Ding dong, Bracket Buster is dead

[Jet915]

What an awful year for Bracket Busters. There's really no chance these games are going to do a bit of good for any MVC teams.

I would say Creighton could definitely use a quality road win after the chance at Wichita went begging. Belmont game could easily be the difference between playing in Kansas City or getting shipped out cross-country.

Fair point. A win over Belmont might not mean much to people, but a road win over a Top 50 team does matter to the computers (and thus the committee).

I doubt it. Losing to Belmont will be perceived as a bad loss (if you look at their resume, it's not that impressive but their RPI numbers are very good so far). Winning at Belmont will be perceived as a "should have won anyways" kind of win. It will help the computer numbers but our computer numbers last year were excellent and it drew us an 8 seed (I'm sure the LBSU win "helped" get us the 8 seed). Atleast losing to them won't hurt our RPI.

Also, this is a win win for Belmont. They really have no resume wins unless you count Middle Tennesee and Stanford which you shouldn't. If they lose, they still have to win their tourney like they would anyways. If they win, now they get to join the bubble conversation. Also, their three top scorers are seniors so I'm sure the return game will be worth it...

[TheAsianSensation]

You underestimate the impact of a Top 50 road win. You need one of them if you want to be a protected seed.

The public will say it's a "should have won" game. The selection committee is much smarter than that.

[isumvc1]

new predictions for the bracketbuster TV games

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... basketball

• Detroit at Wichita State: Shockers would get a decent RPI game, but not a game changer for the tourney.

• Ohio at Indiana State: This is probably the best the Sycamores could land.

• Illinois State at Davidson: Jackie Carmichael has been under the radar this season, and the Wildcats are a threat to win the Southern and earn a bid.

[MVCfans]

Everything I've seen says Creighton would go to Belmont. Katz says this:
-The Gaels (SMC) are also a home team and are almost a lock to host Creighton in the highest-profile game of the weekend.

[isumvc1]

forgot to post that CU @ St. Mary's game

[Jet915]

You underestimate the impact of a Top 50 road win. You need one of them if you want to be a protected seed.

The public will say it's a "should have won" game. The selection committee is much smarter than that.

You really think the committee will give CU a protected seed? After getting an 8 seed last year, I have no faith. Unless we win out, I don't think we will get anything higher than a 5 and more likely 6 or 7.

[GoShockers89]

If they give Creighton a game against St. Mary's (RPI 57) instead of Belmont (RPI 15), Jays fans should be irate. That is basically robbing them of a top 50 win for no good reason (nobody, and i mean nobody, in CA gives a crap about SMC basketball so the ratings difference is nil).

WSU fans would hardly be stoked by getting Detroit, but honestly the difference between their 72 RPI and South Dakota State's 64 RPI is a wash.

[Jet915]

If they give Creighton a game against St. Mary's (RPI 57) instead of Belmont (RPI 15), Jays fans should be irate. That is basically robbing them of a top 50 win for no good reason (nobody, and i mean nobody, in CA gives a crap about SMC basketball so the ratings difference is nil).

WSU fans would hardly be stoked by getting Detroit, but honestly the difference between their 72 RPI and South Dakota State's 64 RPI is a wash.

Jay fans were irate last year when they screwed CU by putting Murray State against SMC (I remember shocker fans not being happy with Davidson either). I think this year, CU fans expect disappointment or just dont give a sh*t.

[TheAsianSensation]

Oh my God, if Katz is right, EVERYBODY SHOULD RIOT.

Belmont, the one team that needs a quality win the most, plays a team that isn't even leading the WAC.

Creighton gets a useless game.

Wichita doesn't even get a top 3 option, which they clearly deserve, and their quality win chance they can give to road teams would be absolutely wasted on Detroit.

They cannot give the SoCon undefeated leader (Davidson) the 8th place Valley team.

They're sending South Dakota St cross country when they have MVC schools below them with much better travel.

Utah State is now in the tank and shouldn't be on TV.

St Mary's gets their one chance to bigtime help their profile. Good for them, horrible for everyone else. If ESPN gives the MVC the middle finger like this, riot. Hell, he has Illinois St, not UNI, UE, or BU as the #4 MVC team to make TV. If THAT happens, I want to see Elgin to hijack the WSU game and take a dump at center court just to give the whole event the action it deserves.

[Fargobison]

Agreed, Katz picks are absolutely horrendous. Why Belmont is playing a team 100 spots below them in RPI when there are ample teams closer to them with better RPIs is beyond me.

Then he talks about Indiana State's coach wanting Detroit, NDSU or SDSU and then acts like he should be ecstatic to get Ohio instead. What a complete crock of BS. Meanwhile both NDSU and SDSU have to play teams far away with RPI's much worse than what either team has.

Creighton should play Belmont and SDSU should play St Mary's, they will already be in California because they are playing Bakersfield on Wednesday. Wolters vs Dellavedova would be a great match up.