Yes, having 4 sure OOC games against Torvik top 40 teams, and a fifth if we play Arizona in the pre-season tournament finals is “laughably weak” when compared to a powerhouse OOC schedule which has, to date, only Notre Dame as a top 40 Torvik team. Don’t you get it?
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It is way weaker than it looked like it might be earlier with UK/Oregon. Probably a B/B- schedule now.
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I get what you are saying but I have a hard time arguing with confidence that Seton Hall, UCF and San Diego State are going to be great teams. I’d say probably one is but I doubt all three end up that way. UCF in the top 40 makes me wonder more about Bart’s site than UCF. 
But yes, IU’s schedule is definitely laughably weak from what I’ve seen.
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Definitely not laughably weak. Definitely not strong. but when your premier opponent drops out in the middle of scheduling I’m not sure what should have been done. Pivoting to SDSU was likely our best option. A road game against a tough team was likely a non option due to road games against UNC and UCF, plus neutral in DC and Vegas. Then it comes down to getting the best team you can to come to your court on short notice. Which we did.
UCF may not be great but all they need to be is top 75 for that to be Q1. No idea how likely that is.
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I feel like ums schedule is good and close to the ultimate game the system type schedule that the Dayton’s of the world try and play. I do wish there was at least a game against a top 10 team.
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Generally speaking, I’d rather see a program like Michigan play a few more top 10 type games even if it means a few more cupcakes.
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Even in the worst case I don’t think our non-con will hurt us, especially if we end up playing Arizona. In that case we’d play 3 quality high major schools (UNC, Seton Hall, Arizona), a really good mid-major (SDSU), 2 other good mid-majors (Buffalo and UCF), and an average one (UNLV). Plus none of the other teams are below 230 on Torvik’s preseason rankings.
That being said if we lose to UNC, or UNC ends up disappointing for a 3rd straight year, then we could feasibly have a non-con schedule where we don’t beat a single NCAA Tourney team. So I get concerns there.
But for Indiana fans to joke about our schedule is hilarious. They play St. Johns, Syracuse and ND, and don’t play in an actual MTE. An astounding lack of self awareness on their end.
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The Big Ten should be good enough that yes, an average to above average schedule should be just fine. I agree with that and most of what we are discussing is just nitpicking I’d say.
We just saw a year where U-M didn’t really play anyone in the non-conf (even if it was because of COVID) and it all worked out.
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Is that you speaking as what’s best for you as a fan, or what you think is best for the team’s development (or possibly recruiting)?
I’d say best for the sport in general. High-profile games between the best teams in college hoops is what people want to see. I think that helps the overall product.
I understand MM+ or bubble-type teams trying to game the NET and SOS, and I don’t really have a problem with it because at that level those usually end up as better games. But I think programs that are consistently in the top-20 should try to schedule a few games against other great programs.
UCF could be a Q1 game so it is smart scheduling, but I’m not sure it is what anyone wants to see. If that makes sense.
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There are a couple of people who have pointed out it’s not that bad and it seems like smart scheduling.
A real laughably weak non-con would be… Indiana.
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Michigan is probably looking at an O/U of 2.5 Q4 games.
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They’re not going to be great teams. Only UNC potentially fits that bill. They’re quality teams, some/most bubble plus. I would like to see more great teams and/or a better pre-season tournament, and Kentucky might have reached the great level—with UK, it’s probably a B+ OOC schedule. It’s not our fault though that UK backed out, and SDSU is a great late add and compelling story.
My comment was only directed at the incredible lack of self-awareness shown by the IU fans in question. Not that this should surprise anyone.
Are we supposed to take Hunter’s (or any other athlete’s, coach’s or fan’s) social media remarks all that seriously? I guess maybe the players and coaches can use it as bulletin board material. But I never understood why fans get so worked up about it.
No, you really shouldn’t. And I don’t think teams are going to somehow play harder because of something Hunter tweeted. I completely agree with you.
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Any idea when the DC Coaches vs. Racism tickets will go on sale?
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Oats is a hunk. I’m glad he’s not in the B1G. Hopefully MSU doesn’t snag him to replace Izzo
This is all I’ve got:
U-M will travel to the nation’s capital for the first time since winning the 2017 Big Ten Tournament to play Prairie View A&M as part of the Coaches vs. Racism campaign on Saturday, Nov. 13. The neutral-site game is scheduled to be held at the Washington Mystics Entertainment & Sports Arena, but if ticket sales reach certain levels, the game could potentially move to the Capital One Center, home of the Washington Wizards.
I don’t mean to poo poo on Mr. Miller, but using last season’s NET numbers, S Alabama and Oakland would be Q4 affairs this season. I’ll bet they end up with at least one.
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I think oats only leaves bama for a blue blood. Bama has plenty of money and bama is set up to have a ton of success in the sec.
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