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BracketBusters matchups set; CSU's Waters unhappy with Wichita State pairing
by Joe Maxse/Plain Dealer Reporter Monday February 02, 2009, 8:48 PM
CLEVELAND -- No basketball team wants to have its bubble burst this time of year. But teams participating in the annual ESPNU BracketBusters weekend will have to take their chances in order to stake a claim on the postseason.
The pairings for college basketball's most unique weekend were announced on Monday night. The marquee television matchups included No. 11 Butler at Davidson and No. 22 Utah State at St. Mary's, both on Feb. 21.
In its seventh season, BracketBusters is intended to give mid-major programs a chance to play meaningful late-season independent games that showcase their worthiness for at-large selection to the 65-team NCAA Tournament.
The logic was a quality win outside of conference play would influence the tournament selection committee when it came to teams on the bubble. Seventeen conferences, including the Mid-American and Horizon, supplied 102 teams this year. Thirteen games will be telecast by ESPN's various outlets.
A trip out west to face Wichita State and the Shockers' losing record isn't all that exciting for Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters. However, you have to take what the organizers want to give you.
Cleveland State (15-8) was surprised to learn it would be traveling to Wichita State (9-12) of the Missouri Valley Conference.
CSU coach Gary Waters said he was more perplexed than upset at the selection of WSU. Waters said he expected his opponent to come from a list of opponents that included Drexel, Evansville, Drake and Niagara.
"It's unexpected going way out there," said Waters, whose team has an RPI of 86. "We're playing a team with an RPI of 175. If we lose it hurts us, and if we win we don't gain anything. I thought the reason you play these games was to at least go against teams that are comparable in many categories."
The Vikings are 2-2 against the Shockers, knocking them off in overtime, 64-63, at the Wolstein Center when they last met in January 1998.
Besides the Butler-Davidson affair, the Horizon League will have two other televised games. Second-place UW-Green Bay will leave the tundra to get some sun at Long Beach State and Wright State will host Northeastern.
In the Mid-American Conference, Kent State will host Morehead State and Akron travels to Valparaiso. Other games involving the MAC's Ohio schools are Canisius at Bowling Green, Toledo at Indiana State, Ohio at Eastern Kentucky and Miami at Evansville, the latter to be telecast. Buffalo of the MAC will have its game at Vermont televised.
Game times will be set on Feb. 9.
by Joe Maxse/Plain Dealer Reporter Monday February 02, 2009, 8:48 PM
CLEVELAND -- No basketball team wants to have its bubble burst this time of year. But teams participating in the annual ESPNU BracketBusters weekend will have to take their chances in order to stake a claim on the postseason.
The pairings for college basketball's most unique weekend were announced on Monday night. The marquee television matchups included No. 11 Butler at Davidson and No. 22 Utah State at St. Mary's, both on Feb. 21.
In its seventh season, BracketBusters is intended to give mid-major programs a chance to play meaningful late-season independent games that showcase their worthiness for at-large selection to the 65-team NCAA Tournament.
The logic was a quality win outside of conference play would influence the tournament selection committee when it came to teams on the bubble. Seventeen conferences, including the Mid-American and Horizon, supplied 102 teams this year. Thirteen games will be telecast by ESPN's various outlets.
A trip out west to face Wichita State and the Shockers' losing record isn't all that exciting for Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters. However, you have to take what the organizers want to give you.
Cleveland State (15-8) was surprised to learn it would be traveling to Wichita State (9-12) of the Missouri Valley Conference.
CSU coach Gary Waters said he was more perplexed than upset at the selection of WSU. Waters said he expected his opponent to come from a list of opponents that included Drexel, Evansville, Drake and Niagara.
"It's unexpected going way out there," said Waters, whose team has an RPI of 86. "We're playing a team with an RPI of 175. If we lose it hurts us, and if we win we don't gain anything. I thought the reason you play these games was to at least go against teams that are comparable in many categories."
The Vikings are 2-2 against the Shockers, knocking them off in overtime, 64-63, at the Wolstein Center when they last met in January 1998.
Besides the Butler-Davidson affair, the Horizon League will have two other televised games. Second-place UW-Green Bay will leave the tundra to get some sun at Long Beach State and Wright State will host Northeastern.
In the Mid-American Conference, Kent State will host Morehead State and Akron travels to Valparaiso. Other games involving the MAC's Ohio schools are Canisius at Bowling Green, Toledo at Indiana State, Ohio at Eastern Kentucky and Miami at Evansville, the latter to be telecast. Buffalo of the MAC will have its game at Vermont televised.
Game times will be set on Feb. 9.
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