2012 Bracket Busters Projections

[1972Shocker]

Todays (01/26/12) Bracketbuster Games of Note:

*South Dakota State (RPI #65) at Oakland (RPI #133) - Oakland 92 - SDS 87 Final

*Butler (RPI #106) at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (RPI #117) - Milwaukee wins a very ugly 53-42 game despite shooting a sizzling 6-18 from the FT line. Butler clanks their way to a 1-18 three-pointing shooting dislpay. I guess you can call it shooting. Not sure you want either of these teams in a televised game.

*New Mexico State (RPI #80) vs. Nevada (RPI #72) - Nevada stomping NMS on the road leading 44-30 at the half. NMS gets to within 5 with a couple minutes left but Nevada prevails 68-60.

*Loyola-Marymount (RPI #105) vs. Saint Mary's College (RPI#28) - SMC 71 - LMU 64

[1972Shocker]

Utah State leads Hawaii 38-30 at the half on their home court. Utah State wins 77-72.

Chicago State leads Utah Valley 34-31 at the half on the road. Go Cougs. CSU can't hang on. Falls to Utah Valley 56-65.

Colorado plays a bad USC team later tonight. CU with an easy 74-50 road win over USC.

[Signman]

It's pretty clear why the media guys don't want a WSU vs Murray State matchup in BB. They clearly would like to see Murray State go into the NCAA tournament undefeated. Having a team as strong as WSU that plays was well as WSU does on the road is a big risk to that happening. Bottom line an undefeated Murray State has already been selected as this year's cinderella story and it would be bad for business if someone screws that up.

They (ESPN) don't care about going in to the tournament (NCAA) undefeated. They (ESPN) will care about going in to their (ESPN) televised game undefeated however.

[Signman]

Maybe we should just put Anacreon in and break some fingers. For the full street ball effect.

Now this is funny!

[ShockerFever]

In a suddenly new game of interest, Andy Katz's dream team of Nevada leads New Mexico State on the road 50-37 with 14 minutes left...

[Ta Town Shocker]

I have been watching bits and pieces of the game and New Mexico State isn't a very good team IMO. The biggest argument against Nevada is that they haven't beat any great teams and that didn't change tonight.

[1972Shocker]

In a suddenly new game of interest, Andy Katz's dream team of Nevada leads New Mexico State on the road 50-37 with 14 minutes left...

NMS got to within 5 at 62-57 but I think that is a close as they got. Nevada wins 68-60. That's a solid road win for the Wolfpack. Shocks need to answer that in Des Moines on Saturday.

[WuShock Reaper]

Todays (01/26/12) Bracketbuster Games of Note: FINAL UPDATE

Oral Roberts (RPI #45) WON vs. South Dakota (RPI #279)
Davidson (RPI #48) WON at Chattanooga (RPI #288)
*South Dakota State (RPI #65) at Oakland (RPI #133)
Weber State (RPI #73) WON at Sacramento State (RP #339)
*New Mexico State (RPI #80) LOST vs. Nevada (RPI #72)
*Loyola-Marymount (RPI #105) LOST vs. Saint Mary's College (RP I#28)
*Butler (RPI #106) LOST at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (RPI #117) WON
*Wisconsin-Milwaukee (RPI #117) WON vs. Butler (RP I#106) LOST
North Dakota State (RPI #135) LOST at IPFW (RPI #255)
Montana (RPI #138) WON at Eastern Washington (RPI #207)
Utah State (RPI #153) WON vs. Hawaii (RPI #241)
Coastal Carolina (RPI #157) WON at Presbyterian College (RPI #266)


Commentary - *=Key Games

Four good games tonight. The game with the greatest impact on Wichita State will be the New Mexico State (RPI #80) vs. Nevada (RPI #72) contest. If New Mexico State, which is favored by Vegas Odds Makers by 4.5 points tonight, can win then that should be put a major hit on Nevada being placed ahead of Wichita State for a top ESPN Bracketbuster TV game. The Loyola-Marymount (RPI #105) vs. Saint Mary's College (RP I#28) also may have some impact, but a win by Saint Mary’s should be sending them to face the number one “Home” team – Creighton. Lastly, the Butler (RPI #106) at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (RPI #117) game has the look, smell, and feel of a play-in or play-out type of contest.

[shox1989]

I still have a hard time believing that espn won't give Butler one of the TV games regardless if they have earned it this year or not.

