2015-16 Schedule Discussion

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 9 years ago

I thought I read Richmond was the overall number 1 seed in NIT. Anyway, I agree with 83, URI needs to schedule much tougher next year

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 9 years ago

ATPTourFan wrote:Richmond wasn't first team out. They were on first four out as fourth team I believe.

I thought it was assumed that Temple was the first out.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

It was Temple, Col St, Old Dominion, and Richmond, in that order.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

Thanks, RF and Bone. I feel better now.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 9 years ago

ace wrote:As a team expected to be good next year, Rhode Island is likely to get better teams to play twice in conference, aside from the geographical match-ups (like Fordham).

Isn't DC and Philly closer to New York than RI? I think Fordham should play twice against GW, Lasalle, St Joes and for a distance team, Duquesne. Leave us out of that 2 game schedule with them.

Obadiah · Unread post by **Obadiah** » 9 years ago

This year two OOC games were shifted to conference games which should have bolstered the SOS, but the luck of the draw didn't make that happen. Last year we played in home and home, Dayton, UMass, Fordham, and St. Joe's. This year we added LaSalle to that group and substituted Saint Louis for Dayton and this latter move alone had a severe impact on the SOS as SLU went from a 24 RPI to a 272!

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 9 years ago

Obadiah wrote:This year two OOC games were shifted to conference games which should have bolstered the SOS, but the luck of the draw didn't make that happen. Last year we played in home and home, Dayton, UMass, Fordham, and St. Joe's. This year we added LaSalle to that group and substituted Saint Louis for Dayton and this latter move alone had a severe impact on the SOS as SLU went from a 24 RPI to a 272!

The A-10 home and homes coupled with the horrible performance of our OOC opponents did not help. It was a perfect storm. Nearly all of our OOC opponents (save Kansas and PC) had their worst seasons in many years and this was not expected. Who would have thought Ga Tech, Nebraska, and Southern Miss would be so brutally bad given their preceding season?

Obadiah · Unread post by **Obadiah** » 9 years ago

You are right, RF1, both the conference and OOC SOS situations did not help. Also the absence of quality wins was a big part of the problem as the NCAA looks at that performance carefully. As you said, the totally unexpected results in the OOC takes some of the blame off the URI Athletics schedule makers. However, I still think they could do a better job because having to advertise for games was in itself a bad sign and adding a D2 school at the last minute showed desperation. In URI Athletics we must have a motivation based on continuous improvement and a philosophy of being "better than the best". In that vein, no more Paces in the regular season schedule.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

Still, if they were in a position where it was a 200+ RPI team at home or Pace, they made the right choice in making Pace the first regular season game.

We agree that they should avoid similar situations of desperation going forward. Should be slightly easier.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 9 years ago

Obadiah wrote:You are right, RF1, both the conference and OOC SOS situations did not help. Also the absence of quality wins was a big part of the problem as the NCAA looks at that performance carefully. As you said, the totally unexpected results in the OOC takes some of the blame off the URI Athletics schedule makers. However, I still think they could do a better job because having to advertise for games was in itself a bad sign and adding a D2 school at the last minute showed desperation. In URI Athletics we must have a motivation based on continuous improvement and a philosophy of being "better than the best". In that vein, no more Paces in the regular season schedule.

No doubt whatsoever they could have and should have done better. In addition to scheduling a D2 team, URI chose not to play another game that it was allowed as it apparently could not find a suitable opponent and/or arrangement.

Hurley and staff need to put more effort into scheduling and start doing so much earlier. They had too many openings far too late in the process last year. I understand scheduling for a program like URI is a tough prospect. I however think it is made even worse if you don't lock most all games up early. You should only be looking for at most one game in the early summer. Everything else should already be done. As noted, the longer you wait, the more desperate you become.

bigappleram · Unread post by **bigappleram** » 9 years ago

RF1, I highly doubt its about effort with Dan. Pretty sure he puts maximum effort into everything he does. Perhaps there needs to be more advanced thought or creative thinking put into it, but understandable why in Dan's "to do" list for this program lots of other things took priority up until now. I would assume a heightened emphasis on scheduling is in the cards for this off season.

