AAC lack of Top 25 worthy programs

[DefenseBB]

We are in year 5 of the AAC and to me, the horizon on this conference getting more nationally competitive is at its nadir for WCBB. Geno truly tries to help the conference but “it ain’t working”. Just look at yesterday’s game, I like Jamelle and while this years rendition is probably her best ever but to be frank, it is not really that good. I look around and when we have to say “USF”with all its imports that have regularly disappointed, “UCF” while with year 2 of its highly successful Albany coach, has a brutally ugly style it uses to win so they really offer limited hope this year. After that is Houston (really?) and nobody...

We will be a probable 1 team with hopes for USF for league participants.

I want to defend the league but logic says “NO” we stink. No one is getting recruits of note, no one is coaching up to a top 40 level, let alone top 25. Without UConn in it, this league is no better than the A10.

What, if anything can be done?

 

[MSGRET]

We are in year 5 of the AAC and to me, the horizon on this conference getting more nationally competitive is at its nadir for WCBB. Geno truly tries to help the conference but “it ain’t working”. Just look at yesterday’s game, I like Jamelle and while this years rendition is probably her best ever but to be frank, it is not really that good. I look around and when we have to say “USF”with all its imports that have regularly disappointed, “UCF” while with year 2 of its highly successful Albany coach, has a brutally ugly style it uses to win so they really offer limited hope this year. After that is Houston (really?) and nobody...

We will be a probable 1 team with hopes for USF for league participants.

I want to defend the league but logic says “NO” we stink. No one is getting recruits of note, no one is coaching up to a top 40 level, let alone top 25. Without UConn in it, this league is no better than the A10.

What, if anything can be done?

Go back and look at the Big East when it was first formed, they were almost a mirror image of the AAC during its first 5 to 6 years.

 

[oldude]

It’s certainly a dilemma for UConn as well as the AAC in general. In WBB, the AAC is essentially a mid-major conference with UConn as an outlier.

USF is competitive because Jose recruits effectively over seas, but that hasn’t gotten the Bulls past the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament.

I do have hope for UCF under 2nd year HC Abe. She’s starting to turn the program around at a University that appears to be committed to big time sports. Orlando is an attractive location for recruits and there’s lots of talent in the state of FL.

Beyond that, I don’t see a serious commitment from other AAC schools to compete in a major way.

 

[DallasBUFan]

Which is why Geno schedules that tough OOC. Gotta keep them ready at all times. I like that he schedules OOC teams during conference too. This helps keep his teams from coasting and getting complacent.

 

[DefenseBB]

Go back and look at the Big East when it was first formed, they were almost a mirror image of the AAC during its first 5 to 6 years.

MSGRet- I guess I hear you but going back to 1979 is not a great comparison. There were more overall conferences but across D1 & D2 with less members in them and a significant number of independents. Add in the fact football and basketball money was minuscule and the comparison is sort of...irrelevant. The BigEast created the super conference pandemic we have now and why D2 programs morphed in to D1.

Everyone and I mean everyone is trying to get the golden ticket of playoff money which is frankly fools gold.

What concerns me most is this is our supposed brightest people, University Presidents chasing this when they know how it ends...

 

[DefenseBB]

Which is why Geno schedules that tough OOC. Gotta keep them ready at all times. I like that he schedules OOC teams during conference too. This helps keep his teams from coasting and getting complacent.

and what happens when Geno/CD retire? We become Tenn without a strong conference schedule...

There is no "right" answer...and why I don't like Monday's, tell me why (take it Bob)

 

[bizarro aj]

Does it really matter what conference uconn is in if they continue to win championships? They would still be undefeated no matter what conference they are in! You don't hear ND complaining about how weak the acc is, they just continue to win that conference every year since they left the big east.

 

[DallasBUFan]

and what happens when Geno/CD retire? We become Tenn without a strong conference schedule...

There is no "right" answer...and why I don't like Monday's, tell me why (take it Bob)

No right answers here unless in better conference.

 

[DallasBUFan]

Does it really matter what conference uconn is in if they continue to win championships? They would still be undefeated no matter what conference they are in! You don't hear ND complaining about how weak the acc is, they just continue to win that conference every year since they left the big east.

I think that could be debatable, but I will let others chime in on this comment.

