Non-Conference Schedules

[UConnCat]

As the season approaches, here's a thread to talk about non-conference schedules and interesting games to look forward to.

UConn's non-conference schedule is pretty challenging though not as much as next season's will be. What makes this year's schedule challenging is that the toughest games are on the road:

@Notre Dame
@Baylor
@Louisville
@Cal
@Oklahoma

The VI tournament is so-so although I do think Purdue with 2 preseason all Big Ten players will be a pretty good team.

Some thoughts on other teams's schedules. Links to those schedules posted at the ESPN site are provided.

Notre Dame's schedule is okay but without any really tough road challenges this year. The toughest ACC games are at home and the toughest non-conference road game will likely be Tennessee. ND will likely play either Oregon State or South Carolina in the final of the Vancouver tournament. Other non-conference opponents include UConn, Penn, Harvard, Lehigh, Binghamton, Toledo (A), Western Kentucky, Gonzaga, Drake/Rutgers, Iowa, Marquette (A) and Depaul (A).

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women's Basketball 2018-19 Schedule - Fighting Irish Home and Away - ESPN

South Carolina plays Maryland and Baylor at home and UConn on the road in February. SC will likely play OSU and maybe ND in Vancouver.

Oregon plays Michigan State on the road and Miss State at home.

Oregon State will play SC and maybe ND in the Vancouver tournament and Duke at home. Texas A&M in Hawaii.

Oregon State Beavers Women's Basketball 2018-19 Schedule - Beavers Home and Away - ESPN

Stanford hosts Baylor and plays at Tennessee.

Stanford Cardinal Women's Basketball 2018-19 Schedule - Cardinal Home and Away - ESPN

Miss State plays Texas and Oregon on the road.

Mississippi State Bulldogs Women's Basketball 2018-19 Schedule - Bulldogs Home and Away - ESPN

Tenn plays Stanford and Notre Dame at home and Texas on the road.

Baylor hosts UConn and travels to South Carolina and Stanford.

Baylor Lady Bears Women's Basketball 2018-19 Schedule - Lady Bears Home and Away - ESPN

Louisville hosts UConn.

Louisville Cardinals Women's Basketball 2018-19 Schedule - Cardinals Home and Away - ESPN

 

[diggerfoot]

As the season approaches, here's a thread to talk about non-conference schedules and interesting games to look forward to.

the toughest non-conference game will maybe be Tennessee.

I would like to think Notre Dame's toughest non-conference game will be UConn. Can you imagine the meltdown on the BY if Tennessee gives Notre Dame a tougher game than us?

 

[UConnCat]

I would like to think Notre Dame's toughest non-conference game will be UConn. Can you imagine the meltdown on the BY if Tennessee gives Notre Dame a tougher game than us?

I meant ROAD game. I will fix my post.

 

[Orangutan]

Out of my own interest, I compared last year's ND non-conference schedule to this year's. I had the feeling this year's schedule was a little weaker.

I've put analogous games on the same lines:

Much of these are the back and of home-and-homes. One big difference is that Oregon State is no longer on the schedule.

As noted by Cat, ND will likely play either South Carolina or Oregon State not both like last year. So the schedule is a little weaker in that respect. Michigan State is also off the schedule. They were not a threat to actually beat ND but probably are a better test than the Binghamtons of the world.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

South Carolina:

Maryland (h)

Oregon St? (n)
Notre Dame? (n)

Baylor (h)

@ Duke
@ Purdue
@ UConn

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oregon State will play either ND or SC in the Vancouver tournament and Duke at home.

Oregon State Beavers Women's Basketball 2018-19 Schedule - Beavers Home and Away - ESPN

I think OSU could potentially play ND and South Carolina in Vancouver. Also they have a game against Texas A&M in Hawaii. Looks like a bit of a step up in their OOC to me.

 

[UConnCat]

I think OSU could potentially play ND and South Carolina in Vancouver. Also they have a game against Texas A&M in Hawaii. Looks like a bit of a step up in their OOC to me.

You're right. OSU could play both SC and ND. It's ND that will play either OSU or SC.

I did notice the A&M game but I don't expect much from the Aggies this year.

 

[wallman]

Have to say I am surprised by some of the easier schedules this year, one would think that some of these teams would have looked to have better OOC schedules.

 

[nwhoopfan]

You're right. OSU could play both SC and ND. It's ND that will play either OSU or SC.

I did notice the A&M game but I don't expect much from the Aggies this year.

Yeah I'm sure A&M won't be as good this year, but they'll still get plenty of hype because of Carter. Hopefully they'll do okay in the SEC so it ends up being a quality opponent for OSU.

 

[Bama fan]

I meant ROAD game. I will fix my post.

It will not do any good . People will respond to it how they choose, and will not be encumbered by any limits that the thread title imposes!

 

[Bama fan]

Have to say I am surprised by some of the easier schedules this year, one would think that some of these teams would have looked to have better OOC schedules.

I believe many coaches look for games they will win, and not for challenges. Geno has always had a different approach.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Purdue should be a top-20 team. They will be no pushover in the islands.

 

[Dillon77]

I'm in agreement that ND's schedule does not seem as challenging as last year, particularly given that stretch that ND had on the road in late fall.

