2024-25 Schedule/Uconn returns!

[glv98]

I have friends who are Vandy fans and were absolutely befuddled to learn their twenty win season was fool’s gold.

IMO there's quite a bit of middle ground btw playing a top 5 UConn and the laughable Sisters of the Poor sched Vandy played. I don't get why it's so hard to put together a reasonable pre season without going to either extreme.

Another worry about these type over reaches is that we need desperately to rebuild our national rep and quit having blowouts on national tv. That is not helping recruiting at all.

 

[And1]

Let’s just hope he doesn’t come into the game needing one more win to break the record.

 

[brittannica]

IMO there's quite a bit of middle ground btw playing a top 5 UConn and the laughable Sisters of the Poor sched Vandy played. I don't get why it's so hard to put together a reasonable pre season without going to either extreme.

Another worry about these type over reaches is that we need desperately to rebuild our national rep and quit having blowouts on national tv. That is not helping recruiting at all.

I agree re:the middle ground, and that’s the convo we were having with Brian Rice on Twitter. at that point we assumed Kellie was staying but would modify her scheduling somehow. Games like UConn, Colorado, Iowa, MTSU, and Liberty seemed non-negotiable at this point, so where do you go from there? And I think (but don’t quote me) Brian Rice said, given how other teams are scheduling, he’d add one more challenging game, and that would be sufficient. It would be easier than last year’s slog yet would satisfy folks like me. If appeasing me doesn’t matter to you, it could give us a solid SoS without wrecking our record. So, theres still a chance this upcoming schedule still ends up being easier overall, but the UConn game might just hang over our heads like the Sword of Damocles. I’d love to see us fill out our schedule with HBCUs and in-state schools.

 

[glv98]

I agree re:the middle ground, and that’s the convo we were having with Brian Rice on Twitter. at that point we assumed Kellie was staying but would modify her scheduling somehow. Games like UConn, Colorado, Iowa, MTSU, and Liberty seemed non-negotiable at this point, so where do you go from there? And I think (but don’t quote me) Brian Rice said, given how other teams are scheduling, he’d add one more challenging game, and that would be sufficient. It would be easier than last year’s slog yet would satisfy folks like me. If appeasing me doesn’t matter to you, it could give us a solid SoS without wrecking our record. So, theres still a chance this upcoming schedule still ends up being easier overall, but the UConn game might just hang over our heads like the Sword of Damocles. I’d love to see us fill out our schedule with HBCUs and in-state schools.

As a season ticket holder, up until the last two years I welcomed a tough OOC sched. But sitting thru those and being disappointed game after game and seeing the damage that does to the season has changed my view. Especially this year when we all knew it was going to be tough without a portal miracle no matter who the coach was.

I'd feel differently if it seemed like all those embarrrassing televised losses actually helped anything. But no matter what they lamely claimed, I didn't see a thing but damage which we never really recovered from.

I believe Fla St is on our OOC sched this yr also. It is easier than last year, but this team will already have so many early growing pains it doesn't hit much better. I want to see this team and coach have a realistic chance to build.

 

[brittannica]

As a season ticket holder, up until the last two years I welcomed a tough OOC sched. But sitting thru those and being disappointed game after game and seeing the damage that does to the season has changed my view. Especially this year when we all knew it was going to be tough without a portal miracle no matter who the coach was.

I'd feel differently if it seemed like all those embarrrassing televised losses actually helped anything. But no matter what they lamely claimed, I didn't see a thing but damage which we never really recovered from.

I believe Fla St is on our OOC sched this yr also. It is easier than last year, but this team will already have so many early growing pains it doesn't hit much better. I want to see this team and coach have a realistic chance to build.

At the risk of being hammered as overly negative or whatever, I do agree. I think the new system, staff, and players from the portal pose a substantial challenge. CKC even said that her teams don’t look great in November. No doubt this schedule is unfavorable from that perspective, but it also just seems that the cake is baked, it is what it, yada yada, so I’ve maybe moved on to trying to delude myself into believing this is perhaps a good thing?

FWIW, I don’t want a repeat of the last two seasons either. We had too many cold walks back to our car debating what CKH was thinking during the game or when making the schedule. Decidedly not fun.

edited: can’t spell. need more coffee.

 

[VolBall09]

As I've heard it from interviews with coaches, scheduling takes place long in advance of most seasons. Thus I doubt this was a KC choice.

Can we blame it on Jon?

After all, he was responsible for Germany seizing the Sudentenland and the Soviets' early Sputnik launches.

Schedule last season would have been a little more balanced if we scheduled all the games we could have. I still don’t understand why we didn’t play 2 more easy games. Heard various reasons but the common theme is we just didn’t get them scheduled.

