This years schedule

[RobFromCedarFalls]

What does everyone think of the schedule?

my opinion:

Pros:
@ Cincy, Iowa State, @Iowa, UW-Green Bay, Valpariso : Cincy is huge, obviously the in-states are good, and it's nice to have some decent non-confrence mid-majors.

So-so:
@Loyola-Chicago, @UMKC, Northwestern State : Could be worse.

Cons:
Wagner, Longwood : Who are these schools?

Confrence schedule should be good for us.

[RobFromCedarFalls]

also, has anyone looked at other MVC non-conference schedules? Even SIU has a week non-conference schedule.

[The Coletrain]

SIU's non-conference schedule may be a little weak, but Illinois State isn't messing around. They look like the team everyone thought they might be last year. I've said it in several different threads, but this conference will be a lot closer from top-to-bottom this year than it has in a long time. Anyone can beat anyone any night in this year's version of the MVC. Should be a great race.

[RobFromCedarFalls]

wow, illlinois state has some major contacts or something.

penn state, marquette, and mississippi in the first 3 regular season games.

how on earth did they get st john's at home?

what are the odds on them winning any of those 4 games?

ISU was pretty impressive last year, but for them to knock off either of the 3 major confrence teams seems unlikely to me. i'm not familiar with marquette's team for this year, but i'm guessing they're good as usual.

[B.True]

the 'bird topped Penn State and Mississippi....and should be 4-2 when the St. John's Artests come to Bloomington/Normal.....

http://www.redbirds.org/MB/Schedule.shtml

[RobFromCedarFalls]

that's crazy. i guess i haven't been paying attention since our first reg season game is sunday.

[Panthers to the Bone]

The only way for "mid majors" like ourselves to get games with the "majors" are to play in exempt tourneys (like UNI is doing with Cincy).

Illinois State played Penn St., Marquette, and Ole Miss in an exempt tourney at Marquette. The St. John's game is a game where they have some "connections" and it might even be a 2 for 1 (where they play two games at St. John's for one game in Bloomington/Normal). Creighton also plays Missouri and either Ohio State/Xavier I believe in the Guardian's Classic next week.

UNI plays Longwood and Northwesten State as part of the Las Vegas Tourney. Those two games come with the territory of playing Cincy and Valpo...so I guess if you don't like Cincy and Valpo on the schedule, you could also take off Longwood and NW St. (Longwood has been a strong D2 school in the past and just became D1 this year..NW St. plays in the Southland and is a perrenial footbal school in 1-AA).

It's my personal belief that we don't want to load the schedule with a bunch of majors for two reasons...1.) we won't get home games and 2.) we don't want to push our basketball team to the point where they can't handle the heat (plus let's say we lose a couple to some "majors"...we don't want them to hang their head). We aren't in the position quite yet to be at that Gonzaga level where we are bringing in top 100 recruits to campus. Are we bringing in great classes? Absolutely, but we aren't in position to throw ourselves to the dogs and take on the world, ya know?

Those 3 "major" games equal out the Longwood, Wayne St., and Wagner games. 3 very tough challenges with 3 no so tough challenges. Then there are the Valpo's, UW-Green Bay, Loyola, and UMKC games which are of regional interest and are also quality games against quality mid majors. We shouldn't be disappointed with the schedule...this is probably the best schedule UNI has had in a while. Last year's home schedule was great, but this gives UNI a more balanced week in/week out challenge. If you are a season ticket holder and own cable tv, you should be smiling from ear to ear with this home schedule and tv package UNI has put together.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Also remember that no major team wants to schedule "mid majors" to home and homes (play one at the major's place, play one at the mid majors place). Iowa and Iowa State do this, but most majors don't. SIU and Creighton have scheduling problems b/c no one wants to play them in Carbondale or Omaha (or at a neutral site for that matter). These teams are stuck with playing mediocre teams in the non-conference slate b/c they can't get quality teams to play them at face value. This problem could also happen to UNI with more success, but thankfully we will always (hopefully) play UI/ISU every year.

You look at the Loyola and UMKC games...they are both teams that are solid opponents in metropolitan areas. It's a great way for the UNI name to be spread in our area of the country to large masses. It's also a chance for UNI to get a foot in the door recruiting wise in Chicago and KC (see Pete Schmit, John Little, and Mason Stewart---all from the Chicago area). It also gives our alumni in those metro areas to stay connected to UNI (see the Alumni Association get togethers prior to the basketball games at these two locations). Should be a great season!

[Marc Wigim]

I could have SWORN Longwood was here... December 23rd?

[Panthers to the Bone]

Longwood and Cincy are played at college sites, while the final two games of the Las Vegas Tourney are played out in Vegas. That is why we play AT cincy, and HOME against Longwood...with Valpo and NW State in Vegas.

[The Coletrain]

I think this is a solid schedule a year after our "breakthrough" onto the national scene. We get the traditional games against the big brothers (Iowa/ISU), while adding Cincy to it. And then the Vegas tourney gives us some good mid-major games against the likes of a Valpo who has already proven themselves in March. Toss in some of those mid-major regional games against UW-GB, UMKC, Loyola-Chi, and then the Bracket Buster and you've got a pretty well-rounded schedule. It gives us a chance to hit the magical 20-win mark, while still playing a tough enough schedule to merit the chance of playing beyond the MVC Tourney.

Looking forward to tonight's game against my alma mater!!