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ctipton Offline
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UC basketball trying to improve schedule
UC basketball trying to improve schedule

[Image: bilde?Site=AB&Date=20120512&...e-schedule]
The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II
Mick Cronin insists that entertainment value is not his primary concern when he puts together UC’s schedule.

Written by
Bill Koch

Every University of Cincinnati basketball fan has his own theory about who the Bearcats should play on their non-conference schedule. Why not play local schools such as Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio State, Dayton and Miami every year? Why not play a double-header at U.S. Bank Arena with those schools rotating? Why can’t UC get Duke to come to town? Or North Carolina?

UC coach Mick Cronin has heard it all and he understands.

“One thing I agree with our fans on that I hear the most is that we need a big-name team in here,” Cronin said. “Well, everybody’s not beating down the door to get in here, but some teams will.”

Cronin and his staff are working now to build the 2012-13 non-conference schedule with two things in mind – making the schedule more attractive to fans than the one that was rated No. 153 in difficulty last year by CollegeRPI.com and making it conducive to the development of a team that annually faces a blockbuster conference schedule every year in the Big East.

During the first few years of Cronin’s rebuilding program at UC, the Bearcats were obligated to play Memphis and UAB from Conference USA as part of their agreement when they left the league to join the Big East in 2005. They also were forced to play with a depleted roster in perhaps the toughest league in the country.

But the Memphis and UAB commitments have run their course and UC has made two straight NCAA tournament appearances, advancing last season to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2001.

“It’s now time to probably upgrade our schedule a little bit,” said deputy athletic director Bob Arkeilpane.

UC athletic director Whit Babcock would like to see a minimum of two marquee games every year on the home schedule, not counting the Xavier game, which has alternated between the two schools’ home courts.

“I feel like that gives our schedule good balance,” Babcock said. “I like the direction that Mick has taken the program. I think we can play a few more people now and I’m confident that we can meet that goal.”

A marquee opponent, according to Babcock, is a BCS football-level school, a perennial Top 25 team or a team projected to have a high RPI in a given season. Cronin is on board with that, but points out that scheduling at UC, as it is for football, is complicated by financial constraints.

“The budget is a factor,” Cronin said. “You can only play who you can afford. People are going to do what’s best for them, not for us, when Ohio State is offering them $100,000-plus for a game.”

Ohio State, which beat UC in the regional semifinals in March, has expressed no interest in playing the Bearcats during the regular season except for a game in the John Wooden Tradition in 2006.

“I’m working on Kentucky,” Cronin said. “Indiana doesn’t have room for us right now. We’ve asked Michigan State. That’s a possibility down the road, but they’re locked into a lot of stuff. It’s not like you sit there and say let’s play this team.”

Fans have to understand, Cronin said, that entertainment value is not his primary concern when he puts together UC’s schedule.

“When the movies come out that’s for your entertainment,” Cronin said.

“Our entertainment is different. We have to build our team. We can’t play 31 blockbusters. None of us can.”

Because of financial constraints, Cronin said, the Bearcats play their share of two-for-one series with mid-major opponents, meaning UC plays one game at the opponent’s venue in exchange for two games at Fifth Third Arena.

“Wright State was two-for-one,” he said. “Miami was two-for-one. Toledo was home and home. I’m surrounded by Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio State. They don’t play two-for-ones. We play two-for-ones because that saves us money. We get Miami at home twice and only have to pay them once, but we have to go up there. We had a home-and-home against Toledo to save money.You do it to where you don’t have to travel (far) so you can save money. We have to be creative here because of our financial situation.”

The 2012-13 schedule includes a return game against Marshall (in Charleston, W.V.), home games vs. Wright State and Xavier and a Thanksgiving week tournament in Las Vegas along with Iowa State, Oregon and UNLV. The Bearcats will also play a home game in the Big East/SEC Challenge against an opponent yet to be determined, with the hope that defending national champion Kentucky might be that opponent. They hope to add another marquee opponent to the home schedule.

The rest of the non-league home schedule will be filled with so-called “buy” games against low-to-mid major opponents that UC pays to play at Fifth Third Arena. But even that’s tricky because those schools try to make as much money as they can from those games.

“Everybody’s going to buy teams, so what happens if you can only pay $80,000 or $85,000?” Cronin said. “There’s a science to it. Teams will call you and say we’re going to play Dayton or we’re going to play Ohio State. We’re going to be in the area. Say you find a fit financially. Then you’ve got to work out the date. The date may be no good, so that’s a problem,

“We’ve got to get teams to play us and Xavier. We talk with them about that. They can pick up two checks. We’ll find out a school is playing Kentucky and we’ll say, hey, do you want to come here after? Because you get the big check there, then you get another check. That’s what happens.”

Cronin would like UC to be part of prestigious tournaments such as the Maui Invitational and the Preseason NIT.

