Future Scheduling Idea

[Robertelamin]

There would be way more interest in a PC home and home than a URI home and home. I have nothing against URI but whatever history the programs have is ancient at this point and the last time the team was relevant Lamar Odom was there.

 

[Carduccib]

UMass series is close I read somewhere

 

[TRest]

UMass series is close I read somewhere

From the UMass AD. No confirmation from our side.

 

[80shusky]

We are losing two of our home & homes after this season Ohio State and Georgetown. While these did not live up to the expectations when scheduled based on last year, hopefully they are better this year. So for "better" non-conference opponents (excluding Maui) for this year we have:
Syracuse - neutral floor
Ohio State - H&H
Auburn - H&H
Gtown - H&H
Plus Loyala Marymount (not a "better" team but at least a true road game) just for scheduling purposes.

For 2017 we lose Ohio State and Gtown but gain Arizona which is clearly an upgrade.
Arizona - H&H
Auburn - H&H

I would hope we have discussions looming for at least another H&H or two if possible and a neutral court game at MSG against somebody. Duke loves to play at MSG. Maybe we would add Syracuse again. There was some discussion about a Syracuse H&H which would be great. Then of course another pre-season tourney worth 2-3 games would be necessary for non-conference. I would love to see us add Villanova for a H&H. Who else would be a good MSG game?
It would also be interesting to see if the American could add a conference vs conference set up like Big 10/ACC challenge or something of the like. But who would it be with?
Maybe an American/Pac-12? American/A10 for more local exposure.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I'd dig AAC A10. Enough good teams there for us to cycle through.

 

[Fishy]

Obviously nothing is a slam dunk in scheduling, look at the series with Georgetown, while they have a national name their teams over the past couple of years have been dreadful. They have been mid-way or bottom half of the new mid major version of the Big East.

Here's the rub - UConn scheduling Georgetown guarantees a game on ESPN or Fox.

Check the Big East's television schedule - if you want to be on Fox, you better be Georgetown or Nova or playing Georgetown or Nova. I think only one network game doesn't involve one or the other.

 

[CL82]

Great argument. Well done.

Says the guy with the orange in his mouth. Russ, if you don't like the tongue in cheek answer, don't ask the sarcastic question.

With limited slots and a conference that has some low RPIs we need to maximize our non-conference schedule. URI doesn't have a recent history that makes justifies a home and away. Likewise with a conference schedule with too many teams not generating a lot of interest, adding another ho hum game has be done thoughtfully. Better to schedule a team that fill will Gampel or better yet XL. Keep in mind that the students subsidize the athletic department budget to the tune of about $20 million annually (sort of, since some of that goes to offset student athletic facility use.) Playing in a half arena and giving away a home date is tough to justify. If URI has consistent success, then that analysis changes. They haven't earned a home and away.

 

[rs2905]

Says the guy with the orange in his mouth. Russ, if you don't like the tongue in cheek answer, don't ask the sarcastic question.

With limited slots and a conference that has some low RPIs we need to maximize our non-conference schedule. URI doesn't have a recent history that makes justifies a home and away. Likewise with a conference schedule with too many teams not generating a lot of interest, adding another ho hum game has be done thoughtfully. Better to schedule a team that fill will Gampel or better yet XL. Keep in mind that the students subsidize the athletic department budget to the tune of about $20 million annually (sort of, since some of that goes to offset student athletic facility use.) Playing in a half arena and giving away a home date is tough to justify. If URI has consistent success, then that analysis changes. They haven't earned a home and away.

It's actually a lemon.

And I think I explained my reasoning. If you think UConn can schedule nothing but P5 schools, then you just don't understand how scheduling works. URI is a solid RPI game and would look even better with a road game once in a two-year period. URI fills Gampel and will draw more to XL than a Maine or New Hampshire. I understand the downside to giving away a home game every other year, but you have to balance that with what improves your chances as a team. That's why I think this is fair. Even if you disagree, it's not so outrageous that it should be dismissed immediately.

 

[CL82]

If you think UConn can schedule nothing but P5 schools, then you just don't understand how scheduling works.

Mmm, it's a bit of jump from scheduling URI as a home and away, to scheduling only P5's right? URI hasn't earned that, but a one off is fine. That could change if they have consistent success but first they'd need to do that.

 

[7774]

It's actually a lemon.

And I think I explained my reasoning. If you think UConn can schedule nothing but P5 schools, then you just don't understand how scheduling works. URI is a solid RPI game and would look even better with a road game once in a two-year period. URI fills Gampel and will draw more to XL than a Maine or New Hampshire. I understand the downside to giving away a home game every other year, but you have to balance that with what improves your chances as a team. That's why I think this is fair. Even if you disagree, it's not so outrageous that it should be dismissed immediately.

I really doubt replacing one of our home guarantees with a series against URI improves our chances as a team. It's not going to make that much difference.

 

[CT Rhody]

I really doubt replacing one of our home guarantees with a series against URI improves our chances as a team. It's not going to make that much difference.

URI is projected as a top 25 team in the nation this year. If they can delivery on those kind of expectations, it would be a huge RPI boast for UConn. The A-10 in general has learned you need to schedule top 100 RPI schools early and often if you want to earn a solid RPI and an NCAA berth. The league worries more about scheduling top 100 RPI teams then it does brand names in same cases.

 

[TRest]

URI is projected as a top 25 team in the nation this year. If they can delivery on those kind of expectations, it would be a huge RPI boast for UConn. The A-10 in general has learned you need to schedule top 100 RPI schools early and often if you want to earn a solid RPI and an NCAA berth. The league worries more about scheduling top 100 RPI teams then it does brand names in same cases.

It's a little late to schedule them this year, and who knows what the future holds? If Hurley has a big year he's gone.

 

[Sky ball]

Good feedback. I say top 25-40 opponent since URI has been included in all the preseason top 25 publications this year. Obviously they have to prove their worth this year to justify the high early season ranking. With Dan staying at the program and turning down going back home twice already along with the classes they continue to bring in, they should be a top 50 RPI opponent for the foreseeable future and every team can use those on their schedule.

Mohegan Sun makes a killing when they sell out their arena just including the gambling, inside arena concessions, outside the arena restaurant and bar sales. UConn and URI could do a 60/40 split with UConn getting 60% of whatever Mohegan wants to pay out the Universities for the game, then that could be financially viable for both schools. I'm obviously a huge fan of games at Mohegan, URI potentially plays Duke there this year.

The good thing about URI is they won't ever think they are on the same footing as UConn. As opposed to giving say PC a home and home, PC would use it as saying that they are on equal footing. Which of course lets be real, UConn has four national titles in 15 years or so, nobody within the Northeast let alone New England is on that kind of level.

No one in the 50 States, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. or the US Territories is at UConn's level using this: Which of course lets be real, UConn has four national titles in 15 years or so, nobody within the Northeast let alone New England is on that kind of level. Don't sell us short...LOL

 

[7774]

URI is projected as a top 25 team in the nation this year. If they can delivery on those kind of expectations, it would be a huge RPI boast for UConn. The A-10 in general has learned you need to schedule top 100 RPI schools early and often if you want to earn a solid RPI and an NCAA berth. The league worries more about scheduling top 100 RPI teams then it does brand names in same cases.

No, it really wouldn't, even assuming we won the game every time, which would obviously not be the case. I ran the RPI wizard for last year, and replaced our game with Sacred Heart (RPI 258) with another game against Texas (RPI 27). Our RPI went from 31 to 28.

It's much better for us to schedule a game that people would care about nationally, and one that allows us to play a road game outside the northeast.