Go-Getter: men’s basketball schedule-making maestro

Jim Swing
Assistant Sports Editor

When Director of Men’s Basketball Operations Kyle Getter sits down to begin the lengthy process of creating the team’s season schedule every year, there are many different components that play in to the project. The operation starts with a vision from the mind of head coach Shaka Smart that includes what he wants out of a season involving opponents and their quality, which is handed down to Getter to put in to place. There are a number of factors that are examined when looking at out-of-conference teams for VCU to face in an upcoming season including the team’s RPI (Rating Percentage Index) from the previous year, if they made the postseason, and if they landed a top three spot in their league.

“The non-conference schedule can help you a lot come Selection Sunday in terms of getting into the NIT or the NCAA Tournament,” said Getter. “However, a lot of it is out of our control because outside of you playing them, it’s how they do the rest of the season.”

A prime example of which occurred last season when VCU defeated No. 17 Oklahoma 82-69, only for the Sooners to go on to a disappointing 13-18 season, giving the Rams little-to-no help on Selection Sunday. When planning the out-of-conference schedule, Getter looks to create “home and home” games, which consist of alternating home games for VCU and their opponent in the upcoming years.

“We try to pick ‘home and home’ games with schools that are similar to us and share some of the same characteristics as our team,” said Getter.

The Rams will begin two new “home and home” series this year including UNC Greensboro, starting at VCU; and UAB, commencing in Alabama. Along with the new, VCU will continue their recent “home and home” agreements with the University of Richmond and Tulane.

Securing out-of-conference match-ups isn’t always easy for Getter, however; he says it can be very stressful. “A lot of it is you wanting to make sure you do what is right for the program; you can’t rush in to it just to get it done,” said Getter. “A major part of the struggle comes with striving to lure a high-major team to the Siegel Center.” With one of the best home records in the NCAA, high-major schools don’t want to risk visiting a mid-major school such as VCU and receiving a loss, making them look bad.

“I’ll call an ACC or and SEC team and say ‘let’s play a ‘home and home’ and they’ll say ‘I’ve seen your games, we’ll pass,'” said Getter. “We’ve called almost everyone in the Big Ten, numerous ACC teams, and multiple SEC teams and their approach is different because of the way their league is set up.” High-major schools do not usually venture far from home when it comes to out-of-conference games due to the consistent strength of their in-conference schedule.

The story line alters when in-conference scheduling is brought in to the equation, however, and Getter and Smart have no say when it comes to CAA opponents. The CAA utilizes a grid every year that determines who VCU will face “home and home” every year for six years. ODU, JMU, William & Mary, UNC Wilmington and Georgia State have been VCU’s permanent “home and home” partners for the past five years including the upcoming season.

Double “home and home” games include games that will be for only one year; VCU will face Northeastern, James Madison, and Drexel in that style of scheduling. The Rams will only face Hofstra, George Mason, Towson and Delaware once in conference play. In the 2011-2012 season, the cycle of permanent partners will be re-done by CAA officials and athletic directors, switching up permanent partners for the next six years. “With the way the conference schedule is, they will always try to pair up rivalry games such as us and Old Dominion, it only makes sense logistically as far as travel distance also,” said Getter.

“I think we have a very good schedule; we are trying to move forward and challenge our team to prepare for the conference the best we can.” Getter and coach Smart have known each other for close to thirteen years and mesh as well as any organization could hope for. The two have already begun the process of compiling the 2011-2012 schedule in hopes of building another strong year for VCU men’s basketball.