AAC - the tourney numbers four years in

[BugsyCT]

If not for our 2014 title run, it's been a nightmare for this makeshift conference in NCAA tourney play (or lack thereof).

2014
Louisville* (4 seed, loses in Sweet 16, already one foot out the door for the ACC)
Cincy (5 seed, out 1st round)
UConn (7 seed, wins NC)
Memphis (8 seed, out 2nd round)
Tulsa (13 seed, out 1st round)

2015
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (8 seed, out 2nd round)

2016
UConn (9 seed, out 2nd round)
Cincy (9 seed, out 1st round)
Temple (10 seed, out 1st round)

2017
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (6 seed, out 2nd round)

Not only are we getting low seeds and few teams in per year, but these teams have lost too many games as the higher seed (thanks SMU). Props to Cincy for getting in all 4 years but they gotta break through and have a deep run. Only us and UofL (if we can even count them) have even reached the Sweet 16, and in the last 3 years nobody has. The weakness of this conference has definitely shown against the P5s.

Thing is, there are a bunch of teams in the AAC that historically have been pretty good - (UConn, Temple, Cincy, Memphis, even Houston in the early 80s) and teams like SMU, Tulsa, & UCF have improved in recent years. But if CR stays at a standstill and we're stuck here for a long time, then these schools (including us) have to get better or we'll fade into obscurity with them. I'm not for returning to the Big East and destroying what's left of the football program, but if things stay on this path then UConn has some tough decisions to make just to save the basketball program.

Hoping 2017-18 is a big year for us. On the court & on the gridiron. We sorely need it.

 

[UConNation]

If not for our 2014 title run, it's been a nightmare for this makeshift conference in NCAA tourney play (or lack thereof).

2014
Louisville* (4 seed, loses in Sweet 16, already one foot out the door for the ACC)
Cincy (5 seed, out 1st round)
UConn (7 seed, wins NC)
Memphis (8 seed, out 2nd round)
Tulsa (13 seed, out 1st round)

2015
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (8 seed, out 2nd round)

2016
UConn (9 seed, out 2nd round)
Cincy (9 seed, out 1st round)
Temple (10 seed, out 1st round)

2017
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (6 seed, out 2nd round)

Not only are we getting low seeds and few teams in per year, but these teams have lost too many games as the higher seed (thanks SMU). Props to Cincy for getting in all 4 years but they gotta break through and have a deep run. Only us and UofL (if we can even count them) have even reached the Sweet 16, and in the last 3 years nobody has. The weakness of this conference has definitely shown against the P5s.

Thing is, there are a bunch of teams in the AAC that historically have been pretty good - (UConn, Temple, Cincy, Memphis, even Houston in the early 80s) and teams like SMU, Tulsa, & UCF have improved in recent years. But if CR stays at a standstill and we're stuck here for a long time, then these schools (including us) have to get better or we'll fade into obscurity with them. I'm not for returning to the Big East and destroying what's left of the football program, but if things stay on this path then UConn has some tough decisions to make just to save the basketball program.

Hoping 2017-18 is a big year for us. On the court & on the gridiron. We sorely need it.

Just a minor point, but Tulsa made the tourney last year as a "First Four." Yes, they lost their play in game, but it was great to see a 4th team in the tourney from the AAC.

 

[August_West]

Its sad that we are going to our grave because of football. This league will only get worse.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The tournament performance has been lacking for sure, but as you mention, there are some programs with decent history.

I'm just wondering if the conference will allow for the top 4 historical programs: UConn, Cincinnati, Memphis, Temple to be high seeds.

In other leagues, you get credit for beating up on one another, but in the AAC it seems like the only way to a top seed is doing what Memphis used to under Calipari and schedule a crazy non conference and then go 17-1 in league play and finish like 32-2.

If UConn, Cincinnati, Memphis and Temple all have 26-7 type seasons we're all likely get middling seeds. Makes me think for the AAC to get proper seeding only 2 programs can be highly ranked - and even at that - Cincinnati and SMU both got 6 seeds.

 

[August_West]

In other leagues, you get credit for beating up on one another, but in the AAC it seems like the only way to a top seed is doing what Memphis used to under Calipari and schedule a crazy non conference and then go 17-1 in league play and finish like 32-2.

Cinci and SMU just went in with 30 wins each and got 6 seeds.

No need to wonder.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Cinci and SMU just went in with 30 wins each and got 6 seeds.

No need to wonder.

Did you read my full post?

 

[August_West]

Did you read my full post?

yup. No need to wonder.

