Catcountry21

Thought we could update this throughout the season since we usually talk a great deal about the matchups and TV games.

Saw on ESPN this morning that ALbany is getting some attention after the Washington win on the road and if they continue to play solid they could grab a game on ESPN.

"The other two teams to keep an eye on over the next two months to see if they are worthy of a high-profile game are road teams Albany (won at Washington) and UC Irvine (lost in overtime at UCLA). http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...bracketbusters

ALbany and Vermont are the only two teams picked to rep the AEast!

The event will feature 13 nationally televised games across ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 and includes teams from 15 different conferences.

The 122-team field will feature teams from 13 conferences: 12 each from Big South, Mid-American Conference and Ohio Valley Conference; 11 from the Big Sky; 10 each from Big West, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley and Southland Conference; nine each from Horizon and Summit Leagues; six from the Western Athletic Association; four from the Southern Conference; three from the MEAC; and two each from the America East and West Coast Conferences.

As part of the agreement, all 13 of the BracketBusters home teams in televised games, as well as the remaining 58 home squads, will play a return game at the home facility of their opponent in November or December of the 2013-14 season.

http://www.americaeast.com/ViewArtic...B_OEM_ID=14000

__________________
"Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath." -- Wilt Chamberlain

UVM Hoop Cat

Wow, this event has gone downhill in a hurry. Without CAA/NEC looks like only other northeast conference is the MAAC. Benefit of that is maybe we can get an interesting opponent from a different conference we don't usually see.


That said, I'm down to play anybody anytime anywhere and maybe get on TV.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

Nostrajimus

only 2 AE teams shows you what people think of The America Least. That's what happens when you have one of the lowest conf RPI's and lose in the NCAA PIG

UVM Hoop Cat

Who lost in the PIG? Vermont won in the PIG last season.

But hey don't let the facts get in the way of your argument.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

Redwyn

I doubt RPI is a factor in this at all, and I doubt that the other programs weren't "selected". The West Coast Conference also has 2 teams participating - the same conference that has perennial NCAA tournament teams in Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and BYU.

My guess is it's either a random draw of interested parties, or based around what teams feel this scheduling opportunity would be a benefit (and therefore bid more). For the AEC, there's minimal benefit to having a random OOC game late in the season for a conference nearly guaranteed to be a low 15 or high 16 seed at best. Doesn't mean that it's not fun as hell to watch a team play a program from somewhere new for a fan...but as a coach it must be gut wretching to train to play a non-conference program in the middle of a stretch where conference-style focus is key.

Just my 2 cents, I'm sure many will disagree.

Nostrajimus

must have been 2 years ago then, my bad. I love schools who claim a NCAA win for winning the PIG, like beating a MEAC team is a huge accomplishment

UVM Hoop Cat

Guy did you not read what I wrote? The AE has never been in the PIG until 2011-12.

Hey- if the NCAA is going to make us play it and we win, we're claiming it. The check cashes and the money is green. The rest of the conference is welcome.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

Catcountry21

Hoop Cat, don't waste your time arguing with the village idiot, it's exactly what he's fishing for.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc...fvo9o1_400.gif

__________________
"Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath." -- Wilt Chamberlain

Vermonster

0/10 Keep trollin bro

shupioneers1

I hate the bracketbusters, but how does the MEAC get 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!! teams and the NEC gets 0??

shupioneers1

It looks good if you get the home game. It's a total waste if you get sent on the road to school more then 500 miles away right at the end of your conference season. Bonus points if you have to re-arrange your conf schedule because of it, like FDU had to do the last time the NEC team was part of it.

Catcountry21

I agree with this, it's great if you have a good rpi and end up playing an opponent you normaly wouldn't get the chance to play. However, a couple years ago when we went to South Carolina to play a very good Charleston team we got worked. The Cats just weren't the same team after that game.

__________________
"Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath." -- Wilt Chamberlain

UVM Hoop Cat

I'm on board for the Bracketbuster, always have been always will be. Home or away, TV game or no TV game, interesting opponent or someone from the MAAC or NEC.

We're probably never going to host an NCAA tournament game at Patrick Gym, so if we have to travel for an OOC game in February, then it's just another game to help prepare for that.

I look at the Bracketbuster as another game to help give us experience and prepare for tournament play/post-season play. If we play someone cool and get on TV, then great. I don't look at it like it's a "nuisance" or it's a "waste". Just my view on it.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

UVM Hoop Cat

I think the injuries to Fjeld and Bald at the end of the season is really why we "weren't the same", The Charleston game itself didn't have much to do with it. I didn't mind getting beaten, they were much better than we were and had Andrew Goudelock.

Anyways, we got a TV game out of it and now Charleston is playing us at home this season- which would never happen otherwise. Charleston will probably be the second best team we play this year OOC after UConn.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

Nostrajimus

Hey, if that's the only way to get kids onto your campus is to trick them into thinking that your school has multiple NCAA Tourney wins, then have at it. Some people aren't dumb enough to think that all those PIG wins are legit.

I'd rather go ofor in the real dance then lose in the PIG. It's kinda like kissing your sister (which I'm sure you know all about hoopcat). No one cares or watches the PIG anyway.

I'd rather lose on primetime against Duke then lose to Morgan St on the WE Network on a wed night. Get real