Bracketbuster 2012

[valpo84]

About time to start thinking about the Bracketbuster game. This link gives a good sense of the range of potential games based on RPIs.

This will be an away game for us, with a pick up home game usually for the next year. We have a visit to Missouri State at some point from last year's. So a good opponent helps the schedule strength in future years.

George Mason, Kent State, Manhattan, Utah State and Illinois State would be all good from match-up/return game as well as some are good for marketing (GMU and Manhattan). A few more wins (without bad losses) could help to reach the TV games.

Annoucements of pairings will be January 30.

http://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7889

[valporun]

George Mason, Kent State, Manhattan, Utah State and Illinois State would be all good from match-up/return game as well as some are good for marketing (GMU and Manhattan).

Of the teams on that short list, we'd probably get Kent State because of travel, if we don't have a tv game. The Bracketbuster loves to put us up against MAC teams. GMU and Utah St. might get tv games.

[lowposter]

This killed us last year.  On the plus side we got Dickie V in the house.  On the other hand, it completely was a logistics nightmare and in my opinion was the reason for the season ending meltdown.

These made for TV events usually do not benefit student athletes.
lowposter

[vu84v2]

I do not understand how you could say the Bracketbuster killed Valpo last season.  They knew that they would be playing a quality opponent at home on that day before the season really began.  While it is (of course) a made for TV event, ESPN really does a great job of giving exposure to the mid-majors with this event and the event generates a lot of excitement around mid-major programs.

[okinawatyphoon]

I think lowposter is referring to how our season sort of went downhill after that game. But I still like the Bracketbuster and agree that it is great exposure.

[valpopal]

The Bracketbuster game against Missouri State was one of the highlights of the season, but it certainly was a mixed blessing at best. The game was great, the atmosphere at the Arc was sensational, and the promotion for the university was terrific. Unfortunately, the event was placed at the worst point in the schedule.

The team had to play at Milwaukee then come home for the Bracketbuster then go back to Wisconsin to play Green Bay then play Loyola at home. This led to a stretch of 4 games in 8 days, 5 games in 11 days, with lots of travel for a team that was filled with injuries and illness. Valpo won the Bracketbuster but lost to Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Loyola, which cost them the season championship or at least a tie for the championship.

I love playing the Bracketbuster, but I hated the scheduling last year.

[crusaderjoe]

The Bracketbuster game against Missouri State was one of the highlights of the season, but it certainly was a mixed blessing at best. The game was great, the atmosphere at the Arc was sensational, and the promotion for the university was terrific. Unfortunately, the event was placed at the worst point in the schedule.

The team had to play at Milwaukee then come home for the Bracketbuster then go back to Wisconsin to play Green Bay then play Loyola at home. This led to a stretch of 4 games in 8 days, 5 games in 11 days, with lots of travel for a team that was filled with injuries and illness. Valpo won the Bracketbuster but lost to Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Loyola, which cost them the season championship or at least a tie for the championship.

I love playing the Bracketbuster, but I hated the scheduling last year.

So what's your excuse for VU getting blasted at home to Iona after 11 days rest?

[valpopal]

The Bracketbuster game against Missouri State was one of the highlights of the season, but it certainly was a mixed blessing at best. The game was great, the atmosphere at the Arc was sensational, and the promotion for the university was terrific. Unfortunately, the event was placed at the worst point in the schedule.

The team had to play at Milwaukee then come home for the Bracketbuster then go back to Wisconsin to play Green Bay then play Loyola at home. This led to a stretch of 4 games in 8 days, 5 games in 11 days, with lots of travel for a team that was filled with injuries and illness. Valpo won the Bracketbuster but lost to Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Loyola, which cost them the season championship or at least a tie for the championship.

I love playing the Bracketbuster, but I hated the scheduling last year.

So what's your excuse for VU getting blasted at home to Iona after 11 days rest?

There was no excuse for the flat game against Iona. But I wasn't offering an excuse. In fact, I don't believe in excuses.

However, whether the team won or lost the games, I do believe 5 games in 11 days with lots of travel in February for a team within the middle of an important home stretch to the season championship when players are likely to be worn and injured is not a good scheduling situation. If I remember correctly, I believe Homer agreed as well.

