All Things Big Ten Non-Conference Schedule Updates

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Indiana to host NJIT in season opener. Hoosiers schedule updated above.

 






Badgers with home games against both Tennessee and UNC plus a road game @Villanova. Sweet!

SelectionSunday said:
Updated 5/23/20
Safe to assume all or nearly all of the Big Ten teams will play 11 non-conference games. Opening Night (hopefully) is set for Tuesday, Nov. 10.

GOPHERS (currently 6 Home, 1 Away, 2 Neutral)
Nov. 14: KENT STATE
Nov. 21: vs. UCF (Air Force Reserve Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
Nov. 22: vs. Marquette or Rhode Island (Air Force Reserve Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
Nov. 25: GREEN BAY
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: @ Wake Forest (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 16: MISSISSIPPI STATE
Dec. 29: NORTH DAKOTA
Date TBD: ALBANY (non-bracketed Air Force Reserve Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
Date TBD: LIU (non-bracketed (Air Force Reserve Hall of Fame Tip-Off)

ILLINOIS (4 H, 2 A, 3 N)
Nov. 16-19: @ Saint John's (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 27: vs. Florida, Iowa State, Oregon (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 28: vs. TBD (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: @ Clemson (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 12: ARIZONA
Date TBD: ALABAMA A&M, MCNEESE STATE, NORTH FLORIDA, UL-MONROE (non-bracketed Emerald Coast Classic)
Date TBD: ALABAMA A&M, MCNEESE STATE, NORTH FLORIDA, UL-MONROE (non-bracketed Emerald Coast Classic)
Date TBD: GRAND CANYON
Date TBD: vs. Missouri

INDIANA (4 H, 1 A, 4 N)
Nov. 10: NJIT
Nov. 16-19: XAVIER (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: @ Notre Dame (Projected ACC Challenge)
Nov. 23: vs. Alabama, Davidson, North Carolina, Providence, Stanford, Texas, UNLV (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 24: vs. TBD (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 25: vs. TBD (Maui Invitational)
Dec. 19: vs. Butler
Dec. 22: ROBERT MORRIS
Dec. 29: OMAHA

IOWA (4 H, 1 A, 0 N)
Nov. 16-19: @ Creighton (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: NC STATE (projected ACC Challenge)
Date TBD: ALABAMA STATE (Iowa MTE)
Date TBD: IOWA STATE
Date TBD: SOUTH DAKOTA (Iowa MTE)

MARYLAND (5 H, 1 A, 0 N)
Nov. 16: SAN JOSE STATE (Maryland Showcase)
Nov. 18-19: MARQUETTE (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 22: DUQUESNE (Maryland Showcase)
Nov. 25: CAL BAPTIST (Maryland Showcase)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: @ Duke (projected ACC Challenge)
Date TBD: SAINT JOSEPH'S

MICHIGAN (3 H, 1 A, 2 N)
Nov. 14: @ Oregon
Nov. 19: vs. Baylor, NC State, Villanova (2K Empire Classic)
Nov. 20: vs. TBD (2K Empire Classic)
Nov. 27: SOUTHERN UTAH
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: SYRACUSE (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 21: OAKLAND

MICHIGAN STATE (3 H, 1 A, 4 N)
Nov. 10: vs. Duke
Nov. 16-19: BUTLER (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 26: vs. Auburn, Belmont, Boise State, Gonzaga, Saint Louis, Siena, Xavier (Orlando Invitational)
Nov. 27: vs. TBD (Orlando Invitational)
Nov. 29: vs. TBD (Orlando Invitational)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: @ Florida State (Projected ACC Challenge)
Date TBD: OAKLAND
Date TBD: TOLEDO

NEBRASKA (6 H, 0 A, 4 N)
Nov. 10: CLEVELAND STATE
Nov. 14: PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Nov. 19: vs. Charlotte, Dayton, Loyola-Chicago, Missouri, Penn, Pitt, Utah State (Myrtle Beach Invitational)
Nov. 20: vs. TBD (Myrtle Beach Invitational)
Nov. 22: vs. TBD (Myrtle Beach Invitational)
Nov. 25: LAMAR
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: PITT (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 19: vs. Kansas State
Date TBD: CREIGHTON
Date TBD: KANSAS CITY

