The bottom teams in the American need to get better

[johnhuskies95]

How you do against top 50 RPI teams doesn't even seem to really matter any more. Even the RPI doesn't seem to matter too much anymore. It's mostly about your schedule strength.

One of the good things about the American currently is that if you have 4 top 50 teams, with the conference tournament that gives you a number of chances to pick up top 50 teams cause you're gonna play the other teams twice. But you also play the bad teams twice which are killers. UConn played 15 top 50 RPI games this year, which is a lot. They only played 11 in 2012. And still, UConn had an SOS rank of 67.

Teams like Stanford and Florida falling apart didn't help obviously, and we desperately need to get Coppin State off the schedule, but it doesn't really matter too much if you're playing 9-10 games a year against conference teams with a +200 RPI.

 

[UConnDan97]

I think the bottom will get better sooner rather than later.

1) Orlando Antigua has the youngest team in the country at USF (I know this because I heard it on ESPN every 14 seconds when we play them). They'll likely get much better than what they were this year.

2) It's only a matter of time before Kelvin Sampson gets his cheating....I mean, his "system"....into place at Houston.

3) I think UCF will get better. They seem to find a gem or two that can help them out, and if that kid McBride loses 30 pounds, he's going to be Shaq reincarnated.

4) ECU showed some signs of life down the stretch. I don't know how long it will take them to get their act together, but they snuck up on both Cincy and Memphis this year, so maybe it's not too far away.

Let's hope this conference can do a lot better in the OOC next season, so that we don't pay the price for "guilt by association"...

 

[willie99]

I think they will improve

 

[Slasher]

I agree 100% This is the key to the conference. The bottom half needs to be 100-150 in the RPI, not in the 200s. Killed the conference this year (and last year.)

 

[HuskyBoi]

Tulsa is gonna be better with their guards coming back and Houston may give a bit of a surprise. ECU also, but I'm afraid for Temple who might just lose everyone besides that Jaylen Bond kid. I'm not very high on Temple next season.

 

[pnow15]

I think the RPI is a bogus system set by p-5 to make sure that the p-5 controls the future of college basketball.
To unequivocally claim that Temple should be denied a bid in the NCAA Tournament because Tulane played a weak schedule is absurd.
So, just exactly who are the bottom 150 teams supposed to play and how do they attract top recruits if the fraudulent NCAA committee penalizes any team that schedules them. It is a blatant attempt literally to marginalize half of the basketball schools in the country.
Why do we except this phony premise? The American Conference needs to sue the NCAA. Let them explain this crap to a judge.
And who decides what the RP-LIES are for the lesser schools? People with a vested interest in the P-5.

 

[Slasher]

The RPI has been around forever and it's really easy to cheat. Look at Colorado State, they had a high RPI without really beating anyone of substance. Buffalo too. But the thing is, if more teams in the conference did this, it would make the actual good teams in the conference look good with even better RPIs. Check out those two resumes, they're both pretty mediocre with high RPIs. If the ECU, USF, UCF, Houston, etc. tried to do this it would help UConn, Cincinnati, SMU, Temple, and Memphis.

 

[deedougie]

And UConn (RPI 70, Non-Conference SOS 120) has to say goodbye to some of the cupcakes they have on their schedule. Goodbye CCSU (343), College of Charleston (294) and Coppin State (312). They can't afford to play these teams anymore. Bryant (189) and Columbia (196 RPI) is about the lowest quality of team they can afford to play, and have to be considered the new "cupcake" games for UConn considering E Carolina, Houston, Tulane, USF and UCF had horrible RPI and might for a few years. Hello A-10 and mid major teams to boost the RPI next season.

UConn needs to follow with scheduling similar to Gonzaga (RPI 8, Non Conference SOS: 20):

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/2250

Early offseason schedule of: SMU, Georgia, St. John's, @UCLA, @Arizona, Washington St.,

They had one really bad team RPI wise non-conference in SE Louisana (329), so their conference wins to Loyola Marymount (262), Santa Clara (202), Pacific (238), Cal Poly (198) and U San Francisco (189) don't really hurt them as much.

 

[jibsey]

The top 5 teams in the conference being good. Need chances against ranked teams to be sprinkled throughout. This year we had one, SMU. In the old BE it didn't hurt that Rutgers, Seton Hall, Providence, Marquette were low ranked because the top was strong.

