Braves to play at Northern Illinois this season

[wizard1]

Scheduling

BUR- I know Ill. plays the same 2 teams in the LV Tourn. as we do. However, these are terrible games for a BCS school like Ill. and very likely could bite them later in the year if they are on the selection or seeding bubble. I cannot agree that NIU is a good game for us---we don't gain anything except perhaps some Chi. alum attendance. If our road play is as bad as last year or so bad that we can't beat NIU by more than 1 or 2, we are in for a long and very disappointing year again. Oh well- there are always meaningless post season tournaments we can get into.

[MacabreMob]

Could become a "trap" game... Maybe after coming off an emotional high or emotional letdown in Vegas... then into DeKalb.

[SFP]

Again, in my view, the key to all of this is the AD. I wonder how much of our current scheduling "fell between the cracks" as a result of the KK and Interem AD situation. The Pres. needs to get off the dime and locate and hire a qualified AD for Bradley.

wizard I am also questioning this game! I'm also of the school of thought that we could probably have scheduled a much better rpi school on the road then NIU. Is this due to the AD situation or is this just a typical scheduling problem. NIU does zero for us except bolster our record, I hope. Let's get either a seasoned AD or one tha can get this schedule of ours to the next level. We need a Gonzaga like schedule folks anything else is just like everyone else even close to the ISU schedule we critisized.

[squirrelgotdead]

wizard I am also questioning this game! I'm also of the school of thought that we could probably have scheduled a much better rpi school on the road then NIU. Is this due to the AD situation or is this just a typical scheduling problem. NIU does zero for us except bolster our record, I hope. Let's get either a seasoned AD or one tha can get this schedule of ours to the next level. We need a Gonzaga like schedule folks anything else is just like everyone else even close to the ISU schedule we critisized.

This game has NOTHING to do with the fact we have an interim AD.

We have a staff that is committed to get a game in the Chicago area every year. That has led to series vs. UIC, Milwaukee, and NIU. All of which have done very little for our RPI.

The AD does have somewhat of a say in the financial matters to balancing the overall athletic dept. budget. . .but do not believe for a second that one game indicates the lack of an AD has any relevant impact.

[tornado]

agreed, plus, likely this game is a result of actions taken by the prior AD anyway....as securing opponents has been going on a long time, and this game didn't just come about in the past few weeks

[SFP]

Let's face it guys until the AD question is resolved every decision will be scrutinize. Yes this could have been worked on prior to KK leaving but I'm sure KK has the connections to have at least turned a lot of stones over to try and create a favorable schedule. Also I was just questioning playing NIU and what do we really get out of going there. Playing up in Chicago is great but it really only helps if we play a team that gets media attention. How much media attention does NIU get up there? They are also not located that close to Chicago.

BTW does anyone know what we are doing about our AD situation. Besides playing BYU and the LV tourney our schedule is very average. We cannot compare our non-con schedule with Illinois because they have a much better conference schedule that they can count on. We need to start scheduling like the Gonzaga's and Memphis of college basketball win or lose. We have a decent rpi where most top teams would not mind playing us on their court. We need to start taking those chances. 20 win seasons do not do to much for me if the schedule is average. I'd rather not win 20 and play some top 20 teams not just one or two a season at best. We need to start walking the walk if we want to be one of the premier non-BCS schools.

[Chico]

I don't think we scheduled Milwaukee, it was a return game from the Bracket Buster. For those who think we have a weak home schedule, this is a good one compared to the mid-70's. Back then if your school name began with St., as in Ambrose or John's you had a good chance of playing in the fieldhouse. Shows how loyal BU fans are. We show up no matter who we play.

[squirrelgotdead]

Scheduling wasn't as important in the 1970's as it is today.

We did not schedule Milwaukee, but it was an opponent we handpicked, for the sole purpose of the road game.

[houstontxbrave]

The only time BU should play WIU, EIU, SIUE or NIU is on our terms and in our arena, there is absolutely no reason to ever visit any of those schools arenas. This game with NIU is nothing but an opportunity to have an extremely bad lose that might only be corrected by winning the MVC or the tourney.

This is the exact type of game that gives any selection committee a real and valid reason to avoid BU as an atlarge with a lose, but it does absolutely nothing with a win. Playing this game in DeKalb makes no sense, and that includes the fact it is over 70 miles to the west in the middle of nowhere from Chicago.

If I had season tickets I would be very upset with the non conference home schedule.. I understand the Vegas tourney but Idaho State? The overall RPI of our non conference schedule will end up being average but the eye test of who we play is not real strong other then the Vegas trip and those only become great if we can win BOTH games.

[Rusty 54]

I dont know how we can expect to not play any "bad loss" teams on the road and then expect that a decent or good BCS team will come play in Peoria.

[SFP]

I dont know how we can expect to not play any "bad loss" teams on the road and then expect that a decent or good BCS team will come play in Peoria.

We should only play these bad loss +200 rpi teams at home, IMO. We then should try for 2 for 1 with good BCS teams and even a 1 and done with perennial top 10 teams. This would give us the exposure we are all clamoring for. If this is about money I wonder how much money we are making at the NIU game. I'd suspect this has everything to do about Chicago alumnis. I just cannot phantom any other reason. Yes scheduling is hard but could we not have gone on the road to a much better team and have NIU come to Peoria next year for a 1 and done.

[Chico]

Scheduling wasn't as important in the 1970's as it is today.

We did not schedule Milwaukee, but it was an opponent we handpicked, for the sole purpose of the road game.

Sorry, didn't know teams handpicked their bracket buster opponents. Scheduling is always important if you're a season ticket holder.

[abesimpson]

Before we can say we're good enough to demand terrible teams come to Peoria and we only take BCS-caliber teams on the road, we need to actually consistently win road games against poor teams and play better on the road against good ones.

Les doesn??™t have a great road record and there have been some real stinkers away from home the past few years in non-conf.....
Last year: UMKC RPI 309, UW-M RPI 134
Year Before: UIC RPI 140, Butler (they were very good, but it wasn??™t even close, we got embarrassed)
2006-07: Tenn. Tech RPI 140, Mich St. (again very good team, but another embarrassing TV loss)
2005-06: Loyola RPI 140

There have been some good road wins too, but I think Les needs to do better in that area. And it will be good for the newcomers to get road experience at a cupcake game instead of very difficult one.

[squirrelgotdead]

Sorry, didn't know teams handpicked their bracket buster opponents. Scheduling is always important if you're a season ticket holder.

If you're not on TV, it's all handled via a web meeting/scheduling service similar to GoToMeeting.com, and is left to the individual institutions to work out the remainder of matchups themselves. . .

[Beninator]

We should only play these bad loss +200 rpi teams at home, IMO. We then should try for 2 for 1 with good BCS teams and even a 1 and done with perennial top 10 teams. This would give us the exposure we are all clamoring for. If this is about money I wonder how much money we are making at the NIU game. I'd suspect this has everything to do about Chicago alumnis. I just cannot phantom any other reason. Yes scheduling is hard but could we not have gone on the road to a much better team and have NIU come to Peoria next year for a 1 and done.

Very valid points SFP.. For now, I can even live with playing the BCS schools in the tournament situation like we are doing now as long as we make an aggressive effort to schedule quality mid-major schools instead of the likes of NIU!