2016-17 Non-Conference Schedule

In thinking about this, I think it came down to the earlier start to the conference season. I just looked back on previous schedules, and ever since joining the BE, Marquette has *always* scheduled a game between Christmas and the start of conference play.

Since they can't do that this year, their options were limited such as a game during finals week or a game in the middle of the conference season.

Someone on Scoop mentioned it could be the Utah game that fell through, I figured Georgia replaced that, but if they were trying to get two H&Hs going, it would make sense. Probably too late to find a decent replacement.

If they are passing on a game instead of trying to squeeze in a SWAC or MEAC bottom feeder, I applaud that decision.

Utah already put it's schedule out.
http://www.utahutes.com/news/2016/7/...-schedule.aspx

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Originally Posted by MU/Panther

Utah already put it's schedule out.
http://www.utahutes.com/news/2016/7/...-schedule.aspx

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They did, maybe dates didn't work with Marquette? They are playing two non-D1 schools, so my guess is one of those replaced Marquette for them.

Duke has an opening after Albany dropped out. Maybe da Utes would be willing to play them at Cameron to open the season.

We also seem to have an opening. Probably help our RPI to play them on the road, even if we lost...

I don't think our opening is November 12th.

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Originally Posted by The Reptile

I don't think our opening is November 12th.

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They could stop in Durham on their way back from Annapolis ;)

I don't think there's any way Marquette would have interest in that game, and I wouldn't blame them. Unless Duke wanted to find a way to put together a midseason home-and-home like they did with St. John's I don't think it would fit into either team's schedule. Even then, Coach K alums don't tend to play each other like that, can't see them playing the Godfather either.

Does Duke even know what a home/home is?

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Originally Posted by MU/Panther

Does Duke even know what a home/home is?

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This is what always bothers me when they talk about Duke's winning streak at home vs. non conference opponents. The thing is, they rarely play a top flight non conf opponent at home, because they don't do home and homes. They will go to a neutral site for a TV game, but never will they have the likes of another blue blood come into their building. So they wind up playing a mid major or two at home and the rest are cream puffs. With their talent, of course they are going to dominate at home.

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Originally Posted by IrwinFletcher

This is what always bothers me when they talk about Duke's winning streak at home vs. non conference opponents. The thing is, they rarely play a top flight non conf opponent at home, because they don't do home and homes. They will go to a neutral site for a TV game, but never will they have the likes of another blue blood come into their building. So they wind up playing a mid major or two at home and the rest are cream puffs. With their talent, of course they are going to dominate at home.

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Also factors into why they haven't sold out student tickets in some years too.

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Originally Posted by IrwinFletcher

This is what always bothers me when they talk about Duke's winning streak at home vs. non conference opponents. The thing is, they rarely play a top flight non conf opponent at home, because they don't do home and homes. They will go to a neutral site for a TV game, but never will they have the likes of another blue blood come into their building. So they wind up playing a mid major or two at home and the rest are cream puffs. With their talent, of course they are going to dominate at home.

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They play a home game in the Big 10-ACC challenge every other year - this year they have MSU. They also play a lot of big games "home games" New York or New Jersey in front of their other fan base. I think that's the reason for the numbers you're posting about. However, I don't think the purpose is to pad their home win record - simply to bring Duke basketball closer to their alumni.

Dec. 19th St. Francis
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnaVsPyXEAAHGJ6.jpg

13-17 (9-9 conf) 266 RPI
ended on a 6 game losing streak

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Originally Posted by MU/Panther

Dec. 19th St. Francis
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnaVsPyXEAAHGJ6.jpg

13-17 (9-9 conf) 266 RPI
ended on a 6 game losing streak

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At least SFU is not sub-300. Actually, the final NCAA (and Nolan ) RPI is 263. Give these guys a break. ;)

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Originally Posted by Nukem2

At least SFU is not sub-300. Actually, the final NCAA (and Nolan ) RPI is 263. Give these guys a break. ;)

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Saw that someone said they lose their 3 top scorers. I agree, at least they are not a 300-sub RPI team. Nice game on a Monday night after exam week. I'm fine with it.

St. Francis (PA) past seasons
2014-15 16-16
2013-14 10-21
2012-13 5-24
2011-12 6-23

They do lose their top 3 scorers and leading rebounder, but they also had some young guys who got some minutes. Like others, I have no issues with this and is also a team from the northeast, which is important for exposure

Playing St Francis of PA. Perhaps MU will have a promotion where they will bless pets at halftime.

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Originally Posted by ge1974

Playing St Francis of PA. Perhaps MU will have a promotion where they will bless pets at halftime.

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Well, Wojo did say in this mornings You Tube video release that they wanted to do more for the fans.

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Originally Posted by ge1974

Playing St Francis of PA. Perhaps MU will have a promotion where they will bless pets at halftime.

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Gotta bring some of those Doggy Doo bags...:cool:

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Originally Posted by IrwinFletcher

They do lose their top 3 scorers and leading rebounder, but they also had some young guys who got some minutes. Like others, I have no issues with this and is also a team from the northeast, which is important for exposure

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how does this provide any exposure for MU in the northeast? I could be very wrong, but I highly doubt they are discussed much on the news or in the papers up there.

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Originally Posted by IrwinFletcher

They do lose their top 3 scorers and leading rebounder, but they also had some young guys who got some minutes. Like others, I have no issues with this and is also a team from the northeast, which is important for exposure

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They play in a conference where they play road games in Providence, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington.

