Non-conference schedule

[PawDawg]

7 out of 9 times, we win the MBB game at LaLaff

[former_d1]

Scheduling high RPI teams is an issue for teams like Tech. We don't have the money to buy teams in and most top 150 rpi teams or even get a home and home, so tournaments are the best why to get to play upper rpi teams.

In reference to the lots of wins over plus 150 rpi teams, I feel like you win games against who will play you. White has done that ina big way and knocked off BCS schools along the way.

As a fan, I like the k-state method for right now. Win a bunch of games and then win the conference tournament. Make noise from there.

White plays a style of ball that can win in the tournament.

At the end of the day, there is just not that much you can do about the OOC schedule because it takes two schools agreeing and we don't have leverage (money, big name, cool place to visit, etc) to get schools into ruston to play, so playing the instate schools at least draws local interest vs paying or signing home and home to get a mac school in here that has no interest and no coverage in the paper.

The catch here is you are going to get beat every now and then like ULL the last 2 times. Just win and then just win in the tournament.

The end goal here is to schedule as best you can to get a seed in the tournament that give us a sweet 16 run in the tournament and a coaching search right after that.

[Dawg06]

Back to the subject of this thread.

Basketball scheduling. Not game guarantees, college athletics financing, but basketball scheduling.

Several things must happen, but here are the basics: 2 college basketball coaches have to agree to play a game of basketball at home or away or at a neutral site on a mutually agreeable date. Notice I did not say athletics directors. Basketball coaches.

The main exception would be if a promoter put together a matchup at a neutral site for a sizable guarantee before paying the teams.

After the season, ask Coach Michael White to show you the rejection emails he gets from all levels of Division 1 peers who THIS YEAR have refused via phone call or email to host the Bulldogs or travel to Ruston.

Yes, '06, please do that before you express your comments of disgust. Your imagination and assumptions at times can go south at times.

Hey, if ADs were directly involved in scheduling, we could get a sniff at scheduling Duke, don't you think? Our coach is close to the AD, who respects our AD. Now, Coach K? That must be the rub. Dang coaches.

We must play with the hand dealt in the process and we must begin now, as Boxer, said so well: We need to finish.

Since I don't rub elbows with White and you do, why don't you enlighten us about who all turned us down?

I never said anything about the ADs so I don't know where you're coming from with all that. But it's quite obvious that White could use a lot of help scheduling.

[Dawg06]

Those are the expected, tangible results of being a good coach. So, yeah, I agree with you. It is true White has already been courted by bigger schools, Mizzou and Tennessee were interested in him. And the interest remains and will increase when he gets over the hump. The hump? Making noise in the Dance and/or cracking the Top 25.

Louisiana Tech rocketed into the Top 25(or Top 20, I think it was back then) and all the way to 7th in the polls during the '84-'85 season, and our schedule looked a lot like it does now, maybe weaker! It is true the SLC was a decent conference back then. Lamar, USL, McNeese all joined Tech in the Top 40. On a couple of occasions Lamar cracked the Top 20 during that time. But, our OOC was fairly non-descript. We did beat a then 5th ranked Louisville (under Denny Crum) but other than that Weber State and Rice were about it. The rest were mere cannon fodder. So, why did we get such a lofty ranking? Because we were that LEGIT good and everyone knew it. Schedule didn't matter, the Dawgs were one of the ten best teams in the nation. And Russo was hired away by Washington. A BIG mistake for him, he shoulda stayed here.

White will leave for more money and new challenges and opportunities in his career. So far, he has been very smart how he is handling it. He NEEDS a signature win and a run thru the Dance, and getting Tech ranked. Then....money $$$$.

Top 25 rankings are totally irrelevant to the NCAA selection committee. Top 25 teams have been left out of the tournament recently due to poor strength of schedule: Utah State several years ago and then SMU last year. You also can't compare a Top 5 win vs. not even having a single RPI Top 150 win so far this year.

[Dawg06]

Huggs! speaking his mind. Makes some valid points.

Yep. Loved it.

[Dawg06]

So, play the hand you are dealt. Win games against Southern, NWSt, LaLaff, and such by 20 or more and then dominate your conference. If we are top 25 material that should not be a huge ask, I guess.

Beating those teams like that still wouldn't be enough for an at-large bid. Top 25 rankings and NCAA selection committee are two completely different animals.

[Dawg06]

Scheduling high RPI teams is an issue for teams like Tech. We don't have the money to buy teams in and most top 150 rpi teams or even get a home and home, so tournaments are the best why to get to play upper rpi teams.

In reference to the lots of wins over plus 150 rpi teams, I feel like you win games against who will play you. White has done that ina big way and knocked off BCS schools along the way.

As a fan, I like the k-state method for right now. Win a bunch of games and then win the conference tournament. Make noise from there.

White plays a style of ball that can win in the tournament.

