Iowa non-Big Ten schedule released

As expected, plenty of soft pastry when a new coach takes over, but Fran McCaffrey and the Hawkeyes still have some decent games on the schedule. ... Xavier, Wake Forest, Northern Iowa, Iowa State and Louisiana Tech.

Nov. 14: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (234)
Nov. 16: LOUISIANA-MONROE (273)
Nov. 19: vs. Xavier (19) -- Paradise Jam
Nov. 20-21: vs. Seton Hall (60) or Alabama (102) -- Paradise Jam
Nov. 22: vs. Old Dominion (27), Clemson (34), Long Beach State (111) or St. Peter’s (180) -- Paradise Jam
Nov. 26: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS-EDWARDSVILLE (322)
Nov. 30: at Wake Forest (39)
Dec. 4: IDAHO STATE (305)
Dec. 7: NORTHERN IOWA (17)
Dec. 10: IOWA STATE (123)
Dec. 18: at Drake (178)
Dec. 21: LOUISIANA TECH (78)

Average RPI/All Opponents: 158.8
Average RPI/Home Opponents: 193.142
2010 NCAA Tournament Qualifiers (3): Northern Iowa, Wake Forest, Xavier

SelectionSunday said:

As expected, plenty of soft pastry when a new coach takes over, but Fran McCaffrey and the Hawkeyes still have some decent games on the schedule. ... Xavier, Wake Forest, Northern Iowa, Iowa State and Louisiana Tech.

Nov. 14: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (234)
Nov. 16: LOUISIANA-MONROE (273)
Nov. 19: vs. Xavier (19) -- Paradise Jam
Nov. 20-21: vs. Seton Hall (60) or Alabama (102) -- Paradise Jam
Nov. 22: vs. Old Dominion (27), Clemson (34), Long Beach State (111) or St. Peter’s (180) -- Paradise Jam
Nov. 26: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS-EDWARDSVILLE (322)
Nov. 30: at Wake Forest (39)
Dec. 4: IDAHO STATE (305)
Dec. 7: NORTHERN IOWA (17)
Dec. 10: IOWA STATE (123)
Dec. 18: at Drake (178)
Dec. 21: LOUISIANA TECH (78)

Average RPI/All Opponents: 158.8
Average RPI/Home Opponents: 193.142
2010 NCAA Tournament Qualifiers (3): Northern Iowa, Wake Forest, Xavier

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Seems a bit unfair not to count at least one of ODU or Clemson in the number of tourney qualifiers. Did you include any of those teams in the RPI calculation?

Iowa most likely has to win at least one of their first two games (vs. Xavier and then either Bama or Seton Hall) to play ODU or Clemson, because if they lose them both then they'll play the team in that group of 4 (ODU, Clemson, LBSU and St. Peter's) that lost their first two games.

I don't think a lot of credit should be given to Iowa for their nonconference sched. Yeah, they did a nice job to get in a good Paradise Jam field. But other than that, their main games were pretty much all required. WF in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. I believe Iowa law requires them to play UNI, Drake and Iowa State every year, so the fact that they're on the schedule isn't impressive at all.

Didn't see SS lauding Iowa for their schedule, just mentioned that they had some nice games on the docket, whether they deserve credit for the Wake game and Iowa match ups or not, they remain solid contests, especially considering the abyss that the Hawkeyes are trying to rise from.

Seeing Iowa get Wake while we get Virginia. . .damn, it just frustrates me again how overlooked the Gophers seem to be when the ACC draw occurs and makes me wonder who's advocating on our behalf.

No, I don't count RPIs of opponents that aren't definite, i.e. potential second- or third-round tournament opponents.

Yes (thank you Coolhand), I wasn't lauding the Hawkeyes' schedule, just pointing out the good with the bad. I'm fully aware Iowa is required to play ISU, Drake and Northern Iowa every year. Bottom line is their schedule is their schedule. For a program starting over again, I don't think it's all that terrible. ... not sure if that should be considered a compliment or not. I do appreciate the comments.

Two things:

1) It is not required by Iowa law that the Hawkeyes play ISU, Drake, UNI. However, there is much political pressure within the state for them to do so. Alford at one time threatened to end the series with UNI and you'd have thought he was suggesting that Iowa drop from the Big Ten. He got ripped by everyone, including the governor of the state.

2) Iowa drawing Wake Forest and the Gophers getting Virginia was a by-product of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge's two-year scheduling cycle. Minnesota and Wake Forest both needed home games, while Iowa and Virginia both needed road contests. The bigger issue with MN getting screwed has to do with us getting a home game vs. Virginia and Northwestern getting a home game against Georgia Tech. They absolutely should have given MN a game vs. GT and let UVA play at Northwestern. MN and GT were both NCAA tourney teams last year, both with similar conference finishes, both with similar NCAA hopes this coming year. NW and UVA both missed the NCAA last year. I know NW is everyone's pre-season darling, but c'mon. Why penalize the Gophers with the crappy game? NW won't get 5000 fans for that game against GT anyway. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why they did it that way.