(12-26-2013 08:59 AM)Rocket Pirate Wrote:  

(12-24-2013 02:40 PM)cnyrocketfan Wrote:  Realistically, anyone have ideas about who would schedule a home-and-home with the Rockets? Middle to lower level Big 10 teams, like Northwestern, Penn State or Nebraska? More teams from the Missouri Valley, like Bradley, Drake or Southern Illinois? Western Kentucky or other Sun Belt Schools? Ohio Valley schools?

I think scheduling is interesting, but can't answer your question, rocketfan70. I don't know much about what goes into it, other than money is an issue. Some of the teams I listed might not want to schedule Toledo, or maybe Toledo wouldn't want to schedule them. Truth is, I just threw some names out there. They aren't really "name" schools, but Notre Dame, Indiana or Kentucky aren't coming to Savage (though I'm old enough to remember Notre Dame at the Field House and was at the Centennial Hall dedication game against the Hoosiers). So who would?

Thoughts?

H/H with quality teams in the same boat at UT would be the best way to go. Teams in the Missouri Valley, Atlantic 10, and Conference USA also struggle to get big conference opponents to play true road games (for example, UNC Charlotte tries to get one ACC or SEC home game, but usually has to play that at TWC Arena, which turns it into a neutral game far from campus; this year they get Georgia Tech on campus, though). Dayton is unresponsive? Oh well, then talk to the other 12 teams in the A10 that don't have the large home attendance numbers. Most of the MVC is a bus trip away from UT and the teams in that conference would be a great H/H match for UT. C-USA is a mess with conference realignment, but they still have some quality programs that need to fill a schedule with good mid-majors. Outside of UConn and Memphis, the AAC is full of mid-majors in the same boat as the rest of the mid-major world (excluding Louisville since they are just using the conference as a place holder).

It will take a lot to get marquee match-ups in Toledo. I think UT needs to focus on getting quality, realistic opponents at home that will provide great games and play the big teams on the road. Also, try to get into some high-level tournaments. Akron took on three major conference opponents in Hawaii this week. Toledo got into a tournament with the schedule already set, so they played one major (and won) and three low-majors. There are plenty of tournaments available like the one Akron was in.

I think keeping the H/H series with Detroit and Cleveland State alive is a great thing. Adding some series with AAC, MVC, A10, and select CUSA teams would bring stability and legitimacy to the schedule (instead of a slew of HBCUs and fringe D1 schools), along with road and neutral games against major conferences.

This makes sense to me. Thanks.

Here's an interesting site. Who would you like from this list? (a list I assume is subject to change as teams fill their schedules and other teams make requests). Towson? Seton Hall? St. Bonaventure? SUNY Albany? Northern Iowa?

http://www.basketballtravelers.com/game-.../?e_type=1

Here's a link to the basketballtravelers page with women's teams looking for games. Toledo has posted here, looking for teams for next season's tournaments.

http://www.basketballtravelers.com/game-.../?e_type=2

(12-27-2013 07:35 AM)cnyrocketfan Wrote:  Here's an interesting site. Who would you like from this list? (a list I assume is subject to change as teams fill their schedules and other teams make requests). Towson? Seton Hall? St. Bonaventure? SUNY Albany? Northern Iowa?

http://www.basketballtravelers.com/game-.../?e_type=1

The Seton Hall grad in me would love to see the Pirates and Rockets square off (almost happened in the NIT in 2001, but SHU got stomped by Alabama after UT beat South Alabama). But the current coach at Seton Hall schedules the weakest way possible, so a game at Savage is not in the mix.

By the way, I have told the AD at Seton Hall that if we ever build our own home facility (which won't happen unless there is a multi-million dollar land swap with the park next to campus, which isn't happening any time soon), Savage Hall/Arena should be the model. That is the perfect size for SHU. Currently, our home games are at the Prudential Center in Newark and over half of the seats are covered by a black curtain. So much for homecourt advantage...