Bracket Busters

[shockar25]

Playing Utah State again would be fun, but a bit strange since I think we're supposed to get the return game from last year's Bracket Busters at our place next season. Kind of unfair for Utah State... basically a Home, Away, Away series, which I doubt they would've agreed to otherwise.

Good for us though!

[ShoxFan45]

Honestly, a little confused, and tired of the hate on BB. We have gotten good matchups, that can legitimently help us get an at large. If we stay as one of the top home teams, we will most likely get a home game, against a team with a top 50 or 75 RPI, something we are unable to do normally during our scheduling.

Does the return trip bother people? This basically gives us a home and home with a decent opponent RPI wise each year. Example George Mason, and Utah State. I can see the down sides, but am liking the prospect of a home game against a team in that RPI range this season.

[KC Shox Grad]

Honestly, a little confused, and tired of the hate on BB. We have gotten good matchups, that can legitimently help us get an at large. If we stay as one of the top home teams, we will most likely get a home game, against a team with a top 50 or 75 RPI, something we are unable to do normally during our scheduling.

Does the return trip bother people? This basically gives us a home and home with a decent opponent RPI wise each year. Example George Mason, and Utah State. I can see the down sides, but am liking the prospect of a home game against a team in that RPI range this season.

To be honest I also don't understand all of the bracketbuster hate. Yeah maybe there are better opponents but I would think the coaching staff is always trying to get better opponents and if they could they might drop out of the bracketbusters, but since no one will play us then why not just stay in the bracketbuster and get a good rpi game. No reason to complain about something that we can't change.

[AndShock]

One of these years we're going to have a 40-50 RPI and be matched up with a 100+ RPI team because we're not going to matchup well with the other side. For example, if we were a road team this year, we would be matched up with an 80 RPI team as of now. It seems like every single year we're hoping for either Utah State or George Mason. We can get a home-and-home with one of them and call it good. I find it hard to believe that those two teams are too scared of us to play a home-and-home. If they were, they wouldn't be in Bracket busters in the first place. If I remember right, I don't think Marshall likes this event. I seem to remember him complaining about being in the middle of the conference season and sort of having to drop everything to play a non-con game.

[proshox]

AndShock - the risk of being matched up with a bad rpi game is less than the risk of trying to predict which non-bcs teams will have a top 75rpi before the season begins... Especially for WSU, because we seem to get the benefit of the doubt. I believe this has almost always been one of our best non-conference game outside of the tournaments...

I would love for us to have better scheduling, but when I look at the games we do and have scheduled I will gladly take the bb.

Hopefully The shocks will elevate the schedule to a point where participation in bb is more questionable....

[AndShock]

AndShock - the risk of being matched up with a bad rpi game is less than the risk of trying to predict which non-bcs teams will have a top 75rpi before the season begins... Especially for WSU, because we seem to get the benefit of the doubt. I believe this has almost always been one of our best non-conference game outside of the tournaments...

I would love for us to have better scheduling, but when I look at the games we do and have scheduled I will gladly take the bb.

Hopefully The shocks will elevate the schedule to a point where participation in bb is more questionable....

George Mason '09 - 51
George Mason '08 - 61
George Mason '07 - 124
George Mason '06 - 26

Utah State '09 - 23
Utah State '08 - 69
Utah State '07 - 44
Utah State '06 - 46

There is minimal guessing involved with George Mason or Utah State. If matchups were decided today, there's a good chance we would get George Mason or Utah State (not considering the fact that we played them last year.) I hope the reason we haven't made a home-and-home with either team is simply because they love the Bracket Busters and they don't want to leave it.

[ShockTalk]

Playing Utah State again would be fun, but a bit strange since I think we're supposed to get the return game from last year's Bracket Busters at our place next season. Kind of unfair for Utah State... basically a Home, Away, Away series, which I doubt they would've agreed to otherwise.

Good for us though!

If this happened, which I doubt (but like), we'd have to return our home game this year and go on the road. So, for Utah St, including last year's game - home, away, away, home.

[tropicalshox]

Playing Utah State again would be fun, but a bit strange since I think we're supposed to get the return game from last year's Bracket Busters at our place next season. Kind of unfair for Utah State... basically a Home, Away, Away series, which I doubt they would've agreed to otherwise.

Good for us though!

If this happened, which I doubt (but like), we'd have to return our home game this year and go on the road. So, for Utah St, including last year's game - home, away, away, home.

Unless an exception is made we would be playing them twice next year, correct?
Once in Wichita and again at Utah State. IMO it's very doubtful they would match us up again for that reason.

If I remember correctly on the last pre-game show a caller talked about Butler being a possible opponent. Mike and Dave also didn't know they are not participating. They should drop in the Shockernet more often.

[proshox]

There are more examples of falls from that range than teams that manage to keep it up from non-bcs schools...(look to the valley for plenty of schools that have failed to stay in the top 50 range after being there for a year or two). Nonetheless, I think you are missing my point - WSU has not been able to schedule those games. I am not in the know as to why this is the case, but it hasn't happened... Until WSU's schedule can prove otherwise I have to put my faith in the fact that our RPI will get us a similar RPI game...

[Ixiah]

Unless an exception is made we would be playing them twice next year, correct?
Once in Wichita and again at Utah State. IMO it's very doubtful they would match us up again for that reason.

Since the home and road rotates each in year in Bracketbusters IIRC return games are now 2 years after the first. This allows teams to "even out" their road and home commitments.

[shocker3]

AndShock - the risk of being matched up with a bad rpi game is less than the risk of trying to predict which non-bcs teams will have a top 75rpi before the season begins... Especially for WSU, because we seem to get the benefit of the doubt. I believe this has almost always been one of our best non-conference game outside of the tournaments...

I would love for us to have better scheduling, but when I look at the games we do and have scheduled I will gladly take the bb.

Hopefully The shocks will elevate the schedule to a point where participation in bb is more questionable....

The biggest problem with the BB is that it is nothing but one bid leagues playing each other. If conferences like the MWC, A-10, and C-USA participated it could be a worthwile event.

Participating in the BB helps cement the image that the Valley is a one bid league.

We need to be doing everything we can to get rid of that image.

[proshox]

Having one or less tournament worthy teams cements the MVC image.... Bb has zero to do with it.

[ShockTalk]

WSU got some help tonight with Drexel (top RPI home team for BB) losing tonight at home to big underdog Hofstra 75-69.

[GoGMU]

Greetings, Shockers! I've been following you guys all season (as I have since '06) and am pleased to see you doing so well.

I just had a glance at that Bracketbusters forecasting site (http://www.rpiforecast.com/bb.html). They currently have WSU and GMU as the 4th-ranked teams on the home and away BB lists, respectively.

I know it's WAY to early to project, but wouldn't that be something to get another matchup between our schools?

Hope you're all well and enjoyed the holidays. Have a great remainder of the season. I'll certainly stop by again as things heat up as we head toward the BB and NCAAs.

Cheers,

GoGMU

:goshocks:

[WuDrWu]

Greetings, Shockers! I've been following you guys all season (as I have since '06) and am pleased to see you doing so well.

I just had a glance at that Bracketbusters forecasting site (http://www.rpiforecast.com/bb.html). They currently have WSU and GMU as the 4th-ranked teams on the home and away BB lists, respectively.

I know it's WAY to early to project, but wouldn't that be something to get another matchup between our schools?

Hope you're all well and enjoyed the holidays. Have a great remainder of the season. I'll certainly stop by again as things heat up as we head toward the BB and NCAAs.

Cheers,

GoGMU

:goshocks:

Greetings to the good folks at GMU. Always good to have you in da house!

If once was nice, twice is better!