Your optimism is admirable sbufan, but when the hope is for doing okay in a conference that is rated #30 of 33, it's not setting the bar very high. Maybe moving to the CAA is the answer. I continue to think that the current coaching staff has been overrated.
Check out the link below. It's from a few seasons ago and SB's OOC schedule has stepped up, but I'm not feeling like there's been a whole lot of overall prgress in this program compared to when this was written.
http://www.basketballforum.com/america-east-conference/419616-pikiel-sandbagger.html
Right, so your angst and criticism is assuming many things (and when you assume, you make an ass out of me and you)
1. Pikiell has any sort of control over the RPI of the teams he schedules (RPI of course being the RPI of the team from the season BEFORE he plays them. Coaches can guess a team's trend, but look at Indiana....did anyone see them undefeated with a win over Kentucky?)
Answer - WRONG: Pikiell is at the mercy of the America East Conference in his scheduling decisions. The conference ADs all voted to enact very strict scheduling mandates throughout the conference years ago, at the near unanimous opposition of the coaches (who can't vote). These mandates dealt with the RPI distribution of any member's opponents. These were DISASTEROUS. The conference got TOASTED, and the total conference ranking fell from 18 in 05 to 28 now (we passed the Southland). Now, also remember that last year we ended ranked #29, so this is technically an "up" year for us. This schedule mandate has now been revoked, and starting next season I have it on good authority that we'll be seeing some awesome matchups.
But to shut down that link - IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR PIKIELL TO HAVE SANDBAGGED HIS SCHEDULE ANY MORE OR LESS THAN ANY AEC MEMBER.
2. Coaching staff is overrated - WRONG: Coaches can't make players hit shots. Dougher has been badly streaky throughout his SBU career. His numbers are strong only because he puts up this many shots. In all - you cannot put up 8/20 shooting and expect to win the game, ever. This team reminds me a TON of the team that won the regular season champ two years ago. And guess what? We lost to a miserable St. Peter's team at home. Our OOC has always been tough, and frankly that's because we don't have a lot of motivation to do well in it. It will NEVER yield an at-large bid, so frankly wouldn't you prefer they optimize their style of play for Vermont or BU compared to BC?
Do I wish we could compete better OOC? Sure. Talent next year seems to indicate that we'll be changing our program's dynamic and becoming what should be a LOT more intimidating to outside programs (for example, our average height in our starting lineup should hover around 6'5" with the additions of Scott King and Warney, taller if Eric McAllister makes the starting lineup in the place of Joyner). But I think it'd be a consensus in out league that the emphasis should be on conference wins, not OOC.
3. Moving to the CAA would improve things? WHAAAAAA? Dude, have you looked at the standings? The CAA is ridiculously better than the AEC in basketball, and it has NOTHING to do with any member located north of Virginia. EVERY AEC exile has spent their ENTIRE time post-transition in the cellar. The best northern member record atm is Delaware at 4-4 (1-0) with a win over Drexel. The only teams in the CAA with above .500 records right now are located south of the Mason Dixon line.
Do I think the CAA should be our ultimate location? Yes. However, for us to be competitive there we must learn the lesson all the other AEC exiles learned - just because you were offered the change doesn't mean it's the right time to make it. We have a TON of growth left, and must improve everything about our program in order to be successful in the CAA.