Final 07-08 schedule released

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_...&ATCLID=1157945As found through Rasor's blog and GoZips.com2007-08 Akron Men's Basketball Schedule:Nov. 16 – vs. South Carolina Upstate#Nov. 17 – vs. Portland State or IUPUI#Nov. 18 – vs. TBA#Nov. 24 – BinghamtonNov. 26 – TempleDec. 1 – WyomingDec. 4 – at WinthropDec. 8 – North Carolina CentralDec. 15 – at Austin PeayDec. 19 – North Carolina A&TDec. 21 – Youngstown StateDec. 29 – UICJan. 2 – at DaytonJan. 5 – Miami (Ohio)*Jan. 12 – at Buffalo*Jan. 17 – Ohio*Jan. 20 – Bowling Green*Jan. 23 – at Can't State*Jan. 26 – at Central Michigan*Jan. 30 – Toledo*Feb. 2 – Eastern Michigan*Feb. 6 – at Western Michigan*Feb. 9 – at Ball State*Feb. 12 – Northern Illinois*Feb. 16 – at Bowling Green*Feb. 19 – at Miami (Ohio)*Feb. 23 – ESPN BracketBusters (TBA opponent)March 1 – Buffalo*March 4 – at Ohio*March 9 – Can't State*March 13-16 – MAC Tournament (Cleveland, Ohio)#-BP Top of the World Classic (Fairbanks, Alaska)*-Mid-American Conference gameGame times are TBA

[Bleacher Bum]

Zoinks. Starting the MAC schedule against Miami at home. Those MAC schedulers are clever, aren't they? It is good to see they didn't schedule any games this year when the Browns play the Steelers.

[GoZips88]

LOVE opening up at home against Miami, hosting Toledo, and closing out the season at home against Can't on senior night. Should be a packed and very rowdy house against Can't March 9th.

[skip-zip]

This is a long way away from anything that's going to impress tournament committees in March.

[Zipmeister]

IMO, this is a reasonably rigorous schedule that includes several nonconference home games that should be entertaining.

[Captain Kangaroo]

This is a long way away from anything that's going to impress tournament committees in March.

You think? Winthrop, Dayton, Temple, Wyoming, Oregon State or Colorado State plus a Bracket Buster game doesn't constitute a solid non-conference schedule? What more could you ask for?

[ziptrumpet87]

if the football team plays well, 12/1 could be a fun day for Zips sports!

[mrelegazna]

I like it. After last year's unprecedented disasterbacle, I despair of any committee giving us any kind of slack ever.So our best bet is to compile just a ridiculous record, like only 2 or 3 losses.Now, I'm saying we only lose 2 or 3, but there's no one on the schedule that we just have NO SHOT against...but still some definite challenges.BTW, does anyone know if the Temple game is part of a home-and-home, or a return trip for the 2006 NIT? I'm hoping the former, because I live in the greater Philly area and would like to go see them (missed them in the NIT).

[MightyZip6]

My opinion is that the game on Jan 5th when students are out of class is actually an advantage for Mr. Coles and the Red Hawks some how, some way we need to get the AK-ROWDIES and AK-OLDIES Together to Make it a Miserable night for the Hawks...I hate MIAMI but I hate Can't EVEN MORE!! But JAN 5th we must PROTECT OUR HOUSE!!!

[ZachTheZip]

My opinion is that the game on Jan 5th when students are out of class is actually an advantage for Mr. Coles and the Red Hawks some how, some way we need to get the AK-ROWDIES and AK-OLDIES Together to Make it a Miserable night for the Hawks...I hate MIAMI but I hate Can't EVEN MORE!! But JAN 5th we must PROTECT OUR HOUSE!!!

I will be there with the ROWDIES, screaming my lungs out. We had better not lose another game to them. A thrashing is in order.

[skip-zip]

Dayton? Temple? Wyoming? - Teams that combined for about a .500 record last year, and all were well beyond the top 100 in computer rankings. And even if you want to consider those good matchups for us, couple those games together with teams like these below, and you get the picture.South Carolina UpstatePortland StateIUPUIBinghamtonNorth Carolina CentralNorth Carolina A&TNIT, at best, if we win 25 games, and do not win the MAC. Is that what everyone wanted to see as our best possibility this year?Only time will tell how this shakes out, but it's likely going to be far from being good enough to get us any kind of notice come March. But of course, we won't know until the OOC SOS figures start coming out. Plus, the bracket buster didn't help us at all last year. Lets hope for a better matchup this time around.

[MightyZip6]

Feb. 23 – ESPN BracketBusters (TBA opponent)

Is this another HOME game for us or is it a away game BB??

[ZachTheZip]

NIT, at best, if we win 25 games, and do not win the MAC. Is that what everyone wanted to see as our best possibility this year?Only time will tell how this shakes out, but it's likely going to be far from being good enough to get us any kind of notice come March. But of course, we won't know until the OOC SOS figures start coming out. Plus, the bracket buster didn't help us at all last year. Lets hope for a better matchup this time around.