At the end of the day, there is just not that much you can do about the OOC schedule because it takes two schools agreeing and we don't have leverage (money, big name, cool place to visit, etc) to get schools into ruston to play, so playing the instate schools at least draws local interest vs paying or signing home and home to get a mac school in here that has no interest and no coverage in the paper.

The catch here is you are going to get beat every now and then like ULL the last 2 times. Just win and then just win in the tournament.

The end goal here is to schedule as best you can to get a seed in the tournament that give us a sweet 16 run in the tournament and a coaching search right after that.

I'm not buying it anymore. Sick of hearing all the excuses. Don't tell me we don't have the money when we are paying this staff outrageous salaries. We have to be one of the very few FBS schools that pays our basketball coaches more than our football coaches, except that our basketball program doesn't bring in hardly any revenue. And other C-USA teams are landing deals to play in much better tournaments.

White has beaten up on a lot of really weak teams, but he's also lost several games to in-state jucos. He's only knocked off one BCS school on an OOC schedule (Oklahoma).

We've been trying that K-State method going on 24 years now, and it's failed each of the last 23 years. And White's style of basketball has yet to win a conference tournament including falling twice as the No. 1 seed.

Again, I'm not asking for Wichita State or Baylor. Just avoid these 200+, 300+ SWAC and Southland teams. There is no reason for us to ever play in a SWAC gym. None. If we really can't find a way to get Top 200 mid-majors on our schedule, then we have a major problem. We have to find a way to get it done. And don't tell me that these crappy in-state jucos like Nicholls State and Southern draw any interest for Tech fans. That's laughable like Huggins said. I guarantee you a game against one of the top tier MAC teams would generate more interest than most of these pitiful teams on our schedule. Do you actually think playing Nicholls State is gonna get us more press in the paper than playing somebody else? No way.

I'm fine with playing ULL in basketball... Just don't lose to them!

"Just win the tournament." How's that been working out for us?

Don't misunderstand me, though. I love Coach White, and I respect you and your opinion. I've just had enough of the excuses for these pathetic schedules. We have to start scheduling like a top tier C-USA program. What we are doing scheduling-wise obviously is not working. It does nothing for our NCAA hopes, and it does nothing for our fans.

[Dawg06]

Expected OOC Opponent RPI
45.6 NC State
78.3 Syracuse
112.8 American
122.6 Temple
183.9 LaLaff
209.0 Morehead State
279.0 Northwestern State
303.3 Jackson State
307.9 Southern
330.0 Samford
333.2 Nicholls State
336.4 Presbyterian
Non-DI Southern Arkansas

We can do better than this.

[Dawgpix]

Since I don't rub elbows with White and you do, why don't you enlighten us about who all turned us down?

I never said anything about the ADs so I don't know where you're coming from with all that. But it's quite obvious that White could use a lot of help scheduling.

Don't be so sensitive. The AD comment wasn't directed at you.

It takes two to tango in scheduling.

It's that simple.

But, since you only have conditional love for Coach White it really doesn't matter what someone tells you.

[Dawg06]

Don't be so sensitive. The AD comment wasn't directed at you.

It takes two to tango in scheduling.

It's that simple.

But, since you only have conditional love for Coach White it really doesn't matter what someone tells you.

Obviously it takes a mutual agreement to schedule. I never disputed that. And that's BS about my "conditional love" for Coach White. I've been a huge fan since the very beginning. I just think he (and our admin) can do a lot better scheduling while others are content with these pathetic schedules.

[Dawgpix]

Obviously it takes a mutual agreement to schedule. I never disputed that. And that's BS about my "conditional love" for Coach White. I've been a huge fan since the very beginning. I just think he (and our admin) can do a lot better scheduling while others are content with these pathetic schedules.

Once again, if you desire to be the SACOTU, knock yourself out.

I got other topics to worry about at the water cooler.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

HCMW has stated numerous times that he can't get a SEC game out of them because they have been afraid to play us. I'm sure that probably goes for the Big12(8) as well but I can't recall his comment on those universities/coaches.

http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showt...71#post1488671

[former_d1]

I'm not buying it anymore. Sick of hearing all the excuses. Don't tell me we don't have the money when we are paying this staff outrageous salaries. We have to be one of the very few FBS schools that pays our basketball coaches more than our football coaches, except that our basketball program doesn't bring in hardly any revenue. And other C-USA teams are landing deals to play in much better tournaments.

White has beaten up on a lot of really weak teams, but he's also lost several games to in-state jucos. He's only knocked off one BCS school on an OOC schedule (Oklahoma).

We've been trying that K-State method going on 24 years now, and it's failed each of the last 23 years. And White's style of basketball has yet to win a conference tournament including falling twice as the No. 1 seed.

