Networks, game times announced for O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters contests
Feb. 11, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Indianapolis, Ind. -- Game times and ESPN networks were announced Monday (Feb. 11) for the 14 televised games in the sixth annual O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters, featuring five involving Horizon League teams.
Four League entries hit the hardwood on Saturday (Feb. 23), with League-leading Butler University (21-2, 10-2 Horizon League) hosting Drake University (22-1, 13-0 Missouri Valley) in a match-up of Bulldog programs ranked among the nation's top 15 teams. That contest is slated for 5 p.m. (Eastern time) on ESPN2 and features the two teams with the best records and highest rankings in event history. Butler has won three games in a row and is 10th in this week's ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll, five spots ahead of a Drake team that has won 21 consecutive contests. Butler's résumé includes four victories over MVC teams as well as the championship of the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout.
Two teams with a long heritage of success square off when Valparaiso University (14-9, 5-6 Horizon League) hosts Miami [Ohio] University (12-10, 6-4 Mid-American) at 6 p.m. (Eastern time) on ESPN Classic. Valpo, whose history includes a famed run to the Sweet 16 in the 1998 NCAA Tournament, won eight Mid-Continent Conference titles in a ten-year span (1995-2004) before joining the Horizon League this past summer.
Cleveland State University (15-10, 8-5 prior to Monday's game against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay) hits the ESPNU airwaves at 6:30 p.m. (ET) when the Vikings host Marist College (15-10, 9-5 Metro Atlantic). CSU boasts a 9-3 record at the Wolstein Center and stands in third place in the League standings.
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (12-10, 7-5 Horizon League) rounds out Saturday's schedule when the Panthers meet Bradley University (14-11, 7-6 Missouri Valley). That contest is scheduled for 9 p.m. (ET) and will air on ESPN360.com -- ESPN's signature broadband digital sports network. Milwaukee has won nine of its past 12 games heading into Tuesday's contest versus Butler on ESPNU.
Wright State University (17-6, 9-4 Horizon League) closes the weekend on Sunday (Feb. 24) as the Raiders visit Illinois State University (17-7, 9-4 Missouri Valley) at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPNU. Wright State has won eight consecutive games to climb into second place in the Horizon League standings, one-and-a-half games behind Butler and one game ahead of Cleveland State. The run parallels WSU's streak last year, when the Raiders won 12 of their final 14 regular-season games on the way to their first Horizon League championship.
The Horizon League and Missouri Valley Conference boast the most BracketBusters selections with five apiece, followed by the Mid-American Conference (four). The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Western Athletic Conference each have three teams among the 28 selected for national exposure.
The Horizon League produced the nation's best record in the event last year, posting a 7-2 ledger, including Wright State's 77-62 victory over California State University at Fullerton, which aired on ESPN360, and Butler's loss to Southern Illinois University on ESPN2. In other games involving Horizon League teams, Cleveland State defeated California State University, Northridge, 85-76; the University of Detroit Mercy outlasted the University at Buffalo, 92-84 in overtime; Green Bay slipped past Northern Illinois University, 82-76, Loyola University Chicago raced past Eastern Illinois University, 66-43; the University of Illinois at Chicago defeated Central Michigan University, 84-62; and Youngstown State University edged Eastern Kentucky University, 66-61, while Milwaukee fell at Drake, 84-76.
The complete schedule of this year's O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters televised games can be found below.
Sixth Annual O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters TV Games: (all times Eastern Standard)
Friday, February 22Davidson at Winthrop -- 7 p.m., ESPN2UC Santa Barbara at Utah State -- 9 p.m., ESPNU
Saturday, February 23Virginia Commonwealth at Akron -- 11 a.m., ESPN2George Mason at Ohio -- 1 p.m., ESPN2Creighton at Oral Roberts -- 3 p.m., ESPN2Nevada at Southern Illinois -- 4:30 p.m., ESPNUDrake at Butler -- 5 p.m., ESPN2Miami [Ohio] at Valparaiso -- 6 p.m., ESPN ClassicMarist at Cleveland State -- 6:30 p.m., ESPNURider at Cal State Northridge -- 9 p.m., ESPNUMilwaukee at Bradley -- 9 p.m., ESPN360.comSiena at Boise State -- 10 p.m., ESPN360.comKent State at Saint Mary's [Calif.] -- 11:59 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday, February 24Wright State at Illinois State -- 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
Bold italics indicate games involving Horizon League teams.
