Non-Conference Schedule
- Thread starter TX4GB
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Definitely not a great non-conference schedule. Agree the PK Legacy draw will have bigger impact on SOS. The teams are:
Gonzaga
Duke
Xavier
Purdue
Florida
West by God Virginia
Oregon State
Portland State
I assume you get 3 games. I'd bet Duke and Gonzaga draw Portland State and Oregon State in first round to give each better chance at final. That's key, since as long as Purdue avoids playing both Oregon State and Portland State it will be a minimum of 2 solid opponents. Would really like a shot at Duke early in the year with Coach K gone and Scheyer figuring things out.
Davidson is better than it looks too. NCAA tourney team returning good chunk of roster that could win A10.
Overall, this is probably what you want breaking in several newer guys into rotation for a younger team. The risky thing is that the B1G is going to likely be down, so you can't afford to lay an egg as you figure things out.
Gonzaga
Duke
Xavier
Purdue
Florida
West by God Virginia
Oregon State
Portland State
I assume you get 3 games. I'd bet Duke and Gonzaga draw Portland State and Oregon State in first round to give each better chance at final. That's key, since as long as Purdue avoids playing both Oregon State and Portland State it will be a minimum of 2 solid opponents. Would really like a shot at Duke early in the year with Coach K gone and Scheyer figuring things out.
Davidson is better than it looks too. NCAA tourney team returning good chunk of roster that could win A10.
Overall, this is probably what you want breaking in several newer guys into rotation for a younger team. The risky thing is that the B1G is going to likely be down, so you can't afford to lay an egg as you figure things out.
When was the last time strength of schedule in the non-conference helped our seeding in the tournament?
It helped us early on last year when we beat UNC and Villanova. It helped us to remain in the top 10 the rest of the year. A weak sos one hurts if we have some bad losses.
We also lost a bad game to IU and saved their season.
I can follow that perspective, Pat, but arguably, that had more to do with the late season losses to Michigan State, Wisconsin, and perhaps Iowa (BTT) as well. Purdue's team just couldn't quite fully capitalize on some of its opportunities last year.....players and coaches. JMHO.
Winning the B1G tournament likely wouldn't have done anything for our seeding. I'll agree that the late season losses weren't helpful. But isn't it funny how Villanova gets credit for winning their tournament, but the B1G winner never does?
All for TV and $$$$$.....too late for the bracket unless it affects an automatic qualifier, or so we've been told. The Big Ten is locked in that spot. I will risk a charge of "blasphemy" here and say it's one of the things I tend to agree with Bilas - use the championship week games for the automatic qualifiers but set the at-large and seeding grid based off the regular season.
But hey - I still think 64 is too many teams, so I'm already somewhat likely to get stoned if I appear in public.
We are playing against our old friend, Bob Huggins. This time it won’t be secret.
You nailed that one. As much as I lament the degree to which money has affected college sports, 'coincidences' like the matchups in this tournament remind me that it's always really been about the money.
Do you guys not know how bracket tourneys work? The top seeds play the lowest seeds. Duke and Gonzaga will be the two highest ranked teams in this bracket next year, Oregon St, and Portland St will be the worst two teams. Simply as that.
Also, is Gonzaga really that big of a draw? I honestly don’t know. But I would be surprised if they have much appeal nationally, even with how good they've been lately.
Because there was more to it than that. If we didn't have those wins early on, we would have been a 5 or 6 seed in the tournament.
It really is that simple. Yeah, of course they want Duke and Gonzaga in the final, so for rankings sake it works that way anyway. Purdue is likely "seeded" somewhere between 3-6, so a win in the first round gets us one of Duke or Gonzaga in the 2nd. Hopefully the other in the final but I'm not counting on it.
64 isn't, but 68 is. Or whatever number people want to expand it to.But hey - I still think 64 is too many teams, so I'm already somewhat likely to get stoned if I appear in public.
Yeah I hadn't seen it yet. Looks like in theory we are the "3" according to Rothstein's tweet. Makes sense.
