Road wins could be HOGS achilles come NCAA's..

[Cntxhogs88]

No quality road wins outside of conference...

Need to win 4 or more conference road games...

Any other things that could stack up against the HOGS??

Our SOS is not that strong according to Sagarin (203rd)...hope that changes...

[3kgthog]

Well, we've got Miss. St., Auburn, Ole Miss, Bama, and maybe LSU. Based on their performances, I'd say we've got a pretty good shot at winning some road games.

[PigKahuna]

I think we should let them play a road game before we worry about road wins.

[Cntxhogs88]

that's the point - how many other teams have played 0 road games going
into conference play??

[HawgAdvocate]

We've played 4 games outside Arkansas against quality opponents.. nuff said.

[Boarcephus]

This same team played 8 SEC road games last year + one game in the SECT so this in not an inexperienced road team.   On a good note, we catch UF, Vandy, and SC at home while we get UK, UGA, and UT on the road.   Until proven wrong, I like our chances this year.

[Cntxhogs88]

that joke of a person hawgadvocate -

the point was ROAD games - R-O-A-D GAMES....not games
played outside the state of Arkansas..and the HOGS were
2-2 against those teams - the 2 we won - may not even
make it to the NCAA tourney..

we needed road games to get us battle tested for SEC
play, and to build a road resume for the NCAA selection...

I know SH wants to give his team confidence, but not
putting your team on the road for any games in the regular
season - leading into conference play is not good..and
could hurt the hogs if they are on the bubble, which
I believe they will be a bubble team...

How many other 10-2 teams are lacking respect like
the HOGS - Why? We haven't beaten any top 25 teams..
not Sagarin Top 25 - AP/ESPN/USA Today - Top 25 teams..
none....until we start piling up wins against good teams..we
will not get any attention...beat Florida/Kentucky - we will
be feared..

[WindyCityHog]

There are a ton of 10-2 (or similar) teams at this point.

You think Arkansas is the only one?  Losses against UConn and Maryland ain't anything to sneeze at....those are considered "Good losses" by the Selection Committee.

Let's see where the season goes.  This is the season Heath has something to prove.....The Hogs have proved NOTHING yet....but they also haven't shown that they are NOT capable of making the NCAA Tournament either.

Sure you're a Hog fan?

[Golfer]

that joke of a person hawgadvocate -

the point was ROAD games - R-O-A-D GAMES....not games
played outside the state of Arkansas..and the HOGS were
2-2 against those teams - the 2 we won - may not even
make it to the NCAA tourney..

we needed road games to get us battle tested for SEC
play, and to build a road resume for the NCAA selection...

I know SH wants to give his team confidence, but not
putting your team on the road for any games in the regular
season - leading into conference play is not good..and
could hurt the hogs if they are on the bubble, which
I believe they will be a bubble team...

How many other 10-2 teams are lacking respect like
the HOGS - Why? We haven't beaten any top 25 teams..
not Sagarin Top 25 - AP/ESPN/USA Today - Top 25 teams..
none....until we start piling up wins against good teams..we
will not get any attention...beat Florida/Kentucky - we will
be feared..

Why don't you call the athletic department and let them know that you want to do the scheduling for basketball.  I am sure they would appreciate your help since they don't have experience in such matters; and I am sure you do, since you seem to know what is needed and what isn't. 

[HawgAdvocate]

that joke of a person hawgadvocate -

the point was ROAD games - R-O-A-D GAMES....not games
played outside the state of Arkansas..and the HOGS were
2-2 against those teams - the 2 we won - may not even
make it to the NCAA tourney..

we needed road games to get us battle tested for SEC
play, and to build a road resume for the NCAA selection...

I know SH wants to give his team confidence, but not
putting your team on the road for any games in the regular
season - leading into conference play is not good..and
could hurt the hogs if they are on the bubble, which
I believe they will be a bubble team...

How many other 10-2 teams are lacking respect like
the HOGS - Why? We haven't beaten any top 25 teams..
not Sagarin Top 25 - AP/ESPN/USA Today - Top 25 teams..
none....until we start piling up wins against good teams..we
will not get any attention...beat Florida/Kentucky - we will
be feared..

