BracketBusters

[UNIAlum95]

Re: BracketBusters

I'm with you blade. Let's give the starters the day off and rest them up for ISU(r). The only thing that matters now is St Louis and finding a guard that can hit a jump shot.

[SienaTony]

Re: BracketBusters

The bracket buster is still very important to UNI- that nation will be watching as well as the NCAA selection committee. Also it could give UNI some insurance should you fail to win the MVC autobid- UNI would be in position for a NIT bid. Because as it stands right now unless UNI wins the regular season you have no chance for an at large NIT bid. UNI has had too good a season not to get some sort of post season

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: BracketBusters

i hope its becoming clearer why Siena fans were pissed off.

PLEASE don't try to pretend like you extra smaaahht guys knew that UNI was going to hit a slide in the last 3 weeks. If you want to talk about the regional recruiting side of things, fine...I understood and could see your point with that argument. But for you guys to come on here after every UNI loss and profess that you knew all along this was a loser matchup for you...that is assenine and makes you look like jackasses. Bottom line, when the matchups where made it was the BEST matchup at the time from a competition standpoint. And now I REALLY hope we come out of our shooting funk and kick your smaaaht guy asses on Saturday.

[UNIAlum95]

Re: BracketBusters

The bracket buster is still very important to UNI- that nation will be watching as well as the NCAA selection committee. Also it could give UNI some insurance should you fail to win the MVC autobid- UNI would be in position for a NIT bid. Because as it stands right now unless UNI wins the regular season you have no chance for an at large NIT bid. UNI has had too good a season not to get some sort of post season

I disagree. Even with a win at Siena, an at large for the NIT is questionable. We need to take care of conference games period. I wouldn't care if we didn't show if it meant we took care of business in the conference. This game means nothing to UNI.

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: BracketBusters

I disagree. Even with a win at Siena, an at large for the NIT is questionable. We need to take care of conference games period. I wouldn't care if we didn't show if it meant we took care of business in the conference. This game means nothing to UNI.

I agree...UNI has unfortunately put themselves into a position where beating Siena will do nothing (except hopeful bring back some confidence)...for that matter losing to Siena does nothing except extend the funk. Siena isn't Butler, so nationally they don't hold a strong enough pedigree to reverse what has been done of late by UNI. Without wins over IlSU and EU, barring a miraculous run in St. Louis, this season ends with a thud.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: BracketBusters

I agree...UNI has unfortunately put themselves into a position where beating Siena will do nothing (except hopeful bring back some confidence)...for that matter losing to Siena does nothing except extend the funk. Siena isn't Butler, so nationally they don't hold a strong enough pedigree to reverse what has been done of late by UNI. Without wins over IlSU and EU, barring a miraculous run in St. Louis, this season ends with a thud.

UNI just missed out on the NIT two years ago with an RPI in the mid-80's. That is where we are right now. A win against Siena will push that back into the 70's. A loss won't hurt us as much RPI-wise, but a win would be a huge confidence boost-especially if we can get our shooting stroke back. We still need to win probably 3 more games to be an NIT team, that would put us at 20 D-I wins and our RPI would likely be in the low 70's at worst. We finish the season with 3 straight top-100 RPI teams (UE is just under right now), so a loss (one, absolutely no more) to any of those won't drop us much-but let's just win all three and take care of business ourselves, dammit.

[UNIAlum95]

Re: BracketBusters

UNI just missed out on the NIT two years ago with an RPI in the mid-80's. That is where we are right now. A win against Siena will push that back into the 70's. A loss won't hurt us as much RPI-wise, but a win would be a huge confidence boost-especially if we can get our shooting stroke back. We still need to win probably 3 more games to be an NIT team, that would put us at 20 D-I wins and our RPI would likely be in the low 70's at worst. We finish the season with 3 straight top-100 RPI teams (UE is just under right now), so a loss (one, absolutely no more) to any of those won't drop us much-but let's just win all three and take care of business ourselves, dammit.

I'd take a 20 point beating at Siena if it meant winning at ISU(r) and EU to get us going into St Louis. And right now the 20 point beating is where we are headed.

[jman2004]

Re: BracketBusters

I'd take a 20 point beating at Siena if it meant winning at ISU(r) and EU to get us going into St Louis. And right now the 20 point beating is where we are headed.

I'd take it too if it focused us for ISU and EU. But that's not the point.

The question someone raised (might've been you actually) was whether or not this game is "meaningful". Sure, it's not in the sense that it's not a conference game. A loss will not hurt us in conference play.

However it's meaningful for post-season play chances. If we lose a tie-breaker to Creighton, or lose the division outright to Creighton, bye bye NIT autobid. It's up to an at-large NIT bid or winning the Valley tournament (which is possible but will be difficult) for any sort of postseason play for us.

During one of our broadcasts on ESPNU they showed a stat claiming the team leading the Valley at the halfway point has seen postseason play (NIT or NCAA) every time. UNI needs that win at Siena in their back pocket in case we fall short in the Valley standings or conference tourney. Otherwise we'll be the first Valley team for this to NOT happen to. That's embarrassing. To claim that an NIT at-large bid is out of reach at this point, is ridiculous, especially if we finish at least 2nd in the conference with 20 wins on the season and a good showing in St. Louis. It's not out of reach.

