then give us an opponent that we have some hope could possibly help our rankings. This is lose lose we win so what, we lose it hurts. What is a full slate of home games? Is there a limit? I don't get this at all.
2018-2019 Basketball Schedule
- Thread starter spiderstudent17
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I was just attempting to answer your question I don't have all the answers. Urfan also suggested it was originally intended as some type of doubleheader or a 2 day 4 team tourney. Look our schedule sucks. This isn't hurting it, a neutral site W over High Point could actually help which says all you need to know about the schedule. It is strange game when looking at the schedule don't get me wrong but way down the list of issues.
We have a lot of home games. Higher than average for us. No limit, although there really should be a NCAA mandated limit, require these P5 conf teams to play true road games, but that's another subject. I'm guessing the staff was looking to find another road/neutral game based on our home slate, and they clearly weren't looking to schedule up this OOC.
This whole schedule is a lose-lose for us. We have a bunch of home games against teams that will be in sub 150 and sub 200 RPI (or whatever the new metric is). We have very few if any chances to pick up a quality OOC win. Georgetown, Loyola, and Wake and none of those teams are definite quality wins, even if we do happen to beat them. Wake and Georgetown wouldn't have been good wins last year for us (of course we lost both).
This schedule is designed for one reason and one reason only. To make our win total look good at the end of they year. If we can't win 9 or 10 games against this group of cream puffs, Mooney might as well turn his resignation letter in January. And even if we do win 9 or 10 games, what have we really shown? That we are better than Longwood, Coppin State, IUPUI, and Hampton. We're an A-10 school, we should beat those teams with one hand tied behind our back every single year.
If Hardt has any long term vision what so ever as to what he expects out of men's basketball program to be, this schedule should make his blood boil. I wonder if he had any input or if this was solely Mooney's doing.
This schedule is designed for one reason and one reason only. To make our win total look good at the end of they year. If we can't win 9 or 10 games against this group of cream puffs, Mooney might as well turn his resignation letter in January. And even if we do win 9 or 10 games, what have we really shown? That we are better than Longwood, Coppin State, IUPUI, and Hampton. We're an A-10 school, we should beat those teams with one hand tied behind our back every single year.
If Hardt has any long term vision what so ever as to what he expects out of men's basketball program to be, this schedule should make his blood boil. I wonder if he had any input or if this was solely Mooney's doing.
lol. are the guys bitching about the schedule the same guys on record saying we suck, we'll come in 10th in the A10, and might only win 8 games?
yet you're going to complain that this schedule doesn't give us enough juice for at-large consideration???
if we're good enough, we'll win enough and be considered.
if we're not good enough, we wont. like last year. regardless of the schedule.
is this an entertainment value issue, or are you worried we'll win too many games and you won't get your coaching change?
yet you're going to complain that this schedule doesn't give us enough juice for at-large consideration???
if we're good enough, we'll win enough and be considered.
if we're not good enough, we wont. like last year. regardless of the schedule.
is this an entertainment value issue, or are you worried we'll win too many games and you won't get your coaching change?
S-man, I think the feeling prevailing thought now is that Hardt cannot be happy with this schedule.
In general, if we are in the year that was pointed to as our NCAA year - two years ago and we are scheduling like a 10th place MACC or Big South team, yes that is something to bitch about. That is part of the problem, there is always an excuse that places us two years out. Top coaches want to schedule competitively every year in order to attract top players and shoot for the stars. Not the case with Mooney.
In general, if we are in the year that was pointed to as our NCAA year - two years ago and we are scheduling like a 10th place MACC or Big South team, yes that is something to bitch about. That is part of the problem, there is always an excuse that places us two years out. Top coaches want to schedule competitively every year in order to attract top players and shoot for the stars. Not the case with Mooney.
