Schedule

[TB12]

We all know the Big East does not help us get ready for the Tourney. What was nice this year was that we got a couple league games out of the way in December. I propose that the Huskies try to get 3 - 5 league games in during November and December, freeing up dates In Jan and early Feb for top out of conference games, against top 10 teams. Maybe 1 per week starting the beginning of January. That would get the team battle tested. Do you think we can get the Big East to go along with that? I would rather play them than Central Conn, UMass, etc.

 

[KY Card Fan]

I can't imagine that the rest of the Big East teams would agree to that. You're suggesting that UConn use some Big East games as "warm ups" for the more-important non-conference games. For the rest of the Big East, the conference games are the important games. They use early games against teams like Central Connecticut and UMass as their "warm ups." I can't see any appeal for them in an early-season matchup with UConn

 

[chrissaran]

Hopefully, the other teams in the Big East, seeing how far behind UConn they are, will step up their recruiting, and make the Big East a better conference.

 

[Huskee11]

They don't schedule out of conference cupcakes unless they need to to get a senior a home game. They probably haven't played UMass since the Yankee Conference days. If they have played Central it was a long time ago.

 

[oldude]

FYI, former 2017 #5 recruit Sidney Cooks, a talented 6’4” shooting forward will be bringing her talents to Seton Hall, following her former MS St teammate AEH. The addition of Cooks along with AEH substantially upgrades the Pirates going into next season.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Most of the teams we want to play out of conference have no interest in playing us while they are in the middle of their tough conference schedule. Obviously there are some exceptions to this because ESPN brokers big match-ups and teams covet a national broadcast.

 

[oldude]

Most of the teams we want to play out of conference have no interest in playing us while they are in the middle of their tough conference schedule. Obviously there are some exceptions to this because ESPN brokers big match-ups and teams covet a national broadcast.

Dawn has always been willing to match up with Geno in late January or early February. I think it helps both teams prepare for the Tournament, but it’s not easy to schedule potentially your toughest matchup of the season right in the middle of a usually tough SEC schedule.

 

[mbr33ct]

, this past season the majority of teams/conferences out there did not play much of an OOC schedule to speak of. I'm sure with pauses/cancelled and postponed games affected all involved. For the upcoming season wish and hope Women's Basketball in general, gets back to OOC schedules of days gone by. Yes even the Big East teams will benefit by playing OOC games.

 

[Bald Husky]

Most of the teams we want to play out of conference have no interest in playing us while they are in the middle of their tough conference schedule. Obviously there are some exceptions to this because ESPN brokers big match-ups and teams covet a national broadcast.

Unfortunately ESPN cannot control our schedule, Fox does. HOF and MLK games were always UConn games showcased on ESPN. Now it's a crapshoot, not knowing what the "mens" basketball Gods at Fox will do.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Unfortunately ESPN cannot control our schedule, Fox does. HOF and MLK games were always UConn games showcased on ESPN. Now it's a crapshoot, not knowing what the "mens" basketball Gods at Fox will do.

Who owns the game depends on which court it is played. If it's a home game for UConn, Fox Sports owns the rights, otherwise it will be an ESPN game. Fox Sports doesn't care about women's basketball, but ESPN has made a heavy investment in it going back decades, so they will continue to put us in those big games any chance they can. Haven't looked at the schedule, but if we go down to Louisville or South Carolina those games will be on ESPN, and if Tennessee or Arkansas come up to Connecticut, it will be on Fox Sports.

 

[AmeriConn]

Hopefully, the other teams in the Big East, seeing how far behind UConn they are, will step up their recruiting, and make the Big East a better conference.

I don’t think there is a coach in the Big East who hasn’t always tried to get the very best recruits they can. I have no idea what it will take to get top players to think of the BE as a competitive viable conference.

 

[Stymie]

My guess, top tier bb player and want a top flight education, attend Big East school (Georgetown as an example).
Top tier bb player and just care about hoops, go to Miss. St, (again, just as an example)
Some high quality academics available in Big East.
Quality of education and post graduate opportunities SHOULD be a draw for Big East.

 

[veryolddog]

Perhaps in the future, more of the Big East teams will take the lead from UConn and also add a series of games with the top 25 in the country. Forgive me if I do not remember, but I think DePaul and their head coach have a few top teams on their schedule. The "know it alls" of women's basketball can comment on this because their memories are much better than mine. I also concur with the post by @Stymie that these small schools have a lot to offer from an educational perspective and that "SHOULD be a draw for the Big East".

 

[hoopsfan22]

Perhaps in the future, more of the Big East teams will take the lead from UConn and also add a series of games with the top 25 in the country. Forgive me if I do not remember, but I think DePaul and their head coach have a few top teams on their schedule. The "know it alls" of women's basketball can comment on this because their memories are much better than mine. I also concur with the post by @Stymie that these small schools have a lot to offer from an educational perspective and that "SHOULD be a draw for the Big East".

