I suspect a lot of it has to do with the 18 game conference schedule. We don't have that many non conference games.
I know WKU does not participate because it was something of a bad deal. We did it a few years and we never got a big TV game out of it. The teams they paired us with were not well known to our fan base or geographically compatible. We ended up having to do too many return games across the country. And the opponents were really no better than the home and homes we could get for ourselves.
The bracket buster should be an 8 team round robin early season tournament (like the NIT) only featuring the best non AQ teams (or as best as you can tell from returning players, etc.)
(12-13-2009 06:48 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote: I suspect a lot of it has to do with the 18 game conference schedule. We don't have that many non conference games.
I know WKU does not participate because it was something of a bad deal. We did it a few years and we never got a big TV game out of it. The teams they paired us with were not well known to our fan base or geographically compatible. We ended up having to do too many return games across the country. And the opponents were really no better than the home and homes we could get for ourselves.
The point is match teams with similar RPIs to give a late season boost for tourney selection time. The home team then returns with a trip to the opposing court the following season. Being that the Sun Belt is not a top ten league in RPI, I am not sure why there wouldn't be any value to the league in playing teams from conferences with better RPIs. The TV games are usually reserved for the highest RPI matchups. It is possible the Sun Belt didn't have a strong enough team to make a TV appearance when paired with teams from the MVC, CAA, WCC, WAC, and MAC. The MVC and CAA especially have had multiple high RPI teams the last few years.
(12-13-2009 08:46 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote: The point is match teams with similar RPIs to give a late season boost for tourney selection time. The home team then returns with a trip to the opposing court the following season.
This is patronizing. I get the point of the bracket buster just fine.
At any rate, you don't improve rpi by playing teams with good rpi, you improve rpi by playing teams with a lot of wins. Granted those are usually the same teams but it is an important distinction. This is because half of rpi is your opponent's win %.
Quote:Being that the Sun Belt is not a top ten league in RPI, I am not sure why there wouldn't be any value to the league in playing teams from conferences with better RPIs.
We do all the time. The Sunbelt has three wins over the SEC this year. I don't see why we have to commit to return games in Montana or the west coast to get them.
Quote:The TV games are usually reserved for the highest RPI matchups. It is possible the Sun Belt didn't have a strong enough team to make a TV appearance when paired with teams from the MVC, CAA, WCC, WAC, and MAC.
WKU was very close a couple of times to being in one of the big TV games but we barely missed out.
Quote:The MVC and CAA especially have had multiple high RPI teams the last few years.
Those were both one bid leagues the last couple of years, right? And didn't we beat the MVC champs a couple of years ago? Oh yeah:
(This post was last modified: 12-13-2009 10:01 PM by Hilltopper2K.)
(12-13-2009 08:46 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote: The point is match teams with similar RPIs to give a late season boost for tourney selection time. The home team then returns with a trip to the opposing court the following season.
This is patronizing. I get the point of the bracket buster just fine.
At any rate, you don't improve rpi by playing teams with good rpi, you improve rpi by playing teams with a lot of wins. Granted those are usually the same teams but it is an important distinction. This is because half of rpi is your opponent's win %.
Quote:Being that the Sun Belt is not a top ten league in RPI, I am not sure why there wouldn't be any value to the league in playing teams from conferences with better RPIs.
We do all the time. The Sunbelt has three wins over the SEC this year. I don't see why we have to commit to return games in Montana or the west coast to get them.
Quote:The TV games are usually reserved for the highest RPI matchups. It is possible the Sun Belt didn't have a strong enough team to make a TV appearance when paired with teams from the MVC, CAA, WCC, WAC, and MAC.
WKU was very close a couple of times to being in one of the big TV games but we barely missed out.
Quote:The MVC and CAA especially have had multiple high RPI teams the last few years.
Those were both one bid leagues the last couple of years, right? And didn't we beat the MVC champs a couple of years ago? Oh yeah:
Thanks for the responses but it still doesn't address the purpose of my original post which is to understand why the Sun Belt is not a participate. I guess your responses somewhat address it but for a conference that is currently sitting behind the Southern Conference in RPI, it would seem the decisions being made are not quite raising the profile of the conference. Seems a little snobish in my opinion.
WKU has always had a strong bball tradition and maybe selfishly WKU doesn't care what happens with the other squads because more time than not they get the bid. You would think some of the other teams in this conference would prefer additional opportunities to improve their profiles but apparently WKU hoops = the voice of Sun Belt hoops. If someone knows the real reason about the Sun Belt sitting out the Bracket Buster, post. I have wondered this for a while. Citing travel costs seems a little bush league. Why wouldn't WKU want another chance at a home and home with schools like St. Marys, VCU, or Creighton.
(12-13-2009 11:46 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote: Why wouldn't WKU want another chance at a home and home with schools like St. Marys, VCU, or Creighton.
Or you get paired up with Portland State (who had a considerably lower RPI than us that season), and that game doesn't get on TV, and then you have to travel to Portland State the next season, and you just don't bother with it anymore.
ASU got Austin Peay the year we did it. While it was a nice pairing and we did beat them when they made the return trip. Their wasnt enough fan interest. it was a program that wasnt very well known.
Like it or not when fans see Bracket Buster they expect a national TV game against a Butler Wichita State or the like. and when they get the untelevised game against the Portland States or Austin Peays of the world, it turns into a nonconference game stuck in the most critical portion of the conference schedule
