After taking an hour to start digesting the news there are some pros and cons to the schedule.
Pros:
If you like to see blowout wins at home this should be the year. 8 of the home games should be 20+ point wins. If not, our NET will suffer.
This OOC schedule should assure Tony a 4th straight 20 win campaign barring a total collapse in conference play.
Cons:
This schedule will not draw casual fans. I doubt we'll be knocking down any attendance records in November for UMBC, Coppin St., or Longwood.
A home loss, with the possible exception of USF, will kill us.
I'm still frustrated about the Longwood game being the night before Thanksgiving. Hey guys, I've got a great idea!!!! Let's schedule a home game on one of the biggest holiday travel days!!!!! I haven't missed a home game since 94, I may have to because of Thanksgiving. Stupid is as stupid does IMO.
A D3 opponent right before conference play? Really....
Random thoughts:
I think this schedule reflects our status of being irrelevant on the nation stage over the past decade and a half. We haven't danced since 2011. We're a "tweener" program. We're good enough that top programs fear they might actually lose to us, but beating us isn't going to help their resume. We're not good enough to get feature tournaments or opportunities so we're stuck with what we have. I don't blame the staff in the least, I believe they are doing their best to put together a great schedule. If we can get to the point where we've danced five out of six years that may change.
This is a make or break season me. Ticket price increases, elimination of the Gold Room, higher fees for hospitality, etc., have left me with a sour taste in my mouth. We'll see what happens with attendance, the atmosphere in EBA, and if we can get over the NCAA hurdle.
To the hard core loyalists like myself, I'm looking forward to seeing you at EBA.
As always, time will handle all of this.