All Things 2017-18 B1G Schedules

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Gophers7633 said:
. ... that schedule may only produce one top 50 team (Oklahoma) and maybe another 2/3 top 100 teams.
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Have always been a firm believer that a 13-game non-conference schedule should be crafted with the idea that 6 or 7 of the opponents will finish in the top 100 of the RPI and/or KenPom, with at least 2 or 3 of those in the top 50. After that for the most part do whatever you want with the remaining 6-7 games as long as it's not loaded up with opponents of 275+ like a certain former B1G coach was known to do (#PacingNClappingTom, Indiana University).

The Gophers were close last year with 5 (#26 FSU, #33 Vanderbilt, #35 Arkansas, #75 UT Arlington, #99 Saint John's), so that number needs to go up by 1 or 2 this year, especially considering the increased expectations. On paper the Gophers are off to a good start with Alabama, Arkansas, Miami, and Providence on the schedule, but more beef needs to come with the 5 still TBD games.

Generally speaking, I'll be pleased with a Gophers non-conference schedule if the average KenPom rank of the opponents is 150 or less. ... and there are 2 Power 6 and/or notable opponents on the home slate.
 

Maryland will host Maryland-Eastern Shore

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SelectionSunday said:
Have always been a firm believer that a 13-game non-conference schedule should be crafted with the idea that 6 or 7 of the opponents will finish in the top 100 of the RPI and/or KenPom, with at least 2 or 3 of those in the top 50. After that for the most part do whatever you want with the remaining 6-7 games as long as it's not loaded up with opponents of 275+ like a certain former B1G coach was known to do (#PacingNClappingTom, Indiana University).

The Gophers were close last year with 5 (#26 FSU, #33 Vanderbilt, #35 Arkansas, #75 UT Arlington, #99 Saint John's), so that number needs to go up by 1 or 2 this year, especially considering the increased expectations. On paper the Gophers are off to a good start with Alabama, Arkansas, Miami, and Providence on the schedule, but more beef needs to come with the 5 still TBD games.

Generally speaking, I'll be pleased with a Gophers non-conference schedule if the average KenPom rank of the opponents is 150 or less. ... and there are 2 Power 6 and/or notable opponents on the home slate.
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I can see Harvard being a top 100 team. They almost were last year, and should be improved from where they were a year ago. May even be the best team in the Ivy.
 

Gophers will host Harvard on Dec. 29

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SelectionSunday said:
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That should hopefully be a nice non conference schedule for Harvard. Hopefully they can pull a few upsets so their RPI becomes helpful.
 


tmvander said:
That should hopefully be a nice non conference schedule for Harvard. Hopefully they can pull a few upsets so their RPI becomes helpful.
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So far all the Gophers' non-conference opponents have scheduled pretty well, Alabama, especially. Tide has 9 opponents that finished in the KenPom top 100 last season, and only 1 that finished higher than 165.
 

Harvard had a very young team last year and still finished 2nd in the Ivy League. They should be solid this year.
 

gopherguy15 said:
Harvard had a very young team last year and still finished 2nd in the Ivy League. They should be solid this year.
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Think it'll be Harvard, Yale, or Penn winning the Ivy this year. Sure Princeton will be solid, too.
 





Unfortunately Bucknell is eliminated as MSU'S home opponent for the pk80 as they travel to UNC and Arkansas per their message board. Leaves Ball State or one of the TBA teams
 

spartans67 said:
Unfortunately Bucknell is eliminated as MSU'S home opponent for the pk80 as they travel to UNC and Arkansas per their message board. Leaves Ball State or one of the TBA teams
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I guess technically Northeastern is still in play, but their other opponent (Ohio State) is in the other bracket and all other known matchups have been on same bracket. (New Hampshire, Bucknell, and Furman)
 

Awful scheduling by the Big Ten so far

Yuck.

SEC is kicking butt on the non-conference scheduling front.
 





SelectionSunday said:
Thanks.

For now I'm going to assume Niagara replaces Alabama A&M or Western Carolina on the Gophers schedule, hopefully Alabama A&M.
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I think Niagara could be a top 5 MAAC team next year, they return everyone from a year ago. And the teams at the top of league have a lot to replace for next season. I'm hopeful it's in place of the Alabama A&M game, that could make a difference of about 200 spots in the RPI, if my projection of Niagara comes to fruition.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Thanks.

For now I'm going to assume Niagara replaces Alabama A&M or Western Carolina on the Gophers schedule, hopefully Alabama A&M.
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From the release that Niagara put out, it sounds like UMass and BYU are their campus site games for the Barclays Classic, which means that your game with them is probably just a regular buy game. As much as it sucks to have to play a team as terrible as Alabama A&M, I'm pretty sure that you will have to play them along with Western Carolina. By the way, a poster on a Western Carolina message board (yes, I did manage to find one) says that the date for your game with them is Nov. 19.

http://catamount.boards.net/thread/8395/2017-18-basketball-schedule?page=1&scrollTo=30676
 


Ugh... that Alabama A&M game is going to make a big dent to our RPI/SOS. Hopefully every other team the Gophers face in the non-conference will at least end up in the top 150.
 

Gophers will host FAU on Dec. 23

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RPI matters less when you're not a bubble team, which God willing, we will not be.
 


SelectionSunday said:
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Lose their leading scorer, but return the next 6 highest scorers. Hopefully they can get to .500 next year, and not be an RPI albatross.
 

Purdue draws Tennessee

In Battle 4 Atlantis quarterfinals. Boilers non-conference schedule now complete, toughest in Big Ten (in terms of opponents average KenPom rank) to date.
 





Dumb question: When can we expect the Big Ten schedule to be released?


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