Early Look At 2016-17 B1G Non-Conference Schedules

SelectionSunday

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An * denotes opponent was a 2016 NCAA qualifier.

COMPLETE SCHEDULES (in order of KP opponents average)
#1 PENN STATE (released July 27)
Nov. 11: ALBANY (Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
Nov. 13: DUQUESNE
Nov. 15: GRAND CANYON (Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
Nov. 19: vs. *Duke (Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
Nov. 20: vs. *Cincinnati/Rhode Island (Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
Nov. 23: COLGATE
Nov. 26: @ George Washington
Nov. 29: GEORGIA TECH (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: WRIGHT STATE
Dec. 7: GEORGE MASON
Dec. 10: vs. *Pitt (Never Forget Tribute Classic)
Dec. 18: @ Saint John's (Holiday Festival)
Dec. 21: MORGAN STATE

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 139.25
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 167.375
NCAA Qualifiers: 2 (Duke, Pitt)

#2 PURDUE (released June 23)
Nov. 11: MCNEESE STATE
Nov. 14: *VILLANOVA (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 18: GEORGIA STATE (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 22: vs. Utah State (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 23: vs. Auburn/*Texas Tech (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 26: NJIT (Cancun Challenge)
Nov. 30: @ Louisville (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: MOREHEAD STATE
Dec. 6: vs. Arizona State (Jimmy V Classic)
Dec. 10: CLEVELAND STATE
Dec. 17: vs. *Notre Dame (Crossroads Classic)
Dec. 19: WESTERN ILLINOIS
Dec. 21: NORFOLK STATE

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 158.916
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 202.5
NCAA Qualifiers: 2 (Notre Dame, Villanova)
Postseason Champions: Villanova (NCAA)

#3 NEBRASKA (released July 14)
Nov. 13: SACRAMENTO STATE
Nov. 15: NON-DIVISION I
Nov. 19: LOUISIANA TECH
Nov. 24: vs. *Dayton (Wooden Legacy)
Nov. 25: vs. Portland/UCLA (Wooden Legacy)
Nov. 27: vs. Cal State-Northridge/New Mexico/*Texas A&M/Virginia Tech (Wooden Legacy)
Nov. 30: @ Clemson (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: SOUTH DAKOTA
Dec. 7: CREIGHTON
Dec. 10: @ *Kansas
Dec. 18: GARDNER-WEBB
Dec. 20: *SOUTHERN

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 161.3
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 214.571
NCAA Qualifiers: 3 (Dayton, Kansas, Southern)

#4 ILLINOIS (released August 15)
Nov. 11: SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE
Nov. 13: NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Nov. 15: NON-DIVISION I
Nov. 18: DETROIT (NIT Season Tip-Off)
Nov. 21: WINTHROP (NIT Season Tip-Off)
Nov. 24: vs. *West Virginia (NIT Season Tip-Off)
Nov. 25: vs. Florida State/*Temple (NIT Season Tip-Off)
Nov. 29: NC STATE (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: vs. *VCU (Miami)
Dec. 6: IUPUI
Dec. 10: CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Dec. 17: vs. BYU (United Center Showcase)
Dec. 21: vs. Missouri (Braggin’ Rights)

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 163.916
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 211.625
NCAA Qualifiers: 2 (VCU, West Virginia)

#5 OHIO STATE (released May 24)
Nov. 11: @ Navy (Veterans Classic)
Nov. 14: NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL (Global Sports Invitational)
Nov. 17: *PROVIDENCE (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 21: WESTERN CAROLINA (Global Sports Invitational)
Nov. 23: JACKSON STATE (Global Sports Invitational)
Nov. 25: MARSHALL (Global Sports Invitational)
Nov. 30: @ *Virginia (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: *FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON
Dec. 6: FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Dec. 10: *CONNECTICUT
Dec. 17: vs. UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)
Dec. 20: YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Dec. 22: *NORTH CAROLINA-ASHEVILLE

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 166.538
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 188.6
NCAA Qualifiers: 5 (Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, North Carolina-Asheville, Providence, Virginia)

