The Bb Schedule For Next Season

[Buford_Julep]

Assuming NT plays 18 Sun Belt Conference games next season, that leaves 11 non-conference games to be scheduled. NT played 6 OOC home games last season and the expected increase in fan interest makes it unlikely NT will want to play less home games next season.

Of course you want to play at least two games with high profile teams such as Nebraska and Charlotte. We need a few games like that to evaluate where we are as opposed to where we want to be, to acclimate the team to playing in front of large crowds and to pick up a good check. These games will be on the road or else they will not be played. That is the way the big and rich teams operate now days. They never leave their home court except to play each other.

Looking at last season's schedule it is most likely we owe UTA and Texas State a road game and Rice owes us a home game.

Last season NT completed home and away series with Tulsa, SFA and Nichols St. NT went 6-0 in those games. Two losses was not what Tulsa was expecting when they agreed to the series. They probably will not be eager to renew the rivalry. Most likely SFA and Nichols St have had enough of losing to NT, also.

Coming off a 23-11 season it is not going to be easy to find nearby teams and therefore recruiting competitors that are eager to play NT a home and away series. You don't want to have travel long distances for these games and get stuck with expensive travel costs.

Suppose NT is successful and finds three more home and away series opponents. Two will open at home and one will open as an away game.

So now NT has six home and away series going with three home and three away games. Add the two road body bag games and NT has 3 home and 5 away.

So, what do we do now? Schedule more body bag road games and risk killing the team's confidence. Many of us think that is what happened to coach Trilli's teams.

We could schedule three more home and away series. We might have to play some independents if we can't get any nearby teams interested. The independents are usually desperate to schedule games. Maybe we could schedule North Dakota St or New Jersey Tech or Savannah St. We would incur heavy travel costs, but at least least those are Div I teams. If we played two at home and one on the road, that would leave us with 5 home and 6 road OOC games. Not bad. Of course next season it would 4 home and 7 road.

Why not just pay three NCAA Div I teams to come and play at the Pit? From what I have read the going rate for contract games is a minimum guarantee of $25,000 to $50,000 for D-1's. Hmmm, 2,000 fans times $10 a ticket equals $20,000. We lose money on this deal. What is the going rate to bring in a D-2 or NAIA team? I don't know but you can bet it is much less. Or, we could use some of the football stadium money to make up the difference. Anything to avoid playing D-2 and NAIA.

Too bad we can't bring in D-1 teams of the quality of Murray St (16-14 and 2nd place in the Ohio Valley Conf) or Grambling (12-14 and 3rd place in the SWAC) for the price of Jarvis Christian and Belhaven. The truth is there isn't much difference as these 2006-07 games demonstrate: Murray St 73, Belhaven 72 and Grambling 68, Jarvis Christian 64.

It looks like D-2 and NAIA games are a fact of life unless there is a big increase in attendance. There is nothing new about NT playing these teams. What is new is now we are kicking their butts.

Some fans look forward to these games. There is a good chance of watching some of the bench players get some playing time.

Most coaches like to start the season with an easy game. Also, most coaches want an easy game if it is necessary to play an OOC game during the conference season. The Sun Belt has 13 basketball teams. That leaves one long gap between games for each team. You want to play a game to stay sharp, but you don't want a tight game that leaves your players too drained.

I don't claim to know who was D-1 and D-2 at what time but here are some examples of teams we have played in the past:

1994-95 (Jankovich)

Avila College, Maryland-Baltimore County,Tarleton St and East Texas Baptist

1986-87 (Gales)

Southwestern, Cameron, St Mary's (Tx),Eastern Illinois

From 1987-88 till 1993-94 the Southland had rules requiring that members play only D-1 teams. It wasn't so bad, because back then it was easy to schedule home and away games with just about anyone.

1977-78 (Blakely)

Central Oklahoma,St Mary's (Tx),McMurray,Hardin-Simmons, Roosevelt, Hardin-Simmons again and Houston Baptist

1969-70 (Spika's best season)

Southern Colorado, Arkansas Tech and Bethel

[CMJ]

Wow, terrific research.....

[UNTFan23]

Good read.

I wonder if aTm-CC might be interested in scheduling a home'n'home with us?

[emmitt01]

Good read.

I wonder if aTm-CC might be interested in scheduling a home'n'home with us?

This would be the ideal game I think. It's another tourney team and it's got the big Texas aTm attached to it for the casual fan (you know, the ones who made their way to New Orleans but couldn't find the pit on a campus map ).

