Next Year's Schedule

[JMick]

OOC scheduling while in the AAC will be a delicate balancing act, especially when a lot of contributors are expected to be freshman and sophomores. You need the games that can bump up your resume while at the same time you need what are essentially guaranteed wins mixed with it for confidence purposes along with bench minutes. I think scheduling the Ivies is a great idea, and I also think a New England tour would be nice considering how much traveling the players have to do in this conference.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

We have 13 games so this is what I want to see.
Maui: 3 games (I hope we avoid Chaminade as that does NOTHING for our RPI)
@ Georgetown
@ Ohio State
vs Villanova
vs Baylor at MSG
@ Syracuse
vs Yale
vs Harvard
vs Princeton
vs Wichita State
vs Fairfield

Basically, this is a rehash of some the ideas (and already determined games) above noted, but also it avoids ANYONE particularly bad. We played 7 good opponents in OOC this year and 6 bad opponents; that ratio needs to be closer to 9-4 with all four being solid mid-majors or good local schools.

That is quite the OOC schedule. Would probably be among the best in the country if we played UNC and Oregon in Maui. There are always going to be 2 doormats on the schedule. As much as I would like to see something like this, I don't see us playing 3 of the best Ivys.

 

[upstater]

We have 13 games so this is what I want to see.
Maui: 3 games (I hope we avoid Chaminade as that does NOTHING for our RPI)
@ Georgetown
@ Ohio State
vs Villanova
vs Baylor at MSG
@ Syracuse
vs Yale
vs Harvard
vs Princeton
vs Wichita State
vs Fairfield

Basically, this is a rehash of some the ideas (and already determined games) above noted, but also it avoids ANYONE particularly bad. We played 7 good opponents in OOC this year and 6 bad opponents; that ratio needs to be closer to 9-4 with all four being solid mid-majors or good local schools.

I hope we dont face Chaminade either but they don't count pro/con on RPI because they are D2.

 

[JimHurley]

That is quite the OOC schedule. Would probably be among the best in the country if we played UNC and Oregon in Maui. There are always going to be 2 doormats on the schedule. As much as I would like to see something like this, I don't see us playing 3 of the best Ivys.

Yeah I'd be thrilled with that OOC schedule. That way I'd actually look forward to games in November/December. No offense to Furman but we should never be playing teams like them.

 

[Leebo]

I hope we avoid Chaminade as that does NOTHING for our RPI

Literally nothing, so I don't see why it matters.

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

I suspect only Tulane will be 200+ next year. The bottom of the conference is coming up.

I don't disagree w/ your overall point, but the bottom of the AAC is set to be much better next year. Probably only Tulane will be below 200.

Isnt Tulsa going to be awful next year? Supposedly losing 9 seniors that doesnt bode well for their rpi

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Love beefing up the schedule, but don't see a need to play 3 Ivy schools. I'd say pick one of the 3, but no need to play all of the ones you listed. Like the suggestion to play a team like Wichita. Rather than an Ivy wouldn't mind a solid A10 school like St. Joes/VCU/GW/Dayton. Could be a good fit

 

[Chief00]

They better have a better OOC home schedule for season ticket holders. They need to work on that big time.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Jeez I know it's a message board and all but Ohio State was not "monumentally awful." They were a borderline bubble team. They just weren't up to their usual standards. Even Georgetown was capable of beating most teams (including us) on a given day.

Fair enough on OSU, shouldn't have grouped them with GTown. But the Hoyas were indeed monumentally awful by their standards, 15-18 RPI 106? OSU wasn't much better at 74. Can't fault KO for scheduling either of them, I was just highlighting that we happened to catch both in down years by their standards, GT in a particularly bad down year.

Re: New England tour - it depends who. UNH, Maine, CCSU, Sacred Heart, absolutely not. UVM, URI, Northeastern, BU, Harvard, Yale - sounds a lot better. We really need to cut back on those ultra-cupcakes. We had four RPI 250+ games this year, three the year before (plus two more from USF ), and another the year before. Many of those were 300+ and most were Maine and CCSU. These games need to stop, replace them with generally 150-200 RPI teams and it's still an easily winnable game, better competition for the team, and won't kill our SOS. Especially when we're already playing six RPI 200+ conference games this year and nine in 14-15.

 

[BUConn10]

I hope the recent unexpected change in AD doesn't slow these scheduling talks down, leaving us with a weak SOS on the season.

 

[Eskapeesto]

FYI, I posted this elsewhere, if folks want to go to the G-Town game, which I believe is Jan 21, 2017, in DC, and need a hotel room, do it now. The Presidential Inauguration is scheduled for the day before, Friday, 20, 2017.

Surely DC and most of the Eastern seaboard will be aflame, no?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Surely DC and most of the Eastern seaboard will be aflame, no?

If Trump becomes President, I'm going to the game and then grabbing out of Dulles right after, Canadian passport in hand.

 

[KemBuckets21]

What we know:
18 games vs the AAC.
@Ohio State
@Georgetown
3 games in Maui, with a field of: Oregon, UNC, Georgetown, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Chaminade.

Speculated:
Series vs Cuse. UConn was in discussion with Syracuse revolving around H/H/MSG series.
Baylor/UConn men's/women's double-header at MSG.
Possible Villanova series.