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 9 years ago

Obadiah wrote:This year two OOC games were shifted to conference games which should have bolstered the SOS, but the luck of the draw didn't make that happen. Last year we played in home and home, Dayton, UMass, Fordham, and St. Joe's. This year we added LaSalle to that group and substituted Saint Louis for Dayton and this latter move alone had a severe impact on the SOS as SLU went from a 24 RPI to a 272!

It's not necessarily luck of the draw, though, for conference match-ups. The geographical ones will remain, but the conference makes attempts to have the good teams play each other. Rhode Island finished second in the conference but, when the schedule was made, was considered a middle of the pack team, which is why they got the teams they did in conference.

Isn't DC and Philly closer to New York than RI? I think Fordham should play twice against GW, Lasalle, St Joes and for a distance team, Duquesne. Leave us out of that 2 game schedule with them.

Philly is closer to NY than Kingston is to NY; Kingston is closer to NY than NY is to DC. It's more about how no one, other than Fordham and UMass, are all that close to Kingston.

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 9 years ago

bigappleram wrote:RF1, I highly doubt its about effort with Dan. Pretty sure he puts maximum effort into everything he does. Perhaps there needs to be more advanced thought or creative thinking put into it, but understandable why in Dan's "to do" list for this program lots of other things took priority up until now. I would assume a heightened emphasis on scheduling is in the cards for this off season.

He's said as much. I happen to think that this schedule was fine for this team this year.

Obadiah · Unread post by **Obadiah** » 9 years ago

Sorry to disagree, but an OOC SOS of 214 is never fine in any season

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 9 years ago

Obadiah wrote:Sorry to disagree, but an OOC SOS of 214 is never fine in any season

Don't be sorry. That was the result. I'm looking at the schedule at the start of the season, as it was constructed, and, again, I think it was fine for this group for this year. I look at scheduling like I look at trades- considering all available information at the time and the circumstances in which it was done, not necessarily how it turned out.

sf2010 · Unread post by **sf2010** » 9 years ago

Obadiah wrote:Sorry to disagree, but an OOC SOS of 214 is never fine in any season

I think what some others are saying (and I agree), is that the intent was never to have an OOC SOS of 214 so no one is arguing with you about that, but the meltdowns of GTech, Nebraska, and So. Miss among others made that happen. The schedule would have been middle of the pack had our opponents held up their end of the bargain.

steviep123 · Unread post by **steviep123** » 9 years ago

That's were I think the Big East and other leagues with fewer teams have an advantage. Since the Big East has the double round robin, you play everyone twice, so you don't have to worry about not playing the better teams in your conference a 2nd time.

bigappleram · Unread post by **bigappleram** » 9 years ago

Agreed that is where they have an advantage, where they have a disadvantage are that their games are on a network no one knows how to find, let alone make appointment television.

DanInAZ · Unread post by **DanInAZ** » 9 years ago

No worries everyone! Once we have our schedule set to match the current criteria that the NCAA has set forth to make it in, it will change and we will get left out.

Only thing that matters is winning. Whether our OOC schedule is easy or difficult we only need to WIN. Wins = NCAA's.

(I prefer playing the best possible competition and seeing how we match up. If we play 10 P5 teams OOC and lose all of them, we don't deserve to make it in. For me, its about the journey as much as the destination... but I am smell the roses kinda of guy.

)

Ramulous · Unread post by **Ramulous** » 9 years ago

There will be a Catch-22 situation now.....have a poor RPI and no one good will come to Ryan....be too good and no one good will come to Ryan....we have to play the good teams at their place or a neutral site...

Obadiah · Unread post by **Obadiah** » 9 years ago

Does anyone know which OOC games at Ryan were "buy" games.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

UMass Lowell, Delaware St, and Pace!

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

Wonder what we paid them?

No wonder Tim O'Shea is pissed.

RF1 · Unread post by **RF1** » 9 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:Wonder what we paid them?

No wonder Tim O'Shea is pissed.

We paid them far less than Bryant could get playing UConn. That is why O'Shea doesn't want to do a buy game with URI. He can get more money and in most years a higher rated program elsewhere.

High level schools now pay well in excess of 50-100k for guarantees. My guess is URI pays in the 30-40k range and maybe even less for a D2 team.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

O'Shea will whore himself out to anybody that will pay him what he wants.

He wants 70K from URI.

URI says not happening. I heard around 40K tops, if they are even interested.

URI isn't paying a stiff that kind of money.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 9 years ago

He doesn't get that money for driving down from Smithfield on game day. No lodging costs, barely any travel costs.