 

[zls44]

Cinci and SMU just went in with 30 wins each and got 6 seeds.

No need to wonder.

SMU non conference SOS: 192
Cincy non conference SOS: 163

Memphis non conference, their last 4 years under Calipari:
11
33
7
44




The two situations are not in the same stratosphere. SMU and Cincy had soft 30-win seasons. Memphis definitely did not.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Its sad that we are going to our grave because of football. This league will only get worse.

Why can't we leave with all sports except football and keep football here or go independent?

 

[August_West]

SMU non conference SOS: 192
Cincy non conference SOS: 163

Memphis non conference, their last 4 years under Calipari:
11
33
7
44




The two situations are not in the same stratosphere. SMU and Cincy had soft 30-win seasons. Memphis definitely did not.

So we have a pretty decent murderers row of OOC next season. Anything short of running the table there and 1 loss in league relegates you to a 3 seed or lower.

a top two seed requires zero or one loss and undefeated OOC. We can agree on that right?

 

[August_West]

Why can't we leave with all sports except football and keep football here or go independent?

Because people say that our only life raft is football P5 invite.

In 10 years I think we look back and say " wow I wish we joined the Big East 12 years ago"

But time will tell.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Because people say that our only life raft is football P5 invite.

In 10 years I think we look back and say " wow I wish we joined the Big East 12 years ago"

But time will tell.

Yeah I hear that, but if we leave for the big east for all sports and keep football here/independent, why can't we still get into a p5 if invited?

 

[CJS87]

If not for our 2014 title run, it's been a nightmare for this makeshift conference in NCAA tourney play (or lack thereof).

2014
Louisville* (4 seed, loses in Sweet 16, already one foot out the door for the ACC)
Cincy (5 seed, out 1st round)
UConn (7 seed, wins NC)
Memphis (8 seed, out 2nd round)
Tulsa (13 seed, out 1st round)

2015
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (8 seed, out 2nd round)

2016
UConn (9 seed, out 2nd round)
Cincy (9 seed, out 1st round)
Temple (10 seed, out 1st round)

2017
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (6 seed, out 2nd round)

Not only are we getting low seeds and few teams in per year, but these teams have lost too many games as the higher seed (thanks SMU). Props to Cincy for getting in all 4 years but they gotta break through and have a deep run. Only us and UofL (if we can even count them) have even reached the Sweet 16, and in the last 3 years nobody has. The weakness of this conference has definitely shown against the P5s.

Thing is, there are a bunch of teams in the AAC that historically have been pretty good - (UConn, Temple, Cincy, Memphis, even Houston in the early 80s) and teams like SMU, Tulsa, & UCF have improved in recent years. But if CR stays at a standstill and we're stuck here for a long time, then these schools (including us) have to get better or we'll fade into obscurity with them. I'm not for returning to the Big East and destroying what's left of the football program, but if things stay on this path then UConn has some tough decisions to make just to save the basketball program.

Hoping 2017-18 is a big year for us. On the court & on the gridiron. We sorely need it.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with this but you're not completely right either. UConn needs to be UConn to maintain its national profile. Look at Gonzaga - they don't use their conference to prop them up. Can you even name half the schools in their conference? Yes, the RPI of conference teams is important for seeding so I agree we need quality teams. But UConn will succeed based on what UConn does. It appears recruiting is not affected by our conference - look at last year's class and the incoming class. Elite players really don't care about conference affiliation; they care about being prepared to play at the next level - NBA.

 

[Jerry1714]

Cinci and SMU just went in with 30 wins each and got 6 seeds.

No need to wonder.

SMU played an atrocious OOC and lost to the only good teams they played (Michigan, USC, and Bosie). SMU should have been a higher seed (a 5, maybe a 4) but if you want the committee to respect the conference teams like SMU has to beat teams OOC.

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

lol must suck being the only school that has to travel

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[Jerry1714]

If not for our 2014 title run, it's been a nightmare for this makeshift conference in NCAA tourney play (or lack thereof).

2014
Louisville* (4 seed, loses in Sweet 16, already one foot out the door for the ACC)
Cincy (5 seed, out 1st round)
UConn (7 seed, wins NC)
Memphis (8 seed, out 2nd round)
Tulsa (13 seed, out 1st round)

2015
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (8 seed, out 2nd round)

2016
UConn (9 seed, out 2nd round)
Cincy (9 seed, out 1st round)
Temple (10 seed, out 1st round)

2017
SMU (6 seed, out 1st round)
Cincy (6 seed, out 2nd round)

Not only are we getting low seeds and few teams in per year, but these teams have lost too many games as the higher seed (thanks SMU). Props to Cincy for getting in all 4 years but they gotta break through and have a deep run. Only us and UofL (if we can even count them) have even reached the Sweet 16, and in the last 3 years nobody has. The weakness of this conference has definitely shown against the P5s.

