Jbags, I agree with you 100%. To me, the OOC games are about preparing the team for the HL. Yes, you'd like to win as many games as possible, but playing quality opponents and getting Frosh and those further down the roster PT "when the lights are on" is very important.
I'm not sure why more coaches do not do things like starting Freshman in the games played against D3 teams. Winning these games by 30+ points accomplishes very little. Why not start the second five, and see how they handle starting? If the team is struggling through the first 5 minutes or so, will not take the starters long to go ahead by 10-20 points. And, if it does, that is a sign of much bigger problems down the road. Once the starters establish a lead of about 15-20 points, then play the young guys again.
I would even like to see Freshman being put in the games on the road, against teams like St. John's, UMASS, PITT etc, early in the game. Not as starters, but put them in once the game get's going, and it is time for a starter to take a break. Slocum has coached long enough that he ought to know how to do this, and still enable the team to have a chance to be competitive, and/or win. If a kid plays good, keep him in the game. If he struggles, take him out after 2-3 minutes, and then use this as a teaching moment. Even give him a chance to play again in the 2nd half. In the long run, this is going to help the team be better prepared for the HL, and kids will like it because it means more playing time.
YSU seems to run out of gas about mid-way through the HL season. Easy to understand why. Starters play an excessive amount of minutes, and that takes a toll on the players given YSU's up tempo style. Of the 2 freshman who transferred out, both were good enough to play more than they did if they had been given the opportunity.