With just over three weeks of games left on the schedule, now is the time for some college basketball teams across the nation to put up or shut up. There is still plenty of time for teams to make a late run, but that is a luxury known only to schools within the major conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Big East, PAC 10, SEC). Those teams that can snag a late ticket to the dance will be fortunate, but how unfortunate they seem when they are on the losing end of an early round upset at the hand of a mid-major. These mid-majors are the BracketBusters, and while originating outside of the six main conferences, at least one of them will surely bust many brackets this March.
With naming rights to ESPN and sponsorship by Sears, the coming weekend will be dedicated to the schools that garner little if any national attention during the rest of the regular season. The BracketBuster weekend pits unheralded programs up against others of the same variety in order to see which teams might be best to make a surprise in the tournament. Premiering in 2003, BracketBuster weekend has expanded to now include 14 conferences and 114 teams, many of which college basketball fans aren’t familiar with. Give them time, however, because at least one of these teams will catch the attention of the college basketball nation this March.
History has proved this claim time and time again: David’s slingshot always connects with Goliath’s forehead in the form of a 14-seed toppling a 3-seed in the first round. In the past eight seasons, 2009 stands alone as the year when zero BracketBusters advanced to the Sweet 16. How can any one forget BracketBusting Butler of 2010 and their run that wound up just inches short of a national title? Or how about Stephen Curry and all the brackets his Davidson team busted in 2008 as they moved on to the Elite Eight? Surely, everyone can recall the 11-seed George Mason team that made their historic trip to the 2006 Final Four. Truth is, some of these teams deserve all the attention they will receive this weekend.
ESPN will do their part for BracketBuster awareness by showcasing 11 games on their various channels starting with Virginia Commonwealth playing Wichita State on Friday night. A win for the Wichita would certainly help their tournament resum? considering they currently sit on the bubble at second place in the Missouri Valley.
Two matchups showcasing four conference leaders headline Saturday’s slate of games as Utah State travels to Saint Mary’s (CA), and Missouri State heads to Valparaiso. Utah State and Saint Mary’s are both ranked in the Coaches Poll, No. 23 and No. 24 respectively, so they rightfully have earned the national attention they will receive in primetime Saturday night. Both squads are looking at favorable seeds heading into the conference tournament season, but a victory Saturday might be enough to move them into the top half of the NCAA Tournament bracket.
Saturday afternoon, Missouri State will travel to Valparaiso in their last test before the season finale game with Wichita State that will likely decide the champion of the Missouri Valley Conference. Valparaiso is quietly leading the Horizon League, and is looking for some more credibility after some ugly non-conference defeats. This matchup is certainly one of the marquee games of the weekend and ESPN is taking notice by sending color commentator Dick Vitale to this underrated matchup.
Ending the BracketBusting festivities is the only Sunday contest, a matchup between Cleveland State and Old Dominion. Cleveland State is currently in a battle for the Horizon crown while Old Dominion attempts to earn a spot as an at-large bid.
On Selection Sunday, the at-large bid will escape the grasp of many of the BracketBusters playing this weekend. BracketBuster weekend brings the opportunity for the mid-major elite to separate from the large pack of 114 smaller conference teams. Without a conference tournament championship, mid-majors will need that at-large ticket to make a name for themselves in the big dance. With an early look at this weekend’s schedule of undervalued teams and some history, college basketball is sure to find out something about March right now, in February.
