UConn announces 14-15 non-conference schedule

[tcf15]

UConn Men's Hoops @UConnMBB
#UConn: @UConnMBB announces 12-game non-conference schedule. http://Post original url/1kwBzri

 

[Kembacity]

I like how Central is considered our "In state rival"


really?


how about "bastard cousin"?

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Should be some great out of conference games this season. Texas will be top 15 with all their young returning pieces plus Myles Turner, Duke will be Top 5 with that excellent recruiting class, and Florida should be Top 10 with Kasey Hill, Frazier, Walker, etc.

I think we go 2-1 in those games, but all 3 are winnable.

 

[Kitaman]

At Florida will be a challenge to say the least. Not sure who on their roster still feels the 2013-2014 pain, but Donovan does and I'm sure the fans do as well.

Will probably be our biggest test of the regular season.

 

[Tenspro2002]

So we really are going full-on cupcake for our non-major, non-PR OOC games: Bryant, Yale, Coppin State, Columbia, Central.

I guess 5 of those games is less than we've had in prior years. Still, with the quality of our in-conference foes plummeting, we're going to need to have less of those and more so-so P5 opponents (e.g. Tennessee, Oklahoma, Illinois) or top mid-majors (e.g. VCU, Wichita State, NBE).

[Note: I know there are revenue considerations related to the number of home games, I'm just speaking in terms of quality of basketball opponents and RPI/NCAAT seeding issues.]

 

[Kitaman]

So we really are going full-on cupcake for our non-major, non-PR OOC games: Bryant, Yale, Coppin State, Columbia, Central.

I guess 5 of those games is less than we've had in prior years. Still, with the quality of our in-conference foes plummeting, we're going to need to have less of those and more so-so P5 opponents (e.g. Tennessee, Oklahoma, Illinois) or top mid-majors (e.g. VCU, Wichita State, NBE).

[Note: I know there are revenue considerations related to the number of home games, I'm just speaking in terms of quality of basketball opponents and RPI/NCAAT seeding issues.]

I think scheduling may be problematic in the next couple of years with realignment and desired opponents commitments to other teams. We could be trying to improve our OOC scheduling but dealing with factors not in our control. I understand some mega sized conferences teams are limited in the number of OOC games they can schedule or have multi-year agreements in place.

So I don't think its from lack of effort just the current state of affairs and elements outside our control. Perhaps we should investigate how Izzo has historically done it year in and year out.

 

[Palatine]

So we really are going full-on cupcake for our non-major, non-PR OOC games: Bryant, Yale, Coppin State, Columbia, Central.

I guess 5 of those games is less than we've had in prior years. Still, with the quality of our in-conference foes plummeting, we're going to need to have less of those and more so-so P5 opponents (e.g. Tennessee, Oklahoma, Illinois) or top mid-majors (e.g. VCU, Wichita State, NBE).

[Note: I know there are revenue considerations related to the number of home games, I'm just speaking in terms of quality of basketball opponents and RPI/NCAAT seeding issues.]

If you eliminate all of our OOC games against good competition, our schedule is all cupcakes. Great point.

 

[BoatShow]

I like how Central is considered our "In state rival"


really?


how about "bastard cousin"?

I remember when CCSU had a really nice run in the early 2000s with NCAA appearances and a few long winning streaks. Local media was getting pretty amped for the impending UConn-CCSU matchup early season and were talking about how the Blue Devils were ready to challenge the Huskies. I think the game was 80-something to 50-something. QU (double OT 2 years ago) and Fairfield (a few years back with Ryan Olander dominating) have given UConn some pretty good games instate lately.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

@BoatShow I think QU gave us a good scare the first game of the season back in 2005-2006 too.

 

[BoatShow]

@BoatShow I think QU gave us a good scare the first game of the season back in 2005-2006 too.

Yeah I remember that one and almost included. I think it was an 8-12 pt game.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yeah I remember that one and almost included. I think it was an 8-12 pt game.

Just looked it up. I was wrong on the season (it was 2006-2007).

QU got within 2, with 2:33 to go, then we pulled away to win by 7.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

I think scheduling may be problematic in the next couple of years with realignment and desired opponents commitments to other teams. We could be trying to improve our OOC scheduling but dealing with factors not in our control. I understand some mega sized conferences teams are limited in the number of OOC games they can schedule or have multi-year agreements in place.

So I don't think its from lack of effort just the current state of affairs and elements outside our control. Perhaps we should investigate how Izzo has historically done it year in and year out.

The only thing problematic about next year's schedule is the lack of quality home games. It's an incredibly strong OOC schedule overall.

 

[rw005]

Coppin State is the only one I'm not fond of, would have preferred Maryland Eastern-Shore or NC Central, better than previous years though.

 

[Scot-e]

We don't know how this team is going to gel and it could take a good part of the season for us to do it. I don't know how anyone can think that we will go 2-1 against Dook, Texas and FLA. We could win them all or lose them all. It should be a fun year and we have some great pieces but I hope fans do not have meltdown if it takes a while for us to find our grove.

