The third annual Bracket Buster Saturday event, a one-day mens college basketball extravaganza pitting potential NCAA tournament hopefuls against each other on February 19, will feature 11 nationally televised games selected from an expanded pool of 64 teams, including all 10 WAC schools, representing 13 conferences. Last years field included a potential 46 teams (vying for 10 Bracket Buster Saturday games) while the inaugural event in 2003 featured 18 teams (nine Bracket Buster Saturday games).
ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise six of the 11 Bracket Buster Saturday contests. The other five televised games will be produced and distributed in the markets of the competing teams through ESPN Regional Television and will be available nationally on ESPN FULL COURT, ESPN Pay-Per-Views out-of-market pay-per-view service.
Bracket Buster Saturday, named because of the success of the teams in NCAA Tournament play over the past few years, will provide the 22 televised teams (selected from the pool of 64 schools) an opportunity to play other top non-conference opponents three weeks prior to Selection Sunday. The 42 teams not selected for Bracket Buster Saturday will compete against each other on the day.
We continue to receive a tremendous amount of commitment, cooperation and passion from the conferences and their member institutions, said Burke Magnus, director, ESPN programming and acquisitions. The purpose of this event remains to provide national exposure to NCAA Tournament hopefuls; however, now there will be additional season-long interest as fans can track each teams quest for one of the 22 Bracket Buster Saturday bids.
The 64-team field will feature 12 teams from the Mid-American Conference; 10 from the Western Athletic Conference; nine from the Missouri Valley Conference and Horizon League; four from the Sun Belt and Southern Conference; three from the Big Sky, Colonial Athletic and Metro Atlantic Athletic; and two from the Big West, Mid-Continent and Ohio Valley Conferences; plus Vermont from the America East Conference. Three new conferences join the pool this year: America East, Big Sky and Mid-Continent.
While each conference selects their participating teams prior to the beginning of the season, the 11 match-ups for Bracket Buster Saturday will be determined from the pool of 64 teams by ESPN in conjunction with the conferences approximately three weeks prior to the event (this year January 30, 2005). As part of the agreement, all 11 of the Bracket Buster Saturday home teams, as well as the remaining 21 home squads, will play a return game at the home facility of their opponent in November or December of the following season.
This years Bracket Buster Saturday pool features 24 team appearances in the last two NCAA Tournaments, including two Sweet Sixteen squads -- Butler (2003) and Nevada (2004).
Note: Match-ups and nationally televised games will be determined Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005 HOME TEAMSWestern AthleticBoise State
Fresno State
Hawaii
Nevada
Rice
Tulsa
Louisiana Tech
HorizonButler
Detroit
Illinois-Chicago
Wisconsin-Green Bay
Wright State
Youngstown State
Mid-AmericanAkron
Ball State
Bowling Green State
Central Michigan
Kent State
Toledo
Miami (Ohio)
Missouri ValleyCreighton
Drake
Evansville
Northern Iowa
Southwest Missouri State
Sun BeltWestern Kentucky
Middle Tennessee State
Big WestPacific
Colonial AthleticGeorge Mason
Metro Atlantic AthleticFairfield
SouthernCollege of Charleston
East Tennessee State
VISITING TEAMSWestern AthleticSan Jose State
SMU
UTEP
HorizonCleveland State
Loyola
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Mid-AmericanBuffalo
Eastern Michigan
Northern Illinois
Ohio
Western Michigan
Missouri ValleyBradley
Illinois State
Southern Illinois
Wichita State
Sun BeltArkansas-Little Rock
New Orleans
America EastVermont
Big SkyNorthern Arizona
Portland State
Weber State
Big WestCal State-Northridge
Colonial AthleticVirginia Commonwealth
Drexel
Metro AtlanticManhattan
Niagara
Mid-ContinentOral Roberts
Valparaiso
Ohio ValleyAustin Peay
Murray State
SouthernGeorgia Southern
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Below are statistics of this years Bracket Buster Saturday pool of 64-teams in NCAA Tournament play from 2000 2004:
2004 NCAA Tournament: 12 berths Manhattan, Vermont, Illinois-Chicago, Nevada, UTEP, Virginia Commonwealth, Western Michigan, Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Valparaiso, Murray State, East Tennessee State. A 3-14 overall record: Manhattan defeated Florida, and Nevada defeated Michigan State and Gonzaga to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
2003 NCAA Tournament: 12 berths Austin Peay, Butler, Central Michigan, Creighton, East Tennessee State, Manhattan, Southern Illinois, Tulsa, Western Kentucky, Weber State, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Vermont. A 4-12 overall record: Butler defeated Mississippi State and Louisville to reach the Sweet Sixteen; Central Michigan defeated Creighton; and Tulsa defeated Dayton.
2002 NCAA Tournament: nine berths - Creighton, Kent State, Hawaii, Illinois-Chicago, Southern Illinois, Tulsa, Murray State, Western Kentucky and Valparaiso. A 7-9 overall record: Kent State defeated Oklahoma State, Alabama and Pittsburgh to reach the Elite Eight; Southern Illinois defeated Texas Tech and Georgia to reach the Sweet Sixteen; Creighton defeated Florida; and Tulsa defeated Marquette.
2001 NCAA Tournament: eight berths Butler, Creighton, Fresno State, Hawaii, Kent State, Cal State-Northridge, George Mason and Western Kentucky. A 3-8 overall record: Butler defeated Wake Forest; Fresno State defeated California; and Kent State defeated Indiana.
2000 NCAA Tournament: six berths Ball State, Butler, Creighton, Fresno State, Tulsa and Valparaiso. A 3-6 overall record: Tulsa defeated UNLV, Cincinnati and Miami to reach the Elite Eight.
Composite Totals of Last Five NCAA Tournaments:
The field boasts a total of 47 team appearances in the last five NCAA Tournaments.
Two Elite Eight appearances: Tulsa (2000), Kent State (2002)
Five Sweet Sixteen appearances: Tulsa (2000), Kent State (2002), Southern Illinois (2002), Butler (2003) and Nevada (2004)
Bracket Buster Saturday is an example of ESPN college basketball franchise programming. Others include Rivalry Week, Feast Week, Judgment Week and Championship Week.