#6 IOWA (released June 30)
Nov. 11: KENNESAW STATE
Nov. 13: SAVANNAH STATE (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 17: *SETON HALL (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 20: TEXAS-RIO GRANDE VALLEY (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 25: vs. *Virginia (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 26: vs. Memphis/*Providence (Emerald Coast Classic)
Nov. 29: @ *Notre Dame (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: OMAHA
Dec. 5: STETSON
Dec. 8: *IOWA STATE
Dec. 17: vs. *Northern Iowa (Big Four Classic)
Dec. 20: NORTH DAKOTA
Dec. 22: DELAWARE STATE

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 167.833
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 212.222
NCAA Qualifiers: 5 (Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, Virginia)

#7 MICHIGAN (released July 27)
Nov. 11: HOWARD (2K Classic)
Nov. 13: IUPUI (2K Classic)
Nov. 17: vs. Marquette (2K Classic)
Nov. 18: vs. *Pitt/SMU (2K Classic)
Nov. 23: @ South Carolina
Nov. 26: MOUNT SAINT MARY'S
Nov. 30: VIRGINIA TECH (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: KENNESAW STATE
Dec. 6: *TEXAS
Dec. 10: @ UCLA
Dec. 13: CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Dec. 17: MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE
Dec. 22: FURMAN

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 181.833
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 216.333
NCAA Qualifiers: 1 (Texas)

#8 MARYLAND (released June 30)
Nov. 11: AMERICAN
Nov. 15: @ Georgetown (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 17: NON-DIVISION I
Nov. 20: TOWSON (Barclay's Center Classic)
Nov. 22: *STONY BROOK (Barclays Center Classic)
Nov. 25: vs. Richmond (Barclays Center Classic)
Nov. 26: vs. Boston College/Kansas State (Barclays Center Classic)
Nov. 29: *PITT (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: OKLAHOMA STATE
Dec. 7: HOWARD
Dec. 10: SAINT PETER'S
Dec. 12: JACKSONVILLE STATE
Dec. 20: vs. Charlotte (Baltimore)

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 187.25
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 210.777
NCAA Qualifiers: 2 (Pitt, Stony Brook)

#9 INDIANA (not yet released)
Nov. 11: vs. *Kansas (Armed Forces Classic)
Nov. 16: MASSACHUSETTS-LOWELL (Indiana Classic)
Nov. 19: LIBERTY (Indiana Classic)
Nov. 22: @ Fort Wayne (Indiana Classic)
Nov. 27: MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE (Indiana Classic)
Nov. 30: *NORTH CAROLINA (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 2: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS-EDWARDSVILLE
Dec. 4: SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE
Dec. 10: HOUSTON BAPTIST
Dec. 17: vs. *Butler (Crossroads Classic)
Dec. 19: DELAWARE STATE
Dec. 22: *AUSTIN PEAY
Dec. 31: vs. Louisville (Indianapolis)

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 200.615
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 269.888
NCAA Qualifiers: 4 (Kansas, North Carolina, Butler, Austin Peay)

#10 NORTHWESTERN (released June 8)
Nov. 11: MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
Nov. 14: EASTERN WASHINGTON (Legends Classic)
Nov. 16: @ *Butler (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 21: vs. *Texas (Legends Classic)
Nov. 22: vs. *Colorado/*Notre Dame (Legends Classic)
Nov. 25: BRYANT (Legends Classic)
Nov. 28: WAKE FOREST (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: DEPAUL
Dec. 11: NEW ORLEANS
Dec. 14: CHICAGO STATE
Dec. 17: vs. *Dayton (Chicago Legends)
Dec. 20: IUPUI
Dec. 22: HOUSTON BAPTIST

Average KenPom/All Opponents: 205
Average KenPom/Home Opponents: 259.222
NCAA Qualifiers: 4 (Butler, Colorado/Notre Dame, Dayton, Texas)

INCOMPLETE SCHEDULES
MICHIGAN STATE (need 0)
Nov. 11: vs. *Arizona (Armed Forces Classic)
Nov. 15: vs. *Kentucky (Champions Classic)
Nov. 18: MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
Nov. 20: FLORIDA GULF COAST/TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov. 23: vs. Saint John’s (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov. 24: vs. *Baylor/*VCU (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov. 25: vs. LSU/Louisville/Old Dominion/*Wichita State (Battle 4 Atlantis)
Nov. 29: @ *Duke (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: ORAL ROBERTS
Dec. 7: YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Dec. 10: TENNESSEE TECH
Dec. 18: NORTHEASTERN
Dec. 21: OAKLAND

