CUSA making big moves in hoops

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/m ... user-share

They’ve even hired Mark Adams as a scheduling consultant.

So, how is scheduling going to change that? The most radical difference will be that when the conference schedule is released, built in will be dates for games, but with opponents to be determined. Those dates will be filled with league opponents after the conference seeds the teams following the first 14 games.

"We're going to play 13 games and your travel partner twice, which would be Western Kentucky for us," said D'Antoni. "Then they are going to seed the schools. If you finish in the top five, No. 1 through No. 5 will play each other for the next four games to get 18 games.

"Like, if you're No. 1 you will play No. 4. And you'll play, I think, No. 4 and No. 3 at home and then travel to No. 2. ... There are four games in that five-team slot. No. 1 will play No. 5 and No. 4, I think. And No. 2 and No. 3 will come to No. 1.

"Then, if you're No. 2 you will play No. 4. It just reverses all the way down until you get everybody in that top group playing each other once. That will give you 18 games."

"And then No. 6 through No. 10 will do the same type of thing. They can't fall out of six through 10. And then No. 11 through 14 play and the same thing goes there. They can't get any higher than No. 11 and, obviously, no lower than No. 14."

CUSA 3.0 seedings?
‘15 - (14) Birmingham
‘16 - (15) Middle Tennessee
‘17 - (12) Middle Tennessee
‘18 - (13) Marshall

But they’re 4-0. Middle Tennessee stunned a national championship favorite Michigan State in 2016 before demolishing Little Pitino the year after.

CUSA could’ve been a 10-team double-round-robin league with rich mid-major history...Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Birmingham, Charlotte, Old Dominion, El Paso, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, Marshall. Add Independent UMass for 10.

But they’ve got some FB-hyperfocused anchors (FAU, FIU, Rice, North Texas, San Antonio) killing the hoops schools.

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

Sun Belt one-ups CUSA. Everyone plays 16 games to get locked into one of 4 pods: 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12. Then standings reset and everyone plays a double round robin within their pod (games 17-20) to determine their seed. Standings of first 16 games only comes into play as a tiebreaker if a pod splits 2-2/2-2/2-2. If #3 goes 3-1 in a pod and #1 goes 1-3, #3 takes over 1-seed for conference tournament (and bye to semi’s) even if #1 went 16-0 and #3 went 10-6.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... t-chances/

WCC releases its inaugural new scheduling matrix
http://www.wccsports.com/sports/m-baskb ... 18aaa.html

[TheAsianSensation]

I would ilke to point out that CUSA and the Fun Belt are legitimately beefing up the at-large resumes of their best teams with these unusual moves. These will help. (how much it helps is a fair debate....but it does help)

I would also like to point out how all these manipulations are possible because of unbalanced conference schedules. Most mid-major leagues can do some version of this thanks to their conference membership.

The MVC has no such option, with round-robin on the table already. CAA is in the same situation at the moment. WCC actually took away round-robin to get their schedule matrix.

The real test will be if the A-10 or Mountain West bites at this.

[VUGrad1314]

Is anyone else becoming concerned that Elgin's inability or refusal to be forward-thinking is going to cause the MVC to lose ground to leagues it has been\should be ahead of? At a minimum we should be adding Murray State ASAP.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Is anyone else becoming concerned that Elgin's inability or refusal to be forward-thinking is going to cause the MVC to lose ground to leagues it has been\should be ahead of? At a minimum we should be adding Murray State ASAP.

I love Murray State but only for 14 teams. No need to rush. I think Elgin sees the upcoming raid of the AAC and is waiting for the dust to settle. Dayton of the A-10 will probably go to the Big East, as well. Once those two things happen both conferences will be greatly diminished. That's the time for Elgin to pounce. Murray State isn't going anywhere. They will be there for the picking as a backup option. It's possible that after the dust settles the MVC has Wichita back in the conference along with St. Louis if they both want to leave diminished conferences. But, using your logic we should pounce on a stationary Murray State right now for no reason and not be able to add better programs later because the MVC isn't going to 14. Worst case scenario is the pieces don't fall right for the MVC and they add Murray State later. Be patient.

[underdawg]

SLU and the Schlocks back in the Valley? Their egos will not allow this

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

SLU and the Schlocks back in the Valley? Their egos will not allow this

Things change quickly when 2/3 of Memphis, UConn, Cincy, and Houston are no longer in your conference. It will be worse than the MVC.

No tmuch in the A-10 after Dayton either. VCU has been on a steady decline since Shaka left. Rhode Island and St. Joe's have never been more than cyclical programs. It might fall out of the top 10.

[BCPanther]

Periodic reminder that Doug Elgin works for the university presidents so if they don't want to expand there isn't a damn thing he can do about it.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Periodic reminder that Doug Elgin works for the university presidents so if they don't want to expand there isn't a damn thing he can do about it.

There having a hard time with 12. 14 is pretty much a no go. Under the right circumstances I could see. Like WSU and SLU come and Creighton gets sick of traveling and comes back (never going to happen but something huge would have to happen IMO)

Also, my point is more not being in a rush. There is NO reason to add Murray now. Especially because they're not at risk to be poached by someone better than the MVC. They'll always be there.

On another note, if Loyola puts a few more good seasons together they might be the ones to go to the BE with Dayton. That would be a kick to the gut. Who knew Loyola could be the university most likely to get poached.

[BCPanther]

Periodic reminder that Doug Elgin works for the university presidents so if they don't want to expand there isn't a damn thing he can do about it.

There having a hard time with 12. 14 is pretty much a no go. Under the right circumstances I could see. Like WSU and SLU come and Creighton gets sick of traveling and comes back (never going to happen but something huge would have to happen IMO)

Also, my point is more not being in a rush. There is NO reason to add Murray now. Especially because they're not at risk to be poached by someone better than the MVC. They'll always be there.

On another note, if Loyola puts a few more good seasons together they might be the ones to go to the BE with Dayton. That would be a kick to the gut. Who knew Loyola could be the university most likely to get poached.

I agree with most of this. Murray can only make a lateral move at best and will be there if and when we decide we want them and, frankly, with more realignment coming I'm not 100% sold that rural Kentucky is a place we really want or need to be. NKU might be the better play there being in the Cincinnatti Metro.

Am I the only one still not 100% sold on Loyola? They had a fantastic year and caught some massive breaks in the tournament. More power to them. Great run, great for the league and I'm thrilled for the 500 real fans that used to show up. They've had exactly 5 20 win seasons since 1980 and are well below .500 over that time period (535-601). To me this feels a helluva lot more like George Mason than it does Wichita or VCU...

Hell, they were a Ben Richardson prayer away from being the first 1-seed to lose on Friday in St Louis.