Thing is, there are a bunch of teams in the AAC that historically have been pretty good - (UConn, Temple, Cincy, Memphis, even Houston in the early 80s) and teams like SMU, Tulsa, & UCF have improved in recent years. But if CR stays at a standstill and we're stuck here for a long time, then these schools (including us) have to get better or we'll fade into obscurity with them. I'm not for returning to the Big East and destroying what's left of the football program, but if things stay on this path then UConn has some tough decisions to make just to save the basketball program.

Hoping 2017-18 is a big year for us. On the court & on the gridiron. We sorely need it.

Most surprising thing is Tulsa has more NCAAT appearances than Temple and Memphis. Those schools need to step it up.

 

[tzznandrew]

Our best teams have not performed all that well OOC, which is the main reason they haven't gotten great seeds.

Cincy lost to URI (11 seed) and Butler (4 seed), only beating Iowa State (5 seed). That's it.

SMU lost to USC (11 seed), Michigan (7 seed), and Boise State (NIT). Their best OOC: Pitt? Stanford? TCU? Now, in the past Pitt or Stanford might be worth something...but come on. They lost to each team that went to the NCAA or NIT that they played in OOC. This isn't the NCAA screwing the AAC, it's the AAC screwing itself.

We need our league to play good teams in the OOC, and then to start winning them. If UConn, Memphis, and Temple can get back to what they have been for the last 15-25 years, Cincy stays strong, and Houston/SMU/UCF/Tulsa do anything, this conference isn't the worst. But right now the best team (UConn) has underperformed in the regular season all four years and some traditionally good teams (Memphis/Temple) have been inconsistent. You can build a conference better than mid-1990s-2000s Conference USA (Louisville-Cincy-Memphis-Marquette-DePaul) with high seeds, Final Four appearances, and exciting games, but only if you schedule and win some OOC games.

 

[BugsyCT]

Just a minor point, but Tulsa made the tourney last year as a "First Four." Yes, they lost their play in game, but it was great to see a 4th team in the tourney from the AAC.

My bad. Missed Tulsa last year 1st four. Good catch.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with this but you're not completely right either. UConn needs to be UConn to maintain its national profile. Look at Gonzaga - they don't use their conference to prop them up. Can you even name half the schools in their conference? Yes, the RPI of conference teams is important for seeding so I agree we need quality teams. But UConn will succeed based on what UConn does. It appears recruiting is not affected by our conference - look at last year's class and the incoming class. Elite players really don't care about conference affiliation; they care about being prepared to play at the next level - NBA.

Not saying you're totally wrong either - UConn does first & foremost need to be UConn. Not sure we can be a Gonzaga though, or would even want to. They're a big fish in a small pond, and they haven't made a FF yet (yes, that could change next week). A lot of that is feasting on weak conference opponents every year and not being able to matchup against the P5s in the tourney.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Someone needs to check his math. Ollie just completed his fifth season as head coach.

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Temple and Memphis for schools with hoops reputations have been absolute duds. Not that we've been much better in the grand scheme.

 

[pepband99]

One very simple fix for the AAC:

Get the usual OOC SOS offenders to shore themselves up. It's killing any metric this conference gets measured by.

The AAC had the 15th! rated OOC SOS , by RPI, this year. It's the same crappy schools keeping this going.

USF
UCF
ECU
Tulane

To their credit, Houston took a step forward this year, but really only because they got unbelievably lucky in guessing their mid-majors:
URI
South Dak St
Vermont
Arkansas

 

[Robertelamin]

One very simple fix for the AAC:

Get the usual OOC SOS offenders to shore themselves up. It's killing any metric this conference gets measured by.

The AAC had the 15th! rated OOC SOS , by RPI, this year. It's the same crappy schools keeping this going.

USF
UCF
ECU
Tulane

To their credit, Houston took a step forward this year, but really only because they got unbelievably lucky in guessing their mid-majors:
URI
South Dak St
Vermont
Arkansas

I agree that these schools need to get their crap together. The worst that can happen is they lose. I'd rather they lose to Virginia Tech than to lose to Coppin St and the best case scenario is they win a game or two. Playing no one hurts them and the conference.