CBI tournament

[Da Coach]

Here in St. Louis, among the BU brass, there is a feeling that Bradley could still get an invitation to this tournment. It is run like the "old" NIT, where attendance and profitability are the main factors that drive the college choices and matchups.

The announcements for the CBI are expected to come out next Sunday night, a couple hours after the NCAA and NIT selections are made.

Let's hope for good news.

[mike radigan]

Frankly, I'd like to see this thing and the NIT go away. Want more teams and more money, expand the NCAA's.

[Bravesfan]

Here in St. Louis, among the BU brass, there is a feeling that Bradley could still get an invitation to this tournment. It is run like the "old" NIT, where attendance and profitability are the main factors that drive the college choices and matchups.

The announcements for the CBI are expected to come out next Sunday night, a couple hours after the NCAA and NIT selections are made.

Let's hope for good news.

I was thinking the same thing. I don't know how others feel, but I for one would love to see Bradley continue playing.

This season wasn't great, but we still performed well enough to keep our season going. Hopefully if we do get selected for this tournament we will get a home game or two.

[Bravesfan]

Frankly, I'd like to see this thing and the NIT go away. Want more teams and more money, expand the NCAA's.

Of course, make it harder for me to run my work tournament pool by adding more teams to the NCAA Tournament!

Seriously though, if they ever do expand the NCAA's, let's hope they make things simple and just double the number of teams to 128. Trying to create a bracket with 80 teams or even 96 teams will make things difficult.

[mike radigan]

Of course, make it harder for me to run my work tournament pool by adding more teams to the NCAA Tournament!

Well if they ever do expand the NCAA's, let's hope they make things simple and just double the number of teams to 128. Trying to create a bracket with 80 teams or even 96 teams will make things difficult.

I don't think 128 will happen as it makes the first round an absolute joke with games such as 1 vs 32, 2 vs 31, etc. With 96 teams you have the top 32 with a first round bye so the initial pairings would be 9 vs 32, 10 vs 31, and so on. The second round would feature 1 vs the winner of the 16 - 17 game, 2 vs the 15 - 18 game...

[pfunk880]

I'm still not ruling out the NIT. We'd have a hand and ankle in better shape. We are an NIT legend. Some near 50% teams get in over the years. We would sell out our place. There is still a chance we can feel good before the season ends.

You honestly think Egolf would enter their consideration?

[Bravesfan]

I'm still not ruling out the NIT. We'd have a hand and ankle in better shape. We are an NIT legend. Some near 50% teams get in over the years. We would sell out our place. There is still a chance we can feel good before the season ends.

The problem with the NIT is that they are now seeding (supposedly anyway) teams per their performance, with far less emphasis on how much money they are making. Since the NIT is now an arm of the NCAA, money is not the problem for them

The CBI's future success however will be HIGHLY dependent on how much money is made. That's why a .500 Bradley team might get home games throughout the tournament. Then again maybe not, but I have a feeling Bradley will have the advantage with their great attendence.

[jasonpeoria911]

Expanding the NCAA to 80 or 124 teams would make it near impossible for a Bradley team to win it all or at least make the sweet 16. It's already near impossible as it is. You have to be top notch and have zero flaws to win 8 straight against almost all ranked teams.

Jason

[d dub]

128

It seems as though expansion of the Dance to 128 would remove some of the luster of getting the auto or invited as a non-BCS conference school. Would the NCAA tournament as a measuring stick (a great accomplishment and reward) still be there if Bradley was one of 128 instead of one of 64? It also seems as though it would remove some of the excitement from the smaller conference tournaments. Arch Madness would wind up more like the Big Ten conference tournament (snoozer) with the auto-bid being less important.

[mike radigan]

Expanding the NCAA to 80 or 124 teams would make it near impossible for a Bradley team to win it all or at least make the sweet 16. It's already near impossible as it is. You have to be top notch and have zero flaws to win 8 straight against almost all ranked teams.

Jason

Jason, I think you mean 128 not 124. Also, the 8 straight you refer to implies now. Even if it is not now it still would not be 8. Right now, except for the play in game, all you have to win is 6. With 128 teams you would have to win 7.

[mike radigan]

It seems as though expansion of the Dance to 128 would remove some of the luster of getting the auto or invited as a non-BCS conference school. Would the NCAA tournament as a measuring stick (a great accomplishment and reward) still be there if Bradley was one of 128 instead of one of 64? It also seems as though it would remove some of the excitement from the smaller conference tournaments. Arch Madness would wind up more like the Big Ten conference tournament (snoozer) with the auto-bid being less important.

128 is a bad bad idea. Previously I posted:

I don't think 128 will happen as it makes the first round an absolute joke with games such as 1 vs 32, 2 vs 31, etc. With 96 teams you have the top 32 with a first round bye so the initial pairings would be 9 vs 32, 10 vs 31, and so on. The second round would feature 1 vs the winner of the 16 - 17 game, 2 vs the 15 - 18 game...

[Bravesfan]

I was being a bit tongue and cheek earlier saying we should go to 128 teams. I like the 65 team format (minus that ridiculous play-in game!), and it should stay that way as long as we have a similar number of conferences.

But if they want to add more teams to the NIT or CBI, I'm not complaining!

[pfunk880]

If they are going to expand, I'd prefer to see play-ins for all of the 15 and 16 seeds. Would basically add 7 more teams to the field, make the play-in game not have as much stigma because just having one right now between 64 and 65 is stupid to me. Moving some of the smaller conference champions down to the 15 and 16 lines and making the tourney effectively 72 teams would open up a few more spots for the few deserving teams that get left out each year to slide in on the 12-14 lines.

Any expansion beyond that, IMO, would be ridiculous.

[MacabreMob]

IMO - BU is done for the season.

[BradleyBrave]

IMO - BU is done for the season.

Agreed. I think our season-ending losing streak sealed our postseason (or lack thereof) fate. As much as I enjoy watching BU play, and as much as I love to watch JC and DR play, part of me just wants it to end. None of my goals for this team can be accomplished, and none will be accomplished by a game or two in the CBI. I'd rather we remember the great memories of JC and DR starring for us over the last 4 years, and start prepping for next year. On paper, I think we can contend for a top 3 finish. Might as well get healthy and get hungry and start thinking about making up for this disaster of a season.