Teams Announced For 2009 'Bracket Busters'
Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:03 pm
The Bracket Busters is a series that began in 2003 and was designed to pit mid-majors in inter-conference battles late in the regular season. With ESPN tied in, it brings national TV audiences to places they may normally not go.
It helps these teams immensely by getting them exposure, pumping up their RPI numbers and answers some of those questions about the strength of these mid-major conferences.
102 teams were named to be in this year's event ... which will take place on February 20-21.
The marquee name will be Davidson College, home of Stephen Curry and a Wildcats team that were a shot away from getting to the Final Four.
Other big time mid-majors include Butler, Drake, San Diego, Nevada, St. Mary's, Bucknell and George Mason.
Matchups will be set on February 9th. After the jump are the teams that are participating.
Home teams:
Ball State, Boston, Bowling Green, Bucknell, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Creighton, Davidson, Drake, Drexel, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Evansville, Fairfield, Georgia Southern, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana State, James Madison, Kent State, Long Beach State, Loyola-IL, Marist, Murray State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Niagara, Old Dominion, Portland State, Rider, San Diego, San Jose State, Siena, Southeast Missouri, St. Mary's, Tennessee State, Towsom, UC-Davis, UC-Santa Barbara, UIC, UNC-Wilmington, UT-Martin, UW-Milwaukee, Valpo, Vermont, Western Michigan, Wichita State, William & Mary, Winthrop, Wright State and Youngstown State.
Away teams:
Akron, Appalachian State, Austin Peay, Boise State, Bradley, Buffalo, Butler, Canisius, Cleveland State, CS-Fullerton, CS-Northridge, Delaware, Detroit, Eastern Illinois, Elon, FDU, Fresno State, George Mason, Hartford, Hofstra, Illinois State, Iona, Jacksonville State, Loyola-MD, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Gardner-Webb, Manhattan, Miami-OH, Missouri State, Montana State, Morehead State, Morgan State, North Dakota State, Northeastern, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Ohio, Pacific, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, St. Peter's, Tennessee Tech, Toledo, UC-Irvine, UC-Riverside, UMBC, Utah State, UW-Green Bay and VCU
It helps these teams immensely by getting them exposure, pumping up their RPI numbers and answers some of those questions about the strength of these mid-major conferences.
102 teams were named to be in this year's event ... which will take place on February 20-21.
The marquee name will be Davidson College, home of Stephen Curry and a Wildcats team that were a shot away from getting to the Final Four.
Other big time mid-majors include Butler, Drake, San Diego, Nevada, St. Mary's, Bucknell and George Mason.
Matchups will be set on February 9th. After the jump are the teams that are participating.
Home teams:
Ball State, Boston, Bowling Green, Bucknell, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Creighton, Davidson, Drake, Drexel, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Evansville, Fairfield, Georgia Southern, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana State, James Madison, Kent State, Long Beach State, Loyola-IL, Marist, Murray State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Niagara, Old Dominion, Portland State, Rider, San Diego, San Jose State, Siena, Southeast Missouri, St. Mary's, Tennessee State, Towsom, UC-Davis, UC-Santa Barbara, UIC, UNC-Wilmington, UT-Martin, UW-Milwaukee, Valpo, Vermont, Western Michigan, Wichita State, William & Mary, Winthrop, Wright State and Youngstown State.
Away teams:
Akron, Appalachian State, Austin Peay, Boise State, Bradley, Buffalo, Butler, Canisius, Cleveland State, CS-Fullerton, CS-Northridge, Delaware, Detroit, Eastern Illinois, Elon, FDU, Fresno State, George Mason, Hartford, Hofstra, Illinois State, Iona, Jacksonville State, Loyola-MD, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Gardner-Webb, Manhattan, Miami-OH, Missouri State, Montana State, Morehead State, Morgan State, North Dakota State, Northeastern, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Ohio, Pacific, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, St. Peter's, Tennessee Tech, Toledo, UC-Irvine, UC-Riverside, UMBC, Utah State, UW-Green Bay and VCU
