UAlbany Included in Bracket Buster

[olddog71]

Announcement from the UAlbany website:

 

"UALBANY MEN'S BASKETBALL WILL PARTICIPATE IN ESPN BRACKET BUSTER SATURDAY

 

Albany, N.Y. -- The University at Albany men's basketball team has been invited to participate in the ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday series on Feb. 18, 2006. The Great Danes are among 100 teams representing 18 conferences in the event. UAlbany is joined by defending America East Conference champion Vermont in the field.

 

"UAlbany's participation in ESPN's Bracket Buster is an example of how much the basketball program has grown over the last four years," said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose team finished 13-15 last year, an eight-win improvement from the previous season. "We continue to gain national respect with this announcement. It's a tremendous honor for a young program."

 

 

Here's the link:

 

http://www.albany.edu/sports/stories.htm#bracket_buster

 

http://www.albany.edu/sports/stories.htm#bracket_buster

[Dane Pound]

Also a story in today's TU about the Bracketbuster. It's ESPN or bust for UAlbany, Siena-TU

[GODANESGO]

I hope this story is one of those story pic link things posted up on the main University site. I think it does a lot of the "get up the overall spirit and feeling of the school" amongst our students. It would be great for big time college sports fans on campus who have yet to put together that our basketball team is that type of team. And might gain some fans who read it and think "Wow! UAlbany and ESPN in the same sentence!"

[GreatDanes06]

one problem i have with it being on Feb 18th...Winter Recess starts Feb 17th...students have off the weeks of the 20th...thus must students are going home either that friday or sat...how will that affect attendence if the game is on campus, and a good amount of students are gone...i will def try to be there, but i maybe in Vermont covering the women that day

[statefan]

MY understanding is that we are not getting a home game.

[GreatDanes06]

ok...then that puts that to rest...im just saying if its a home game, it maybe a dead one, since its vacation for the students

[olddog71]

When the story that UAlbany received an invitation initialy hit the wires, I was really excited. I still am proud.

 

But then I read that 100 teams were invited and that one of the teams was our colleague just up the road with one of last year's worst records, those factors took off a lot of the luster.

[Patch]

Siena is in only because the entire MAAC Conference is in. The AE had two spots. Albany's selection should show us how far we have come in regard to respect of the administration of the conference.

 

The America East chose UAlbany, which went 13-15 last season, as one of two teams to represent the league, along with three-time defending champion Vermont.

 

"(ESPN) asked us to pick what we thought our preseason favorite would be, which I thought with Jamar Wilson and Levi Levine and Lucious Jordan, it would be Albany," said America East assistant commissioner Matt Bourque.

[GreatDanes06]

exactly...Siena is only there because ESPN and the MAAC just signed a deal, so everyone is in on it...

[Dane Pound]

So once you're in the pool for the games they only televise 11 of the 50 games. I'm guessing they would select the 22 teams to be on ESPN by RPI rankings which you mean you have to earn your way on ESPN.

 

Either way it should result in a good home game next year as Vermont got one with Nevada this year. I'm really hoping they don't pair us with a MAAC school as they already come to Albany already.

[alumni '92']

exactly...Siena is only there because ESPN and the MAAC just signed a deal, so everyone is in on it...  - GreatDanes84

glad to see mid-major power conferences like the MAAC are aggressively pursuing and achieving tv deals w/ESPN, while the America East administrators ... ????

[alum73]

I'm really hoping they don't pair us with a MAAC school as they already come to Albany  already.

9542[/snapback]

 

I don't see this happening, unless we get paired against some team in the MAAC doing really well. You can't bust a bracket if you aren't playing someone who's in a bracket. (This is assuming we do as well as predicted). It's interesting the program and coach seems to get more respect from everywhere else than from the AD.

Edited September 16, 2005 by alum73