2020-21 Schedule (top post is current)

[reef]

Play Brown every year but we get 2 home games to their 1

[daytonflyerfan]

You make the assumption that somehow URI will replace Brown with a much better opponent. That however does not typically line up with reality. URI doesn't exactly have name teams knocking down the door to play in Kingston.

But they are getting good teams to play in Kingston...WKU, MTSU, Charleston, Harvard, Valpo, Old Dominion, etc.

But, I also understand that buying Brown costs money, but that's life. Any buy game costs money.

If it were me, I would only play Brown in a buy game and save the h/h series for better opponents. A 2 for 1 could also maybe work as a compromise if $ is tight, and the school does not want to pay to buy Brown.

[ramster]

You make the assumption that somehow URI will replace Brown with a much better opponent. That however does not typically line up with reality. URI doesn't exactly have name teams knocking down the door to play in Kingston.

But they are getting good teams to play in Kingston...WKU, MTSU, Charleston, Harvard, Valpo, Old Dominion, etc.

But, I also understand that buying Brown costs money, but that's life. Any buy game costs money.

If it were me, I would only play Brown in a buy game and save the h/h series for better opponents. A 2 for 1 could also maybe work as a compromise if $ is tight, and the school does not want to pay to buy Brown.

RF1,
How many times in the last 5 years have we not been able to find an opponent to get the full allotment of games we were allowed?
I’m thinking at least 2.

[rjsuperfly66]

How many times in the last 5 years have we not been able to find an opponent to get the full allotment of games we were allowed?

The answer to your question, Ramster, is 2 (Open for interpretation though - I don't happen to blame a team for failing to schedule a 4th OOC Tournament team in a required time frame, so if someone does than the answer would be 4).

In 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, URI had one extra game where they could have scheduled anyone that they were unable to schedule.

In 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020, URI had an extra game they were unable to schedule, but that extra game was only a result of their OOC Tournament, where they only played 3 out of 4 allotted games.

One of those years (2017-2018), URI was short two games, because of the missing tournament game plus the game they were unable to schedule against anyone else.

[Obadiah]

Just to point out in last season's Jamaica Classic, URI got only three opponents because one tourney team, UMBC turned down playing URI at Ryan.

[ramster]

I like the Brown Series. Brown is a long time in-state annual game.
Often scheduled during Christmas/New Years when it might be difficult to schedule other games, especially home games.
Games At Brown are about 80% URI fans. Easy to get to
Going for 2-1 sounds greedy
How would we feel if PC did that to us? There was a period when PC wanted the games always at the Dunk and not that long ago.

2 of past 5 years we have been short a game On the schedule. Often we are adding games late in August and September. We are two OOC games short right now for 2020-21.

Brown represents a guaranteed OOC game. Always on the schedule.

Drexel just added. Let’s see who the next two teams are that get added.

[RF1]

URI only played the maximum number of OOC games allowed in just two of the last six seasons by my count (using the max number of MTE games played by a team in the event). They played 13 OOC games in 2015-16 with the max four games played in a MTE and 12 games in 2018-19 with the max three OOC games played in the MTE. URI was short the maximum number of 13 OOC games in two seasons (2019-20 and 2017-18) as it unlike some other participants did not get the max four games in the MTE it was in. The absolute worst season had to be 2014-15 when URI played in the max three game Orlando Classic. Rhody could have scheduled 12 OOC games that year but played just 11 with one of them being non D1 Pace.

It is worth noting that these scheduling struggles happened in a six year span where URI had a winning record every season winning at least 20 games four times. If this year had not been short, it would have played in four postseason tournaments (NCAA or NIT) and actually won its first game in the three it was able to play in.


2019-20 12 OOC games (only got 3 games from MTE-LSU got 4)
2018-19 12 OOC games (all participants played the max 3 games in MTE)
2017-18 11 OOC games (only got 3 games from MTE - other teams such as SHU & Vandy got the max of 4)
2016-17 12 OOC games (played max 4 game MTE)
2015-16 13 OOC games (played max 4 game MTE)
2014-15 11 OOC games* (all participants played max 3 game MTE) [*one game was versus non D1 Pace)

Max OOC games allowed for 4 game MTE is 13 and 12 for a 3 game MTE

[ramster]

So RF1, only 2 of the last 6 seasons we were able to play the max number allowed.
I'd prefer we focus our scheduling on locking in games earlier and locking in the max number of games. Seems we are always looking for games in July to October
Brown represents an automatic game, PC also so that leaves 11 to schedule every year. A10 is likely to go to a 20 game schedule so that would leave only 9 besides Brown and PC. I don't think Dooley or Thorr are looking to alter the Brown - URI Game by dropping it as some are suggesting or going to a 2-1 with URI getting 2 home games.

