From the standpoint of the average basketball/sports fan and most media types, there will never be a scenario in which it is "expected" or "ok" for us to lose to any local program aside from Seton Hall or Rutgers. It has nothing to do with the quality of the other locals. It has everything to do with perception, and only those of us who post on this board and others like it would understand that, with this past season's roster, it is not out of the question that we would lose to a Fordham (as we did), or Iona, or Monmouth.
I love many of the small school locals, particularly Iona, but at the end of the day I have no issue with playing them as long as we have enough high major out of conference games. Need to schedule some cupcakes, for many many reasons. And if we are going to play a local, I have no problem with it being Fordham because of tradition and because they are in the A-10. Scheduling Niagara at Carnesecca versus Iona will have little impact from a fan attendance standpoint. So if Niagara is the easier game, so be it.