Bracket BUSTer?

[Big D]

Let me start off by saying that we have nobody to blame but ourselves. I'm sure the pairing committee looked at more than RPI....I'm sure they also looked at records, and who've we lost to.....and nothing sticks out more than that embarrassing loss to D2 "superpower" UWP.

However, how is it that we pull Georgia Southern? I think we deserve some serious explanation. It almost seems as if the committe went ahead and matched every other team and then had UIC and Georgia Southern left over....and there you have it....a match made in heaven....

We couldn't even draw Valpo? We deserved them more than Butler did? Something tells me they see the name Butler and go ahead and give them a game that will draw....but we get a team from Georgia? Please....and no offense to GS, but we've been disappointed two years in a row....we should've gotten a little better of a game.

Initially, I though this the whole concept of Bracket Buster was a great idea but now it has me rethinking. Sure, it's great for teams like UWM and UWGB, but for us....horrible. Imagine if we had beaten UWGB or if UWM had beaten them the other day....our RPI would've been higher than theirs and we would've gotten one of those TV games...possibly. Did they look at UWGB's "good" record? Did they also look at who UWGB played? If they're pairing teams by records as well, it hurts us that we play the 3rd toughest non-conference schedule in the country.

Again, we blew it ourselves but should we consider getting out? The AD and Collins voiced their displeasure about the event last year and you better believe it will happen again after this debacle. Now, not only do we have to play GS, but we also get a crappy road game for next year.....setting us up for a road loss to a subpar team. I'd much rather go to Valpo or Hawaii and play a solid mid-major. Are we better off scheduling our own games? I mean, the chance of a TV game is what keeps us around but with them adding more and more mid-majors every year, it's tougher to get them.

Next year, with our team having stars of Stefanov and Collum, I see us having no better chance of getting a solid opponent. Can we really expect to be better without Banks and Williams with guys like Jeffers coming in with no HL experience.....it could be a long year. Maybe we should just get out now before we get another slap in the face.

But, like I said last year....hopefully this fires the guys up a bit.....we will smash GS, no doubt....but how bout taking it out on those Wisconsin schools....

[WarriorFlame]

What's the harm? RPI is irrelevant this year and if it was relevant, the BB committee would reward us with a favorable match-up. Playing Georgia Southern is the worst case scenario and getting an ESPN telecast is the best case. Why drop out? Each game played is good for some experience.

Also, I don't think that this game is going to detract from the regular schedule. Hell, we played some non-Div.1 opponents—I'd rather play a BB game than another D2 team.

[spike1057]

Big D I just got off the phone with stomper and we agreed that we were put in this game for one clear reason. Since the commish of the league helps put together games it only makes sense for a UIC game with GS since we will already be heading out that way next year. So why not take a vacation down south. But since we are in this boat I hope UIC has enough balls to get another tough road game down south.

[UICJohn]

Aren't we going to Georgia Tech for the next two seasons? I thought part of the deal in them coming here is that we gave them two return games?

[spike1057]

John your right we do have two games with GT in the next two years, both at GT.

[FlameFan]

Gee, is there anyone else here that maybe thinks UIC got what it deserved based on the teams they have lost to and their consistancy?

[Big D]

FlameFan said:

Gee, is there anyone else here that maybe thinks UIC got what it deserved based on the teams they have lost to and their consistancy?

If you look at my first post, you'll see that I twice said that the blame is on UIC for not being paired up in a better game. Nobody's going to say it wasn't UIC's fault. However, I think most of us assumed that we'd be paired with a team with an RPI a little closer to ours. Even Whoosh! agrees....

www.geocities.com/uicflamesbasketball/news.htm

But now it's starting to make a little more sense since we were heading to GT next year. Makes you wonder....

[UICJohn]

Partly. I mean, there can be an argument both ways though. While our records isn't incredibly attractive, our RPI is much better than theres. But at the same time, remember that loss to UWP, embaressing in itself, and it doesn't count against that RPI.