Rough draw for MAAC in BracketBusters

Let’s be honest, the top of the MAAC caught absolutely zero breaks in the ESPN BracketBusters. Iona is playing on TV, but its a no-win home game against Nevada. Also, if you looked at RPI and accomplishments before the pairings were announced it was quite logical to assume that either Loyola (MD) or Manhattan would get a marquee home game on television as well. Look at the schedule and you’ll find none of it.

Nevada’s RPI has been hindered by the Pac-12 being down this season. The Wolf Pack did beat Washington (in overtime) and Arizona State, but the WAC just doesn’t offer much room for growth this season. Considering Wichita State was sitting there, waiting to be plucked off the pile and ended up going to Davidson instead Iona has to feel like one got away there. The Shockers were the best possible road opponent outside of St. Mary’s (CA), which was appropriately paired with undefeated Murray State.

Then again, at least Iona got a quality opponent. The two teams tied with the Gaels for first place in the MAAC are playing a team in second in America East and in eighth place in the CAA. Yes, UNC-Wilmington just lost to Towson and has lost six of seven in conference play, but the Seahawks will come to the Bronx to play Manhattan. How does this make any sense? Boston U. is under .500 on the season, but they’re playing at the Greyhounds. Fairfield, a team sitting barely over .500 and hanging by a thread in the conference race, got the second best game of any MAAC team according to RPI with the chance to go to Milwaukee.

If you looked at those match ups and some of the others, including a whopping five more games against America East conference teams, you’d think that the MAAC was having a down year and actually one of the worst conferences in America. That couldn’t be further from the truth. News flash for ESPN, according to Pomeroy right now the MAAC is the 20th best conference in America. For points of reference the CAA is 17th and America East is 29th. Even if the MAAC is ranked 10th out of 16 conferences, why are more than half their games against the bottom participating conference?

The top three teams in the MAAC have proven that they can compete with teams from all over the country, but all they got for BracketBusters was a bunch of coal in their stockings.

Full MAAC schedule for BracketBusters:

Nevada (18-3, 7-0 WAC) at Iona (17-5, 9-2 MAAC) — ESPN/ESPN2
UMBC (3-17, 2-6 America East) at Canisius (4-17, 1-10 MAAC)
Fairfield (11-10, 6-4 MAAC) at Milwaukee (14-9, 7-4 Horizon)
Boston University (11-12, 7-2 America East) at Loyola (MD) (16-5, 9-2 MAAC)
UNC-Wilmington (8-13, 4-7 CAA) at Manhattan (16-7, 9-2 MAAC)
Marist (7-14, 2-8 MAAC) at Maine (10-10, 4-5 America East)
Niagara (9-14, 4-7 MAAC) at Vermont (13-10, 7-2 America East)
Rider (9-14, 6-5 MAAC) at Albany (14-9, 6-3 America East)
Hartford (4-17, 4-5 America East) at Saint Peter’s (4-18, 3-8 MAAC)
Siena (10-11, 5-6 MAAC) at Hofstra (7-16, 1-10 CAA)