Amore: Looking At UConn’s Non-Conference Schedule

[tcf15]

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-men/looking-at-uconns-non-conference-schedule/

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Seems like unusually long breaks between a lot of these games, right?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Nothing earth shattering but I pretty much agree with what Amore is saying.

As long as we're in the AAC, I think it's going to be critical to at least have one big name school ( like Florida or Texas) at XL and Gampel. I acknowledge that could be very difficult as it entails home/home and takes away home games against low majors but I just don't see how you can get good attendance with the casual fan with that schedule.

 

[upstater]

Hartford wanted to play UConn, but things didn’t match up on UConn’s end.

When hell freezes over, things will match up.

 

[Tommyboy]

Hartford wanted to play UConn, but things didn’t match up on UConn’s end.

When hell freezes over, things will match up.

Yeah I don't see them doing Walter Harrison's school any favors anytime soon.

 

[Drew]

I'd rather play Hartford/Fairfield/Sacred Heart/CCSU/Qunnipiac etc than Coppin State

 

[Kitaman]

I'd rather play Hartford/Fairfield/Sacred Heart/CCSU/Qunnipiac etc than Coppin State

I agree, I wouldn't mind letting some in-state schools parlay our Championship status.

 

[David 76]

Glad for Ollie's scheduling. We need Duke, FL, Texas, Stanford and the tourney in Puerto Rico to get us ready for March. We ain't in the Big East no more!

 

[Waquoit]

Glad for Ollie's scheduling. We need Duke, FL, Texas, Stanford and the tourney in Puerto Rico to get us ready for March. We ain't in the Big East no more!

Would have been nice to have more than one of those games at home.

 

[upstater]

I'd rather play Hartford/Fairfield/Sacred Heart/CCSU/Qunnipiac etc than Coppin State

I'd rather play the Santa Cruz Banana Slugs at the Dunk in Providence than play Hartford.

 

[Gurleyman]

I'd rather play the Santa Cruz Banana Slugs at the Dunk in Providence than play Hartford.

Banana Slugs are coming off a rough year. Better competition and less travel to play the Lord Jeffs.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

maybe holy cross, dartmouth, navy, nyu (now it is their intramural team) could appear in the future-they need pain back from serious pain given to UCONN in past

 

[uconnell]

I'd rather play Hartford/Fairfield/Sacred Heart/CCSU/Qunnipiac etc than Coppin State

No, no Hartford, Harrison can poop in a bag and pull it over his head, as far as UCONN ever playing them.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

with the AAC schedule being what it is now, we can only afford to play a couple OOC cupcakes for a while. We will have a couple/few In-conference cupcakes to fill that quota.

Not a big deal. KO/Warde will schedule accordingly. And if they don't, we'll be a 4 seed, instead of a 2...and will likely keep winning anyways.

 

[David 76]

Not a big deal. KO/Warde will schedule accordingly. And if they don't, we'll be a 4 seed, instead of a 2...and will likely keep winning anyways.[/QUOTE]
But we need to play top competition to be ready for March. You learn so much more playing tough teams.

 

[intlzncster]

Would have been nice to have more than one of those games at home.

True, but when you're in a sh!tbag conference, you take what you can get.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Not a big deal. KO/Warde will schedule accordingly. And if they don't, we'll be a 4 seed, instead of a 2...and will likely keep winning anyways.

But we need to play top competition to be ready for March. You learn so much more playing tough teams.[/QUOTE]

I agree. Thats why i said the first part

 

[Waquoit]

True, but when you're in a sh!tbag conference, you take what you can get.

And what we get is the worst home schedule in 35 years.

 

[intlzncster]

And what we get is the worst home schedule in 35 years.

AAC! AAC! AAC!

 

[alfonse]

maybe holy cross, dartmouth, navy, nyu (now it is their intramural team) could appear in the future-they need pain back from serious pain given to UCONN in past

PLEASE Dartmouth home and away. I live in Hanover NH that would be amazing! North Carolina played here a while ago, was the biggest thing up here ever. Most starters sat but I went and Brendon Haywood played, had like 5 dunks....

 

[dog bone]

Nothing earth shattering but I pretty much agree with what Amore is saying.

As long as we're in the AAC, I think it's going to be critical to at least have one big name school ( like Florida or Texas) at XL and Gampel. I acknowledge that could be very difficult as it entails home/home and takes away home games against low majors but I just don't see how you can get good attendance with the casual fan with that schedule.

Yes, this is key. Last year we has Louisville as another big name school. Without them, UConn needs to schedule 4 major home/home with 2 of those opponents being at XL and Gampel and the other 2 away every year. Strength of schedule is certainly important but so is selling tickets.

 

[Pudge]

Guess we just need to break the piggy & go to Puerto Rico

 

[ConnZag3]

Can't wait to go to Palo Alto for the Stanford game. While it sucks that the AAC is terrible in terms of depth for basketball, at least it forces our hand to schedule more nationally recognized teams in the non-conference season. I like how we've been covering all corners of the country in the last few years going to places like Seattle and Austin and now going to Palo Alto and Gainesville.

Hopefully we'll soon be playing conference games not too far from me in Madison, Evanston, and Iowa City however...

 

[BankShot]

Dare I say, . . . . . DOOMED?!