[valporun]

I just looked at our schedule around this game. From 2/9-2/24, we have the Ohio trip with Cleveland St. then Youngstown St. followed by UIC at home on the Thursday before Bracketbusters, then Loyola on the Tuesday after, and we end the conference schedule with Butler on the 24th. This looks very favorable, but who knows what CSU/YSU will do by then, and UIC or Loyola could be a trap, as we're getting into the thick of the homestretch of the conference schedule. We can definitely guarantee that we might have another tv game, maybe not the marquee choice like last year, but we still have a few games before that becomes a major concern. We right now need to focus on winning the conference games for the favorable seeding at the HL tourney.

[lowposter]

My point was that the Bracketbuster simply added considerable travel to an already busy time of the year.  Let's see...Milwaukee (tough game and environment), then back to Valpo for an emotional game, then pack up the bus and drive to Green Bay (tough game and environment) then back home for a game with Loyola.  Lots of travel.

With college basketball, you make a deal with the TV networks.  In exchange for Dickie V, you potentially throw the conference out the window (they did).  They made a few $$$, travelled a few more miles, and lost a few games.  Butler, on the other hand didnt participate in the Bracketbuster and slept in their own beds for a couple of nights at a critical time of the year.

Good teams must fight thru adversity and we didnt on the Wisconsin road trips (note plural).  Missed layups at the buzzer and two close losses.  Result, pack the bags for the conference tournament.  One cannnot say they would have won the conference and the tournament without the Wisconsin yo-yo trip, but at that stage of the season, one must do everything to provide the team opportunities to win.

Thats all I am saying,
lowposter

[mgovalpo]

Joe Lunardi has his predictions up for the 13 Bracketbuster television games (with the caveat that there's still a week's worth of games to be played). He has Cleveland State hosting Northern Iowa and Valpo taking on Ohio in Athens. Interestingly, he also has Oral Roberts hosting Nevada.

[valpotx]

It pains me to see ORU at 16-4 and 10-0 in conference.

[valpopal]

Joe Lunardi has his predictions up for the 13 Bracketbuster television games (with the caveat that there's still a week's worth of games to be played). He has Cleveland State hosting Northern Iowa and Valpo taking on Ohio in Athens. Interestingly, he also has Oral Roberts hosting Nevada.

Speaking of "predictions": Stat Sheet predicts Cleveland State to win the Horizon League tournament and to be the only conference representative in the NCAA. The Big Ten is projected to have 9 teams in the NCAA tournament! The prediction is that Valpo will be invited to the CIT:

"StatSheet projects Valparaiso will go to the CIT. The Crusaders are #113 in the StatSheet StatRank with a 14-7 overall record and a 7-2 record in the Horizon. During its last four games, Valparaiso bolstered its record with wins against UIC, Loyola (Chicago), Cleveland State, and Youngstown State. Valparaiso has a 3-2 record against the RPI Top 100 but an 0-1 record against the RPI Top 50 and AP Top 25. While the Crusaders have no quality wins, they're weighed down by five bad losses including RPI #202 Wright State, RPI #109 Milwaukee, RPI #256 IUPUI, RPI #125 Oakland, and RPI #253 IPFW."

http://valpodaily.com/valparaiso-basketball/statseed-update/statsheet-projects-valparaiso-as-cit-team-01-24-2012

[valporun]

So losing to the #109 and #125 teams in the StatSheet ranking says that we might not be anything more than CIT participant? Those were winnable games, we just had a lapse that was untimely in each game. The others might have been Valpo underestimating the Summit League?

I'd rather just play the games, and let our play decide what happens, not our schedule strength.

[milanmiracle]

It pains me to see ORU at 16-4 and 10-0 in conference.

And they're in all likelyhood going dancing...

[milanmiracle]

So losing to the #109 and #125 teams in the StatSheet ranking says that we might not be anything more than CIT participant? Those were winnable games, we just had a lapse that was untimely in each game. The others might have been Valpo underestimating the Summit League?

I'd rather just play the games, and let our play decide what happens, not our schedule strength.

