KeaneyBlue - The URI Basketball Forum

Great idea, but too late for this year if it happens at all.

https://www.fanragsports.com/cbb/rothst ... challenge/

I think it would be a good idea, but as expected, UConn fans think they're too good for this.

I have been calling for a 2-4 game dynamic schedule between the two conferences for some time. NCAA tourney teams or bubble teams need more top 50-100 RPI opportunities than what they currently get in conf now, this dynamic schedule proposal would add that.

I'm amazed how many AAC fans hated the idea when Rothstein tweeted it, thinking it was beneath their conference. It's like, look in the mirror, you're UConn, Wichita State, Cincinnati and conference USA dreck. Why do you think UConn and Cincinnati are so desperate to leave your asses.

Yeah they have FBS football but in BB, they are just about on equal footing with the A10.

UConn and Cincy want to leave because the lack of TV money is seriously hurting their bottom line for both football and BB.

Both want into the ACC but only one is likely to get in at some point.

Wah wah......

rambone 78 wrote:Yeah they have FBS football but in BB, they are just about on equal footing with the A10.

UConn and Cincy want to leave because the lack of TV money is seriously hurting their bottom line for both football and BB.

Both want into the ACC but only one is likely to get in at some point.

Wah wah......

I'd be shocked if either got in at any point. I could possibly see Cincy in the Big 12.

woodennickel1 wrote:

rambone 78 wrote:Yeah they have FBS football but in BB, they are just about on equal footing with the A10.

UConn and Cincy want to leave because the lack of TV money is seriously hurting their bottom line for both football and BB.

Both want into the ACC but only one is likely to get in at some point.

Wah wah......

I'd be shocked if either got in at any point. I could possibly see Cincy in the Big 12.

of the 2, only Cincy has a chance at getting in the ACC...BC will continue to make sure of that.

The AAC and A-10 have been going back and forth trading places in the RPI ratings the last few years. They usually have about the same number in the tournament each season. The AAC had the UConn surprise championship back in 2014 but since then it has not been much different than the A-10. The addition of Wichita State may bump the AAC but the gap will not be wide.

Some fans of the AAC may not like to accept it but the reality is the leagues are fairly close. One only look at recent schedules. Many A-10 and AAC teams have done home and home series. As an example, URI played SMU and Houston in recent years.

The AAC should get 5-6 NCAA bids on a yearly basis, but teams like Temple, UConn and Memphis have not been carrying their weight. Of the group, Temple has the best shot to join the ACC, they are in the 4th biggest TV market in the country, meet the ACC academic requirements, are typically a top 25-50 basketball team and have been rolling out a top 25 football team the past few years. BC will never let UConn in and the ACC lost the Philly/DC market when Maryland jumped to the B10. Cincy to the B12 makes the most sense if that conference doesn't implode. Regardless, this proposed challenge would be fun to watch and good for both conferences.

I love this idea of a challenge I think that would be fantastic and get is another good ooc game

bacarlson21 wrote:The AAC should get 5-6 NCAA bids on a yearly basis, but teams like Temple, UConn and Memphis have not been carrying their weight. Of the group, Temple has the best shot to join the ACC, they are in the 4th biggest TV market in the country, meet the ACC academic requirements, are typically a top 25-50 basketball team and have been rolling out a top 25 football team the past few years. BC will never let UConn in and the ACC lost the Philly/DC market when Maryland jumped to the B10. Cincy to the B12 makes the most sense if that conference doesn't implode. Regardless, this proposed challenge would be fun to watch and good for both conferences.

Should get 5-6 bids on a yearly basis? What is this based on? The AAC started play in the 2013-14 season and this is its NCAA Tournament bids breakdown.

2013-14 (4) Cinci/UConn/Memphis/Louisville
2014-15 (2) Cinci/SMU
2015-16 (4) Cinci/UConn/Tulsa/Temple
2016-17 (2) Cinci/SMU

The AAC has had twelve bids in the four seasons since it was created (As a point of comparison, the A-10 has had 15 bids in that period with a minimum of three in all four seasons). Why then should the AAC get 5-6 bids on a yearly basis when it has never come close to doing just that in its history as a conference? The league in fact has only got two bids in two of its four seasons of existence. The actual on court performance for the AAC is far from a league that "should" get 5-6 bids each year.

It's interesting, because the AAC and the A10 (from a basketball perspective) are two very like conferences.
They both have averaged around 3 bids in the last 2-3 years.
Both have struggled to make any traction in the NCAA Tournament.
Both have been dragged down by the plethora of non-Top 100 programs.
The only significant difference between the AAC and the A10 is football aspirations.
I totally agree with whoever stated that the AAC struggles to consent with this, because they see themselves as being something greater.
But, they are not.
They may be more powerful in name (sure, Memphis sounds great, Temple too, even through in UCONN), but that conference has not performed to the power of their names.
Names are great because they are marketable, but the AAC has been a tremendous disappointment, although I don't think that would surprise anybody.
But despite their likeness, if I was in the A10 or the AAC, I would be weary of a potential relationship.
At the very, very top, it may be beneficial. URI this year would probably play some combination of Wichita St, Cincinnati, or SMU.
But what happens once you get out of the top 3 schools?
The inconsistency of either conference from 4 down would make me scared to have a consistent relationship, as playing a game against Tulane with an RPI of 150 does nothing.
And the AAC could say the same thing about A10.
Outside of the top 3 or 4, it's usually a crapshoot with a few teams competing for NIT and the other half of the conference with RPIs 100+.
When a conference can't consistently produce top-to-bottom, there is certainly a significant risk.
Would likely be better off with some sort of double-header, where both conferences throw out their top 2 interested programs and hope to get 4 teams with tournament aspirations at some neutral site somewhere.

bacarlson21 wrote:Of the group, Temple has the best shot to join the ACC, they are in the 4th biggest TV market in the country, meet the ACC academic requirements

ACC doesn't have academic requirements. They let Louisville in.

