2019-20 MBB Schedule Discussion Thread

[ZagRecruitWatch]

Now go ahead and compare Dook’s ACC schedule with the dreadful bottom 2/3rds of the WCC. And calculate which provides a superior resume builder for MM.

And which conference would you realistically rather have us play in? Duke has as much say in the conference teams they play as Gonzaga which is none. There are no teams out there that load there entire non-conference schedule up with P5 and that's for a good reason. Teams that have quality non-conference schedules play a handful for great teams and a handful of cupcakes and its always been that way.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

Jazz can speak for himself, seems to me that he is saying - and it is a defensible position - that the low end could be a little higher just for seeding purposes, that is all. Playing a team that is ranked 160 would seem to be better than playing the one at 260.

I think that is the only legitimate point, and I even wonder if they have much choice, after the bigger games are scheduled for TV and all, they might be pinned into a corner on available dates.

I disagree I think it is a incredibly ridiculous argument which is one of the reasons Jazz is probably making it. There is not a team out there that will schedule P5 teams back to back all non-conference long. The fact of the matter is we play in the conference we are in and we pretty much have to win it outright to get a top seed. Scheduling a absurdly difficult non-conference schedule won't mean #### if we lose the games and play poorly in conference play. The non-conference schedule is to introduce gonzaga to teams with superior athletes who we will most likely face in later rounds of the tournament. In RPI that would make a difference but with the new Quadrant metric not so much.

[bdmiller7]

I disagree I think it is a incredibly ridiculous argument which is one of the reasons Jazz is probably making it. There is not a team out there that will schedule P5 teams back to back all non-conference long. The fact of the matter is we play in the conference we are in and we pretty much have to win it outright to get a top seed. Scheduling a absurdly difficult non-conference schedule won't mean #### if we lose the games and play poorly in conference play. The non-conference schedule is to introduce gonzaga to teams with superior athletes who we will most likely face in later rounds of the tournament. In RPI that would make a difference but with the new Quadrant metric not so much.

I can think of 2 teams that traditionally go P5 all non-conference... LBSU and Texas So, but they're in a little different circumstances than GU.

[maynard g krebs]

There is not a team out there that will schedule P5 teams back to back all non-conference long. The fact of the matter is we play in the conference we are in and we pretty much have to win it outright to get a top seed. Scheduling a absurdly difficult non-conference schedule won't mean #### if we lose the games and play poorly in conference play.

I don't think anyone is saying that, re first sentence above. Half a dozen quality nonconf opponents seems ok for a team w/ limited experience together; I think last year it was 8 or 9? Someone on SMC's board did a comp of our sched w/ theirs based on last yr's final kenpom rankings. The Zags play 7 teams ranked 195 or lower last yr; SMC plays 3. Writer jokingly complained about Zags schedule bringing down SMC's rpi. Maybe it's unavoidable as Dixie suggests it might be, but it's a legit issue that jazz brings up imo.

As to comparing w/ Duke's nonconference sched, power 5 teams +BE only need a few tough early games to sharpen them. They don't need them for seeding purposes like GU does, so it's apples to oranges. Hence the usual inverted schedule.

[ZagzKrak]

I'm not sure if it's taking effect this year but I seem to recall that most of the P5 were expanding their conference schedules to 20 games...I would guess that makes it tougher to get some of them to agree to a home and home with us. Even the middle tier P5 schools lose some of their drive to agree to tougher Non-Con games since they will be playing all the top dogs in their conference twice.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

I can think of 2 teams that traditionally go P5 all non-conference... LBSU and Texas So, but they're in a little different circumstances than GU.

Texas southern has 4 as well... 5 if you include Gonzaga. SBSU hasn't released if full schedule yet but they have 4 (very weak P5).... 5 if you count Saint Mary's (who is there strongest opponent so far). I Obviously didn't look up all the schools non conference schedules so im sure you could find a couple but its a solid rule of thumb.

[ZagRecruitWatch]

I don't think anyone is saying that, re first sentence above. Half a dozen quality nonconf opponents seems ok for a team w/ limited experience together; I think last year it was 8 or 9? Someone on SMC's board did a comp of our sched w/ theirs based on last yr's final kenpom rankings. The Zags play 7 teams ranked 195 or lower last yr; SMC plays 3. Writer jokingly complained about Zags schedule bringing down SMC's rpi. Maybe it's unavoidable as Dixie suggests it might be, but it's a legit issue that jazz brings up imo.

As to comparing w/ Duke's nonconference sched, power 5 teams +BE only need a few tough early games to sharpen them. They don't need them for seeding purposes like GU does, so it's apples to oranges. Hence the usual inverted schedule.

Someone should have told him that RPI was a arbitrary metric last year. I think there are people questioning the strength of the non-conference schedule which they shouldn't because not only is it fantastic, but we will see how well GU can handle it.

[maynard g krebs]

Someone should have told him that RPI was a arbitrary metric last year.

As I said, it was said jokingly, i.e. tongue in cheek because of all the past complaints on this board about SMC not scheduling hard enough in the nonconf. SMC fans seem to be pretty acutely aware of metrics, being on the bubble virtually every year.

[DZ]

I disagree I think it is a incredibly ridiculous argument which is one of the reasons Jazz is probably making it. There is not a team out there that will schedule P5 teams back to back all non-conference long. The fact of the matter is we play in the conference we are in and we pretty much have to win it outright to get a top seed. Scheduling a absurdly difficult non-conference schedule won't mean #### if we lose the games and play poorly in conference play. The non-conference schedule is to introduce gonzaga to teams with superior athletes who we will most likely face in later rounds of the tournament. In RPI that would make a difference but with the new Quadrant metric not so much.

You completely ignored my point, or I am a poor enough writer it wasn't conveyed well.

No one said play nothing but P-5 teams over and over.

The ONLY argument that I think is even defensible is that once you play your P-5 school with a top 75 rating, perhaps load up on a softie that is about 140 on the list instead of 260-300.

It keeps the entire RPI of the schedule higher for MM.

But, as I also said, it could well be that they simply don't have the flexibility required to call the shots on a team at 140, given that they prioritized the two TV games before and after, it left them with a date to play a game with very little flexibility, they couldn't be picky.

I would bet anything that is what happened.

Framed that way, in an ideal world, there is nothing ridiculous about it. There could easily be a better way, should they have complete freedom, but it isn't ridiculous.

[CB4]

I think the zags should schedule 3-4 nonconference cupcakes and the rest should be P5, MW, or BE teams of varying difficulty. I don't think that's ridiculous at all.

[jazzdelmar]

I think the zags should schedule 3-4 nonconference cupcakes and the rest should be P5, MW, or BE teams of varying difficulty. I don't think that's ridiculous at all.

Perfect.

[RenoZag]

Thread Retitled and Stickied for time being.

[SorenTodd45]

(Dec. 18 North Carolina Spokane)

The TV time for the Tar Heels game was released -- 6 pm Pacific time on ESPN2

[ZagRecruitWatch]

(Dec. 18 North Carolina Spokane)

The TV time for the Tar Heels game was released -- 6 pm Pacific time on ESPN2

Really hope we have some resemblance of a student section or it might be a depressingly quite game.

[SorenTodd45]

ESPN (finally) released the Zags TV schedule for the games they will air. It's about time!

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/oct/11/gonzaga-to-appear-at-least-15-times-on-espn-family/