BracketBusters 2009

[Beninator]

Here's my prediction as of today. Home team on left. Predictions are not the actual matchups and my predictions will most likely change - so don't be all ticked off at me. Here's my predicted 13 tv games and a couple others:

Siena vs Butler Deuce
Davidson vs VCU Deuce
St Mary's vs Utah St Deuce
Niagara vs N Iowa Deuce
Nevada vs Buffalo Deuce
Portland St vs Boise St Deuce
Vermont vs Northeastern The U
Rider vs Austin Peay The U
Long Beach St vs North Dakota St The U
Boston U vs Morgan St The U
Drexel vs ISU The U
Creighton vs Miami (Oh) 360
Fairfield vs George Mason 360

---couple others---

Evansville vs Hofstra
Drake vs UW-Green Bay
Wright St vs Bradley
UW-Milwaukee vs Ohio U

I hope you are wrong about the Wright ST matchup... It sounds pretty boring to me...

[MacabreMob]

I hope you are wrong about the Wright ST matchup... It sounds pretty boring to me...

Be sure to lock up all sharp objects if you watch that game (if they get matched up).... would be an eye-gouging kinda game.

[squirrel]

Can we get away from the Horizon League obsession.

We need national exposure, not any more regional.

[MacabreMob]

Can we get away from the Horizon League obsession.

We need national exposure, not any more regional.

I'm not "obsessed" with it. Maybe you are "obsessed" with how we might get paired with them AGAIN. I understand and feel your pain. But after matching up top RPI teams and conference leaders (who could Bust a Bracket - hence the reason for BracketBusters event)... it becomes Regional. Looking at teams available when I made this prediction, I'm sorry... that's where Bradley fell (IMO). I'm not obsessed. Just calling it as I think it might play out. Trust me Squirrel - I would love to see Bradley at Nevada on the Deuce... but I don't think it's gonna happen right now. We've got a little time and a lot of work to do. Beating WSU is what we must do to stay in the conversation. Then comes the "money" games. We win at ISU and at home against UNI... it will be VERY different for us. I was just trying to take a picture of where everyone is at today, project out a little (without rose-colored glasses)... then line-up matchups.

Sorry.

[TheAsianSensation]

Bradley - best team available not in BracketBusters.

It's going to happen. It's going to happen.

[MacabreMob]

Bradley - best team available not in BracketBusters.

It's going to happen. It's going to happen.

Right now, it looks like UW-Green Bay is also a good team on paper that's gonna get a "tv" snub.

Just IMO.

[bugregshu]

When are the pairings announced?

[MacabreMob]

Bradley - best team available not in BracketBusters.

It's going to happen. It's going to happen.

Or.... you made me think a minute. Are you suggesting down the road? Like maybe next year? Like... Bradley gets frustrated with opponents in BracketBusters and decides to pull out of the event for next year?

[MacabreMob]

When are the pairings announced?

Tv matchups announced on Feb 2nd.

From the first link I provided in the thread on post #1:

"The 13 BracketBusters matchups will be announced February 2, while game time and network assignments will be announced February 9."

Link:

http://www.northeastconference.org/news/mbball/2008/9/4/mbb-bracketbusterrel.asp?path=mbball

The rest of the matchups are announced like a week after the 1st matchups are announced.

[TheAsianSensation]

Right now, it looks like UW-Green Bay is also a good team on paper that's gonna get a "tv" snub.

Just IMO.

We're still the team with the best chance to make the tourney that's not getting a TV game. :P

[Jack Bauer]

Hmm. I don't feel like we've played so badly in the last couple of weeks to completely play ourselves off of TV...yet that's exactly what's happened. I guess Creighton's continued ineptitude at home will be our undoing. Very disappointing to not get a TV game.

[TheAsianSensation]

I have a good conspiracy theory for the nuts out there: ESPN may be popping at-large bubbles in one week.

There aren't that many chances at a quality win this year. So, if a mid-major bubble team doesn't get a chance to play one in BB, ESPN has effectively cut their chances at an at-large bid because of ESPN's choice of matchups.