[hrstrat57]

Strong agree with others that the H/away tradition of the Brown game should never be messed with.

The game at Brown is a fun take for Rhody fans/alum in the city who for find it difficult to make it to Kingston.

[daytonflyerfan]

Can't you just backfill with buy games or one-way road games if you come up short if nobody else will agree to a h/h series? Not sure why you would not always have 31 games.

[theblueram]

The thing about games is they are risk and reward. Playing at Brown is 100% risk for us and no reward. Look at last year and how a loss there derailed the season. It's just not worth it in my opinion.

[RamStock]

The thing about games is they are risk and reward. Playing at Brown is 100% risk for us and no reward. Look at last year and how a loss there derailed the season. It's just not worth it in my opinion.

Which is true, but we could say that about 3-4 teams we play at home per year that offer nothing other than a probable win and an opportunity for more playing time for players on the bench and a home game at the Ryan Center. Granted we aren’t playing these teams on the road in most cases, but still low value. I definitely think we should stay away from buying one time home games at the Ryan Center when we can. We are doing the same thing that power 5 teams are doing to us.

[daytonflyerfan]

The thing about games is they are risk and reward. Playing at Brown is 100% risk for us and no reward. Look at last year and how a loss there derailed the season. It's just not worth it in my opinion.

Totally agree...this is not a rivalry since you guys have won 45 out of the last 52...this is all risk, no reward...I would stop playing at Brown or at least go to a 2 for 1...PC does not play at Brown, you should follow their lead...and the game at Brown is probably Brown's Super Bowl, which is another reason why you should not be engaged in an annual h/h with them, they probably play out of their heads against you.

[ramster]

The thing about games is they are risk and reward. Playing at Brown is 100% risk for us and no reward. Look at last year and how a loss there derailed the season. It's just not worth it in my opinion.

Totally agree...this is not a rivalry since you guys have won 45 out of the last 52...this is all risk, no reward...I would stop playing at Brown or at least go to a 2 for 1...PC does not play at Brown, follow their lead...the game at Brown is probably Brown's Super Bowl, which is another reason why you not be engaged in a h/h with them, they probably play out of their heads against you.

It’s not their super bowl

It’s 80% to 90% URI Fans there.

It’s Ivy League Basketball typically over the Holidays.

[RF1]

Can't you just backfill with buy games or one-way road games if you come up short if nobody else will agree to a h/h series? Not sure why you would not always have 31 games.

It would seem that URI really doesn't have the funds for a lot of buy games. Looks at the home OOC schedules of the last few years. There are only 1-2 buy games per season for Rhody.

[RF1]

The thing about games is they are risk and reward. Playing at Brown is 100% risk for us and no reward. Look at last year and how a loss there derailed the season. It's just not worth it in my opinion.

Totally agree...this is not a rivalry since you guys have won 45 out of the last 52...this is all risk, no reward...I would stop playing at Brown or at least go to a 2 for 1...PC does not play at Brown, follow their lead...the game at Brown is probably Brown's Super Bowl, which is another reason why you not be engaged in a h/h with them, they probably play out of their heads against you.

It’s not their super bowl

It’s 80% to 90% URI Fans there.

It’s Ivy League Basketball typically over the Holidays.

Agreed. There are far bigger concerns if Rhody can't consistently win at Brown every other year in front of a mostly Keaney blue clad supportive crowd.

[hrstrat57]

Totally agree...this is not a rivalry since you guys have won 45 out of the last 52...this is all risk, no reward...I would stop playing at Brown or at least go to a 2 for 1...PC does not play at Brown, follow their lead...the game at Brown is probably Brown's Super Bowl, which is another reason why you not be engaged in a h/h with them, they probably play out of their heads against you.

It’s not their super bowl

It’s 80% to 90% URI Fans there.

It’s Ivy League Basketball typically over the Holidays.

Agreed. There are far bigger concerns if Rhody can't consistently win at Brown every other year in front of a mostly Keaney blue clad supportive crowd.

Yep and unlike Friartown Rams ain’t afraid no bears

[daytonflyerfan]

Agreed. There are far bigger concerns if Rhody can't consistently win at Brown every other year in front of a mostly Keaney blue clad supportive crowd.

Yeah, but if you keep going up against the same stinky team at their place every other year, sooner or later, you are going to get bit, and those q3 or q4 losses are brutal black marks on your resume.

