July 14, 2009

Steve Megargee
Rivals.com College Basketball Staff Writer

Siena assistant basketball coach Adam Chaskin was on a recruiting trip recently when an opposing coach next to him received a phone call.

As soon as the coach put down the phone, he mentioned that one of the games he had scheduled for next season had just fallen through. The team they had expected to play apparently had turned them down for a better offer.

Chaskin leaned over and said the first thing that came to his mind: "By the way, what was the date of that game?"

As it turned out, the open dates didn't match up, but who could blame Chaskin for trying to make the most of his colleague's misfortune? He already had explored just about every other avenue in his attempt to complete Siena's 2009-10 schedule.

Rivals.com has spoken to officials from Tennessee, Siena and Morehead State throughout the offseason for a planned three-part series on how a team puts together its schedule. As it turns out, we're going to have to extend this series to a fourth chapter because Siena still hasn't found enough willing opponents.

Morehead State and Tennessee finalized their schedules by the time we published the second part of our series in early June. More than a month later, Siena still is trying to schedule its last two games.

Don't blame it on procrastination: Chaskin said he has contacted the nation's other Division I programs ? all 341 of them ? in his search for potential opponents. He just hasn't found enough takers.

"I've literally called every single of one of them,'' Chaskin said. "It doesn't mean I talked to all of them. There were a lot of messages left."

It's easy to understand why nobody wants to play Siena. The Saints don't have the major-conference affiliation that often brings high TV ratings, but they do have four returning starters and a team that has reached the second round of the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons.

Chaskin realized all along it would be tough to find non-conference opponents. He just didn't expect it to be this difficult.

"I'm surprised at some of the teams that are going to be very good ? recognizable marquee names ? that are avoiding us," Chaskin said. "Even if we [agree to] go to their place, teams are still avoiding us."

Georgia Tech's addition adds some glamour to a non-conference schedule that lacked star power. Although Tech finished in the ACC basement last season, the Yellow Jackets brought in the nation's fourth-ranked recruiting class and are expected to contend for an NCAA tournament berth.

Siena also has scheduled home games with Albany, Saint Joseph's and Delaware and has road trips to Northern Iowa, Tennessee State and Temple. The Saints also will face St. John's at the Palestra in the Philly Hoop Group Classic and will go on the road for a BracketBuster game against an opponent to be determined.

That's not a bad schedule by any means. Temple reached the NCAA tournament last season, and Northern Iowa will enter the season as one of the Missouri Valley Conference favorites. But consider that Siena faced Tennessee, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Kansas and Northern Iowa in non-conference games last season. That schedule could have helped Siena get considered for an NCAA tournament at-large invitation even if the Saints hadn't earned the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's automatic bid.

Siena's non-conference schedule won't be nearly as strong this season, which could hurt the Saints' chances of earning a third consecutive NCAA invitation if they fail to win the MAAC tournament.

Of course, that's not the only reason Siena wanted to put together the toughest possible schedule. The Saints knew they had the type of team that could compete with the nation's top teams and have a good chance of opening the season in the national rankings.

Siena's ambition is evident in its scheduling strategy. The Saints could have finalized their schedule by paying two Division II programs to come to Siena for a likely beatdown, but Fran McCaffery's staff has a policy of not playing non-Division I schools.

"We want that type of schedule for a lot of reasons," Chaskin said. "We want to continue to challenge our own players to get better. That certainly helped prepare us for the conference season."

At this late date, though, Siena can't hold out for the toughest possible opponents. The Saints just need to find someone ? anyone ? willing to play them. Siena needs one more home game and one more road contest.

Chaskin has contacted plenty of schools that haven't completed their schedules; some are even looking to fill games on the same dates Siena has available. Whenever he calls those schools, Chaskin typically get the same response: "Yes, we need a game and we know you need a game also. We're also talking to other teams. Frankly, we're hoping to hear from those other teams because we don't particularly want to play you. But if we have to play you, that's what we'll do."

"It's kind of wait-and-see who those people end up getting ? or not getting," Chaskin said.

Chaskin will continue to play the waiting game. That's what he has done throughout the offseason. He can afford to wait a little longer because the MAAC usually doesn't announce its league schedule until mid-September, later than most conferences, so the unsettled nature of the non-conference schedule isn't the only thing preventing Siena from putting the complete slate on posters or other promotional materials.

"Our AD [John D'Argenio] is very understanding of the situation," Chaskin said. "It isn't his first rodeo. We're working together to try to find opponents who will work for us."

The situation should make Chaskin one of the nation's busiest assistants. As he helps out in the recruiting effort, Chaskin also must continue trying to fill those final two games on the schedule.

And he will keep his eyes ? and ears ? open on every recruiting stop that features coaches from rival schools. Every time anyone's phone rings, Chaskin just might hear the sound of opportunity knocking.

Steve Megargee is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at smegargee@rivals.com.