They don't need some crap game on a Monday in December to give them exposure in the northeast.

St. Francis loses three senior starters, but will likely have three seniors starting this year as well. Coach Krimmel had increased his wins each season and was on pace to do that last year before a late losing streak after some injuries. I think they'll have a decent shot at being a 12-14 win team, which is good enough for me. We don't need great teams, just good enough.

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Originally Posted by Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"

St. Francis loses three senior starters, but will likely have three seniors starting this year as well. Coach Krimmel had increased his wins each season and was on pace to do that last year before a late losing streak after some injuries. I think they'll have a decent shot at being a 12-14 win team, which is good enough for me. We don't need great teams, just good enough.

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And I think regardless of who the last game is against, Marquette did a good job with this schedule. Good enough to get them in the dance with a solid BE season. (Assuming they perform well against it.)

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Originally Posted by TheSultan

And I think regardless of who the last game is against, Marquette did a good job with this schedule. Good enough to get them in the dance with a solid BE season. (Assuming they perform well against it.)

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I really like this schedule. Personally, I advocate for scheduling the middle. Play high-major teams that you expect to be bubble teams or slightly worse. Those teams don't really hurt you if you lose but look good on the resume and RPI if you win. I'd much rather play teams in the 50-100 range than the top-50. Safer, and have a similar RPI benefit as long as they can win 20 or so games. Then try to schedule buy games in the 150-250 range. Lower than that hurts you, higher gives the risk of a loss. The teams that can win 12-18 games on the season are all valuable.

I think the key to good buy games is focusing on teams that consistently win in conference. That's the bulk of their games on the season, so as long as they can do okay there, they'll be okay for your RPI. That's why I like Western Carolina and St. Francis. Neither may be great teams, but their coaches are veterans of the leagues they are in and have shown they can at least be competitive. That's all you really need. Avoid the teams that win single-digit games and you're doing pretty well.

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Originally Posted by Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"

I really like this schedule. Personally, I advocate for scheduling the middle. Play high-major teams that you expect to be bubble teams or slightly worse. Those teams don't really hurt you if you lose but look good on the resume and RPI if you win. I'd much rather play teams in the 50-100 range than the top-50. Safer, and have a similar RPI benefit as long as they can win 20 or so games. Then try to schedule buy games in the 150-250 range. Lower than that hurts you, higher gives the risk of a loss. The teams that can win 12-18 games on the season are all valuable.

I think the key to good buy games is focusing on teams that consistently win in conference. That's the bulk of their games on the season, so as long as they can do okay there, they'll be okay for your RPI. That's why I like Western Carolina and St. Francis. Neither may be great teams, but their coaches are veterans of the leagues they are in and have shown they can at least be competitive. That's all you really need. Avoid the teams that win single-digit games and you're doing pretty well.

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I love this schedule for where we currently are as a program. Solid enough to get to 10-2/9-3 with decent wins, but not so daunting that we should not win any less then 8 non-conference games. Not a schedule that screams protected seed, but a schedule that can certainly get an at-large with 19-20 overall wins.

Now, if we can get back to being a top 20 program, I would want a couple of stiffer challenges (Nova or X likely has zero or one losses against this schedule). However, we are not ready for a schedule with multiple top 25 teams out of conference, and wisely picked a schedule against programs at similar levels currently or worse.

Wednesday, Dec. 21
SIU-Edwardsville

Coach by Jon Harris

SIUE is probably the weakest team on paper. However, they return 4 of their top 6 in terms of minutes (lost starting PG to transfer) as well as their top two scorers. They have 5 incoming freshmen as well. I don't expect them to be a great team, but they should improve on last season, they play in a strong mid-major, and Harris scheduled tougher than his predecessor ever did in his first year. There are always going to be 2-3 bad teams on any schedule, and if this is the worst, I'll happily take it.

I think the non-conference schedule "buy games" are great! The bar was set at an all time low last season, this year it had to be better, but I was scared it wasn't going to happen. Fresno State, Western Carolina, St. Francis, Houston Baptist and SIU Edwardsville is how I would rank them that Marquette scheduled. Don't know to what control MU has in the 2K Classic in getting IUPUI and Howard.

Sure beat last season Grambling, Chicago State, Presbyterian, Maine, Stetson and San Jose State that finish sub-300 last season.

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Originally Posted by MU/Panther

Wednesday, Dec. 21
SIU-Edwardsville

Coach by Jon Harris

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No one can really object to hosting family in a buy game

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Originally Posted by MayorBeluga

No one can really object to hosting family in a buy game

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Agree. Very close location as well.

I remember when Jon was at MU his parents followed the team to damn near every game. In the parents' section, every time someone did something really great, Jon's dad would yell. "WHO'S BOY?" and that parent, often Bob Diener, would have to yell back, "MY BOY!" WHO'S BOY?" "MY BOY!"

#mubb schedule updates: Exhibition vs. Rockhurst moves to Sat. 11/5 and Fresno State game confirmed for Dec. 6 at @BMOHBC

Weird that the Rockhurst game got moved.

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Originally Posted by MU/Panther

Weird that the Rockhurst game got moved.

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That's awesome it got moved to a weekend. Now hopefully there is a big Fondy contingent that comes down for the game.