What’s the gavitt games
Big ten vs big east
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Kind of similar to the ACC challenge except with the Big East. Only difference is the entire conference doesn’t play each year. It is an 8 year deal that started in 15 I think? Each team is written into the contract to play so many games. UM has only played once. They got smashed by Xavier the first year.
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This is from a couple months ago, but has this been properly confirmed anywhere else yet? We’ll host two of these teams almost assuredly as the two home openers if it’s the case.
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Yeah good find. Two of those teams should play at Crisler.
Not that I think we’re gonna lose either game, but are the four “big” schools in this guaranteed to go to Connecticut?
Believe so, will try to confirm.
Yeah, 100%. You’re allowed to have 4 preseason tournament games which have a separate max than the number of pre-conference regular season games you are allowed to have (I think you can have 10? Don’t remember exactly). So whenever a preason tournament will NOT give their teams 4 games, they always have “mainland” buy games that technically count as tournament games so that teams can max out their schedule. So, these 4 small schools will be mainland fodder for the big schools for two games and then play their own 4 team tournament. Even if they win a game on the mainland, it doesn’t matter and they can’t move up to the big bracket.
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Exempt tourneys used to be ‘real’ touranments in the sense that the winners would advance. Most scrapped that recently, I think after Kentucky lost a game like that, but not sure if any are still out there that do that.
From a SOS standpoint, we want Holy Cross and Siena
Depends on where you look. Siena had the worst RPI of those four teams, while Stony Brook had the “best” (211) followed by Holy Cross at 265. In terms of Kenpom, SB was again the best (223) followed by HC (290).
Holy Cross has by far the highest preseason Torvik rating of the four (185 to Siena’s 257) but really, they all were bad teams this past season. I guess avoiding a team from a bad conference like the MEAC (Norfolk) would be worth something.
Id rather avoid MEAC and America East teams
There is a lot that goes into the scheduling. Beilein will look at the “buy” games and want to know how many guys did that team lose the year before? How many seniors/returning players does that team have? How much money will it cost? And then dates.
These exempted games are actually outside of that though, they are put together by the tournament.
Holy Cross returns everyone from last year’s team and bring in an in-state recruit (Blake Verbeek). I think they’ll be one of the stronger teams of those four and it would make sense to bring them in, especially with an in-state kid on their roster. Of course, that’s for the tournament committee (is it a committee?) to decide upon.
Stony Brook return their top two players but lose five rotational seniors. Siena had no seniors but with the new coach I imagine they’ll be a bit of a wild card in terms of what to expect. Norfolk State lose four rotational players including their leading rebounder but return the top two scorers from last year (both of whom came close to leading the team in rebounds as well).
I think in order of strongest to weakest it’ll be: Holy Cross, Siena, Stony Brook, Norfolk State.
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Yep. I was just talking about their non-conference schedule in regards to home “buy” games.
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Any chance of early December conference games again?
Yes. Believe that is happening again this year with the 20 game schedule.
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Michigan just formally announced it will play in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off. Includes early season home games against Norfolk State (Nov. 6) and Holy Cross (Nov. 10). UM plays George Washington (Nov. 17) and Providence/South Carolina (Nov. 18) at Mohegan Sun.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – In conjunction with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the University of Michigan men’s basketball program announced Tuesday (May 15) its participation in the 2018 Tip-Off Tournament, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to play in the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament,” said U-M head coach John Beilein. “It is a unique event which allows us to get some quality games early in the season. We have heard wonderful things about Mohegan Sun and its arena and know our Northeast alumni base will help make it a great environment.”
Eight schools will compete in two four-team brackets – the Naismith and the Springfield – starting first with a pair of round-robin campus games before heading to designated championship bracket finals held at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Teams scheduled to participate in the Naismith bracket include George Washington (Atlantic 10), Michigan (Big Ten), Providence (Big East) and South Carolina (SEC). The Springfield bracket features Holy Cross (Patriot League), Norfolk State (Mid-Eastern), Siena (Metro Atlantic) and Stony Brook (America East).
The Wolverines open the event hosting Norfolk State on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at Crisler Center. U-M follows with a second home contest against Holy Cross on Saturday, Nov. 10. Moving to the Mohegan Sun Arena, the Wolverines will face George Washington in the second game of the Naismith bracket on Saturday, Nov. 17. The tournament concludes with the consolation and championship games on Sunday, Nov. 18.
Pre-sales for participating schools begin Thursday, June 1, while general public tickets will go on sale Friday, Sept. 7 through Ticketmaster outlets and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office.
All game times and television details will be released at a later date.
Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament
Campus Games
Tuesday, Nov. 6
Siena (Springfield) at Providence (Naismith)
Norfolk State (Springfield) at Michigan (Naismith)
Stony Brook (Springfield) at George Washington (Naismith)
Thursday, Nov. 8
Siena (Springfield) at George Washington (Naismith)
Friday, Nov. 9
Stony Brook (Springfield) at South Carolina (Naismith)
Saturday, Nov. 10
Holy Cross (Springfield) at Michigan (Naismith)
Tuesday, Nov. 13
Holy Cross (Springfield) at Providence (Naismith)
Norfolk State (Springfield) at South Carolina (Naismith)
Championship Rounds at Mohegan Sun Arena
Friday, Nov. 16
Springfield G1: Stony Brook vs Holy Cross
Springfield G2: Norfolk State vs Siena
Saturday, Nov. 17
Naismith G1: South Carolina vs Providence
Naismith G2: Michigan vs George Washington
Springfield G3: Consolation
Springfield G4: Championship
Sunday, Nov. 18
Naismith G3: Consolation
Naismith G4: Championship
1 out of 2 for ya 
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