How GU non-conference schedules are built

[Markburn1]

LOL - this thread is hilarious. We could be looking at a 6 game stretch of Southern Miss, Oregon, North Carolina, Tx So, Washington, North Carolina (AGAIN) and there are people on here #####ing about the OOC schedule. We've been to 21 straight tournaments and the E8 3 out of 5 years. Seriously, you guys are clueless.

Nice job of cherry picking. Oregon and Carolina are tournament games. Washington, UNC and Arizona are legit.

The rest of the lineup is Alabama State, Arkansas Pine Bluff, North Dakota, Texas Arlington, Cal State Bakersfield, Southern Mississippi, Texas Southern, Eastern Washington and Detroit.

There are legit arguments on both sides of the scheduling. Deciding the rest of the world is clueless is insulting.

[Gonzagit]

Nice job of cherry picking. Oregon and Carolina are tournament games. Washington, UNC and Arizona are legit.

The rest of the lineup is Alabama State, Arkansas Pine Bluff, North Dakota, Texas Arlington, Cal State Bakersfield, Southern Mississippi, Texas Southern, Eastern Washington and Detroit.

There are legit arguments on both sides of the scheduling. Deciding the rest of the world is clueless is insulting.

Since when did tournament games stop being part of the OOC schedule?

[Zagdawg]

Some very good games and some easy games mixed in -- looks like another year of scheduling that can get us a 3 seed playing in Spokane in a transition year-- I'll take it and be happy about it.

[Gonzagit]

Ok Boomer......you do know that more than one thing can be true at the same time....no one is complaining about those things...

Don't get the Boomer reference, I'm not that smart. The only school I got into was Gonzaga.

[Gonzagit]

Some very good games and some easy games mixed in -- looks like another year of scheduling that can get us a 3 seed playing in Spokane in a transition year-- I'll take it and be happy about it.

Boom

[Markburn1]

Since when did tournament games stop being part of the OOC schedule?

Disingenuous. Those tournament games are locked in on a yearly basis now. The rest of the OOC is less than desirable and there is no denying that control of those games is in the hands of the AD and the basketball staff.

All the folks on this side of the argument want is to stop playing so many sub 200 teams.

It's like watching Muhammed Ali against Chuck Wepner. Too much blood.

[ZagzKrak]

AZ, UW, A&M are happy to play the Zags regularly with the understanding they might split or lose more than they win over the course of a 2 or 4 year series. UNC agreed to a home and home. Teams like to play big nonconference games and the Zags are a great national TV matchup. Even P5 teams don't schedule a clear slate of cupcakes. A look at almost any P5 team schedule will show that they like to play big games too.

Edit: I add that I the obvious other benefit to agreeing to a series with Gonzaga: the opposing team gets to play Gonzaga at their home in front of their fans with the chance to beat the Zags.

AZ, UW, UNC are not middle of the pack teams...of course they will play us.

[SorenTodd45]

Disingenuous. Those tournament games are locked in on a yearly basis now. The rest of the OOC is less than desirable and there is no denying that control of those games is in the hands of the AD and the basketball staff.
All the folks on this side of the argument want is to stop playing so many sub 200 teams.
It's like watching Muhammed Ali against Chuck Wepner. Too much blood.

I like the blood, I like the easy win. And I'm old enough to remember when Muhammed was named Cassius.

The Zags play in a weak conference, so they need the cupcakes to pad the win total. It is what it is. If one doesn't like it, they can always become a UCLA basketball fan. When was the last time they were relevant? Oh yeah, when they beat the Zags in 2006. Talk about luck on that one.

[Ladyzag12]

Don't get me wrong. I would love to see us play 6 top 25 ooc games. That won't happen for various reasons.

[bballbeachbum]

interesting thread. I think the out of conference is perfect this year, allowing the new backcourt some room to get comfy. smart imo

[CDC84]

The thing that 80% of all Zag fans continue to underestimate is how much economics plays a part in non-con scheduling. Gonzaga earns more money playing Arkansas Pine-Pine Bluff to a sold out crowd at the Kennel than North Carolina. They earn more money playing North Dakota at the Kennel than playing Kansas at Spokane Arena despite it being twice as big. As long as that fact continues to exist, expect low majors on the schedule. And plenty of them. It's partly why the program collected close to 15 million bucks in revenue last year....better than all Pac 12 teams (including UCLA and Oregon) besides Arizona. It's not just to give the team a break now and then from their inverted schedule.

I think the hard thing GU faces is games like tonight. How in the hell do you know how Texas A&M is going to be when you schedule them 4 years in advance?? That team was terrible tonight. Even if they were missing a player. It's like the Zags cannot be guaranteed that a non-conference opponent is going to be good unless they play a blueblood, and some of those teams like UK and Duke don't do home and homes with anyone unless their conference dictates it. They need to start a year to year series with a program like Villanova. I suspect once Chris Mack gets Louisville going, they could be another candidate. Teams that make the NCAA's almost every year but are willing to play road games.

[willandi]

The thing that 80% of all Zag fans continue to underestimate is how much economics plays a part in non-con scheduling. Gonzaga earns more money playing Arkansas Pine-Pine Bluff to a sold out crowd at the Kennel than North Carolina. They earn more money playing North Dakota at the Kennel than playing Kansas at Spokane Arena despite it being twice as big. As long as that fact continues to exist, expect low majors on the schedule. And plenty of them. It's partly why the program collected close to 15 million bucks in revenue last year....better than all Pac 12 teams (including UCLA and Oregon) besides Arizona. It's not just to give the team a break now and then from their inverted schedule.

I think the hard thing GU faces is games like tonight. How in the hell do you know how Texas A&M is going to be when you schedule them 4 years in advance?? That team was terrible tonight. Even if they were missing a player. It's like the Zags cannot be guaranteed that a non-conference opponent is going to be good unless they play a blueblood, and some of those teams like UK and Duke don't do home and homes with anyone unless their conference dictates it. They need to start a year to year series with a program like Villanova. I suspect once Chris Mack gets Louisville going, they could be another candidate. Teams that make the NCAA's almost every year but are willing to play road games.

I agree with ALL of this. Add in the fact that Gonzaga knew they were losing four players off of last years team (it ended up being 5 with Norvell leaving too), had 1 returning starter and 6 incoming freshmen (Ravet is counted here) and nothing lined up in grad transfers, and scheduling the cupcakes is the ONLY thing that makes sense. Imagine if the NC, Arizona, UW were the first games and this young team was thrashed. That would affect their mentality all season.

The other is that most of the posters are confusing what is BEST for the team and the school with what they want to see as fans. The cupcake games are still sold out. Fans will be fans. They will go to the games. The scheduling has to be what is best for the team, and the school.

[jazzdelmar]

Bottom line, the Zags have 6-8 marquee games to make their March madness bones. If they win 4 or more all is well with respect to an at large. If they win only 2-3, a real possibility, the auto bid is probably only hope. And Randy looks formidable this year. That’s a lot of pressure. And imo not a great strategy. True, there’s always chance of one lifetime achievement bid, but selection Sunday would be nerve wracking.

[gueastcoast]

CDC I have a question -- and I have always been aware of the $ element -- how does that work exactly? Do some schools pay more than others? My biggest complaint (as noted earlier in the thread) is that I'd rather we dine on local cupcakes (fresher, as not shipped as far!) than no-name schools from hither and yon. I suspect the UTAs, et al pay us bigger $ than Eastern or other regional foes do/would. But how does it actually work? Is it a free market, or overseen/governed in some manner?

[ZagsGoZags]

what does SMDH mean?
speaking for a few other readers who also might not know, also