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IF BU somehow manages to draw Radford AND AMCC...that would be cause for celebration alone.

Even though their RPIs were bad last year, Radford still won a lot of games (were in CBI) and should be at the same level if not better. Their coach also won a national COY award for minority coaches.

AMCC was among the most-improved teams in the nation last year with an improvement of 12 games. I think its a decent program...it was a good program when Arrow got it going, but since they went on probation, they haven't shown signs of improving until last year.

Obviously, I would rather have had SLU for the first game down there. But we still might luck into the best draw available in the tournament otherwise.

Mikovio wrote:Signing up for an exempt tournament is a great way to play BCS schools, but when those schools are in the RPI 200s it defeats the purpose.

I almost wish the NCAA would put the exempt tournament rule back in place where teams could only participate in 1 every 3 years. The tournaments were much more interesting and we didn't have the problem with teams backing out due to other participants, better options emerging, and filler non-DI's because teams refuse to go on the road.

squirrel wrote:

Mikovio wrote:Signing up for an exempt tournament is a great way to play BCS schools, but when those schools are in the RPI 200s it defeats the purpose.

I almost wish the NCAA would put the exempt tournament rule back in place where teams could only participate in 1 every 3 years. The tournaments were much more interesting and we didn't have the problem with teams backing out due to other participants, better options emerging, and filler non-DI's because teams refuse to go on the road.

The problem is, then there were fewer of them and we almost never got to participate. They were for power conference schools and the crappy host teams. Mid-majors almost never went to Maui, Alaska, etc.

Update on BU's schedule. Their on-campus prelims for Corpus Christi will be NC A&T and Corpus Christi, and first opponent in Texas will be TCU. Had hoped we might steal Radford for on-campus for a bit of a boost.

Additionally, the first game in Texas will be on CBS Sports Network, but only the Final will be carried on the 2nd day.

Nov. 14 Texas-Arlington
Nov. 19 Robert Morris
Nov. 23 North Carolina A&T
Nov. 25 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Nov. 28 vs. TCU (Corpus Christi, TX) CBS Sports Network
Nov. 29 vs. Mississippi State/Saint Louis (Corpus Christi, TX) CBS Sports Network (Final only)
Dec. 2 vs. CMU
Dec. 6 @ Memphis
Dec. 9 @ Kansas State
Dec. 18 vs. Eureka
Dec. 21 vs. UC-Irvine (Las Vegas)
Dec. 22 vs. UALR/Green Bay (Las Vegas)
Dec. 28 vs. UIC

squirrel wrote:Nov. 14 Texas-Arlington
Nov. 19 Robert Morris
Nov. 23 North Carolina A&T
Nov. 25 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Nov. 28 vs. TCU (Corpus Christi, TX) CBS Sports Network
Nov. 29 vs. Mississippi State/Saint Louis (Corpus Christi, TX) CBS Sports Network (Final only)
Dec. 2 vs. CMU
Dec. 6 @ Memphis
Dec. 9 @ Kansas State
Dec. 18 vs. Eureka
Dec. 21 vs. UC-Irvine (Las Vegas)
Dec. 22 vs. UALR/Green Bay (Las Vegas)
Dec. 28 vs. UIC

Woof.

squirrel wrote:Update on BU's schedule. Their on-campus prelims for Corpus Christi will be NC A&T and Corpus Christi, and first opponent in Texas will be TCU. Had hoped we might steal Radford for on-campus for a bit of a boost.

Additionally, the first game in Texas will be on CBS Sports Network, but only the Final will be carried on the 2nd day.

Nov. 14 Texas-Arlington
Nov. 19 Robert Morris
Nov. 23 North Carolina A&T
Nov. 25 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Nov. 28 vs. TCU (Corpus Christi, TX) CBS Sports Network
Nov. 29 vs. Mississippi State/Saint Louis (Corpus Christi, TX) CBS Sports Network (Final only)
Dec. 2 vs. CMU
Dec. 6 @ Memphis
Dec. 9 @ Kansas State
Dec. 18 vs. Eureka
Dec. 21 vs. UC-Irvine (Las Vegas)
Dec. 22 vs. UALR/Green Bay (Las Vegas)
Dec. 28 vs. UIC

That's amazingly bad.

BU might not have a win against an RPI top 200 school before the conference starts.

No it's not good, but just because some of those teams/programs are/were bad last year, doesn't mean they won't be better this year.

Arlington had 8 guys playing DI for the first time last year, including 3 frosh. 7 of those players return. But they'll still have 8 players that are sophs or frosh this year.

RMU has been a solid program, but yeah, this is one BU could very easily lose so early in the year. UC Irvine is as good a mid-major non-con game that is available this year.

Corpus Christi was among the nation's most improved teams last year and should take another step forward this year.

TCU and Mississippi State don't figure to be as bad as they were last year, but they don't figure to make great leaps, either.

So yeah, while the schedule is bad and there are dogs on there, I think it will be marginally if not comfortably better than last year's records and RPI would indicate.

Memphis and K-State are good. The CC tourney is okay. The rest of that schedule is atrocious even if they are improved.

What is good is that Bradley returns three talented, though slightly underwhelming players, in Barnes, Grier, and Taylor. They've added high ceiling transfers in Shaw and Morgan in the front court, and Sutherland, Amerson, and Jones in the backcourt. As a cherry on top, Cunningham is a dynamic talent. Lots of potential in Peoria.

I think Vegas is good for Bradley, better than Corpus Christi is. The dirty little secret is that everyone but StL in that tourney could be RPI 200+.

RMU is a fine home opponent.

The sins in the schedule are CMU (a sin we committed 3 years ago when we began the series), UTA to an extent (to the fact we couldn't find a better 2-for-1 to start this yea), and Eureka. Remember, UIC is the last F_U that Elgin and the BracketBusters stuck us with.

All and all, it's a 225 SoS. That's where I think it ends up. As ugly as it sounds....it's progress. We need much more next year.

Nothing confirmed, but there are links to "sources" at New Mexico State that are saying they have an away game at WSU on Nov. 14. Word out of WSU (as of about 2 weeks ago) is that the Shox were only looking for 2 "buy" games. It's not been even speculated whether NMSU (if it happens) is a buy or if @WSU is the first of a H/H.

Nothing confirmed, but NMSU bloggers are listing the game and date.