Utter disaster. Best case to me is a Q2 win (Georgia) and a Q1 win (Providence) but I wouldnât be surprised if both of those slid back to Q2 and Q3. If this team is gonna end up on the bubble (which it very well could) we could really use some nonconference Q1 opportunities
Why do we sit back and take this? Carla shouldâve been proactive like the ADs from Texas and UCLA apparently were
Im gonna disagree here. The Rock in Newark is an awesome place to watch hoops (Seton Halls home arena) and is in an area really easy to get to from NYC and all of Jersey. There are LOTs of big time players and programs in this area and will be able to see Virginia headlining. Remember Jhavon Quinerly and Luther Muhommad and Lou KingâŚ
And Dinosaurs BBQ is literally a 15 second walk to the entrance.
Overall we just donât schedule like a top program. At least we havenât since those Nova and WVa series.
Which was fine when the ACC was really good. Guaranteed 3-4 top-10 games between Louisville, FSU, UNC and Duke plus a few other top-25 matchups from the rest of the ACC
I have lots of thoughts on Carla and how UVA postures itself generally in the athletics field but I will spare everyone that rant
Donât we start a home and home with Kentucky this season? And Acc B1G challenge should be a tough game. Donât really mind this one backing off in difficulty a little now, Iâm pretty sure both Texas and UCLA backed out because they got games with Gonzaga.
A couple of points.
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The ACC pushes for and pushes for placement of the preseasons tourneys. Do we often get screwed, yes. COVID screwed us this year. Sometimes it is self inflicted (it is well known Tony doesnt want to play in Maui).
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As far as general OOC scheduling, it takes two to tango. Most teams donât want any part of us
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Itâs still early, I am sure weâll see a top 10 OOC game next season
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Just in regards to next season, itâs not the worst thing that we wonât see any top tier teams in Nov. We are likely to look rough out of the gate. We will need the Providences and UGa of the world to get ready round into shape by league play
Kentucky home and home was rumored but didnât happen.
To be fair to CTB/UVa we had a pretty rigorous OOC for last year set up before Covid nuked it. Preseason tournament with Kansas, UCLA and Georgetown. MSU in the big 10 challenge. Game with Nova. Would have been awesome if it worked out
I just remember the tournament in Charleston when a preseason top-10 UVA team played George Mason and UMass. That would never happen to UNC, Duke or really any other top 10 team
Even when we get a cool tournament itâs pretty mediocre. When we were in Atlantis the best squad was a meh Wisconsin team. We went MTSU-Dayton-Wisconsin. Take a look at this years Atlantis tournament
Thatâs simply not true. No ones fault we didnât play msu, nova and UCLA last year like we were supposed to. We added Gonzaga when we could. Prior years have had several games against marquee teams but a few who also happened to be down that particular year.
Yea it is. Look at our OOC over the last 5 years then go look at Kansas. Or Kentucky. Or Nova. Or Gonzaga. Or UNC. Last yearâs original schedule was what the OOC should look like every year imo. It shouldnât be a one off. The year we played both WVa and Nova in addition to the ACC/Big Ten challenge is how a big boy should schedule.
Even the national title year our top OOC games were borderline top 25 Maryland and Wisconsin.
Thatâs kind of my point. Maryland and Wisconsin were both a bit down that year but figured to be much stronger based on prior years and projected returning players.
I donât know how awesome for us those games would have been. After U. of San Francisco loss, Kent State overtime game, and being boat-raced by Gonzaga, I wouldnât have enjoyed yet more tough losses.
Our definition of marquee games is different. Neither of those matchups gets me excited or moves the needle for TV. Plus those were in a tournament and the challenge game. Iâm saying we should play a marquee opponent or two outside of those events. Especially when our tournament stinks like it will this year.
Essentially last yearâs original schedule should be what it looks like every year imo.
I looked back at our non-conference schedulesâŚ2015-2016 was our last non-con win against a top 15 team (Nova + WVU that year).
Our next best wins are UMD (No 24) and Wisconsin (No 25) both in the national championship year.
Haters going to say, âBut we still win the ACC regular season!â.
You hooked me with Dinosaurs BBQ. Now Iâm back in on the tournament.
As I mentioned above I get both sides of the conversation when it comes to the OOC schedule. The fan in me would love to see UVa take on some stiffer competition and blood themselves earlier in the year. However, given the results of UVa basketball over the past few seasons, I also understand that those test are not required esp. when they have their typical older team. The ACC schedule remains a solid conference and typically gives UVa a look at multiple top 25 if not top 10 teams.
In terms of getting into the tournament, again the ACC schedule is typically more than enough to bolster the team and keep them on a solid seed line. If UVa takes care of business in conference they will be a top seed generally speaking.
I believe playing top tier OOC teams has the most benefit for outsiders who only see Virginia play once or twice a year. It helps to combat what is often a negative media perception. The flipside is when they get boat raced ala the Gonzaga game it only reinforces the negative perception.
For CTB and staff, itâs really a no win situation play a tough schedule and win- get some shine on the program get some players blooded again top teams, but the question will remain "was it necessary? Play a top tier OOC and lose, and everyone thinks the sky is falling from Nov-the end of the season, and more importantly you may ruin some new guys confidence for ever. And the question will still remain âwas it necessary?â
I disagree. The normal acc is not exactly a cake walk. We now play 20 such games and there is real value in have a few OOC cupcakes. Unlike last year we have a largely new roster that needs time to gel. You reference Gonzagaâs demanding OOC schedule but it doesnât take a genius to know why they need to do that given their conference schedule. Iâm perfectly fine with one or two marquee OOC games a year a la what was planned with nova or UCLA/Kansas last year but Iâm also fine playing under the radar teams with different styles like say Vermont in the handful of OOC games we get to choose every year. Now itâs time to grab lunch after all this talk of cake and cupcakes.
Gonzaga is the easy one to pick out of the list I made if you trying to ignore the way other top programs schedule lol what about UNC? Or Kansas? Or Baylor? Or Chris Beard? The ACC and Big 12 are plenty hard and those teams still schedule marquee out of conference games.
And look you kind of set up a false choice. We have up to 11 OOC games. 2 for a tournament and 1 challenge leaves 8 more. We could play 5 cupcakes, 2 A10 level teams, and still have room for a top 10-15 matchup. Iâll stick with our 15/16 schedule or last yearâs planned schedule if we are trying to remain at the top of the sport. Especially with the ACC no longer being the dominant conference.
But either way I think we should withdraw from this tournament that started this whole conversation. As others have stated those teams are in the lose-lose ânot good enough to help with a win but a lose is still plausible and would damage the resumeâ territory.