Sears Bracket Busters Features Largest Pool in History

[EPJr]

BRISTOL, Conn. -- The 10th annual Sears BracketBusters, a three-day men’s college basketball event pitting potential NCAA Championship hopefuls against each other Feb. 17-19, will feature 13 nationally televised games – on either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3. The NCAA hopefuls will be selected from a pool of 142 teams from 16 conferences, the largest Sears BracketBusters pool in the event’s history, which includes two teams that reached the 2011 Final Four in Houston

http://www.gocreighton.com/ViewArticle. ... =205303687

[Wildcat Ryan]

Weber State gets a home bracketbuster, I cant even remember the last time we had a HOME bracketbuster

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Weber State gets a home bracketbuster, I cant even remember the last time we had a HOME bracketbuster

NDSU does too... I will say that I think the Bison could contend this year for a Summit title...

[Wildcat Ryan]

Weber State gets a home bracketbuster, I cant even remember the last time we had a HOME bracketbuster

NDSU does too... I will say that I think the Bison could contend this year for a Summit title...

Do the Bison stay in the Summit after this year? or are they moving to the Missouri Valley Conf with the likes of N.Iowa?

[AZGrizFan]

NDSU does too... I will say that I think the Bison could contend this year for a Summit title...

Do the Bison stay in the Summit after this year? or are they moving to the Missouri Valley Conf with the likes of N.Iowa?

I thought the summit was staying intact for basketball?

[dbackjon]

NDSU does too... I will say that I think the Bison could contend this year for a Summit title...

Do the Bison stay in the Summit after this year? or are they moving to the Missouri Valley Conf with the likes of N.Iowa?

MVC has no plans to expand. Dakotas are in MVFC.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Do the Bison stay in the Summit after this year? or are they moving to the Missouri Valley Conf with the likes of N.Iowa?

MVC has no plans to expand. Dakotas are in MVFC.

Indeed.

From what I understand NDSU/SDSU/USD/WIU all would love the MVFC to just become the MVC and they could get an all-sports invite... but that doesn't appear to be in the offing. The clout that the all-sports schools in the MVC have is pretty strong... and given that YSU is in the Horizon League (and happy about it AFAIK) things seem unlikely to change...

[Strommer10]

MVC has no plans to expand. Dakotas are in MVFC.

Indeed.

From what I understand NDSU/SDSU/USD/WIU all would love the MVFC to just become the MVC and they could get an all-sports invite... but that doesn't appear to be in the offing. The clout that the all-sports schools in the MVC have is pretty strong... and given that YSU is in the Horizon League (and happy about it AFAIK) things seem unlikely to change...

I would prefer if we went to the MVC, but it can't happen if the invite isn't there. Currently the MVC has 10 full members. If NDSU/SDSU/USD/WIU were to be admitted, that would be 14 full members. I'm not sure that the MVC would want to expand the conference that far at this point.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Indeed.

From what I understand NDSU/SDSU/USD/WIU all would love the MVFC to just become the MVC and they could get an all-sports invite... but that doesn't appear to be in the offing. The clout that the all-sports schools in the MVC have is pretty strong... and given that YSU is in the Horizon League (and happy about it AFAIK) things seem unlikely to change...

I would prefer if we went to the MVC, but it can't happen if the invite isn't there. Currently the MVC has 10 full members. If NDSU/SDSU/USD/WIU were to be admitted, that would be 14 full members. I'm not sure that the MVC would want to expand the conference that far at this point.

the only way it would happen is with a broader re-shuffling of the conference decks - Evansville, Bradley, Creighton and Drake (and probably Wichita St) would have to leave for the Horizon League (or somewhere else) or add football (in the case of Wichita or go scholly like Drake) None of this is likely to happen at this point...

[clenz]

MVC expansion isn't going to happen....I won't type out a huge thing but a couple key points

-The Summit schools (collectively) aren't nearly good enough in the MVC flagship sports (basketball, baseball, volleyball)
-MVC loves the 18 game conference schedule in basketball, playing everyone twice - has said many times they don't want to leave that
-The only real outlier for the MVC is Wichita State. WIU/USD/SDSU would be close, NDSU wouldn't be close. The Valley likes the smaller footprint...and it's more of an eastern central time zone thing, with some schools being eastern time zone. Yes there's Omaha, but Creighton has a shit ton of clout (and I hate saying that) in many areas they bring with them. None of the other schools do
-The MVC has a couple schools on their radar if expansion does happen...none of them the Dakota's. It's Butler and St. Louis University.
-The only way anything happens with the league is if Creighton and WSU bolt for a non-football league....likelyhood of that happening is almost zero as they will only do that for a real good league, and none of the non-football leagues will likely expand far enough west. If they do bolt see the previous point.
-The MVFC and MVC are two completely separate entaties. Difference commissioners, difference leagues, etc...The only reason they share a name is that the Gateway (What it used to be) was pretty much only MVC schools with some outside schools.

