Pairings set for O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters

Jan. 30, 2007

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Indianapolis, Ind. -- The Horizon League announced Tuesday (Jan. 30) the pairings for its teams taking part in the fifth annual O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters event. All nine teams will be in non-conference action on Saturday, February 17.

League teams will host four games that day, including two match-ups announced Monday (Jan. 29) as part of the 14-game ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN360 package for national television. Current League leader Butler University (20-2, 8-1 Horizon League) will host Missouri Valley Conference front-runner Southern Ililnois University (17-5, 8-3 Missouri Valley) as part of that group, with Wright State University (15-8, 8-2 HL) hosting Big West Conference leader California State University-Fullerton (16-4, 6-2 Big West).

The other seven games involving Horizon League teams are slated for Saturday, Feb. 17, with three taking place on League campuses. Loyola University Chicago (14-9, 5-5 Horizon League) meets Eastern Illnois University (6-11, 2-11 Ohio Valley), with the University of Illinois at Chicago (9-14, 4-6 HL) facing Central Michigan University (8-11, 3-4 Mid-American) in one of three Horizon League/MAC battles and Youngstown State University (9-13, 4-6 HL) taking on Eastern Kentucky University (11-9, 6-6 Ohio Valley).

Four League teams play on the road that Saturday, with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (12-10, 4-5 HL) traveling to Northern Illinois University (4-15, 1-6 Mid-American) and the University of Detroit Mercy visiting the University at Buffalo (9-11, 1-6 Mid-American). The event schedule also includes the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (8-16, 5-6 HL) at Drake University (12-10, 3-8 Missouri Valley) with Cleveland State University (8-15, 2-8 HL) visiting California State University-Northridge (10-10, 3-4 Big West). In addition, future League member Valparaiso University (10-11, 4-3 Mid-Continent) travels to Western Michigan University (9-11, 4-3 Mid-American).

A total of 51 games are included in this year's event, which features its largest field ever (102 teams representing 16 conferences). Fourteen of the games are set for broadcast on various ESPN networks, as ESPN2 and ESPNU will combined to televise 11 contests (six on ESPN2, five on ESPNU), with three games broadcast on ESPN360, ESPN's customized broadband service. Specific networks and tip-off times will be announced next week.

As part of the O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters contract, each team agrees to a home-and-home series with its opponent, with the return game to be played in November or December of the following season.

The 102 teams in this season's BracketBusters have combined for 70 appearances in the last five NCAA Tournaments, including 2006 Final Four participant George Mason, 2002 Elite Eight member Kent State and six other Sweet Sixteen squads from the last five NCAA Tournaments. The Horizon League boasts two of the Sweet 16 teams in Butler in 2003 and UW-Milwaukee in 2005.

A complete list of this year's O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters games involving Horizon League teams follows:

Fifth Annual O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters Games involving Horizon League teams:
Southern Illinois (17-5, 8-3 Missouri Valley) at Butler (20-2, 8-1 Horizon League), at Indianapolis, Ind.
Cal State Fullerton (16-4, 6-2 Big West) at Wright State (15-8, 8-2 Horizon League), at Dayton, Ohio
Central Michigan (8-11, 3-4 Mid-American) at UIC (9-14, 4-6 Horizon League), at Chicago, Ill.
Cleveland State (9-15, 2-8 Horizon League) at Cal State Northridge (10-10, 3-4 Big West), at Northridge, Calif.
Detroit (8-13, 4-5 Horizon League) at Buffalo (9-11, 1-6 Mid-American), at Buffalo, N.Y.
Eastern Illinois (6-16, 2-11 Ohio Valley) at Loyola (14-9, 5-5 Horizon League), at Chicago, Ill.
Eastern Kentucky (11-9, 6-6 Ohio Valley) at Youngstown State (9-13, 4-6 Horizon League), at Youngstown, Ohio
UW-Green Bay (12-10, 4-5 Horizon League) at Northern Illinois (4-15, 1-6 Mid-American), at DeKalb, Ill.
UW-Milwaukee (8-16, 5-6 Horizon League) at Drake (12-10, 3-8 Missouri Valley), at Des Moines, Iowa
Valparaiso (10-11, 4-3 Mid-Continent) at Western Michigan (9-11, 4-3 Mid-American), at Kalamazoo, Mich.
(Valparaiso joins the Horizon League on July 1, 2007.)

Games in italics are scheduled for broadcast via ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN360
Note: Game times and networks will be announced next week.