Non-Conf Sched: 12/6 UW, 12/16 ASU, 12/22 UND, 12/28 Morgan St

[chapman]

http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/marq-m-baskbl-sched.html

Nov 8: vs. Wisconsin Lutheran (exhibition)
------------------------------------------------
Nov 14: vs. Tennessee-Martin
Nov 18: @ Ohio State
Nov 22: vs. Nebraska-Omaha
Nov 24: vs. NJIT
Nov 27, 28, 30: Orlando Classic (Georgia Tech, Kansas, Michigan State, Rhode Island, Rider, Santa Clara, Tennessee)
Dec 6: vs. Wisconsin
Dec 16: vs. Arizona State
Dec 22: vs. North Dakota
Dec 28: vs. Morgan State


Wisconsin Lutheran College (Milwaukee, WI) is an NCAA Division III member.  Enrollment is approx. 1,090.  Its nine-building campus sits on the border of Milwaukee and Wauwatosa, with some buildings in each city.

Tennessee-Martin (Martin, TN) is an Ohio Valley member.  8-23 (3-13) last year with an RPI of 333.  Looks like they return most of their contributors at least.    

Ohio State (Columbus, OH) is a Big Ten member.  25-10 (10-8) last year with an RPI of 24.  They made the NCAA tournament as a 6 seed, losing to Dayton in their first game.  This is the third year in a row that Marquette has had Ohio State on its schedule; the Carrier Classic in Charleston was cancelled in 2012, and Ohio State won 52-35 in Milwaukee in 2013 after being tied 19-19 at halftime.

Nebraska-Omaha (Omaha, NE) is a Summit League member.  17-15 (5-9) last year with an RPI of 214 and a CIT tournament appearance.  The Summit has become a pretty decent conference for buy games if you can avoid the dud (like IUPUI last year).  Thumbs up on this buy game.

New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, NJ) is D1 basketball's lone independent; after turning a program that had once lost 51 straight games into the Great West Conference regular season title in 2013, the conference folded as a result of football realignment, leaving NJIT as perhaps the worst realignment victim of all.  13-16 last year, with four of those wins coming against non-D1 teams and an RPI of 306, they represent a cheap and easy to schedule buy game, though shouldn't be Grambling-level atrocious on the SOS ranking.


Orlando Classic (formerly Old Spice Classic), HP Field House, Orlando, FL.  Three NCAA teams in 2013, and five without postseason play.  Snapshot of field with 2013 results:

Kansas (Big 12): 24-9 (14-4), RPI #3, NCAA 2 seed, Round of 32
Michigan State (Big Ten): 26-8 (12-6), RPI #18, NCAA 4 seed, Elite Eight
Tennessee (SEC): 20-12 (11-7), RPI #41, NCAA 11 seed, Sweet 16
Rhode Island (A-10): 13-18 (5-11), RPI #155
Georgia Tech (ACC): 16-17 (6-12), RPI #157
Rider (MAAC): 14-17 (9-11), RPI #198
Santa Clara (WCC): 12-19 (6-12), RPI #209


Wisconsin (Moscow, USSR) is a Big Ten member.  26-7 (12-6), RPI of 6.  They were a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, falling to Kentucky in a national semifinal.  Expected to be in the top five in the preseason polls.

Arizona State (Phoenix, AZ) is a Pac 12 member.  21-12 (10-8), RPI of 44.  ASU had a 10 point halftime lead last season in Tempe, and held on to defeat Marquette 79-77.  ASU made a trip to the Bradley Center in March as a 10 seed in the NCAA tournament, falling to 7-seeded Texas, but the Sun Devils lose their top four players in scoring (54.2 PPG) and minutes  (126.7 MPG).

North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND) is a Big Sky member.  17-17 (12-8), RPI of 211 and a CIT tournament appearance.  A big unknown, as they lose their top six players in scoring and minutes.  Quinton Hooker is the leading returnee, averaging 17.6 MPG and 4.2 PPG as a freshman last season.

Morgan State (Baltimore, MD) is a MEAC member.  15-16 (11-5), RPI of 226 in 2013.  They lose their top three in scorering (45.3 ppg) and minutes (90.9 mpg).  Leading returnee is Cedric Blossom, a forward who averaged 23.5 mpg, 6.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg as a sophomore.