So hopefully the scheduling going forward is better than that.

 

[glv98]

Schedule last season would have been a little more balanced if we scheduled all the games we could have. I still don’t understand why we didn’t play 2 more easy games. Heard various reasons but the common theme is we just didn’t get them scheduled.

So hopefully the scheduling going forward is better than that.

Not sure a couple more easy wins offset those brutal, nationally televised losses to good teams. Those just cement this image we should be trying hard to escape.

 

[VolBall09]

Not sure a couple more easy wins offset those brutal, nationally televised losses to good teams. Those just cement this image we should be trying hard to escape.

Confidence can mean everything for your team.

If we have a couple more games in there to get organized, especially when Rickea was out, maybe we win a couple more of those tough games.

It’s all cumulative, not playing games is missing an opportunity to get better.

 

[woodpusher]

Are you referring to the Brooklyn NY event? That was two games if I recall but it seemed UT and Uconn were not scheduled to meet there, I may be wrong though.

Usually the way it works is that winners play winners and losers play losers.
What were the teams? Tennessee, UConn, Iowa, and Stanford? Maybe it was NC State?
Anyway, if it's Tennessee-Iowa and UConn-Stanford and both Tennessee and UConn win (or both lose), then Tennessee and UConn would play in the second game.

 

[glv98]

Usually the way it works is that winners play winners and losers play losers.
What were the teams? Tennessee, UConn, Iowa, and Stanford? Maybe it was NC State?
Anyway, if it's Tennessee-Iowa and UConn-Stanford and both Tennessee and UConn win (or both lose), then Tennessee and UConn would play in the second game.

Could be wrong but I think it's a one day one shot showcase, not a tourney. They wouldn't take a chance on playing UConn twice in the OOC. Would they?

 

[Coach Jumper]

I will also caveat with the fact that I’m in the minority around Kellie’s scheduling too. I never had a problem with it and, if anything, think more teams should schedule like that. I have friends who are Vandy fans and were absolutely befuddled to learn their twenty win season was fool’s gold.

Yes...Pepper in a couple of top tenners when you schedule,,,but while you are building or rebuilding a team,,,salt with a ton of teams that will enable you to work on the things that those "pepper games" shows your weaknesses in

 

[Amb3096]

Schedule last season would have been a little more balanced if we scheduled all the games we could have. I still don’t understand why we didn’t play 2 more easy games. Heard various reasons but the common theme is we just didn’t get them scheduled.

So hopefully the scheduling going forward is better than that.

I don't even think the OOC schedule was that bad last year. Final rankings were: #11 ND, #12 IU, #16 OSU. #21 OU and unranked FSU and MTSU. Not exactly a murderer's row. The year before they had to play VT, UConn and Stanford OOC (in addition to IU and OSU) which was much more difficult.

 

[StorrsCentral]

Usually the way it works is that winners play winners and losers play losers.
What were the teams? Tennessee, UConn, Iowa, and Stanford? Maybe it was NC State?
Anyway, if it's Tennessee-Iowa and UConn-Stanford and both Tennessee and UConn win (or both lose), then Tennessee and UConn would play in the second game.

Each team only plays one game as it is a showcase and not a tournament. Tennessee vs Iowa and UConn vs Louisville. No other games scheduled at this competition.

 

[Scotty4lvs]

I don't even think the OOC schedule was that bad last year. Final rankings were: #11 ND, #12 IU, #16 OSU. #21 OU and unranked FSU and MTSU. Not exactly a murderer's row. The year before they had to play VT, UConn and Stanford OOC (in addition to IU and OSU) which was much more difficult.

I think last year just felt so brutal bc there were 4 in a row and we all know who was missing in that stretch. If those games had been spread out and everyone healthy, it actually might have been that nice middle ground of a schedule. But, it was the season of things just not meant to be.

Hopefully things are more spread and balanced this year, but I also know some of that is out of their control.

 

[VolBall09]

I don't even think the OOC schedule was that bad last year. Final rankings were: #11 ND, #12 IU, #16 OSU. #21 OU and unranked FSU and MTSU. Not exactly a murderer's row. The year before they had to play VT, UConn and Stanford OOC (in addition to IU and OSU) which was much more difficult.

Yeah, just shows you where we were lining up with those kind of teams. We could compete most of the game but generally had a quarter to a quarter and a half that just did us in.

Hoping to see 40 minutes of mental focus from the entire team and 40 minutes of physical, get down and get after it basketball.