Other teams get more because they have flights and lodging and food, etc. And they're not Bryant.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

ATP, he should know that, but I guess he's just greedy?

He has to know we will never play them in Smithfield.

Rhody83 · Unread post by **Rhody83** » 9 years ago

RF1 wrote:
Obadiah wrote:Who would have thought Ga Tech, Nebraska, and Southern Miss would be so brutally bad given their preceding season?

2014 RPIs - S Miss (27), Nebraska (53) & Ga Tech (155).
As far as difficulty scheduling OOC. We should be able to be in the same range as Richmond who was 31st in OOC SOS.

For next year Rhody needs to eliminate Pace, UMass Lowell, Delaware St, Detroit and add one game.
Richmond's three OOCs vs Top 50 were all away games. Their OOCs vs 51-100 were all at home except 1 neutral site game. Rhody will have to play Top 50 away to start.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

URI has 6 OOC games to schedule. Hopefully 3 home, 3 away.

No stiffs please. We have Brown already. The 2 coming in from the Cancun tourney will be?

We need 3 top 50's, and 3 top 100's. Like 83 said.

This team will be ready to play those types of teams OOC. Nothing less.

Rhody83 · Unread post by **Rhody83** » 9 years ago

rambone 78 wrote:URI has 6 OOC games to schedule. Hopefully 3 home, 3 away.

No stiffs please. We have Brown already. The 2 coming in from the Cancun tourney will be?

We need 3 top 50's, and 3 top 100's. Like 83 said.

This team will be ready to play those types of teams OOC. Nothing less.

Rambone does the 6 factor in games already committed to like Nebraska?

Since we have PC at home next year we can afford 4 away. I think any new Top 50 will be away next year. Win on the road - helps even more.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

We have 7 committed OOC games, including the 2 Cancun home games.

That leaves 6 to be determined.

Of the 7, maybe 2 will be top 50's. We need at least a couple more.

We should have 5-6 top 50 conference games also.

So, we should end up with about 10 top 50 games, compared to the 6 we played this year.

If we want to Dance as an at-large, we need to win at least 4 of them.

IMHO, how can a team be considered a top 50 team [NCAA tourney quality] unless they can go close to .500 or better, against other top 50's?

Rhody83 · Unread post by **Rhody83** » 9 years ago

Of the five games freed up (150+, Pace & add game) Rhody should try to schedule 3 top 50 (bringing top 50 to 9-10) and the rest Top 100.

Davidson and Dayton had losing records against Top 50.
VCU was 6-5 vs Top 50.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 9 years ago

83, that's the hope, the reality might be a little different.

But it can't be a LOT different, or we'll struggle to get in next season, even if we have a great conference record again.

We're not in the B12, or B10, etc. A team like Texas can afford to go 2-12 against the top 100, and still get in, somehow. [The name on the jersey helps, as we all know]

We can't. Our conference is littered with too many stiffs that drag our RPI down even when we win.

This season, we went 0-6 against the top 50. We had ZERO chance to get in, knowing what we know now, no matter what pap Lunardi was spewing last Saturday before we lost to Dayton.

Even if we had gone 3-3, and beat Davidson, Dayton, and VCU we weren't getting in, what with our 240 OOC ranking. Pipe dreaming.

The folks on the Dayton board are well aware of how close they came to being left out, even though their OOC schedule was much better than ours, and they beat other top teams in conference, which we didn't do. They are talking about improving their schedule, because they have to.

We have to massively improve ours.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 9 years ago

I'm not saying scheduling isn't important because it clearly is, but a good team probably can't can't schedule itself out of the tournament as easily as a mediocre team can schedule its way in. If we had beat VCU, Davidson and PC and one of the games against Dayton, for instance, we would be in easily.

The opportunities will be there. I'm all about playing a better schedule, but it is more important for us to just be better.

Obadiah · Unread post by **Obadiah** » 9 years ago

Since the Rams will play in a exempt tournament, the 2015-16 season will see a 31 game schedule which breaks down as follows: 18 conference games, 13 OOC games- 4 OOC games in the Cancun Challenge plus 9 other OOC games. Among those nine OOC games, URI is already committed to play Nebraska (A), Brown (A), and Providence (H) with six opponents yet to be named.