[source?]

In those conferences a terrible team can become a decent team relatively quickly (see UW-Milwaukee last year vs the year before). Hopefully they don't wind up being an absolute dog. We could use a better SOS than we had last year (but not too many tough teams, please).

[keefe]

In those conferences a terrible team can become a decent team relatively quickly

Where did you hear that??

[bradley center bat]

Too bad there is not a network and time for the game at Ohio State yet, since Nov. 18 is the day of the ESPN 24 hour marathon.

[warriorchick]

UT-Martin is there alma mater of Pat Summit. The floor of their fieldhouse is named after her, making her the only person to have two D1 basketball courts bearing his/her name.

[MUDPT]

This was also announced at the BBQ.

[Coleman]

Only 4 months away!

[bradley center bat]

This was also announced at the BBQ.

What was?

[77ncaachamps]

I believe this is the first time in a long time that we've seen TENNESSEE and MARTIN in a Marquette thread.

[source?]

Where did you hear that??

Sources close to the administration. #donedeal.

[chapman]

Bump with the Orlando Classic field.  Doesn't look so intimidating when you pull the 2013 results, with half the field having losing records last year and 5/8 not making postseason play.  But really all about the draw... 

If they set it up as expected, we would draw one of the teams with losing 2013-14 records first; a win would put us against MSU or KU with Tennessee playing the other.  Going 2-1 would likely mean a win against MSU, KU, or Tennessee with a championship requiring wins against two of the three. 

The easiest 2-1 path would be dropping the first game against one of the bottom four, and collecting two wins against two more bottom four teams...probably not an RPI-friendly result to get three of the RPI #150+ and zero top 41 teams if they would remain in that range next year.

[Jay Bee]

Rhode Island scares me.

[barfolomew]

Rhode Island scares me.

Agreed. I ran into a couple of scary dudes from Pawtucket flying into PVD a few years back.
One kind of actually looked like a nasty Peter Griffin.

Also, what's up with Old Spice no longer sponsoring the Orlando Classic?
Something smells fishy there...

[Jay Bee]

Agreed. I ran into a couple of scary dudes from Pawtucket flying into PVD a few years back.
One kind of actually looked like a nasty Peter Griffin.

Also, what's up with Old Spice no longer sponsoring the Orlando Classic?
Something smells fishy there...

On Rhode Island, I'm being serious. Truth shall be revealed this year & next.

As for the Old Spice being out of the Orlando Classic.. that's a new one for me. Hadn't realized they were out. My favorite part of the tourney last time was the "spray stations" in the arena's concourse where you could try out the latest offerings from Old Spice.

[Texas Western]

Does it look like we may have 11 non conference games this year? They have announced 7 and say a four game home stand is coming after that ( I am not including the exhibition). Seems like we have been playing  12-13 games.

[Jay Bee]

Does it look like we may have 11 non conference games this year? They have announced 7 and say a four game home stand is coming after that ( I am not including the exhibition). Seems like we have been playing  12-13 games.

I would expect 13, with one of them being a "preliminary" Orlando Classic game at home, unless the Old Spice change messes anything up.. but that should be workable.

So you have 27 games + 1 exempt tourney of 4 for a total of 31. 18 con, 13 nonconf.

[77ncaachamps]

We should petition to play in Atlantis.

Just need a great reason to go: water and bball.

[jsglow]

We haven't done the D-III thing in awhile.  Does that count in one's total allotment of games during a season or is it regarded by the NCAA as a glorified practice?  In the past, was it simply added as a bonus ticket meaning that instead of say 17 home dates we'll get an 18th other thing equal?

[bilsu]

It is a preseason game. Buzz dropped those in favor of closed scrimages against a division one team. We were bascially charged the same season ticket price even though we could not see the closed scrimages.

[4everwarriors]

Yeah, he did those scrimmages to protect our NCAA seeding, aina?

[Jay Bee]

We haven't done the D-III thing in awhile.  Does that count in one's total allotment of games during a season or is it regarded by the NCAA as a glorified practice? 

Neither. Let's set aside foreign tours for this discussion.

Each school has two exemptions to use - you can mix and match up to a max of 2 between (a) an exhibition against a non D-I school [which can be advertised, fans can come in, pay, etc.) and (b) a scrimmage against outside competition (including other D-I schools -- however, there are minimal allowances for people to attend the scrimmage).

