The Irony

[BFieldHusky]

Just sitting here thinking about this. When in the American, we had to load up our OOC schedule because of how the league really hurt our then RPI/now NET numbers and SOS. Some of our biggest games were around Thanksgiving. Tough to ask a young team to play great their first month of Division 1 ball.

Now in the Big East, we will have 20 plus conference games against Top 125 NET teams. For instance last year, here were the final NET rankings for Big East teams. And remember this was considered a down year for the Big East. The worst team in the Big East was ranked 109.

1. Villanova (28)
2. Marquette (29)
3. Creighton (54)
4. Seton Hall (59)
5. Xavier (64)
6. Butler (66)
7. St. John's (75)
8. Providence (77)
9. Georgetown (84)
10. DePaul (109)

Having these 20 games plus games, a game potentially in the Gavitt Games versus the Big Ten, and a game in the Big 12 challenge will give us an extremely competitive schedule before we schedule anyone. Add in a game like we have scheduled next year at Florida, and we are in amazing shape SOS wise.

The irony is that we may have to "take our foot off the peddle" OOC schedule wise now in the Big East. I like the idea of playing Atlantis or Maui every couple of years, but there is no need to kill ourselves in the non-conference now that we play in a league that will help us SOS wise, and not hurt us. Plus we have the Garden multiple games every year with St. John's and the BET.

Thoughts?

 

[UConnRock]

Just sitting here thinking about this. When in the American, we had to load up our OOC schedule because of how the league really hurt our then RPI/now NET numbers and SOS. Some of our biggest games were around Thanksgiving. Tough to ask a young team to play great their first month of Division 1 ball.

Now in the Big East, we will have 20 plus conference games against Top 125 NET teams. For instance last year, here were the final NET rankings for Big East teams. And remember this was considered a down year for the Big East. The worst team in the Big East was ranked 109.

1. Villanova (28)
2. Marquette (29)
3. Creighton (54)
4. Seton Hall (59)
5. Xavier (64)
6. Butler (66)
7. St. John's (75)
8. Providence (77)
9. Georgetown (84)
10. DePaul (109)

Having these 20 games plus games, a game potentially in the Gavitt Games versus the Big Ten, and a game in the Big 12 challenge will give us an extremely competitive schedule before we schedule anyone. Add in a game like we have scheduled next year at Florida, and we are in amazing shape SOS wise.

The irony is that we may have to "take our foot off the peddle" OOC schedule wise now in the Big East. I like the idea of playing Atlantis or Maui every couple of years, but there is no need to kill ourselves in the non-conference now that we play in a league that will help us SOS wise, and not hurt us. Plus we have the Garden multiple games every year with St. John's and the BET.

Thoughts?

Maybe not, if you have to use basketball games as a bargaining chip for football games.

 

[kansashusky]

Stop with the thoughtful, well articulated posts, and just tell me who is going to sign with UConn.

Kidding aside, I think this is a great point. Top of AAC was never the problem, it was the dregs of the bottom. This will be super helpful throughout the year.

 

[Waquoit]

Top of AAC was never the problem, it was the dregs of the bottom.

Disagree. League leading SMU couldn't fill half of Gampel when Brown was still there. RVW for this crappy league for me.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

Hopefully we don’t go full Jamie Dixon on OOC games, but yeah, we should probably see 1-2 of those games where we had to schedule a major opponent drop down in class. With the conference schedule improving, there will be a bigger priority on stacking wins early on

 

[tcf15]

It's a beautiful thing. Happy that things can go back to normal now and UConn can use November & December for tune ups leading into the conference season.

 

[intlzncster]

Still gotta get a couple Q1 games in there.

Though it really helps that top 75 teams count as Q1 for away games--should hit a decent portion of our league.

And last year in the NBE, a down year, every single away game was either Q1 or Q2. Can't be understated.

 

[NJHoops]

I think they’ll still schedule competitively in the OOC, but a Big East schedule allows for games that move the needle for the tournament all season long. There’s less pressure (but not less motivation) to win the big ones early on. I think that’s a great situation for a team who expects recruiting to stay strong and who will be relying on young talent.

 

[SeattleHoop]

And with the home and home deal w the AAC, we can still play the top of the AAC and say goodbye to the bottom feeders. Idk how anyone could be against this move from a basketball standpoint

 

[Matrim55]

I like the idea of playing Atlantis or Maui every couple of years, but there is no need to kill ourselves in the non-conference now that we play in a league that will help us SOS wise, and not hurt us. Plus we have the Garden multiple games every year with St. John's and the BET.

Thoughts?

Still have to do Atlantis/Maui/Charleston every couple of years, and I'd like for one early-February OOC spotlight game every year (maybe 'Cuse? Maybe Duke or UNC or Kansas or UCLA? Let's aim big). But in general... yeah, I'd expect our OOC slate to trend downwards now. I'd expect us to play a lot of small, no-hoper local schools like CCSU, Sacred Heart, UNH and Boston College.

 

[Dooooooomed]

 

[Guapo]

Just sitting here thinking about this. When in the American, we had to load up our OOC schedule because of how the league really hurt our then RPI/now NET numbers and SOS. Some of our biggest games were around Thanksgiving. Tough to ask a young team to play great their first month of Division 1 ball.

Now in the Big East, we will have 20 plus conference games against Top 125 NET teams. For instance last year, here were the final NET rankings for Big East teams. And remember this was considered a down year for the Big East. The worst team in the Big East was ranked 109.

