Williams Blog: Glancing ahead to the 2014-15 hoops schedule

This weekend at the Final Four is where a lot of loose ends get tied up regarding non-conference college basketball schedules. However, sources say that the majority of Iowa State’s 2014 non-conference schedule is for the most part done.

Here is what we currently know… 

— Iowa State will participate in the 2014 CBE Classic at Kansas City’s Sprint Center during the week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 24 & 25). The featured programs in the field are the Cyclones, Maryland, Arizona State and Alabama. It is still unknown as to which program Iowa State will play first in Kansas City. 

— Iowa State will play two quality low-major opponents at Hilton Coliseum (in the CBE Classic) before Kansas City. It sounds like Oakland (Michigan) and Georgia State are those teams.

— Iowa State’s opponent in the 2014 Big 12/SEC Challenge is still to be determined. What we do know is that Iowa State will more than likely go on the road for this event, based off of the fact that the Cyclones hosted Auburn in 2013. I’ve heard the names Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Tennessee all mentioned with Iowa State but this one really is a crap-shoot. It could be anyone.

The Cyclones, who will more than likely be ranked in the preseason top 25 next October, could in reality be paired with pretty much anybody in the SEC who is due a home game in 2014. Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Ole Miss are the three SEC programs that are owed home games next season. Meanwhile, Kentucky and Texas A&M both played games vs. Big 12 opponents on neutral floors. Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Arkansas did not participate in the event and are all candidates to host Iowa State as well.

— Look for Iowa State to try and schedule a home and home series with a high-major opponent for the last weekend of November to coincide with a home football game vs. West Virginia on Nov. 29. 

— Other known games for the 2014 non-con: At Iowa, Drake (neutral), UMKC, Lamar and Southern.