 

[ProSkeptic]

Let’s be honest: the supply of top recruits is limited and the number of schools competing for them has increased. There’s an even smaller number of coaches wh0 can create great teams out of mid-range talent. (On the other hand, there are plenty of coaches that can create mid-range teams out of superior talent, I.e., Holly Warlick.). The AAC will probably always be up and down. Last year it was Temple and Tulane. This year it’s UCF and Houston. It won’t be the destination conference of choice for top recruits, unless they’re going to UConn.

 

[shizam]

It’s certainly a dilemma for UConn as well as the AAC in general. In WBB, the AAC is essentially a mid-major conference with UConn as an outlier.

USF is competitive because Jose recruits effectively over seas, but that hasn’t gotten the Bulls past the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament.

I do have hope for UCF under 2nd year HC Abe. She’s starting to turn the program around at a University that appears to be committed to big time sports. Orlando is an attractive location for recruits and there’s lots of talent in the state of FL.

Beyond that, I don’t see a serious commitment from other AAC schools to compete in a major way.

I saw UCF play this year at UC Davis. I expected UC Davis to surprise them but UCF played tough and won. Not a great game to watch though.

 

[shizam]

Which is why Geno schedules that tough OOC. Gotta keep them ready at all times. I like that he schedules OOC teams during conference too. This helps keep his teams from coasting and getting complacent.

I think Geno has done a masterful job. UConn beats anyone in their way and earns your respect each year. He schedules as tough a schedule as he possibly can. Anything else at this point is overthinking it.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Does it really matter what conference uconn is in if they continue to win championships? They would still be undefeated no matter what conference they are in! You don't hear ND complaining about how weak the acc is, they just continue to win that conference every year since they left the big east.

I've been thinking about this and don't think it's true. You watch these conference games and see the teams beat each other, and when you play someone 2 or 3 times every season, you are bound to drop one here and there. Kind of like what happened with us and ND once Muffet was able to get some talent to come to South Bend. In the AAC these teams are so overmatched they have very little chance of winning, and the games that are close to the end are maybe once a season or once every other season occurrences. If we're in a P5 conference, I think we would lose more often than we do.

 

[Charliebball]

Does it really matter what conference uconn is in if they continue to win championships? They would still be undefeated no matter what conference they are in! You don't hear ND complaining about how weak the acc is, they just continue to win that conference every year since they left the big east.

I'm not so sure I would call Louisville, ND, Florida State, NC State, Duke, Virginia, Miami and Syracuse a weak group...........any one of them would beat up most AAC teams

 

[HoopsFan21]

I'm not so sure I would call Louisville, ND, Florida State, NC State, Duke, Virginia, Miami and Syracuse a weak group......any one of them would beat up most AAC teams

Could you imagine playing all those teams every year? Or even some of the other top teams 2-3 times year in year out? 0.0% chance UConn goes undefeated every year in the conference schedule if so.

 

[bizarro aj]

As i said nd lost 2 games in the acc due to injuries in the last 4 yrs while uconn is unbeaten in the aac. They have both won the regular season and conference tournaments every year since they left the bigeast. So yes uconn would go unbeaten in the acc just like they did many times in the bigeast!

 

[oldude]

As i said nd lost 2 games in the acc due to injuries in the last 4 yrs while uconn is unbeaten in the aac. They have both won the regular season and conference tournaments every year since they left the bigeast. So yes uconn would go unbeaten in the acc just like they did many times in the bigeast!

Agree with your post. The truth is that the P5 conferences only have 1 or 2 teams that are capable of keeping it close vs UConn. So far this year, UConn has beaten 2 of the top 3 teams in the PAC12, the top team in the Big10, the #2 teams in the Big12 & SEC, and after Monday night’s game, the top 2 teams in the ACC.

 

[Charliebball]

As i said nd lost 2 games in the acc due to injuries in the last 4 yrs while uconn is unbeaten in the aac. They have both won the regular season and conference tournaments every year since they left the bigeast. So yes uconn would go unbeaten in the acc just like they did many times in the bigeast!

I'm don't think Geno would agree with your analysis...............any team can be beaten and the better the opposition the greater the odds that will happen over time..............do I need to mention the Miss State game last year? I also remember UConn barely beating Florida State..........heck UConn barely beat Tulane and they weren't on the same planet as most of the ACC teams listed.............if you want to get drunk on the Koolaid feel free...............I know the UConn team won't........