Bottom line: Those of you claiming BracketBusters is now "meaningless" are wrong. This game is televised NATIONALLY on ESPN2. Remember last time we had a BracketBuster game televised on ESPN2 . . . we were embarrassed by Nevada. And our reputation, which had been slowly building, was dumped in the crapper. Maybe ESPN would actually be referring to us as Northern Iowa instead of Norther Illinois . . .

[Khan4Cats]

Re: BracketBusters

I'd take a 20 point beating at Siena if it meant winning at ISU(r) and EU to get us going into St Louis. And right now the 20 point beating is where we are headed.

If we're lucky, the way we have been shooting.

I think this is a great time to be getting out of conference with a chance to play someone who is not as familiar with our system. We still have to make shots, but this team has tended to play better away from the McLeod, so maybe this is the time to get momentum turned back on our side.

[SaintsFan]

Re: BracketBusters

PLEASE don't try to pretend like you extra smaaahht guys knew that UNI was going to hit a slide in the last 3 weeks. If you want to talk about the regional recruiting side of things, fine...I understood and could see your point with that argument. But for you guys to come on here after every UNI loss and profess that you knew all along this was a loser matchup for you...that is assenine and makes you look like jackasses. Bottom line, when the matchups where made it was the BEST matchup at the time from a competition standpoint. And now I REALLY hope we come out of our shooting funk and kick your smaaaht guy asses on Saturday.

I'll find the links where i posted it and redirect you to them.

You guys were in WAY too many close games for my comfort and i KNEW AND POSTED that you would begin to lose some of those thus making the BB matchup even worse than the day it was announced.

[SaintsFan]

Re: BracketBusters

PLEASE don't try to pretend like you extra smaaahht guys knew that UNI was going to hit a slide in the last 3 weeks. If you want to talk about the regional recruiting side of things, fine...I understood and could see your point with that argument. But for you guys to come on here after every UNI loss and profess that you knew all along this was a loser matchup for you...that is assenine and makes you look like jackasses. Bottom line, when the matchups where made it was the BEST matchup at the time from a competition standpoint. And now I REALLY hope we come out of our shooting funk and kick your smaaaht guy asses on Saturday.

I'll find the links where i posted it and redirect you to them.

You guys were in WAY too many close games for my comfort and i KNEW AND POSTED that you would begin to lose some of those thus making the BB matchup even worse than the day it was announced.

also... if smaaat or whatever youre saying is some sort of NYC reference ... you might want to see where Albany is again and know that noone North of Westchester County speaks that way. Should i assume you attend all games in your corn field overalls?

[Siena Q]

Re: BracketBusters

PLEASE don't try to pretend like you extra smaaahht guys knew that UNI was going to hit a slide in the last 3 weeks. If you want to talk about the regional recruiting side of things, fine...I understood and could see your point with that argument. But for you guys to come on here after every UNI loss and profess that you knew all along this was a loser matchup for you...that is assenine and makes you look like jackasses. Bottom line, when the matchups where made it was the BEST matchup at the time from a competition standpoint. And now I REALLY hope we come out of our shooting funk and kick your smaaaht guy asses on Saturday.

Sorry, when did Siena College move to Boston?

[UNIAlum95]

Re: BracketBusters

We've got enough problems without Siena fans coming here to say told you so. Don't take this personally but we don't give a rip about your team or how this game will impact your RPI. Finding a way to hit a shot from more than 3 feet from the basket is our only priority right now.

[Siena Q]

Re: BracketBusters

I'd take it too if it focused us for ISU and EU. But that's not the point.

The question someone raised (might've been you actually) was whether or not this game is "meaningful". Sure, it's not in the sense that it's not a conference game. A loss will not hurt us in conference play.

However it's meaningful for post-season play chances. If we lose a tie-breaker to Creighton, or lose the division outright to Creighton, bye bye NIT autobid. It's up to an at-large NIT bid or winning the Valley tournament (which is possible but will be difficult) for any sort of postseason play for us.

During one of our broadcasts on ESPNU they showed a stat claiming the team leading the Valley at the halfway point has seen postseason play (NIT or NCAA) every time. UNI needs that win at Siena in their back pocket in case we fall short in the Valley standings or conference tourney. Otherwise we'll be the first Valley team for this to NOT happen to. That's embarrassing. To claim that an NIT at-large bid is out of reach at this point, is ridiculous, especially if we finish at least 2nd in the conference with 20 wins on the season and a good showing in St. Louis. It's not out of reach.

Bottom line: Those of you claiming BracketBusters is now "meaningless" are wrong. This game is televised NATIONALLY on ESPN2. Remember last time we had a BracketBuster game televised on ESPN2 . . . we were embarrassed by Nevada. And our reputation, which had been slowly building, was dumped in the crapper. Maybe ESPN would actually be referring to us as Northern Iowa instead of Norther Illinois . . .

Hey Jman ... Siena tanked a little bit before the bracketbuster last year and were relegated to playing at Boise St on ESPN360. Many Siena fans were saying the same thing about the game being meaningless. Siena went into Boise and blew them out, which then fueled their run through the MAAC tourney and 1st round win over Vanderbilt.

Every game is meaningful at this time of year, if for not other reason than to get ready for the next one.

Good luck to the panthers on Saturday. Count me among the Siena fans who think this is going to be a very competitive game.

[clenz]

Re: BracketBusters

Good luck to the panthers on Saturday. Count me among the Siena fans who think this is going to be a very competitive game.

That makes 2 of you?