NORTHWESTERN (4 H, 0 A, 2 N)
Nov. 23: vs. Cal, South Carolina, TCU (Hall of Fame Classic)
Nov. 24: vs. TBD (Hall of Fame Classic)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: BOSTON COLLEGE (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 19: DEPAUL
Date TBD: ELON (non-bracketed Hall of Fame Classic)
Date TBD: NORFOLK STATE (non-bracketed Hall of Fame Classic)

OHIO STATE (7 H, 0 A, 4 N) -- non-conference schedule released 5/5/20
Nov. 11: OAKLAND
Nov. 15: NIAGARA
Nov. 19: AKRON
Nov. 25: vs. Creighton, Duke, Memphis, Texas A&M, Utah, West Virginia, Wichita State (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov. 26: vs. TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov. 27: vs. TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: LOUISVILLE (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 9: TOWSON
Dec. 19: vs. North Carolina
Dec. 22: MOREHEAD STATE
Dec. 30: ALABAMA A&M

PENN STATE (1 H, 1 A, 4 N)
Nov. 19: vs. College of Charleston, Florida State, Houston, Oklahoma State, Seton Hall, Tennessee, VCU (Charleston Classic)
Nov. 20: vs. TBD (Charleston Classic)
Nov. 22: vs. TBD (Charleston Classic)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: @ Virginia Tech (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 13: vs. Florida
Date TBD: SETON HALL

PURDUE (6 H, 1 A, 4 N)
Nov. 10: EVANSVILLE
Nov. 13: INDIANA STATE
Nov. 16-19: GEORGETOWN (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 24: vs. Clemson, Illinois State, Mississippi State (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 25: vs. TBD (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: @ Virginia (Projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 13: vs. West Virginia
Dec. 19: vs. Notre Dame
Dec. 21: INCARNATE WORD
Date TBD: RIDER
Date TBD: YALE

RUTGERS (6 H, 3 A, 1 N)
Nov. 10: MIAMI-OHIO (Rutgers Showcase)
Nov. 16-19: @ Providence (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 28: @ UMass
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: GEORGIA TECH (projected ACC Challenge)
Dec. 8: vs. Baylor
Dec. 13: @ Seton Hall
Dec. 29: MAINE
Date TBD: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT (Rutgers Showcase)
Date TBD: HOLY CROSS (Rutgers Showcase)
Date TBD: MERRIMACK

WISCONSIN (4 H, 2 A, 2 N)
Nov. 11: TENNESSEE
Nov. 17: CENTRAL MICHIGAN (non-bracketed Fort Myers Tip-Off)
Nov. 19: @ Villanova (projected Gavitt Games)
Nov. 23: vs. Butler, Colorado, USF (Fort Myers Tip-Off)
Nov. 25: vs. TBD (Fort Myers Tip-Off)
Nov. 30-Dec. 2: NORTH CAROLINA (projected ACC Challenge)
Date TBD: GREEN BAY
Date TBD: @ Marquette
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I have to say that I am a bit afraid that the league will suffer if they perform poorly in the scheduled exempt events. MSU needs to beat Gonzaga a win the Orlando event. Wisconsin needs to win theirs. It would be great if Purdue and the Gophers win theirs. I see Michigan getting beat down (Baylor, Nova), Buckeyes losing in Atlantis, Hoosiers struggling in Maui, PennSt has a tough field in Charleston, Illini again tough (Florida, Oregon). Northwestern and Nebraska have easier fields but are either ready? Having Iowa, Maryland, and Rutgers not participate/hosting their own event is understandable but unfortunate.

Some of that could be made up in the gavitt games and ACC challenge, so who knows? I just think those exempt events look pretty tough. Having a poor OOC record in those can be devastating for both the number and quality of seeds at the end of the year.
 


obobo55 said:
Badgers with home games against both Tennessee and UNC plus a road game @Villanova. Sweet!



