Week 8 - Dec 23 to 29

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I see it as a long-term scheduling trend of a "race to the bottom". I'm convinced it's gotten worse every year for a number of years now. Most power conference programs are totally unmotivated to schedule tough nonconference games because they count on getting plenty of chances at quality wins in conference play.

The result is about 95% of the nonconference schedule is painfully boring.

I wish the WBB basketball committee would apply a scheduling bonus as they do in volleyball, where a team gets rewarded in the "adjusted RPI" if they play 50% of their nonconference schedule against teams in the top 75. This has been extremely effective in getting the top teams to schedule each other.

Just to be clear, the vast majority of the matchups with non-D1 teams, be they NAIA, DII or DIII involve non P4 schools. Some of the P4 schedules are suitably dreadful (a few playing no other P4 teams, or only playing them in tournaments, or playing an over-abundance of true "Little Sisters of the Poor" level teams) but the playing of the non-P4 schools was not much noticed in the P4 schedules.

I don't know the solution, and I'm not 100% sure it has truly gotten worse, but it is pretty awful. Exactly as you say, and especially with the larger conferences, your conference schedule for most schools appears challenging enough to ensure their opportunity for dancing.

 

[cancontent]

Michigan made it interesting for 3 quarters but USC had a 19-2 run to blow the game wide open in the 4th. Not having Swords hurt, but Hobbs, Holloway and Kampschroder did what they could. Olsen struggled in the first half but got going in the second half.

Enjoyed watching Marshall from USC yesterday. Talk about having a motor. Iriafen's foul trouble gave her more playing time yesterday and she took advantage of it.

 

[BRS24]

Another week done!