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OOC Tracker - Lunardi Impact

spider23

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Sorry for the duplicate, we got a little off track on the other thread. Seems like this should be a no brainer, if you want to compete for NCAA bids, and attract big time recruits, just schedule as many good teams as possible. I know, there is some nuance, getting expected to be good mid majors, other mids with good SOS, etc. But for the most part it is pretty easy to see, and any number of folks on this board could use different metrics and a tad of research to identify. I assume that we hired Lunardi for his contacts and influence, or because assistants in charge failed miserably in past years. It does seem like another Hardt excuse of the day: See Chris did not have this resource before...

OK: Here is what I know so far Legends Classic will = 1-2 P6/high major games (depending on 2nd game)
Auburn/New Mexico
Wisconsin/New Mexico

Decent start. Since we are going to be scheduling the best OOC ever, or whatever the saying was. Here is a good bar to beat:

URI
Home: Alabama, Providence, Western Kentucky
Away: at Maryland, at West Virginia
MTE: Two high-major games

Looks like some work to do Joe!! Get to work big boy. Let's update this as OOC games are known, not sure if the Shortwoods and J-state of Arkansas are confirmed yet?
 
A10-MWC doesn't start until 2020-21.

As far as who plays, they only have 11 teams, we have 14, so 3 teams sit it out. Those will be the three worst I suspect, based on NET/pre-season projections or something of that ilk.
 
One other question, did we not qualify for the A10/Mountain West challenge?? Or is that not starting until the following season?

Mountain West?

Nevada - Not sure if Steve Alford can keep up the momentum that they've built there.
Utah State - up and coming coach who may not be there when this thing gets started.
Fresno State - Blah
San Diego State - Steve Fisher isn't there anymore. On the downswing.
UNLV - Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Tark the Shark ain't coming through that door
Air Force - Think they'd take Mooney back?
New Mexico - They'll actually fire a coach after 4 years if he isn't performing even after they said they'd bring him back. Oh to have an Athletic Department with a pair.
Boise State - maybe they can bring in Coby Karl to rescue this program
Colorado State - Well they have opportunities to play a team with the name Rams
Wyoming - Fennis Dembo ain't walking through that door.
San Jose State - THey're in the Mountain West?
 
Mountain West?

Nevada - Not sure if Steve Alford can keep up the momentum that they've built there.
Utah State - up and coming coach who may not be there when this thing gets started.
Fresno State - Blah
San Diego State - Steve Fisher isn't there anymore. On the downswing.
UNLV - Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Tark the Shark ain't coming through that door
Air Force - Think they'd take Mooney back?
New Mexico - They'll actually fire a coach after 4 years if he isn't performing even after they said they'd bring him back. Oh to have an Athletic Department with a pair.
Boise State - maybe they can bring in Coby Karl to rescue this program
Colorado State - Well they have opportunities to play a team with the name Rams
Wyoming - Fennis Dembo ain't walking through that door.
San Jose State - THey're in the Mountain West?

Looks like the MWC might as well drop basketball.
 
You are not originally from Jersey?
Nope. This place is a sewer. Utah is the best place I've ever been. Everyone should check it out. Cheap, awesome weather and so much to do you can't do it all.

Incredible shame that the A10 will probably lose the series against the MWC.
 
And some of the strictest alcohol laws in the country. How did you manage?:D
Actually, there are many places in VA, NC, SC and the rest of the South that have multiple "dry" counties. Completely dry. Utah doesn't have that and hasn't since the 80's. SLC is a party town in a large way. Much larger than RVA by a wide margin. Blue laws? Don't exist there. They can actually shop at their favorite grocery stores on Sunday. Why do people without a clue as to what happens in the rest of the country show up and say ignorant things. Educate yourself before spewing. Maybe Google it or go see for yourself. You can then be enlightened to what really is. You can't buy a bottle of booze in VA except for in a State store. Heck, if you're a bartender and don't scrape off the VA brand from the neck of the bottle when it's empty and before you trash it you can go to jail.

VA is behind the times and it's not going to change anytime soon.

Marley, tell me all about Utah. We're all ears...
 
