MBB: Next year's schedule

**cycloneworld** · 03-13-2007, 07:48 AM

I know this is early but I can't help but be optimistic for next year. With several key players leaving the Big 12, I don't imagine the conference being a lot better than it was this year. I think ISU will be much improved and have a chance to finish in the upper 1/2 of the conference...which means a legitimate chance at the NCAA tournament. Now I'm not expecting that but I think the possibility is there.

After looking at this year's tournament selections, ISU will have to DRASTICALLY upgrade it's non-conference schedule. I know the games on the schedule will be at home to Minnesota and Iowa and at Oregon State. Does anyone know of any other bigger games?

If Kansas State didn't get in because of their non-conference schedule (and they played at USC, Xavier, at Cal, at Colorado State just to name a few), and if somehow we got to a 10-6 record...we would struggle to get in based on those 3 "big" games. We can't be playing many Lake Superior States anymore.

I really hope McDermott has this in mind when working on future schedules.

**tejasclone** · 03-13-2007, 09:39 AM

I believe we are also playing at Bradley next year, which I'm sure would be a tough road game.

If this Big 12-Pac 10 thing becomes permanent, that could become a really simple way of boosting our non-conf schedule every year, even if we do play some of the lower-tier teams (like Oregon State).

As we improve, I certainly hope our schedule gets more robust. I loved it when we played the home-and-homes with Boston College, Xavier, and Virginia. We got kind of screwed on the Ohio State one.

**BryceC** · 03-13-2007, 10:29 AM

We are competing in the Las Vegas Classic next year which is a preseason tournament and Alabama, Purdue, and we have all signed up so far. I imagine UNLV will be in the tourney as well. There's three good teams right there we might play.

**mj4cy** · 03-13-2007, 10:33 AM

It also helps when we beat UNI and EIU when they're having good seasons.

**cycloneworld** · 03-13-2007, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by BryceC

We are competing in the Las Vegas Classic next year which is a preseason tournament and Alabama, Purdue, and we have all signed up so far. I imagine UNLV will be in the tourney as well. There's three good teams right there we might play.

I didn't know that...that will be cool.

**Clone_12** · 03-13-2007, 07:12 PM

Home Games...UNI, Iowa, Minnesota, Albany
Away Games...Bradley, Drake, Oregon State
Nuetral...Las Vegas Tourney

**root4clones** · 03-13-2007, 08:07 PM

albany should be a good opponent, they almost beat uconn last year in the ncaa tourney, and im predicting them to beat virginia this year.

**CrossCyed** · 03-13-2007, 08:59 PM

The Albany game scares me a little.

**cstrunk** · 03-13-2007, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Clone_12

Home Games...UNI, Iowa, Minnesota, Albany
Away Games...Bradley, Drake, Oregon State
Nuetral...Las Vegas Tourney

That's not too bad for a non-conference schedule. I like that we have UNI, Iowa, Minnesota, and Albany at home next year. If we can get at least one more quality home game, then we'd have a nice slate of home games to help boost ticket sales, and hopefully, ATTENDANCE!!

**cytech** · 03-13-2007, 09:34 PM

I would really love to see creighton on the schedule. With how well their program usually preforms and how close they are to Ames it is kinda suprising that they aren't.
Though I guess we did already have 3 MVC teams last year probably need to spread it out a bit more.

**cstrunk** · 03-13-2007, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by cytech

I would really love to see creighton on the schedule. With how well their program usually preforms and how close they are to Ames it is kinda suprising that they aren't.
Though I guess we did already have 3 MVC teams last year probably need to spread it out a bit more.

I hope in 2 years (lose Bradley) we add Creighton to our schedule, and I would like to see it become a yearly match-up. Creighton is a quality program.

**cycloneworld** · 03-14-2007, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Clone_12

Home Games...UNI, Iowa, Minnesota, Albany
Away Games...Bradley, Drake, Oregon State
Nuetral...Las Vegas Tourney

That's a good schedule but none of those teams will be ranked when we play them...

Say if we somehow ended up 22-11 (like KSU), we couldn't get into the NCAA with that resume.

**wonkadog** · 03-14-2007, 10:32 AM

That's a little extreme to say we "couldn't" get in with that schedule. It all depends who you beat in conference. Beating a team like Kansas or Texas makes up for not playing a "top of the line" non-conference schedule. That being said, I think this non-conference schedule is one of the best I can remember in recent history for ISU...

**cycloneworld** · 03-14-2007, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by wonkadog

That's a little extreme to say we "couldn't" get in with that schedule. It all depends who you beat in conference. Beating a team like Kansas or Texas makes up for not playing a "top of the line" non-conference schedule. That being said, I think this non-conference schedule is one of the best I can remember in recent history for ISU...

You're right...if we beat Kansas, A&M, Texas, that will offset no ranked opponents in the NC schedule. However, if we end up with a W/L record like K-State, we'll be in trouble.