Topic: BB Opponents Mon 11-19

[chris88]

CUSA
Charlotte beat Longwood
UTEP beat E. New Mexico
UTSA (N) lost to UC Irvine
ODU lost to N Iowa 53-54

OOC
Toledo beat Fla Gulf Coast
EKU (N) beat Kennesaw
Akron (N) lost to #19 Clemson 69-72

Most intriguing CUSA game tonight:  Tougaloo at LTech

[MUsince96]

I'm afraid the league's good start is now swinging the other way.

[herdorbust]

CUSU still #7 out of 32 conferences and the highest nonP5 conference in RPI.

[whf]

Why reference non-P5 in basketball, P5 is about football only. Otherwise you wouldn't see KY in C-USA soccer, as well as USC.

[Herdmeister]

Why reference non-P5 in basketball, P5 is about football only. Otherwise you wouldn't see KY in C-USA soccer, as well as USC.

Even TV broadcasters refer to Power conferences regarding basketball.That also includes the Big East. Then you have mid majors, of which we are one.

[chris88]

My take so far:

WKY and MU about as I expected all things considered.

ODU was picked third in CUSA but would say they have been a bit disappointing.  As usual their defense is good, but they have struggled mightily on the offensive end. 

UTEP is really bad so far struggling to beat non D1 E New Mexico.  I don't think Rice will be a factor in CUSA race either.

I still believe UTSA will be a factor once they get their star player back in December.

Ntexas and LT seem to have the talent to be a factor but NT has played no P5s and only has Oklahoma for rest of OOC.  LT has beaten Wichita, a decent Sam Houston team and played LSU very close.

MTSU a mystery to me as they have only beaten bad teams but they have UVA, Vandy, Murray ST, Toledo, Ole Miss, and Rhode Island coming in OOC schedule

UAB a mystery as well. They have a pretty bad OOC schedule but do play Florida St, Memphis, and Auburn in the next 2-3 weeks

SMiss has a pretty decent road win at SMU and also beat Troy solidly on road. In mid December they play at Wichita St and Kansas St but otherwise have about as weak sauce of a schedule you could have with 4 non D1 OOC games along with really bad N Florida team

FAU, FIU, Charlotte have been hot and cold but capable of beating good teams on select nights

Overall I would rank the league's top 5 as follows:

WKY (due to beating WVU)
Marshall
LT
ODU
NTexas

Still really disappointed in the scheduling for about half the league

[MUsince96]

Even TV broadcasters refer to Power conferences regarding basketball.That also includes the Big East. Then you have mid majors, of which we are one.

I don't mind "power" necessarily, but it irks me when they use "Power 5". The Big East is a top 3 league and The American was rated higher than the Pac 12 last year. It's like when broadcasters would use "BCS" when talking college basketball. It's either lazy or ignorant on their part. Neither is a good look.

[herdorbust]

OK let me simplify....We are #7 out of 32 conferences which darn good!!! Better?

[MUsince96]

OK let me simplify....We are #7 out of 32 conferences which darn good!!! Better?

If this was for me, I didn't mean to call you out Bust. While "P5" talk in basketball annoys me, my post was referencing paid broadcasters specifically.

[goherd24]

OK let me simplify....We are #7 out of 32 conferences which darn good!!! Better?

RPI this early is meaningless, as a ranking metric. End of December it will be much more accurate.

[herdorbust]

RPI this early is meaningless, as a ranking metric. End of December it will be much more accurate.

That is very true. But we are #7 right now as a conference. Isn't that better than #32 right now? CUSA is by far the best it has been since Memphis left.

[chris88]

I don't mind "power" necessarily, but it irks me when they use "Power 5". The Big East is a top 3 league and The American was rated higher than the Pac 12 last year. It's like when broadcasters would use "BCS" when talking college basketball. It's either lazy or ignorant on their part. Neither is a good look.

You make a good point.  Part of the issue is nobody has coined a term for major basketball leagues.  When I say major I mean teams with at least 2-3 bids every year.  Certainly the Big East qualifies and in a normal year so would the AAC...and many years the A10 and even the MVC.  The P5 football leagues almost always get multiple teams in and often 4+ teams...so the term is safe to use that with BB leagues as well.  If I just say "power" basketball conferences many people would not know specifically what you are referring to...although those who follow closely will.  And I can name every team in P5 football leagues but doubt I could name all of the teams in AAC for BB or A10, although I can name the teams typically at the top.  There are, I think, 30+ D1 BB conferences, which further complicates memory.