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Wow, you’re a real tool. It was an offhand remark, not meant to offend. And I did google it which is where I got the “strictest” part. Lay off the roids dude.
Yep, I'm the "tool" who called out the ignorant comment. Sorry to ruin the show. Carry on. Leave VA and see the country and then comment. No it was not an offhand remark. Just calling it out for what it is.
 
<=== This is me looking in your direction. Don't screw with Utah. The natives might be offended. . Don't make no fight. Won't be no fight. Show up in Logan and have a long flight home from "the game." .
 
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I don’t understand your ire. All I said was “some of the strictest alcohol laws in the country”. Am I wrong? Visited Utah as a kid. Don’t remember much but the people seemed nicer.
 
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<=== This is me looking in your direction. Don't screw with Utah. The natives might be offended. . Don't make no fight. Won't be no fight. Show up in Logan and have a long flight home from "the game." .


back off --- don't take it personally
 
Why do people without a clue as to what happens in the rest of the country show up and say ignorant things. Educate yourself before spewing. Maybe Google it or go see for yourself.

I don't know. Why is that? Educate and google? Good idea. You should try it sometime.
 
Yep, I'm the "tool" who called out the ignorant comment. Sorry to ruin the show. Carry on. Leave VA and see the country and then comment. No it was not an offhand remark. Just calling it out for what it is.
It was a joke, lighten up Francis.
 
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OK sorry gents. I get a bit touchy about home. Couldn't tell it was a joke.

Sometimes the Mudkat escapes from the basement and starts typing :D
 
Hardt email says we play College of Charleston at home and Vandy on the road. Great job, Joe! Way to get us hooked up with a team that went 0-18 in the SEC last year. I'm sure that will help our strength of schedule.
 
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Hardt email says we play College of Charleston at home and Vandy on the road. Great job, Joe! Way to get us hooked up with a team that went 0-18 in the SEC last year. I'm sure that will help our strength of schedule.

Actually, this looks like a very smart OOC game to play. Vandy went 0-18 in the SEC and 9-23 overall and still finished 155 in kenpom's rankings. Georgia was the only other SEC team to not finish top 100, finishing 132 after going 2-16 and 11-21. Missouri went 5-13 in the SEC and still finished 68th and A&M went 6-12 and still finished 91st. So, even a 4-14 SEC finish for Vandy likely puts them top 100 and worst case we are probably looking at a 100-125 game. Why be so quick to be negative about every single thing?
 
no idea Joe's role, but neither of those games bothers me.

Yep. These are 2 great OOC games to play. Both could easily end up top 100 are both are winnable. Both could be tier 2 games if the home opponent is 31-75 and the away 76-135.
 
hmmm, I would have thought we were shooting for something more than top 100-125 teams? Yep, that's the metric the selection committee is looking for wins vs top 125. I do like that these teams should be stronger than Jacksonville State and longwood. It's a start.
 
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Actually, this looks like a very smart OOC game to play. Vandy went 0-18 in the SEC and 9-23 overall and still finished 155 in kenpom's rankings. Georgia was the only other SEC team to not finish top 100, finishing 132 after going 2-16 and 11-21. Missouri went 5-13 in the SEC and still finished 68th and A&M went 6-12 and still finished 91st. So, even a 4-14 SEC finish for Vandy likely puts them top 100 and worst case we are probably looking at a 100-125 game. Why be so quick to be negative about every single thing?
THEY WERE LITERALLY THE ONLY TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF P6 BASKETBALL TO GO WINLESS IN A LEAGUE SCHEDULE OF AT LEAST 18 GAMES (!!!)

Mooney promised us "the most difficult schedule in the league."

Draw your own conclusions.
 
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THEY WERE LITERALLY THE ONLY TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF P6 BASKETBALL TO GO WINLESS IN A LEAGUE SCHEDULE OF AT LEAST 18 GAMES (!!!)

Mooney promised us "the most difficult schedule in the league."

Draw your own conclusions.

Another post, another inaccurate statement from you. I know Pitt and BC have recently gone 0-18 also, and I bet a little research would likely find another team as well.
 
