Bracket Buster to have 114 teams

[snoopj]

yes....replacing the bracketbuster with a MVC/CAA challenge would be a vast improvement and strengthen the conference sos overall. I say go for it. This conference needs to become relevant again in basketball. We should be sending a minimum of 2-3 teams to the NCAA tourney every year.

Unfortunately, that's going to have to come down to scheduling. The entire MVC needs to boost it's non-con schedule for that to start happening again. Last year would have been ripe for more "mid-majors" to hit the NCAA tourney with the Pac-10 having such a down year. Unfortunately, the schedule gods didn't work out for the MVC bubble teams.

While the Bracketbuster is supposed to help get another profile game on the schedule, it really only works out for a couple of teams. From the looks of it this year, it's going to be hard to schedule some good games with quality opponents when a good amount of them are on one side of the HOME/AWAY divider.

From a personal perspective, I would have loved to see a UNI/Butler game last year in Bracketbusters, but both had Home bids and UNI had already played Siena earlier in the season. They ended up with Old Dominion and while it was an entertaining game (and a good W since ODU did end up being a tournament team), I still would have loved to see UNI go head to head with Butler.

[DoubleJayAlum]

The last several years, the BracketBuster has turned into "What Team Gets to Play Butler." With Butler not participating anymore, the appeal even wanes more.

[snoopj]

The last several years, the BracketBuster has turned into "What Team Gets to Play Butler." With Butler not participating anymore, the appeal even wanes more.

I personally don't blame Butler for pulling out this year (if not permanently). They'll probably end up like Gonzaga where they end up with an awesome non-con schedule and won't need to schedule this game for the sake of resume building. Waxing the Horizon League and playing a tough non-con schedule is probably going to be good enough to guarantee a NCAA berth for years to come.

[cu8493]

I had hoped the MWC-MVC challenge would do away with our participation in the bracket buster. Each bottom feeder conference and team they add to this, the more it drags all MVC teams down by association.

[jlandrus11]

The MVC needs to get a conference challenge with the Big 10 or maybe the Horizon League.

[snoopj]

The MVC needs to get a conference challenge with the Big 10 or maybe the Horizon League.

I doubt the MVC would ever get the Big 10 to agree with it, considering they are already on the hook with the ACC in a challenge setup already.

As far as the Horizon, personally, I'd rather see an overall better "mid major" conference like the CAA than the Horizon which is going to have that "Butler and everyone else" feel to it for a while.

Now, going with something like the WCC....that would get my interest a little more too (if Gonzaga would agree to it).

[45otseoj]

The MVC needs to get a conference challenge with the Big 10

We (ILSU) would never agree to such a difficult game.

[squirrel]

I'm a little concerned about the future MVC-MWC Challenge too. . .

I would much rather BU potentially play someone like Dayton than go on the road and lose at Wyoming.

While Nevada, UNLV and Utah State are decent programs, Valley teams in the bottom half are going to get some duds with BYU and Utah out of the picture.