UConn announces 14-15 non-conference schedule

[freescooter]

See I really don't understand this sentiment (and you're far from the only one who has expressed this). There are 3 teams on the OOC schedule that could easily be ranked in the top 10 by the time we play them. Plus a tough road game against a Stanford team that was in the elite 8 last year. Plus 2 other decent neutral court games in PR.

I look at this schedule and think it's tougher than any of the OOC slates we've had in recent years. Even more so when you consider that 5 of the 6 most difficult games are away from home.

I think there are two issues with this schedule. #1 is that it is lacking in sort of quality mid-level teams. No Marylands, Indianas, Washingtons, Harvards. On the other hand its a little top heavy with top 10 teams on the road/neutral. Its not a problem if you win, but if you lose a couple it could be with a weak league schedule. Which leads to the second problem. I get why it happened, we got the front end of home-homes last year, but of the 4 premier non-conference games, 1 is a home game. Outside of Texas, the home part of this schedule is really horrible. I thought last year's non-conference schedule was particularly good and pretty well balanced between home-away-neutral, top-middle-weak. This year not so much.

 

[aceboon]

I think there are two issues with this schedule. #1 is that it is lacking in sort of quality mid-level teams. No Marylands, Indianas, Washingtons, Harvards. On the other hand its a little top heavy with top 10 teams on the road/neutral. Its not a problem if you win, but if you lose a couple it could be with a weak league schedule. Which leads to the second problem. I get why it happened, we got the front end of home-homes last year, but of the 4 premier non-conference games, 1 is a home game. Outside of Texas, the home part of this schedule is really horrible. I thought last year's non-conference schedule was particularly good and pretty well balanced between home-away-neutral, top-middle-weak. This year not so much.

The PR tourney is esentially the Marylands, Indiana, Washington, Harvards, except Harvard none of those teams made the tourney but they didn't kill the RPI. The schedule will get that with the PR tourney, none of those teams are tourney locks but they will face good comp down there that will keep the schedule balanced.

 

[champs99and04]

To echo the thoughts of ace, upstater, etc., I don't really see how anybody can complain about the schedule this year. Yeah, it sucks that the home schedule is so underwhelming, but that's hardly the fault of Warde. The fact of the matter is top coaches like K, Cal, Boeheim, etc. are very reluctant to schedule home and homes, and as a result marquee OOC home games are at a premium for everybody, not just UConn. Hell, look at that Duke schedule Bear posted - their OOC home games this year are Presbyterian, Fairfield, Furman, Army, Elon, Toledo, and Wofford. I'm sure Warde's preference would have been a home and home with Duke, but it doesn't always work that way.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

I think there are two issues with this schedule. #1 is that it is lacking in sort of quality mid-level teams. No Marylands, Indianas, Washingtons, Harvards. On the other hand its a little top heavy with top 10 teams on the road/neutral. Its not a problem if you win, but if you lose a couple it could be with a weak league schedule. Which leads to the second problem. I get why it happened, we got the front end of home-homes last year, but of the 4 premier non-conference games, 1 is a home game. Outside of Texas, the home part of this schedule is really horrible. I thought last year's non-conference schedule was particularly good and pretty well balanced between home-away-neutral, top-middle-weak. This year not so much.

Obviously the home schedule is lousy. No arguments there.

But from a difficulty/SOS standpoint, this year's schedule is pretty clearly tougher than last year's. If we assume the 6 cupcakes are a wash and just compare the top 6 games, there's no doubt which is tougher. Florida and Stanford are on the road this year vs. at home last year. And then Duke/Texas/Dayton/3rd Puerto Rico game is clearly tougher than Harvard/Indiana/Maryland/Washington.

Last year's OOC schedule looked great on paper before the season started but ended up being a dud because Indiana, Maryland, and Washington all ended up having down years. None of those wins were featured on our resume on Selection Sunday.

 

[freescooter]

Obviously the home schedule is lousy. No arguments there.

But from a difficulty/SOS standpoint, this year's schedule is pretty clearly tougher than last year's. If we assume the 6 cupcakes are a wash and just compare the top 6 games, there's no doubt which is tougher. Florida and Stanford are on the road this year vs. at home last year. And then Duke/Texas/Dayton/3rd Puerto Rico game is clearly tougher than Harvard/Indiana/Maryland/Washington.

Last year's OOC schedule looked great on paper before the season started but ended up being a dud because Indiana, Maryland, and Washington all ended up having down years. None of those wins were featured on our resume on Selection Sunday.

I agree, this year's SOS looks tough and likely will be unless Duke or somebody has a horrible season. That's part of my point. It might be a little top-heavy, and really the only home game of any interest is Texas. I know scheduling is sort of a balancing act, but this year its a little out of balance. I hope htis doesn't become an every other year thing.

 

[AstarIsBorn31]

Uconn Duke at the IZOD center is extra lame. We couldn't find a better venue for this matchup. Uconn Texas always seems to be an entertaining match up. Traveling to Stanford might give us a challenging game. Florida also is more of a toss up being away. I think instead of PR/maui/2k tourney they should create a Ol Big East Tourney where we can see some of those matchups again in the Gardennnn.