This is the same reason why Fordham needs to be booted from the A10.

[theblueram]

Agreed. There are far bigger concerns if Rhody can't consistently win at Brown every other year in front of a mostly Keaney blue clad supportive crowd.

Yeah, but if you keep going up against the same stinky team at their place every other year, sooner or later, you are going to get bit, and those q3 or q4 losses are brutal black marks on your resume.

This is the same reason why Fordham needs to be booted from the A10.

Just what I was trying to get at. Everyone wants this team to be big time. But we do a road game against a perennial 200+ NET,RPI whatever metric. It's like playing Fordham on the road.

[section(105)]

.......I want us to be “big time” also, but struggling with finding what big time really is these days, maybe annually a top 3-4 in the A-10 is not big time, it is for me........wonder how others on here define “big time”.......with/without Covid hangover.....

[theblueram]

.......I want us to be “big time” also, but struggling with finding what big time really is these days, maybe annually a top 3-4 in the A-10 is not big time, it is for me........wonder how others on here define “big time”.......with/without Covid hangover.....

Top 3-4 in the A10 annually is perfect for us. But we also need to be in line for an AT LARGE bid. The top teams need to play smart schedules so we are top 25/in the hunt for a bid. Playing Brown on the road gives us no benefit if we win, and kills us if we lose. I mean, if we lose to Brown at home, then we have some real issues which would be discussed in a 40 page thread here. Just start acting like we are playing for at large bids. Playing Brown on the road is not part of it. We have enough chafe at the bottom of this league we need to play on the road as it is.

[daytonflyerfan]

Can't you just backfill with buy games or one-way road games if you come up short if nobody else will agree to a h/h series? Not sure why you would not always have 31 games.

It would seem that URI really doesn't have the funds for a lot of buy games. Looks at the home OOC schedules of the last few years. There are only 1-2 buy games per season for Rhody.

Might as well go on the road and play some winnable q1 and q2 one-way road games then in order to fill out the schedule. And I stress winnable. I see no point in playing a one-way road game that you have a high likelihood of losing. I bet there are a lot decent teams that would be willing to host you guys.

[URIFIJI]

Lets go play a local team at the Mohegan SUN - A New England Team

[raminwarwick]

Does anyone know if we get paid to play a game at Mohegan? If we played BC or St. Johns would it be a buy game for both with money coming from the casino?

[phipsiGD'11]

I have no clue but I highly doubt both teams get paid to play at mohegan, or else URI would play 2 games a year there.

[steviep123]

If PC decided not to play us annually or only at home, they would be ridiculed and rightfully so. As would we if we decided to only play Brown at home or not at all. We verbally kill the bigger schools who refuse to play us, it's rather hypocritical to turn around and say we shouldn't play Brown.

You could say the game has little reward for high risk. But look at Jay Wright when asked about playing the big 5 games - he could easily drop those games as at this point for other games but he feels those games against rival Philly schools help prepare his team for conference play as well as the Big East schedule. Other than Temple and sometimes Penn and sometimes St. Joe's, are any of those other Big 5 teams that much better than Brown on an annual basis? Like worlds better? Use it as a rivalry game to help prepare.

[rhodylaw]

Agreed. There are far bigger concerns if Rhody can't consistently win at Brown every other year in front of a mostly Keaney blue clad supportive crowd.

Yeah, but if you keep going up against the same stinky team at their place every other year, sooner or later, you are going to get bit, and those q3 or q4 losses are brutal black marks on your resume.

This is the same reason why Fordham needs to be booted from the A10.

No offense DFF - I HATE this mentality. We do not have a rivalry with Brown, but we have tradition. I am not throwing it out because they beat us once every 10 years. I am sure you don't follow the game as closely as us, the crowd is extremely pro Rhody. It is like a neutral court game. We got beat by a kid who went off hitting like 10 threes last year. It was insane but that happens in college basketball sometimes and the Brown loss was not the reason we would have been out of the tourney last year, it was a lack of signature wins.

[RF1]

If people want to eliminate opponents that do not help URI's goal of an NCAA at large bid, start first with games like LIU and Manhattan from this past season before thinking about eliminating Brown. URI has little tradition and connections with either LIU or Manhattan. Rhody hasn't played them a lot in men's hoops and typically does not play either in any sports. The two men's basketball games at the Ryan Center versus these teams which finished with losing records did little to enhance URI's tournament resume (LIU NET# 272 and Manhattan NET# 269) as Quad 4 games. They did not draw well as they had the two smallest crowds of the season (averaged 4,346). It is thought that these were guarantee games which cost URI upwards of a combined 100k. Contrast these games with Brown. URI has played the Bears in men's basketball some 160 games as the most played opponent. It is a local school that URI plays in nearly every sport annually. Brown men's basketball had a winning season this past year with an NET of #225 making the road game a Quad 3. If URI had followed the norm, it would have won and gained more for its resume. The series which involves multiple home and away games costs nothing.

