Breaking news - Marylands preseason strategy is working

[UcMiami]

Just checked and Brenda's choice of D2 opponents for the preseason seems to be paying off! They are handling what could have been a nail biter in the battle of the state between them and Maryland Eastern Shore after having surprised with the strong showing against UMass-Lowell on Sunday 100-44.
The score late in the game tonight is 106-61.

You see, there was method in her madness - how better to prepare for the challenges of a daunting early season schedule.

 

[Vowelguy]

I presume you said the same things when UConn played in the oh-so-difficult World Vision Classic several years in a row.

 

[UcMiami]

I presume you said the same things when UConn played in the oh-so-difficult World Vision Classic several years in a row.

Oh god, those were terrible! I think they had a hard time convincing decent teams to come to Storrs to get stomped. Much easier to convince some good teams to do a neutral court tournament.

 

[JordyG]

Just checked and Brenda's choice of D2 opponents for the preseason seems to be paying off! They are handling what could have been a nail biter in the battle of the state between them and Maryland Eastern Shore after having surprised with the strong showing against UMass-Lowell on Sunday 100-44.
The score late in the game tonight is 106-61.

You see, there was method in her madness - how better to prepare for the challenges of a daunting early season schedule.

I said this before in a previous post to Coco. Relax man. It's all part of the Great Frese plan. Showing the world how to coach a great recruiting class into a championship. It's all easy peasey when you get the best. Just like Geno did it: coaching from a rocking chair.

 

[noirwestern]

I presume you said the same things when UConn played in the oh-so-difficult World Vision Classic several years in a row.

Perhaps it's just me but I don't see how being the shiny, world beating team invited to a small invitational to spruce it up and boost ticket sales compares in any way with her seeming habit of penciling in cupcakes for your regular season win column. Especially since the ink on the team's roster had long dried before the tomato cans were lined up. Guess it's just a really, really different approach to having a winning season.

 

[Vowelguy]

Perhaps it's just me but I don't see how being the shiny, world beating team invited to a small invitational to spruce it up and boost ticket sales compares in any way with her seeming habit of penciling in cupcakes for your regular season win column. Especially since the ink on the team's roster had long dried before the tomato cans were lined up. Guess it's just a really, really different approach to having a winning season.

That tournament existed solely for UConn. In fact I assume UConn organized it and just got some sponsors to underwrite it. The teams that were invited surely had UConn approval if they weren't hand picked.

UConn has played plenty of cupcakes. Since joining the AAC, UConn has strengthened its non league schedule to make up for the weak conference.

 

[JordyG]

That tournament existed solely for UConn. In fact I assume UConn organized it and just got some sponsors to underwrite it. The teams that were invited surely had UConn approval if they weren't hand picked.

UConn has played plenty of cupcakes. Since joining the AAC, UConn has strengthened its non league schedule to make up for the weak conference.

The real problem is that the B1G isn't that strong a conference. Outside of OSU and maybe Indiana (we'll see), not much stronger than the AAC. Geno has always coached for post season, not the regular season. That's why his OOC schedule is so strong. By taking the opposite approach Frese isn't doing this team with its top 3 recruiting class any favors.

 

[noirwestern]

That tournament existed solely for UConn. In fact I assume UConn organized it and just got some sponsors to underwrite it. The teams that were invited surely had UConn approval if they weren't hand picked.

UConn has played plenty of cupcakes. Since joining the AAC, UConn has strengthened its non league schedule to make up for the weak conference.

Looks like we're going to disagree on this point, too. UConn, like dozens of other schools, hosted the tournament and from what little I can find about how it's set up had nothing to do with choosing who participated. Again, not really seeing how that's the same thing as choosing to play a purposely weak lineup during regular season play. Which is the point of the OP and not what UConn did, or didn't do.

 

[Vowelguy]

The real problem is that the B1G isn't that strong a conference. .

If the big 10 and the American faced off, the b10 would likely go 10-1 or 9-2.

 

[JordyG]

If the big 10 and the American faced off, the b10 would likely go 10-1 or 9-2.