However, don't discount playing DePaul and Marquette at their home arenas...both teams played ND very tough last year in South Bend. On the other hand, Brianna Turner is back, which those teams will have to get used to

 

[Dillon77]

Yeah I'm sure A&M won't be as good this year, but they'll still get plenty of hype because of Carter. Hopefully they'll do okay in the SEC so it ends up being a quality opponent for OSU.

Generally agree. However, will note that a former McDonald's All-American center, Ciera Johnson, is now eligible for the Aggies. Will be interesting to see how she fits in with Carter under Coach Blair.

 

[Shmermerer]

Purdue should be a top-20 team. They will be no pushover in the islands.

Really? They were bad last year and mediocre the year before. What do you think will be the big change? Talent has dipped and they’ve had a few transfers.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Really? They were bad last year and mediocre the year before. What do you think will be the big change? Talent has dipped and they’ve had a few transfers.

They were 20-14 and rated 59th by Sagarin despite a super-young roster and a top-50 schedule. Four of their six best players return and none are seniors.

 

[UConnCat]

They were 20-14 and rated 59th by Sagarin despite a super-young roster and a top-50 schedule. Four of their six best players return and none are seniors.

Purdue is the only Big Ten team with 2 preseason all conference players.

 

[Shmermerer]

They were 20-14 and rated 59th by Sagarin despite a super-young roster and a top-50 schedule. Four of their six best players return and none are seniors.

They just don’t meet the eye test for me. Poor offense. Poor out of conference losses last year and no good wins, except one I believe against Maryland. The Big 10 was really weak last year and they were barely above 500. I could be wrong though. I’m also a little biased since everyone in my family went to IU

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Purdue is the only Big Ten team with 2 preseason all conference players.

I'm sure that's Oden and Harris, the latter looked like the type of player UConn loves when I saw her last year. They also have two really talented sophomores.

 

[j66kicker]

Just got my $5.00 GA tickets for Baylor at ASU in the Nov. 11 "Showdown on the Rez" game. The game will be at the 6400-seat Bee Holdzil Fighting Scouts Event Center at Fort Defiance, AZ, on a Navajo Reservation. All tix are $5.00, no reserved seats.

After I bought the tix I looked on the map and discovered I was mistaken about where Fort Defiance is (thought it was just North of Phoenix). Turns out it's 269 miles from ASU's normal venue in Tempe - much closer to Albuquerque than it is to Phoenix #$%@&##! 5-hour drive from where I live, so I'd have to leave right after the final buzzer of the UConn-Ohio State game to make the 5:30 (MST) start time. Maybe I'll do it anyway, stay overnight and see the Petrified Forest the next day, sigh....

 

[nwhoopfan]

$5 tickets, what a deal! Of course you're gonna spend a lot more than that on gas. It'll be an adventure.

 

[UConnCat]

Out of my own interest, I compared last year's ND non-conference schedule to this year's. I had the feeling this year's schedule was a little weaker.

I've put analogous games on the same lines:

View attachment 35523

Much of these are the back and of home-and-homes. One big difference is that Oregon State is no longer on the schedule.

As noted by Cat, ND will likely play either South Carolina or Oregon State not both like last year. So the schedule is a little weaker in that respect. Michigan State is also off the schedule. They were not a threat to actually beat ND but probably are a better test than the Binghamtons of the world.

It's certainly not a bad schedule, just a surprising schedule. You have the most experienced and talented team in the country and you add Harvard, Toledo, Binghamton and Lehigh to the schedule. Maybe no other teams would say yes.

 

[Dillon77]

It's certainly not a bad schedule, just a surprising schedule. You have the most experienced and talented team in the country and you add Harvard, Toledo, Binghamton and Lehigh to the schedule. Maybe no other teams would say yes.

Just pondering two of those four teams and some other match-ups:
- Coach McGraw has a good relationship with Coach Tricia Cullop of Toledo, which is an easy bus ride on I-80 and will draw Irish fans from Toledo, Detroit, et al. Also, may be a chance to families of friends of walk-ons Maureen Butler (Livonia, Michigan) and Kaitlin Cole (Toledo) to come to the game. Unfortunately, Cole injured her knee since the game was scheduled.
- Althought she's been at ND for a long time, her previous gig was coaching Lehigh. They played each other recently. Maybe the arrangement was for two games? If so, I wish it had been in eastern Pa., which would've taken me an hour to drive to.
- As Orangutan's chart pointed out, Western Kentucky and Penn are the "home" of "away and homes" from 17-18. That Western Kentucky game was a good early-season test for the Irish, who then flew out to Oregon State for an even tougher one.

 

[UConnCat]

Just pondering two of those four teams and some other match-ups:
- Coach McGraw has a good relationship with Coach Tricia Cullop of Toledo, which is an easy bus ride on I-80 and will draw Irish fans from Toledo, Detroit, et al. Also, may be a chance to families of friends of walk-ons Maureen Butler (Livonia, Michigan) and Kaitlin Cole (Toledo) to come to the game. Unfortunately, Cole injured her knee since the game was scheduled.
- Althought she's been at ND for a long time, her previous gig was coaching Lehigh. They played each other recently. Maybe the arrangement was for two games? If so, I wish it had been in eastern Pa., which would've taken me an hour to drive to.
- As Orangutan's chart pointed out, Western Kentucky and Penn are the "home" of "away and homes" from 17-18. That Western Kentucky game was a good early-season test for the Irish, who then flew out to Oregon State for an even tougher one.

Or maybe Muffet wants an undefeated season.