[goherd24]

That is very true. But we are #7 right now as a conference. Isn't that better than #32 right now? CUSA is by far the best it has been since Memphis left.

I dunno about that yet. Time will tell. Better start than we usually have but the wheels are falling off. ODU is proving transfers don't mean success, UTSA has an abysmal start. These are supposed to be top tier teams in the league.

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[herdorbust]

I dunno about that yet. Time will tell. Better start than we usually have but the wheels are falling off. ODU is proving transfers don't mean success, UTSA has an abysmal start. These are supposed to be top tier teams in the league.

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Ill stand behind it 100%.

[MUsince96]

You make a good point.  Part of the issue is nobody has coined a term for major basketball leagues.  When I say major I mean teams with at least 2-3 bids every year.  Certainly the Big East qualifies and in a normal year so would the AAC...and many years the A10 and even the MVC.  The P5 football leagues almost always get multiple teams in and often 4+ teams...so the term is safe to use that with BB leagues as well.  If I just say "power" basketball conferences many people would not know specifically what you are referring to...although those who follow closely will.  And I can name every team in P5 football leagues but doubt I could name all of the teams in AAC for BB or A10, although I can name the teams typically at the top.  There are, I think, 30+ D1 BB conferences, which further complicates memory.

I could be misremembering but I thought some in the media used to use "High Major" for teams in the Big East, Big 10, Big 12, PAC12, SEC, ACC and teams that play at that level such as Gonzaga, some American, A-10, and MWC teams.
"Mid Major" for leagues such as C-USA, MAC, Horizon, CAA etc.
And "Low Major" for leagues such as Patriot, MEAC, Southern etc.

If they did I think those terms have been all but abandoned in favor of "Power" and "Mid-Major".

[coalherd]

Agree on most conference assessments.  ODU seems to be sputtering, struggling more than usual on Offense.  Other than Caver (Carver?), seem to lack firepower offensively so far this season.  Herd needs to get/force them to play up tempo rather than settle into the usual slow paced, Jeff Jones half court game.

Charlotte has been a Jeckyl and Hyde team thus far.  Need a few more games to assess them fully.  Lost a close game at home to James Madison, who is much improved this year.

Other than our "major" opponents in the OOC, I believe Akron may be the toughest road game remaining.  Duquesne may be next, and not so sure that this won't be anything other than a so-so season at Ohio U.  Believe we should hand Bill & Mary, Morehead and Toledo at home with a good effort and unless we go off the table cold in our shooting.

2 out of 3 against OU, Akron and the Dukes in P-Burg, and steal a game or two against our "major" foes, and Herd could easily have 10+ wins in OOC play by the time January roles around!!

[whf]

Even TV broadcasters refer to Power conferences regarding basketball.That also includes the Big East. Then you have mid majors, of which we are one.

  If the Big East is included, then by definition Power 5 doesn't apply. 

[herdorbust]

  If the Big East is included, then by definition Power 5 doesn't apply.

Oh for pity sakes. It is a term to try and distinguish mid majors from the big boys. Yes technically its not in basketball. But geeze!!!! I think everyone gets the point. There are a lot of basketball schools that are high level (many more than football). Gonzaga is one of many!!!!

[parshall2marshall]

Is saw where the Dukes hosted and beat Radford. A win at the former would be quality. We really need to win @aTm and one of the other "big 3" OOC. Or at least win @AKR and @Ohio while holding serve at home. Probably not going to be easy.

Our bigs are obviously getting a bit more comfortable and we have shot the ball well the last 2 times out. I remain optimistic.

[rvntx]

UTSA goes to 0-5 South Dakota State 99 UTSA 79.......

North Florida 64 Southern Miss 48.....

[herdorbust]

UTSA goes to 0-5 South Dakota State 99 UTSA 79.......

North Florida 64 Southern Miss 48.....

Yes that is very shocking to me. Something is going on with UTSA. And SMiss is strange for sure.  But that is basketball. Who would have thought MBC would have beat virginia by 20?

[herdorbust]

Looks like N Texas will be 7-0

[chris88]

Looks like N Texas will be 7-0

Yes, but it took OT vs Maine (0-5) at home

[Herdmeister]

Yes that is very shocking to me. Something is going on with UTSA. And SMiss is strange for sure.  But that is basketball. Who would have thought MBC would have beat virginia by 20?

UTSA had been playing without Jackson but I see that he did play yesterday and scored 11. I think in the end UTSA will be  a contender