I have to say that I am a bit afraid that the league will suffer if they perform poorly in the scheduled exempt events. MSU needs to beat Gonzaga a win the Orlando event. Wisconsin needs to win theirs. It would be great if Purdue and the Gophers win theirs. I see Michigan getting beat down (Baylor, Nova), Buckeyes losing in Atlantis, Hoosiers struggling in Maui, PennSt has a tough field in Charleston, Illini again tough (Florida, Oregon). Northwestern and Nebraska have easier fields but are either ready? Having Iowa, Maryland, and Rutgers not participate/hosting their own event is understandable but unfortunate.

Some of that could be made up in the gavitt games and ACC challenge, so who knows? I just think those exempt events look pretty tough. Having a poor OOC record in those can be devastating for both the number and quality of seeds at the end of the year.
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No matter how average or bad big ten does it's pretty much a given if you go .500 in conference you should be dancing. Take care of your own business and it doesnt matter what everyone else does.
 




Considering their returning talent, experience, and expectations, Hawkeyes have a Charmin-soft non-conference schedule so far. I’d guess the last game to fill will be a quality opponent.
 

gophereric30 said:
No matter how average or bad big ten does it's pretty much a given if you go .500 in conference you should be dancing. Take care of your own business and it doesnt matter what everyone else does.
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Tim Miles thought that as well, but found out the hard way it's not always so. In 2017-18 Nebraska was 13-5, yet wound up in the NIT. Weak Big 10 and an unbalanced schedule killed their Tourney hopes.

20 game Big 10 schedule helps mitigate that somewhat, as long as the conference at least holds their own in November & December.
 

gophereric30 said:
No matter how average or bad big ten does it's pretty much a given if you go .500 in conference you should be dancing. Take care of your own business and it doesnt matter what everyone else does.
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Damn, i sure hope we are better than .500
 

The point I was trying to make (and have tried to make before) is that with the increase to 20 game league schedule, there are fewer NC games. This means that those precious few vs top teams particularly in these exempt events have even higher value.

Looking at those on the list above, I see quite a few where it will be tough to do better than 1-1, and several where 1-2 or 0-3 is possible. Perhaps even more important is when you lose. The Nebraska example is very pertinent, they were in an event in Orlando and lost their opener to UCF (basically a home game). Instead of facing West Virginia & Missouri for games 2/3, they got Marist & Long Beach St.

As I said in my post, poor play in exempt events can be mitigated by wins in other big NC games (Gavitt, ACC). My Badgers had a horrific exempt event last year and also lost a neutral site game to St Mary's. Luckily the Michigan success in Maui, OSU getting some nice early wins, the league winning both Gavitt and Challenge helped put the reputation in a good place.

My concern is that several teams not participating in events and some others looking outclassed could put the league in poor position. Then suppose the Challenge swings away from us and things get grim.
 
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I'm happy that Pitino is starting the season with three cupcakes in a row this year. It was clearly difficult for last year's team to have only one warm-up and then hitting Oklahoma, Butler, and Utah in the span of 6 days. With all the new faces, this team will need time to gel. That said, I'm hoping he adds a little more beef to it. UCF should be improved, as they return almost their whole team from last year, and Marquette (if we best UCF) and Mississippi St should be solid, but if we are looking at a bottom feeder ACC team for the challenge, then the non-conference schedule could use a little more to it...
 

gopherguy15 said:
I'm happy that Pitino is starting the season with three cupcakes in a row this year. It was clearly difficult for last year's team to have only one warm-up and then hitting Oklahoma, Butler, and Utah in the span of 6 days. With all the new faces, this team will need time to gel. That said, I'm hoping he adds a little more beef to it. UCF should be improved, as they return almost their whole team from last year, and Marquette (if we best UCF) and Mississippi St should be solid, but if we are looking at a bottom feeder ACC team for the challenge, then the non-conference schedule could use a little more to it...
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Kent State is usually pretty decent, so I'm not ready to call that one a cupcake. ... but I agree with your point about easing into the season for this particular roster.

There are two games left to fill the schedule. I still think we'll see one more good opponent added, perhaps a neutral-site game (Target Center?).
 





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