theeagleman5 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 TU got a nice road win on New Year's Eve at TCU....maybe the Golden Hurricane will turn it around in 2012.....they've got some talent.....just tie up the coach and leave him in a closet..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoopsdude18 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Now that the NCAA has released its first "official" RPI rankings, the person from the VCU forum who annually makes a BracketBuster pairing spreadsheet has posted his first update: http://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7889 Usually from these spreadsheets we can get a good idea of the range of teams a given participant might be matched up against. Based solely on RPI, ORU would go up against Fairfield, one of the favorites in the MAAC. But the range of teams right now would include Lamar, College of Charleston, Indiana State, Fairfield, and maybe even Drake. Any of those would make a great TV option. Whatever the opponent, ORU should fit comfortably in the range to get a TV game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 thanks for the link Hoopsdude. it looks like a simple RPI pairing...no regional/travel factor analysis. would they really send St Mary's all the way across the country to play Iona? as to a potential match up w/Fairfield...ugh. would rather ORU get a lower ranked Drake or Nevada than Fairfield. of course there's still a lot games until the selection, so a lot can shake out between now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 ......As long as we keep winning ORU might get that TV game.....but TheEagleman is thinking that Fairfield wouldn't draw a lot of excitement from the ticket buying public in Tulsa....we eastern fans are very familiar with the Stags but I doubt that few people west of the Mississippi have heard of Fairfield.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BasPlayr Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 TU got a nice road win on New Year's Eve at TCU....maybe the Golden Hurricane will turn it around in 2012.....they've got some talent.....just tie up the coach and leave him in a closet..... Yeah, I liked the way the team played these last two games, especially the way they played @ TCU. But, TCU is not a very good team. That said, I believe that the teams play has put any plans to make a midseason change on hold. At least for a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Blood Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 The gentlemen making the list went out of his way to say that his sheet did not contain projections, only side-by-side RPIs. So I wouldn't worry too much about Fairfield being ORU's opponent. I would put my money on a team from the West. If you look at the top 11 home RPIs, South Dakota State is the western-most club. But four of the top 11 away RPIs are Long Beach, St. Mary's, Nevada and Santa Barbara. If you take travel into the equation, it makes sense that they would send one of those teams to Oklahoma instead of Upstate New York or North Carolina. If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on St. Mary's or Santa Barbara. Long Beach will play Creighton in one of the marquee games (Murray/N. Iowa being the other). Nevada will play Missouri State because a WAC/MVC matchup would sell. Out of those two options, I'd say ORU would draw Santa Barbara, with St. Mary's getting South Dakota State. The Dellavadova/Wolters match-up would draw plenty of buzz from the blogosphere. A Santa Barbara/ORU game would probably be the 7th or 8th most attractive option for the TV portion of the event, IMO. But again, these are just guesses. The ESPN suit who makes these decisions might think a Ware/Wolters match-up would sell and throw my projections completely off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Lamar's RPI will take a hit now that they are in conference and I could see ESPN matching up Knight/Sutton for TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Lamar's RPI will take a hit now that they are in conference and I could see ESPN matching up Knight/Sutton for TV. I could definitely see that happening. That type of angle could give us a favorable time slot as well (such as 4 pm, 6pm, 8 pm). Whlie that matchup may not seem that interesting because next year we will start playing Lamar twice a year and we have played Lamar twice over the last few years (I think), it could be an interesting prelude to joining the Southland next year. The best Southland team vs. the best Summit League team and a matchup that may become a key top of the conference rivalry annually in the Southland. Also, I think Lamar's RPI will hold steady if they keep winning in conference. But once they drop a game, their RPI will drop significantly and they will be stuck wherever they land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I hope it's not Lamar - we need the non-conference game we should get in return season after next - do we really want to run the risk of playing Lamar four times in one season (regular conference home-and-home, bracket buster return game, conference tournament)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 TheEagleman has one word.....VALPO..