Another OOC opponent...NAIA

[RGV Pony]

From the Tyler Paper:

At Texas College, Watson looks to get the Steers over the hump. Texas College captured back-to-back NSCAA crowns in 1992 and 1993, then went more than a decade minus a postseason appearance.

While being an upper-echelon team in the Red River Athletic Conference, producing three All-Americans in the last four seasons, Texas College failed to advance to the NAIA National Tournament despite high expectations.

But before thinking titles, Watson intends to get championship-caliber players in first, then set the environment accordingly by building a close-knit setting, one the players feel comfortable in - with one of the quirks being a couch and TV in the dressing room.

His early list of potential players - a progress still in works - features multiple players with Division I experience. To enhance the program even further, Watson lined up tentative road dates with NCAA Division I programs like North Texas (Nov. 7), Grambling State (Nov. 14 or 15), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Nov. 16 or 17), McNeese State (Nov. 25), Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 28), Southern Methodist (Dec. 3) and NCAA Division II force Texas A&M-Commerce (Nov. 21).


Now, would this be a step or or a step down from DIII UT-Tyler from last year?

[carolsmu]

According to college rpi.com



2005-06
SMU was the 268th best team in the country while playing the 275th most difficult schedule

[smupony94]

Step up

[MustangStealth]

Please tell me that "tentative" means it's not going to happen. There is absolutely no benefit for us playing this type of opponent in a non-exhibition game. This will not prepare us for conference season. It will not impress the tournament selection committee (no, not even the NIT). And if we do like we did last year with Hardin Simmons and let them stay in the game, so much the worse.

[MustangStealth]

...and one more thing. This indirectly hurts our whole conference when selection time comes. Conference strength is a factor (see the MVC last year). I'd rather see 3 or 4 teams from CUSA in the tournament than 2, even if we aren't one of them.