Weak schedule

[NycUcWbbFan]

More conference games hurts UConn two ways. They already beat up on the conference so adding two more mainly non-competitive wins when they’d rather face tougher OOC opponents doesn’t help the Huskies. and the bigger (related) reason is the teams in p4 conferences also have two more in-conference games. tougher games. That leaves the p4 schools with less incentive and room to schedule UConn. They may be worried about that extra (probable) loss to UConn. And it could help them if UConn is not as battle tested in OOC games as in previous years heading into the NCAA tourney. Hopefully UConn will overcome the weaker schedule.

Conference realignment. It’s mainly about $$$. Football is by far the biggest consideration. Would expansion get a conference into an additional lucrative market is the main draw. So football is king while mbb is a very small factor and the other sports matter not at all. UConn did fill the Rent with Randy Edsall in the Big East conf.

Also, UConn beat NC (not NCST) in the bowl game last year and the move to the AAC was absolutely football driven. Basketball was not a consideration.

How many national championships does the SEC have? 12

• Details here.
• TN (8), South Carolina (3), LSU (1)

How many national championships does the UConn have? 12

• All in the Big East and AAC

There are advantages to having a “weak conference schedule” prior to the NCAAT.

• There are disadvantages to having a “strong conference schedule” prior to the NCAAT.
• Details here and here. And this thread.

These advantages/ disadvantages probably disappear or reverse at the extremes ((almost) all “weak”/ “strong” regular season games).

But the addition of two conference games? In a backdrop of a revised NCAAT selection criteria that makes it potentially harder for UConn to get a #1 seed with early season losses (which happened last year but did not hurt as Geno and CD’s farm system curriculum has always been to be best prepared team, seedings falling where it does).

40 inimitable years of coaching excellence by Geno and CD is not nothing.

 

[oldude]

How many national championships does the SEC have? 12

• Details here.
• TN (8), South Carolina (3), LSU (1)

How many national championships does the UConn have? 12

• All in the Big East and AAC

There are advantages to having a “weak conference schedule” prior to the NCAAT.

• There are disadvantages to having a “strong conference schedule” prior to the NCAAT.
• Details here and here. And this thread.

These advantages/ disadvantages probably disappear or reverse at the extremes ((almost) all “weak”/ “strong” regular season games).

But the addition of two conference games? In a backdrop of a revised NCAAT selection criteria that makes it potentially harder for UConn to get a #1 seed with early season losses (which happened last year but did not hurt as Geno and CD’s farm system curriculum has always been to be best prepared team, seedings falling where it does).

40 inimitable years of coaching excellence by Geno and CD is not nothing.

While your argument is interesting. There is one factor that overrides the conference argument, and that is the HC. Pat had 8, Kim has 4 (Baylor & LSU), Dawn has 3 and the G.O.A.T. has 12.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

While your argument is interesting. There is one factor that overrides the conference argument, and that is the HC. Pat had 8, Kim has 4 (Baylor & LSU), Dawn has 3 and the G.O.A.T. has 12.

It is always about the program, the coaches and the sustainable ecosystem (recruits, farm system development, culture, standards of excellence, etc.).

The unexamined assumption that some people have is that UConn would be more successful than it already is if it were in a stronger conference.

• None of the SEC’s best teams have achieved what UConn has.
• Thought experiments — and that’s all we can do because “it is what it is” and we cannot do a “what if” — suggests moving to a stronger conference is not a better magic pill than some people think it is.

 

[oldude]

It is always about the program, the coaches and the sustainable ecosystem (recruits, farm system development, culture, standards of excellence, etc.).

The unexamined assumption that some people have is that UConn would be more successful than it already is if it were in a stronger conference.

• None of the SEC’s best teams have achieved what UConn has.
• Thought experiments — and that’s all we can do because “it is what it is” and we cannot do a “what if” — suggests moving to a stronger conference is not a better magic pill than some people think it is.

The complaints about UConn’s weak schedule would be better directed at various teams from the P4 conferences who have all the financial resources in the world, great schools to recruit to and tough competition in conference (reminiscent of the OBE). Hence, the real question should be, “What’s wrong with TX, UCLA, ND, TN, USC etc. that don’t appear capable of winning another championship despite all of their inherent advantages?

 

[HuskyNan]

Side note - what about the strong mid-majors? Usually they want to play anyone any time - but P4 teams tend to avoid them. Green Bay, Gonzaga, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Columbia, Princeton, Harvard, Fairfield, Ball State, James Madison, etc. Would love to see a couple of those on the schedule.