The answer to your question is yes and no. The concern is that beating a bunch of cupcakes in OOC is not really indicative of us improving as a team. Yet, Mooney can point to the number of wins as a sign of improvement. This, though, is because we lowered the competition rather than raising our own performance on the court or coaching on Mooney's part. So what this would result in is the fictitious notion that we are getting better, so Mooney can keep his job. Essentially, this schedule is trying to put a band-aid over the true underlying problem, which is that Mooney's coaching and recruiting (overall the last 7 years) has not been up to the standards an A10 level coach making a million dollars a year should be. So as a fan, yes my worry is that if Mooney is winning these cupcake games but not producing NCAA tournament results, then he will continue to be the coach on the basis of "number of wins" and we will remain in the NCAA drought we are in. This schedule is analogous to a basketball player scoring 15 points when his team is down 40 points with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter. His stats - with no context - appear as though the player had a great game. However, when realizing those points were irrelevant since the game was lost anyway, it sheds a truer light on the situation.
However with all that said, if we happen to go 11-2 in OOC AND have a stellar record in A10 and make the tournament with a 20+ win season then fantastic, Mooney deserves to stay another year. Really it boils down to that as fans we expect success to be 1) making the NCAA tournament and 2) winning the A10 tournament . If we do that with a 18 win season great. If we do it with a 22+ win season even better.
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Scheduling the best most high quality OOC used to be a standard for our program.
A high quality OOC does many things for your program and team including:
1. Resume building for NCAA consideration. We literally have no chance with an at-large with this schedule.
2. Preparing the team for conference play by testing them against tough competition
3. Give the program numerous opportunities for national TV exposure
4. If you get a big win, lots of publicity (which helps with recruiting)
5. Give the players games to really get up for and look forward to
6. Projects an image of the program that you are willing to play anyone/anywhere
7. Gives your fans big games to look forward to.
What does this schedule do for us?
Well said, 17. Total wins and losses at the end of the year is only but one metric Mooney will be evaluated on. If we go 10-3 OOC and then win 6-7 games in the A-10 this year finishing in the bottom half of the league, it is not going to take a rocket scientist to discern why.
If I'm Mooney, I schedule tough this year and challenge my team and my detractors by stating we are building something here and not afraid of anyone.
Instead, he chose to do what any of his detractors knew he would do, try to inflate his record with a bunch of easy wins because he knows we aren't going to be very good and he doesn't want that to reflect on him. He continues to project an aura of weakness around our program and his own leadership/coaching abilities. It is so predictable.
Wins us 18 games, protects the coach's credibility with those that won't bother to analyze what is going on with our hoops program ... and leaves us having the same debate next year. That's what it does for us.
You guys know I'm not a truther, but I'm going to give the decision makers the benefit of the doubt that they'll see right through this when analyzing our program.
I'd definitely like to see a tougher OOC schedule with more marquee games, but if the stated goal (from Hardt) is to compete for A10 championships, isn't the OOC kind of irrelevant? (At least in the evaluation phase. It is certainly relevant for the reasons listed above.)
I'd definitely like to see a tougher OOC schedule with more marquee games, but if the stated goal (from Hardt) is to compete for A10 championships, isn't the OOC kind of irrelevant? (At least in the evaluation phase. It is certainly relevant for the reasons listed above.)
97, I've been around here a long time. I'm fully aware of the perceived benefits of a tough schedule ... when it's appropriate. in a year where you truly feel we're an at-large quality team.
we over-scheduled last year. we shouldn't have had the #61 out of conference SOS. It crushed us and here we are. so to your points:
1. Resume building for NCAA consideration. A lot of new faces, 1 senior, 2 juniors. We aren't beating great teams early in the year. just aren't.
2. Preparing the team for conference play by testing them against tough competition. OK
3. Give the program numerous opportunities for national TV exposure
Post season is the only real exposure
4. If you get a big win, lots of publicity (which helps with recruiting)
How many big wins OOC have we had in the past 30 years that gave us great publicity? Post season is the only real exposure
5. Give the players games to really get up for and look forward to
really? we can't look past anyone.
6. Projects an image of the program that you are willing to play anyone/anywhere So what? All that matters is conference championships and post season.
7. Gives your fans big games to look forward to. We have a few big name games. How many more did we have last year or in any other year?
There are reasons for a less aggressive schedule too.
Such as letting a team grow together.
Getting newcomers experience with the system.
Building confidence.
