Bracket Buster for 2006-2007 season

[HebrewHammer]

ESPN just announced the teams participating in the tournament

Home Akron, Boise State, Bucknell, Buffalo, Butler, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Creighton, Coastal Carolina, Delaware, Drake, Eastern Michigan, Fairfield, Fresno State, George Mason, Georgia State, Hofstra, Idaho, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State, Indiana State, Long Beach State, Loyola (Illinois), Marist, Missouri State, Montana, Morehead State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Niagara, Northeastern, Northern Arizona, Northern Illinois, Oral Roberts, Rider, Samford, San Francisco, Siena, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Toledo, UC Santa Barbara, UNC Greensboro, Virginia Commonwealth, Western Michigan, Wichita State, Wright State, Youngstown State

Away Albany, Appalachian State, Austin Peay, Ball State, Bowling Green, Bradley, Cal State Fullerton, Canisius, Central Michigan, Cleveland State, Colgate, Detroit, Drexel, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Elon, Evansville, Hawaii, Holy Cross, Iona, Jacksonville State, James Madison, Kent State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Loyola (Maryland), Maine, Manhattan, Miami (Ohio), Murray State, Northern Iowa, Northwestern State, Ohio, Old Dominion, Pacific, Portland State, Saint Peter's, Sam Houston State, San Jose State, Southern Illinois, Towson, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UNC Wilmington, Utah State, Valparaiso, William & Mary, Winthrop, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wisconsin-Milwaukee

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2557619

[TravelingPanther]

Well, we can narrow down our opponents a bit:

Akron, Boise State, Buffalo, Butler, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Coastal Carolina, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, Fairfield, Fresno State, George Mason, Georgia State, Hofstra, Idaho, Illinois-Chicago, Long Beach State, Marist, Montana, Morehead State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Niagara, Northeastern, Northern Arizona, Northern Illinois, Oral Roberts, Rider, Samford, San Francisco, Siena, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Toledo, UC Santa Barbara, UNC Greensboro, Virginia Commonwealth, Wright State, Youngstown State


Removed MVC teams, teams on our schedule, and the last 2 Bracket Buster opponents.

I would like Butler, UIC, or NIU for the shorter drive ; Cal Poly, Costal Carolina, Delaware, Montana, NAU,SEMO, UTC, TN St, TN Tech, or YSU for the fun of playing another I-AA school.

Will be interesting to see who we want to play in terms of boosting our RPI.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Well, we can narrow down our opponents a bit:

Akron, Boise State, Buffalo, Butler, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Coastal Carolina, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, Fairfield, Fresno State, George Mason, Georgia State, Hofstra, Idaho, Illinois-Chicago, Long Beach State, Marist, Montana, Morehead State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Niagara, Northeastern, Northern Arizona, Northern Illinois, Oral Roberts, Rider, Samford, San Francisco, Siena, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Toledo, UC Santa Barbara, UNC Greensboro, Virginia Commonwealth, Wright State, Youngstown State


Removed MVC teams, teams on our schedule, and the last 2 Bracket Buster opponents.

I would like Butler, UIC, or NIU for the shorter drive ; Cal Poly, Costal Carolina, Delaware, Montana, NAU,SEMO, UTC, TN St, TN Tech, or YSU for the fun of playing another I-AA school.

Will be interesting to see who we want to play in terms of boosting our RPI.

Actually, I believe we can play Western Michigan. As long as UNI doesn't play them this year, or next, the two teams can play. So, the top teams (pre-season and recent history) that I see on the list that UNI could play include:

Western Michigan, Oral Roberts, Nevada, Illinois-Chicago, Hofstra, George Mason, Fresno State, and maybe Butler (they haven't been quite as good the past few years).

[uniwatcher]

The best matchup on the home list would be George Mason if they are even having a halfway decent year! They will host one of the ESPN games almost without a doubt. That is what we want.

[Bier Guy '99]

The best matchup on the home list would be George Mason if they are even having a halfway decent year! They will host one of the ESPN games almost without a doubt. That is what we want.

I'd have to agree... we want the TV time and this would be as close to a sure thing as there is... maybe Butler... I guess it depends on if someone else in the ranks gets hot and gets the coverage. Of course, if we're having another stellar year we may be the TV draw, not our opponent!

[Panthers to the Bone]

The good news is that of the MVC teams, UNI is probably the 2nd best team projected from the MVC in the away category (SIU first). Other 'name' away teams include UW-Milwaukee, Drexel, Utah State, UW-Green Bay, UNC-Wilmington, Old Dominion, Manhattan, Miami (OH), La Tech, Hawaii, and Detroit.

Teams such as Creighton, Missouri State, Nevada, and Wichita will no doubtedly get a tv game. Loyola-Chicago and Bucknell will probably get games too (if their seasons go as I think they will). So, of those six teams that are the tops, IMO, of this Nevada is the only one that UNI would be eligible to play. There will be a MAC school or two that gets on tv, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a couple games, but I think the MVC is really going to be the class of this event....again.

[UNIpanther99]

OK, with a win early against SIU, UNI appears to really be the best "away" bracketbuster team available. Appy State will probably make a case as well with their gaudy RPI (which will now start going down, getting into conference play).

I would have to think we would be front-runners to go to either Butler or Nevada. Any thoughts?

[BCPanther]

I would prefer Butler because of the return game next year. Fazekas graduates and Nevada does not help us as much as a Butler team that will have 3 starters back next year. IMO...

Lets take care of the Valley teams we need to for the next 3 weeks so that we can get another game on national TV...

[unigriff]

I say, NEVADA, Butler or George Mason will be our foe. Count on it!

[Khan4Cats]

I would think if we can't get Butler, we don't want a GM or Nevada. The BB game falls right between road games for us, so the more midwestern we can stay the better on our kids for travel. The BB will not really help us a lot this year for RPI and the only good we can get is hopefully a televised game. Other close games could be Oral Roberts, Illinois-Chicago, Toledo, Akron, Wright State. None of which are all that appealing for return games.

[UNI MadCat]

I had posted this on the Den earlier but at the time it was decided it was too early to discuss it. Now that I'm seeing how each one of these MVC games is truly a war, I agree. We have 6 games between now and the announcement date and, I tell you what, we can just as easily go 0-6 as 6-0 in these as there isn't a breather in any of those games. In my opinion, if we get through that stretch 4-2 we should be feeling really good about ourselves.

(Games: @ IlSt, vs CU, @MSU, vs InSt, @ SIU, @ Drake)

[BCPanther]

4-2 is a must if we are going to win the regular season title...

[UNI MadCat]

I dont know if I would call it a must but it would definitely put us in the driver's seat. I can see 13-5 giving you a share of the title this year or maybe even outright. Top to bottom is so balanced and good that I just don't see anyone running away with it.

[Jonsoup]

I would like them to play Akron, Butler,Eastern Michigan,George Mason, Illinois-Chicago,Morehead State,Northern Illinois, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Toledo, UNC Greensboro, Virginia Commonwealth, Wright State, Youngstown State as these schools are all near me.

[wloopanther]

Bring on Butler!!