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FargoBison Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 The gentlemen making the list went out of his way to say that his sheet did not contain projections, only side-by-side RPIs. So I wouldn't worry too much about Fairfield being ORU's opponent. I would put my money on a team from the West. If you look at the top 11 home RPIs, South Dakota State is the western-most club. But four of the top 11 away RPIs are Long Beach, St. Mary's, Nevada and Santa Barbara. If you take travel into the equation, it makes sense that they would send one of those teams to Oklahoma instead of Upstate New York or North Carolina. If I was a betting man, I'd put my money on St. Mary's or Santa Barbara. Long Beach will play Creighton in one of the marquee games (Murray/N. Iowa being the other). Nevada will play Missouri State because a WAC/MVC matchup would sell. Out of those two options, I'd say ORU would draw Santa Barbara, with St. Mary's getting South Dakota State. The Dellavadova/Wolters match-up would draw plenty of buzz from the blogosphere. A Santa Barbara/ORU game would probably be the 7th or 8th most attractive option for the TV portion of the event, IMO. But again, these are just guesses. The ESPN suit who makes these decisions might think a Ware/Wolters match-up would sell and throw my projections completely off. I don't think geography has a big impact on the marquee games, they want the best teams playing each other. Few people outside of the hardcore college hoops rubes know who Nate Wolters even is. If SDSU(or ORU/NDSU) is going to get a St Mary's level game they'll need to win every game between now and when the games are selected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I don't think geography has a big impact on the marquee games, they want the best teams playing each other. Few people outside of the hardcore college hoops rubes know who Nate Wolters even is. If SDSU(or ORU/NDSU) is going to get a St Mary's level game they'll need to win every game between now and when the games are selected. With all due respect, this is ORU's 7th go-around in the BracketBuster process. We know of which we speak when it comes to who we will play. Watch, and learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FargoBison Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 With all due respect, this is ORU's 7th go-around in the BracketBuster process. We know of which we speak when it comes to who we will play. Watch, and learn. And I've been following Brackbusters forever, the marquee games are always the best teams playing each other. SDSU isn't hosting St Mary's unless they go on some kind of tear same goes for ORU. There is no point in St Mary's(or any team with a sub 30 RPI) even playing in Bracketbusters if they are going to play a team with an RPI above 60. They whole point of the event is to give teams a chance to strengthen their resume. That said the chance is there for a Summit team to get a marquee game if they keep on winning(ORU especially). Right now I think a good case could be made for ORU playing Nevada, Drake or UCSB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 You're right about one thing: they're not sending St. Mary's - or anyone like them - to Brookings, South Dakota on short notice. But, they WILL send someone like St. Mary's to Tulsa, like they did for our previously televised games with Utah State and Creighton, when we had similar RPI's to this year. Geography, and WHEN the game will be played, figure into the equation as much as RPI. And, if you actually had been following BracketBusters forever, you would know that. And I'm still putting my money on either St. Mary's or Wichita State. Maybe Indiana State. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FargoBison Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never said they wouldn't send one of those teams to ORU, all I said is that ORU will have to bring their RPI up or St Mary's will have to go down in RPI. Right now they are too far apart. The poster I responded seemed to think they'd send St Marys to SDSU or ORU due to geography which isn't exactly true, unless the teams have similar RPIs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 And I'm saying (repeatedly) the match-ups are NOT based as much on RPI as you think they are. History has proven that geography DOES weigh heavily in the mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Well, either way, at 12-4 (4-0), if we can continue to play well, we are VERY LIKELY looking at an ESPN televised game against a quality opponent. MM...can you say WHITE OUT? I know a guy that can get you 5,000 t-shirts at a good price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Andy Katz Blog Jockeying begins for BracketBusters ... One of the most intriguing teams to schedule will be Oral Roberts. ORU is off to a 6-0 start in the Summit League. The Golden Eagles did play a strong schedule but lost at West Virginia, Oklahoma and Gonzaga before winning at depleted Xavier and taking out Texas Tech from the bottom of the Big 12. ORU is a home team and head coach Scott Sutton would want Wichita State, Saint Mary's or Northern Iowa. It's hard to see a scenario where the Gaels would be available, but UNI could be attainable. Butler is back in the event, too. And one of the elite teams from the Horizon League -- Butler, Cleveland State and/or Detroit -- are going to have to get a decent team. All three are at home. And therein lies the problem. If the best matchup is Long Beach State-Murray State and then perhas Saint Mary's-Creighton and Akron-Iona, that leaves WAC favorite Nevada as the most intriguing remaining road team. The best matchup, certainly in name recognition for television, may be to pit Nevada at Butler. These are two teams that are improving and could make their way to the NCAA tournament as their respective conference champs. That leave would leave a scenario under which road teams Wichita State, Northern Iowa, Charleston, Drexel and Old Dominion are paired up with home teams Oral Roberts, George Mason, Cleveland State, Missouri State and Detroit in some fashion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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