I really would like someone who knows the economics of basketball scheduling to comment on this, because I don't, but I'm going to offer a scenario for discussion purposes only... Any similarity between this scenario and reality is purely coincidental....
Let's suppose that Louisiana can schedule Mt. Carmel of the Holy Word at home for $5000. It can schedule an away game with Mr. Big's School of Fat Cats, which is a P% school for $15,000. Louisiana has made $10,000 off the two games.
If it can schedule a home and home with another mid-major, would it sell an extra $10,000 worth of tickets for the home game?
I realize finances are not everything, but they are important. And, I don't know that the needle would move enough in perception to make the loss of income worth it.