I think keeping the divisions is entirely for scheduling because they have no other real effect. I know this isn't really practical but I would love to see us go to a true round robin 22 game schedule. Just drop four cupcakes off our OOC schedule.

I thought the announcers were good as well.

How about instead of going 22 game MAC season (which I think is way too much)....replace the 4 cupcakes with decent OOC games. This league is stagnant on a national level. The MAC's best OOC win this year was Akron at Arkansas or Ball State over Valpo. That's it.

The league only played 15 games TOTAL against P6 leagues going 1-14
If you throw in the A-10, AAC, Colonial, MWC and MVC they went 9-28 (8-14 vs. those 5 leagues)

If this league is ever to going to get back to the level it was in the late 90s or separate themselves from the other below-average mid-major leagues (i.e. Sun Belt, OVC, Horizon) they're going to have to schedule better.

37 games vs. P6 and the second-level 5 (A-10, AAC, Colonial, MWC and MVC)
21 games vs. non-D1 (that's not counting exhibitions)

I understand every team needs a few gimmies....but that's almost 2 per school vs. non-D1.

On the flip side, it's just over 3 vs. "good" competition.

It's no wonder this league NEVER sniffs an at-large bid anymore.

Cut out a non-D1 and add an second-level 5 game.....

Akron is 20-4.....11 straight 20-win seasons....and they are NOWHERE near the at-large conversation.

Playing more MAC games isn't the answer.

Playing better OOC schedules is.

This league is pretty talented and I think has a chance to be better.....

The worst team is Miami and they lost only by 1 at Dayton and by 9 at Xavier. Rivalry game or not, that's pretty good for the worst team in the MAC.

It's time Steinbrecher holds these schools accountable for their scheduling. No more of these non-D1 games. I'd rather schedule more OVC, Sun Belt, or Horizon league teams rather than these non-D1s. Even CUSA teams (which I was stunned to see how far that league has fallen...they're bad!)

Ok...rant over.

bshot, I couldn't agree more about the scheduling!

"The growth had been incremental and seen on tape by me, and now, I think the world is seeing it,” Ohio coach Saul Phillips said.

I wonder what they're saying about us in Istanbul?

I would like to schedule better games as much as anyone, but doesn't the fact that the MAC went 1-14 against P6 prove that we shouldn't be scheduling more of those games? None of the teams are good enough to win them and the conference actually benefits from everyone having cupcake schedules and padding their records. That's why we are the 10th rated conference in RPI and 12th according to kenpom.com. Our conference RPI is higher than the Mountain West, Summit, MVC, WCC, Ivy, Horizon, Sun Belt, and Conf-USA. Going back just three years we were 18th as a conference in RPI.

We are not in a position of power to dictate scheduling P6 schools in Athens. It benefits us to play them on the road even if we lose more than we win. If you want to improve and elevate the program you must play those games on the road. Maybe down the road you get some back. Oh by the way: It's not fair and never will be fair.

Also keep in mind a "home game" in December does not mean the students are in session (thus also impacting size of crowd and financials per Monroe's inquiry above). Per another thread - go on the road, play anyone anywhere, anytime. This does not mean every game needs to be against the Oklahomas. Play some Minnys, PSU, Rutgers, Miss. St. etc.

I'll take the schedule that former OU assistant and current Yale head coach James Jones has year in and year out. Here is this year's schedule:

http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/m-baskbl/2015-16/schedule

Interesting take

closest to that idea is Gonzaga and Butler. Going back through their schedules since 2002 it looks like, even though in Spokane they have the new Kennel they tend to get P6 teams on the road and nuetral places other than the Kennel or Hinkle making use of Banker's Life or Key Arenas.

Getting home and home games against the MVC is not going to happen or it would have by now. You are already penciling losses before the games are played. Look at Milwaukee this year. They played at Minnesota and at Wisconsin. They won both games because they are good this year. They played Wisconsin last year and got drilled. If you don't go on the road you're stuck in the one bid limbo and must win the conference tourney. It's okay if that's what we want as a program, but don't expect more doing the same old things. That's why they play the games. Sometimes you win.