[Galway Eagle]

We haven't done the D-III thing in awhile.  Does that count in one's total allotment of games during a season or is it regarded by the NCAA as a glorified practice?  In the past, was it simply added as a bonus ticket meaning that instead of say 17 home dates we'll get an 18th other thing equal?

If we do the D3 thing I'd prefer us to play against really good teams like UW Whitewater or UW SP.  That way we get good ticket sales from their fans and we get decent competition unlike say MSOE.

[jsglow]

Neither. Let's set aside foreign tours for this discussion.

Each school has two exemptions to use - you can mix and match up to a max of 2 between (a) an exhibition against a non D-I school [which can be advertised, fans can come in, pay, etc.) and (b) a scrimmage against outside competition (including other D-I schools -- however, there are minimal allowances for people to attend the scrimmage).

Thanks Jay.  So I guess a coach balances the ability to scrimmage a top flight opponent in a completely controlled environment (Buzz' style in recent years) against the ability to open the doors, sell tickets and beer, and simulate real game conditions against an opponent that will be considerably weaker than the bench players your starters face every day in practice.  I can see both having some advantage.  Guess I'm happy that I might get to see more hoops if I choose to make the drive. 

[Jay Bee]

Thanks Jay.  So I guess a coach balances the ability to scrimmage a top flight opponent in a completely controlled environment (Buzz' style in recent years) against the ability to open the doors, sell tickets and beer, and simulate real game conditions against an opponent that will be considerably weaker than the bench players your starters face every day in practice.  I can see both having some advantage.  Guess I'm happy that I might get to see more hoops if I choose to make the drive. 

Yeah... I think what's best depends on your team. I still think usually the closed door work with a D-I opponent is more beneficial, but... THIS ARTICLE is a few years old, but does talk about some different perspectives (some quotes below, including from Dwight Burke)...

As I struggled to find reasons to not be completely anti-exhibition, I reached out to a player who has actually taken part in both exhibitions and scrimmages. Dwight Burke (Marquette '09) is currently playing for Hermine Nantes Atlantique in the France Pro B league (the same league as former Gopher Blake Hoffarber), but during his college days played in scrimmages against both Nebraska and Kansas State in addition to playing in preseason exhibition games against non-Division I opponents. Although Dwight believes teams generally get more out of a closed scrimmage, his perspective as a student-athlete helped me realize there are benefits to an exhibition contest other than the revenue generated for the programs competing.

Players have been stuck in the weight room and practice gym since they've been back on campus and to actually suit up and play a "real" game is both exciting and fun for them. The opponent isn't a Division I team, but Burke says, "the actual in-game experience with referees, fans and the whole atmosphere is something you can't substitute with a closed-door scrimmage." In addition, Burke talked about working on the "dominating factor", where you learn how to not give a team daylight once you get them down. The feeling and belief that your team is going to be able to close out games when the season starts is very beneficial, "it's a confidence builder for a team and confidence for any NCAA program is essential", said Burke.

Especially for a team with many new faces, I can see the benefit of an exhibition in a "real game" setting. I still believe that with regard to player instruction, scrimmages provide more benefit and I won't complain even a tiny bit if Minnesota moves away from exhibition games in the future. Are the eight Big Ten schools that competed against another Division I team this past weekend better off than they would have been had they played the equivalent of Bemidji State? Probably. However, the two contests at Williams Arena over the next week will offer good learning experiences for the players and will give fans eagerly awaiting the start of the new season the chance to see most of the 2011-12 roster in action.

[jsglow]

I would expect 13, with one of them being a "preliminary" Orlando Classic game at home, unless the Old Spice change messes anything up.. but that should be workable.

So you have 27 games + 1 exempt tourney of 4 for a total of 31. 18 con, 13 nonconf.

Any sense Jay if the rest will be Buy games?  Last year we did the one-timer with New Mexico.  My recollection is that the Dave Gavitt BEast/Big10 challenge isn't until '15-'16 so maybe starting a H/H with an opponent like Vandy or LSU isn't in the cards given tOSU this year.  Perhaps any conversation with UWM or UWGB on a 3 or 4 for 1?