Men's basketball non-conference schedule announced

[PonyPride]

DALLAS (SMU) --- The SMU men’s basketball team released its 2008-09 non-conference schedule on Monday. The 13 non-league matchups include teams from the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Missouri Valley, and Mountain West conferences. The Mustangs have non-league games against teams from five of the previous season’s top-ten RPI conferences for the first time since 1991-92. Combined with the forthcoming C-USA schedule, SMU will play 12 games against 2008 postseason teams and five games against last season’s RPI top-50 and nine against the top-100.

“The goal has been to build the schedule as we build the program,â€

[SMUPhil]

That will be a nice home schedule in 09-10 with USF, Northwestern, TCU, and aTm all at Moody. Hopefully by then we will be running on all cylinders.

[MustangStealth]

This is what I upgraded my season tickets for?

Here are last year's RPIs.

Houston Baptist (Transitional D-1)
Alabama State (205)
Illinois State (33)
Texas A&M – International (First year in D-2)
Arkansas – Pine Bluff (310)
UT-San Antonio (221)
Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (260)
Colorado (161)
Cal State – Bakersfield (317)

[MustangIcon]

This is what I upgraded my season tickets for?

Here are last year's RPIs.

Houston Baptist (Transitional D-1)
Alabama State (205)
Illinois State (33)
Texas A&M – International (First year in D-2)
Arkansas – Pine Bluff (310)
UT-San Antonio (221)
Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (260)
Colorado (161)
Cal State – Bakersfield (317)

No one held a gun to your head.

[MustangStealth]

No one held a gun to your head.

I know, I just can't believe I keep falling for the same "exciting lineup" spiel. I'm an idiot to think we're ever going to see a legit non-conference schedule here, even for a mid-major.

[The XtC]

Last year Northwestern finished in 11th place, in the Big 10. Little ironies like that make me chuckle.

[papawasamustang]

My 1st impression is not good but better than last.
I guess we will all be waiting to see the 2009-10 schedule.
Too bad no classic. I was really hoping to see a nice four team classic.

[The XtC]

[quote="papawasamustang"]My 1st impression is not good but better than last.
I guess we will all be waiting to see the 2009-10 schedule.
Too bad no classic. I was really hoping to see a nice four team classic.[/quote]

Look again. 3 games in 3 days with an asterisk by their names. That looks like a "classic".

[MustangIcon]

Texas A&M on the schedule is a nice step in the right direction as far as a marketable opponent is concerned. If we have some success OOC this season I would expect to see our strength of schedule increase next year. However, expect us to have plenty of patsy opponents so that we assure ourselves of meeting CUSA's stated goal of winning XX% of non conference games. All teams that meet that goal get a check from the conference to go to the team and Doherty has stated on numerous occassions that we schedule with the intent of making that percentage.

[George S. Patton]

You militant basketball schedule hounds want both sides of the argument.

First, you scream at Doherty because he isn't playing a very good non-conference schedule. Then when he does by adding the Aggies, Northwestern USF and completing the Colorado series, you guys are screaming because all but CU are not at Moody.

Let's deal with reality here. Doherty put a schedule together that he thinks will help his team. Yes, they were second-division BCS conference team but what were we last year -- 9th, 10th place in CUSA? That's reality.

At this point, whenever Doherty schedules with programs like he has, they are always going to the start the series at their building, not ours. That's the way it is with most programs in our position, except if you're Memphis. For all we know, some could be 2-for-1.

I like it because there is a good mix of beatable teams and some challenges.

When our program can get some street cred, then some of these series will start here. But not now.

BTW, looks like Faye's first game will be Dec. 15 against UA-Pine Bluff.

Edit: I also echo Icon's stated fact about us trying to win a certain % of our non-conference games.

[SMU89]

You militant basketball schedule hounds want both sides of the argument.

First, you scream at Doherty because he isn't playing a very good non-conference schedule. Then when he does by adding the Aggies, Northwestern USF and completing the Colorado series, you guys are screaming because all but CU are not at Moody.

Let's deal with reality here. Doherty put a schedule together that he thinks will help his team. Yes, they were second-division BCS conference team but what were we last year -- 9th, 10th place in CUSA? That's reality.

At this point, whenever Doherty schedules with programs like he has, they are always going to the start the series at their building, not ours. That's the way it is with most programs in our position, except if you're Memphis. For all we know, some could be 2-for-1.

I like it because there is a good mix of beatable teams and some challenges.

When our program can get some street cred, then some of these series will start here. But not now.

BTW, looks like Faye's first game will be Dec. 15 against UA-Pine Bluff.

Edit: I also echo Icon's stated fact about us trying to win a certain % of our non-conference games.

Agree.

[MustangStealth]

USF and Northwestern don't help strength of schedule. They're both outside the top 175 in RPI. We're getting the weak opponents, and even among them the most appealing games are all on the road. I realize that there is usually a plan for a return game, but there's also a chance it won't happen.

Regarding winning a certain % of our games, we tried the patty-cake schedule last year and look how that worked. We still lost far too many games and looked worse for it. If we are looking to boost RPI, then most of these games are a waste. Beating teams ranked below 200 does absolutely no good, in some cases it even hurts just to play the game.

I have said repeatedly that I'd rather lose to a quality opponent than play well against the bottom of the pile. If that is who we want to be associated with and compete with, then that is sad.

[papawasamustang]

My 1st impression is not good but better than last.
I guess we will all be waiting to see the 2009-10 schedule.
Too bad no classic. I was really hoping to see a nice four team classic.

Look again. 3 games in 3 days with an asterisk by their names. That looks like a "classic".

My bad ! Didn't notice that.
Actually, not a bad field if you drop Houston Baptist out of there.
Having said that, HB will probably win the tourney.

[George S. Patton]

Let's win some games before we even start to worry about the stupid RPI. If we win enough, then that will take care of itself.

Are some of you expecting us to be postseason worthy this year where the RPI will be considered? I certainly don't.

[MustangStealth]

No, but our conference will be hurt by our RPI. We aren't doing anyone any favors as far as helping get a second team in the tournament like this.