I'd say however plays UConn loses. I'd also say the winners would be MD, OSU, IN, MSU, and maybe Mich. All the other games would be toss ups, especially on a neutral court. Guess we'll never know.

 

[Shorty Dee]

That tournament existed solely for UConn. In fact I assume UConn organized it and just got some sponsors to underwrite it. The teams that were invited surely had UConn approval if they weren't hand picked.

UConn has played plenty of cupcakes. Since joining the AAC, UConn has strengthened its non league schedule to make up for the weak conference.

First and far most, UConn didn't join the AAC. After the realignment of the Big East, UConn; Rutgers and Louisville were placed in the AAC. Rutgers and Louisville were able to move to other conferences, but UConn wasn't. UConn and the other teams were happy with the Big East, so please do not say "UConn joined" the AAC anymore.

 

[Vowelguy]

First and far most, UConn didn't join the AAC. After the realignment of the Big East, UConn; Rutgers and Louisville were placed in the AAC. Rutgers and Louisville were able to move to other conferences, but UConn wasn't. UConn and the other teams were happy with the Big East, so please do not say "UConn joined" the AAC anymore.

Not true.
UConn could have stayed in the Big East if it wanted. Doing so would have meant going independent in football, though, which would have been deadly.
Nonetheless, it WAS a choice.

 

[Shorty Dee]

Not true.
UConn could have stayed in the Big East if it wanted. Doing so would have meant going independent in football, though, which would have been deadly.
Nonetheless, it WAS a choice.

That was later, when the Big 12 was looking to expand. When the Big East went through the realignment, UConn; Notre Dame; Rutgers; Louisville, etc. didn't have a choice but to move.

 

[hoophuskee]

Not true.
UConn could have stayed in the Big East if it wanted. Doing so would have meant going independent in football, though, which would have been deadly.
Nonetheless, it WAS a choice.

I'm not sure though overall what you're trying to prove. How often has Md's Strength of Schedule surpassed UCONN? It might have recently once many of the Big East teams fled. Are you comparing UCONN's choice to keep their hopes to be invited into one of the power conference's alive vs what Maryland is doing and pretending like they are the same?

You realize UCONN is trying to survive and get in on the Power Conference train while MD is already there, right? When the Big East was powerful, wasn't the UCONN OOC schedule - usually MUCH better than Md? Maybe it wasn't but I would think it was.

 

[Alydar]

Not true.
UConn could have stayed in the Big East if it wanted. Doing so would have meant going independent in football, though, which would have been deadly.
Nonetheless, it WAS a choice.

Actually UConn stayed in the BE. It was the catholic basketball-only schools that left the big east because they didn't want the football. After they decided to leave they negotiated with the remaining BE teams to buy the BE name for their new conference. UConn and S Florida and maybe others shared millions in the sale of the name.

 

[hjoerring]

Just checked and Brenda's choice of D2 opponents for the preseason seems to be paying off! They are handling what could have been a nail biter in the battle of the state between them and Maryland Eastern Shore after having surprised with the strong showing against UMass-Lowell on Sunday 100-44.
The score late in the game tonight is 106-61.

You see, there was method in her madness - how better to prepare for the challenges of a daunting early season schedule.

Could others not make the same argument about us- we also play(ed) D3. And our AAC opponents are not (necessarily) games to write home about- at least in the past years. We will see how things are when we get to them, this year. And to be fair about Uconn's tough schedule in the early going, we --other schools-- have a very difficult time scheduling competitive games once conf schedule have started. And the more difficult/competitive the conf the less you want to mix in non-conf opponents. Number 3 vs no 12 might tell us a lot more useful things then No.2 vs No.3. The latter might mean more to followers then the coaching staff. If we win tonight, well the record continues, but I would not (necessarily) say that we are better! Also, keep in mind that these in-State games are for the general public- don't want to be accused of being too big for ... Local legislators have a long memory when approp. time comes around.