Actually winning games so fans and media don't write off the season in December.
we have 10 underclassmen. continue to blame Mooney all day for that if you think it's all on him. that's fine. but that doesn't change the fact that we have 10 underclassmen and a transfer junior.
the schedule is appropriate. it gives us a chance. and if we have a decent record OOC against some weak teams but stink in conference ... Hardt's not a dummy. he'll still review our coach on where the program is, where he believes it's heading, and the cost associated with a change.
we over-scheduled last year. we shouldn't have had the #61 out of conference SOS. It crushed us and here we are. so to your points:
1. Resume building for NCAA consideration. A lot of new faces, 1 senior, 2 juniors. We aren't beating great teams early in the year. just aren't.
2. Preparing the team for conference play by testing them against tough competition. OK
3. Give the program numerous opportunities for national TV exposure
Post season is the only real exposure
4. If you get a big win, lots of publicity (which helps with recruiting)
How many big wins OOC have we had in the past 30 years that gave us great publicity? Post season is the only real exposure
5. Give the players games to really get up for and look forward to
really? we can't look past anyone.
6. Projects an image of the program that you are willing to play anyone/anywhere So what? All that matters is conference championships and post season.
7. Gives your fans big games to look forward to. We have a few big name games. How many more did we have last year or in any other year?
There are reasons for a less aggressive schedule too.
Such as letting a team grow together.
Getting newcomers experience with the system.
Building confidence.
Actually winning games so fans and media don't write off the season in December.
we have 10 underclassmen. continue to blame Mooney all day for that if you think it's all on him. that's fine. but that doesn't change the fact that we have 10 underclassmen and a transfer junior.
the schedule is appropriate. it gives us a chance. and if we have a decent record OOC against some weak teams but stink in conference ... Hardt's not a dummy. he'll still review our coach on where the program is, where he believes it's heading, and the cost associated with a change.
Choppin, you may want to jump on the truther bus on this board for awhile. Nothing against you, I just feel like FMM is too strong for them currently and they could use all the help they can get.
We had no chance at any kind of at large bid, so I agree the schedule is irrelevant. Still, it looks terrible. Hardt is experienced enough not to be fooled by meaningless wins.
The more relevant question is what is it going to take to right the ship.
We all know why the schedule is the way it is. We all know there was no realistic chance for an at-large this year. We all know Mooney's seat is the hottest it has ever been. I think a lot of people here are disgruntled enough with the program that everything related to the program is being viewed through a 'glass half empty' lens.
Disagree that postseason is the only real exposure. There are a lot of games on TV now, and playing on ESPN matters, playing on Fox matters, playing on NBCSN matters. In recruiting, in exposure, in the minds of the team and fans. It just does matter that we play on TV, and preferably against good teams. So I disagree with that point, vehemently.
However, I do agree that we scheduled appropriately for the construct of this team.
i also agree that it is inane to think that Hardt is so obtuse as to not understand the correlation between wins against good teams and wins against bad teams.
fair enough.
I too enjoy playing big games on TV. but every team outside the P6 is complaining how hard it is to get those game, and forget home and homes.
I don't think we're ready to play those games on the road early this season anyway. too many new pieces. if we do well this season, hopefully we can boost the schedule next year.
I too enjoy playing big games on TV. but every team outside the P6 is complaining how hard it is to get those game, and forget home and homes.
I don't think we're ready to play those games on the road early this season anyway. too many new pieces. if we do well this season, hopefully we can boost the schedule next year.
S-man. Thanks for your response to my post. I gave some good reasons why you should always schedule tough and you gave some good responses. I don't agree with some of them as you don't agree with all of mine. But good give and take.
S-man, you have been an ardent defender of Mooney, and I see even in your posts now a realization as to the state of the program under Mooney. I think everyone sees that now. I've had lots of conversations with folks who are both fans of our program and just basketball fans in the Richmond area and they all are saying pretty much the same thing.
It is quite obvious that Mooney is coaching for his job this year, that is not speculative anymore, that is reality. The only thing up for debate is what metric(s) he needs to achieve in order to keep it. I don't think it is so much wins and losses but how we play and perform throughout the year.
agreed. clearly CM has to show Hardt we're heading in the right direction. you make decisions based on what you feel is best for the future. he has to show we're improving, that he has talent in place that can win, that he's attracting future talent, that they work they're asses off for him ... and that he can coach.
