MissoulaMarinerFan
Well-known member
Has been released by the U (image courtesy of Frank Gogola on the twitter machine):
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Full 2018/2019 MBB Schedule
- Thread starter MissoulaMarinerFan
- Start date
I wonder if it’s a “rebound” relationship since UND dumped us.
If the purpose of a pre-season schedule is to prepare you not only for the conference schedule but post-season play, it seems to me you want to play "up" as much as possible. Last year we did that. We scheduled five teams from Power 5 Conferences--Pitt, Penn State, Stanford, UCLA and Washington. We also scheduled Santa Barbara, a team that would win more than 20 games. So last year, we really played "up" in our non-conference.
This year?
Not so much.
Where last year we scheduled five Power 5 teams, this year just one--Arizona. Toss in a very good match-up against Creighton, and that give us two teams, on the road, where our kids are really going to be challenged. But the rest of the schedule? It's possible we could be favored in every other game. The Bermuda trip should be fun for our kids, but I don't see any challenges there on the order of last year's schedule.
Also.
I was hoping we'd be done with the NAIA schools. I don't mind Whitworth as an exhibition game to start the season, but Montana Tech? College of Idaho? Maybe you give your bench some playing time, but what the hell are we doing playing these teams. We didn't like it on the football schedule, and I don't like it on the basketball schedule.
One other pique. Over the years we've often played against West Coast schools--USF, Pacific, St. Mary's, Pepperdine, and last year, UCSB. This year just UC Irvine. Instead, we seem to be looking East, to South Dakota State and North Dakota State. For purposes of recruiting, I hope this doesn't become a trend. California kids have become key contributors to our program. I want our emphasis in scheduling to be there, not North and South Dakota.
A final conclusion. One thing this schedule tells me is that because our reputation is on the rise as a basketball school, it's getting harder and harder to schedule good teams. One Pac12 team versus three last year. No Colorado State or other school from the Mountain West. You think a Kyrsko or a Tinks wants to play us? No way! Looks like a lot of other coaches feel the same way.
This year?
Not so much.
Where last year we scheduled five Power 5 teams, this year just one--Arizona. Toss in a very good match-up against Creighton, and that give us two teams, on the road, where our kids are really going to be challenged. But the rest of the schedule? It's possible we could be favored in every other game. The Bermuda trip should be fun for our kids, but I don't see any challenges there on the order of last year's schedule.
Also.
I was hoping we'd be done with the NAIA schools. I don't mind Whitworth as an exhibition game to start the season, but Montana Tech? College of Idaho? Maybe you give your bench some playing time, but what the hell are we doing playing these teams. We didn't like it on the football schedule, and I don't like it on the basketball schedule.
One other pique. Over the years we've often played against West Coast schools--USF, Pacific, St. Mary's, Pepperdine, and last year, UCSB. This year just UC Irvine. Instead, we seem to be looking East, to South Dakota State and North Dakota State. For purposes of recruiting, I hope this doesn't become a trend. California kids have become key contributors to our program. I want our emphasis in scheduling to be there, not North and South Dakota.
A final conclusion. One thing this schedule tells me is that because our reputation is on the rise as a basketball school, it's getting harder and harder to schedule good teams. One Pac12 team versus three last year. No Colorado State or other school from the Mountain West. You think a Kyrsko or a Tinks wants to play us? No way! Looks like a lot of other coaches feel the same way.
citay said:
South Dakota State not "Power 5" but probably better than Pitt. A good test on the road. You answer your own question about why we have NAIA 's on the schedule in the final paragraph (tough to get teams to play the Griz). Schedule looks fine to me. Purpose of preseason to prepare for conference and possibly post season. Post season invites are affected by overall record regardless of schedule so a couple patsies not that bad.
I wish we had UW on the schedule this year. It would be so nice to pound the Huskies this year.
South Dakota State, Creighton, and Arizona are good non-conference games. However, I'm also not excited about 3 NAIA schools (which don't count towards schedule for NCAA tournament purposes). Surprised we couldn't have replaeced one or two of those with another Division 1 opponent.
The Big Sky conference's choice to expand the conference game schedules will inhibit our ability to schedule quality non-conference games moving forward. We need to take advantage of as many as possible!
The Big Sky conference's choice to expand the conference game schedules will inhibit our ability to schedule quality non-conference games moving forward. We need to take advantage of as many as possible!
LittleBear
Well-known member
I feel like the schedule is deceivingly good. Not sexy, but will provide challenges. We’re playing teams that have the potential to reach the tourney but are also winnable(GA State, Irvine, SD State, ND State). Last 4 games of non-conference will be huge, being that 3 of 4 are on the road. Winnning 3 of those would be awesome and can be huge in the battle for 12-13 seeds with the Big West/Summit conferences
Southofmonte
Member
Is there a scrimmage this year? Maroon-Silver? That is a nice peek at the team, especially the support players.
Four Summit teams have scheduled a challenge with four Big Sky teams for four years.
The four Summit teams are UND, NDSU, SDSU and Omaha. The four Big Sky teams are Montana, Mt St, Idaho and EWU. This challenge is going to last for four years with those teams being rotated home and away so the fanbase getting familiar with each other. Sound like a precursor to a modified new Summit conference.
The Summit has done the same thing with more teams involved with the WAC.
The four Summit teams are UND, NDSU, SDSU and Omaha. The four Big Sky teams are Montana, Mt St, Idaho and EWU. This challenge is going to last for four years with those teams being rotated home and away so the fanbase getting familiar with each other. Sound like a precursor to a modified new Summit conference.
The Summit has done the same thing with more teams involved with the WAC.
UNDfan said:
No, that's not going to happen. Ever.
UNDfan said:
No pretense. Just the opposite.
If you're a small-market school, you should seek larger-market partners, not equal or smaller.
My ideal conference remains the MWC--Las Vegas, Albuquerque, San Diego, the Bay Area.
I believe we should Go West, not Look East.