Who would you replace on the schedule?

#21 Louisville
FSU
#25 Ohio State
#24 Michigan
Utah
South Florida
#10 USC
#23 Iowa
#17 Notre Dame
#12 Tennessee

All but Loyola are P4 teams and if UConn wants to get into a conference, playing nice with the P4 is a good idea

 

[ucmiami2]

Schedules are not created during the summer - they are created over a few years - 2 year home and home agreements, and a few that are longer than 2 year. With the transfer portal, team strength of scheduled opponents can change during a small window at the end of the previous season, so what looked like a strong team can become weak, and what looked weak might become strong. And of course freshmen can shine immediately or take a year or more to thrive. And actual play strength of any team can change drastically from 'preseason' and early season 'polls.' Add in injuries to key personnel and surprises happen.

And really, does it matter if your team is a 1 or 2 seed come the NCAAs - you need to win 6 games, 3 of which are going to be extremely competitive, and a 4th that might be tougher than expected.

If Uconn doesn't go undefeated in their OOC then they may well not be a #1 seed in the NCAA, and probably don't deserve a #1 seed - that will depend on the results other teams achieve. Undefeated seasons are rare in WCBB and undefeated seasons heading into the NCAA tournament are also very rare. Our coaches are better at achieving them than all the other coaches combined in Div 1 WCBB history.

I'm not going stressed about strength of schedule. I will get stressed once the tournament begins.

 

[Gael]

The unexamined assumption that some people have is that UConn would be more successful than it already is if it were in a stronger conference.

I can't read peoples' minds, so I don't necessarily know what assumptions they have—examined or unexamined.

But to speculate: The concerns of some fans may not necessarily be about whether UConn in a stronger conference and with a stronger OOC schedule "would be more successful than it already is"—which is looking at past results and the short term present.

Rather, their concerns may be ones that look toward the not-so-distant future when Geno retires. If, when Geno and company retire in a few years, UConn remains in a weak Big East and for some reason cannot conterbalance that with a strong OOC schedule, some fans may be concerned that that situation will make it difficult to recruit not only top players but also an elite replacement coach.

How many NCs have been won this century by non-P5 teams, other than UConn, or by non-elite coaches?

 

[Stagnant]

I just want to say. Pointing out that the schedule is weak is different than hating on it or criticizing it. A reasonable person understands that we are handcuffed to some extent because of our conference affiliation.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

I can't read peoples' minds, so I don't necessarily know what assumptions they have—examined or unexamined.

But to speculate: The concerns of some fans may not necessarily be about whether UConn in a stronger conference and with a stronger OOC schedule "would be more successful than it already is"—which is looking at past results and the short term present.

Rather, their concerns may be ones that look toward the not-so-distant future when Geno retires. If, when Geno and company retire in a few years, UConn remains in a weak Big East and for some reason cannot conterbalance that with a strong OOC schedule, some fans may be concerned that that situation will make it difficult to recruit not only top players but also an elite replacement coach.

How many NCs have been won this century by non-P5 teams, other than UConn, or by non-elite coaches?

I joined the Board last year but I’ve been a lurker forever and have been reading about complaints about the “Big Least” and the AAC for years.

It got most shrill during the long championship drought, and like the proverbial moon, it was something that some people obsessed about as the big culprit. Same as not being able to recruit post players, athletic players, missing out on the last minute on prized recruits, etc.

There are perfectly deducible reasons (biblical injury plague, fatigue due to biblical injury plague, Achilles heels, prior paradigm obstacles to recruiting most-desired bigs, better opposing coach strategy from weaknesses in the roster, some uncharacteristic poor game) and fans have been spoiled by Geno and CD’s repeat successes. UConn has more repeat records than any other program — in fact, repeat records (eg undefeated seasons, repeat championships, etc.) are rare in other programs — a testament to how much of a unicorn Geno and CD are.

So, I don’t necessarily see that people’s angst about Geno’s retirement is the proximate cause for the complaints about the Big East and AAC as it has been going on ad nauseam for a long time.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

The answer: join the ACC.
Come on UConn football.
Would Danny be ok with that switch? BE mens can be really really good.

I would enjoy it, as it would allow a possible matchup every year (and some twice in the ACC tourney) against uNd, Louisville, Stanford, UNC, NC State, Duke, and many who used to be in the OLD Big East.

Then the Out Of Conference games would not be as necessary for strength of schedule.