MINNESOTA (need 1)
Nov. 11: LOUISIANA
Nov. 18: SAINT JOHN’S (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 22: ARKANSAS (Golden Gopher Showcase)
Nov. 25: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (Golden Gopher Showcase)
Nov. 28: @ Florida State (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: vs. *Vanderbilt (Sioux Falls)
Dec. 6: NJIT
Dec. 9: GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Dec. 23: ARKANSAS STATE
Date TBD: MOUNT SAINT MARY'S (Golden Gopher Showcase)
Date TBD: NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Date TBD: TEXAS-ARLINGTON (Golden Gopher Showcase)

RUTGERS (need 2)
Nov. 13: DREXEL (Scarlet Knight Showcase)
Nov. 17: @ DePaul (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 23: NORTH TEXAS (Scarlet Knight Showcase)
Nov. 30: @ *Miami-Florida (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: MORGAN STATE
Dec. 6: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
Dec. 18: vs. Fordham (Holiday Festival)
Dec. 23: @ *Seton Hall
HARTFORD (Scarlet Knight Showcase)
NIAGARA (Scarlet Knight Showcase)
@ *Stony Brook

WISCONSIN (need 3)
Nov. 11: CENTRAL ARKANSAS (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 15: @ Creighton (Gavitt Tipoff)
Nov. 21: vs. Tennessee (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 22: vs. Georgetown/*Oregon (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 23: vs. *Connecticut/Non-Division I/*North Carolina/Oklahoma State (Maui Invitational)
Nov. 29: *SYRACUSE (ACC Challenge)
Dec. 3: *OKLAHOMA
Dec. 10: @ Marquette
Dec. 14: *GREEN BAY
IDAHO STATE
 

Is the Gopherhole preseason B1G non-conference SOS projection for this past season or what you think it will be next year?
 

Wisconsin & Illinois played 5 NCAA qualifiers apiece

Is the Gopherhole preseason B1G non-conference SOS projection for this past season or what you think it will be next year?

This past season. It was based entirely on average RPI of opponents, far from a perfect formula, but a formula nonetheless. So basically it projected the Gophers would have the B1G's 7th strongest non-conference schedule, but it ended up being 10th.

Here are the NCAA qualifiers each team played. An ** assumes would have been NCAA Tournament qualifier had they been eligible. Final RPI ranking is noted in parentheses.

Illinois (5) -- vs. Iowa State (23), Notre Dame (31), @ Providence (40), Yale (44), Chattanooga (50)
Wisconsin (5) -- @ Oklahoma (6), vs. VCU (37), Temple (59), @ Syracuse (72), Green Bay (112)
Michigan (4) -- Xavier (7), @ **SMU (13), vs. Texas (27), vs. UConn (32)
Iowa (4) -- vs. Dayton (22), @ Iowa State (23), vs. Notre Dame (31), vs. Wichita State (47)
Ohio State (3) -- Virginia (3), vs. Kentucky (11), @ UConn (32)
Michigan State (3) -- vs. Kansas (1), **Louisville (17), vs. Providence (40)
Nebraska (3) -- @ Villanova (4), Miami (9), vs. Cincinnati (48)
Minnesota (3) -- South Dakota State (28), vs. Texas Tech (36), vs. Temple (59)
Purdue (3) -- @ Pitt (53), vs. Butler (56), Vanderbilt (63)
Indiana (3) -- @ Duke (20), vs. Notre Dame (31), Austin Peay (189)
Maryland (2) -- @ North Carolina (5), vs. UConn (32)
Rutgers (2) -- Seton Hall (19), Fairleigh Dickinson (204)
Northwestern (1) -- vs. North Carolina (5)
Penn State (1) -- vs. Colorado (35)
 

Total Number of Games vs. NCAA Qualifiers (including B1G foes)

Games vs. NCAA Qualifiers
Illinois (16)
Michigan (15)
Purdue (15)
Wisconsin (15)
Iowa (14)
Nebraska (14)
Michigan State (13)
Ohio State (13)
Indiana (12)
Maryland (12)
Minnesota (12)
Penn State (11)
Northwestern (10)
Rutgers (10)
 

One other note is the breadth of teams that some of these guys play. Wisconsin also had Georgetown and Marquette. Iowa had Florida State and Marquette (yes, I know some of these are rivalry games or better B10/ACC draws). We played 2 P5 teams and actually were pleasantly surprised that Clemson had a pulse and TT turned it around. Wisconsin and Iowa for example scheduled 2-3 P5 teams plus 2 Big East teams that had a chance for the tournament plus Temple, Wichita, and VCU between them.

