BASKETBALL CKD radio interview from Saturday 5/21/2016
- Thread starter SpaceRaider
- Start date
One topic from the interview:
Kermit briefly spoke on scheduling. He mentioned that scheduling is almost always difficult (my paraphrase). He then sort of confirmed a suspicion of mine. He mentioned that while scheduling is always difficult, he seemed to suggest that some better scheduling vs better programs seemed to be working out more now than in past years. Kermit confirmed many of these game are now possible because P5 type programs are willing to play you when you've demonstrated for 4 or 5 years that you are a steady top 100 or even top 50 RPI team.
These comments seem to support a little theory of mine that after 5 years of sustained success and a high national profile win, MT just might now be crossing over from that first couple of years of success when P5 programs avoid you at all cost.
Most of you know the story. Non-P5 or "mid-major" team breaks through with good success and NCAA tourney bid. That team has that window of a year or two when they are dangerous, but then the coach is usually hired away to a "bigger" program. The team he just left drifts back to run of the mill mid-major. For "bigger" programs, scheduling vs that team is too dangerous. 1. The succeeding coach just might beat you even though his team has not been established on the national stage. 2. If the team does maintain that success, what are the chances that successful coach will be around for 2 or 3 more seasons to maintain that higher RPI to make that home-home-away 3-year series matchup more palatable to higher profile programs?
I'm suspecting that Kermit has sustained enough success now and is demonstrating that he will likely be around to keep that program going on that road of success. Programs, even P5 programs in this part of the country just might be starting to see something to be reasonably gained in playing MT in ooc other than an easy home win and a $$$ payout. Kermit seems to be maintaining enough success that other successful programs know they have a reasonable chance at a good ooc game vs a good RPI to help with the at-large resume.
It's a good place to be.
Kermit briefly spoke on scheduling. He mentioned that scheduling is almost always difficult (my paraphrase). He then sort of confirmed a suspicion of mine. He mentioned that while scheduling is always difficult, he seemed to suggest that some better scheduling vs better programs seemed to be working out more now than in past years. Kermit confirmed many of these game are now possible because P5 type programs are willing to play you when you've demonstrated for 4 or 5 years that you are a steady top 100 or even top 50 RPI team.
These comments seem to support a little theory of mine that after 5 years of sustained success and a high national profile win, MT just might now be crossing over from that first couple of years of success when P5 programs avoid you at all cost.
Most of you know the story. Non-P5 or "mid-major" team breaks through with good success and NCAA tourney bid. That team has that window of a year or two when they are dangerous, but then the coach is usually hired away to a "bigger" program. The team he just left drifts back to run of the mill mid-major. For "bigger" programs, scheduling vs that team is too dangerous. 1. The succeeding coach just might beat you even though his team has not been established on the national stage. 2. If the team does maintain that success, what are the chances that successful coach will be around for 2 or 3 more seasons to maintain that higher RPI to make that home-home-away 3-year series matchup more palatable to higher profile programs?
I'm suspecting that Kermit has sustained enough success now and is demonstrating that he will likely be around to keep that program going on that road of success. Programs, even P5 programs in this part of the country just might be starting to see something to be reasonably gained in playing MT in ooc other than an easy home win and a $$$ payout. Kermit seems to be maintaining enough success that other successful programs know they have a reasonable chance at a good ooc game vs a good RPI to help with the at-large resume.
It's a good place to be.
He also said we are playing in a Thanksgiving tournament in Nashville this year along with Evansville, UNC Wilmington, and Toledo IIRC. That's a good group of mid-majors and a better trio of opponents than what we played in Alaska this past year.
He seemed upbeat about further scheduling in the works. The Music City Challenge you reference is one he did mention. I think he spoke of the schools you mentioned as possible opponents for MT. Although, he seemed to indicate some of those final details of which opponents still needs to be ironed out. I think he said they would play that tournament on Fri, Sat, and Sun of Thanksgiving Weekend.
IIRC, it just might be a little more competitive than last year's Alaska's tournament if opponents hold true. It almost seems that there are some similarities for MT and the opponents. Wasn't it Toledo that MT played for that tournament championship? I might be mixing up MAC schools??? MT's 2nd game was vs UNC-Asheville which went onto postseason last year IIRC. Turned out to be a pretty good team. This year possible opponent might be somewhat similar UNC Wilmington. Of course, MT played the host Alaska-Anchorage which was a pretty strong team on their home floor for a DII team or whatever classification they play.
Just checked, yep, yep, and yep. It was Toledo that we beat in the championship game last year. They went on to have an average year overall.
UNC-Asheville did make it to the NCAA Tournament. Same seed as us, a 15 seed vs an unlucky 1st round draw of Villanova.
UNC-Wilmington looked like they had a really good year. Conf Champs and a 13 seed vs Duke in the 1st round of the NCAA Tourney. Their HC is back after becoming the CAA's first coach to win successive Coach of the Year awards. Kind of surprised they were able to keep him so far this offseason. It seems this recent Louisville asst coach's star is on the rise in College Basketball.
If MT plays UNC-Wilmington, it might be a step up in competition even though there are some similarities between the 2 programs beyond both being from North Carolina.
Evansville. I really haven't kept up with them the last few years. I have no idea what kind of competition they might be. I know they were once a pretty successful team in years past.
If I understood Kermit correctly, it seems that MT will have the standard local teams on the schedule as usual. 2 of which usually help with the RPI in Belmont and Murray St. He seemed to suggest that TSU should be improved enough this upcoming season that their RPI should make for a decent ooc local game as well.
Throw in the return trip to VCU, and this team better be ready to play top flight ball right from the start.
BTW, I think he said Bruce Pearl needed to push back one season our game vs Auburn. So, maybe no Auburn in the ooc schedule this upcoming season.
Throw in the return trip to VCU, and this team better be ready to play top flight ball right from the start.
BTW, I think he said Bruce Pearl needed to push back one season our game vs Auburn. So, maybe no Auburn in the ooc schedule this upcoming season.
Auburn is off the schedule this year and we will finish that series in Birmingham in 2017-18. It was shortly after it leaked that the Auburn game was pushed back that the series with Vanderbilt was announced, so we basically traded a neutral court OOC game vs auburn for a home game vs Vanderbilt. Worked out well for us I think.
It's shaping up to be an extraordinarily difficult schedule. I'd be surprised if it isn't the toughest in the conference.
It's shaping up to be an extraordinarily difficult schedule. I'd be surprised if it isn't the toughest in the conference.
