Playing schools pre-conference as truly awful as Central Arkansas is quite often counter productive.
Bad habits form against non-existent defenses. Laziness ensues when the games aren’t in doubt from opening tip. Some guys look to fatten up their stat lines. The fans that do show up are disengaged.
I suppose I understand -- $$$ -- theoretically -- $$$ --why these games are played. $$$. But I would prefer U of L adhering to the Denny Crum/ Tom Izzo Theory of December. Fewer cupcakes. More protein.
That said, it is the time of year when a team’s flaws and finer points start to manifest regardless of the quality of the opposition.