1. Villanova (28)
2. Marquette (29)
3. Creighton (54)
4. Seton Hall (59)
5. Xavier (64)
6. Butler (66)
7. St. John's (75)
8. Providence (77)
9. Georgetown (84)
10. DePaul (109)

Having these 20 games plus games, a game potentially in the Gavitt Games versus the Big Ten, and a game in the Big 12 challenge will give us an extremely competitive schedule before we schedule anyone. Add in a game like we have scheduled next year at Florida, and we are in amazing shape SOS wise.

The irony is that we may have to "take our foot off the peddle" OOC schedule wise now in the Big East. I like the idea of playing Atlantis or Maui every couple of years, but there is no need to kill ourselves in the non-conference now that we play in a league that will help us SOS wise, and not hurt us. Plus we have the Garden multiple games every year with St. John's and the BET.

Thoughts?

My thoughts are that this is good and the AAC is bad.

 

[kemba]

I wouldn't change too much. Looking at our schedules the last few years compared to when the Big East was at its peak OOC doesn't look that different.

Definitely good to have a lot more opportunities for resume boosting wins though.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

I hope they stagger some cupcakes early and around some Q1 teams. Let them team knock the rust off and build confidence to lead in to some very competitive games that will test them.

If we want to be back on top you have to test yourself throughout the season. They will definitely want some big OOC games early before the conference grind starts.

 

[gtcam]

Still have to do Atlantis/Maui/Charleston every couple of years, and I'd like for one early-February OOC spotlight game every year (maybe 'Cuse? Maybe Duke or UNC or Kansas or UCLA? Let's aim big). But in general... yeah, I'd expect our OOC slate to trend downwards now. I'd expect us to play a lot of small, no-hoper local schools like CCSU, Sacred Heart, UNH and Boston College.

cause isn't thinking big my friend

 

[Fairfield_1st]

I think we need to keep scheduling a tough out of conference schedule. It's important for recruiting. And, since they're instituting a seat donation, you have to make it worth it to the buyer. Can't charge them and then lower the quality.

 

[Vuce]

Coach Hurley just needs to consult the legend JC about how to schedule. He had it down and consistently had real good RPI and SOS when we were top notch. So pumped for the comeback

 

[jibsey]

Scheduling is a function of the talent you have. Without the horses it will not be pretty.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Agree. You keep a few highlight games that are good for your profile nationally but don’t have to worry about loading the schedule up with them. You can then adjust slightly year by year depending upon what Hurley thinks his team needs.

 

[freescooter]

Disagree. League leading SMU couldn't fill half of Gampel when Brown was still there. RVW for this crappy league for me.

You know what? That was our fault not SMU’s. UConn hoop fan base is nothing if not limited in its worldview. And how many of these highly ranked teams got through the first weekend of the Tiurnament? But you’d rather watch UConn-Providence than UConn-pretty much anybody not from the local area. I get it. After all this is s state that thinks if you live in New Haven you need a passport to go to West Hartford. And if you live in west Hartford if you can’t buy something in town you just need to get along without it. So why would want to watch a really good team from say Houston when you can see a mediocre one from New YorK?

 

[Hoophound]

You know what? That was our fault not SMU’s. UConn hoop fan base is nothing if not limited in its worldview. And how many of these highly ranked teams got through the first weekend of the Tiurnament? But you’d rather watch UConn-Providence than UConn-pretty much anybody not from the local area. I get it. After all this is s state that thinks if you live in New Haven you need a passport to go to West Hartford. And if you live in west Hartford if you can’t buy something in town you just need to get along without it. So why would want to watch a really good team from say Houston when you can see a mediocre one from New YorK?

Because we enjoy it more?

 

[UC1995]

You know what? That was our fault not SMU’s. UConn hoop fan base is nothing if not limited in its worldview. And how many of these highly ranked teams got through the first weekend of the Tiurnament? But you’d rather watch UConn-Providence than UConn-pretty much anybody not from the local area. I get it. After all this is s state that thinks if you live in New Haven you need a passport to go to West Hartford. And if you live in west Hartford if you can’t buy something in town you just need to get along without it. So why would want to watch a really good team from say Houston when you can see a mediocre one from New YorK?

Passionate fan bases is what we we enjoy. Outside of a handful of teams in the AAC how many of them even care about basketball.

 

[Waquoit]

You know what? That was our fault not SMU’s.

Enough with assigning fault, WGAS? The market was speaking loud and clear. UConn fans that buy tickets aren't interested in SMU. "Fans" that don't buy tickets and support the program are the ones that have the sads about leaving SMU and Houston behind. Hey, there's always ESPN+ for you guys.

 

[whaler11]

You know what? That was our fault not SMU’s. UConn hoop fan base is nothing if not limited in its worldview. And how many of these highly ranked teams got through the first weekend of the Tiurnament? But you’d rather watch UConn-Providence than UConn-pretty much anybody not from the local area. I get it. After all this is s state that thinks if you live in New Haven you need a passport to go to West Hartford. And if you live in west Hartford if you can’t buy something in town you just need to get along without it. So why would want to watch a really good team from say Houston when you can see a mediocre one from New YorK?

Congrats, you’ve come up with the most epically stupid take throughout this process.

A smart person might realize - wow I sound like a beat writer for Stonington boy’s basketball - perhaps I should reconsider.

Here is the thing about college sports and rivalries... the number one criteria is.... wait for it.... geographic proximity.

That you and other AAC tools can’t wrap your head around the Big East is better and always will
be better at basketball is the cherry on your stupid sundae.

 

[whaler11]

Can you even imagine being so lost you want to be in a conference led by Mike Aresco? After he has spent years screwing you at every turn?

Even the MW commish mocks his latest deal.