Point being, those teams scheduled 7 "possible" tournament teams and ended up with 4-5 and we scheduled 2-3, one of those being the Jackrabbits, who normally aren't and ended up with 3.

If we only schedule 2 possible tournament teams next year, it's possible that we draw 0 or 1 with some bad luck.
 


One other note is the breadth of teams that some of these guys play. Wisconsin also had Georgetown and Marquette. Iowa had Florida State and Marquette (yes, I know some of these are rivalry games or better B10/ACC draws). We played 2 P5 teams and actually were pleasantly surprised that Clemson had a pulse and TT turned it around. Wisconsin and Iowa for example scheduled 2-3 P5 teams plus 2 Big East teams that had a chance for the tournament plus Temple, Wichita, and VCU between them.

Point being, those teams scheduled 7 "possible" tournament teams and ended up with 4-5 and we scheduled 2-3, one of those being the Jackrabbits, who normally aren't and ended up with 3.

If we only schedule 2 possible tournament teams next year, it's possible that we draw 0 or 1 with some bad luck.

Yep. I have always felt we (the U of M) by & large put all our eggs into one basket (our exempt tournament + the ACC game). As you pointed out, that's a dangerous way to schedule. If we don't get the quality win or two we need in the exempt tournament (like this season), there's not much else the Gophers can do to improve their stock before B1G play starts. That puts all of it (getting enough quality wins) on the B1G schedule, and that's a dangerous way to do business (see Northwestern this season), especially when you have a history of finishing, at best, .500 in conference play.
 


It sounds like Minnesota will be going to Vegas for the Men Who Speak Up Main Event around Thanksgiving, at least according to this video. You would be playing two of Alabama, BYU and Valpo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UY...r home and home or two I could live with that
 

It sounds like Minnesota will be going to Vegas for the Men Who Speak Up Main Event around Thanksgiving, at least according to this video. You would be playing two of Alabama, BYU and Valpo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UYp_z-7d9o

Thanks. You have no peer when it comes to finding scheduling nuggets. I appreciate it.

Interestingly, just last night BYU and Valpo advanced to the semis of the Postseason NIT and will play one another on the 29th.
 



Gophers exempt tournament added above

Not official, but no reason to believe Gophers have pulled out of the event.
 


How did it take this long for us to know about this event? According to the YouTube, this was mentioned in November. Odd that there would not have been some kind of announcement before it being dug up on a five month old press conference.

Vegas with a chance to be home for Thanksgiving could be a popular destination.
 




Here are a few other tidbits:


-Illinois and Penn State will both host Grand Canyon according to this Dan Majerle interview on the Dan Patrick Show. I believe Penn State is playing them as part of the Hall of Fame Tipoff because I know that they both are in the event, plus Majerle also said they were playing at Duke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pucmpdZ41-U

-You can probably also pencil in an Illinois-Missouri game in St. Louis.

-Iowa should also be hosting Iowa State this season.

-Maryland will play at Georgetown as part of the Gavitt Games, and they also will host Oklahoma State to complete a home and home series.

-Michigan will start at home and home with Cincinnati on Dec. 17 in Cincinnati.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/c...igan-basketball-schedule-cincinnati/78803842/

-Nebraska will start a home and home with Kansas on Dec. 10 in Lawrence. They should also have a home game against Creighton.

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/nebras...cle_cac422ee-dfc5-11e5-8bab-b7600f05a8d7.html

-Northwestern should have a home game against DePaul this season.

-Ohio State will play UCLA on Dec. 17 in Las Vegas as part of the CBS Sports Classic.

-Purdue will host SIU-Edwardsville on Nov. 11, Western Illinois on Dec. 19, and Norfolk State on Dec. 21.

http://www.jconline.com/story/sport...2015/12/03/purdue-taking-slow-davis/76723562/

-Rutgers will play at Seton Hall in their annual series.

-Wisconsin will play at Marquette and host Milwaukee, but we won't be playing Green Bay this season. We also have a home game with Oklahoma to complete a home and home series.
 

