Who Will Be This Year's Butler? Previewing ESPN's BracketBusters
BracketBusters is one of my favorite weekends of the year.
Aside from March Madness, there is no better chance to watch quality teams from different conferences compete with so much at stake.
The teams competing this year, as always, will be looking to add a signature win to their résumés.
The losers, however, might be headed to the NIT if they are blown out of the gym.
Put simply, this weekend is "make it or break it" for just about every team participating.
With that being said, there are plenty of teams that have the ability "bust the brackets".
The Northern Iowa Panthers and the Murray State Racers both upset favored teams in Kansas and Vanderbilt, and Butler, of course, fell a few inches shy of winning the National Championship.
Will a team that competes in this year's Bracket Busters make a deep run like Butler?
Only time will tell.
But these games will play a huge factor in determining whether or not they will even be given the chance to go dancing, or just end up in the Not Invited Tournament.
So who will come out on top? Let's take a look...
VCU at Wichita State
1 of 11
The VCU Rams and the Wichita State Shockers will start things off on Bracket Busters weekend at 7 p.m on Friday.
Both teams bring tournament history and previous bracket-busting experience to the table.
Eric Maynor led VCU to a win over Duke just a few seasons ago, and Wichita State made a Sweet Sixteen run in 2006, only to be defeated by a surging George Mason squad.
This year, VCU is led by a senior-filled squad, as four of its top scorers are fourth-year players.
With the leadership of point guard Joey Rodriguez and the post-presence of Jamie Skeen, the Rams are poised to make another run deep into March.
A glaring weakness that this squad has, however, is a lack of quality wins.
Their best nonconference win is a four-point win over an inconsistent UCLA team, and a win in this game would be crucial to their tournament chances.
Standing in their way is a Wichita State team that has a similar problem: No real quality non conference wins.
They do, however, have a very deep team, with ten men who play 14 or more minutes per game.
With the leadership of senior big man J.T Durley and the all-around play of guard Toure' Murray, the Shockers will also look to play with the top squads come March.
They lost a game earlier this year to UConn by a mere four points, and would be gunning for another chance to play a Big East team.
The winner of this game might be off the bubble, and so too may be the loser, but on the wrong side.
Prediction: VCU 73, WSU 77
Kent State at Drexel
2 of 11
In this game that pits two desperate teams against each other, Kent State might be a little hungrier for a win.
The Golden Flashes play in the relatively weak MAC, and the closest thing they have to a quality win is a five-point victory of the laughing stock of the Big East: South Florida.
Star power is not lacking, as Justin Greene is a legitimate MAC Player of the Year candidate.
Depth, though, will be the matter in question.
For Drexel, depth is also a problem, playing only seven players regularly.
Star power is not lacking on the Dragons, either, led by Chris Fouch and double-double threat Samme Givens.
Drexel defeated Louisville earlier this season, but is only 9-7 in CAA play, and are in need of another signature win.
While Kent State is no Louisville, a win would certainly help Drexel's tournament chances.
The winner of this game is not a lock to make the field of 68, but a win definitely makes the likelihood much greater.
Prediction: KSU 58, DREX 67
Hofstra at Wright State
3 of 11
Charles Jenkins of Hofstra is one of the top players in the nation.
He is the heart and soul of the Hofstra Pride, but he doesn't have much assistance.
Mike Moore is a capable second-option, and Greg Washington offers a long frame, but the Pride are not a very deep team.
Jenkins, though, is capable of putting the team on his back, as he has shown in conference wins over George Mason and James Madison.
Wright State competes in the Horizon League, the same league that produced Butler last year.
The Raiders, however, sit at fifth in the standings, and need a quality win. They rely on three players for scoring, led by fifth year senior Vaughn Duggins, who will go shot-for-shot with Charles Jenkins.
Who will step up for Wright State? If they cannot get a fourth option involved, Hofstra could easily end up on top.
Prediction: HOF 77, WSU 67
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Austin Peay at Fairfield
4 of 11
While many of you have probably never even heard of Austin Peay, back in the day, the fans thought of perhaps the best chant for an individual player. Ever.
Star player and streetball legend Fly Williams garnered chants of "Fly is open, let's go Peay!"
Told you so.
This year though, St. John's transfer TyShawn Edmondson will look to lead the way for the Governors. They have wins over OVC powerhouses Murray State and Morehead State, and will look to add to their already impressive victories.
Fairfield is a similarly unknown school, but Derek Needham and Ryan Olander form a formidable backcourt-frontcourt punch.
The Stags only have five losses, but amongst their twenty one wins, none stands out.
A victory over Austin Peay would help their at-large chances if they are unable to win the MAAC conference tournament.
Prediction: PEAY 68, FAIR 73
Iona at Liberty
5 of 11
The Iona Gaels quietly may have the top rebounder and top passer in the entire country.
Michael Glover is an absolute beast on the boards, pulling down 16 against Syracuse earlier this year.
Scott Machado is amongst the nation's leaders in assists, averaging just under eight per game, and is capable of scoring in bunches.
Kyle Smyth and Alejo Rodriguez, amongst others, might have to step up in order to defeat Liberty.
Liberty could be led by junior Seth Curry; instead—now a sophomore at Duke.
Not to worry, though, because sophomore guard Evan Gordon has filled the void left by Curry.
John Brown, at just 6'4" is averaging nearly 11 rebounds per game, and will have to fend off Michael Glover all game long.
