2018-19 Non-Conference Schedule

[brewcity77]

Time to start this again. We'll likely see some names start to show up in the next couple weeks. Here's what we know currently:

• November 6: UMBC (H)
  
• November 10: Bethune Cookman (H)
  
• November 14: Indiana (A)
  
• November 17: Presbyterian (H)
  
• November 21: Kansas (N)
  
• November 23: Louisville/Tennessee (N)
  
• November 27: Charleston Southern (H)
  
• December 1: Kansas State (H)
  
• December 4: UTEP (H)
  
• December 8: UW-Madison (H)
  
• December 18: North Dakota (H)
  
• December 21: Buffalo (H)
  
• December 28: Southern (H)

Louisville is playing Niagara, that's been announced. I am guessing we will get Kansas in the first Preseason NIT game because they will want Kansas and either Louisville or Tennessee in the final.

We now know we'll have a road game at Indiana on Nov 14.

The K-State, Wisconsin, and Buffalo home games give us a strong non-con home schedule. The dates are all confirmed on Marquette's website.

[GGGG]

Time to start this again. We'll likely see some names start to show up in the next couple weeks. Here's what we know currently:

• November 9: Buy game (H)
  
• November 12-16: Gavitt Game, Big 10 opponent (A)
  
• November 21: Kansas/Louisville/Tennessee at MSG (N)
  
• November 23: Louisville/Tennessee/Kansas at MSG (N)
  
• December 8: UW-Madison (H)
  
• December 21: Buffalo (H)

Numerous sources have told me the home opener won't be a big name. Confident it will be 11-9 as MU always starts on the first available date and there's no way they don't play at home ASAP. Paint Touches pointed out the most likely Gavitt opponents are Penn State, Michigan, and Ohio State. I am guessing we will get Kansas in the first Preseason NIT game because they will want Kansas and either Louisville or Tennessee in the final. We will also have two other Preseason NIT home games.

So they can schedule up to 13 right?  The above counts for six.  My guess is that they would like to start one (or two??) home and homes with a P6 school.  The rest will be buy games.  And we may not fill out the schedule like last year.

[Its DJOver]

NIT games are in Brooklyn, not MSG.

Also, not doubting it, but what is the reasoning for the list of potential Gavitt opponents?

[MUBigDance]

Thanks for the info!

Impressions:
Great to see the high quality competition...of course need to win a few to get the top-20 respect.

That Buffalo game...how did that get scheduled early? A connection or a Christmas-tourney-thing or something? My Dad grew up in Buffalo...grandma a big OJ fan.  They did make the tourney so that's something.

[DienerTime34]

Where does Notre Dame or Cincy slot in?

[DienerTime34]

Thanks for the info!

Impressions:
Great to see the high quality competition...of course need to win a few to get the top-20 respect.

That Buffalo game...how did that get scheduled early? A connection or a Christmas-tourney-thing or something? My Dad grew up in Buffalo...grandma a big OJ fan.  They did make the tourney so that's something.

Buffalo coach Nate Oates was born & raised in Wisconsin and is a former assistant at UW-Whitewater. Lots of connections here.

[brewcity77]

NIT games are in Brooklyn, not MSG.

Also, not doubting it, but what is the reasoning for the list of potential Gavitt opponents?

They based it because they expect us to play a high-level Big 10 team and those teams will likely be near the upper end of the standings and all three have only played in one Gavitt Game so far, which means they are likely to be included this year. Michigan State has not played in any Gavitt Games yet and will also likely be in, but as they already have Kansas, UNC, and a top-tier ACC team (through the B10/ACC Challenge) on the schedule, it seems unlikely they will be assigned another top end team (we probably project to top-4 at worst). I think Michigan State gets either Georgetown or Seton Hall.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Early in the year, Marquette was looking for guarantee games on 11/27, 12/4 and 12/18.

[Its DJOver]

They based it because they expect us to play a high-level Big 10 team and those teams will likely be near the upper end of the standings and all three have only played in one Gavitt Game so far, which means they are likely to be included this year. Michigan State has not played in any Gavitt Games yet and will also likely be in, but as they already have Kansas, UNC, and a top-tier ACC team (through the B10/ACC Challenge) on the schedule, it seems unlikely they will be assigned another top end team (we probably project to top-4 at worst). I think Michigan State gets either Georgetown or Seton Hall.

Makes sense, I'm just surprised that Minnesota, Nebraska, or Northwestern wouldn't be on a potential list, since I thought I remembered reading somewhere that they tried to make the decisions somewhat regional.  Obviously not always the case as I believe that PC played Minn last year, but a MU NW game would be really interesting considering the proximity, and the amount of MU alums in the Chicago area.   

[brewcity77]

So they can schedule up to 13 right?  The above counts for six.  My guess is that they would like to start one (or two??) home and homes with a P6 school.  The rest will be buy games.  And we may not fill out the schedule like last year.

There will be two more NIT Season Tip-Off home games, so that unofficially takes it to 8, but they aren't announced. That said, the home opener could be one of those NIT home games. I edited the OP because the season will start earlier this year, on November 6 instead of November 9.

If I were tailoring the schedule, I would want the following with the remaining 7 games:

• Nov 9: NIT Tip-Off (H)
  
• Nov 11: NIT Tip-Off (H)
  
• Nov 17: High Major Home-and-Home (H)
  
• Nov. 27: Buy Game (H)
  
• Dec. 1: High Major Home-and-Home (A)
  
• Dec. 4: Buy Game (H)
  
• Dec. 18: Buy Game (H)

I'm not sure MU would go for two home-and-homes, but it would ensure a big opponent coming back next year at the Silk (I'd love Arizona on the schedule) and if one was home and one away, it would also insure 18 regular season home games (19 with the exhibition) to maximize revenue.