[Rhody15]

Agreed. There are far bigger concerns if Rhody can't consistently win at Brown every other year in front of a mostly Keaney blue clad supportive crowd.

Yeah, but if you keep going up against the same stinky team at their place every other year, sooner or later, you are going to get bit, and those q3 or q4 losses are brutal black marks on your resume.

This is the same reason why Fordham needs to be booted from the A10.

No offense DFF - I HATE this mentality. We do not have a rivalry with Brown, but we have tradition. I am not throwing it out because they beat us once every 10 years. I am sure you don't follow the game as closely as us, the crowd is extremely pro Rhody. It is like a neutral court game. We got beat by a kid who went off hitting like 10 threes last year. It was insane but that happens in college basketball sometimes and the Brown loss was not the reason we would have been out of the tourney last year, it was a lack of signature wins.

The Brown loss was 100% part of the reason we were not in the at large picture at the end of the season.

Beat Brown and win @ Davidson and we would have been on the right side of the bubble heading into the conference tournament.

[Obadiah]

If people want to eliminate opponents that do not help URI's goal of an NCAA at large bid, start first with games like LIU and Manhattan from this past season before thinking about eliminating Brown. URI has little tradition and connections with either LIU or Manhattan. Rhody hasn't played them a lot in men's hoops and typically does not play either in any sports. The two men's basketball games at the Ryan Center versus these teams which finished with losing records did little to enhance URI's tournament resume (LIU NET# 272 and Manhattan NET# 269) as Quad 4 games. They did not draw well as they had the two smallest crowds of the season (averaged 4,346). It is thought that these were guarantee games which cost URI upwards of a combined 100k. Contrast these games with Brown. URI has played the Bears in men's basketball some 160 games as the most played opponent. It is a local school that URI plays in nearly every sport annually. Brown men's basketball had a winning season this past year with an NET of #225 making the road game a Quad 3. If URI had followed the norm, it would have won and gained more for its resume. The series which involves multiple home and away games costs nothing.

This perfectly summarizes a broad and accurate perspective of the annual Brown game.

[RF1]

The Brown loss was 100% part of the reason we were not in the at large picture at the end of the season.

Beat Brown and win @ Davidson and we would have been on the right side of the bubble heading into the conference tournament.

That is your opinion. Many probable at large teams had SEVERAL bad losses on their resume, some even at home. One local team was such an example. The real reason URI was not in the at large discussion in March was ultimately not the Brown loss on the road. It was much more related to not getting enough signature wins. Rhody could not beat Maryland or WVU in the OOC and was not able to get any big A-10 wins losing to Dayton in two opportunities and being beat in its only games, at home no less, to Richmond and St Louis.

[ramster]

The Brown loss was 100% part of the reason we were not in the at large picture at the end of the season.

Beat Brown and win @ Davidson and we would have been on the right side of the bubble heading into the conference tournament.

That is your opinion. Many probable at large teams had SEVERAL bad losses on their resume, some even at home. One local team was such an example. The real reason URI was not in the at large discussion in March was ultimately not the Brown loss on the road. It was much more related to not getting enough signature wins. Rhody could not beat Maryland or WVU in the OOC and was not able to get any big A-10 wins losing to Dayton in two opportunities and being beat in its only games, at home no less, to Richmond and St Louis.

URI was in the dance, they were a lock. Even with the Brown loss.
I’d say the back to back Brown and Richmond losses woke up the players and the coaching staff and the great 10 game winning streak immediately followed. If we won Brown and Richmond I’m not so sure we win 10 straight games

The NCAA lock disappeared when we lost 4 of our last 7 games. 2 of our 3 wins during those last 7 games were 1 point squeakers against lowly Fordham and UMASS. We were playing poorly heading into the A10 Tournament.

[CamsRams]

[CamsRams]

Back to back games @PC and vs Boise State?

[Rhody15]

Back to back games @PC and vs Boise State?

They can’t possibility play back to back games right?

Also, @ all posters, for the love of god please refrain from “well if there even is a season at all, who knows what the future holds, it’s the great unknown, I doubt there’s a season, etc etc” posts about this new scheduling date.

