The top 50 non-conference games for the 2016-17 season

[HooperScooper]

UConn in 2 of them.

28. UConn vs. Syracuse, Dec. 5: Madison Square Garden is the ONLY viable option for these teams, since a home-and-home isn't scheduled. I fully plan on being in the building on this Monday night. UConn's combo of Jalen Adams and Rodney Purvis should be a lot of fun. Syracuse has got guy after guy in the frontcourt. Paschal Chukwu, a Providence transfer, can grow into a real piece, and Tyler Lydon's probably going to play for the Orange one more season, then head to the NBA.

45. UConn at Georgetown, Jan. 14: It's still weird to know these two aren't league foes anymore. I think UConn will be a top 25 team for almost the entire season. Georgetown, which needs a big year in a big way, gets a chance to make noise outside of its league schedule in the middle of January.

The top 50 non-conference college basketball games for the 2016-17 season

 

[champs99and04]

I can't believe Rhode Island is in two of these. I was told that Auburn was a much bigger sell.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I was told that Auburn was a much bigger sell.

The Maui matchups aren't known aside from the first round. If we win and face UNC and/or Oregon, those would easily be top non-conference matchups.

The non-Maui portion of our schedule is actually pretty lame, especially at home. The AD just has to do a better job of scheduling in future years. Auburn was a pretty obvious filler with the acknowledgement that we couldn't get anyone better.

Once again, the first game in Maui is a multiple-seed-line game, given the potential scalps that would await.

 

[BUConn10]

What the hell are you guys talking about? Are you saying elite OOC schedules don't include true road games at Loyola? I can't wait for the mid second half of that game when we are down by 5 and everyone is freaking out in the chat about why we scheduled them.

 

[Kitaman]

I think we may be more of a 2nd half season team. Larrier for DHam is the initial question that will quickly be answered.

The other components and how they fit/match and play will take a while to determine.

 

[RichZ]

All things considered, over the past 10 years, these are two of the five best programs on West Coast time (Arizona being the other).

Somebody needs to go to remedial arithmetic class.

 

[BUHusky]

What the hell are you guys talking about? Are you saying elite OOC schedules don't include true road games at Loyola? I can't wait for the mid second half of that game when we are down by 5 and everyone is freaking out in the chat about why we scheduled them.

We you equally as up in arms when UConn played at Pepperdine in 2005 before Maui? Relax. Teams do this all the time.

 

[Leebo]

What the hell are you guys talking about? Are you saying elite OOC schedules don't include true road games at Loyola? I can't wait for the mid second half of that game when we are down by 5 and everyone is freaking out in the chat about why we scheduled them.

UNC plays at a mid-major basically every year, and they've lost a few of those in recent memory... stupid point to re-litigate.

 

[BUConn10]

UNC plays at a mid-major basically every year, and they've lost a few of those in recent memory... stupid point to re-litigate.

If the topic of discussion is scheduling then it's far from stupid.

 

[Leebo]

If the topic of discussion is scheduling then it's far from stupid.

Feel free to talk about scheduling, but a stupid point will remain stupid even if it's not OT.

 

[champs99and04]

The Maui matchups aren't known aside from the first round. If we win and face UNC and/or Oregon, those would easily be top non-conference matchups.

The non-Maui portion of our schedule is actually pretty lame, especially at home. The AD just has to do a better job of scheduling in future years. Auburn was a pretty obvious filler with the acknowledgement that we couldn't get anyone better.

Once again, the first game in Maui is a multiple-seed-line game, given the potential scalps that would await.

Well, to the extent that we couldn't get anybody better is subjective. I'd be willing to bet there were more than a few high quality mid-majors out there willing to schedule us, Rhode Island included.

As for the rest of your post, I agree to some extent, but aside from Maui, there is still Syracuse, Ohio State, and Georgetown. Probably two top 25 teams in that mix. You can't say they haven't been provided a lot of opportunities.

 

[superjohn]

I can't believe Rhode Island is in two of these. I was told that Auburn was a much bigger sell.

Rhode Island has a good team once every 15 years. Auburn got Heron and a couple four stars as freshman and they have the #1 class in 2017. Why do you have a problem with the Auburn series?

 

[champs99and04]

Rhode Island has a good team once every 15 years. Auburn got Heron and a couple four stars as freshman and they have the #1 class in 2017. Why do you have a problem with the Auburn series?

I have a problem with it because they sucked last year, figure to suck again this year (when we host them), and might be OK the year after that if everything breaks right.

