Economics drives Ragin' Cajuns 09-10 schedule

[NewsCopy]

 With colleges and universities nationwide facing budget cuts and economic concerns, the UL men's basketball team will stay closer to home for non-conference games in the future.

The Cajuns - who have traveled to Utah, Hawaii, California, Arizona and Nevada outside Sun Belt play in the past six years - will fly to only one of their six non-league road games during the 2009-10 season.

That one flight will be to play Louisville on Dec. 23. The Cajuns will receive a guaranteed payout of $80,000 for the match-up against the Big East opponent.

The rest of the story

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • June 10, 2009

[Cajunsmike]

_ _

In reviewing the schedule in the article, I noted that the game at McNeese is on Sat. November 28. That is the same day as our home football game against Troy. In a normal year, that would cut McNeese's crowd substantially. I understand next season may not be normal due to the dissatisfaction with our program now. Still, you would have the basketball die hards traveling to Lake Charles were in not for the conflict. I wonder why a different day was not chosen for that game. Perhaps that is the only day the arena was available.

[CajunProud]

2 games against non D1 opponents. Unfrikin real. Even if we win those games they should be counted as losses.

[bballholic]

I wonder if there will be any TV for the UL/UL matchup?

[Cajunsmike]

_ 2 games against non D1 opponents. Unfrikin real. Even if we win those games they should be counted as losses. _

Reason for two non D1 games is the conference rule limiting the no. of road games. I have pointed that out several times but I guess not everyone reads all the posts made here which is understandable. We have our max no. of road games allowed. We just could not get anyway to come to the Dome. From what I understand we talked to Northwesetern, Nicholls, and Southeastern about home and home deals starting in Lafayette. None would agree. Therefore we were forced to take two non D1 games. I don't know if we talked to Grambling and Southern about the same deal. If not, we should have.

[Cajunsmike]

_ 2 games against non D1 opponents. Unfrikin real. Even if we win those games they should be counted as losses. _

I don't recall the last time we lost a non D1 game in basketball. It may have never occurred since we went Division 1 in the early 70's. It is silly to say they should be counted as losses as most schools play at least one of those and it does go into your official record. From the RPI perspective, it is ignored in the calculations. I do agree we need to win 16 games in order to say we had a winning record as we have to be 14 and 13 in the 27 other games to be a true "winner". If you add the first game of the conference tournament, it means we have to win 17 to be above 0.500 in overall Division 1 games. I know many are skeptical that will occur and believe a coaching change is likely.

[anhil8tor]

Good thing we don't get budget cuts for fans not showing up.


Does basketball have any kind of attendance that we have to meet like football did?

[CajunProud]

_ Reason for two non D1 games is the conference rule limiting the no. of road games. I have pointed that out several times but I guess not everyone reads all the posts made here which is understandable. We have our max no. of road games allowed. We just could not get anyway to come to the Dome. From what I understand we talked to Northwesetern, Nicholls, and Southeastern about home and home deals starting in Lafayette. None would agree. Therefore we were forced to take two non D1 games. I don't know if we talked to Grambling and Southern about the same deal. If not, we should have. _

Thanks for the explanation. I still stand by my comment. It is yet another example of our mickey mouse operation.