Showing how UMaine basketball teams playing non D-1 opponents helps pad their statistics

In the past I have criticized both UMaine men’s and women’s basketball teams for playing non D-1 non conference opponents because they really pad their statistics for their teams and individuals which can be be misleading. Here are the total D-1 and non D-1 stats and the combined shooting stats for shooting and assists to substantuate my theory.

Maine men’s comparisons: 3-13 overall 2-0 non D-1 & 1-13 D-1

Games…FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FSA FSM FS%  %3 FGA

16.Total..942…370..39.3…415;;123..29.6..285..143..67.7…..44.1

2 No D1..126….62…46.7….62….23…34.3…49…..32..65.7…..44.2

13 D-1…..816..318…38.8…353..100..28.5..236..111..68.1…,.43.3

Assists 201 of 370 baskets 57.1%for 16 games

Assists 39 of 62 baskets for 63.0% for 2 non D-1 games

Assists 162 of 322 baskets fir 57.1% for 12 D-1 games

Women’s team comparisons 8-6 overall  2-0 non D-1 and 6-6 D-1

Games…FGA.FGM.FG%.3PA.3PM.3P%.FSA.FSM FS% %3 FGA

13 Total..858…349…40.7..365..114..31.2..161..107..66.5…….42.7.

2 no D-1.136 ….77…56.7…,62…24,,38.8…21….11…53.7……..45.6

11 D-1….722…272….37.7..303…90..29.7.140….96…68.1…….44.8

Assists: 215 of 349 baskets for 61.1% total 14 games

Assist: …53 of 77 baskets for 69.0% total 2 non D-1 games

Assists…162-of 322 baskets for 57.1% for 12 D-1 games

Looking over these stats it shows that the total games figures are improved because of the non 2 D-1 games for both teams. The men played D-3 UMPI and USCAA/NAIA2 UMM while the Women played USCAA/NAIA 2 UMFK and D-3 Maine Martime.

If you subtracted those games stats as is done above it shows how much that the stats for both teams are padded along with gaining 2 wins that do not count in the NCAA RPI Team rankings for selecting and seeding teams for the March Madness Big Dance.

The men are 3-13 overall counting the non D- gamed and just 1-13 against D-1 competition while the women are 6-6 in D-1 contests and 8-6 in overall. “Figures don’t lie” and the above figures and stats show that playing these weak non D-1 opponents does nothing but fatten or pad team statistics, coaches records and player statistics.

Realtimerpi.com does not count the non D-1 games in their RPI standings as the Maine women 6-6 and currently 64 in team RPI, out of 349 women’s D-1 teams they an impressive 27th in SOS (Strength of Schedule and the America East Conference is 24th of 32in the conference rankings but 31 of 32 in SOS.

The Maine men are 340 out of 351 D-1 in team RPI Rankings and the America East Conference is ranked 27th of 32 in conference RPI rankings and a lowly last place 32 out of 32 conferences in SOS.

The NCAA should not count these stats for non D-1 game if they are not including these non D-1 games in their RPI’s for the selection and seedings for both March Madness Big Dances. Either the non D-1 games should count the stats and wins/losses and the games for the RPI’s or don’t count all three.

The only thing consistent with this NCAA policy is that it is consistently inconsistent. But what do you except from the NCAA who acts many times like the NATIONAL COMMITTEE ATTEMPTING AGGRIEVEOUSESS: Example: consistently inconsistent policies and rules.

Now many will say that Maine has to play these weak instate opponents because it is hard to get non conference home games. If that is the case then why don’t they play D-3 Bates and D-3 Husson for the non exhibition games and play D-3 St. Joseph’s and D-3 USM in the 2 exhibition games. At least they would be more competition for UMaine. or could it be that they have lost to Husson, UMFK and USM in the past and want guaranteed wins which will increase their stats so as to make their overall stats better. That is what I call fattening and padding a teams statistics.

After all if Maine didn’t play non D-1 teams the past 4 years in non conference games instead of being 21-86 for 19.6% winning percentage  they would be just 13-86 for 13.2 winning percentage if they had not played those games against in-system politically driven University System fellow teams which they gain nothing basketball wise from except padding their wins column and their team and player stats and do not draw much if they played the Hussons. Bates, St. Josephs and USMs.

Also, could never understand why Bob Walsh did not schedule D-2 Bentley College when they were loaded with Maine players in an exhibition game at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor to see how the Maine kids at Bentley stacked up against the players Walsh and his staff recruited for his first season in 2014-15. Not only would that have been a smart move to evaluate the better Maine players skills against what Maine had recruited it would have certainly drawn a big crowd to see how 6’6″ McFarland, 6’4″ Hyland, 6’7″ Furness, and 6’3″ Shaw, would have done against Walsh and his staff’s recruits.