WE ARE DOOMED!!!!!

 

[John]

I just hope they put Texas at hartford, I'm not excited about the other ooc alternatives

 

[huskyjawz]

Just looked it up. I was wrong on the season (it was 2006-2007).

QU got within 2, with 2:33 to go, then we pulled away to win by 7.

Calhoun criticized The QU coach for playing zone.

 

[EricLA]

If you are looking at the OOC schedule as being interesting or not, the lack of a "ton" of top level competition probably makes it not great. Same goes for our AAC schedule. UCONN should have a really healthy record heading into the AAC tourney and the NCAA's. But it will be a great and interesting season for UCONN fans since KO is coming off a NC and we have so many newbies to root for (or criticize LOL)...

 

[HuskyBballFan]

If you are looking at the OOC schedule as being interesting or not, the lack of a "ton" of top level competition probably makes it not great.

See I really don't understand this sentiment (and you're far from the only one who has expressed this). There are 3 teams on the OOC schedule that could easily be ranked in the top 10 by the time we play them. Plus a tough road game against a Stanford team that was in the elite 8 last year. Plus 2 other decent neutral court games in PR.

I look at this schedule and think it's tougher than any of the OOC slates we've had in recent years. Even more so when you consider that 5 of the 6 most difficult games are away from home.

 

[UConnSwag11]

tickets, when do they go on sale?!

 

[Chief00]

While the overall schedule includes 3 or 4 elite games the home schedule is pretty poor. At the football pre-season alumni event Warde pushed the importance of buying season tickets. I will buy them for both sports but quite frankly Warde needs to step up his home scheduling game. He gets a D in my opinion overall and an F at the XL since Texas is at Gampel.

 

[BearJWS]

Our OOC schedule is on par with many top schools. There are always lots of cupcakes early on, along with big games which are often televised. Most big time programs mix it up similarly. Below is Puke's OOC schedule, not much different. Bigger games bolded.

Puke's OOC:
Tues., Nov. 4: Livingstone (Exh)
Sat., Nov. 8: Central Missouri (Exh)
Fri., Nov. 14: Presbyterian
Sat., Nov. 15: Fairfield
Tues., Nov. 18: at MichiganState, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis (Champions Classic)
Fri., Nov. 21: vs. Temple, BarclaysCenter, Brooklyn (Coaches Vs. Cancer 2K Classic)
Sat., Nov. 22: vs. Stanford or UNLV, BarclaysCenter, Brooklyn (Coaches Vs. Cancer 2K Classic)
Wed., Nov. 26: Furman
Sun., Nov. 30: Army
Wed., Dec. 3: at Wisconsin (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)
Mon., Dec. 15: Elon
Thurs., Dec. 18: vs. Connecticut, Izod Center, New Jersey
Mon., Dec. 29: Toledo
Wed., Dec. 31: Wofford
Sun., Jan. 25: at St. John’s, MadisonSquareGarden
Amazingly, no Davidson this year....

 

[John]

Our OOC schedule is on par with many top schools. There are always lots of cupcakes early on, along with big games which are often televised. Most big time programs mix it up similarly. Below is Puke's OOC schedule, not much different. Bigger games bolded.

Puke's OOC:
Tues., Nov. 4: Livingstone (Exh)
Sat., Nov. 8: Central Missouri (Exh)
Fri., Nov. 14: Presbyterian
Sat., Nov. 15: Fairfield
Tues., Nov. 18: at MichiganState, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis (Champions Classic)
Fri., Nov. 21: vs. Temple, BarclaysCenter, Brooklyn (Coaches Vs. Cancer 2K Classic)
Sat., Nov. 22: vs. Stanford or UNLV, BarclaysCenter, Brooklyn (Coaches Vs. Cancer 2K Classic)
Wed., Nov. 26: Furman
Sun., Nov. 30: Army
Wed., Dec. 3: at Wisconsin (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)
Mon., Dec. 15: Elon
Thurs., Dec. 18: vs. Connecticut, Izod Center, New Jersey
Mon., Dec. 29: Toledo
Wed., Dec. 31: Wofford
Sun., Jan. 25: at St. John’s, MadisonSquareGarden
Amazingly, no Davidson this year....

That's great, but Duke will play a conference schedule that is much more difficult.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Bryant and Yale expected to compete for 1st in their conference, so shouldn't be RPI killers

 

[defaultroute]

No Harvard?

 

[upstater]

While the overall schedule includes 3 or 4 elite games the home schedule is pretty poor. At the football pre-season alumni event Warde pushed the importance of buying season tickets. I will buy them for both sports but quite frankly Warde needs to step up his home scheduling game. He gets a D in my opinion overall and an F at the XL since Texas is at Gampel.

In order to schedule top games against top teams you need home and homes.

So, Florida and Stanford traveled last year, Texas travels this year.

People are essentially complaining that UConn is in the AAC, which falls under the No Sh-- Sherlock category.