The Cancun Challenge is an eight team event divided into two divisions; the Rivera Division which includes the host schools which have already been announced as TCU (RPI 130), Maryland (RPI 13), Illinois State (RPI 62), and URI (RPI 66) and the Mayan Division; the four schools in this division have yet to be announced and probably won’t be until early June. URI will host two schools from this Division at Ryan in the week preceding the Nov 24-25 games in Cancun. Judging from the Mayan participants from last season – Elon (RPI 259), Liberty (RPI 347), Morgan State (337), and North Florida (RPI 162) – URI will likely take a RPI hit with the two campus games. Adding in Brown, URI already has three 200+ RPI teams on its schedule and this puts pressure on the selection of the six schools yet to be scheduled.

Last year we played only two OOC opponents in the Top 100. To strengthen the SOS, I believe we need to play 5-6 schools in that category. With Cancun we may get two, add PC gives us three, so out of the remaining six we need to get 2 more. Out of 13 OOC games, we need the number of 200+ RPI schools to be no more than 4. We already look to have three.

Just some of my thoughts on subject. Of course, Davidson disproves all this.

RoadyJay · Unread post by **RoadyJay** » 9 years ago

Here is what we have so far... Guessed at a few of the home dates but should be pretty close

Out of Conference (13 games):

Home (? games):
THU 11/19/2015? - TBD*
SAT 11/21/2015? - TBD*
WED 12/9/2015? - Providence

Away (? games):
TBD - Brown
TBD - Nebraska

Neutral – Cancun Challenge (2 games):
TUE 11/24/2015 - Illinois St, TCU, or Maryland
WED 11/25/2015 - Illinois St, TCU, or Maryland

* - Home games as part of Cancun Challenge

Unread post by **SGreenwell** » 9 years ago

TruePoint wrote:I'm not saying scheduling isn't important because it clearly is, but a good team probably can't can't schedule itself out of the tournament as easily as a mediocre team can schedule its way in. If we had beat VCU, Davidson and PC and one of the games against Dayton, for instance, we would be in easily.

The opportunities will be there. I'm all about playing a better schedule, but it is more important for us to just be better.

I agree with this. URI's schedule this year wasn't the reason why they didn't make the NCAA tournament. They lost to every tournament team they played (VCU, PC, Kansas convincingly, Dayton twice). While you don't want a screw-up like Brown vs. PC, flubs like this are viewed less negatively then just not beating *any* other tournament teams.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

Since some of you deem it absolutely necessary to have an out of conference schedule filled with top 50-100 RPI's I'm sure at least one of you will be a good sport and loan Dan your Back to the Future almanac that says what everyone's RPI next season will be. People on here sometimes act like scheduling and recruiting are as easy as going to the supermarket, just bring the list of stuff you want and need and come home with everything on your list.

When you look at last year's out of conference schedule, you see drags like Detroit and Southern Mississippi, but those games were scheduled two years ago. There was reason to believe Detroit would have been better during the junior and senior years of Juwan Howard Jr and nobody saw Southern Mississippi's collapse. And everyone thought Nebraska would be a top tier team. And I'm sure if Dan knew that a cream puff like Iona would be considered a top 50-60 game he would have scheduled them in a cocaine heartbeat.

So again, if any of you could just tell Dan what everyone's RPI next season will be, that would be great.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 9 years ago

Yeah! MAN UP, GROW A SET!
Be MACHO! BE MANLY! INCLUDING THE WOMEN WHO POST HERE!
Tell Dan about psychic RPI predictions, or stop whinning!

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 9 years ago

All of this schedule talk makes me nauseous. You can make a case that taking care of business is the key, which URI did not during its last 10 (6-4). The idea that Nebraska was ranked #21 at the time of their Ryan Center Demise and later counts as a "Bad RPI Win" because the C-Huskers' season imploded is infuriating to me. Monitoring the Bracketology sites and watching the INEPTITUDE OF THE SELECTION SUNDAY COMMITTEE just leaves me with the belief that URI needs to schedule the best teams and leave the Paces and UMass-Lowells of the World to yesteryear. If one needs games to build confidence then play the two exhibitions against the RICs, Assumptions and Stonehills of the world and leave it at that.
Calipari at UMass, Grant/Smart VCU, and Chaney at Temple built national A-10 programs by playing anyone, anywhere. Gonzaga's OOC schedule is also an example to follow.
The rest and best will follow………..

