[Sly Fox]

That's a very tough place to play. Good luck to the Eagles.

[SuperJon]

Ok, now I wonder who we're gettig.


Please be close by.

[Sly Fox]

Forget close by ... I want close to Houston.

With the matchups being announced across the nation at various schools tonight, we should know something shortly.

[givemethemic]

Here is a little bit more info in a e-mail that I just got from the Big South...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Winthrop University has been selected to play in one of 14 televised broadcasts of the 2007 O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters games, and will face the Missouri State Bears of the Missouri Valley Conference on Friday, Feb. 16 in Springfield, Mo., it was announced today by ESPN. Winthrop gives the Big South Conference its first participant in a televised BracketBusters contest, and its game will be televised on ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN360. Game times and network assignments will be confirmed within the next week.

It will be the first-ever meeting between Winthrop (17-4, 7-0 Big South) and Missouri State (15-7, 6-5 MVC), as well as Winthrop’s first match-up against an MVC member. Both programs are among the top 75 teams in the national RPI. Through games of Sunday, Jan. 28, the Eagles are 72nd and the Bears are 39th. The Big South last faced the Missouri Valley Conference during the 2004-05 regular-season, falling in all four contests.

Big South members Coastal Carolina and Liberty are also among the field of 102 teams from the original pool, and their match-ups will be announced tomorrow. Winthrop is participating in the event for the second consecutive year, as the Eagles defeated Northern Illinois last year in double overtime, 98-97, in a non-televised game, helping the Conference to a 2-1 record, which was its first ever involvement in the event.

The Winthrop-Missouri State game will mark the Big South’s fifth appearance on an ESPN property during the 2006-07 regular-season. In addition, ESPNU will televise the semifinals of the 2007 Advance Auto Parts Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday, March 1, while ESPN will air the championship game on Saturday, March 3.

The O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters concept provides participating programs with an opportunity to play top non-conference opponents approximately three weeks prior to Selection Sunday. Each conference selected their participating teams months prior to the beginning of the season and the match-ups for the event were determined by ESPNU in conjunction with the conferences.

Winthrop, Coastal Carolina and Liberty will also benefit from another important component of their participation – future scheduling. Each team that participates any given year agrees to enter into a home-and-home series with its opponent. The return game of each series is made the following November or December; this return games allows for the completion of the two-game series contract and is not part of the event in that second year.

[Sly Fox]

I hate waiting.

[SuperJon]

Ok, on the front page it said GMTM said something at 7:45, and Sly at 7:48, and I can't see either.

[SuperJon]

I saw them after I posted that.

[krh44]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/s ... id=2747455

here is article on WU

[WinthropEagleFan]

After spending a little time on the Missouri State board, I'm not sure who is harder on their coach, you guys or them..they are not happy with their head coach it appears.

[PAmedic]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/s ... id=2747455

here is article on WU

I also put it in Non-LU sports having overlooked your post. sorry

http://www.flamefans.info/forums/viewto ... 6992#56992

[bigsmooth]

on the road to new york for the bracket-buster.

Liberty To Face Niagara In O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters


Liberty to face Niagara in O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBuster.
January 30, 2007
Lynchburg, Va.
O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters

The Liberty University men’s basketball team will play the Niagara University Purple Eagles of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) as part of the 37 non-televised intra-conference home-and-home series created from the original pool of 102 O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters teams, on Feb. 17, school officials announced. Game time is set for 4 p.m. EST.

This will be the first meeting ever between Niagara and Liberty. Two years ago the Purple Eagles were in the NCAA Tournament. The Flames are 2-4 all-time against the current members of the MAAC, with their most recent victory coming during the 2005-06 season when Liberty won at Marist, 69-67.

“As a program we are honored to have an opportunity to participate in the O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters field,” commented head coach Randy Dunton. “It presents quality competition with a tournament game atmosphere. This is valuable experience for our players and can be used effectively for post-season preparation. We have a lot of respect for Coach Mihalich and what he has achieved with in his program at Niagara.”

Coastal Carolina and Winthrop are the only other Big South Conference members participating in the O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBuster this season. Coastal Carolina will host MAAC member Canisius on Feb. 17 while Winthrop was selected Monday night to play at Missouri State in one of the 14 televised games, on Feb. 16.

The O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters concept provides participating programs with an opportunity to play top non-conference opponents approximately three weeks prior to Selection Sunday. Each conference selected its participating teams months prior to the beginning of the season and the match-ups for the event were determined by ESPNU in conjunction with the conferences.