It would also mean six high-major or preseason tournament type games, which is the number we've targeted in years we likely expected a NCAA berth in the past decade. Here's the totals:

• 2011-12: 7 (Winthrop, Mississippi, Norfolk State, Wisconsin, Washington, LSU, Vanderbilt)
  
• 2012-13: 6 (Butler, Mississippi State, USC, Florida, Wisconsin, LSU)
  
• 2013-14: 7 (Ohio State, Arizona State, Cal State Fullerton, George Washington, San Diego State, Wisconsin, New Mexico)
  
• 2016-17: 6* (Vanderbilt, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Wisconsin, *Utah fell through)
  
• 2017-18: 6 (Purdue, VCU, Wichita State, LSU, Georgia, Wisconsin)

I realize some of those (Winthrop, NSU, CSF) aren't high-majors, but those were non-conference tournament games.

[Newsdreams]

Where does Notre Dame or Cincy slot in?

ND sucks don't want to play us. So that is a no go.

[Herman Cain]

Thanks for the info!

Impressions:
Great to see the high quality competition...of course need to win a few to get the top-20 respect.

That Buffalo game...how did that get scheduled early? A connection or a Christmas-tourney-thing or something? My Dad grew up in Buffalo...grandma a big OJ fan.  They did make the tourney so that's something.

Buffalo game will be an opportunity to see Jeenathan Williams in action.

[4everwarriors]

How are wee 'psoda judge after 5 years if wee ain't got no opponents, hey?

[We R Final Four]

ND sucks don't want to play us. So that is a no go.

And we have enough mid majors in Nov and Dec, so we don't need Cincy.

[MU82]

And we have enough mid majors in Nov and Dec, so we don't need Cincy Wiscy.

FIFY

[We R Final Four]

High major.

[NorthernDancerColt]

ND sucks don't want to play us. So that is a no go.

Went down to Keeneland in Lexington, KY with a huge ND fan and minor supporter (financially speaking), and it was telling to hear him admit how football recruits today don't seem to care about the "honor" of wearing the gold helmet. His exact words were, "we are in trouble going forward to maintain even a mediocre program." When I said, "what about basketball?"....he was like, "What about it? Well, to ND fans, alums, students it's simply an afterthought."

[Marcus92]

Would love to get another shot at Penn State. Not sure where they'll project without Tony Carr.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Would love to get another shot at Penn State. Not sure where they'll project without Tony Carr.

They lost Carr,  Garner,  and 2 of their top bench players from an already shallow bench. They'll have a good top 3 bit without a grad transfer I think they take a step back.

[MU82]

Went down to Keeneland in Lexington, KY with a huge ND fan and minor supporter (financially speaking), and it was telling to hear him admit how football recruits today don't seem to care about the "honor" of wearing the gold helmet. His exact words were, "we are in trouble going forward to maintain even a mediocre program." When I said, "what about basketball?"....he was like, "What about it? Well, to ND fans, alums, students it's simply an afterthought."

I believe every word of this.

ND has become irrelevant in football ... but if they string together 3-4 excellent years - or maybe even just 2 - they instantly would become relevant again. Because they're ND football.

Meanwhile, Brey's ND teams have been consistently good - and a few years outstanding (including recent back-to-back E8s), but ... yawn! ... ND basketball doesn't even really matter in Chicago.

[muwarrior69]

Went down to Keeneland in Lexington, KY with a huge ND fan and minor supporter (financially speaking), and it was telling to hear him admit how football recruits today don't seem to care about the "honor" of wearing the gold helmet. His exact words were, "we are in trouble going forward to maintain even a mediocre program." When I said, "what about basketball?"....he was like, "What about it? Well, to ND fans, alums, students it's simply an afterthought."

Is your friend named Rudy?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Hopefully MU actually fills the damn schedule this year. 

[Marquette4life]

Buffalo game will be an opportunity to see Jeenathan Williams in action.

If we play Kansas in NIT it will be an opportunity to see Grimes get locked up too

[lurch91]

ND has become irrelevant in football ... but if they string together 3-4 excellent years - or maybe even just 2 - they instantly would become relevant again. Because they're ND football.

ND football, while not playing for the BCS title since 2012, still has the NBC contract.  That's a lot of coverage for an irrelevant program.... 

[MU82]

ND football, while not playing for the BCS title since 2012, still has the NBC contract.  That's a lot of coverage for an irrelevant program....

Sure, but I'm talking irrelevance pertaining to making a difference in actual competition.

As for TV, I'm WAAAAAY too lazy to look up a bunch of stuff, but my quick googling of notre dame ratings NBC spat out an article about their first game last season:

Saturday’s Temple-Notre Dame college football game scored a 1.0 rating and 1.6 million viewers on NBC, down 38% in ratings and 36% in viewership from Notre Dame’s home opener last year against Nevada (1.6, 2.5M) and down 58% and 61% respectively from the team’s 2015 opener against Texas, which aired in primetime (2.4, 4.1M). he 1.0 rating is tied as the lowest ever for a Notre Dame football game on NBC, matching last year’s game against Army. It did not set a viewership low, coming in ahead of last year’s Army game (1.5M). The 1.0 is also tied as the lowest for any Notre Dame game, regardless of network, since a 2011 matchup against Purdue on ESPN (0.9). It goes without saying that Saturday’s game was the lowest rated Notre Dame home opener ever, and the least-watched since at least 2001. The previous lows were a 1.3 and 1.9 million.

So how about "declining relevance"?