“People say, well, why don’t you get in this tournament?” Cronin said. “Well, when you’re in a league with 16 teams and now it’s going to be 18 and there’s only one team from each league allowed in the Preseason NIT or Maui … I’ve been trying to get in the Preseason NIT since I’ve been here. Getting in Maui (in 2009) was the coup of all coups. We got in as a substitute when Louisville pulled out. It’s hard to get in those tournaments.”

“I want to go back to Maui. I love Maui and it’s a great tournament. A problem with us is that at the time, we didn’t travel with a big fan base. I think now we would. Now we’re getting a lot of calls from our fans about Vegas (on Nov. 23-24). You’ve got to do what’s best for your team.”

The bottom line is that Cronin wants to play big-name opponents at home as much as UC fans want him to. He just doesn’t want to play one every night, not with the Big East lurking around the corner in January.

“There’s just a lot of challenges to it,” Cronin said. “People sit back and say, well, they’re purposely (avoiding good teams). No, it’s not like that. It’s a long year and our game is about March. But you’ve got to have some testers early. My players want that game. I want that game for recruiting and you’re always trying to get that game.”

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...d|mostview
 
05-13-2012 01:13 PM
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CincyBro Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
I'm not quite sure what to make of this article, it sounds like UC wants to be a 1st class program but because of current financial restraints they are regulated to 2nd class or below.
 
05-13-2012 01:30 PM
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ctipton Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
100% correct.
 
05-13-2012 01:44 PM
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converrl Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
Ain't nobody gots any $$$$$$!
 
05-13-2012 01:50 PM
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Bearcat04 Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
Nice article by Koch.

Hopefully this can put an end to the dumb posts that Mick doesn't want to play anyone and that the budget is just an excuse.
 
05-13-2012 01:54 PM
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bearcatlawjd Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
You still have to be smart about the schedule. I know its cheaper to schedule some of worst schools out there but it hurts the Cats chances of going to the tournament. Finding that balance is difficult. I usually don't care about having the big name teams because the conference schedule gives you enough of those, I just don't want those rpi killers.

The meat of the schedule looks good but right now they don't have a true road game on non-conference schedule and we still don't have an idea about the buy games. I would love to see the Bearcats give Miami, Ohio, Toledo, Akron, NKU, Kent State, Wright State, 2 for 1 and maybe even some 1 for 1.
 
05-13-2012 02:01 PM
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
We have recently given Wright St and Miami 2 for 1 deals. The problem is that you can't give away too many 1 for 1 and 2 for 1 series or you end up shrinking the home schedule to under 18 games. When that happens you end up making your money problems even worse because you have to lower season ticket prices and lose other revenue associated with home games.
 
(This post was last modified: 05-13-2012 03:53 PM by subflea.)
05-13-2012 03:52 PM
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Bearcats#1 Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
I'm all for a "big name" coming to the Shoe...but barring that happening, or even if it DOES happen, we need to stop playing four and five teams in the 250-300 rpi range....
 
05-13-2012 04:11 PM
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Bearcat_Bounce Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-13-2012 04:11 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I'm all for a "big name" coming to the Shoe...but barring that happening, or even if it DOES happen, we need to stop playing four and five teams in the 250-300 rpi range....

As the article states, the best chance of avoiding this are getting the decent mid majors who are taking huge checks from UK,IU,tO$U or UofL to swing by Cincinnati on their way home.
 
(This post was last modified: 05-13-2012 05:12 PM by Bearcat_Bounce.)
05-13-2012 05:11 PM
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vabearcat Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
The reality is that we want to be considered in the same breath as UK, IU, UofL and OSU, but we do not have the consistent fan support, the luxury boxes, and enough deep-pocketed boosters to be able to schedule like those schools can, often with the assistance of ESPN.
 
05-13-2012 06:55 PM
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-13-2012 06:55 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  The reality is that we want to be considered in the same breath as UK, IU, UofL and OSU, but we do not have the consistent fan support, the luxury boxes, and enough deep-pocketed boosters to be able to schedule like those schools can, often with the assistance of ESPN.

Right on the money04-cheers
 
05-13-2012 07:21 PM
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BearcatShane09 Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.
 
05-13-2012 08:11 PM
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uccheese Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-13-2012 08:11 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.

If they didn't hold last year's non-league RPI against us, they never will. I don't even think it cost us 1 seed line and it was among the worst in the country. Play well in maybe the best league in the country and you will get treated well. History shows it.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down some marquee games either. I just think people exaggerate the impact it has.
 
05-15-2012 07:21 AM
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-15-2012 07:21 AM)uccheese Wrote:  
(05-13-2012 08:11 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.