 

[tzznandrew]

And UConn has to say goodbye to some of the cupcakes they have on their schedule. Goodbye CCSU (343), College of Charleston (294) and Coppin State (312). They can't afford to play these teams anymore. Bryant (189) and Columbia (196 RPI) is about the lowest quality of team they can afford to play, and have to be considered the new "cupcake" games for UConn considering E Carolina, Houston, Tulane, USF and UCF had horrible RPI and might for a few years. Hello A-10 and mid major teams to boost the RPI next season.

Charleston was in the tournament where we also got a shot at Dayton and West Virginia.

Every team has some really bad teams on their schedule. They just don't usually have as many also in the conference.

Next year we're back at the Battle4Atlantis, this time with a better field: (EDIT: wrong field...see below). They also go to Texas and are playing Ohio State. Their OOC is going to be fine. We need to hope the rest of the conference doesn't embarrass themselves.

 

[jibsey]

Charleston was in the tournament where we also got a shot at Dayton and West Virginia.

Every team has some really bad teams on their schedule. They just don't usually have as many also in the conference.

Next year we're back at the Battle4Atlantis, this time with a better field: Wisconsin, Florida, Georgetown, UCLA, Butler, Oklahoma, North Carolina and UAB from what I saw. They also go to Texas and are playing Ohio State. Their OOC is going to be fine. We need to hope the rest of the conference doesn't embarrass themselves.

How many teams do we play in that field, 2? We need to go crazy on the OOC, but once again it's all early stuff and if your team is not far enough along.....

 

[tzznandrew]

How many teams do we play in that field, 2? We need to go crazy on the OOC, but once again it's all early stuff and if your team is not far enough along.....

I just googled it: I was looking at this year's field. Here is the field: Syracuse, UConn, Michigan, Gonzaga, Texas, Washington, Texas A&M and Charlotte. (Link)

Provided we don't start with Charlotte, all those are teams that will help the resume. And there are 3 games there.

Add in Texas and Ohio State, and other games I know I'm forgetting, and we'll see a really good NCSOS.

 

[deedougie]

Also you have to give credit to SMU and Cincy with their schedule this year.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/2567 (RPI 13, Non Conference SOS 7)
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/2132 (RPI 41, Non Conference SOS 27)

You have to feel bad for Temple:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/218 (RPI 34, Non Conference SOS 48)

And its clear why Tulsa was a longshot:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/202 (RPI 47, Non Conference SOS 150)

And since I've gone this far the rest of the conference RPI stats:

AAC (RPI / Non Conference SOS)

Memphis (86 /23)
Tulane (212/331)
E Carolina (220/299)
Houston (239/ 320)
UCF (256/302)
USF (273/194)

 

[tzznandrew]

Also you have to give credit to SMU and Cincy with their schedule this year.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/2567 (RPI 13, Non Conference SOS 7)
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/2132 (RPI 41, Non Conference SOS 27)

You have to feel bad for Temple:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/218 (RPI 34, Non Conference SOS 48)

And its clear why Tulsa was a longshot:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/202 (RPI 47, Non Conference SOS 150)

And since I've gone this far the rest of the conference RPI stats:

AAC (RPI / Non Conference SOS)

Memphis (86 /23)
Tulane (212/331)
E Carolina (220/299)
Houston (239/ 320)
UCF (256/302)
USF (273/194)

So, SMU, Cincy, Temple, Memphis, and UConn scheduled like real teams. Memphis, UConn, and Temple didn't win enough of those games for a number of reasons, and they didn't make it. None of the other teams did what they had to do.

I get that it is difficult for those bottom teams to schedule. No one wants to do home and home with them. So do some road games only (it ain't like they have home crowds to generate ticket money) and try to get home and homes with middle of the pack A10/MWC schools who are also looking for that sort of thing.

 

[3rdbass]

Also you have to give credit to SMU and Cincy with their schedule this year.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/2567 (RPI 13, Non Conference SOS 7)
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/2132 (RPI 41, Non Conference SOS 27)

You have to feel bad for Temple:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/218 (RPI 34, Non Conference SOS 48)

And its clear why Tulsa was a longshot:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi/_/teamId/202 (RPI 47, Non Conference SOS 150)

And since I've gone this far the rest of the conference RPI stats:

AAC (RPI / Non Conference SOS)

Memphis (86 /23)
Tulane (212/331)
E Carolina (220/299)
Houston (239/ 320)
UCF (256/302)
USF (273/194)

Yeah, the bottom feeders have to get better. The good thing we have to look at was the PAC 12 only had 2 in the bracket in 2012. So we have a chance to rebound from this year.