Again, I'm not asking for Wichita State or Baylor. Just avoid these 200+, 300+ SWAC and Southland teams. There is no reason for us to ever play in a SWAC gym. None. If we really can't find a way to get Top 200 mid-majors on our schedule, then we have a major problem. We have to find a way to get it done. And don't tell me that these crappy in-state jucos like Nicholls State and Southern draw any interest for Tech fans. That's laughable like Huggins said. I guarantee you a game against one of the top tier MAC teams would generate more interest than most of these pitiful teams on our schedule. Do you actually think playing Nicholls State is gonna get us more press in the paper than playing somebody else? No way.

I'm fine with playing ULL in basketball... Just don't lose to them!

"Just win the tournament." How's that been working out for us?

Don't misunderstand me, though. I love Coach White, and I respect you and your opinion. I've just had enough of the excuses for these pathetic schedules. We have to start scheduling like a top tier C-USA program. What we are doing scheduling-wise obviously is not working. It does nothing for our NCAA hopes, and it does nothing for our fans.

Ncaa tournament is what i am refering to. Conference tournaments the other team is seeing you for the 3rd time.

Win games, lots of games and recruits start coming. Hover around .500 and kids will only here if they have too, imo.

Look at the other d1 schools in the state. Did any of them have better ooc schedules? (No, i have not looked).

In my 12 years of being a season ticket holder at ualr shields was able to schedule home and home with other mids a lot, so you are right it can happen.

[Dawg06]

Ncaa tournament is what i am refering to. Conference tournaments the other team is seeing you for the 3rd time.

Win games, lots of games and recruits start coming. Hover around .500 and kids will only here if they have too, imo.

Look at the other d1 schools in the state. Did any of them have better ooc schedules? (No, i have not looked).

In my 12 years of being a season ticket holder at ualr shields was able to schedule home and home with other mids a lot, so you are right it can happen.

I haven't looked at the other in-state schools because I don't see them as peers. Our peers are in C-USA, and probably everybody except for maybe UTSA (who is basically coming from the Southland) has managed much better schedules than us.

FWIW I think we should be playing UALR every year. UALR is much better than Southland/SWAC. Nice arena, respectable school, and it's the only opportunity for our Arkansas alumni to watch Tech play since we never play football in Arkansas. UT Arlington is another I think we should be playing every year assuming SMU won't play us. How many fans did we bring to Arlington last time? I'm fine with LaLaff every year in hoops. And then a few more decent home-and-homes. I'm really not asking for much.

[Dawg06]

Where do we rank vs the rest of CUSA ooc schedules. I just looked at a couple; WKU, Charlotte, UTEP, & ODU and they all had pretty good opponents. Two things that stands out though is they play a selection of local schools and they faced better teams in their tournaments. Also they all had a win over a better school that they could hang their hat on.

Best C-USA OOC HOME & NEUTRAL Site Games 2013-2014

UTEP
Arizona
Washington State
Colorado State
New Mexico State
New Mexico State
Denver
(N) Kansas
(N) Tennessee
(N) Iowa
(N) Washington
(N) Xavier
(N) Princeton

UTSA
Georgia State
Loyola (Chicago)
Texas State

Rice
Harvard
Princeton
William & Mary
South Alabama
(N) Washington State
(N) Houston
(N) Mercer
(N) Rider

North Texas
Creighton
Iona
UC Riverside
Stephen F. Austin
(N) Columbia
(N) Idaho

Louisiana Tech
American (CvC Classic)
Morehead State (CvC Classic)
ULL
(N) St. Bonaventure

Southern Miss
Rhode Island
Drexel
Georgia State
North Dakota State
Morehead State
South Alabama
(N) UALR

UAB
North Carolina
LSU
Rutgers
South Florida
Illinois State
Morehead State
(N) UCLA
(N) Florida
(N) Wisconsin
(N) Nebraska
(N) New Mexico
(N) Temple

Middle Tennessee
Belmont
Akron
Murray State
South Alabama
UALR
(N) Cincinnati
(N) Creighton

WKU
Louisville
Ole Miss
Southern Miss
Belmont
Murray State
Bowling Green
(N) Saint Joseph's

Marshall
Penn State
South Carolina
WKU
Morehead State
Cleveland State
Stephen F. Austin
Arkansas State
(N) West Virginia
(N) West Virginia

Old Dominion
VCU
George Mason
Richmond
William & Mary
Georgia State
Missouri State
Murray State
College of Charleston
(N) LSU
(N) West Virginia
(N) Saint Louis
(N) Illinois State
(N) Gardner-Webb

Charlotte
Georgia Tech
Miami
Davidson
Elon
College of Charleston
(N) Michigan
(N) Miami
(N) Kansas State
(N) Penn State
(N) South Carolina
(N) Northeastern

Florida Atlantic
Harvard
UCF
East Carolina
Eastern Kentucky
St. Francis (NY)
Elon
(N) Toledo
(N) Stony Brook

FIU
Louisville
Georgia State
Florida Gulf Coast
(N) Eastern Kentucky
(N) Wright State
(N) Youngstown State
(N) Cal State Fullerton

Tech and UTSA have by far the worst schedules in C-USA, and Tech isn't an RPI killer like UTSA is.