I don't think the metric for Hardt will be a strict number of wins or a postseason win. so I don't think the toughness of the schedule will have an impact on Hardt's decision either way. the fear that CM will trick Hardt with extra wins over Coppin St and Longwood is irrational in my opinion. doesn't mean he can't convince Hardt that he can win, though.
but back to the schedule ...
people are arguing that we want to play big teams and get recognition, but the top of our schedule is very similar to last years. it's the bottom of the schedule that got weaker.
Cincinnati was a big name game, and it's replaced with a final 4 team in Loyola Chicago. that's a wash.
Wake, Georgetown, BC (or Wyoming) and ODU all return so we're still at a wash.
what other big games did we have last year? Vermont and Bucknell? La Lafayette? did we know they were good? are those big games? they're fine, but not ESPN worthy and not getting recruits excited.
so the top of our schedule is similar to last year. yes, we replaced UAB, Delaware, Jacksonville St, and JMU with with weak programs, but they aren't replacing great programs either.
this isn't the kind of schedule you put together when you feel you're loaded, when you have 4 senior starters and want to build a resume. but it's appropriate for this year.
I don't think the metric for Hardt will be a strict number of wins or a postseason win. so I don't think the toughness of the schedule will have an impact on Hardt's decision either way. the fear that CM will trick Hardt with extra wins over Coppin St and Longwood is irrational in my opinion. doesn't mean he can't convince Hardt that he can win, though.
but back to the schedule ...
people are arguing that we want to play big teams and get recognition, but the top of our schedule is very similar to last years. it's the bottom of the schedule that got weaker.
Cincinnati was a big name game, and it's replaced with a final 4 team in Loyola Chicago. that's a wash.
Wake, Georgetown, BC (or Wyoming) and ODU all return so we're still at a wash.
what other big games did we have last year? Vermont and Bucknell? La Lafayette? did we know they were good? are those big games? they're fine, but not ESPN worthy and not getting recruits excited.
so the top of our schedule is similar to last year. yes, we replaced UAB, Delaware, Jacksonville St, and JMU with with weak programs, but they aren't replacing great programs either.
this isn't the kind of schedule you put together when you feel you're loaded, when you have 4 senior starters and want to build a resume. but it's appropriate for this year.
I was not a fan of last year's schedule either. As it turned out though, Vermont, La Lafeyette, and Bucknell all had 25 plus wins and were Top 100 teams and then schedule turned out to be really good. I doubt Coppin St., Longwood, IUPUI, High Point, etc.. will even remotely approach those profiles. So, we are replacing multiple Top 100 games with multiple probably sub 200 games. That is a huge swing.
agreed. none of those teams will win a lot. our SOS will certainly be weaker. but the other factors didn't change much.
chances for "marquee" wins didn't change. big games for fan, players and recruits to look forward to didn't change. exposure didn't change. we're just playing fewer strong middling teams.
the plus side is we should win more. I know we can't get overly excited beating Coppin St. we might not really know what we have until conference play. but right now that sounds better than writing off the season before January. let's get to conference play with some confidence. and hopefully a good win or 2.
I don't want this as a long term plan, but I'm ok with it this year.
chances for "marquee" wins didn't change. big games for fan, players and recruits to look forward to didn't change. exposure didn't change. we're just playing fewer strong middling teams.
the plus side is we should win more. I know we can't get overly excited beating Coppin St. we might not really know what we have until conference play. but right now that sounds better than writing off the season before January. let's get to conference play with some confidence. and hopefully a good win or 2.
I don't want this as a long term plan, but I'm ok with it this year.
A couple of year's back I said UR should implement the "Davidson Strategy" of scheduling. This essentially was that Davidson would play a couple of really good teams like UNC or Duke and their RPI would go up even if they lost. There would also be a couple of cupcake teams for essentially assured victories. However, the majority of their games were against teams that were hovering around the 150 +/- 25 RPI. So they were certainly beatable teams and if those teams happened to have a good year that year all of a sudden a couple of 175 rpi wins became solid sub-125 wins.