 

[LasVegasBill23]

wow in my thinking why are we scheduling this game i understand return to national prominance but there are plenty of other programs that can fit that bill to assist us in that way
i guess it is good that uconn wanted this series because it tells us that we still matter also, a rivalry is only a rivalry if it is two sided one team cannot win all the time ohio state football coach john cooper lost his job because he could never beat michigan the other thing is i get tired of hearing about and rehashing of the geno pat nostalgia and maya moores mother and her handbags i am surprised that everyone on this forum..... is for this series startup agaIn last time this came up there was a lot more sentiment against playing them

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Couldn't agree more. I hate when the team could be having a bye and getting some rest, but instead they deal with this, potentially in the same week or two as SC, LSU, now Texas... I'm more for getting away from seeking out the super tough non conference games. Hopefully not forever, but let the team get themselves oriented and figured out for a season and then work up to this. People were mad when they found out we'd be playing a depleted Iowa team in Brooklyn but I didn't think that was too horrible...now this? I get it the KC likes pressure and high expectations, but my goodness at every turn it just seems to intensify for her

Iowa is not depleted, they still have 2 WNBA prospects, and we won’t have Rickea.

 

[Scotty4lvs]

Iowa is not depleted, they still have 2 WMBA prospects, and we won’t have Rickea.

They lost Clark, Martin, and Marshall... 3 starters, 2 that got drafted, 1 got drafted first, on a team that rarely used the bench...we all know you can't stand CC's media attention and I can see your point there, but she was a pretty decent player and it will not be the same caliber of team as it was last year.

 

[brassie]

IMO there's quite a bit of middle ground btw playing a top 5 UConn and the laughable Sisters of the Poor sched Vandy played. I don't get why it's so hard to put together a reasonable pre season without going to either extreme.

Another worry about these type over reaches is that we need desperately to rebuild our national rep and quit having blowouts on national tv. That is not helping recruiting at all.

I think Ralph recognized what she had in her stable last year and opted for putting wins on the board instead of a$$ kickings. Not a bad strategy if you are trying to build from scratch. Next year she has a top 10 recruit coming in. I'm curious to see if the Vandy schedule gets any better.

 

[VolBall09]

They lost Clark, Martin, and Marshall... 3 starters on a team that rarely used the bench...we all know you can't stand CC's media attention but she was a pretty decent player and it will not be the same caliber of team as it was last year.

Yeah Iowa takes a big step back next season. I do think they are still a top 20 team but more in that 15-20 range.

If Stuelke continues to add to her game and Lucy Olsen translates well they are still tough.

They lost very key pieces after last season and most thought, even with Clark, they would be nowhere near as good. Warnock, Czinano were a very big part of what they did in 22-23.

Obviously no more Clark means it’s a completely different ballgame for Iowa though, as talented as Olsen may be, she is nowhere near the impact CC was. Doesn’t have the same passing ability among other things.

Davis, if she’s returning, will be relied on much more heavily to control the ball so it will be a very different look.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

They lost Clark, Martin, and Marshall... 3 starters, 2 that got drafted, 1 got drafted first, on a team that rarely used the bench...we all know you can't stand CC's media attention and I can see your point there, but she was a pretty decent player and it will not be the same caliber of team as it was last year.

We loss 3 players as well, I’m sure they will be ranked higher than us so they won’t be depleted. We need to beat Iowa and I don’t care who they have, I don’t want to lose to that school.

 

[volfan102455]

In due time. You also can't be the best without giving grace to the rebuilding process. IMO a tad smidge of realistic thinking is a good building block. We've seen the damage these early season mismatches can do.

These matches can either build confidence or destroy it. Like him or not Geno is a great coach. He will exploit any weakness the opponent has which not only helps him win but also gives a roadmap for other teams on how to do so.

I suspect the game was already in the works and thus has to be played. Hope it is early and sandwiched between some games we should win regardless.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

These matches can either build confidence or destroy it. Like him or not Geno is a great coach. He will exploit any weakness the opponent has which not only helps him win but also gives a roadmap for other teams on how to do so.

I suspect the game was already in the works and thus has to be played. Hope it is early and sandwiched between some games we should win regardless.

Things are easy to exploit when u have stacked roster, let’s see him do it when the roster is not very good.

 

[Amb3096]

Things are easy to exploit when u have stacked roster, let’s see him do it when the roster is not very good.

He pretty much did that last season without Paige, Fudd, and Ducharme and relying on a one year player from Fairfield back when Tennessee had both Horston and Jackson. He also got to the FF with half of his team injured this year. He gets things done with whatever he has in front of him.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

He pretty much did that last season without Paige, Fudd, and Ducharme and relying on a one year player from Fairfield back when Tennessee had both Horston and Jackson. He also got to the FF with half of his team injured this year. He gets things done with whatever he has in front of him.

How, name another team that had 2 All Americans playing in the NCAA tournament and also number one and other top recruits? That just shows how stacked they were even with the injuries.