Go Huskies!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Here's the problem with a weak schedule. Heading into the NCAA's last year, the selection committee was wetting themselves over "Quad 1 wins". However they define them was wrong anyway, as UConn had a few top 25 wins that actually weren't Quad 1, but whatever.

Fast forward to selection Sunday and we were the #5 team so the strongest 2 seed. Again, a joke because anyone with a brain could look at the season after the Tennessee loss and see we should have been a 1 seed, but I digress.

The point is that the committee may yet again look at Quad 1 wins and if UConn loses even 1 game, it could sink us to a 2 seed even tho the other metrics disagree. We will see what they do this year.

Your brilliant point was also made by reading into Geno's comment after the game vs. Louisville: "I like this win, even though we only played 30 minutes of outstanding basketball, the other ten, not so much. Let's not over-analyze it so much that it feels that we lost as we walk out of here tonight."

Sometimes it is: "A win is a win!" Yes, we have some things to work on, but it is going in the right direction.

The schedule is still the schedule. Therefore, control what you can control, and let the rest go.

The Huskies are in good hands, and the women have great attitudes. It is going to be a great season!

Go Huskies!!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Unfortunately, we cannot schedule ourselves. Unfortunately, we are required to schedule Big East opponents.

I think we schedule ourselves every day in practice, and get better as a team. The individual EXTRA workouts are how we get better individually.

Go Huskies!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

I said this is an unusually weak schedule when it came out and that there is a good chance we go undefeated. But that wouldn't necessarily mean we are the best team, we need to play at least one of the other teams that are going to compete for a title like UCLA, South Carolina or Texas. Tennessee will be a tough test for us, but that's about it. This makes me nervous for the tournament because the other conferences are stronger top to bottom so those other teams will be battle tested a little more than us. I trust the coaches though.

LSU won a championship like this. I believe the starters can be better rested, and not dinged up.

The key piece is fine tuning the combinations and proving the concept vs. the better teams on the schedule. At Big Dance time shift to the higher gear with the "Fresh Season That Matters" jump with Blanca, and all others are more than ready by then!

Go Huskies!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

How many national championships does the SEC have? 12

• Details here.
• TN (8), South Carolina (3), LSU (1)

How many national championships does the UConn have? 12

• All in the Big East and AAC

There are advantages to having a “weak conference schedule” prior to the NCAAT.

• There are disadvantages to having a “strong conference schedule” prior to the NCAAT.
• Details here and here. And this thread.

These advantages/ disadvantages probably disappear or reverse at the extremes ((almost) all “weak”/ “strong” regular season games).

But the addition of two conference games? In a backdrop of a revised NCAAT selection criteria that makes it potentially harder for UConn to get a #1 seed with early season losses (which happened last year but did not hurt as Geno and CD’s farm system curriculum has always been to be best prepared team, seedings falling where it does).

40 inimitable years of coaching excellence by Geno and CD is not nothing.

Being a #2 seed allowed the Huskies to defeat three #1 seeds in a row to their #12 NC. Can NEVER be broken, only tied!

I also enjoy the continuous breaking of conference records, such as regular season and conference tournaments, three women on the BE first team, plus 6th player and Freshman of the year, and continuous unanimous choice to win the conference in the pre-season polls.... Not very many disappointments since I started watching UConn on ESPN after the first win vs. the "Evil Orange Empire" on January 16, 1995 at Gampel.

The love of UConn Huskies Women's basketball should override all other distractions. The immortal words from "Stripes" Sargent Hulka apply here, "Lighten Up, Francis!"

Go Huskies!!!

 

[Gael]

Being a #2 seed allowed the Huskies to defeat three #1 seeds in a row to their #12 NC. Can NEVER be broken, only tied!

The only other team to do it was the 1997 men's Arizona Wildcats, who did it as a #4 seed.

 

[EricLA]

Who would you replace on the schedule?

#21 Louisville
FSU
#25 Ohio State
#24 Michigan
Utah
South Florida
#10 USC
#23 Iowa
#17 Notre Dame
#12 Tennessee

All but Loyola are P4 teams and if UConn wants to get into a conference, playing nice with the P4 is a good idea

I was referring to the increase in Big East games which caused us to schedule less OOC games. If the BE games had gone down by 2 instead of up by 2, we'd have room for 4 more games. I wasn't suggesting dropping any of the OOC games on our schedule. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Bottom line i was objecting to the BE forcing us to play 2 more in conference games, which IMHO is a waste.