 

[CTBasketball]

The conference as a whole needs to outplay other conferences between November and January. The Big East got off to a quick start going like 39-0 or something, and it eventually helped come March. Their conference RPI was ranked 2nd, as well as their overall SOS. This conference needs a 40-0 start

 

[pnow15]

This whole RPI things need to be redone. What is UConn supposed to do? Fly a thousands mile to every game?
Schools can't play other instate schools to give the smaller school a payday?
This is so corrupted. I thought getting an education was the main goal here. Apparently to the NCAA, a low RPI is better.
When Kids from West Virginia have to fly a thousand miles for every single in conference game, this whole thing has gotten way off the reservation.
March Madness has turned into year round insanity.
And all this is being driven by a desire for the P-5 to suck in every last television dollar.

 

[tzznandrew]

This whole RPI things need to be redone. What is UConn supposed to do? Fly a thousands mile to every game?
Schools can't play other instate schools to give the smaller school a payday?

You can absolutely play small, in-state schools. What you can't have is the combination of smaller, in-state schools, a lack of marquee OOC wins, and a conference where you're 45% is sub-100 RPI.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Would mid level A10 teams even agree to 1 off away games?

I agree it's difficult to predict just how bad our cupcakes will be on a yearly basis, but you have to imagine you have an idea of who should float around 200 and who will be sub 300.

 

[Brochacho]

Some scheduling notes, current as of February and March:
Houston is actively searching for a H/H
Cincy is looking for a H/H, as well as a high major neutral site game. Their home and home interests match up with Tennessee's.
Tulane is looking for H/H opponent from "top 10 league"
Tulsa looking for H/H or neutral series

Those 4 programs + ECU are looking for guarantee games, as one might expect.

 

[Inyatkin]

I thought getting an education was the main goal here.

Well there's your first mistake.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

why would any of these programs spend a nickel more than they have to after what happened yesterday? The committee said, loud and clear, that W/L and RPI don't matter, so why spend any money to get better?

 

[deedougie]

This whole RPI things need to be redone. What is UConn supposed to do? Fly a thousands mile to every game?

I'm sorry but you have to kill off playing CCSU. UConn should play is Yale and possibly Fairfield in CT. There are plenty of qualified candidates to play nearby. It would be fun if we could start playing UMass (80 RPI) or Northeastern (85 RPI) regularly. Providence (23 RPI) I'm sure would love to play us and maybe St. John's (36 RPI) or Buffalo (29 RPI). Or a bit lower down Boston University (199 RPI), Rutgers (174 RPI), Holy Cross (200 RPI), Stony Brook (109 RPI), Hofstra (173 RPI)

There are plenty of options close to UConn to play in December without flying all across the country (even less than when they are in conference). I'm sure many of these teams would be willing to play UConn and even a few (Providence, UMass, St. John's) play a HnH.

 

[tzznandrew]

Would mid level A10 teams even agree to 1 off away games?

I agree it's difficult to predict just how bad our cupcakes will be on a yearly basis, but you have to imagine you have an idea of who should float around 200 and who will be sub 300.

Right. UConn might be able to reach down and get one for a one-off. But we don't necessarily need to. We get H/H with high-majors and neutral court sites against them. Cincy can get some of that too.

But generally American teams can't.

They should be looking for H/H with teams like Boise/Colorado State/Wyoming/Davidson/Richmond/Dayton, and maybe some lower-tier BE schools like Creighton and DePaul.

 

[UCweCONN]

There are only 3 legitimate basketball schools in the AAC, UCONN, Memphis, and Cincinnati (some could argue Temple, but I'm not one of them). That just doesn't make for a viable conference. Those teams will beat up on the scrubs and beat each other up year after year. The end result is week resume's and as I said in my post yesterday, teams forced to win the regular season or league tournament to get into the NCAA Tourney. I see a lot of NIT's in a lot of schools' futures, including ours, so we should get used to it and go all out in the one starting Wednesday. This conference is the Frankenstein's monster of college basketball, made from the rotten scrap body parts of other defunct conferences. Just look at the distribution of teams. This is a Southern conference for the most part. We don't belong. We belong in the ACC. We could be adequate in football there and strong in basketball.