Choosing Non Conference Opponents

[LwrcasefaN]

LSU has proven that playing the local HS Varsity doesn't really hurt a team when it comes to ranking. Even in their loss...it didn't hurt them because...um..SC. So what would be YOUR (not Geno or Dawn) priorities or considerations in scheduling non-conference opponents?

I would definitely schedule these guys if their schedule wasn't booked for the next decade.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I will be very curious to see if teams try and mimic LSU. Even a temporary rise in coverage could get a team some notoriety. Seriously though...I wouldn't go all LSU, but maybe I wouldn't do the TN thing either.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

It depends on the coach and the roster. LSU has a great coach and she knows how to get her team ready for big games. UConn is an exception because of their conference but all the other major top 15 teams should schedule at least two major games plus participate in a really good Thanksgiving tournament. That should be good enough for LSU. It would be nice if LSU would have a multiple year schedule with a top 15 school. Maryland plays South Carolina and UConn. Stanford played South Carolina. Iowa and Iowa State always plays annual. Maybe LSU can play one of the North Carolina schools annually.

 

[visitingcock]

It depends on the coach and the roster. LSU has a great coach and she knows how to get her team ready for big games. UConn is an exception because of their conference but all the other major top 15 teams should schedule at least two major games plus participate in a really good Thanksgiving tournament. That should be good enough for LSU. It would be nice if LSU would have a multiple year schedule with a top 15 school. Maryland plays South Carolina and UConn. Stanford played South Carolina. Iowa and Iowa State always plays annual. Maybe LSU can play one of the North Carolina schools annually.

You can also have an annual with solid mid-majors. We play one of the South Dakota teams on the road every year. It's usually our first road game of the year. So, road experience against usually a fundamentally sound team. Our kids also seem to like experiencing the geograpical/Societal and other unusual experience of playing in South Dakota. The people are very welcoming to our team,.

 

[JellyBean]

A lot depends on the programs, the roster of the teams and what teams are available that matches open dates. You try to blend a schedule that is balanced, hopefully. Sometimes you luck up and get those balanced schedules and sometimes you don't. But the goal is, build a competitive non-conference schedule that helps your program develop chemistry, confidence, and competitiveness.

 

[cancontent]

It depends on the coach and the roster. LSU has a great coach and she knows how to get her team ready for big games. UConn is an exception because of their conference but all the other major top 15 teams should schedule at least two major games plus participate in a really good Thanksgiving tournament. That should be good enough for LSU. It would be nice if LSU would have a multiple year schedule with a top 15 school. Maryland plays South Carolina and UConn. Stanford played South Carolina. Iowa and Iowa State always plays annual. Maybe LSU can play one of the North Carolina schools annually.

Maybe if they were still in the AAC. While they're still the top team, the Big East has been better for them in comparison.

 

[SECbbfan24]

LSU lost 4 of their 5 starters and their entire bench (minus 1 player). LSU has 10 scholarship players on the roster and 8 of those players are new (transfers or freshmen). I get the schedule was made way before the transfers came in but the schedule is still bad even with that (we all know that). The schedule seemed more about giving the team lots of games to develop chemistry, confidence and give many new kids playing time. What the schedule didn't do is give the team the opportunity to be challenged to grow quicker in areas and to be put in adversity early on. It also didn't give anyone a gage (own coaches included) of what they truly did and didn't do well. It was a conscious decision from LSU's staff... they knew good and well what the schedule was going to accomplish and not accomplish.

This schedule is historically bad even by Kim standards. I doubt her schedule will ever be full blown OOC schedule that is top to bottom challenge. But hopefully moving forward there is some type of a balance relative to the talent and experience of her own squad moving forward as she gets more of her own players (recruiting). I believe LSU is supposed to be in the Naismith Hall of Fame Classic (per a LSU luncheon) and they will surely get at least another quality opponent from the ACC/SEC challenge. You don't even need a bunch of top 10 matchups, if you schedule a couple ranked opponents mixed in with some solid mid majors/P5 programs, I could call that acceptable.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Maybe if they were still in the AAC. While they're still the top team, the Big East has been better for them in comparison.

The Big East is a better conference than the AAC, but I think the jury is still out how much Geno needs to schedule "top tier" out of conference to properly prepare the team for the post season.

Villanova, Marquette, DePaul and Creighton are all programs with a history of some success and are currently the cream of the crop. But they are not typically going to be that highly ranked - Villanova is having an exceptional year (with a huge star), DePaul an off year, etc. I have more faith in them being solid programs than typically deep-run NCAA teams.

Then you have teams like St. John's and Seton Hall, which are good, but their recent success has seemed to me overstated.

The rest are AAC material.

It is justly considered the strongest non-Power 5 conference, but truthfully, except for UConn, lacks any team that can be considered a sure bet year in and year out.

 

[triaddukefan]

As for Duke, I would like to see a schedule with at least 2 top Big School Programs... like one from the SEC, and one from the Big 10. A few strong mid-majors, and a few in-state foes. I also would like to see us schedule teams that we owe an arse kicking from previous NCAA tournament losses in the past 14 years or so. Looking at you Depaul, Michigan State, Baylor, Stanford... Imma let UConn slide, Oregon.

Something like... South Carolina ( I love Chicken), Michigan, High Point, FAMU, MTSU, Washington, Central Connecticut and so on.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

I think where LSU ends up when it comes time to place the teams for the tournament could have major consequences as to how coaches choose to schedule. If they remain a top 2 seed then you might see a trend.

The damage might already be done. Compare Tennessee to LSU season and the only difference you really see is that Tennessee actually had a really challenging OOC SOS. The praise and fanfare Mulkey and her program is getting is from this season's results is quite different from Harper. Who is potentially looking at the hot seat, even though Tennessee likely would have been undefeated as well with the same out of conference scheduling.

With job security and easier paths to perceived success on the line, don't be surprised If other power 5 coaches do the same.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

As for Duke, I would like to see a schedule with at least 2 top Big School Programs... like one from the SEC, and one from the Big 10. A few strong mid-majors, and a few in-state foes. I also would like to see us schedule teams that we owe an arse kicking from previous NCAA tournament losses in the past 14 years or so. Looking at you Depaul, Michigan State, Baylor, Stanford... Imma let UConn slide, Oregon.

Something like... South Carolina ( I love Chicken), Michigan, High Point, FAMU, MTSU, Washington, Central Connecticut and so on.

LMAO!

 

[Kaizen]

Just for fun, worst WNBA moments ...........