mens basketball schedule

[cyclones500]

I like having the first KU game on the road, instead of at home. Hang tight (even win?) and I feel better about the home matchup.

Schedule also doesn't look like it has one of those 5-game brutal stretches — although the first four aren't a cakewalk, but at least two of those are at Hilton.

Also seems like a balanced divide between first 9 games and second 9.

My interpretation may change, of course. That's my first look.

[cyclones500]

The pre-conference schedule sucks balls. Not sure how it can be argued.

It's pretty weak. Not as pathetic as last season, though (by a slim margin).

[rholtgraves]

While the non-con isn't going to be rated as a tough schedule I don't believe we want it to when we have so many new people. Playing a couple of tough games is good. Michigan will be a very good test to see where we are at. I wouldn't expect us to have loaded up the schedule when we are trying to make the NCAA for the first time in forever. Our conference schedule is strong enough that it will take care of any weaknesses with our non-conference schedule if we win. Plus if we beat Michigan at Michigan that will give us a huge boost.

[CycloneErik]

While the non-con isn't going to be rated as a tough schedule I don't believe we want it to when we have so many new people. Playing a couple of tough games is good. Michigan will be a very good test to see where we are at. I wouldn't expect us to have loaded up the schedule when we are trying to make the NCAA for the first time in forever. Our conference schedule is strong enough that it will take care of any weaknesses with our non-conference schedule if we win. Plus if we beat Michigan at Michigan that will give us a huge boost.

Michigan is the only real SOS opportunity on the non-con schedule, unless UNI and Providence get us something. As I think about last year, they probably don't, in terms of SOS.

I don't think the influx of talent needed a light schedule to get going. That's what the Ital trip and the year off were for.

Hopefully, nobody wanted to schedule us. Obviously, we don't need to schedule all of the Top 10, but it wouldn't have hurt for an NCAA run to have a couple of decent opponents.

[IcSyU]

While the non-con isn't going to be rated as a tough schedule I don't believe we want it to when we have so many new people. Playing a couple of tough games is good. Michigan will be a very good test to see where we are at. I wouldn't expect us to have loaded up the schedule when we are trying to make the NCAA for the first time in forever. Our conference schedule is strong enough that it will take care of any weaknesses with our non-conference schedule if we win. Plus if we beat Michigan at Michigan that will give us a huge boost.

That's all fine and dandy until you got 10-8 in conference and get swept by KU, TX, A&M, and drop 2 more with a loss at Michigan. Where are your quality wins? Would've been nice to see at least one more decent test non-conference.

That said, I don't see us having that issue. I'm throwing an early prediction of 13-5 in conference out (drop 1 at home, losses @ KU, Baylor, A&M, and Texas) with a final record of 26-6. End the season at 30-8 after a Sweet 16 appearance.

[heitclone]

Did they do away with the big12/pac-10/12 challenge thing?

[CycloneErik]

That's all fine and dandy until you got 10-8 in conference and get swept by KU, TX, A&M, and drop 2 more with a loss at Michigan. Where are your quality wins? Would've been nice to see at least one more decent test non-conference.

That said, I don't see us having that issue. I'm throwing an early prediction of 13-5 in conference out (drop 1 at home, losses @ KU, Baylor, A&M, and Texas) with a final record of 26-6. End the season at 30-8 after a Sweet 16 appearance.

I salute you for going further than I did. I've been figuring 24 or 25 wins.

[cyclones500]

Very preliminary guess, on the low end: 20-11, 9-9.

However, there are plenty of conference games that could swing it upward. Some of it depends on how KSU, Missouri OU and OSU perform (and somewhat w/ KU, although I see a split there). And if ISU's roster is loaded as we hope, that's good enough alone for a couple of extra wins. Add in depth advantages, and 23-8/11-7 is hardly out of the question.

But I'm hesitant to pile the expectations too high when it's mostly sight-unseen.

My non-con losses? Michigan, Providence (ugh)

I see sweeping Baylor, Tech and KSU (for some reason) and being swept by Texas (sort of balances a KSU sweep.

NIT is a possibility, but should be considered a disappointment.

[IcSyU]

I salute you for going further than I did. I've been figuring 24 or 25 wins.

I figure I've been in school for 4 years and haven't seen a top 25 team get beat in Hilton. They'll all happen this year to make up for 4 years worth?

[CycloneErik]

I figure I've been in school for 4 years and haven't seen a top 25 team get beat in Hilton. They'll all happen this year to make up for 4 years worth?

I believe we get more than one this year, but some of them won't be considered upsets.

That said, storm the floor anyway. You guys deserve a free run out there. You and I have sat through some pretty awful games.

[HoraceGrant]

Lipscomb has Jordan Burgason who went to Ames High so for me that will be a interesting game to watch. Can't wait for the season.

Lehigh has a couple of Iowa kids, as well. Knutson and Schaefer. Should be a fun game to see

[IcSyU]

I believe we get more than one this year, but some of them won't be considered upsets.

That said, storm the floor anyway. You guys deserve a free run out there. You and I have sat through some pretty awful games.

I was one of the 4,000 in Hilton at the end of the South Dakota State game. I also still have nightmares of Dendy at the end of the UNI game. Heartbreaks of Oklahoma (Willie Warren just hit another three from half court), Kansas (Brackins with yet another turn around jumper from the block!), and Kansas State (go to hell Denis Clemente).

[gocubs2118]

I don't really like putting a number on it but I think 8-10 conference wins puts us on the bubble and depending on who we beat in conference. 11-12 conference wins we'll be a low seed and 13 wins and above will put us comfortably in the tournament. If we beat Michigan, this will probably change though.

[rholtgraves]

Michigan is the only real SOS opportunity on the non-con schedule, unless UNI and Providence get us something. As I think about last year, they probably don't, in terms of SOS.

I don't think the influx of talent needed a light schedule to get going. That's what the Ital trip and the year off were for.

Hopefully, nobody wanted to schedule us. Obviously, we don't need to schedule all of the Top 10, but it wouldn't have hurt for an NCAA run to have a couple of decent opponents.

Well, the teams we are playing aren't nearly as bad as last year. UNI is the same as last year. But Providence is a big east team. Iowa is improved. Drake should be improved.
Northern Colorado won their league and was in the NCAA tournament.
Western Carolina had a winning record and was the top team in their division of their league.
Rice is average but they are in the Conference USA which is a higher rated conference than the Mo Valley.

I bet there are only a few teams with a harder non-con schedule than ISU.

[kucyclone]

Mississippi Valley State might think it's a home game when only 500 fans show up for that game. Why does ISU always play on New Year's Eve? Seven or eight times in the past 10 years, by my quick count.