UR needs to do the same. The goal should be to play 2-3 teams that are very good and are consistently top 50 rpi. We should then play 2-3 cupcake teams. But the majority of teams should be against teams like Bucknell, ODU, Vermont, Middle Tennessee, Northeastern, Iona, Louisiana Lafeyette, Valparaiso, etc. Teams that we should beat at least half of them (if we played 6 or 7 of these teams) and they could then potentially become really solid RPI wins. Teams like Coppin State or Longwood are going to perpetually be bottom dwellers. Beating them will lower our RPI and losing to them will be even worse.
UR needs to do the same. The goal should be to play 2-3 teams that are very good and are consistently top 50 rpi. We should then play 2-3 cupcake teams. But the majority of teams should be against teams like Bucknell, ODU, Vermont, Middle Tennessee, Northeastern, Iona, Louisiana Lafeyette, Valparaiso, etc. Teams that we should beat at least half of them (if we played 6 or 7 of these teams) and they could then potentially become really solid RPI wins. Teams like Coppin State or Longwood are going to perpetually be bottom dwellers. Beating them will lower our RPI and losing to them will be even worse.
Very true. Left unsaid is what happens if we actually lose to an IUPUI, St. Francis, Coppin State, Longwood home game.
Does anyone know if all the ESPN+ coverage means that the games will no longer air locally on NBC Sports Washington/+? Or will they be on TV as well? The ESPN+ seems good for any (likely small) up-tick in national exposure but unhelpful for local exposure.
Unfortunatley - we have a coach who is on the hot or warm seat right now, which is evident by the fact they did not renew his contract giving him and recruits assurance he will be around long term. AND - we also have a team that because of defections in Fore and Buckingham, and also throw in the fact that Stansbury did not work out and left - is very young, inexperienced and just overall not NCAA tourney caliber at this point. So what is Mooney to do in this situation - make a tough schedule and end up with 12-13 wins again? Or try to to just rack up wins against anyone he can to save his job long term. His best course of action this point is to rack up wins - try to get to 17-18 wins this year and he can say "improvement". Then likely do the same next year and try to get to 20-21 wins before scheduling tough again.
Exactly Spiderman - coaches have to schedule to the team they have. Otherwise - you might be out of a job pretty quick. What I wonder is how much the schedule may have changed once Buckingham and Fore left because in my opinion, if we still had them - the outlook on this team changes. When you are able to bring back 4 solid players in Fore, Sherod, Buckingham, and Grant and then you think Gilyard will be improved and we should have a solid man off the bench in the Yale transfer - now we have something that I think could mold into an NIT team and maybe surprise enough for a top 5 finish in the A10. But with just losing those two guys - I think we will be asking Gilyard and the Yale transfer to do more then they should or are capable of. So the easy schedule may help with that.
I think our big 3 are really good but we have a ton of question marks after that. I think the answers are probably here. we just have to find them and figure out the right combinations ... and put them in the right situations to succeed and grow which is easier with a less intense schedule.
South Alabama - Saturday 12/29
Hopefully some of you Gulf Coast Spiders will make the trip to Mobile for this one. USA has a nice arena and pretty decent basketball atmosphere.
We've been pretty bad lately but just hired a new coach and brought in some JUCO depth so hopefully we'll be improved the time this game rolls around.
Hopefully some of you Gulf Coast Spiders will make the trip to Mobile for this one. USA has a nice arena and pretty decent basketball atmosphere.
We've been pretty bad lately but just hired a new coach and brought in some JUCO depth so hopefully we'll be improved the time this game rolls around.
You mean they didn't bring Ronnie Arrow back for what seemed like the 5th or 6th time?
This WEAK OOC schedule makes perfect sense for the team's personnel at hand for the season. What doesn't make sense is having a Mooney at the helm. Logical it should be for a new coach beginning the process of rebuilding.
We probably will win 15 to 16 games this upcoming season. Win a ton of games out of conference. I read we are picked to finish 7th in the Lindy's college basketball book.
By ton, do u mean 10 or more? Are you therefore saying we will only win 5 or 6 conference games?
Mooney rebuilt us, tanked us, and now is attempting to rebuild what he destroyed. Interesting cycle we have going on here. Why we can't have nice things.
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