Lions' Early-season Strength of Schedule

[Captain Kangaroo]

Arkansas Pine-Bluff Fears No One

[UAZipster0305]

Damn! Impressive.If we had a 50-50 home-away schedule with opponents like that there might actually be large scale community interest in Zips basketball before conference play begins. That's what it takes to sellout the JAR and require a new arena. No one wants to come watch the Zips lose their first game to Austin Peay, but Georgia Tech (win or lose) might be another story. I could see a sellout for a game like that...especially after coming off a Tournament appearance and having a top 50 recruit.

[zipdiehard]

Am i reading that correctly...their 1st home game is January 16th?

[MDZip]

Wow, they could start out 0-11 with all of those games on the road. I don't think we schedule hard enough but that is way too hard. Had we started off 0-4 with this kind of a schedule I don't think the interest would have been as high. I'd like a little harder schedule for us, but nothing like this.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Wow, they could start out 0-11 with all of those games on the road. I don't think we schedule hard enough but that is way too hard. Had we started off 0-4 with this kind of a schedule I don't think the interest would have been as high. I'd like a little harder schedule for us, but nothing like this.

How do you study or take tests if your first 11 games are on the road?!I'd never seen a "body bag" schedule for a basketball team until now.

[Quickzips]

Wow, they could start out 0-11 with all of those games on the road. I don't think we schedule hard enough but that is way too hard. Had we started off 0-4 with this kind of a schedule I don't think the interest would have been as high. I'd like a little harder schedule for us, but nothing like this.

How do you study or take tests if your first 11 games are on the road?!I'd never seen a "body bag" schedule for a basketball team until now.

Not only are they on the road, they are on the ROAD.Games in Colorado (2), Texas, Ohio, Arizona, Michigan, Oklahoma, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas, Oregon, Mississippi and Alabama (2) all before they have a home game. This is the kind of schedule that I think even Charlie Coles would have to say, "yeah, we're going to scale back a little bit."

[zippy5]

Damn! Impressive.If we had a 50-50 home-away schedule with opponents like that there might actually be large scale community interest in Zips basketball before conference play begins. That's what it takes to sellout the JAR and require a new arena. No one wants to come watch the Zips lose their first game to Austin Peay, but Georgia Tech (win or lose) might be another story. I could see a sellout for a game like that...especially after coming off a Tournament appearance and having a top 50 recruit.

huh? they play them on the road. in fact, their first home game is 1/16. I'd rather see Akron play Austin Peay at home than nobody. Do you really thing GT would come to Akron? There is no upside to playing us at home, for any big team like that. Just nothing to gain..

[UAZipster0305]

Damn! Impressive.If we had a 50-50 home-away schedule with opponents like that there might actually be large scale community interest in Zips basketball before conference play begins. That's what it takes to sellout the JAR and require a new arena. No one wants to come watch the Zips lose their first game to Austin Peay, but Georgia Tech (win or lose) might be another story. I could see a sellout for a game like that...especially after coming off a Tournament appearance and having a top 50 recruit.

huh? they play them on the road. in fact, their first home game is 1/16. I'd rather see Akron play Austin Peay at home than nobody. Do you really thing GT would come to Akron? There is no upside to playing us at home, for any big team like that. Just nothing to gain..

I was simply saying this is necessary to build a program and a fan base. Losing to Austin Peay at home early in the season is counterproductive in this sense.

[Dr Z]

I bet they are ready for their conference play after those games.

[zippy5]

Damn! Impressive.If we had a 50-50 home-away schedule with opponents like that there might actually be large scale community interest in Zips basketball before conference play begins. That's what it takes to sellout the JAR and require a new arena. No one wants to come watch the Zips lose their first game to Austin Peay, but Georgia Tech (win or lose) might be another story. I could see a sellout for a game like that...especially after coming off a Tournament appearance and having a top 50 recruit.

huh? they play them on the road. in fact, their first home game is 1/16. I'd rather see Akron play Austin Peay at home than nobody. Do you really thing GT would come to Akron? There is no upside to playing us at home, for any big team like that. Just nothing to gain..

I was simply saying this is necessary to build a program and a fan base. Losing to Austin Peay at home early in the season is counterproductive in this sense.

Well I'm simply saying you're delusional if you think Georgia Tech is going to come here

[Z.I.P.]

Can you say, "Coppin State"?

[GJGood]

After the Zips UAPB plays a bunch of BCS conference schools consecutively and, of course, all are on the road. I'd like to see these good Zips teams get maybe three games like that but not 8 or 9 like they have. Now if we could get home and home deals with more teams then I'd be more in favor of it. I actually like the way Akron is scheduling now somewhat. I could see bumping it up some but I like the idea of trying to play the bigger name schools at neutral sites instead of always having to go on the road.The one thing I disagree with KD on is that he has said the only way Akron is making the NCAA tournament is if they win the conference tourney. That is only true if we play consistently average or weak non-conference schedules. I remember two years ago all the experts were saying our arch rival would be a very likely at-large team in the field of 65 if they hadn't won the conference tourney. There is no reason the same couldn't be true with the Zips if they have a great season and the schedule gives them a respectable RPI. Just don't make the schedule a kamikaze mission either like UAPB has done.

[Captain Kangaroo]

The one thing I disagree with KD on is that he has said the only way Akron is making the NCAA tournament is if they win the conference tourney. That is only true if we play consistently average or weak non-conference schedules. I remember two years ago all the experts were saying our arch rival would be a very likely at-large team in the field of 65 if they hadn't won the conference tourney. There is no reason the same couldn't be true with the Zips if they have a great season and the schedule gives them a respectable RPI. Just don't make the schedule a kamikaze mission either like UAPB has done.

TESTIFY, BRUTHA' GOOD!!