Tulsa releases Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

[Chris Harmon]

Media release...

Tulsa Unveils Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

TULSA, Okla. — Sixth-year head men’s basketball coach Frank Haith unveiled his program’s non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2019-20 season, which includes eight regular-season home games along with matchups against Arkansas and Kansas State, on Monday.

The 13-game schedule features eight home games, four true-road contests and a matchup with Colorado State at the BOK Center. Three of the four road tilts will come against Power 6 foes Arkansas, Kansas State and Vanderbilt.

The Golden Hurricane will complete a three-game series with Kansas State on Dec. 29 in Manhattan, Kan. TU has won the first two contests of the set with the Wildcats, claiming victories in Wichita (2017-18 season) and at the Reynolds Center (2018-19 season). Overall, the Hurricane is 7-1 against Kansas State, including a 3-1 mark on the road.

Tulsa’s Dec. 14 game at Arkansas will be the first matchup with the Razorbacks since 2007. It will be the 61st meeting between the programs and the series dates back to 1931. TU will visit its other Southeastern Conference foe of the non-conference slate, Vanderbilt, on Nov. 30. The contest will mark just the second-ever meeting between the Hurricane and Commodores with Vanderbilt taking the only previous matchup back on Dec. 29, 1950.

The 109th season of Tulsa basketball will open when the Golden Hurricane host Houston Baptist on Nov. 5. The Hurricane will host local schoolchildren as part of the third annual Blackboards & Blackboards Educational Day at the Reynolds Center. TU has won all three previous meetings against the Huskies, including a 128-63 decision on Nov. 27, 1993, when HBU was an NAIA member.

The Hurricane then will play its first road game, a Nov. 9 matchup at UT Arlington. TU is 4-0 all-time against the Mavericks, including a 72-58 victory last season in the Reynolds Center. Tulsa will then return home for four consecutive games against Oral Roberts (Nov. 12), Austin Peay (Nov. 16), Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 19) and South Carolina State (Nov. 27).

Tulsa and crosstown foe Oral Roberts will meet for the 55th time and TU will be in search of its fourth straight win in the series.

The month will close with Tulsa’s trip to Vanderbilt before home games versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dec. 4), Arkansas State (Dec. 7) and Boise State (Dec. 10). TU and Boise State were members of the Western Athletic Conference together from 2001-05 and the Hurricane went 5-0 against the Broncos in the Reynolds Center during that time.

Tulsa’s final three non-conference games come away from the Reynolds Center, beginning with its Dec. 14 game at Arkansas. The squad will face Colorado State on Dec. 21 at the BOK Center as part of the BOK Center Basketball Showdown and the non-conference slate will close in Manhattan, Kan., against Kansas State on Dec. 29.

Game times and the 18-game American Athletic Conference schedule will be announced at a later date.

2019-20 Tulsa Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Nov. 5 Houston Baptist

Nov. 9 at UT Arlington

Nov. 12 Oral Roberts%

Nov. 16 Austin Peay^

Nov. 19 Southeastern La.^

Nov. 27 South Carolina State^

Nov. 30 at Vanderbilt^

Dec. 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Dec. 7 Arkansas State

Dec. 10 Boise State

Dec. 14 at Arkansas

Dec. 21 vs. Colorado State#

Dec. 29 at Kansas State

% Mayor’s Cup
^ Vanderbilt Invitational
# BOK Center Basketball Showdown

 

[Weatherdemon]

Far from exciting, especially early.
But, a good schedule to grow and develop chemistry with so many new pieces.

 

[mcane]

Let us hope the @UTA game is not exciting. Hopefully, there will be some DFW-area TU fans at the game.

 

[I.I.]

Reasonable schedule. Just can’t lose any Lamar’s. And have to win a couple of those road games and Colorado St.

 

[JesseTU]

Here are the 2018-19 NET ratings for those teams:

Nov. 5 Houston Baptist 292
Nov. 9 at UT Arlington 160
Nov. 12 Oral Roberts% 297
Nov. 16 Austin Peay^ 130
Nov. 19 Southeastern La.^ 249
Nov. 27 South Carolina State^ 336
Nov. 30 at Vanderbilt^ 155
Dec. 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 321
Dec. 7 Arkansas State 252
Dec. 10 Boise State 149
Dec. 14 at Arkansas 60
Dec. 21 vs. Colorado State# 193
Dec. 29 at Kansas State 23
https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings

A NET average of 201. For reference, Lamar ended last year at 222, Tulsa ended at 93. Only 2 AAC programs ended below NET 100 last year (Tulane and ECU). Last years NET isn't predictive, but it's a decent baseline without a full analysis.

