]

Updated after games played through Wed 1-30, rpi from JPalm's site at www.collegerpi.com.

Home
18 St Mary's
24 Butler
46 Illinois State
49 Ohio
60 Oral Roberts
63 Cleveland State
69 So Illinois
75 Akron
86 CS Northridge
90 Valparaiso
91 Appalachian State
101 No Iowa
102 Utah State
103 Bradley
104 Wisc-GB
108 Winthrop
111 Boise State
123 No Arizona
130 Missouri State
131 East Tn St
134 Pacific
140 Austin Peay
141 New Mexico State
148 Holy Cross
154 CS Fullerton
158 UNC-Wilmington
159 William & Mary
160 Loyola (Maryland)
163 Old Dominion
171 Murray State
184 Fresno State
202 UC Irvine
206 James Madison
212 Toledo
217 Drexel
220 Iona
225 Towson
239 Eastern Kentucky
253 Buffalo
262 Eastern Michigan
268 Elon
271 Manhattan
286 No Illinois
294 Detroit
309 UC Riverside
316 St Peter's
323 Canisius
326 Louisiana Tech
339 Eastern Illinois
340 Jacksonville State

ROAD
6 Drake
40 Kent State
48 George Mason
55 Creighton
64 VCU
70 Miami (Ohio)
78 Wright State
79 Nevada
82 Davidson
93 Wisconsin-Milwaukee
95 Georgia Southern
98 UC Santa Barbara
100 Marist
106 Niagara
110 Siena
118 Rider
119 Indiana State
151 Portland State
157 Illinois-Chicago
165 Wichita State
172 Delaware
175 Western Michigan
176 Central Michigan
180 Northeastern
185 Vermont
187 Youngstown State
193 Bowling Green
198 San Jose State
199 Cal Poly
201 Bucknell
213 Albany
218 Fairfield
222 Morehead State
224 Binghamton
235 Loyola (Illinois)
246 Hofstra
247 SE Missouri State
249 Tennessee-Martin
252 High Point
256 Evansville
257 Hawaii
258 Tennessee State
273 UC Davis
284 Georgia State
289 Boston University
292 Samford
296 Ball State
305 Tennessee Tech
317 Idaho
320 Long Beach State

[MacabreMob]

Just guessing here. I think only the first 2 games are pretty look like solid matchups, after that... no clue. (Home team on left)

18 St Mary's vs 40 Kent State
24 Butler vs 6 Drake
46 Illinois State vs 48 George Mason
49 Ohio vs 64 VCU
60 Oral Roberts vs 55 Creighton
63 Cleveland St vs 82 Davidson
69 So Illinois vs 79 Nevada
75 Akron vs 78 Wright State
86 CS Northridge vs 151 Portland State
90 Valparaiso vs 70 Miami (Ohio)
91 Appalachian St vs 100 Marist
101 No Iowa vs 118 Rider
102 Utah State vs 98 UC Santa Barbara
103 Bradley vs 106 Niagara
104 Wisc-GB vs 119 Indiana State
108 Winthrop vs 95 Georgia Southern
111 Boise State vs 93 Wisc-Milwaukee
123 No Arizona vs 110 Siena
130 Missouri State vs 157 Illinois-Chicago

[BradleyBrave]

After further review, we have absolutely ZERO chance of getting on TV.

[TheAsianSensation]

After further review, we have absolutely ZERO chance of getting on TV.

Are we saying some combination of Boise St, Northern Arizona, and Winthrop knock us out? Conference leaders (or close to it) are appealing, I suppose.

[ph]

If only ESPN would at least add any additional home teams Internet video feed via 360....

[MacabreMob]

There has been a little movement in the RPI in the past couple days. We are 99 today. I think Niagara looks like a REAL good fit now. (Wisc-Mil dropped to 120, btw) I could go thru the numbers again later today, but I might just wait til after today's announcement of tv games. I'm not holding my breath for Bradley to get one, but I have seen stranger things happen - who knows. Anyway... Monday will be the announcement for the rest of the matchups.

[MacabreMob]

Here is Lunardi's guesses:

??? Drake (19-1, 10-0 Missouri Valley) at Butler (19-2, 8-2 Horizon League)
??? Kent State (17-4, 6-1 MAC) at St. Mary's (17-3, 4-1 West Coast Conference)
??? Davidson (14-6, 12-0 SoCon) at Illinois State (15-6, 7-3 Missouri Valley)
??? VCU (15-5, 8-2 CAA) at Oral Roberts (14-5, 9-0 Summit League)
??? Nevada (13-7, 5-2 WAC) at Southern Illinois (11-10, 6-4 Missouri Valley)
??? George Mason (15-6, 7-3 CAA) at Ohio U. (14-6, 5-2 MAC)
??? Creighton (14-6, 5-5 Missouri Valley) at CS Northridge (15-4, 7-0 Big West)
??? UC Santa Barbara (16-5, 5-3 Big West) at Utah State (15-6, 5-1 WAC)
??? Niagara (13-6, 7-3 MAAC) at Akron (15-5, 5-2 MAC)
??? Rider (16-6, 9-2 MAAC) at Boise State (15-5, 6-2 WAC)
??? Siena (13-7, 8-2 MAAC) at Cleveland State (14-8, 7-3 Horizon League)
??? Georgia Southern (14-8, 7-5 SoCon) at Valparaiso (14-7, 5-4 Horizon League)
??? Wright State (12-6, 5-4 Horizon League) at Appalachian State (13-7, 8-3 SoCon)
??? Marist (14-8, 8-3 MAAC) at Winthrop (14-7, 5-1 Big South)

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3225456&name=ncbexperts&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d3225456%26name%3dncbexperts

[shaunguth]

Bracket Buster pairings are coming Monday. The 14 TV matchups are released at 5:30 p.m. (ESPNU). The rest are made public around the same time.