We get it, the point has been made, and it doesn’t need to be posted in every thread.

[Rhodyhooopz]

No way are back to back games on a Friday and Saturday happening.

[SmartyBarrett]

Either Jon's wrong or the Boise State game is being moved. I agree there's a 0.0% chance of back-to-back games.

[rambone 78]

Wonder if the A10 is considering going to 20 game schedule for next season, like the MAC just did?

If they did, then we're at 31 games and no more OOC games to schedule.

Then our all time shittiest home OOC schedule is complete!

[RhodyKyle]

Aren't a couple of the A10/MWC games on Sunday 12/6? Maybe they agreed to move the URI game to Sunday?

[JimSidd]

Aren't a couple of the A10/MWC games on Sunday 12/6? Maybe they agreed to move the URI game to Sunday?

I was thinking the same thing. The PC game must be set to be televised on ESPN2, like last year’s game. I wonder if this first Friday night in December becomes the new tradition. If the ratings are good, I think it will be.

[Rhodyram]

I'm wondering if the overall plan is to ditch the whole A10/WMC slate for this season.

[RhowdyRam02]

I've updated the first post to show the date of the PC game but for the time being I've kept the date for the Boise State game. I acknowledge that Rothstein's information is almost definitely correct and if so the Boise State game is almost definitely getting moved or not taking place, but Rothstein could be wrong and this is the best information we have to date

[daytonflyerfan]

Aren't a couple of the A10/MWC games on Sunday 12/6? Maybe they agreed to move the URI game to Sunday?

They should try to get the Boise game switched to 12/1 for the extra day of rest before 12/4.

Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020
Utah State at Davidson


Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020
UNLV at VCU
St. Bonaventure at New Mexico


Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020
San Diego State at Saint Louis
George Mason at Fresno State
Boise State at Rhode Island
Air Force at Saint Joseph’s
Richmond at Colorado State
Duquesne at Wyoming


Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020
Dayton at Nevada

[RhowdyRam02]

Can't switch it to 12/1 with what we have been able to piece together so far. They're in Florida the night before to take on Florida Gulf Coast

[RF1]

Aren't a couple of the A10/MWC games on Sunday 12/6? Maybe they agreed to move the URI game to Sunday?

I was thinking the same thing. The PC game must be set to be televised on ESPN2, like last year’s game. I wonder if this first Friday night in December becomes the new tradition. If the ratings are good, I think it will be.

The game is at PC and they and Fox control the tv rights. It will not be on an espn outlet.

[hrstrat57]

[CamsRams]

[CamsRams]

[CamsRams]

Men's basketball media day, sport committee meetings and governance meetings will all be conducted virtually next season. The men's basketball championships are scheduled for a third straight year at Barclays Center. They will move in 2022 to the Capital One Center in Washington, D.C., before returning to Brooklyn in 2023 and 2024.

[ramster]

Back to back games @PC and vs Boise State?

They can’t possibility play back to back games right?

I've updated the first post to show the date of the PC game but for the time being I've kept the date for the Boise State game. I acknowledge that Rothstein's information is almost definitely correct and if so the Boise State game is almost definitely getting moved or not taking place, but Rothstein could be wrong and this is the best information we have to date

No way are back to back games on a Friday and Saturday happening.

Either Jon's wrong or the Boise State game is being moved. I agree there's a 0.0% chance of back-to-back games.

Aren't a couple of the A10/MWC games on Sunday 12/6? Maybe they agreed to move the URI game to Sunday?

They should try to get the Boise game switched to 12/1 for the extra day of rest before 12/4.

I see no problem playing PC and Boise back to back

- URI will play back to back games at Mohegan as is customary
- Teams play back to back in most all holiday tournaments, including the A10 Post Season Tournament. In Maui these 8 teams will play 3 games in 3 days: Alabama, Davidson, Indiana, North Carolina, Providence, Stanford, Texas, UNLV
- Ivy League plays ONLY back to back Fridays and Saturdays for their Conference Games
- AAU kids sometimes play 2 games per day, back to back days
- NBA plays back to back games at times

Here is Brown last season:
Fri Jan 31 - Cornell
Sat Feb 1 - Columbia

Fri Feb 7 - Dartmouth
Sat Feb 8 - Harvard

Fri Feb 14 - @ Penn
Sat Feb 15 - @ Princeton

Fri Feb Feb 21 - @ Columbia
Sat Feb 22 - @ Cornell

Fri Feb 28 - Princeton
Sat Feb 29 - Penn

Fri Mar 6 - @ Harvard
Fri Mar 7 - @ Dartmouth