[clenz]

Oh...and the MVC, CAA, and Horizon need to get out of this shit hole of an event.

It was started by the MVC commish because the MVC and other top mid-majors weren't getting the respect they should have. It worked well for awhile but no longer serves it's purpose for those it was started for. Teams like UNI, Creighton, Wichita State, George Mason, ODU, VCU, etc... are all actually hurt by playing in this stupid thing more than they are helped at this point with the selection committee.

[tampajag]

Bracketbusters doesn't have the feel that it used to.

[clenz]

Bracketbusters doesn't have the feel that it used to.

It's watered down and does nothing but hurt the top teams because if they win then people go...Oh, they won but it was only against another mid-major it's not that impressive.....and if they lose it's all the more ammo to go "look, they can't even beat a decent mid-major how can they beat a BCS team.

The Bracketbuster is cool for teams that are bad/from bad conferences that never have an expectation of getting more than 1 team in the NCAA's anyway as they get some unique match ups and get their one game on national TV per year. For the rest of us "mid-major" conferences and teams it sucks shit.

[tampajag]

Bracketbusters doesn't have the feel that it used to.

It's watered down and does nothing but hurt the top teams because if they win then people go...Oh, they won but it was only against another mid-major it's not that impressive.....and if they lose it's all the more ammo to go "look, they can't even beat a decent mid-major how can they beat a BCS team.

The Bracketbuster is cool for teams that are bad/from bad conferences that never have an expectation of getting more than 1 team in the NCAA's anyway as they get some unique match ups and get their one game on national TV per year. For the rest of us "mid-major" conferences and teams it sucks ****.

I agree it should be open to all one bid leagues. It would be good for leagues like the SWAC to have a non-conference game against similar competition.

[Wildcat Ryan]

I dont mind the BB games, If your team does really good, they can get matched up with some really good teams, and then those teams have to come back to your house the next year, and in Weber's case, Weber has a hard time getting good teams to come to the Dee, so if we can get a really decent mid major, then great.

Not to mention, If Weber does really good this year we might be fortunate enough to get a national tv game from the Dee Events Center.

[clenz]

I dont mind the BB games, If your team does really good, they can get matched up with some really good teams, and then those teams have to come back to your house the next year, and in Weber's case, Weber has a hard time getting good teams to come to the Dee, so if we can get a really decent mid major, then great.

Not to mention, If Weber does really good this year we might be fortunate enough to get a national tv game from the Dee Events Center.

The return game does nothing for teams who have legit chances for an at-large. If you win it's the same "cool, you beat a team you should have/beat a mid-major" If your team loses it's the same "How can you compete with the big boys, if you can't beat them.


There really are three levels in basketball, to be completely honest. There is the "high major" "mid-major" and "low-major" conferences. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings on this board so I won't list out what conferences are in each of those lists.

[SuperHornet]

The problem with that, clenz, is that while it is likely true, it's only true in the eye of the beholder. Only a truly objective fan will see their school/league in the "low major" category. Many can't get past that myopianism, seeing themselves as at least mid-major. I really don't know if there's a truly definitive list, though one can safely posit that B(C)$ conferences double as high major.

Not to mention that the whole notion is thrown on its ear by individual teams who transcend the level of their conference (like Gonzaga).

[clenz]

Not to mention that the whole notion is thrown on its ear by individual teams who transcend the level of their conference (like Gonzaga).

There is that factor of it....however, there aren't even a handful of teams that do that. Gonzaga, Butler.......and who else?


It's actually pretty easy to split them up into three categories.

High-Major:
BCS conferences (even though the SEC is relatively week)

Mid-Major:
MWC
CUSA
A10
CAA
MVC - last year was a terrible year for the league, and WSU still should have gotten an at-large but there is an anti "non big 6" push
there is an argument to be made for the Horizon as well.


Low-major:
The rest


There are a couple factors that go into the level. The BCS conferences are the high major for pretty obvious reasons. Most money, most fan support, most exposure, best teams, most tradition, etc...

