Syracuse Game

[Albany Fan]

Unfortunately it sounded like we tried to 3 ball them for win (which I guess is only way we would have had a chance) & were very cold. I hate hearing their fans refer to us as just another fat cupcake on their schedule. Sounds like Jimmy B likes these local games (as also helps pad his record) but hope we get more chances in the future to really take it to them. Witnessed Vermont's beating on Siena & would like to see UAlbany also play Vermont at the Pepsi as may start to build more of a fan base. I believe casual fans shy away from games on campus as feel limited parking, etc. With Siena having lousy season & not great weather night, over 6,000 fans still came out. I feel UAlbany (as improving) could really have a great atmosphere at the Pepsi. Just my 2 cents.

[DaneFan2k3]

Sounds like Jimmy B likes these local games (as also helps pad his record)

He doesn't take Cuse out of NY State before January if he can help it. Has always been the knock on Syracuse - their non-conference schedule is almost always a joke, almost always all home games, and some say it costs the team valuable experience.

[UAalum72]

He doesn't take Cuse out of NY State before January if he can help it. 

Big deal. There are over fifteen D-I colleges in NY state, and 'cuse has played OK State and Rice. You can't blame them $-wise for playing at home instead of at a 3,000 seat gym.

 

Villanova hasn't even been outside PHILADELPHIA yet.

[DaneFan2k3]

It's a well-known criticism of Boeheim every year.

 

Strength of Schedule Rating to Date: 211 out of 330

 

Collective RPI's of pre-2005 Opponents:

Northern Colorado - 255

Princeton - 34 (obviously will drop, sched. 87 thanks to Cuse, Wyoming & Temple)

Mississippi State - 52

Memphis - 153 (last year: #32)

Siena - 268

St. Bonaventure - 324

Colgate - 305

Oklahoma State - 4

Binghamton - 202

Drexel - 151

Cornell - 310

Rice - 46 (sched. ranked 22nd, helped by Cuse & UConn, no team over 175)

Albany - 276

Hofstra - 70 (last year 140, ran up 9-0 record on no team BETTER than 124, 7 games vs. 200+ RPI teams)

 

What's the big deal? The only time you're going to see more numbers in the high 100's and 200's is at junior night at your local bowling alley. Talk about getting fat on cupcakes.

 

One of the two teams you're giving them credit for (OK State) they lost to. The other, Rice, came to give McKreith a "home" game.

 

Legit Opponents: Oklahoma State - 4, Rice - 46, Mississippi State - 52

 

Tweeners: Memphis - 153 (last year: #32 but missing key personnel this year), Drexel - 151 (last year 101, who knows how they will pan out).

 

Cupcakes: Northern Colorado - 255, Princeton - "34", Siena - 268, St. Bonaventure - 324, Colgate - 305, Binghamton - 202, Cornell - 310, Albany - 276, Hofstra - 70 (last year 140)

 

You can say "so what?", but my point was, they play a weak schedule. Right or wrong.

[UAalum72]

Yes it's weak. SU's Sagarin strength of schedule is 305.

Some other Big East schedule rankings:

Pittsburgh ( 327)

Connecticut ( 296)

West Virginia ( 330)

Boston College ( 308)

Villanova ( 318)

Notre Dame ( 325)

Seton Hall ( 252)

St. John's ( 303)

 

What annoys me is the 'SU hasn't left NY'. No matter what ACC-suckup Dookie Vitale says, the Pepsi Arena is not a home game for Syracuse. His darling Duke hasn't played on an opponent's home court outside of North Carolina either. I bet they wouldn't have played those 2 neutral-court games either if they had 18-20,000 fans at home, instead of the 9314 at Cameron.

 

As for costing them experience, well, who's won the two most recent NCAA championships? I don't think it was the ACC.