Question About Bracket Buster ?

calvin · January 4, 2011

Does anyone know when those are set and what are the chances that we could play in a game this year or even host a game. Almost all of the games are televised so it would be great exposure for us and help our RPI. It would be awesome if we could play ODU, Missouri St, or George Mason or somebody like that. If there was any year to play one of these games it would be this year.

CMJ · January 4, 2011

Sunbelt isn't involved.

calvin · January 4, 2011

Do we know why? I often wondered why WKU or even South Alabama didnt play in it that one year?

CMJ · January 4, 2011

The conference as a whole didn't want to be involved for a variety of reasons.

TheTastyGreek · January 4, 2011

The issue with Bracketbusters is that you give away a game at the end of the year (what would usually be the heart of your conference stretch run) completely to ESPN's whims. This year, 114 teams are committed to Bracketbusters games, but only 11 games will actually air. The 92 teams that aren't televised "will compete against each other through the same three days."

Playing Old Dominion in Saturday primetime is unlikely. What's more likely (based on the experience of teams that have actually gone through it) is we end up traveling midweek to Weber State, then hosting UC-Santa Barbara the next year, and don't ever make TV. If you're not a "name" mid-major team like Wichita State or Creighton and you aren't having a year like what we're having right now (only maintained for another 6 difficult and unlikely weeks), ESPN has a tendency to just smash you together with whatever other team is under contract and dumping you off to the side.

Western got hosed the one time they did Bracketbusters, and their administration has sworn it off entirely. When it comes to building and maintaining a quality, respected basketball program... I would generally adhere to their line of thinking.

Edited January 4, 2011 by TheTastyGreek

TheTastyGreek · February 1, 2011

The Bracketbusters TV schedule is out now, and here's the list of non-televised matchups.

Some pretty terrible thrown together matchups among those schools that don't have good ESPN conference deals. Have fun at Northern Illinois, Seattle. Pack warm for Eastern Michigan, Jacksonville State. Delaware State goes to Tennessee State, Pacific goes from Oregon to Oral Roberts...

If we had been involved this year, it looks like our best case scenario would have been a road game at NMSU or La Tech. Just as likely, we'd have been shipped out somewhere else like Southeastern Missouri State.