Bracketbusters

[shocks771]

Here are this week's top 8 match-ups using both the RPI and Pomeroy Ratings. These projections do not allow same season re-matches or same-conference games.

Using the RPI......
1. Old Dominion-39 at Northern Iowa-21
2. Siena-38 at Butler-26
3. Wichita State-50 at Virginia Commonwealth-55
4. William & Mary-51 at Utah State-65
5. Louisiana Tech-57 at Northeastern-68
6. Western Carolina-60 at Kent State-71
7. Nevada-72 at Iona-75
8. Charleston-87 at Missouri State-83

Using the Pomeroy Ratings.....
1. Old Dominion-29 at Utah State-28
2. Siena-67 at Butler-31
3. Nevada-76 at Northern Iowa-38
4. Wichita State-68 at Virginia Commonwealth-52
5. Wright State-78 at Murray State-55
6. Louisiana Tech-85 at Northeastern-74
7. William & Mary-93 at Kent State-90
8. Akron-96 at Missouri State-97

[WuDrWu]

I really hate to be mean to Sienna, but UNI rolled them and not to sound arrogant, but Butler v WSU is MUCH more of a marquee matchup than Butler v Sienna.

I like Sienna, and it's a solid team, but they are NO Wichita State.

WSU v Butler would be a great matchup, and frankly, the only one that makes sense.

[SubGod22]

I'll gladly take VCU. Of course we'd all prefer Butler but VCU would work quite well.

[rrshock]

I'll gladly take VCU. Of course we'd all prefer Butler but VCU would work quite well.

I agree. VCU would be a good game as well.

Here's to hoping Sienna has a couple of slip ups this week. I'm just scared of seeing the trip to Utah St that there is a chance of happening.

[notquiteBWing]

i haate to say it. but i think we would lose at butler. they are tough as all heck at home.
they have a loud crowd that will certainly affect the game.

i think we would lose to butler.
therefore, I'd rather have VCU...

[ShockTalk]

i haate to say it. but i think we would lose at butler. they are tough as all heck at home.
they have a loud crowd that will certainly affect the game.

i think we would lose to butler.
therefore, I'd rather have VCU...

What's your thinking about going to the Maui Invitational next year? Might be pretty tough.

;-)

[WstateU]

i haate to say it. but i think we would lose at butler. they are tough as all heck at home.
they have a loud crowd that will certainly affect the game.

i think we would lose to butler.therefore, I'd rather have VCU...

You need to rent this movie, 'The Express'. Butler all the way! :good:

[ShockTalk]

It's looking more and more like Butler and Siena. Siena isn't likely to lose at Marist (1-20) this weekend. They are the two top RPIs, with no "conflicts", and they would make for a very good TV game. Yes, Siena lost at UNI, but they also beat Northeastern and St. Joe's at home and beat Iona there. Our advantage of beating UNI at home probably goes out the window with our split with Creighton (and Drake) as sCUm lost to Iona on a neutral court.

The biggest reason I don't believe we'll get Butler is that we will get Utah St. That will give us a good shot at a TV game as ESPN will want one or two games for the later time zone and that would be a good match-up for it. I think we will need to beat SIU if we are to have any chance to play VCU, but I'm not sure the powers in charge will wait around until our game is over Sunday night. Nor do I think they'll send Wm & Mary to Utah St.

It will be a real travesty if UNI doesn't get ODU (or vice versa).

Unforunately, this whole BB exercise is pretty useless. With the other three big mid-major conferences and WCC not participating (and smartly so) the ESPN match-ups will probably only p**s off most of the top teams and their fans.

[Anthroshock]

Bracketbuster history and impact from Bracketography 2006.

http://www.bracketography.com/bracket-buster/bracketbuster-history/

Mentions 2005 when we laid an egg at Miami (OH). I remember cursing loudly during that game.

"Once again, teams suffered from Bracket Buster defeats, none more so than Wichita St. The Shockers never recovered from the shock of losing at Miami and were unable to right the ship during the remaining MVC regular and post-season games. "

[ShockTalk]

Bracketbuster history and impact from Bracketography 2006.

http://www.bracketography.com/bracket-buster/bracketbuster-history/

Mentions 2005 when we laid an egg at Miami (OH). I remember cursing loudly during that game.

"Once again, teams suffered from Bracket Buster defeats, none more so than Wichita St. The Shockers never recovered from the shock of losing at Miami and were unable to right the ship during the remaining MVC regular and post-season games. "

We'd already lost 2 in a row and 3 out of 5 prior to that game. We then won at SWMO the next game after BB. We also won the first two rounds of the NIT and should have won the 3rd.

I don't think the loss at Miami (OH) had much to do with it. BB was just a part of it.

[ripemupshocks]

Siena and UNI played each other in last year's Bracketbusters. They played again this season in the return game, which UNI won by 17.

Exactly, which would void out the possibility of this game. Can't play a team that you've already played this year, per BB rules.

What BB rules would that be?

[tropicalshox]

The BB isn't so bad when you are one of the top teams.

[ShockTalk]

The BB isn't so bad when you are one of the top teams.

Yes, but it doesn't help either. UNI, ODU, Siena, and Butler are all most likely in, even if they do not win thier conference tournament. And, if they play each other, UNI vs ODU & Siena vs Butler, winning or losing doesn't help or hurt. If all four were to play true bubble teams and then lose, it could elevate a couple of those teams and still not hurt these four (maybe).

The Atlantic-10 currently has 5 teams in and 1 as a "last 4 out" on Bracketology. What chance does any of the teams playing in BBs, other than the four mentioned above that are in anyway, have of knocking any of those teams out because of a win. WSU winning on the road against Utah St or VCU may give them an outside shot, IF they do a lot good things the rest of the season. On the other hand, if they DO a lot of good things the rest of the season, but lose that road BB game, could it keep them out?

We'll see how they do BB match-ups, but I will be surprised if a win or a loss in BB will end up being a deciding factor on getting in or out of the dance. I still believe replacing a couple of those below 250 RPI games with a couple between 75-150 RPI, plus the BB game (win or lose) would have had a much bigger impact.

[capnkirk]

The BB isn't so bad when you are one of the top teams.

Yes, but it doesn't help either. UNI, ODU, Siena, and Butler are all most likely in, even if they do not win thier conference tournament. And, if they play each other, UNI vs ODU & Siena vs Butler, winning or losing doesn't help or hurt. If all four were to play true bubble teams and then lose, it could elevate a couple of those teams and still not hurt these four (maybe).

The Atlantic-10 currently has 5 teams in and 1 as a "last 4 out" on Bracketology. What chance does any of the teams playing in BBs, other than the four mentioned above that are in anyway, have of knocking any of those teams out because of a win. WSU winning on the road against Utah St or VCU may give them an outside shot, IF they do a lot good things the rest of the season. On the other hand, if they DO a lot of good things the rest of the season, but lose that road BB game, could it keep them out?

We'll see how they do BB match-ups, but I will be surprised if a win or a loss in BB will end up being a deciding factor on getting in or out of the dance. I still believe replacing a couple of those below 250 RPI games with a couple between 75-150 RPI, plus the BB game (win or lose) would have had a much bigger impact.

Agreed. We have no business playing a team with an rpi above 250(unless it is mandated by a tourney).

[shocks771]

Agreed. We have no business playing a team with an rpi above 250(unless it is mandated by a tourney).

It would be great if we could avoid playing teams with RPI's in the upper 200's or 300's, but as long as it is our goal to have 16 or 17 home games each season it is pretty much impossible to avoid playing two or three teams that fit into that category.