Still probably still a long shot, but Vermont and Albany both appear to be on the edge of TV games for the Bracketbuster. UVM's win over Stony Brook really helped their RPI, but it will likely drop a bit with the next few games before the TV matchups are announced.
I would like to see a Vermont matchup with Iona, Loyola or Canisius, as that could be a TV/ESPN3 game given their RPI. But the question is how much will the Bracketbuster committee consider geography in this final year of the event.
Based on numbers through Friday games, looks like it could be Illinois-Chicago or Long Beach St. Considering location, Fairfield and Niagara might also be a possibility.
Matchups for TV games are announced next Monday January 28. Not sure if that's the same date for all match ups to be announced, I know typically they have been announced on separate dates.
Next two games for UVM will be very important to compete for a TV game. Either way, I think both Albany and UVM will get quality opponents given their RPI and records.
It would be great to see UVM bumped up to face Iona, who will likely get a TV game, but probably too much of a difference in RPI for that to happen. I also wouldn't mind Loyola or even Ohio.
Too bad a team like Detroit couldn't be in the picture. They are fun to watch and will get the big screen coverage on the road.
I would love for UVM to play someone they have never played before. It seems like our OOC schedule is stuck in the mud and we don't break out an play some new (to us) teams. I would love to see a midwest or west coast swing next year to shake things up. In the immediate future, I do not want to see a Bracketbuster game against a NEC or MAAC team.
Luckily you don't have to worry about the NEC team because I far as I know, there;s no NEC teams in the bracket buster field and hasn't been one in quiote a while (4 or 5 years, iirc).
Iona would make the most sense if the RPIs can come close to matching up because it's a home game this season and would give the Iona Prep kids (Voelkel/Sandro) their senior home game next season.
They just played @ Iona last year. If they wanted to play there again, I'm sure they could've set up another home and home series for the regular season.
When are the TV games announced? I know in the past ESPNU has has a selection show which was pretty cool. DOes UVM have any chance of getting one after losing to Maine?
But it also depends how much they are going to try and cut down on travel for these games......
Last year ESPN went down as far as the 17th best home and 17th best away team. Necessarily skipping over teams, including the #10 home team by RPI and the #11 away team
That might just be the show ESPN puts together to hype the match-ups, because it says pretty clearly on the ESPN Bracketbusters website that the TV match ups are going to be announced on Jan. 28th.
But, that probably doesn't include UVM so we won't find out opponent until later.
I'm thinking Canisius. They are in the 14th spot (RPI) for road teams. We are in the 13th spot for home teams. It makes sense geographically. I'd be happy with that opponent.
It would seem odd to have a selection show a week after we already know what teams are in it. I read on other boards they are actually releasing the teams for TV games on the day of the telecast, so who knows?
I'm thinking Vermont or maybe Albany has a chance for an ESPN3 game based on a couple of teams ahead in RPI with no so hot overall records. Will ESPN showcase teams with .500 records or right around there? I think they usually select teams leading the conference or near the top of the conference standings.
On the ESPN Bracketbusters website it says the televised match-ups are going to be announced on January 28th. Maybe ESPN has its own website and date wrong, I'm not sure.
Additionally, What Vermont has going for it to be selected for a TV game is given it's the final year of the BB and Vermont was the marquee match-up in the inaugural event against Nevada back in 2004-05. Might mean something, might not.
Also, when Vermont played Stony Brook on ESPNU that was a pretty exciting mid-major game and we showed pretty darn good last time on TV.
I'm starting to like our chances for a TV game again.
Also, from the Bracketbuster site it looks like 9 of the 13 games will actually be one on of the TV stations: ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
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