Did Arkansas have to go on the R-O-A-D to play in Maui or Dallas??

Yes.

Was Arkansas playing in front of home crowds against UConn, Maryland, Kansas, or Texas Tech??

No.

Skirt the facts all you want, but those games are invaluable experience against top teams and top coaches that will help Arkansas in the SEC ON THE ROAD.

And yes, for a team to go 2-2 away from home isn't bad at all considering we lost those two to a top 5 team and a top 25 team. If we would have had Vincent Hunter for Maryland, I think we could have won. Our big men were in foul trouble all game and we never could play Townes and Hill together because each was to busy spelling each other after defending the paint and picking up fouls.

We're a different team with Hunter now though.

Call me a joke, but I'm answering your calls left and right man. You're still trying to say that four games played away from Arkansas won't help their experience in away games this year, yet that's bullmess and you know it.

Just face the music and admit you're wrong.

[Niels Boar]

Did Arkansas have to go on the R-O-A-D to play in Maui or Dallas??

Yes.

Was Arkansas playing in front of home crowds against UConn, Maryland, Kansas, or Texas Tech??

No.

Skirt the facts all you want, but those games are invaluable experience against top teams and top coaches that will help Arkansas in the SEC ON THE ROAD.

Arkansas is the only SEC team that hasn't played a game in which they did not have as many fans in the gym as the opponent.  Our road games were all true neutral games, not playing Oklahoma in Oklahoma City.  That can't be good for preparation.  Luckily, we have three very winnable road games in our division.  It may not matter. If you win 3 or 4 road games in conference, you declare success.   Heath is also one of the few coaches that didn't play a quality game between Christmas and conference.  He hasn't been the sharpest tack in scheduling.  The too weak schedule last year cost him a chance at the NCAAT.  He was clueless going into the SEC about what he had.  He had some bad luck scheduling this year with the "name" schools crapping out on him.

[silvertip]

"...one of the few coaches that didn't play a quality opponent between Christmas & conference." Oh, c'mon Niels. I think you're just finding a way to come up with some more "creative criticism."

So you've checked everyone else's games "between Chritmas & conference", eh?
Then how about giving us your cut-off point for a "quality opponent." I think you just pulled that statement out of thin air. Just looking for something to complain about.

[hog caller]

sha na na shanananan can you hear the music

hogs will fare alot better that some folks  are trying to give them credit for wsatch the game and there is improvemeny everywhere but hill but he can block shots.

and some of those plays that we had bosies aroud them trying to make a steal were not called tonight but will be next week

i liked the turn over ratio and rebounding  and mccurdy

[hawkeyefan17]

This team will win some conference road games this year. I believe that this team is better than last years. Why are they going to win on the road in conference this season? The great play of Ronnie Brewer, the improved play of Dontell Jefferson (he was horrible last season but seems to have markedly improved) and Steven Hill's defensive presence. I have been and still am critical of Hill at times but he is getting better and he is a huge difference maker on defense.

Stan Heath gets this team to the NCAA tournament this year and Heath will take this program back to where it should be, the Top 25 and consistently winning NCAA tournament games.

Stan Heath is the right man for this program.

[Biggus Piggus]

Watch out, Niels, silverfish won't let you be realistic about the basketball team.

We'll see what we have over the next two weeks.  This team should start 4-0.  Should.

[hogsanity]

they get in the NCAA tourney if they go 9-7 in the SEC, period.  As weak as college BB is this year a 20 win SEC team gets in.  @-6 on the road and 7-1 at home gets it done.  Anymore than 2 road wins is just that much better. 

Now, they should win 4 raod games, but should and will are rarely the same thing. 

THe 2 Miss schools stink.  Aub is bad.  Bama has no guards.  LSu is getting poor guard play right now too.  In all seriousness this team should win 10 sec games, plus at least one tiruney game.  GUess we will soon see.

[Niels Boar]

"...one of the few coaches that didn't play a quality opponent between Christmas & conference." Oh, c'mon Niels. I think you're just finding a way to come up with some more "creative criticism."

So you've checked everyone else's games "between Chritmas & conference", eh?
Then how about giving us your cut-off point for a "quality opponent." I think you just pulled that statement out of thin air. Just looking for something to complain about.