I said it myself before: The pairing process may pop bubbles. Note, I didn't say the actual games and results would. The pairing process. For example, if ESPN decides to give ISU to Niagara instead of Siena, ESPN has just popped ISU's bubble because ISU's best chance at a signature win was taken away because ESPN preferred another matchup for TV purposes.

Take this a step further: ESPN sits and says, "OK, there are 4 NCAA locks. Butler, Davidson, St Mary's, Utah St (USU is hardly a lock, but play along for a second). "Let's match up those 4 against each other. That way, no bubble team plays one of the 4 and therefore don't get a chance at a win that could push them in the field".

"Then, take the most likely bubble teams, and make sure they don't play each other. ISU may need the win, but if we give them Niagara, their profile isn't helped." ESPN can then manipulate the matchups to make sure as few mid major teams are helped, therefore making the bubble less crowded and allowing more ACC and Big East teams in.



I'll be watching very closely to see what happens. This year, moreso than other years, seems very easy to manipulate.

[Jack Bauer]

I have a good conspiracy theory for the nuts out there: ESPN may be popping at-large bubbles in one week.

There aren't that many chances at a quality win this year. So, if a mid-major bubble team doesn't get a chance to play one in BB, ESPN has effectively cut their chances at an at-large bid because of ESPN's choice of matchups.

I said it myself before: The pairing process may pop bubbles. Note, I didn't say the actual games and results would. The pairing process. For example, if ESPN decides to give ISU to Niagara instead of Siena, ESPN has just popped ISU's bubble because ISU's best chance at a signature win was taken away because ESPN preferred another matchup for TV purposes.

Take this a step further: ESPN sits and says, "OK, there are 4 NCAA locks. Butler, Davidson, St Mary's, Utah St (USU is hardly a lock, but play along for a second). "Let's match up those 4 against each other. That way, no bubble team plays one of the 4 and therefore don't get a chance at a win that could push them in the field".

"Then, take the most likely bubble teams, and make sure they don't play each other. ISU may need the win, but if we give them Niagara, their profile isn't helped." ESPN can then manipulate the matchups to make sure as few mid major teams are helped, therefore making the bubble less crowded and allowing more ACC and Big East teams in.



I'll be watching very closely to see what happens. This year, moreso than other years, seems very easy to manipulate.

All the more reason the BracketBuster being in bed with ESPN is flawed, and Bradley should get out of it. It's just like all the other bureaucratic nonsense going on in this country...this just hits home a lot more.

[MacabreMob]

I have a good conspiracy theory for the nuts out there: ESPN may be popping at-large bubbles in one week.

There aren't that many chances at a quality win this year. So, if a mid-major bubble team doesn't get a chance to play one in BB, ESPN has effectively cut their chances at an at-large bid because of ESPN's choice of matchups.

I said it myself before: The pairing process may pop bubbles. Note, I didn't say the actual games and results would. The pairing process. For example, if ESPN decides to give ISU to Niagara instead of Siena, ESPN has just popped ISU's bubble because ISU's best chance at a signature win was taken away because ESPN preferred another matchup for TV purposes.

Take this a step further: ESPN sits and says, "OK, there are 4 NCAA locks. Butler, Davidson, St Mary's, Utah St (USU is hardly a lock, but play along for a second). "Let's match up those 4 against each other. That way, no bubble team plays one of the 4 and therefore don't get a chance at a win that could push them in the field".

"Then, take the most likely bubble teams, and make sure they don't play each other. ISU may need the win, but if we give them Niagara, their profile isn't helped." ESPN can then manipulate the matchups to make sure as few mid major teams are helped, therefore making the bubble less crowded and allowing more ACC and Big East teams in.



I'll be watching very closely to see what happens. This year, moreso than other years, seems very easy to manipulate.

I LOVE IT!

I LOVE the Cynical AsianSensation!

I LOVE the Conspiracy Theory stuff!

LOVE IT!!!

[Jack Bauer]

I'll find the conspirators...and I will make them tell the truth. Trust me.