Did I miss anything? Any teams you would like to see on the schedule next season?

I'm a Northeastern Alum and would like to see a game with them. They weren't great last year but they don't tank the ol' RPI like CCSU.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I'm a Northeastern Alum and would like to see a game with them. They weren't great last year but they don't tank the ol' RPI like CCSU.

Agreed, some CAA and A10 schools in November and December would serve as good competition and at least some more intriguing home games for the fans. I don't know they expect fans to continue shelling out money to see us pound Maine and Coppin State into the ground on a Tuesday in December.

 

[6thBoroBro]

I'd like to see a PAC-12 game on the OOC schedule outside of possible draws in Maui, they would not be used to our defense and could provide a good win. Maybe at MSG with a team like Cal or Arizona to give them the incentive of east coast exposure.

 

[Stainmaster]

They better have a better OOC home schedule for season ticket holders. They need to work on that big time.

Or maybe the season ticket holders could not be such prima donnas and be grateful that they can afford to see UConn play in person so many times.

 

[KemBuckets21]

Agreed, some CAA and A10 schools in November and December would serve as good competition and at least some more intriguing home games for the fans. I don't know they expect fans to continue shelling out money to see us pound Maine and Coppin State into the ground on a Tuesday in December.

Well said.

 

[Chief00]

Or maybe the season ticket holders could not be such prima donnas and be grateful that they can afford to see UConn play in person so many times.

Season ticket holders are their customers and at least should be listen to. Since our TV revenue is poor in the AAC ticket revenue is paramount. Many season ticket holders also make donations - another source of revenue.

Better home games also draw other fans - attendance at XL can range from 8k to 15k - the difference is $175k a game at $25 per ticket.

Another angle is RPI - the 300 seeding games hurt our seeding this year despite playing some good neutral court and away games.

Rather it be the economy or multiple entertainment options today - the product and competition is important. More so than 10, 20 or 30 years ago when people filled the XL no matter what.

I hope this helps your understanding. Thanks.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I don't disagree w/ your overall point, but the bottom of the AAC is set to be much better next year. Probably only Tulane will be below 200.

That may be true, but I still don't think we should count on the conference schedule to boost our SOS and schedule multiple putrid 250-300+ games OOC.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Or maybe the season ticket holders could not be such prima donnas and be grateful that they can afford to see UConn play in person so many times.

While this is a fair point, at the same time the program has to understand that repeatedly asking people to pay up to come to a home schedule of Maine, UNH, Furman, Sacred Heart, Central, and Lowell is ridiculous. That's 35% of the home schedule against brutally bad programs, not one of whom has made an NCAA tournament either ever or in over a decade. There's only so many times you can expect people to keep paying to show up for nonsense games like this.

 

[champs99and04]

You're not going to simply be able to schedule top-tier A-10 teams like Dayton, Rhode Island, VCU, etc. You're going to have to go there. Those aren't buy games.

I don't have a problem with trying to game the RPI a little bit more, but at the same time I think it's impact is overstated by this board. We would have been in line for a top three seed this season if we had beaten the teams we were supposed to beat.

 

[tzznandrew]

You're not going to simply be able to schedule top-tier A-10 teams like Dayton, Rhode Island, VCU, etc. You're going to have to go there. Those aren't buy games.

I don't have a problem with trying to game the RPI a little bit more, but at the same time I think it's impact is overstated by this board. We would have been in line for a top three seed this season if we had beaten the teams we were supposed to beat.

That's the thing: beat Temple (Home), Houston, Syracuse, and Cincy at home. Those were all winnable games. Even say they lose to A&M then, instead of Gonzaga.

In that scenario they were 28-6 (14-4) with an RPI of 13. That's a protected seed. Win the Temple road game they were up big in addition? 29-5 (15-3) RPI 8.

While the CCSU game, or Maine game, or Lowell game, didn't help, the real anchors were the stupid losses.

 

[Inyatkin]

That's the thing: beat Temple (Home), Houston, Syracuse, and Cincy at home. Those were all winnable games. Even say they lose to A&M then, instead of Gonzaga.

In that scenario they were 28-6 (14-4) with an RPI of 13. That's a protected seed. Win the Temple road game they were up big in addition? 29-5 (15-3) RPI 8.

While the CCSU game, or Maine game, or Lowell game, didn't help, the real anchors were the stupid losses.

Add it up and we were really close to having a team that would likely still be playing. I guess all our luck averaged out in Jalen's shot?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

That's the thing: beat Temple (Home), Houston, Syracuse, and Cincy at home. Those were all winnable games. Even say they lose to A&M then, instead of Gonzaga.

In that scenario they were 28-6 (14-4) with an RPI of 13. That's a protected seed. Win the Temple road game they were up big in addition? 29-5 (15-3) RPI 8.

While the CCSU game, or Maine game, or Lowell game, didn't help, the real anchors were the stupid losses.

This is true, but our SOS would remain the same.

 

[John]

Or maybe the season ticket holders could not be such prima donnas and be grateful that they can afford to see UConn play in person so many times.

you need to walk a mile in season ticket holder's shoes before making statements.