DRC: UNT releases nonconference hoops slate

[Brett Vito]

DRC:

https://www.dentonrc.com/sports/unt-releases-nonconference-basketball-schedule/article_684858db-803b-52ed-bb33-8166f52e692a.html

[chrisfisher]

Man, that home schedule with questionable opponents is rough...Road schedule a little better with some quality opponents.  Home schedule is: Angelo State, Texas A&M-Commerce, Maryland Eastern Shore, Maine, St. Peters, UTA, and Arkansas Pine Bluff....Not exactly going to fire-up the Mean Green base......disappointing.... But, of course, I'll watch/listen to each game no matter what! 

[NorthTexan95]

20 minutes ago, chrisfisher said:

Man, that home schedule with questionable opponents is rough...Road schedule a little better with some quality opponents.  Home schedule is: Angelo State, Texas A&M-Commerce, Maryland Eastern Shore, Maine, St. Peters, UTA, and Arkansas Pine Bluff....Not exactly going to fire-up the Mean Green base......disappointing.... But, of course, I'll watch/listen to each game no matter what! 

That's what I was thinking.  We play Oklahoma and ... ???  I guess we're not worried about RPI at all. 

[DeepGreen]

I tend to agree with what you'll are saying, but at the same time we need another successful season or two to keep our recruiting on the upward path.

[chrisfisher]

20 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

I tend to agree with what you'll are saying, but at the same time we need another successful season or two to keep our recruiting on the upward path.

We'd better win the CUSA conference outright because that schedule will not get us any at-large bids to the NCAA tourney....and will be a very low seeding even if win CUSA conference. 

[chrisfisher]

I wonder too if other name teams saw us win the CBI and then dominate in Europe and not want any of that? 

[outoftown]

That is an atrocious OOC schedule. You lose more than one game on it, and you can kiss any chance at an at-large goodbye. That cannot possibly be where UNT wants to aim. Very weak stuff from the AD/coach (it isn't always clear to me who is responsible for scheduling in BBall).

If their problem was that people were afraid, then they would have needed to play at least a  different kind of tournament (the kind where winners play winners) in order to get at least one marquee matchup out of it.

Edited October 4, 2018 by outoftown

[@UNTSportsFan]

 Next year’s home OOC schedule will be the best we’ve had in years. 

[ttunt1970]

Out town it takes 2 to tango or make a schedule I see return by N Mexico, Hawaii & a few area D1. We had this same problem when Coach Blakeley was successful started getting more big schools Tx, Az St and DePaul after his 2nd & 3rd seasons, but some of those were 2 for 19 type contracts

[UNTFan23]

1 hour ago, ttunt1970 said:

Out town it takes 2 to tango or make a schedule I see return by N Mexico, Hawaii & a few area D1. We had this same problem when Coach Blakeley was successful started getting more big schools Tx, Az St and DePaul after his 2nd & 3rd seasons, but some of those were 2 for 19 type contracts

Hawai'i is part of a tournament so a return trip to Denton is unlikely.

[UNTLifer]

5 hours ago, ttunt1970 said:

Out town it takes 2 to tango or make a schedule I see return by N Mexico, Hawaii & a few area D1. We had this same problem when Coach Blakeley was successful started getting more big schools Tx, Az St and DePaul after his 2nd & 3rd seasons, but some of those were 2 for 19 type contracts

2 for 19 contracts?  Man, that is rough.

[outoftown]

14 hours ago, ttunt1970 said:

Out town it takes 2 to tango or make a schedule I see return by N Mexico, Hawaii & a few area D1. We had this same problem when Coach Blakeley was successful started getting more big schools Tx, Az St and DePaul after his 2nd & 3rd seasons, but some of those were 2 for 19 type contracts 

Those games in Hawaii are exactly what I think is the worst part: If people with top 100 teams don't want to one-on-one you, make sure you squeeze into a tournament where winners play winners, instead of one whose primary upside is location for recruiting (in a year when UNT already took the players to Italy). That way you may get an additional top 100 team or two anyway. You can't tell me that isn't possible, those tournaments were out there and it could have been done.

Plain and simple, this schedule deserves an F grade. The best thing that can be said about this schedule is not having gone full Benford/RV and kicked UTA off it.

I think they are aware they messed up. Its why UNT is almost the last team out there to announce its OOC slate.

Edited October 5, 2018 by outoftown

[MeanGreenHoops]

Maybe they messed up, maybe they didn't. Run off an 8-0 start, beat Oklahoma on the road, then get press. Seems we've done this recently with another sport.

[ttunt1970]

First it should’ve said 2for1 and yes to get teams to play in your tournament sometimes the team hosting agrees to play you at home 

[ttunt1970]

Agree MGH

[Shark84]

I think the Hawaii trip is all about recruiting, as was the Europe trip this summer. Traveling to places like that appeals to kids that normally don't have the opportunity or resources to visit those kind of spots. The extra practice was a bonus. That still doesn't excuse the lack of quality opponents at home. Now that the NCAA says that RPI doesn't matter, maybe scheduling teams you know you can beat is the way to go. Won't excite a lot of real fans but the average college student will just look at the won loss record. As the program builds, I think it will be easier to get some big name opponents to make the trip. Indiana State is a mid major but has a strong basketball reputation so big schools don't look as bad if they get beat on the road to a quality, recognizable program. I trust Wren and Grant know what is best for this program and will do everything they can help build up the fan base. 

[EagleMBA]

I trust Grant and TheWren, they are good basketball people. Therefore, I will not verbalize any comments about the home schedule...but here is what I'm thinking.

[Censored by Laurie]

only a bad schedule if they don't produces Ws.

don't forget, it took a CBI championship run to finish above .500 last season, so let's rebuild confidence for both players and fans before trying to wade into the deep end of a more difficult schedule

[Mean Green Matt]

19 hours ago, Censored by Laurie said:

only a bad schedule if they don't produces Ws.

don't forget, it took a CBI championship run to finish above .500 last season, so let's rebuild confidence for both players and fans before trying to wade into the deep end of a more difficult schedule

Agree. The home schedule some people want is never going to happen (unless we move up conferences). Wouldn’t mind having a power conference team at home, but this is fine. 

[southsideguy]

this is what we were waiting for?   UNM always has a solid team and city of Albuquerque is over a mile high.   Will be a rough one for sure.  We better win our out of conference games at home since we are playing a bunch of cupcakes.  Hawaii tournament can be rough because teams lose focus while in Hawaii. OK is OK this game will show how good we are.   

 

[Salsa_Verde]

North Texas should be able to win 20+ games next year....right? 🤨

[southsideguy]

we should hope.

[UNTLifer]

On 10/4/2018 at 5:40 PM, @UNTSportsFan said:

 Next year’s home OOC schedule will be the best we’ve had in years. 

This coming season or next year as in 2019-2020?

[@UNTSportsFan]

15 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

This coming season or next year as in 2019-2020?

2019-20 We’re scheduled to have a big name opponent at the Super Pit 

[Matt from A700]

3 hours ago, @UNTSportsFan said:

2019-20 We’re scheduled to have a big name opponent at the Super Pit 

Big name opponent as in a power conference, or big name as in The Pennsylvania State University New Kensington Campus of the Commonwealth College?