Out of Conference Scheduling

I

ICHAWK

Well-Known Member
I don't know how scheduling works fully. I know certain games are agreed upon based on home and home and can cover 2 + years. I know some teams are scheduled on a yearly basis.

One thing hurting Iowa this year is their OCC schedule was so poor it required them to do more in a tough Big 10 conference.

Iowa played 7 of 13 games against teams with RPI's over 240. The best team Iowa played RPI wise was Wichita State who currently sits at 42.

Going forward I think it would be good for Iowa to actually play a home and home vs. UNI. UNI offers a good RPI, you don't have to travel far and in reality it is a team Iowa should not be scared of losing to. I know UNI is good but it's not like Iowa is taveling across the Country to play St. Marys.

I don't know what Iowa needs to do but I would drop Drake from the Schedule. Not playing UNI next year is bad. Iowa will play Drake instead who offers nothing.

Iowa probably has to find a better preseason tournament as well. Maybe skip the preseason tournament to shcedule some decent road games.

What do you all think?
 


  • Members of the staff have already said that you match the schedule to the team ... because they were planning on heavy minutes from 2-3 freshmen, they purposefully made the early schedule as easy as possible this year. That will not be the case next year, they say.
  • Specifically about UNI, that's Barta's doing with the stupid Big4 thing here in DM. I've long wanted Iowa to play an annual game in DM, but this is the dumbest way to accomplish that I can think of.
  • And Iowa should always play in one of those early season tournaments, but which one you are in usually depends loosely on how good you were the year before, so as we improve, we'll move up in class.
 


bwsmoney said:
  • Members of the staff have already said that you match the schedule to the team ... because they were planning on heavy minutes from 2-3 freshmen, they purposefully made the early schedule as easy as possible this year. That will not be the case next year, they say.
  • Specifically about UNI, that's Barta's doing with the stupid Big4 thing here in DM. I've long wanted Iowa to play an annual game in DM, but this is the dumbest way to accomplish that I can think of.
  • And Iowa should always play in one of those early season tournaments, but which one you are in usually depends loosely on how good you were the year before, so as we improve, we'll move up in class.
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I know the schedule will get better and I understand why it was done this year.

I don't know why Iowa needs to play in DSM. Is Iowa losing fans to ISU? I mean play an exhibition game in DSM if a game is really necessary in DSM. I only understand a neutral site game if you are going to be playing Duke. I think if you are going to play UNI a consistente top 100 RPI team why waste a neutral site spot game where you can get more bonus point for beating UNI at UNI.

I hear you about the preseaon tournament games. Your previous year and reputation gets you into the better tournaments. Iowa is stuck until they fully get on the rise and earn invites to the better tournaments.
 


We actually don't need to play good teams so much as less bad teams. If we play a bunch of 150-200 RPI mid major teams instead of the 250+ low major crowd our RPI will be much better. I don't want to play UNI on the road anymore, I'm glad we did away with that.

Does anyone know which tournament Iowa is in for the 2014-15 season? This article mentions we will be playing in a preseason tournament in New York that year. Is that the Preseason NIT, 2K Sports Classic or some other (Gotham Classic?) tournament?

Iowa’s dates, opponents set for 2013 Great Alaska Shootout | TheGazette
 


It really irritates me when people defend this year's schedule. They act as if there are two options, schedule a very tough slate, or do as Iowa did. In reality, you can schedule light, while not killing your RPI.

Look at the RPI in terms of three subdivisions, first, completely ignore the bottom third amount of teams. They kill your computer rankings, absolutely destroy it, while not really providing an easier opponent than higher ranked teams.

For instance, Iowa played Howard. Howard's RPI is 331, they also played Chicago State- RPI of 329. Substitute Florida Atlantic (214) and McNeese St. (228) instead, and you still have two likely wins, without the computer hit of playing the true bottom-feeders.

I like Fran- he's obviously a smart guy, but it's frustrating to hear him talk about needing a light schedule with so many freshmen, then having fans agree with him. It's not an either/or thing, you can have a light schedule without killing your resume.

You don't need to be an actuary to figure this out.
 




hawkfan33 said:
We actually don't need to play good teams so much as less bad teams. If we play a bunch of 150-200 RPI mid major teams instead of the 250+ low major crowd our RPI will be much better. I don't want to play UNI on the road anymore, I'm glad we did away with that.

Does anyone know which tournament Iowa is in for the 2014-15 season? This article mentions we will be playing in a preseason tournament in New York that year. Is that the Preseason NIT, 2K Sports Classic or some other (Gotham Classic?) tournament?