No.  I watched SEC games.  Can you read a schedule?

Alabama - at Oklahoma
LSU - at Ohio State
Auburn - Winthrop (Sagarin #55, predicted to win their conference)
MSU - George Mason (#53 Sagarin)
UK - Ohio(#66 Sagarin, favored to win MAC)
Vandy - at Dayton, at Ga Tech
Tennessee -  South Alabama (#116 Sagarin)
Georgia - Clemson
South Carolina - Pittsburgh

Arkansas played 2 Sagarin 300+ opponents at home.  Only Ole Miss and UF, two teams with a lot of new starters, scheduled remotely as easily.   UF managed to play a top 250 opponent, Ole Miss a top 180 opponent.  So that would rank Arkansas's post-Christmas schedule, let's see, LAST IN THE SEC YOU FRIGGIN' IDGIT.  NOW GO MATE WITH YOURSELF.

[hogsanity]

Whats the sched rank look like overall?  And, dont forget, we played TT, KS and Mo.  3 teams thsat have been good the last few years, but this year have not been.  SHould Stan be punished because good teams he scheduled are having bad years? 

Kind of like teams that had TENN on their Fb sched.  I doubt they thought that would actually HURT their SOS when they year started.

ALl temas play cupcakes.

[Niels Boar]

Whats the sched rank look like overall? And, dont forget, we played TT, KS and Mo. 3 teams thsat have been good the last few years, but this year have not been. SHould Stan be punished because good teams he scheduled are having bad years?

Kind of like teams that had TENN on their Fb sched. I doubt they thought that would actually HURT their SOS when they year started.

ALl temas play cupcakes.

Nationally it is #260 out of 334.  #7 in the SEC currently.  It will drop to eighth once Vandy adds Ga Tech today.  UF is #271 nationally.  UGA is #273.  Ole Miss and MSU are in the 300's.  5 SEC teams are in the top 125.  We are in the group of teams that are young and/or replacing multiple starters.  Heath did get unlucky on some of the name schools, which I already pointed out in an earlier post.  However, he still played too many bad mid-majors.

[hogsanity]

Whats the sched rank look like overall? And, dont forget, we played TT, KS and Mo. 3 teams thsat have been good the last few years, but this year have not been. SHould Stan be punished because good teams he scheduled are having bad years?

Kind of like teams that had TENN on their Fb sched. I doubt they thought that would actually HURT their SOS when they year started.

ALl temas play cupcakes.

Nationally it is #260 out of 334.  #7 in the SEC currently.  It will drop to eighth once Vandy adds Ga Tech today.  UF is #271 nationally.  UGA is #273.  Ole Miss and MSU are in the 300's.  5 SEC teams are in the top 125.  We are in the group of teams that are young and/or replacing multiple starters.  Heath did get unlucky on some of the name schools, which I already pointed out in an earlier post.  However, he still played too many bad mid-majors.

What I see is too many bad mid majors in a year when 3 of the big boys you played were uncharacteristically bad.  When was the last time KU had this record non-conf.  THen sched was set up good for a normal year, but this is not a normal year. 

[Niels Boar]

It's not like it was a complete surprise that Missouri, Southern Miss, and Texas Tech were young teams in transition.  They are all worse than expected, but none were expected to be powers either.  Heath should have scheduled post-Maui  one more name opponent like a Cal or NC State, preferably after Christmas.  At least one of Radford, Texas St., Western Illinois, and Texas Pan-Am should have been replaced by a known mid-major contender like, say, Bucknell or, perhaps, an A-10 type opponent.  The 300+ games kill your SOS.  We were briefly in the top 200.  Replacing those with top 150 games helps keep the SOS high.  He didn't have to schedule Duke, just some non-walkovers, and this is supposed to be a peak year.

[jdhoover]

What I did notice today is that the RPI has been changed and road wins / losses are judged better than home wins / losses.  There is also a catagory of neutral site which of course is in the middle.  Road losses and home wins get the same scale applied (depending of the result) while home losses are really treated bad and road wins are really favored.

Did anyone else notice that in the ADG?