 

[reno tony]

Not true.
UConn could have stayed in the Big East if it wanted. Doing so would have meant going independent in football, though, which would have been deadly.
Nonetheless, it WAS a choice.

I thought the Pope kicked all the non-Catholic schools out of the Big East. Except for N.D. of course.

 

[FlyRyGuy]

I said this before in a previous post to Coco. Relax man. It's all part of the Great Frese plan. Showing the world how to coach a great recruiting class into a championship. It's all easy peasey when you get the best. Just like Geno did it: coaching from a rocking chair.

are you being sarcastic?

 

[Checkmate]

Big win for MD vs (9-21 last year) Mount St Marys today. Is there a team that plays more cupcakes than Maryland ? Their first few opponents averaged 6 wins last year.

 

[JordyG]

are you being sarcastic?

Can or does anyone coach from a rocking chair? Is coaching ever easy peasey? Mulkey had one of the greatest centers ever to play college ball in Briner WITH Odyssey Sims and could only win once with them. But Baylor has changed their strategy and now plays a much tougher OOC. When Frese's great recruiting class freezes again at The Dance she'll only have herself to blame.

 

[Wbbfan1]

I reviewed Maryland's OOC Schedule since Brenda was named the Head Coach 14 years ago. Using this Years Top 25 they have played 9 Games out of 144+ against them. UConn she has played 3 times. This does not include any tournament games and I did take into consideration Maryland leaving the ACC for the B10. That means she averages during her OOC Schedule less then 1 game against Top 25 opponents. Maryland traditionally plays one of the weakest OOC Schedules. I started to do a comparison of Baylor's OOC Schedule since Kim has hired and I stopped as Baylor far exceeds Maryland against this years Top 25. However they do play a weak OOC schedule but mix in more games against Top 25 Competition.

 

[Plebe]

I reviewed Maryland's OOC Schedule since Brenda was named the Head Coach 14 years ago. Using this Years Top 25 they have played 9 Games out of 144+ against them. UConn she has played 3 times. This does not include any tournament games and I did take into consideration Maryland leaving the ACC for the B10. That means she averages during her OOC Schedule less then 1 game against Top 25 opponents. Maryland traditionally plays one of the weakest OOC Schedules. I started to do a comparison of Baylor's OOC Schedule since Kim has hired and I stopped as Baylor far exceeds Maryland against this years Top 25. However they do play a weak OOC schedule but mix in more games against Top 25 Competition.

Out of the teams that finished last year in the top 15 of the RPI, Maryland did have the weakest nonconference SOS (#69). (There were, however, quite a few teams on the next tier down, so to speak, that were even worse in this regard: Oklahoma, West Virginia, Florida, Mississippi State, and Miami all finished well outside the top 100 in nonconference SOS.)

I'd say Maryland's nonconference schedule this year is even than last year's. This year it does play (in addition to UConn) Louisville and Arizona State. The only other competition that I would call respectable would be Duquesne and Washington State. Out of Maryland's remaining eight opponents, six were in the bottom quartile of the RPI last year.

 

[Vowelguy]

Funny how OOC has become the metric among some. (I'm sure it has nothing to do with UConn looking even more impressive by that metric.) Why doesn't entire schedule matter? Doesnt one's conference sked influence which OOC opponents are chosen?

 

[hoophuskee]

Funny how OOC has become the metric among some. (I'm sure it has nothing to do with UConn looking even more impressive by that metric.) Why doesn't entire schedule matter? Doesnt one's conference sked influence which OOC opponents are chosen?

Can't you choose the teams you play ooc but can't choose in-conference? Wouldn't that be the reason why "Some" look at the ooc metric? Would you say the women's b1G is beast conference for a top 5 type of team?

I still don't understand why you are "fighting" this thread so much?

 

[Husky pride]

Funny how OOC has become the metric among some. (I'm sure it has nothing to do with UConn looking even more impressive by that metric.) Why doesn't entire schedule matter? Doesnt one's conference sked influence which OOC opponents are chosen?

Uconn doesns't have to "look impressive". They're the national champs four years in a row. They end-up playing the best and finishing on top!!