I'd agree, let the play on the court decide what becomes of this team. IF they manage a top 2 seed, the chances of dancing go way up. The only way this team is going to the NCAA's is via automatic bid. Everything else doesn't really matter

[valpopal]

Anybody's guess, but here are a couple of ESPN Bracketbuster projections:

Valpo vs. George Mason
Butler vs. Oakland

http://whiteandbluereview.com/?p=16421

[vu84v2]

It is pretty doubtful that it will happen, but Valpo vs. Oral Roberts would be pretty interesting...   I would love to see it because it would aslo commit ORU to have to play at Valparaiso.

I would not be surprised to see a Valpo at SDSU matchup.  Nasty roadtrip for Valpo if that happens.

[StlVUFan]

It is pretty doubtful that it will happen, but Valpo vs. Oral Roberts would be pretty interesting...   I would love to see it because it would aslo commit ORU to have to play at Valparaiso.

Tulsa road trip anyone?

[vuweathernerd]

I would not be surprised to see a Valpo at SDSU matchup.  Nasty roadtrip for Valpo if that happens.

i'd love this personally. i'd find a way, and grab a few other alums currently in the dak-rat states and go for a road trip.

[valpospartan]

It is pretty doubtful that it will happen, but Valpo vs. Oral Roberts would be pretty interesting...   I would love to see it because it would aslo commit ORU to have to play at Valparaiso.

I would not be surprised to see a Valpo at SDSU matchup.  Nasty roadtrip for Valpo if that happens.

We don't need to play a fourth Summit League team this year.

[oklahomamick]

I live in Tulsa, would be nice to see valpo play in person.  Last time I saw valpo in person they won the mid-con championship against iupui (I think that was the opponent) in ft. Wayne. 

The next week the got blistered by Kentucky.

But it was the good old days when we were dancing consistently.  We had a lit of foreign players at that time.

[valporun]

Last time I saw valpo in person they won the mid-con championship against iupui (I think that was the opponent) in ft. Wayne. 

The next week the got blistered by Kentucky.

Yes, this was the 2001-2002 season where we ran over the Jaguars, 88-55 at Fort Wayne. I remember this because the next week, while the team was in St. Louis, and the band was busing all across the Midwest, I was out West in Eagle Rock, California with the track team for a Spring Break Training Trip.

[talksalot]

Using WarrenNolan RPI as of about noon today...Valpo is the 10th ranked road team...

the top 12 HOME teams this year:

Creighton    MISSOURI VAL   15
Murray State    OHIO VALLEY   32
Oral Roberts    SUMMIT   50
Iona    METRO ATLANTIC   51
Cleveland State    HORIZON   55
South Dakota State    SUMMIT   63
Davidson    SOUTHERN   68
Ohio    MID AMERICAN   69
Loyola (Md.)    METRO ATLANTIC   77
Missouri State    MISSOURI VAL   80
VCU    COLONIAL   84
Weber State    BIG SKY   89

The Top 12 Road Teams:
St. Mary's (Calif.)   WEST COAST   20
Wichita State   MISSOURI VAL   30
Long Beach State   BIG WEST   33
Northern Iowa   MISSOURI VAL   57
Akron   MID AMERICAN   60
Nevada   WESTERN   61
Drexel   COLONIAL   88
Drake   MISSOURI VAL   94
Buffalo   MID AMERICAN   98
Valparaiso   HORIZON   112
Lamar   SOUTHLAND   117
Oakland   SUMMIT   123

I agree that we would probably get Ohio...with Kent State as #15 and Illinois State as #17 also in the running.

It sure looks like we would be in the running for one of the 11 TV games....I think the
St.Marys / Creighton 
Wichita State/Murray State are locks...
Northern Iowa / ORU
Akron Gets / Iona
Cleveland State  / Drexel
South Dakota State / Nevada
Davidson / Drake
Ohio / Valpo
Buffalo / Loyola MD
Oakland / Kent State
Lamar / Missouri State

See What Happens when they are announced!

[valpo84]

Good predictions on games. I'd like to see Davidson or VCU instead of Ohio. We played there last year and both make equally good TV games and great home games for the future. We've already played some MAC teams this year and would like to see some other conferences.