Winthrop, Coastal Carolina and Liberty will also benefit from another important component of their participation – future scheduling. Each team which participates any given year agrees to enter into a home-and-home series with its opponent. The return game of each series is made the following November or December; this return game allows for the completion of the two-game series contract and is not part of the event in the second year.

[Sly Fox]

Its not exactly a thrilling matchup but at least we'll have somebody coming to Vines next season.

[LUconn]

Purple Eagles.... Why did anybody think that was a good idea for a mascot?

[TylerBakersGonnaBGreat]

Did you really ask that when we are "the Flames" with an Eagle Mascot?



Not bashing in any way at all...

GO FLAMES!

[Fumblerooskies]

Imagine being Niagara...
...they can't be happy about taking a major hit to their SoS in the RPI.

[Libertine]

Purple Eagles.... Why did anybody think that was a good idea for a mascot?

Well, they had already bought all those purple uniforms and Western Kentucky had just locked up the only other Grimace suit in North America so it ended up being one of those "It looks like we're locked into purple soooo, any ideas? Eagles? Sure! Let's go get lunch" situations.

[whmatthews]

Did you really ask that when we are "the Flames" with an Eagle Mascot?



Not bashing in any way at all...

GO FLAMES!

I think that when eagles fly in flocks they call it a flame. Hence, we are the flames, with an eagle mascot.
A great eagle mascot

[ATrain]

FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME: A FLAME IS NOT A FLOCK OF EAGLES. EAGLES DON'T EVEN NORMALLY FLY IN FLOCKS.

And aside from that, I'd rather be the Flames than the Purple Eagles...or any Eagles, for that matter. At least we're original (yes, I know UoIll-Chicago is also the the Flames, but we had it first-or at least I think we did). Lets see, how many variations of Eagles are there in the sportsworld: Purple Eagles, War Eagles, Golden Eagles...

I like being the Flames better than something unoriginal like Bulldogs, Eagles, Panthers (the Big South Conference currently has 2 sets, though one is dropping down to D-III)

[Fumblerooskies]

...or a Battling Bishop, Fighting Quaker, Demon Deacon, or Fighting Christian (now defunct).

[Sly Fox]

... or Fighting Christian (now defunct).

Its funny you should bring that up in this thread since they changed their mascot to a flaming bird.

[ATrain]

Speaking of flaming birds, several people have mentioned we should be the "Flaming Eagles." Wonder how many gay pride flags would be waved around for a game between the Purple and Flaming Eagles?

[LUconn]

FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME: A FLAME IS NOT A FLOCK OF EAGLES. EAGLES DON'T EVEN NORMALLY FLY IN FLOCKS.

This has got to be in my top 5 of LU rumors. I think it's so funny that somebody started that with a straight face.

[Purple Haize]

...or a Battling Bishop, Fighting Quaker, Demon Deacon, or Fighting Christian

(now defunct).

You are forgetting the soon to be Big South member Blue HOSE!!!

You would think that Niagra would want to embrace their natural assets:
The Waterfalls
The Flying Barrels
The Maids of the Mist
There is no V in Niagra.
The Water Moccasins
The Border Patrol.

Ok I will go now

[Ed Dantes]

FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME: A FLAME IS NOT A FLOCK OF EAGLES. EAGLES DON'T EVEN NORMALLY FLY IN FLOCKS.

And aside from that, I'd rather be the Flames than the Purple Eagles...or any Eagles, for that matter. At least we're original (yes, I know UoIll-Chicago is also the the Flames, but we had it first-or at least I think we did). Lets see, how many variations of Eagles are there in the sportsworld: Purple Eagles, War Eagles, Golden Eagles...

I like being the Flames better than something unoriginal like Bulldogs, Eagles, Panthers (the Big South Conference currently has 2 sets, though one is dropping down to D-III)

UoIll-Chic has a claim to the "Flames", seeing as though the city was practically burned to the ground my Mrs. O'Leary. Same thing when there was a hockey team called the "Atlanta Flames" -- 'cos Atlanta burned down, too. Of course, that team later moved to Calgary, who has some claim to the name, because Calgary is an oil town and b) because the Olympic Flame burned there (eight years after the team moved, but still).

"Flames" is just foolish. I understand that God manifested himself to the Israelis as a pillar of fire, but still. It's pretty lame... especially when immature fans chant "Flamers! Flamers!" whenever we're the away team (although I will admit, I would do the same if some team visited the Vines as the "Flames").

Of course, I thought that LU should be known as "The Fighting Irish" because we try to rip off of Notre Dame for everything, so what do I know.

[Sly Fox]

Niagara hosted Manhattan tonight on ESPNU. At least the Flanmes won't be intimidated by the gym. Its small even by high school standards.

That said, the Purple Eagles have some ballers.