Rhode Island should be a top 50 team the next two years, with the potential to be even better.

Maybe Pearl turns the Auburn program around 180 and we extend the series and things work out great, but I have a hard time believing a team like UConn needs to take fliers when it comes to scheduling OOC.

 

[superjohn]

I have a problem with it because they sucked last year, figure to suck again this year (when we host them), and might be OK the year after that if everything breaks right.

Rhode Island should be a top 50 team the next two years, with the potential to be even better.

Maybe Pearl turns the Auburn program around 180 and we extend the series and things work out great, but I have a hard time believing a team like UConn needs to take fliers when it comes to scheduling OOC.

Then why take a flier on Rhode Island, just because they are close by?

 

[Stainmaster]

I have a problem with it because they sucked last year, figure to suck again this year (when we host them), and might be OK the year after that if everything breaks right.

Rhode Island should be a top 50 team the next two years, with the potential to be even better.

Maybe Pearl turns the Auburn program around 180 and we extend the series and things work out great, but I have a hard time believing a team like UConn needs to take fliers when it comes to scheduling OOC.

Valid points, but Pearl is arguably recruiting better than anyone in the country currently. For the HS classes of 2015-17 combined, he has nine 4 or 5 star kids coming in. Granted that doesn't always translate to on-court success, but as far as P5 programs with positive momentum go, Benedict could've done a lot worse on short notice.

 

[Stainmaster]

Then why take a flier on Rhode Island, just because they are close by?

URI will be a solid OOC matchup as long as Dan Hurley is at the helm, which may not be the case as early as next April.

 

[James]

Uconn cuse, possibly two top 10/15 teams facing off as old rivals in the garden , is 28 but sdsu vs zags is #4?

 

[champs99and04]

Then why take a flier on Rhode Island, just because they are close by?

Well it's not really a flier if they are ranked on most preseason lists, that's the point.

Valid points, but Pearl is arguably recruiting better than anyone in the country currently. For the HS classes of 2015-17 combined, he has nine 4 or 5 star kids coming in. Granted that doesn't always translate to on-court success, but as far as P5 programs with positive momentum go, Benedict could've done a lot worse on short notice.

That's fair - hopefully, there is a 'player option' type agreement in place where UConn has first dibs on an extended series if Auburn becomes a perennial power. It still has me feeling lukewarm at best, but maybe Benedict is more restricted from a scheduling standpoint than I think.

 

[Stainmaster]

Well it's not really a flier if they are ranked on most preseason lists, that's the point.



That's fair - hopefully, there is a 'player option' type agreement in place where UConn has first dibs on an extended series if Auburn becomes a perennial power. It still has me feeling lukewarm at best, but maybe Benedict is more restricted from a scheduling standpoint than I think.

From what my people close to the situation tell me, the Assoc. AD who oversaw scheduling for Warde's administration was internally reassigned immediately after Benedict's hiring. That has to play at least some role in making this first go-round tougher for Benedict than it should be in the future.

 

[superjohn]

URI will be a solid OOC matchup as long as Dan Hurley is at the helm, which may not be the case as early as next April.

If he has a really good year this year, he is gone. Bruce Pearl is building Auburn up through monster recruiting and should be there for a long time. After this season Kuran Iverson and Hassan Martin are gone and EC Matthews might be gone. URI will be good this season but my guess is they go back to being URI the following year.

 

[Stainmaster]

If he has a really good year this year, he is gone. Bruce Pearl is building Auburn up through monster recruiting and should be there for a while. After this season Kuran Iverson and Hassan Martin are gone and EC Matthews might be gone. URI will be good this season but my guess is they go back to being URI the following year.

Agreed, those three as well as Jarvis Garrett and Jared Terrell are definitely high-quality players, but there's a huge drop-off in talent between them and the rest of the roster.

 

[80shusky]

Our OOC schedule is fine if we win our games. If we don't, it didn't matter anyway.

 

[Chief00]

From what my people close to the situation tell me, the Assoc. AD who oversaw scheduling for Warde's administration was internally reassigned immediately after Benedict's hiring. That has to play at least some role in making this first go-round tougher for Benedict than it should be in the future.

Quite frankly, he needs to start signing and announcing some home/away OOC games for both football and basketball.

 

[Robertelamin]

Uconn cuse, possibly two top 10/15 teams facing off as old rivals in the garden , is 28 but sdsu vs zags is #4?

Its chronological. The rankings didn't make sense to me either until I went back and actually read what Norlander wrote. There really is no point to the numbers next to the games.