Watching Baylor vs Texas

[Sonny44]

I am pointing out the fact that the "Baylor has a weak non-conference schedule" theme has proven to be a non-factor, yet some want to continue to hold onto that argument. Mulkey got her team ready her way, and it has worked. Give the woman the credit she is due.

Why then do they have a crème puff schedule and why have they been ducking us and other top schools for years?

 

[HuskyNan]

And she lost to Notre Dame because they had more talent. That is usually who wins games, the team with the most talent.
When was the last time that Notre Dame won a championship? I guess McGraw doesn't know how to get her team ready, either.

In 2001. Notre Dame is currently on a streak of 5 consecutive Final Fours and has played for the championship 4 of the last 5 years.

That "most talent" statement is laughable, and I think you know it. It takes more than just talent to win games - ask Tennessee and Duke.

 

[Plebe]

Why then do they have a crème puff schedule and why have they been ducking us and other top schools for years?

Cream puff? Baylor has played 15 games vs. the RPI top 50, more than any other team. To be sure, 10 of those games were the home-and-away series vs. the other 5 Big 12 teams in the top 50. But Baylor also had 5 nonconference games vs. top-50 teams.

Is it fair to criticize Mulkey for not scheduling any "marquee" nonconference matchups against other top-10 teams? Sure. But that's different than cream-puff status. Texas, Maryland and Oregon State each played much weaker NC schedules as a whole.

 

[UcMiami]

Plebe - quite correct. The previous two years were pretty dreadful, but Baylor upped their OOC this year to include DePaul and USF, MSU and Miami all teams that are ranked this year around 20. As you say not top 10 but top 25. There was actually a thread on the Baylor site complaining about uncompetitive home games and flagging attendance and there were some pretty dreadful 'other' teams on the schedule - 10 teams above 150 including 5 teams above 200 (two of those were in conference} and all of those were at home except for the conference away game. But for a team like Baylor it really doesn't matter if the team is ranked 75 or 250, they are not going to pose any serious problem.

NB: The Baylor site has a thread that is maintained all year that records all the Baylor games to date and the next few upcoming games with the opponent ranking (constantly updated) and the Sagarin ratings for all the conference teams and their SOS. It is a really neat thread, and gives a nice reference point for comparisons.

 

[uconnell]

Why then do they have a crème puff schedule and why have they been ducking us and other top schools for years?

Stevie, the same reason Duke, Ville and other top schools did not have UConn on their schedule, but get in .ineto play us next year. Give credit to the schools that Did play us this year, SC,MD, I'm sure I have forgotten some.

 

[Sonny44]

Cream puff? Baylor has played 15 games vs. the RPI top 50, more than any other team. To be sure, 10 of those games were the home-and-away series vs. the other 5 Big 12 teams in the top 50. But Baylor also had 5 nonconference games vs. top-50 teams.

Is it fair to criticize Mulkey for not scheduling any "marquee" nonconference matchups against other top-10 teams? Sure. But that's different than cream-puff status. Texas, Maryland and Oregon State each played much weaker NC schedules as a whole.

Top 50, WOW!

 

[Plebe]

Top 50, WOW!

Nonconferene SOS rankings:

• Baylor 27
• South Carolina 60
• Texas 98
• Oregon Sate 85
• Maryland 106
• Louisville 45