You forget that we play in the MAC. It's win the tourney or go home this year. Some teams in the MAC still brag about how tough their OOC schedule is, only to be rejected by the committee for not having enough wins. The only way any team in the MAC goes to the NIT is by winning the regular season title and losing in Cleveland. The NIT selection process is broken.Why not play teams to go undefeated and get some excitement in the community. We could start the MAC season with a ridiculous record and get people to come to the games. Last year we had horrid attendance given our record. It's time to fix that, and tat's what I think KD is attempting to do with this. Give us a good shot at winning each game. It's what the Major teams do: load up on cupcakes and then play a few teams that are on par with your own. I think this sets up a good schedule in the future with some return games.

[ziptrumpet87]

Temple and Dayton have some history of winning and the casual fan may still call them good teams. Decent possibility to draw some fans, IMO.Youngstown State is known for football but may bring their fans which increases attendance.Wyoming... hopefully the UA football team plays same day and lots of the fans are in Detroit. North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T... no-name cupcakes that will not draw other than the regulars, IMO.

[skip-zip]

uaakronkid... I don't think any MAC teams are getting rejected by the tournament committees for not having enough wins, as you say. Last year, I don't think a couple more regular season wins would have made any difference. It's all about schedule strength. And if we can't get that in our conference, we have to go and get it in our OOC schedule. If we don't do this, we'll be sitting here every year scratching our heads. The MAC rates too low as a conference, and besides moving to another league, the only thing we have any kind of control over is our OOC scheduling.

[mrelegazna]

uaakronkid... I don't think any MAC teams are getting rejected by the tournament committees for not having enough wins, as you say. Last year, I don't think a couple more regular season wins would have made any difference. It's all about schedule strength. And if we can't get that in our conference, we have to go and get it in our OOC schedule. If we don't do this, we'll be sitting here every year scratching our heads. The MAC rates too low as a conference, and besides moving to another league, the only thing we have any kind of control over is our OOC scheduling.

I don't agree. I wasn't really too upset we didn't get an NCAA at-large bid last year. I don't think we can accuse the *NCAA* selection committee of screwing us. What sent me into a fit was being snubbed by the NIT. And who is the *NIT* selection committee? Legendary retired coaches like Gene Keady and Dean Smith and I-forgot-who. I seriously doubt they are making a science of this. If they did, they would have selected us. Instead, they picked "names," looked at things at the most surface, cursory level, and hit the golf course.So in terms of the NCAA, we already know playing a great, tough OOC schedule, and losing 10 games will not get a MAC team in the NCAA tourney. We don't know if playing an easy schedule and losing 3 or 4 games will do the trick, but it's worth a shot. And it should do the trick for the NIT, where they can't look much deeper than W-L records, and see the scheduling/defeating of "names" like Temple and Dayton who are a lot better in their Alzheimers-fogged minds than they really are.P.S. I don't really think you can hold the "scheduling" of SC-Upstate, Portland State, or IUPUI against the Zips. I doubt they got to preview the tournament roster before making a decision on the invite (for all we know, Akron was the first team invited, or invited right after Oregon State or Colorado State), and they sure didn't have a say in who else would play in it.

[skip-zip]

First of all, I made no mention of us getting screwed by anyone.Its this simple. The only thing we can do to help ourselves is to schedule higher ranked opponents. Sure, it exposes you to the possibility that you'll lose 10 games. But it also gives you more ammunition in the recruiting battles, draws more fan interest, makes your team better, and upgrades your program.Without it, we're faced with what looks to be a one-team conference in the NCAA tournament for quite a few years to come.

[nbs95]

Its this simple. The only thing we can do to help ourselves is to schedule higher ranked opponents. Sure, it exposes you to the possibility that you'll lose 10 games. But it also gives you more ammunition in the recruiting battles, draws more fan interest, makes your team better, and upgrades your program.

Skip- zipI agreed with you 100% However, lets look at the glass half full; when Akron wins one of these 10 games it makes averything you said one step closer to happening.The MAC conference has improved over the last couple of years. People are taking notice. ie. Can't state knocking Pitt out in the tornament. Toledo Beating Pitt. and Akron in there the up-roar of the media of being snub by the NIT last year. I Belive Akron is on the edge of making a name for it's self and the MAC. we have a good team this year. That is making the high caliber of recruites stopping to take a hard look towards Akron and the MAC teams. Why? because they want more playing time a better chance to get notice. Lebron James coming to the cames, and they are lest likely to sit on the bench or red shirt thier first year. Look at Swiech he turn down Pitt, Wake Forest just because he belives in KD and what Akron has to offer. Akron needs to win those games against Dayton, Temple, and Winthrop. they are just as important as conference games.