[Buford_Julep]

Texas A&M CC is exactly the type of school we might have a chance at scheduling to a home and away. They are pretty much in the same boat with us when it comes to the schedule.

Before last season's UTA game, coach Jones on the pre-game radio show mentioned that he was going to try to play TCU and SMU in the future. He is good friends with TCU coach Neil Daughtery. Some one posted a recent story that revealed JJ once was a summer team mate of SMU coach Matt Doherty. Maybe they are friends also. A home and away series would be great for us and for SMU and TCU too, though they may be so blinded by jealousy and bigotry not to realize it. Even if they agree to play, there is a chance they would demand we play at their house two or even three times in return for one game at the Pit. My view is we should play them as equals- once at our house and once at their house- or forget it.

[ADLER]

Before last season's UTA game, coach Jones on the pre-game radio show mentioned that he was going to try to play TCU and SMU in the future. He is good friends with TCU coach Neil Daughtery. Some one posted a recent story that revealed JJ once was a summer team mate of SMU coach Matt Doherty. Maybe they are friends also. A home and away series would be great for us and for SMU and TCU too, though they may be so blinded by jealousy and bigotry not to realize it. Even if they agree to play, there is a chance they would demand we play at their house two or even three times in return for one game at the Pit. My view is we should play them as equals- once at our house and once at their house- or forget it.

North Texas should all play home AND away against TCU, SMU, and UTA every season just like UTEP, NMSU and New Mexico do. There is no rule that you have to be in the same conference to be able to play twice. Look what that scheduling does for those three desert schools which love to beat each other. Those rivalries are those school's biggest draws. The D/FW schools haven't matched their attendance despite having almost every advantage.

The rivalry would not only increase attendance for those games, but would cause the general public to take more interest in the local teams.

Tobacco Road didn't become Tobacco Road by teams refusing to play each other. They created intense rivalries that escalated all three programs.

Edited March 18, 2007 by ADLER

[CMJ]

While I'd like that to happen too, I really don't see SMU or TCU going for that.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---North Texas, SMU, TCU, UT-A, and Baylor are five basketball D-I universities within about 100 miles of each other and representing five conferences that should play each other regularly. They would good fan draws, most should create good media interest, be cheap travel games, and would also be good for the athletes which often have to miss classes. They would be good week-day games for these reasons. All belong to conferences that require a lot of travel. Some conferences such as a lot of the ACC do not. Many of them are located very close together.

Edited March 18, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[MeanGreen61]

Some possibles ? All are D-1.

Centnary

Louisiana Tech

Central Arkansas

UTSA

UT-PanAm (Indy)

[OldTimer]

While I'd like that to happen too, I really don't see SMU or TCU going for that.

I still don't believe NT should play UTA in Arlington....if you want to know why go see this years game there...also see the picture of their BB court on the stage of their auditorium in todays FW*Telegram and how close the side of the court is to a significant lower level of flooring.

[ADLER]

I still don't believe NT should play UTA in Arlington....if you want to know why go see this years game there...also see the picture of their BB court on the stage of their auditorium in todays FW*Telegram and how close the side of the court is to a significant lower level of flooring.

You're probably right, but I think we should extend the same offer to UTA once they get a new arena built.

-SCREAMING EAGLE-66--North Texas, SMU, TCU, UT-A, and Baylor are five basketball D-I universities within about 100 miles of each other and representing five conferences that should play each other regularly. They would good fan draws, most should create good media interest, be cheap travel games, and would also be good for the athletes which often have to miss classes. They would be good week-day games for these reasons. All belong to conferences that require a lot of travel. Some conferences such as a lot of the ACC do not. Many of them are located very close together.

The travel toll on the student athletes has got to be considered. Conferences now stretch thousands of miles, and excessive travel does mean missed classes. It would be incredibly beneficial to the students to aleiviate some of that burden during the non-conference season.

[Green Mean]

I think SMU, TCU, Baylor and etc wouldnt mind scheduling home and home games with us on a consistent yearly basis. Basketball I think is a different animal and I think they do whats best for the program along with attendence and etc. They are all D1 schools and they are all close to eachother....most of all I think the draw would be good on pretty much all of those types of games because of location. I believe we need to schedule a tougher OOC schedule if its possible...I know its a risk but I dont mind taking the risk as long as we can win some of those games and we can claim that hey we had a pretty tough OOC schedule playing major teams from very big conferences. I think teams would come to Denton and play us because unlike Fouts we have a very nice arena that can fill about 10K people. Its only booku the fact that we have been a program on the rise for the last few years and we made the big dance this year. I dont know but I think RV and the basketball program really need to think about the future and make some great decisions that NT and NT alums and fans can benefit from.