P.S. I have no set to offer, but I did live at the Sloane House YMCA at 34th and 9th for a spell during 1982...

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 9 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote:Yeah! MAN UP, GROW A SET!
Be MACHO! BE MANLY! INCLUDING THE WOMEN WHO POST HERE!
Tell Dan about psychic RPI predictions, or stop whinning!

Is this the Stanford team?

bigappleram · Unread post by **bigappleram** » 9 years ago

If PC loses Dunn I would NOT count on them being a Top 100 opponent.

Blue Man · Unread post by **Blue Man** » 9 years ago

Ramulous wrote:There will be a Catch-22 situation now.....have a poor RPI and no one good will come to Ryan....be too good and no one good will come to Ryan....we have to play the good teams at their place or a neutral site...

Disagree. Having a good RPI that other teams will trust to stay a good RPI will get good teams to come here. Need more time than just 1 season of that though. URI has always had a problem with scheduling good teams because baron's teams would be good athletes that could catch anybody on an off day and win. Problem was you knew we'd lose down the stretch and end up being a bad loss most of the time.

Just like Miss State or Detroit this season. Had we known they would've sucked as bad as they did, I doubt we'd have grabbed games with them.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 9 years ago

bigappleram wrote:If PC loses Dunn I would NOT count on them being a Top 100 opponent.

IDK, Seton Hall was a top-100 team this year and finished 7th in the league. If PC loses Dunn they will take a big step back, but it looks like the Big East has learned their lesson and will do its best to rig the RPI going forward. The idea that the BE finished as the #2 RPI conference just shows how badly flawed RPI is as a metric. But as long as it exists, might as well use it to your advantage. I think a team like PC has an RPI floor.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 9 years ago

PC also has a very fine recruiting class coming in.
I think as long as Cooley is coach, he'll have a
decent team.

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 9 years ago

The top 44 teams in KenPoms ranking got in. Colorado St with an RPI of 30 didn't. URI should pay attention to KenPom's formula

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 9 years ago

Ok, great, so KenPom instead of RPI. So who are the top 44 teams in KenPom's rankings at the end of next season? Last offseason, if the board found out that we scheduled Iona instead of Nebraska the board would have thrown a fit. By RPI and KenPom, Iona would have been a better game to schedule. And nobody, on this board, in coaching circles, reporters on the Internet, and probably even most Iona fans would have thought they'd be better than Nebraska this year. It's great to say we need to schedule top 50-100 programs. Now tell me exactly who those teams are and make sure our schedules and scheduling goals match up with those teams. Easier said than done...

kal-65 · Unread post by **kal-65** » 9 years ago

if we want to find out how good we are next ,schedule a road game against Kentucky,duke or virginia

bigappleram · Unread post by **bigappleram** » 9 years ago

TruePoint wrote:
bigappleram wrote:If PC loses Dunn I would NOT count on them being a Top 100 opponent.
IDK, Seton Hall was a top-100 team this year and finished 7th in the league. If PC loses Dunn they will take a big step back, but it looks like the Big East has learned their lesson and will do its best to rig the RPI going forward. The idea that the BE finished as the #2 RPI conference just shows how badly flawed RPI is as a metric. But as long as it exists, might as well use it to your advantage. I think a team like PC has an RPI floor.

Seton Hall had some good early season wins and a gaudy record that elevated their numbers pre-conference play, and then yes was bolstered by strong RPIs league wide. But those RPIs were strong because Butler beat UNC, PC beat Notre Dame, Nova beat everyone, etc. They werent rigged, its the same formula we used the year before, win games. Our good teams beat other good teams in the OOC so they carried strong RPIs into the conference slate, which benefited everyone. The Big East has looked strong after Day 1 in the tourney, so not sure I would question the value of the metrics.

In terms of next year, PC and St Johns lose A LOT - basically entire starting lineups are wiped out (if Dunn leaves). They will be very young. Marquette still rebuilding, Creighton has a slow build in life post McDermott. Depaul will suck. Nova, Butler, Georgetown and Xavier will be strong. But I do expect a step back from this year to somewhere between their Year 1 and 2 results.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 9 years ago

RhowdyRam02 wrote:f the board found out that we scheduled Iona instead of Nebraska the board would have thrown a fit.

Yep

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