If they didn't hold last year's non-league RPI against us, they never will. I don't even think it cost us 1 seed line and it was among the worst in the country. Play well in maybe the best league in the country and you will get treated well. History shows it.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down some marquee games either. I just think people exaggerate the impact it has.
Cincinnati would have been at worst a 4 seed with a decent OOC. Just because they still made the tournament doesn't mean the committee didn't punish them.
 
05-15-2012 08:35 AM
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-15-2012 07:21 AM)uccheese Wrote:  
(05-13-2012 08:11 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.

If they didn't hold last year's non-league RPI against us, they never will. I don't even think it cost us 1 seed line and it was among the worst in the country. Play well in maybe the best league in the country and you will get treated well. History shows it.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down some marquee games either. I just think people exaggerate the impact it has.

Wins down the stretch against Marquette, Georgetown, Louisville etc. and the BET run erased all doubts. If UC had bowed out in the first round of the BET or lost one or more of those late games, it might have gotten a little hairy.
 
(This post was last modified: 05-15-2012 09:03 AM by CliftonAve.)
05-15-2012 09:03 AM
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cinbinsportsfan Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-15-2012 07:21 AM)uccheese Wrote:  
(05-13-2012 08:11 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.

If they didn't hold last year's non-league RPI against us, they never will. I don't even think it cost us 1 seed line and it was among the worst in the country. Play well in maybe the best league in the country and you will get treated well. History shows it.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down some marquee games either. I just think people exaggerate the impact it has.

It definitely wasn't the RPI, it was losing to Presbyterian and Marshall last season. Results of all other games remaining the same, the Presbyterian/Marshall losses was the difference between a 3/4 seed for Cincinnati and a 5/6 seed.
 
05-15-2012 09:07 AM
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bearcatlawjd Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-15-2012 09:07 AM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  
(05-15-2012 07:21 AM)uccheese Wrote:  
(05-13-2012 08:11 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.

If they didn't hold last year's non-league RPI against us, they never will. I don't even think it cost us 1 seed line and it was among the worst in the country. Play well in maybe the best league in the country and you will get treated well. History shows it.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down some marquee games either. I just think people exaggerate the impact it has.

It definitely wasn't the RPI, it was losing to Presbyterian and Marshall last season. Results of all other games remaining the same, the Presbyterian/Marshall losses was the difference between a 3/4 seed for Cincinnati and a 5/6 seed.

Maybe, but the non-conference SOS is a number that killed UC last year.
 
05-15-2012 09:13 AM
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cinbinsportsfan Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-15-2012 09:13 AM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  
(05-15-2012 09:07 AM)cinbinsportsfan Wrote:  
(05-15-2012 07:21 AM)uccheese Wrote:  
(05-13-2012 08:11 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.

If they didn't hold last year's non-league RPI against us, they never will. I don't even think it cost us 1 seed line and it was among the worst in the country. Play well in maybe the best league in the country and you will get treated well. History shows it.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down some marquee games either. I just think people exaggerate the impact it has.

It definitely wasn't the RPI, it was losing to Presbyterian and Marshall last season. Results of all other games remaining the same, the Presbyterian/Marshall losses was the difference between a 3/4 seed for Cincinnati and a 5/6 seed.

Maybe, but the non-conference SOS is a number that killed UC last year.

Yea I really don't know. It's just my opinion/speculation that UC would have been a 3/4 seed if they had beaten Presbyterian/Marshall given the same SOS/RPI. Hard to say for sure, really.
 
05-15-2012 09:24 AM
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George Kaplan Offline
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
If they don't have those two embarrassing home losses early on, the rest of the season unfolds differently, at least somewhat. It is what happened - it's useless to play out different scenarios.
 
05-15-2012 09:47 AM
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RE: UC basketball trying to improve schedule
(05-15-2012 08:35 AM)Bearcat_Bounce Wrote:  
(05-15-2012 07:21 AM)uccheese Wrote:  
(05-13-2012 08:11 PM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  Well this year they have Xavier(probably), Iowa State, probably UNLV and an SEC team. Thats light years better than this past years non league schedule. Honestly, I don't really care about playing marquee games at home. They can play in preseason tournaments or straight play at some places for all I care. I just don't want the non league RPI to be held against them in March.

If they didn't hold last year's non-league RPI against us, they never will. I don't even think it cost us 1 seed line and it was among the worst in the country. Play well in maybe the best league in the country and you will get treated well. History shows it.

Of course, I wouldn't turn down some marquee games either. I just think people exaggerate the impact it has.
Cincinnati would have been at worst a 4 seed with a decent OOC. Just because they still made the tournament doesn't mean the committee didn't punish them.

I don't think that's true at all if you're referring to OOC schedule. If you're referring to our seed had we never lost to Pres/Marshall, then sure. Playing those teams wasn't held against us. Losing to them was.
 
05-15-2012 10:06 AM
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