I spoke with WAC commissioner Karl Benson about the Aggies' prospect of getting one of the 13 televised BracketBuster games.
"New Mexico State is still in the running for a game," Benson said. "Nevada has locked one up but I'm still hopefully New Mexico State would be in the running. Getting in the TV package, ESPN creates whatever interesting matchups. If not, it's the best possible matchup with the geography considered."
The TV games are announced on Monday.
Thanks to this link, we can see see that New Mexico State (92 RPI according to Basketball State) currently has the 13th best RPI among the host teams. The 13th best RPI visiting team is Indiana State of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Indiana State would be a very interesting matchup for current and historical reasons. The Missouri Valley is currently the No. 8 conference and the WAC has moved up to No. 12. Indiana State is 12-9 and just 3-7 in the MVC. It would be a throwback game to the Aggies' MVC days. Either Indiana State or Drake would be a good matchup for NMSU for next year's return game, as well as the WAC this year as the MVC is No. 8 RPI)
My dream matchup early in the year when the Aggies' RPI was hovering around the Top 60 was Long Beach State. That matchup would also have some history behind it, but Long Beach State has skyrocketed to the 30s while the Aggies have fallen into the 90s.
That leaves us with other potential opponents such as:
Lamar 111 RPI (13-8, 4-3 in the Southland 28 RPI)
Valparaiso 124 RPI (14-9, 8-3 in the Horizon 15 RPI)
Drake 109 RPI (13-9, 6-5 in the MVC 8 RPI)
Buffalo 91 RPI (11-6, 5-2 in Mid American 16 RPI)
Old Dominion 118 RPI (14-9, 9-2 Colonial 17 RPI)
Cal-Santa Barbara 144 RPI (11-7, 6-2 in Big West 24 RPI)
After this list, it seems like it gets dicey in terms of high RPIs, records and conference RPI disparity. And remember that once you get past the ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 type games, geography plays a bigger factor.
7 comments:
I hope the Aggies are more concerned with playing better than they have in the last three games instead of thinking about TV time.
Just read your Road to Vegas article and no way McKines should be WAC POY.
Jason, what do you make of the folowing? Menzies record:
vs. RPI 1-100 14-41
vs. RPI 101-200 25-19
vs. RPI 201-300 30-4
vs. RPI 301+ 16-0
Apparently Jason has no take on those numbers.
Not sure what you're looking for from me here. 14-41 certainly stands out. If you think I should defend the coach or rip on him. We all know the rivalry record.....they have had some unwinnable games ....ie at Duke, Louisville, vs. Texas, vs. West Virginia. But the school hasn't beaten a BCS school since 2002 (Colorado) i believe so NMSU hasn't fared well vs. top competition regardless of the coach. If what you are getting at is a lack of signature wins, I agree with you. UNM this year is probably the team's best non conference regular season win under Menzies. Beating Nevada this year would have been nice, and although they beat Utah State, that win doesn't stand out as much as it would have in the past.
But it is more than not beating BCS teams. It is losing to Ohio, North Texas (twice), LBSU, St. Mary's (twice), CS Fullerton, Northern Colorado, UMass, and Southern Miss (twice). We lose to all good non-conference teams we play, except for UNM and UTEP, but when you play those teams twice a year you are bound to beat them every now and then (5-15).
Excluding the rivals, Menzies best non-conference win is Pacific in 2009-2010(RPI 128), and 2nd best after that is San Francisco this year(current RPI 156). Isn't it about time we expect him to actually beat a non-conference opponent that is actually good?
And as for unwinnable games, remove those and you are still left with a bleak picture.
He has 4.5 years on the job, I think its time to accept that this is what we will get as long as he is coach.
Bottom line, we need a better coach!
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