RF1 wrote:

bacarlson21 wrote:The AAC should get 5-6 NCAA bids on a yearly basis, but teams like Temple, UConn and Memphis have not been carrying their weight. Of the group, Temple has the best shot to join the ACC, they are in the 4th biggest TV market in the country, meet the ACC academic requirements, are typically a top 25-50 basketball team and have been rolling out a top 25 football team the past few years. BC will never let UConn in and the ACC lost the Philly/DC market when Maryland jumped to the B10. Cincy to the B12 makes the most sense if that conference doesn't implode. Regardless, this proposed challenge would be fun to watch and good for both conferences.

Should get 5-6 bids on a yearly basis? What is this based on? The AAC started play in the 2013-14 season and this is its NCAA Tournament bids breakdown.

2013-14 (4) Cinci/UConn/Memphis/Louisville
2014-15 (2) Cinci/SMU
2015-16 (4) Cinci/UConn/Tulsa/Temple
2016-17 (2) Cinci/SMU

The AAC has had twelve bids in the four seasons since it was created (As a point of comparison, the A-10 has had 15 bids in that period with a minimum of three in all four seasons). Why then should the AAC get 5-6 bids on a yearly basis when it has never come close to doing just that in its history as a conference? The league in fact has only got two bids in two of its four seasons of existence. The actual on court performance for the AAC is far from a league that "should" get 5-6 bids each year.

Here is Lunardi Bracket - June 1st - his first since April.
Big 12 - 8
ACC - 8
Big Ten - 7
Big East - 6 (Villanova 2 seed, Butler 5 seed, Seton Hall 6 seed, Xavier 7 seed, Creighton 9 seed, PC 11 seed - Play in)
SEC - 5
Pac-12 - 4
American - 2 (Cincinnati 4 seed, SMU 4 seed)
West Coast - 2 (Gonzaga 3 seed, St Mary's 4 seed)
Missouri Valley - 2 (Wichita State 3 seed, Loyola Chicago 15 seed,
Atlantic 10 - 2 (Rhode Island 11 seed, St Bonaventure 11 seed - Play in)


He is in error in his conference total teams since Wichita State will be in the AAC next season so that should make 3 teams from the AAC.

The Mid Majors only have 2 teams each.
Last 4 out: Oklahoma State, Clemson, Wake Forest, San Diego State
Next 4 out: South Carolina, UCONN, Missouri, Georgia Tech

3 Conferences with more teams than the BE
2 Teams from A10 with St Bonaventure being a Play-in game
American and WCC with 2 teams but very high seeds in 4,4 and 3,4 respectively (plus Wichita State a 3 seed if you count them from AAC)

The P5's plus BE get stronger with representation, while the Mid Majors struggle more and more - becoming dinosaur like inching towards 1 bid conferences ESPECIALLY if a Gonzaga or St May's or Cincinnati or SMU or Dayton or VCU leave for greener $$$ pastures. MVC will already be 1 bid now with Creighton and Wichita State having left

ramster, that's the way things are going......the A10 this season will be down due to VCU and Dayton having slightly off years.

The days of the A10 getting more than 3 bids are likely over.

rambone 78 wrote:ramster, that's the way things are going......the A10 this season will be down due to VCU and Dayton having slightly off years.

The days of the A10 getting more than 3 bids are likely over.

I have the same fears. The MVC used to be a multibid conference but is no longer now and will likely never be again. The power conferences have been increasingly consolidating control over the NCAA Tournament in recent years. We are now getting to the point where conferences outside the P5 and new Big East are hard pressed to get just a few at large bids each season. The A10, AAC, MWC, and WCC are all in danger of getting squeezed out.

2017 NCAA Breakdown by Conference
32 automatic bids
36 at large bids

Distribution of the 36 at large bids
P5 + BE (6 leagues): 32 89%
The other 26 leagues: 4 11% (only 3 other leagues got at large bids: A10-2, AAC-1, WCC-1)

RF1 wrote:

rambone 78 wrote:ramster, that's the way things are going......the A10 this season will be down due to VCU and Dayton having slightly off years.

The days of the A10 getting more than 3 bids are likely over.

I have the same fears. The MVC used to be a multibid conference but is no longer now and will likely never be again. The power conferences have been increasingly consolidating control over the NCAA Tournament in recent years. We are now getting to the point where conferences outside the P5 and new Big East are hard pressed to get just a few at large bids each season. The A10, AAC, MWC, and WCC are all in danger of getting squeezed out.

2017 NCAA Breakdown by Conference
32 automatic bids
36 at large bids

Distribution of the 36 at large bids
P5 + BE (6 leagues): 32 89%
The other 26 leagues: 4 11% (only 3 other leagues got at large bids: A10-2, AAC-1, WCC-1)

Excellent post RF1.....that's likely what we will be facing going forward.....from 4 to 6 [tops] at larges available on a year to year basis.....if the AAC with the addition of Wichita St. gets one or 2 more, then there's not much left to give out.

Who can blame Wichita St. for their move? For URI, there's not much if any upward mobility [as in changing conferences] possible.....either we are top 3 in conference or win the conference tourney, or forget dancing that season.

Which is why this is such a good idea for BOTH conferences. The top half of each league needs to improve their strength of schedules so that way they can start taking back bids from the bottom of the Power 5 and Big East.

RR2, yeah that's about the best we can hope for, since the P5's aren't going to schedule us for the most part.

If UConn still doesn't want to play us, then they can stick it somewhere.....