UA home sched benefit from new RPI system

[GreatDanes06]

I was watching ESPN tonight, and they were talking about the new RPI system and determining who is getting in and out of the tournament. And they said that the new RPI system sets up a game in which if N. Carolina beats Stony Brook at N. Carolina, if they played the game at Stony Brook, then they recieve a better RPI standing. (something to that extent)

 

IN the end, the guys on ESPN said that you may look at big name colleges trying to sched away games against mid-major conferences instead of having them always come to their home court.

 

To me, this seems like a way to benefit UA in trying to get people out to the RACC and get bigger name opponents here.

 

Opinions and thoughts?

[DaneFan2k3]

Well no offense, but they're not talking about the No. 2 team in the country when they're saying stuff like that. Wake Forest, Duke, North Carolina, Illinois, the perennial "lock" teams don't need to worry about RPI. They are going to win enough games that their SoS isn't going to matter as heavily (and for that matter, their conferences are so good that their SoS is going to be high no matter what).

 

They will not be coming to a RAAC near you anytime soon (or a Pepsi for that matter).

 

The middle teams who are just outside the Top 25 voting but are in the Top 75 in RPI are the ones who could benefit.

 

For example, the theory is that you take the automatic bid teams (31) and then the next best 34 teams, at-large.

 

So, anyone ranked in RPI 35-75 that wanted to make the tournament, and wasn't already ranked in the top 25 or just outside it, would benefit from scheduling more away contests against middle-of-the-road RPI teams.

 

These would be schools (this year) like Florida (RPI 32, Schedule Strength only 55), St. Mary's (29/97), Texas Tech (33/45), Charlotte (26/142), Pacific (22/163), Wichita State (34/117), Old Dominion (38/198), DePaul (41/112), UTEP (51/145), West Virginia (53/115).

 

Out of that list, this year, Pacific (17th), Charlotte (18th), Florida (27th), St. Mary's (33rd), Texas Tech (34th), Old Dominion (35th), DePaul (36th) are ranked or receiving votes. Texas Tech was in the top 25 last week but now is RV.

 

Those are the types of teams who may go on the road once or twice more, because they are not going to win 20 games every year and will need to bring up those SoS's in future years.

 

However, more than likely they are going to go on the road to a lower-tier SEC, Big East, ACC, etc. school where they can get guaranteed money and help their RPI. If you are going to play a school in the 150-190 range on the road, which of the following are most likely to produce a W and money at the same time? Louisiana Tech (150), Florida State (152), Michigan (157), Auburn (161), Xavier (169), Rutgers (178), St. John's (179), Albany (187).

[GODANESGO]

St. John's...I really think we should try hard (if we aren't already) to get them to play us here at the RACC. The trip is fairly close, we'd have a good turnout I think since we have a lot of down-staters who are very familiar with the school and its team, and (if their down trend of recent years continues) it is a game we have a solid chance at winning.

[Patch]

Norm Roberts is doing a tremendous job at St. Johns and they will be very good quickly, but it would be a great draw if they could get them to the RACC

[GreatDanes06]

oo no no no...im not saying UNC or Duke are coming. I cant pic them coming here BUT yes, teams like you mentioned are perfect targets to come here. Those are the types of games, that can slowly help to raise attendence figures in my view.

 

Remember like i said, your not gonna draw attention by having Army, Lehigh, St Francis, LIU coming every year. Heck, we play Dartmouth, LETS SEE IF PRINCETON WILL COME to a game for our Ivy League Match-Up.

 

People will come to games that have a team or a character that will surprise people. Think about the prospects of Bobby Knight coming to the RACC with his mid-RPI team or something? YOU CANT TELL ME THAT WONT DRAW A CROWED

 

 

US ROWDIES WOULD HAVE A FIELD DAY!!!!! HAHAHAHA

 

But i understand..Top 10 teams are not gonna come here to play. I be kidding myself if i thought that. Im thinking more along the lines of a Top 35-75 range coming here.

[GreatDanes06]

the teams i would like to see come to the RACC which are semi-local to Albany:

 

Hofstra

St. John's

Buffalo

Niagra

Monmouth (always there in the NEC - like to stick it to them in BBal and Fball)

Holy Cross (always upthere in the Patriot League)

 

Not a bad consideration:

 

Manhattan

UMass

Seton Hall

Rutgers

UPenn

Princeton