WBB Full Schedule Released

**twistedredbird** · 08-14-2012, 09:17 AM

http://www.cyclones.com/pdf8/881884.pdf

Ugh, is all I have to say. Guess we should be used to a pansy non-con by now, but I still hate it.

Other than maybe Iowa, not ONE, TOP 25 caliber team.

Know our conference schedule will be brutal, and we have a young guard court, so I am sure that factored in. But, is it so risky to play one top 25 team(not including Iowa) in the non-con?

**theshadow** · 08-14-2012, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by twistedredbird

Ugh, is all I have to say. Guess we should be used to a pansy non-con by now, but I still hate it.

(1) ISU needs as many wins as possible in the non-conference.
(2) The overall SOS will still be crazy high thanks to 18 games in the Big 12.
(3) Which top 25 team do you think would even want to play in Hilton? It takes two to tango.

**twistedredbird** · 08-14-2012, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by theshadow

(1) ISU needs as many wins as possible in the non-conference.
(2) The overall SOS will still be crazy high thanks to 18 games in the Big 12.
(3) Which top 25 team do you think would even want to play in Hilton? It takes two to tango.

1.) BF is a master of numbers/RPI, and the tourney is his top priority, so I am sure he knows what it will take to get us there, and if he feels this is good enough, then fine, but last year Drake and UNI's numbers were down, and it hurt us a little. We have only 1 top 100 RPI team on that schedule - Iowa. Oh, I take that back, Fairfield is 98. Now granted, Illinois could be up there too, but 1st year coach is going to have ups and downs.
2.) The selection committee looks at more than just end of season SOS, non-conference does play a factor.
3.) That's what home and homes are for. We've done it with Vandy, and with Minnesota off the top of my head. A lot of the top women's teams will play any takers.

I really don't think it is much to ask for the fans to get to see one out of conference BCS and out of state team play in Hilton once a year.

**pulse** · 08-14-2012, 01:51 PM

Monetarily I bet its a lot better to play at home for 10,000 paying customers, then on the road in front of 1800.

**CycloneBob** · 08-14-2012, 02:39 PM

We're solid supporters, but one thing I don't like to see is so many Sunday games. Seems like more Sunday games each year.

**CRAZYGREG** · 08-14-2012, 03:00 PM

Agreed! Sunday games suck so bad. That is NFL day!

**Buster28** · 08-14-2012, 03:08 PM

Not a big fan of the weak non-con scheduling either. But it serves it's purpose. As someone said, we have to make sure we get a bunch of wins someplace because they are not guaranteed in the Big 12 at any point. The former bottom feeders are either building for the future with impressive post-season runs made last year (Kansas and OSU) or left the league altogether (Mizzou and Colorado).

Another thing I don't care for is the women's tournament moving to Dallas. I never went when it was there before and probably won't go that far this time around either. It seems unlikely KC will get it back anytime soon, unfortunately.

At least the start of the conference season is nowhere near as bad as it was last year. We shouldn't have to fight back from an 0-5 start this time around.

**cydney** · 08-14-2012, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by twistedredbird

1.) ...

I really don't think it is much to ask for the fans to get to see one out of conference BCS and out of state team play in Hilton once a year.

I tend to agree. But one question is where would you put them in the schedule?

It would be hard to put one at the start of the season with a young guard court that needs to get some college game experience. Unlike volleyball, which has scheduled big games to start the season, but which has also had a critical mass of experience returning and some depth, WBB has not had that. Start the season by losing, and extra pressure is on the young players.

The Thanksgiving tourneys have had good competition, but the program does not control that.

Then there's the stretch of in-state games. Do we really want a top team in the middle of that pressure-packed sequence? Those games often don't count much in SOS, but they have all the pressure. The pressure does help the team and serve as good preparation for big games.

That leaves the end of December, which is where the better home-and-home series have been placed. Maybe that's still a good option. But the Big 12 starts a week earlier now, so a top team right before it would be tough.

Even if the options are limited, it seems there could be a couple of higher caliber non-con opponents on the schedule.

**cydney** · 08-14-2012, 04:08 PM

What teams would people most like to see come to Hilton to play in the non-conference? Be realistic in terms of who might come and who's a good risk in ISU's schedule.

For example, Arizona State University might be a good opponent.

**BirdDog** · 08-14-2012, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by cydney

What teams would people most like to see come to Hilton to play in the non-conference? Be realistic in terms of who might come and who's a good risk in ISU's schedule.

For example, Arizona State University might be a good opponent.

Minnesota would be good home and home. CBF recruits well up there in gopher land.

**VeloClone** · 08-14-2012, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by BirdDog

Minnesota would be good home and home. CBF recruits well up there in gopher land.

Yes, please. We Cyclones in Minnesota always turn out for Cyclone (fill in the sport) games at the U of M.

**CycloneRulzzz** · 08-14-2012, 05:33 PM

I'd like to see a home and home with a team from a power conf. We have Iowa but that's because it's in-state. I like a home and home with someone from big east or sec. I know Uconn and Tenn won't do it but many a second tier team from their conferences say a Kentucky or Rutgers.

**twistedredbird** · 08-14-2012, 05:45 PM

Cyndey, I see your point, and agree with it on the young guard court as I called it out in my OP, but we also have an All-American candidate in the post. :-) We do have 3.5 of our 5 starters returning, and almost 90% of our scoring from last year. Also, coaches while sad to see reliability go with Chaz and Loz, are high on the upside of Emiah and Kidd. Young, but also tough as nails gamers.

Arizona St. would definitely be interesting. I would say anyone who is a regular top 50 team like ASU from the Pac 12, SEC, ACC, or Big East would be cool. Not too crazy about the Big 10, though MU was a good rivalry, and I would rather us play them that Drake/UNI every year, ugh, those games have more potential downside than upside if you ask me.

Its too bad ISU fans never got to see TN before Pat retired, and frankly her last couple of teams were very favorable match-ups for ISU, and Pat doesn't turn anyone down to play other than Geno, and she would have loved to have her players play in front of a robust crowd. But, that was my pipe dream....

**twistedredbird** · 08-14-2012, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by CyclonesRulzzz

I'd like to see a home and home with a team from a power conf. We have Iowa but that's because it's in-state. I like a home and home with someone from big east or sec. I know Uconn and Tenn won't do it but many a second tier team from their conferences say a Kentucky or Rutgers.

If BF called Geno or Holly, they would do it.