BIG 12/SEC Challenge

[cyclones500]

No, we don't. If we need cupcakes, it's because we suck.
If we want these guys to develop, they need some degree of challenge.

Since this will inevitably devolve into "Can't play Duke every game," that's not the point this year or any year. Just drop the 200+ RPI kind of teams in favor of teams between 100-200. It provides enough challenge to develop and still has the wins.

Fans continue to misunderstand that or misconstrue your argument. Yes, there's almost always going to be some bottom-feeder Hilton games, but those should be reduce/minimized as much as possible. It's a matter of finding a good balance.

ISU has 7 of the 12 N.C. set (or maybe it'll be 13 this year). I'd like to see at least one additional opponent of substance, either (1) P5/BE/AAC home and away (2) competitively equal program at neutral site (3) a high-mid possibly willing to play in Ames for a 1-off or possibly 2-for-1

 

[cyclones500]

How does A&M manage to draw Kansas, but ISU never gets anyone like Florida?

A&M may wind up with decent-level expectations for the coming season, but if the goal is to match as close to even with profile and not be too redundant with past matchups, Alabama would be a better choice. Just my opinion.

 

[cyclones500]

My way-too-early picks (I like the home teams a lot this year)
I put them in confidence order of most likely to happen to least likely. TCU and Oklahoma could surprise me, but outside of them, I struggle to see the Big XII getting a road win.

Texas A&M at Kansas
Texas Tech at South Carolina
Baylor at Florida
Tennessee at Iowa State
Kentucky at West Virginia
Ole Miss at Texas
Georgia at Kansas State
Oklahoma State at Arkansas
TCU at Vanderbilt
Oklahoma at Alabama

Almost all your winners match mine, except for list order. I have one difference for the W, but it's the lowest confidence factor, so I could flip-flop. Here's my too-early guesses:

Texas A&M at Kansas
Texas Tech at South Carolina
Baylor at Florida
Oklahoma State at Arkansas
Tennessee at Iowa State
Ole Miss at Texas
Oklahoma at Alabama
Georgia at Kansas State
Kentucky at West Virginia
TCU at Vanderbilt

 

[chuckd4735]

The Big 12 release has each schools record in the challenge. Wouldn't have guessed that Baylor was the only team to have never lost, and WV has the worst record at 1-3.

http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10410&ATCLID=211606095

 

[Clones8686]

It is kind of weird that Missouri isn't in it since they should (key word: should) be pretty good next year.

 

[brokenloginagain]

No, we don't. If we need cupcakes, it's because we suck.
If we want these guys to develop, they need some degree of challenge.

Since this will inevitably devolve into "Can't play Duke every game," that's not the point this year or any year. Just drop the 200+ RPI kind of teams in favor of teams between 100-200. It provides enough challenge to develop and still has the wins.

But the top 100-200 RPI teams know they're in demand, and their price is much higher. Maybe ISU doesn't want to pay it? Also, some of those teams might want h-h deals, which we wouldn't do.

Given our youth, I give our schedule an A+. If you want to play better teams, those will be on neutral courts (KC, Vegas, Chicago, NYC etc) and fans will *&%^$ about not having enough games in Hilton.

Your schedule wish is a nice theory, it just doesn't work in reality.

 

[ZB4CY]

It is kind of weird that Missouri isn't in it since they should (key word: should) be pretty good next year.

I wonder if it has to do with playing us beginning of the year?

 

[rholtgraves]

I wonder if it has to do with playing us beginning of the year?

no it's because they sucked last year.

 

[BryceC]

Yawn. I hope we bother to do a little better than that.

That's going to be extremely tough for this team.

 

[awd4cy]

No, we don't. If we need cupcakes, it's because we suck.
If we want these guys to develop, they need some degree of challenge.

Since this will inevitably devolve into "Can't play Duke every game," that's not the point this year or any year. Just drop the 200+ RPI kind of teams in favor of teams between 100-200. It provides enough challenge to develop and still has the wins.

We do that, and we would sure have one ugly record going into big 12 play. I don't want to say we are going to suck early on next year, but I'm going to predict we struggle more than we have in non con in almost a decade.

 

[cyclones500]

Updated non-conference schedule, as of May 26
***In-state game dates proejcted***
Nov. 10 at Missouri
Nov. 16 vs. Puerto Rico Tip-Off
Nov. 17 vs. Puerto Rico Tip-Off
Nov. 19 vs. Puerto Rico Tip-Off
Dec. 7 Iowa
Dec. 16 vs. UNI (Hy-Vee Big 4 Classic)
Jan. 27 Tennessee (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

Non-league slots to fill: 5 or 6

My projected Tip-Off bracket (some seedings could swap by 1 line)
1. Florida State
8. UTEP
4. Illinois State
5. Boise State
3. Iowa State
6. Western Michigan
2. South Carolina
7. Tulsa

 

[surly]

Answering the 'why not Missouri' question, the SEC places their top 10 finishers from the previous year in the Big 12 challenge.

http://www.secsports.com/standings/mens-basketball

I presume the 'meh' matches result from coaches not wanting another 'rivalry' like game in the middle of their conference schedules. So, we don't get aTm v. Texas or USC,e v. K-State but rather another year of warm pablum. Ku/UK has been an exception to protocol.

 

[Havs]

Texas A&M is going to be pretty good this year. They won't win in Allen Fieldhouse tho.

 

[greatshu]

Texas A&M is going to be pretty good this year. They won't win in Allen Fieldhouse tho.

Unless Acie Law IV returns to Lawrence.