Bellbrook graduation 2012
Fairfield Senior 2012 graduation
Kroger Aquatic Center opens
Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2010 > August > 05
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Comparing Dayton, WSU & Miami hoops schedules
While Miami again has eclipsed Dayton and Wright State when it comes to the “WOW” factor of their out-of-conference schedules for the upcoming basketball season, the Flyers and Raiders have upgraded their opposition, as well.
Charlie Coles and his RedHawks team though are tackling the most formidable schedule in the school’s hoops history — and that is saying something. Every year Miami takes on all comers — many of them some of the biggest names in college hoops — but this season’s line-up is mind boggling.
The RedHawks play at Duke, at Ohio State and at Kansas while hosting Xavier and the Cincinnati Bearcats,. They also visit UD and WSU. Their three opponents for the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic sub regional — Nov. 20-22 — have yet to be announced.
Some think this scheduling is smart — others say suicidal — but Miami doesn’t dodge anybody and, as always, Coles thinks it will pay dividends when his team goes through the Mid American Conference schedule and especially when the Hawks get into the MAC Tournament.
Dayton has some good challenges on the road — Ole Miss, Cincinnati, Old Dominion and Seton Hall — and it brings New Mexico into town on January 1 to give the Lobos their first taste of the Flyers “Pit.”
Those are five Flyers games I’m looking forward to. But Savannah State and Florida A & M, which are played here as part of the Cincinnati tournament, as well Central Connecticut State — all with a final RPI last season of over 300 — are games I’m not. Except for the New Mexico game — along with Miami and maybe George Mason — Flyers ticket buyers don’t get a lot of bang for their buck at UD Arena this season.
Wright State goes to Indiana, Richmond, Charlotte, UC and likely will play Purdue in the second round of the Chicago Invitational in late November. The best teams the Raiders bring into the Nutter Center are Oakland and Miami. Their Bracket Buster opponent later in the season is yet to be determined.
One glaring thing that does stand out on WSU schedule are two games against lesser Division II opponents — Northwood and Tusculum. When scheduling, the Raiders should do better than this. Add in a game with Southern (343 RPI last season) — which is linked to the Chicago tournament — and you have three dogs for the home folks to watch.
Miami plays Division II Saginaw Valley State — another ho hum game — but at least there is a connection. Frankie Smith, the Cardinals’ head coach, was Coles assistant at Miami. And Saginaw Valley assistant coach Chris Coles is Charlie’s son.
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