 

[HoopsFan21]

I'm don't think Geno would agree with your analysis.....any team can be beaten and the better the opposition the greater the odds that will happen over time....do I need to mention the Miss State game last year? I also remember UConn barely beating Florida State.....heck UConn barely beat Tulane and they weren't on the same planet as most of the ACC teams listed...if you want to get drunk on the Koolaid feel free.....I know the UConn team won't...

People keep leaving out the time element. Yes in a vacuum UConn vs. any of the P5 teams should win. Over time even a 10 or 20% probability event will occur. If UConn had to play ND, Baylor, etc. 3 times every year, there's a good chance they would have at least one loss every year.

 

[HopJim]

and what happens when Geno/CD retire? We become Tenn without a strong conference schedule...

There is no "right" answer...and why I don't like Monday's, tell me why (take it Bob)

Curious. When Geno and CD retire, why would having a better and tougher conference help UConn?

 

[oldude]

Curious. When Geno and CD retire, why would having a better and tougher conference help UConn?

Because Shea or Jen will keep the UConn train rolling along....hopefully.

 

[DefenseBB]

Curious. When Geno and CD retire, why would having a better and tougher conference help UConn?

• Being in a better conference helps your ranking.
• Geno is able to schedule 4,5,6 games against top competition because he's Geno. Once he is gone, the name UConn will carry some weight the first few seasons but unless the new coach can replicate what he did and can foster strong relationships with all the other top programs, playing the likes of Stanford, Baylor, Texas will be harder.
• Geno attracts top talent because he's developed them. The new coach will be an unknown so there will be a dip in recruiting.
• The other factor is, we think the new coach will carry on this philosophy of tough OOC but the ultimate decision is theirs. Maybe they only play 3 top 25 teams. Being in a power conference, you get 5-10 games like that. See La Tech, Old Dominion as examples of former powers who have withered without top competition when new coaches arrived. Heck University of Cincinnati was a power back in the 60's but without a conference, they withered.

Most of all, let's not be naive-WCBB is an ancillary sport, MCBB needs the P5 or BigEast to bring in money and help the rest of the non-revenue sports.

 

[PJCLaw]

Could you imagine playing all those teams every year? Or even some of the other top teams 2-3 times year in year out? 0.0% chance UConn goes undefeated every year in the conference schedule if so.

Yes, UCONN did in the old BE and went undefeated in conference play several times, and had FOUR of its SIX undefeated seasons while a part of the BE. In its heyday, the old BE regularly put 5-7 teams in the NCAA tournament. UCONN is UCONN and its standard of excellence allows it do beat teams of all calibers, regardless of conference affiliation.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Yes, UCONN did in the old BE and went undefeated in conference play several times, and had FOUR of its SIX undefeated seasons while a part of the BE. In its heyday, the old BE regularly put 5-7 teams in the NCAA tournament. UCONN is UCONN and its standard of excellence allows it do beat teams of all calibers, regardless of conference affiliation.

What teams did UConn play in the Big East that were regularly ranked in the top 5 or even top 10?

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

In the four years of the AAC, South Florida has made three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, reaching the second round (Round of 32) in two of those three years.

This year, South Florida currently (as of February 6, 2018) ranks 27th in RPI.

What this says, to me, is that USF is basically on the cusp, but just outside the Top 25 in recent years. Jose Fernandez has done a great job of not just building, but making the program a consistent NCAA Tournament participant and a team that consistently competes to be in the Top 25.

This year, both Houston (#44) and UCF (#47) currently rank among the Top 50 schools in RPI (as of February 6, 2018). To me, this shows development and growth of other programs.

UCF is in the second year of Katie Abrahamson-Henderson's tenure, after she led Albany to five straight NCAA Tournaments. She went 21-12 in her first year at UCF - and winning 21 games had happened only one time in UCF's women's basketball history (approximately 30 years) before KAH got there.

Ronald Hughey is in his 4th season at Houston, after having assistant coaching jobs at high-level programs (Texas and Florida State, to name a few). Houston made 2 NCAA Tournaments in the last 17 years, and outside of one year in the past seven years, have not been relevant since 2004, when the team had Chandi Jones and Sancho Lyttle.

In takes time to build or rebuild programs. But Fernandez, KAH, and Hughey are all on the right paths. While the AAC may not have any Top 25 team this year outside of UConn, the conference comprises 8 percent (four schools) of the RPI Top 50. And this will only continue to improve.