Iowa’s dates, opponents set for 2013 Great Alaska Shootout | TheGazette
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We play something at MSG in 2014-2015 season around thanksgiving. Other teams are Syracuase, Texas, California. Just a 4 team field. Play 2 games.
 




Hawkstrat said:
It really irritates me when people defend this year's schedule. They act as if there are two options, schedule a very tough slate, or do as Iowa did. In reality, you can schedule light, while not killing your RPI.

Look at the RPI in terms of three subdivisions, first, completely ignore the bottom third amount of teams. They kill your computer rankings, absolutely destroy it, while not really providing an easier opponent than higher ranked teams.

For instance, Iowa played Howard. Howard's RPI is 331, they also played Chicago State- RPI of 329. Substitute Florida Atlantic (214) and McNeese St. (228) instead, and you still have two likely wins, without the computer hit of playing the true bottom-feeders.

I like Fran- he's obviously a smart guy, but it's frustrating to hear him talk about needing a light schedule with so many freshmen, the.
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Very good points but Fran talked often last year about trying to schedule some more big OOC games. But at this time last year we already probably had most of this years schedule inked.

I liked what Mr. Davis did his first 6 years, what Lute, Ralph Miller did. They scheduled several tough OOC games.

I think one reason Mich St is so battle tested is they play one of the toughest OOC schedules. I think recruits want to play in those games, big games on Sunday that are the main CBS game.
 


we need about 3 good OCC games (plus the clowns) and no more of these absolute **** teams with RPIs in the 300s...simple as that
 


sirfarmsalot said:
we need about 3 good OCC games (plus the clowns) and no more of these absolute **** teams with RPIs in the 300s...simple as that
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I agree, Dr Toms first 5-6 years when we were playing Duke, North Carolina, Arizona, in single and home and homes were great. The fan experience and anticipation were amazing. When bowlsby and Mr. Davis started to get a weak OOC home schedule is when the attendance started to wane.

And I still say as a recruit if you think you are going to play in 2-3 marquee games every year OOC that is helpful in getting them to come to the hawks
 


Alaskan Shootout what has happen to that Tournament the last 10 years. Nobody wants to come anymore??


I remember this used to be have at a minimum 3 to 4 marquee names attending at be right up there with the Maui.
 
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The schedule is baked in. I believe the team was hurt by mid season and now by late season injury. Still, in many games they were only a made shot away.
 


No doubt our preseason strength of schedule hurt us, as opposed to helping us, especially if it was to help the freshmen acclimate to Big Ten basketball. Consider this, would our boys have had the experience and composure to hold off Michigan St, Purdue, Wisconsin, Minn, Nebraska for wins instead of losses if they had been challenged like that in the Preseason? I think so. I would've rather seen them get their butts kicked a few times in the preseason to considerably better RPI teams than what they played, and I bet this Hawkeye team would have had a much more respectable Big 10 record, let alone what that strength of schedule did to our RPI/tournament hopes. I like the momentum Fran has for 3 years in, but if he doesn't challenge this team next preseason, I start to lose respect.
 


We all agree that this year's OOC sucked, was way too weak and Iowa should never, ever schedule more than 2 -4 200 plus teams.

Fran really does need to consult with coaches that have gotten OOC scheduling down to a science. Someone on this site (or somewhere else) linked an article to several coaches that understood and scheduled to the RPI and as a result always showed well.

Let's fire Fran if he doesn't get this fixed next year. Better yet may the RPI become less of a deciding factor and bring in BPI, Ken Pom and the other metrics.

Best yet... may Josh hit a 3 pointer or 2 every game and the overall team shooting improve by a couple of percentage points and then the Hawks can and will beat anyone.
 
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Eyedoctim said:
No doubt our preseason strength of schedule hurt us, as opposed to helping us, especially if it was to help the freshmen acclimate to Big Ten basketball. Consider this, would our boys have had the experience and composure to hold off Michigan St, Purdue, Wisconsin, Minn, Nebraska for wins instead of losses if they had been challenged like that in the Preseason? I think so. I would've rather seen them get their butts kicked a few times in the preseason to considerably better RPI teams than what they played, and I bet this Hawkeye team would have had a much more respectable Big 10 record, let alone what that strength of schedule did to our RPI/tournament hopes. I like the momentum Fran has for 3 years in, but if he doesn't challenge this team next preseason, I start to lose respect.
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The premise holds merit, but at this point of the season wins and losses are about talent and health (depth). I wholeheartedly agree about the sos, but aside from Purdue, MN and WSU, can't think of other games that likely would have a different outcome. Of course w/ 2 more wins we'd be legitimately fighting for a birth.

Nebby was squarely on personnel decisions and I don't see that changing soon. The attempt to get some players experience got in the way of winning.
 


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