[coolhandluke]

does this even make sense to anyone else?

[reggie]

It should tell you that there is zero percent chance that Liberty matches up with Davidson. It is pretty tenuous that Liberty would even get a television game, if RPIs remained relatively unchanged.

The prime game would be Butler @ St Mary's. The second would be Miami @ Davidson.

[olldflame]

It should tell you that there is zero percent chance that Liberty matches up with Davidson. It is pretty tenuous that Liberty would even get a television game, if RPIs remained relatively unchanged.

The prime game would be Butler @ St Mary's. The second would be Miami @ Davidson.

Are you sure this is Reggie and not his buddy JUGHEAD? These matchups are not going to be made based soley on RPI ratings. Say hi to Archie, Betty and Veronica for us.

[coolhandluke]

It should tell you that there is zero percent chance that Liberty matches up with Davidson. It is pretty tenuous that Liberty would even get a television game, if RPIs remained relatively unchanged.

The prime game would be Butler @ St Mary's. The second would be Miami @ Davidson.

zero percent chance that we play Davidson? How much money do you want to put on that?

I mean, think about it. ESPN wants this. Curry vs. Curry. It will sell and it will be good for TV. I'd say there is a very good chance we will see Davidson in the bracketbuster, as long as we play well in the conference. I think if we are looking like we will win the conference, then we will definitely be matched up with Davidson. We'll just have to see how it pans out.

[jcmanson]

The chance that we play Davidson is definitely greater than 0%, but I don't think it's as high as a few of us on here think it is.

[reggie]

The only way it is possible is if DU tanks in league play, which just isn't going to happen. This event is set up for legitimate at-large candidates (usually the top 3 or 4 games) to augment their resume for the NCAA Tournament. ESPN is not going to risk the viability of the entire thing by fixing a matchup. Think about what the MAC people would think if Miami, for example, was robbed of the game that they deserved. Maybe the MAC decides to not compete. What if it was Butler that has played in the prime game the last two years. Maybe they drop out. Gonzaga already doesn't compete, is this thing even worth the time if the other top mid major decides not to?

It's not going to happen.

[Sly Fox]

Reggie, if memory serves me correctly then I believe you were a Butler fan when we were in the running for the Smith kid. That likely means you have a vested interest in believing that ESPN & Indy's hometown organization will somehow adhere strictly to one arbitrary measurement in order to set the matchups. And in general I would agree with that position. But ESPN answers to higher calling than the Mid-Continent or MoValley conferences ... the almighty dollar. And if the ESPN suits see a larger audience by a family drama than a pair of fringe Top-25 teams meeting then they will go with what they see as being their biggest draw.

The Butlers and Creightons of the world really have very little leverage. Sure they could choose to pull out of future events but who does that really hurt? They need the television exposure and the RPI boost from the matchups.

[Chris Lang]

The chance that we play Davidson is definitely greater than 0%, but I don't think it's as high as a few of us on here think it is.

Good summation. Reggie has good points as well. It's a made-for-TV event, but it also has a purpose in regards to pairing highly ranked mid-majors. Liberty-Davidson will be very attractive if Liberty is 9-0 or at worst 8-1 in league play at the time the pairings are announced. That's not out of the realm of possibility, but there are trips to Winthrop (where LU hasn't won in several years), Presby (who has been very tough at home), High Point (where LU traditionally doesn't play well) and VMI.

Say LU is 8-1 in the Big South and 18-5 overall Jan. 31. Then I could see the pairing happening. But a Big South team with more than one league loss is going to have an RPI in the 170 range, and at that point, I don't think Davidson's people would be very happy with playing the Flames. As Reggie says, the point of the Bracket Buster, at least the televised games, is to give a team like Davidson one last shot to rack up a high-RPI win to bolster its NCAA candidacy should it fail to win its league tournament. A game against a No. 160 Liberty wouldn't fit that bill.

Not saying that Davidson will really have much say in the matter, but as long as Davidson is as good as we think they'll be by the end of January, I'm not sure Liberty gets into that matchup unless the Flames are really, really good.

[kel varson]

The chance that we play Davidson is definitely greater than 0%, but I don't think it's as high as a few of us on here think it is.

Good summation. Reggie has good points as well. It's a made-for-TV event, but it also has a purpose in regards to pairing highly ranked mid-majors. Liberty-Davidson will be very attractive if Liberty is 9-0 or at worst 8-1 in league play at the time the pairings are announced. That's not out of the realm of possibility, but there are trips to Winthrop (where LU hasn't won in several years), Presby (who has been very tough at home), High Point (where LU traditionally doesn't play well) and VMI.