The schools in the Big East are small catholic schools. The conference's educational appeal left with all of the former members that are now in the B1G and ACC. It's going to be tough if not impossible for this league to ever be more than it is now.

 

[mbr33ct]

Perhaps in the future, more of the Big East teams will take the lead from UConn and also add a series of games with the top 25 in the country. Forgive me if I do not remember, but I think DePaul and their head coach have a few top teams on their schedule. The "know it alls" of women's basketball can comment on this because their memories are much better than mine. I also concur with the post by @Stymie that these small schools have a lot to offer from an educational perspective and that "SHOULD be a draw for the Big East".

I'm sure some Big East teams do try to play a tough(er) OOC schedules. Looking at Marquette's past OOC schedule, excluding this past season for obvious reason(s). For the 2019-20 season, Marquette OOC included Northwestern, Green bay, Miss State and South Dakota State, just about all that have been ranked in top 25. In previous year (2018-19) OOC schedule included South Dakota State, #24 Miami, Michigan, #6 Miss State, Northwestern, Green Bay and #2 ND. As I stated in previous thread, forget what happened this past season, not many teams/conferences played OOC games to speak of. I will just lay low until all teams/conferences actually do play a full schedule.

 

[Aluminny69]

We were supposed toplay Baylor and Louisville AWAY this season. Will we play them home or away next season?

 

[LoboDays]

Hopefully, the other teams in the Big East, seeing how far behind UConn they are, will step up their recruiting, and make the Big East a better conference.

I don’t know if they can just flip a switch and go out and step up recruiting. One problem is the situation the conference is in. A top recruit want to go to a conference that sends teams to the Tourney. The only way that happens is if they get an at large pick since they are never winning the title or the playoffs. As much as I believe that UCONN’s dominance in years past was good for the sport, it’s arguable that their conference dominance holds back the growth of the conferences they have joined in recent years.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I don’t know if they can just flip a switch and go out and step up recruiting. One problem is the situation the conference is in. A top recruit want to go to a conference that sends teams to the Tourney. The only way that happens is if they get an at large pick since they are never winning the title or the playoffs. As much as I believe that UCONN’s dominance in years past was good for the sport, it’s arguable that their conference dominance holds back the growth of the conferences they have joined in recent years.

Especially considering that when UCONN wins its first eleven conference games this coming season, Geno will be at 0.900 winning percentage [decimal for math purists] in conference, and nearing a nine year winning streak as the last loss to a conference team was Notre Dame on March 12, 2013 in the [OLD] Big East Tournament championship game (3rd loss to them in three months, but no worries - still win the NC by beating ND in the National Semi-final less than a month later, [one of the few times that 1 - 3 versus one team in a season is better than okay....] and take care of business vs. Louisville (by 33 points) to tie Pat Summitt with 8 NC's in Stewie's freshman year....

Should UCONN go undefeated in the Big East this year, it would tie the total undefeated conference seasons (nine) with their current consecutive conference season undefeated streak (seven in AAC + two in (new) Big East).

 

[hoopsfan22]

We were supposed toplay Baylor and Louisville AWAY this season. Will we play them home or away next season?

I would assume the games stay on schedule, so if they were planning to play in Connecticut in the 2021-22 season they would still do so.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

FYI, former 2017 #5 recruit Sidney Cooks, a talented 6’4” shooting forward will be bringing her talents to Seton Hall, following her former MS St teammate AEH. The addition of Cooks along with AEH substantially upgrades the Pirates going into next season.

Should the top four: UCONN, Marquette, DePaul, and Seton Hall defeat several teams each in the TOP 25 in OOC, the Big East should gain four teams in the NCAA. That will help recruiting of top talent who want to get two or three "shots at UCONN" each year (for those who want to compete against the best instead of being coached by the best and have a "shot at a NC" each year by defeating whomever shows up in the Regional Final and the Final Four...

 

[oldude]

Should the top four: UCONN, Marquette, DePaul, and Seton Hall defeat several teams each in the TOP 25 in OOC, the Big East should gain four teams in the NCAA. That will help recruiting of top talent who want to get two or three "shots at UCONN" each year (for those who want to compete against the best instead of being coached by the best and have a "shot at a NC" each year by defeating whomever shows up in the Regional Final and the Final Four...

I would love to see it.

 

[MSGRET]

We were supposed toplay Baylor and Louisville AWAY this season. Will we play them home or away next season?

Louisville was a neutral court game, I believe it was the HOF game and it was to be played at the Mohegan Sun. DePaul ended up taking UConn's place and got their rear ends whipped 116 - 75.