The mid-major conferences are the conferences that have actually produced multiple S16 teams, or are conferences that actually get respect across the country. Most of the schools in theses conferences are better or just as good than the majority of the BCS teams. These are the teams that are hurt by the bracketbuster at this point, even though these are the teams it was designed to help. That is the reason teams like Gonzaga, and conferences like the MWC are pulling out of the bracketbuster. I'd love to see the MVC, CAA, and Horizon pull out of the BB and set up some sort of OOC scheduling set up. The MVC and MWC have a "challenge".


The low majors are the conferences that are one bid leagues every year, might pull an upset every once in a while, but the resources aren't there to compete at the top level all the time. The support isn't there top to bottom, etc...


Now, each conference does have teams that likely could play up, and down, in levels....there is always an exception to the rule.

[SuperHornet]

That list looks fairly accurate, IMO. Just keep in mind, however, that A-10 fans (probably looking through myopian lenses) would consider themselves to be high-major. How accurate that assessment would be is anyone's guess (though I would agree with you, clenz).

This may also be myopianism, but I would consider the Big West to be mid-major, not low-major. Of course, that's relying quite a bit on the performance of UOP during the 2000s in taking down Providence and Pitt (and almost doing so with BC). Unfortunately for the conference, the Tigers have undergone a bit of a shakeup and look to rebuild for the next couple of years. Outside of Long Beach, there's not much behind UOP, which could be part of your reasoning in lumping the conference as a whole with the low-majors. If that's the case, while as a former UOP football player I would grumble, you would have a fairly good argument.

[ODUalum11]

Weber State gets a home bracketbuster, I cant even remember the last time we had a HOME bracketbuster

thats funny, I believe ODU has an away BB this year....I can't even remember the last time ODU had an away BB. Just kidding, the last one was two years ago at Northern Iowa but outside of that one I believe ODU has had a home BB game every year except that one.

[weberwildcat]

That list looks fairly accurate, IMO. Just keep in mind, however, that A-10 fans (probably looking through myopian lenses) would consider themselves to be high-major. How accurate that assessment would be is anyone's guess (though I would agree with you, clenz).

This may also be myopianism, but I would consider the Big West to be mid-major, not low-major. Of course, that's relying quite a bit on the performance of UOP during the 2000s in taking down Providence and Pitt (and almost doing so with BC). Unfortunately for the conference, the Tigers have undergone a bit of a shakeup and look to rebuild for the next couple of years. Outside of Long Beach, there's not much behind UOP, which could be part of your reasoning in lumping the conference as a whole with the low-majors. If that's the case, while as a former UOP football player I would grumble, you would have a fairly good argument.

what ever happend to pacific, they havent been good in the big west for a while. even this yr picked 6th of 9.

[Wildcat Ryan]

Weber State gets a home bracketbuster, I cant even remember the last time we had a HOME bracketbuster

thats funny, I believe ODU has an away BB this year....I can't even remember the last time ODU had an away BB. Just kidding, the last one was two years ago at Northern Iowa but outside of that one I believe ODU has had a home BB game every year except that one.

Actually, before last year, I cant remember the last time Weber played in a bracketbuster period.

[WSUWaldo]

thats funny, I believe ODU has an away BB this year....I can't even remember the last time ODU had an away BB. Just kidding, the last one was two years ago at Northern Iowa but outside of that one I believe ODU has had a home BB game every year except that one.

Actually, before last year, I cant remember the last time Weber played in a bracketbuster period.

The played Boise State, I think in 04. That was the only time Weber played in a bracketbuster before last year. To be honest, I believe it was 04 it could be 05 too. Not 06 that was Weberwildcats SR year...hence why they were so bad.

[weberwildcat]

Actually, before last year, I cant remember the last time Weber played in a bracketbuster period.

The played Boise State, I think in 04. That was the only time Weber played in a bracketbuster before last year. To be honest, I believe it was 04 it could be 05 too. Not 06 that was Weberwildcats SR year...hence why they were so bad.

i take the blame for 2006. we won 10 games. we lost at home to sac and psu for the first time ever. the coach got fired. i am not sure why i traveled to idaho st for the last game of the year, we were 10-17 and 4-9 in big sky.

[Wildcat Ryan]

The played Boise State, I think in 04. That was the only time Weber played in a bracketbuster before last year. To be honest, I believe it was 04 it could be 05 too. Not 06 that was Weberwildcats SR year...hence why they were so bad.

i take the blame for 2006. we won 10 games. we lost at home to sac and psu for the first time ever. the coach got fired. i am not sure why i traveled to idaho st for the last game of the year, we were 10-17 and 4-9 in big sky.

Goodbye and good riddance Cravens