Gophers' 2011-12 Nonconference Schedule Update (May 18)

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SelectionSunday

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What we know (or has been reported) about the Gophers' 2011-12 nonconference schedule, with a little conjecture (1st round Old Spice Classic opponent) thrown in. Last season's RPI is noted in parentheses.

Home (likely 8)
1. Oakland (53) -- NCAA Round of 64
2. Virginia Tech (62) -- NIT Round of 16
3. Bucknell (79) -- NCAA Round of 64
4. South Dakota State (183)
5. North Dakota State (238)
6. TBD
7. TBD
8. TBD

Road (likely 1)
1. TBD

Neutral/Old Spice Classic (3)
1. Texas Tech (165) -- this is a guess.
2-3. 2 of. ...
Dayton (70) -- NIT Round of 32
Indiana State (84) -- NCAA Round of 64
Fairfield (97) -- NIT Round of 16
Arizona State (161)
DePaul (234)
Wake Forest (260)

Current Projected Average RPI of ALL Nonconference Opponents: 130
Current Projected Average RPI of HOME Nonconference Opponents: 123

2010-11 Final Average RPI of ALL Nonconference Opponents: 153.25
2010-11 Final Average RPI of HOME Nonconference Opponents: 181.5

B1G Scheduling Notes
According to the Basketball Travelers Inc. web site, at least 4 B1G schools still are looking for home & home opponents for the 2011-12 season.

* Michigan is looking for a home & home with a BCS opponent starting in Ann Arbor.

* Nebraska is looking to start 2 home & homes with BCS opponents, with one starting in Lincoln and the other on the road.

* Northwestern is looking for any kind of home & home starting in Evanston. The Wildcats are completing the back end of a home & home with Creighton this coming season.

* Penn State is looking for a home & home with a "high major" starting in Happy Valley.

Also of note. ...
* Perhaps the Gophers' nonconference schedule is at or near completion? The Gophers aren't listed as looking to schedule any more games for 2011-12.

* Michigan State is looking for teams to fill a 5-team round-robin, with Sparty getting all 4 games @ the Breslin Center. Reportedly Evansville has already committed.
 

Hodger, I'm not sure if we knew the exhibition games or not, but regardless, this tid-bit from Sid:

"Bemidji State and Augustana (S.D.), both of the NCAA Division III Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, will be the two exhibition foes for the Gophers this fall at Williams Arena. Bucknell, a team that lost 81-52 to eventual champion Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA tournament but won 23 of 25 games before that, will open the regular season against the Gophers Nov. 11."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/122201389.html

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
"Bemidji State and Augustana (S.D.), both of the NCAA Division III Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, will be the two exhibition foes for the Gophers this fall at Williams Arena.
Click to expand...

This is a bit disappointing.
 

BleedGopher said:
Hodger, I'm not sure if we knew the exhibition games or not, but regardless, this tid-bit from Sid:

"Bemidji State and Augustana (S.D.), both of the NCAA Division III Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, will be the two exhibition foes for the Gophers this fall at Williams Arena. Bucknell, a team that lost 81-52 to eventual champion Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA tournament but won 23 of 25 games before that, will open the regular season against the Gophers Nov. 11."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/122201389.html

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

Minor typo, but I'm pretty sure they haven't demoted the NSIC to Division III. Still Division II.
 

SS, do you have reasonable hope that the 1 road game will be decent? I think that's our only hope for another quality game. It appears the home schedule will once again have no non-ACC mandated BCS teams. Sad.
 


Purdue Non-Conference Schedule

Nov. 1 - vs. Northern State (Ex.)
Nov. 6 - vs. Southern Indiana (Ex.)
Nov. 11 - vs. Northern Illinois (Grand Re-Opening of Mackey Arena)
Nov. 14 - vs. High Point
Nov. 17 - Puerto Rico Shootout (San Juan, P.R.)*
Nov. 18 - Puerto Rico Shootout (San Juan, P.R.)*
Nov. 20 - Puerto Rico Shootout (San Juan, P.R.)*
Nov. 26 - vs. Coppin State
Nov. 29 - vs. Miami (Fla.) (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3 - at Xavier
Dec. 7 - vs. Western Carolina
Dec. 10 - vs. Eastern Michigan
Dec. 17 - vs. Butler (Crossroads Classic - Indianapolis)
Dec. 20 - vs. IPFW

* Puerto Rico field: Alabama, Colorado, Iona, Maryland, Purdue, Temple, Western Michigan and Wichita State.

Also, Purdue was supposed to host West Virginia in 2011-2012 but that was pushed back a year to balance out the NC schedule.
 


Not confirmed that I know of.

I'm assuming we'll play one true road game, and that it will be the start of a home & home. But that's a big assumption. I suppose it's possible we don't schedule a true road game and instead schedule an extra home game or a 1-time neutral-siter (ala Louisville 2008-09).
 

NDSU & SDSU will both be average next year, sdsu is a 1 man team and NDSU will have 6 10, 6 11, 6 9, 6 7 across the front court.
 



I am not too upset with the "easy" schedule.

We will have a young and new team next year, while as fans it'd be nice to see more BCS opponents, this team could use some confidence building and experience building games for the many faces making their first appearence in the big10.
 

I need to see quite a bit more of the nonconference schedule before I can get a good read on it. So far it looks like we're following the same pattern as last year. Open with a low/mid-major NCAA qualifier to start the season (Bucknell/Wofford), then add another 1-2 two low/mid-major NCAA qualifiers (Oakland/Siena-Cornell), except the difference this year appears to be that our exempt tournament (the "BEEF" of our nonconference schedule) will have a much weaker field. That could be crucial.

If we end up on the bubble (not a reach & certainly not what we want, it seems to be our destiny most years), in this day & age you're taking an awfully big chance if you're a major program and you put together an overly soft schedule. Just ask Colorado (2011), Virginia Tech (2010) and Penn State (2009) to name a few.
 

tjgopher said:
Is that confirmed?
Click to expand...

No. Sorry, I meant to say that it appeared likely. If there is another BCS game on the schedule, I would assume it will be the road/neutral game. But I fear even that may be another thrilling match-up with the likes of Colorado State/St. Joes.
 

Along with all of the turmoil and level of recruiting, the scheduling isn't what I expected when I heard Tubby had been hired.
 



Mulligan said:
... The scheduling isn't what I expected when I heard Tubby had been hired.
Click to expand...

Ditto.

Take away our quality exempt tournaments (76 Classic & Puerto Rico Tip-Off), our mandatory ACC opponents, @ Iowa State in 2007-08 (courtesy of the previous staff) and the neutral-siter vs. Louisville in Arizona (2008-09) and there's not much sizzle left on the steak. Especially at home, which is my biggest pet peeve (as you've probably been able to gather).
 

another gutless non-conf schedule. Well, gotta start that 20-win streak with some gimmes.
 

That is an atrocious schedule. The selection committee could not care less that we're "young" and want to "build confidence."
 


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