Liberty's lack of height could come back to haunt them in this game, but they somehow are the fifteenth leading rebounding team in the nation.
Prediction: IONA 73, LIB 64
Missouri State at Valparaiso
6 of 11Missouri State has been a very successful team ever since the Blake Ahearn days, and this year is led by a MVC Player of the Year candidate Kyle Weems.
The junior has done it all for the Bears this year, who sit atop the ever competitive Missouri Valley Conference.
Typical of a MVC team, they have great depth and great experience.
Trying to defeat them will be the Valparaiso Crusaders, who, as a program, have one of the most memorable shots in March Madness history.
This year, they are led by a deep team that goes nine strong, and is capable of causing matchup problems.
Brandon Wood is an efficient lead guard, Cory Johnson is a versatile, 6'7" wing, and Ryan Broekhoff could wreak havoc as a 6'6" guard.
If Valpo loses this game, they could very well be saying goodbye to any chance at the tournament.
Prediction: MOSU 74, VALP 62
Vermont at Charleston
7 of 11
Vermont lost their two best players from last season in Marqus Blakely and Maurice Joseph.
Evan Fjeld, however, has refused to let the Catamounts decline whatsoever, and the addition of freshman Brian Voelkel has helped them replace Blakely for rebounding purposes.
The Catamounts have only five losses, yet lost emphatically to UConn and BYU earlier this season.
A win over an underrated Charleston squad would do wonders.
Charleston will not give in without a fight, as long as Andrew Goudelock has any say about it.
The Cougars aren't as deep as Vermont, but with Goudelock playing, depth almost doesn't matter.
The senior guard is averaging 23 PPG, along with solid rebounding and assist numbers, and has led his squad to first in the SoCon.
With a win over Tennessee, the Cougars aren't desperate for a big win, and will more than likely come out on top of the SoCon tournament.
A win could never hurt though, and Goudelock will lead them in this matchup, as usual.
Prediction: UVM 70, COFC 79
George Mason at Northern Iowa
8 of 11
This matchup pits two classic March Madness teams against each other.
George Mason could be having their finest year since 2006, and will likely receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Cam Long, Ryan Pearson, and Luke Hancock are very experienced, but outside of their top six options, there is very little talent. Northern Iowa will look to exploit this weakness, which hasn't prevented the Patriots from racking up 22 wins thus far.
The Panthers have an extremely deep squad, and many players, including Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Anthony James, are capable of leading them in scoring on any given night.
The Panthers play a slow tempo, and return many of the players from the squad that defeated Kansas just a year ago.
At third in the MVC, the Panthers are on the bubble, and a win over a tough, experienced CAA squad, could propel them firmly into the tournament.
Prediction: GMU 59, UNI 60
Utah State at Saint Mary's
9 of 11
This game is an absolute gem.
The two teams from the West actually do play on national television quite often, just at very late hours.
Utah State is led by Tai Wesley, who ranks amongst the NCAA leaders in field goal percentage.
At times, he can be an absolute force down low. Guard play will be crucial, and Brockeith Pane will likely have to have a big game to slow down Saint Mary's attack.
Saint Mary's, also known as Australia in America, is led by Aussies Matthew Dellavedova, Mitchell Young, and Clint Steindl.
They also have impact Americans, as Mickey McConnell demonstrates.
He is the closest thing that the NCAA has to Steve Nash, dishing out over six assists per game, while shooting 52 percent from the field, 89 percent from the line, and 47 percent from the three point line.
Rob Jones leads the frontcourt, and will be faced with the entertaining task of stopping Wesley.
This match up will be fun.
Prediction: USU 83, SMC 87 (OT)
Montana at Long Beach State
10 of 11
If you like post players, or are a young post player looking to better your game, Montana's Brian Qvale is a great example.
The senior seven-footer averages 15 PPG, along with just shy of nine rebounds, and is a shot-blocking machine, rejecting over three per contest.
He also shoots 63 percent from the field, and has a decent touch from the free throw line, shooting at a 66 percent clip. Will Cherry is the lead guard, but it is no secret: the Grizzlies go through Qvale.
For Long Beach State to stop Qvale, T.J. Robinson will have to step up.
The 6'8", 210 pound bruiser is averaging just shy of ten boards per game, but is very lanky.
The 49ers have a very solid backcourt, led by Casper Ware and Larry Anderson. Ware is a pure point guard, and Anderson will cause matchup problems at 6'5".
The real question will be if they can stop Qvale. If they can, they will add a signature win to their résumé.
Prediction: MONT 65, LBSU 71
Cleveland State at Old Dominion
11 of 11
While I would be very surprised if either of these teams didn't make the field of 68 with such a weak bubble, a signature win would definitely benefit Cleveland State more.
The Vikings received some national attention last week when Norris Cole exploded for 41 points, 20 rebounds, and a "mere" nine assists.
While he hasn't been in the spotlight all season long, he has led his squad to a 23-5 record, while being the only player in the nation to average 20-5-5.
A win in this matchup would eliminate any skepticism regarding Cleveland State.
Old Dominion has racked up quite a few quality wins this season, defeating Clemson, Xavier, Richmond, and Dayton (the latter three all play in the ever-competitive A-10).
The Monarchs are very versatile, led by Frank Hassell and Kent Bazemore. The two top scorers are accompanied with a solid supporting cast, as Ben Finney and Keyon Carter bring four years of experience to the table.
In a match up that pits star power against team power, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top to end this year's edition of Bracket Busters.
Prediction: CSU 61, ODU 70
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