Remember this is an espn family of networks event and they decide who gets the TV games.

I am just glad Andy Katz isn't one of them making the decision. I just hope he wasn't repeating possible game scenerios that he had heard from those who do make the decision.

[shox1989]

TOP 15 GAMES AND POSSIBLE MVC MATCHUPS

1. Saint Mary's College (RPI #30) - West Coast at Creighton (RPI #18) - Missouri Valley
2. Wichita State (RPI #24) - Missouri Valley at Murray State (RPI #32) - Ohio Valley
3. Long Beach State (RPI #40) - Big West at Oral Roberts (RPI #44) - Summit League
4. Northern Iowa (RPI #42) - Missouri Valley at Iona (RPI #45) - Metro Atlantic
5. Akron (RPI #66) - Mid-American - Metro Atlantic at Davidson (RPI #50) - Southern
6. Nevada (RPI #77) - WAC - Summit League at Cleveland State (RPI #62) - Horizon
7. Drexel (RPI #90) - Colonial at South Dakota State (RPI #63) – Summit League
8. Drake (RPI #96) - Missouri Valley at Ohio (RPI #75) - Mid-American
9. Buffalo (RPI #93) - Mid-American at Weber State (RPI #81) - Big Sky
10. College of Charleston (RPI #103) - Southern at Virginia Commonwealth (RPI #82) - Colonial
11. Lamar (RPI #105) - Southland at Missouri State (RPI #83) - Missouri Valley
12. Valparaiso (RPI #118) - Horizon at Loyola-Maryland (RPI #85) - Metro Atlantic
13. Old Dominion (RPI #128) – Colonial at New Mexico State (RPI #86) - WAC
14. Indiana State (RPI #131) - Missouri Valley at Kent State (RPI #106) – Mid-America
15. UNC Asheville (RPI #132) - Big South at Butler (RPI #107) - Horizon

MISSOURI VALLEY - 6 TEAMS
Mid-American - 4 teams
Colonial - 3 teams
Horizon - 3 teams
Metro Atlantic - 2 teams
Southern - 2 teams
Summit League - 2 teams
WAC - 2 team
Big Sky - 1 team
Big South - 1 team
Big West - 1 teams
Ohio Valley - 1 team
Southland - 1 team
West Coast - 1 team

I hope you are more right than Lunardi. Lunardi's TV games only include 3 Valley teams: CU, WSU and UNI. 6 is a whole lot better than 3.

[Kung Wu]

What's the collective opinion about who we match up with in BB if we lose to Drake?

[SubGod22]

What's the collective opinion about who we match up with in BB if we lose to Drake?

Murray State. I don't think a loss to Drake would change things. We'd still offer the best RPI matchup considering Creighton should still get SMC. At worst, we'd get ORU, but I think both us and Murray State would be disappointed with that.

[martymoose]

Murray State. I don't think a loss to Drake would change things. We'd still offer the best RPI matchup considering Creighton should still get SMC. At worst, we'd get ORU, but I think both us and Murray State would be disappointed with that.

Unless as Katz and other ESPN insiders have mentioned, the Bracket Buster may spread out the conference love for the top 2 games and give Nevada Murray St...and give us someone like Oral Roberts or Iona

[ShockBand]

If we don't get Murray State I'd rather play ORU. Lots of us could make the trek for that one.

[SubGod22]

Unless as Katz and other ESPN insiders have mentioned, the Bracket Buster may spread out the conference love for the top 2 games and give Nevada Murray St...and give us someone like Oral Roberts or Iona

Isn't BB promoted as giving teams good games against comparably ranked teams for a resume builder? If it still is that, than there's pretty much no way we don't get Murray State.

If it's to spread the love around, then good teams are going to get screwed. The only way Nevada helps Murray is by keeping them undefeated. If Murray goes on to slip up elsewhere, it could hurt them. At least facing WSU gives them a shot at a resume builder in the event they do slip up.

If it's for TV ratings, I don't know what they'd go off of. I think a Wichita (undefeated on the road) vs Murray (undefeated) would make for a good story as well as a hell of a game that would be viewed by many. If I were a Murray State fan, I'd be really disappointed if my team drew Nevada considering the options. LBSU would be a better draw for them, but still doesn't offer what Wichita does.

And if SMC goes anywhere but Creighton, the Valley should refuse to participate going forward. I'd consider those actions if both games don't happen. SMC @ CU and WSU @ MSU.