1) a ridiculously hard schedule doesn't give us the best chance for success. we've got to win games. I don't remember CM's exact quote, but I hope we don't over-schedule. be smart. just give us a respectable OOC SOS.
2) seems a little early to be drawing conclusions. I'll wait until we know more.
 
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Another post, another inaccurate statement from you. I know Pitt and BC have recently gone 0-18 also, and I bet a little research would likely find another team as well.
Ok, they were three only SEC team ever to go 0-18. My mistake. Did it make you feel better about our schedule to know two other teams also did so?

I don't doubt that we could beat them. If we don't beat them, candidly, we are pathetic. The point is that Mooney promised the toughest OOC schedule in the league. Period.
 
Ok, they were three only SEC team ever to go 0-18. My mistake. Did it make you feel better about our schedule to know two other teams also did so?

I don't doubt that we could beat them. If we don't beat them, candidly, we are pathetic. The point is that Mooney promised the toughest OOC schedule in the league. Period.

What do you expect? All tier one games? No one is saying these are our toughest OOC games, but they could all realistically be top 100 games. They are good opponents for us to play. Winnable games who could end up tier 2 (tier 1 if 1-75 on the road), but are clearly not tier 4.
 
These games are ok, certainly better than what we served up last year but how couldn't they be. I think wildly optimistic to project any as top 100 or tier 2. Vandy I think possible if that big man withdraws from draft, but he's no stud anyway. BC and CoC are projected to regress or stay status quo and neither would fit criteria. I don't mind the games when surrounded by the right other games. But right now EL is correct we are nowhere near the hardest OOC in conference. When you got Mooney saying that & you hire Joe FREAKIN Lunardi we need to deliver or its just more big hat no cattle.

We know a lot of the schedule....BC was set up a while ago btw when they backed out of football game. I believe we got a 2-1 from them. We played up there in 2017. So you have these 3, plus the Legends Classic (2 of Auburn, New Mex or Wisco) but that comes with two low major home games. Hopefully those 2 are decent but if they're bad cupcakes that's trouble. Expect 2 low majors and hopefully they aren't 250+ if really lucky.

Then can only assume ODU and Wake series are continuing. Both on road. But Wake hasn't helped much in a quite a while, we know they have issues. ODU I expect will be tough but I don't know. I suppose possible 1 of these has ended but historically they continue.

Also expect we have South Alabama. No way that was just a buy game on road. Maybe we can postpone or buy it out but more likely they are a home game. Then add in the home opener typically from a regional VA low major. Who knows but reasonable assumption. That's 11 games right there. 2 left. To be toughest OOC in A10 are we also playing 2 of Gonzaga, Villanova, Duke, or Kentucky? That won't happen but honestly at least 1 game like that then the last one a top 50 type team.
 
BC, Charleston, and Vandy all seem like pretty good games for our OOC. 2 P5 teams and Charleston, a top level CAA team
 
These games are ok, certainly better than what we served up last year but how couldn't they be. I think wildly optimistic to project any as top 100 or tier 2.

Why would you say it is optimistic to call them tier 2? Missouri went 5-13 in the SEC and was a tier 2 home game (31-75) for teams last year. ND and Pitt went 3-15 in the ACC and finished 97th and 101st, so a couple more wins and they were probably tier 2. To be a tier 2 road game, you need to finish 76-135, so Vandy probably only needs to win 2 SEC games to get there.
 
Also we better be getting a return game out of Vandy. They are not in position right now to just buy a Richmond. Just as I expect we could be giving CoC a return game there in 20-21.
 
BC, Charleston, and Vandy all seem like pretty good games for our OOC. 2 P5 teams and Charleston, a top level CAA team

Exactly. Possible tier 2, but no worse than 3. All winnable, and, like you said, either P5 or a well known team with recent success from a mid major.
 
Also we better be getting a return game out of Vandy. They are not in position right now to just buy a Richmond. Just as I expect we could be giving CoC a return game there in 20-21.

I kind of see your point, but I wouldn't make the return game necessary. Sure, try to get as many home and homes as possible (like we did with Texas Tech and Wake), but I would rather only play Vandy on the road this year than play a tier 4 team.
 
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