I've been really disappointed in the quality of the men's basketball schedule lately. There really haven't been many schools to get excited about, specifically big programs. In fact, we had one of the worst OOC schedules as far as the strength of it and the results were pathetic.

I agree about basketball and have gone into great detail about it in the past. The basketball schedule needs to take a few lessons from the football scheduling.

The basketball team needs to

1. Play a more national schedule. Travel across the nation.
2. Play more teams from the "power conferences" annually, even if they are the bottom half teams from those conferences.
3. Have at least one marquee game against a highly ranked team each year.
4. Keep scheduling and developing regional rivals as long as they are D1 teams.

Building a winning program includes competing against stiff competition. You learn how to play harder and in tough circumstances. You also have a chance to be on real national TV rather than ESPN3. It gets the Liberty brand into the public eye more.

Playing tough OOC games, with a good mix of winnable OOC games, sets you up for success in the conference season.

(02-21-2015 09:09 AM)army56mike Wrote:  The basketball team needs to

1. Play a more national schedule. Travel across the nation.
2. Play more teams from the "power conferences" annually, even if they are the bottom half teams from those conferences.
3. Have at least one marquee game against a highly ranked team each year.
4. Keep scheduling and developing regional rivals as long as they are D1 teams.

Building a winning program includes competing against stiff competition. You learn how to play harder and in tough circumstances. You also have a chance to be on real national TV rather than ESPN3. It gets the Liberty brand into the public eye more.

Playing tough OOC games, with a good mix of winnable OOC games, sets you up for success in the conference season.

We've got FB on the upswing and baseball being recognized as a top 25 team and women's basketball has achieved the greatest consistent success. Soon we'll be able to clean the slate with men's basketball, get a high profile coach, play a tough schedule and have it be an asset.