24-25 Non-Conference Schedule

Schedule Updates
21

D1 Docket now lists a home tilt with Fresno State on December 7. Not bad. The schedule is now right where I would like it to be and will give SCU the opportunities it needs, I think.

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22

So, taking a look at the non-conference schedule, it appears that we only have ONE true road game (@Nevada), the other away games are neutral court tilts and tourneys. I can’t remember a schedule like this in the history of SCU hoops.

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23

Correct. College teams at SCU’s level just aren’t doing home-and-home arrangements like they used to. As teams work to game new analytic metrics that assign different weights to home/neutral/away, they are playing more one-off games at neutral sites. SCU also just happens to be on the home end of the Stanford, SJSU, and (I assume) Fresno State series which is not great scheduling, though it’s not likely that SJSU or Fresno are going to be much help to SCU, home or away.

It would be so fun to have an SLU or Loyola Chicago as a home-and-home opponent. But that’s just not how it goes these days.

24

Buckets-
There are several schedules in recent years that are similar:

  • 17/18: Just one true non-con road game, @ USC.
  • 18/19: Two non-con road games but at SJSU and Cal so didn’t leave the Bay Area.
  • 19/20: Two non-con road games: @ Stanford and Nevada
  • 22/23: One non-con road game @ Utah St.
    Otherwise just neutral site games.
    I prefer the home/away type arrangements with a few teams but not losing any sleep over it. What is key is that the team does play away from home with some true travel (flight, hotel stay, etc.) so you have that experience of going through those different logistics and routines and play in an unfamiliar place so you’re prepared for that in league play.
25

I probably should’ve been more precise in my comment. I meant how few true road games along with so few home games. In the years that you reference, we had quite a number of home games. This year, it looks like the schedule is dominated by neutral site games. It’s possible that I’m wrong about that, I’m going on gut feeling and haven’t gone through and looked at all of the past schedules.

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26

But @buckets 7 out of the 13 OOC matches are true home games. I agree that the number of neutrals is increasing, though. SCU did not used to play 3-4 one-off neutral games in a season.

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Fair enough. Now that I take a closer look (rather than just counting number of italicized games), it’s not as extreme as it seems. Three of the games are really just one tourney (even though we have a solo home game in between tourney games).

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29

McNeese State was 30-4 last season. Most notable non-conference win was @Michigan. They went 17-1 in conference.

Was just looking at our conference schedule, strange to see WSU and OSU. Also, weird scheduling. We play @LMU and then two days later @Gonzaga. Lots of mileage in between. Then near the end of the season, we play @WSU and then a few days later at home against Gonzaga.

30

Very interesting. I will add this to the top.

Three thoughts: First, this is probably SCU’s best noncon schedule in memory. Almost certainly the best since the Keating era (when I was a student). That’s great.

Second, this seems like it precludes a reprisal of the SJSU series. That’s Herb’s biggest black mark as a coach at SCU, so I understand the desire to just move on from it. But that’s the historic crosstown opponent, so I don’t support skipping SJSU no matter how bad they are. It isn’t like SCU doesn’t schedule bad teams for schedule fluff. And SJSU means a lot more than Kennesaw State for a locals.

Third, McNeese is not only a good OOC opponent. It also is easy travel distance for Carlos Stewart’s family. I know at least part of the stated reason for the LSU transfer was to be closer to home. So maybe the trip to McNeese is, in part, a convenient accommodation for Stewart and his family.

3 Likes
31

The schedule is finalized with the above. No SJSU on the schedule for the first time since…

Seems odd, and I would trade one of the buy games for a home and home with SJSU in a heartbeat.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-_BDqlyqdG/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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32

note to self: Don’t bring Tyeree or Adama to Hut trivia based on the schedule reveal video haha

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33

lol. That was some funny commentary from the kids.

34

Hello
The game fills a gap in SCU’s schedule, providing them with a more balanced slate of opponents throughout the season.
It allows SCU to avoid any prolonged stretches without home games, which can be beneficial for player morale and fan attendance.

1 Like