Yep. I have always felt we (the U of M) by & large put all our eggs into one basket (our exempt tournament + the ACC game). As you pointed out, that's a dangerous way to schedule. If we don't get the quality win or two we need in the exempt tournament (like this season), there's not much else the Gophers can do to improve their stock before B1G play starts. That puts all of it (getting enough quality wins) on the B1G schedule, and that's a dangerous way to do business (see Northwestern this season), especially when you have a history of finishing, at best, .500 in conference play.

It doesn't seem that hard to me. Esposito knew how to do it. Seek out recent smaller conference champions or those predicted to be at the top of their league, take the ACC Challenge game and maybe one or two others while avoiding the really horrific RPI teams and you set yourself up with a decent non-con schedule. For my money, the unbalanced schedule of the B1G makes the job a little harder because you can't count on getting multiple shots at highly rated teams in the conference schedule. Nevertheless, I suspect there are opponents galore in the 75-175 range who would be happy to play us and help create a decent schedule.
 


Updated above 3/24/16

So far we have 7 notable non-exempt/non-challenge games being played on home courts.
 

Another game that I forgot about until now is that Ohio State will host UConn to complete a home and home series.
 

Counting on the ACC or an out of state tournament to improve the SOS is fool's gold. All is left to chance.
To me a more important issue is giving the fans something of value for the price of their ticket.
MN BB scheduling is an insult to the fans. But why change if the fans keep buying tickets?
 

So anybody know when the Gavitt matchups will be announced? I am guessing they will wait until this season is over first. As I recall, this upcoming season will be the first of a series of home & homes as part of the Gavitt games and the MD-G'town pairing from last year is the only one being carried over into this season.
 

Let's hope a decent home & home series is announced PRIOR TO season-ticket renewals in May. Typically schools will announce home & homes as soon as the ink is dry on the contract. The longer it goes into the spring/summer without a press release from the U, the more likely we (again) won't have any.
 

A unique scheduling idea for young Mr. Pitino

Try scheduling all/some of the NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT, and Vegas 16 champions. That would leave him with some of these possibilities:

NCAA -- North Carolina, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Villanova. Might be good time to start a home & home with Oklahoma with the key seniors Sooners are losing? Or we get lucky and get to host 'Nova in the Dave Gavitt Tipoff?

NIT -- BYU, George Washington, San Diego State, Valparaiso. This one already covered if Gophers remain committed to Men Who Speak Up Main Event in Las Vegas.

CBI -- Morehead State or Nevada. Perhaps Eric Musselman would be willing to make a visit to Williams Arena?

CIT -- Columbia or UC-Irvine. The Anteaters would be an interesting foe if 7-6 center Mamadou Ndiaye returns for his senior year.

Vegas 16 -- East Tennessee State, Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois, Oakland, ODU, Tennessee Tech, Towson, UCSB. Northern Illinois finally seems on an upward trend under Mark Montgomery, or always competitive Oakland & tough scheduler Greg Kampe would be good choices from the Midwest.
 

I am guessing we will have 12 non con games? Out of the 12 I would imagine we will play in both the Gavett and ACC challenge, doesn't guarantee a great opponent, but I imagine out of those two deals we will have one home and away game with somebody that every fan has heard of. From there the two Vegas games. After that I am guessing we will have seven home games left. Maybe we could do a two for one with Nevada. I wouldn't mind seeing Oakland or two of the Dakota's as well. Maybe McHale can bring Eastern Kentucky in. A home in home with Villinova or Oklahoma would be great, even if we had to play in Ziggy world or Target/Xcel Center anyway we can get a quality team to come visit us I am all for it.
 

If we play in the Las Vegas event, should have 13 non-conference games. The Vegas event likely will include 2 non-bracketed home games, so that's 4. That leaves 9. I'd guess of those 9:

ACC Challenge on the road.

Dave Gavitt Tipoff at home.

Home & home start home or road TBD.

1 neutral-site game.

5 guarantee home games.

That would mean:
8/9 home games
1/2 road games
3 neutral-site games
 


Per Jon Rothstein, Maryland's home game with Oklahoma State will take place on Dec. 3.
 


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Per Jon Rothstein, Maryland will host Towson next season. No date is given.
 




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