Bracket Buster - NORTHERN IOWA!

[b_hoss_mac]

RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech will play host to Northern Iowa in an ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday game on Feb. 22.

Tip-off is set for noon in the Thomas Assembly Center.

The announcement was made Sunday night on the College Hoops Tonight Show on ESPN2. The Louisiana Tech-Northern Iowa game will be broadcast live on Cox Sports with ESPN cutting into the game during its broadcasts.

ESPN’s Bracket Buster Saturday is an 18-team event with nine games featuring teams trying to fight their way into postseason tournament play. The event will showcase those teams on a national basis.

Louisiana Tech currently stands at 7-9 on the season while Northern Iowa is 6-12. The Bulldogs will travel to Northern Iowa next season in a return game.

Tech coach Keith Richard said the Bulldogs are excited about the event.

“This day was created to bring attention to 18 teams across the country,” Richard said. “We’re excited about the national recognition through ESPN and the regional recognition through Cox Sports, and we’re just happy to host this game and be a part of this event.”

Louisiana Tech Director of Athletics Jim Oakes said the exposure could be key for a team hoping to fight its way into postseason tournament play.

“We’re pleased to participate in Bracket Buster Saturday,” Louisiana Tech Director of Athletics Jim Oakes said. “The game will present a tremendous opportunity to showcase our men’s basketball team for regional and national television audiences.”

[Dwayne From Minden]

Regulated to non-ESPN status - and a 6 & 12 Northern Iowa team -

OOOUCH!

Those three last second conference losses HURT...

I wonder how good a NOON Saturday game will go over?

[JAY]

their schedule:

2002- 03 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
Date Time Opponent Score W/L/T Stories
Fri. Nov. 22 9:35 p.m. ET at Montana 77-71 W Box
Mon. Nov. 25 8:05 p.m. ET Wayne St. (NE) 71-40 W Box
Sat. Nov. 30 12:00 p.m. ET at Siena 58-69 L Box
Wed. Dec. 4 8:05 p.m. ET Creighton 52-65 L Box
Tue. Dec. 10 8:05 p.m. ET at Iowa 54-63 L Box
Sat. Dec. 14 3:00 p.m. ET at Utah 53-75 L Box
Sat. Dec. 21 5:00 p.m. ET at Chicago St. 63-67 L Box
Mon. Dec. 23 8:05 p.m. ET Wisconsin Green Bay 81-67 W Box
Sun. Dec. 29 8:05 p.m. ET Iowa St. 64-71 L Box
Sat. Jan. 4 2:35 p.m. ET at Wichita St. 55-79 L Box
Tue. Jan. 7 8:05 p.m. ET Illinois St. 66-64 W Box
Sun. Jan. 12 3:05 p.m. ET at Drake 73-75 L Box
Thu. Jan. 16 8:05 p.m. ET Indiana St. 74-61 W Box
Sat. Jan. 18 3:05 p.m. ET at Bradley 56-71 L Box
Wed. Jan. 22 8:05 p.m. ET Southern Illinois 78-88 L Box
Sat. Jan. 25 8:05 p.m. ET SW Missouri St. 53-70 L Box
Wed. Jan. 29 8:05 p.m. ET at Illinois St. 71-76 L Box
Sat. Feb. 1 1:05 p.m. ET Evansville 63-61 W Box
Tue. Feb. 4 8:05 p.m. ET at Creighton - - -
Sat. Feb. 8 1:05 p.m. ET Wichita St. - - -
Thu. Feb. 13 8:05 p.m. ET at Southern Illinois - - -
Sun. Feb. 16 2:05 p.m. ET at Evansville - - -
Wed. Feb. 19 8:05 p.m. ET Bradley - - -
Sat. Feb. 22 1:00 p.m. ET at Louisiana Tech - - -
Wed. Feb. 26 7:05 p.m. ET at Indiana St. - - -
Sat. Mar. 1 1:05 p.m. ET Drake - - -
Mon. Mar. 3 8:05 p.m. ET at SW Missouri St. - - -

[b_hoss_mac]

Were you expecting to get the a national ESPN game, Dwayne? Even if we won those 3 conference games, we are just 10-6. We still wouldn't get in one of the four nationally televised games because of our poor play against the big boys earlier this year.

We are on ESPN Regional, and we have been promised some live cut ins during the Fresno/Creighton game.

Why are people opposed to change in Ruston? I get up every Saturday to watch college basketball on television. I don't understand why we don't incorporate some day games as it is now. I'm excited about the fact it will be a noon game. Then I can come home, watch the 3pm and 6 pm games on TV... and then have my night free.

Nobody wants to play Northern Iowa, but we controlled our own destiny in this one. We didn't play well, so we weren't rewarded. I'm hoping we market this game well, and we can have 3,000 fans at the game.

[Soonerdawg]

"I'm hoping we market this game well, and we can have 3,000 fans at the game." - B Hoss

Dare dream. A sad, but true statement. We sure set our sights high at Tech don't we.

[Dwayne From Minden]

Evening games this time of year are more managable - for me personally...

I'm just wondering how well it will go over -

If we promote like we should, we could get 4,000 people even for this game -

But alas - we don't promote...

[faninmonroe]

There will not be 1700 there.