Side note: has anyone seen an analysis of the NET rankings? Did they work better (were they more accurately predictive) than RPI?

 

[astonmartin708]

I expect KState to be lower than 23, but they should remain Q1 as should Arkansas. It would be nice if Boise or Vandy could move into the top 100.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

Undefeated heading into conference.

 

[Lumpuckeroo]

Here are the 2018-19 NET ratings for those teams:

Nov. 5 Houston Baptist 292
Nov. 9 at UT Arlington 160
Nov. 12 Oral Roberts% 297
Nov. 16 Austin Peay^ 130
Nov. 19 Southeastern La.^ 249
Nov. 27 South Carolina State^ 336
Nov. 30 at Vanderbilt^ 155
Dec. 4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 321
Dec. 7 Arkansas State 252
Dec. 10 Boise State 149
Dec. 14 at Arkansas 60
Dec. 21 vs. Colorado State# 193
Dec. 29 at Kansas State 23
https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/basketball-men/d1/ncaa-mens-basketball-net-rankings

A NET average of 201. For reference, Lamar ended last year at 222, Tulsa ended at 93. Only 2 AAC programs ended below NET 100 last year (Tulane and ECU). Last years NET isn't predictive, but it's a decent baseline without a full analysis.

Side note: has anyone seen an analysis of the NET rankings? Did they work better (were they more accurately predictive) than RPI?[/Q

 

[Lumpuckeroo]

Houston Baptist above ORU that’s really pathetic . ORU isn’t worth playing and since ORU’s lame ass firing of Scott Sutton I wish TU would dump them . They’re a second rate program and of no benefit to us .

 

[JesseTU]

ORU isn’t worth playing and since ORU’s lame ass firing of Scott Sutton I wish TU would dump them . They’re a second rate program and of no benefit to us .

By that logic, at least half of our preseason games shouldn't be played.

If we were scheduling a tough out of conference, I'd agree with you. But it isn't like the ORU game is dragging down our schedule. We'd likely replace them with a game of equal or lesser strength and probably lose money on the proposition (either pay to play or pay to travel).

I am by no means an ORU fan, but you can't use strength of schedule as an excuse to avoid your cross-town rival when half your OOC schedule are sub 200 RPI teams. At least not with a straight face. It's like Arkansas not playing at Tulsa for the last 67 years because [reasons], but they can go and lose at Colorado State last year. Okay, maybe that's not a great analogy, but at least I got to point out that Arkansas lost to a 3-9 Colorado State last year (other CSU wins: New Mexico and San Jose State).

FWIW, Arkansas also has an @ Memphis coming up in 2025 (I think it's a 2:1).

/focus

 

[goldenhurricane2]

By that logic, at least half of our preseason games shouldn't be played.

If we were scheduling a tough out of conference, I'd agree with you. But it isn't like the ORU game is dragging down our schedule. We'd likely replace them with a game of equal or lesser strength and probably lose money on the proposition (either pay to play or pay to travel).

I am by no means an ORU fan, but you can't use strength of schedule as an excuse to avoid your cross-town rival when half your OOC schedule are sub 200 RPI teams. At least not with a straight face. It's like Arkansas not playing at Tulsa for the last 67 years because [reasons], but they can go and lose at Colorado State last year. Okay, maybe that's not a great analogy, but at least I got to point out that Arkansas lost to a 3-9 Colorado State last year (other CSU wins: New Mexico and San Jose State).

FWIW, Arkansas also has an @ Memphis coming up in 2025 (I think it's a 2:1).

/focus

As much as some dislike this game, it isn’t likely to go away... especially now when money seems to be an issue. Essentially a road game with zero costs every other year and a home game against a low level team we don’t have to shell out $200k for a one and done deal.

I see both sides of the argument with ORU. If the city of Tulsa would get behind the rivalry, it could be fun again, but lately it’s just another boring game for us.