Say LU is 8-1 in the Big South and 18-5 overall Jan. 31. Then I could see the pairing happening. But a Big South team with more than one league loss is going to have an RPI in the 170 range, and at that point, I don't think Davidson's people would be very happy with playing the Flames. As Reggie says, the point of the Bracket Buster, at least the televised games, is to give a team like Davidson one last shot to rack up a high-RPI win to bolster its NCAA candidacy should it fail to win its league tournament. A game against a No. 160 Liberty wouldn't fit that bill.



Not saying that Davidson will really have much say in the matter, but as long as Davidson is as good as we think they'll be by the end of January, I'm not sure Liberty gets into that matchup unless the Flames are really, really good.

Yes, well stated Chris. I'm not sure anyone knows how good the Flames really are. I feel confident that Liberty will win most, if not all, of it's conference home games, but I do believe we will lose between 1 and 3 games on the road--best case scenario of course.

[jcmanson]

So, if we don't play Davidson, which I am beginning to highly doubt that we will, I hope like crap we play ODU.

[BJWilliams]

Id certainly make the trip home for that game if we played ODU @ the Constant Center

[BracketBusters]

This could be the greatest thing in the history of college basketball... I want it so badly. Where would it be played? Davidson or Liberty?

[jcmanson]

It would be at Davidson

[flamesbball84]

This could be the greatest thing in the history of college basketball... I want it so badly. Where would it be played? Davidson or Liberty?

a mid major matchup with only one team in the mix capable of getting an at large bid to the ncaa tournament is greatest thing in the history of college basketball?

[BracketBusters]

Haha I love how you guys are so realistic about your team (no sarcasm), since most fans think their team is capable of doing anything.

But no, a matchup between Seth and Stephen would be the greatest thing in the history of college basketball.

[Schfourteenteen]

Haha I love how you guys are so realistic about your team (no sarcasm), since most fans think their team is capable of doing anything.

But no, a matchup between Seth and Stephen would be the greatest thing in the history of college basketball.

As opposed to Duke UNC in the final game

Or Duke AND UNC getting knocked out in the first round

Ill take the latter

[LUconn]

Haha I love how you guys are so realistic about your team (no sarcasm), since most fans think their team is capable of doing anything.

But no, a matchup between Seth and Stephen would be the greatest thing in the history of college basketball.

That [[derogatory term]] isn't an LU fan. He posed as one a while back and tricked us all. We're much bigger homers.

[jcmanson]

http://www.thebracketbusters.com/?p=253

I know Bracket Busters weekend is still over a month away, but with the way things are shaping up, we could see a Liberty vs. Davidson matchup. Yes, you guessed it. That means Seth Curry vs Stephen Curry, which would be the most beautiful thing that any bracket busters weekend has produced. Both Stephen and Seth already know that it is a possibility as well and are working hard to get it done. Of course, this is only a rumor as of now, but the fact that the possibility exists is thrilling. I’ll keep everyone updated as to what happens.

[LUconn]

Haha I love how you guys are so realistic about your team (no sarcasm), since most fans think their team is capable of doing anything.

But no, a matchup between Seth and Stephen would be the greatest thing in the history of college basketball.

That [[derogatory term]] isn't an LU fan. He posed as one a while back and tricked us all. We're much bigger homers.

Seriously? If I recall I called him another word for poop. and it wasn't the bad one.

[Hold My Own]

Didnt you know poop is evil leaving your body...so really it is bad...

[Sly Fox]

The same term would be less offensive IMO for something but not someone. I guess it is just the Old Hag in me showing through. I realize it was not meant with malice and that's why I didn't make a big stink and why the sane term wasn't edited in a different thread. Yeah, I know it is subjective.

[LUconn]

Yeah, I noticed I called Winthrop that same thing in another thread. I need to diversify my insults.

[Hold My Own]

Always here to help

[Sly Fox]

BracketBusters Forecast

ESPN will announce its BracketBuster pairings on Monday, and unfortunately, the matchup of Liberty freshman Seth Curry vs. older brother Steph Curry is unlikely. While Davidson is on the home list and Liberty is on the road list, Liberty's RPI of 170 is likely too low for ESPN to consider pairing with Davidson, who has an RPI of 37. Wouldn't it make great television?

My best guess for the top matchups:

Butler at Davidson -- Steph Curry would face one of the toughest defenses in the nation.

George Mason at Siena -- The veteran Saints are on a roll right now and Mason would give them a stern test.

VCU at St. Mary's -- Extraordinary matchup of two future NBA point guards -- Eric Maynor of VCU and Patrick Mills of St. Mary's.

Click here for Full Story Including Holmes Twins

[PAmedic]

BracketBusters Forecast
Liberty's RPI of 170 is likely too low for ESPN to consider pairing with Davidson, who has an RPI of 37. Wouldn't it make great television?

Click here for Full Story Including Holmes Twins

yes, by all means- since the RPI says it wouldn't be a good game- lets not even play.

thank God for numeric rankings to help sort out what we should do.

it prevents teams like Appalachian State from having to face the likes of, say... Michigan.