[eeally]

Some possibles ? All are D-1.

Centnary

Louisiana Tech

Central Arkansas

UTSA

UT-PanAm (Indy)

These are some great prospects!

Some others I would like to see: Tennessee, Gonzaga, TT, UT, A&M, OU,OSU, UTEP, LSU!!!

All would get more fans to the games and getting $25,000 to $50,000 would almost be a break even. I would guess 6 to 9 thousand would attend. Am I crazy?

Don't answer that!!! I am just saying 1 or 2 of these high profile games in Denton would be worth taking a look. Think of the recruiting possiblities.

[CMJ]

We couldn't get 9K for Indiana, so I'm not sure anyone would. At least not yet.

[H-towngreen]

These are some great prospects!

Some others I would like to see: Tennessee, Gonzaga, TT, UT, A&M, OU,OSU, UTEP, LSU!!!

All would get more fans to the games and getting $25,000 to $50,000 would almost be a break even. I would guess 6 to 9 thousand would attend. Am I crazy?

Don't answer that!!! I am just saying 1 or 2 of these high profile games in Denton would be worth taking a look. Think of the recruiting possiblities.

Those teams would never come to Denton to play us.

[CMJ]

Those teams would never come to Denton to play us.

Well, we have gotten UT, A&M, and Indiana to....

Edited March 19, 2007 by CMJ

[eeally]

Maybe if we offer the right amount. A 3 for 1 over a 7 yr period. Lets think outside the box. Getting to the tourney supplied UNT with amazing exposure. If we did that every year. UNT would catch fire.

Everyone has their price. OSU would love to do a 3for 1. How did Gonzaga Creighton and S Ill get so many good recruits to make runs in the NCAA's?

RICK V. schedule some great teams and fans will come.

[OldTimer]

You're probably right, but I think we should extend the same offer to UTA once they get a new arena built.

The travel toll on the student athletes has got to be considered. Conferences now stretch thousands of miles, and excessive travel does mean missed classes. It would be incredibly beneficial to the students to aleiviate some of that burden during the non-conference season.

The last time we played a home and away with TCU we stompted them when we played them in FT. Worth...don't know if they will schedule us again?

[TIgreen01]

I want Baylor on the schedule. Other than that, I really don't care...just no more NAIA. Sure we may have 3 less wins, but we're never going attract any good attention by playing 3 of these guys in the same season....

[GrandGreen]

I want Baylor on the schedule. Other than that, I really don't care...just no more NAIA. Sure we may have 3 less wins, but we're never going attract any good attention by playing 3 of these guys in the same season....

Seems NT got a little attention this year.

[Green to the Bone]

Given that SMU, TCU and Baylor all had the opportunity to watch all the NCAA tournament games on TV from their dorm rooms, they might want to play us so they can raise their RPIs by playing a tougher schedule.

[MeanGreen61]

Given that SMU, TCU and Baylor all had the opportunity to watch all the NCAA tournament games on TV from their dorm rooms, they might want to play us so they can raise their RPIs by playing a tougher schedule.

On the flip side, they may not want the loss !

[TIgreen01]

Seems NT got a little attention this year.

Yep...and a 15 seed to boot. Playing NAIA did nothing for us. Running the conference tourney got us into the NCAA field, which got us the media's attention. Maybe a slightly better non-conf slate helps us move up from the near impossible 15 seed placement...

[CMJ]

Yep...and a 15 seed to boot. Playing NAIA did nothing for us. Running the conference tourney got us into the NCAA field, which got us the media's attention. Maybe a slightly better non-conf slate helps us move up from the near impossible 15 seed placement...

If we played a few higher profile schools the NAIA or D2 schools wouldn't look as bad. Look at Winthrop. They played Wisconson, Texas A&M and others. BUT they also had schools like Virginia Intermont & Presbyterian in non conference.

[Eagle1855]

If we played a few higher profile schools the NAIA or D2 schools wouldn't look as bad. Look at Winthrop. They played Wisconson, Texas A&M and others. BUT they also had schools like Virginia Intermont & Presbyterian in non conference.

Good point. Nebraska was really the only "higher profile" athletics program we played, and they aren't even all that good (and we lost).

I'd like to see a big 12 south school and a couple metroplex rivals every season. I'd also like a game with Houston or Rice (selfishly) every year. Of course, we would have SMU, Rice, and UH every season if we were in CUSA (begin beating of dead horse)

Edited March 20, 2007 by Eagle1855