NIT bound

[Mustangs_Maroons]

I was also at the game, extremely heartbreaking given the snub (again) from not participating in the NCAA tournament, then to bounce back and perform so well to get to the final and lose it such a crushing manner. I think I remember Rick Sr. helping to coach the team quite a bit during that game. But, we were up by 5 or 7 points down the stretch, no excuse to have lost it.

[Charleston Pony]

Always a great opportunity for the team that wins the NIT to remind the NCAA selection committee they got it wrong

[MDJenkins]

Who’s to blame for such a weak non conference games that created a weak strength of schedule—the AD or head coach?

[mustangxc]

Basketball scheduling is generally done by the basketball coach. However, there are instances where the ADs get involved as was the case when we scheduled Michigan in football with a 2 game basketball series. The AD has to approve of the schedule and Hart is more than happy to help Jankovich pad his numbers with an easy schedule. It's ridiculous that Hart didn't demand a tough schedule goin into this season knowing it was our best shot at an NCAA tournament bid in a long time. Hart has to go.

[MDJenkins]

How challenging will it be when the AAC becomes diluted with also rans, combined with a weak non conference schedule. Thanks Lil Ricky!

[sadderbudweiser]

Let's hang a banner!

Have to admit it was a huge disappointment when our guys lost to Minnesota in the NIT finals as I really thought we were going to give Larry Brown his trifecta adding the NIT Title to his NCAA and NBA Titles. As a New Yorker, I'm sure it would have been special for him to have won in "The Garden"

At the game and I still think we would have won if the ref had actually called the Minnesota player stepping out of bounds on the baseline...but who's bitter.

I was sitting right above that line. He was out. I’m still bitter. But at least we hammered little Pitino in Albuquerque this past season.

[PonyTime]

Let's hang a banner!

Have to admit it was a huge disappointment when our guys lost to Minnesota in the NIT finals as I really thought we were going to give Larry Brown his trifecta adding the NIT Title to his NCAA and NBA Titles. As a New Yorker, I'm sure it would have been special for him to have won in "The Garden"

At the game and I still think we would have won if the ref had actually called the Minnesota player stepping out of bounds on the baseline...but who's bitter.

I was sitting right above that line. He was out. I’m still bitter. But at least we hammered little Pitino in Albuquerque this past season.

Apparently no-one saw that game - along with the UNLV game. We pummeled 2 MWC teams by about 20 each and they still took Wyoming > SMU for some unknown reason. SMU would beat Wyoming on a neutral court any day of the week.

[Charleston Pony]

Basketball scheduling is generally done by the basketball coach. However, there are instances where the ADs get involved as was the case when we scheduled Michigan in football with a 2 game basketball series. The AD has to approve of the schedule and Hart is more than happy to help Jankovich pad his numbers with an easy schedule. It's ridiculous that Hart didn't demand a tough schedule goin into this season knowing it was our best shot at an NCAA tournament bid in a long time. Hart has to go.

Economics factor in as well and the combination of our weak fan support/low home gate receipts and a lot of coaches not wanting to risk playing in Moody leave us with programs from lesser conferences that are forced to play most of their games on the road just to bring in revenue. SMU will have to become road warriors to play top teams and/or try to schedule 2 for 1 series with higher profile programs. We did well this year to have return trips from Vandy, Dayton & UNLV. In any given year, those are pretty tough opponents and we had an opportunity to play Missouri and Florida State in the Jacksonville tournament. Same thing there. New Mexico is a program with good fan support, a large arena and they have a good bball history. It just didn't work out this year.

[redpony]

CP- Economics factor in as well and the combination of our weak fan support/low home gate receipts and a lot of coaches not wanting to risk playing in Moody leave us with programs from lesser conferences that are forced to play most of their games on the road just to bring in revenue.

Yes- partly true. However, weak fan support/low gate receipts are the fault of our AD. He is the one who 'destroyed' the real Moody Magic, the Mob, and ran off hundreds of fans with his re-seats etc.
Perhaps a new AD can restore most of that as well as get some decent programs to play us at Moody.

[Charleston Pony]

CP- Economics factor in as well and the combination of our weak fan support/low home gate receipts and a lot of coaches not wanting to risk playing in Moody leave us with programs from lesser conferences that are forced to play most of their games on the road just to bring in revenue.

Yes- partly true. However, weak fan support/low gate receipts are the fault of our AD. He is the one who 'destroyed' the real Moody Magic, the Mob, and ran off hundreds of fans with his re-seats etc.
Perhaps a new AD can restore most of that as well as get some decent programs to play us at Moody.

Agree the re-seat money grab was one of the worst decisions SMU has made in quite some time. I'd love to see the atmosphere in Moody restored to what it was in the Larry Brown years, but of course that will make it more difficult to get big name opponents to come to Moody. I seem to recall big name opponents only wanting to play at Reunion Arena vs Moody during the Dave Bliss years and the "excuse" was seating capacity. Other than the one Michigan visit, I don't remember Larry Brown being able to get big name non-conference opponents to visit Moody either

[mustangxc]

You're forgetting we played a 1 and 1 series with Gonzaga. It can be done and there are plenty of teams like Gonzaga, St. Mary's, BYU, Murray State, Colorado State, Wyoming, Boise State, San Diego State, VCU, Davidson, etc. that could help build our SOS and we could play them 1 and 1.