All 12 CAA men’s basketball teams will participate in the sixth annual O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters for the second consecutive year. The two-day event, which is set for February 22-23, 2008, will feature 14 nationally televised contests on ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Classic and ESPN360.com.
The CAA has had tremendous success in BracketBusters, with the league posting a 7-2 record in televised contests over the past three years. CAA teams have registered some of the most impressive victories in the event, highlighted by George Mason’s triumph at Wichita State in 2006 and Drexel beating Creighton on the road in 2007.
“BracketBusters provides a late-season national opportunity for our top teams to build upon their post-season credentials,” CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager said. “There is no doubt that the inclusion of CAA teams in the ESPN telecase package, and our success in those games, has dramatically helped position our teams for post-season consideration.”
A pool of 100 teams from 16 different conferences will participate in the 2008 BracketBusters. The field includes teams with 74 appearances in the last five NCAA Tournaments, including a team in the Final Four – George Mason (2006); and seven Sweet Sixteen squads – Butler (2003 & 2007), Southern Illinois (2007), Bradley (2006), Wichita State (2006), UW-Milwaukee (2005) and Nevada (2004).
Drexel, James Madison, UNC Wilmington, Old Dominion, Towson and William and Mary will play home games, while Delaware, George Mason, Georgia State, Hofstra, Northeastern and VCU are road teams.
This year’s coverage will feature the addition of a game on ESPN Classic. For the third straight year, ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network, will televise five BracketBusters games while ESPN360.com, ESPN’s customized broadband service, will offer two. ESPN2 will televise six contests. ESPN360.com will also simulcast ESPN2’s six telecasts. The 14 BracketBusters matchups will be announced February 4, while game time and network assignments will be announced February 11.
BracketBusters, named because of the success of the teams in NCAA Tournament play, will provide the 28 televised teams an opportunity to play other top non-conference opponents three weeks prior to Selection Sunday. The 72 teams not selected for BracketBusters will compete against each other over the same two days.
The 100-team field will feature 12 teams from the CAA and the Mid-American Conference; 11 from the Ohio Valley Conference; 10 from the Missouri Valley, Horizon League and Metro Atlantic Athletic; nine from the Western Athletic Conference and Big West; four from the America East and Southern; two from the Patriot, Big Sky and Big South; one from the West Coast, Summit League and Atlantic Sun.
As part of the agreement, all 14 of the BracketBusters home teams, as well as the remaining 36 home squads, will play a “return” game at the home facility of their opponent in November or December of the following season.
