Teams with the easiest slates this season

[Halldan1]

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Georgetown and Texas Tech are among those guilty of scheduling soft nonconference schedules in 2022-23​

By Kyle Boone

Every year there are teams in college basketball that schedule aggressively in the nonconference. And, every year, there's teams that do quite the opposite. Today, after highlighting the former earlier in the week, we're going to highlight the latter.

Each of the five teams that qualified for our list are teams within the power conference structure. Because of that, they may be disincentivized from scheduling tough in the nonconference because of ample opportunities to prove their merit in conference play. Which is a reasonable assumption.

But hey, we can't let these teams get off that easy. You schedule soft, we will take notice.

This list is comprised solely off my subjective view of scheduling. It is not based upon any strength of schedule metrics, it does not account for preseason polls, nor does the specific venue of the games matter much. The only thing that matters is how I perceive a team's level of aggressiveness in scheduling and how soft or strong said schedule is.

That's all.

Let's jump right into it.

1. Iowa State​

Nonconference highlights

• vs. No. 16 Villanova, Nov. 24
• at Iowa, Dec. 8
• at Missouri on Jan. 28

Nonconference lowlights

• vs. IUPUI, Nov. 7
• vs. Milwaukee, Nov. 20
• vs. North Dakota, Nov. 30
• vs. McNeese State, Dec. 11
• vs. Omaha, Dec. 21

Schedule thoughts: Outside of the annual rivalry game with Iowa, the only real lookers on this nonconference slate is a neutral vs. Villanova on Nov. 24 and a home tilt vs. St. John's 10 days later. The rest is just straight up bad. Five of the 10 games are against teams ranked 320 or worse at KenPom.com, including IUPUI, which KenPom projects as the worst team in college hoops last season at dead last No. 363. Woof!

2. Georgetown​

Nonconference highlights

• at No. 25 Texas Tech, Nov. 30
• at Syracuse, Dec. 10

Nonconference lowlights

• vs. Coppin State, Nov. 8
• vs. Green Bay, Nov. 12
• vs. American, Nov. 23

Schedule thoughts: Under Patrick Ewing, Georgetown has scheduled soft for years. And this season? Well, it's not much different. The Big 12-Big East battle against No. 25 Texas Tech is really its only saving grace here. That's the only team on the Hoyas' nonconference schedule even generating votes in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. It's probably going to be an ugly season regardless for the Hoyas but the nonconference slate is equally ugly.

3. Texas Tech​

Nonconference highlights

• vs. No. 9 Creighton, Nov. 21 in Maui Invitational
• vs. Georgetown, Nov. 30
• at LSU, Jan. 28

Nonconference lowlights

• vs. Northwestern State, Nov. 7
• vs. Jackson State, Dec. 17
• vs. South Carolina State, Dec. 27

Schedule thoughts: Only half of the 10 nonconference opponents for Texas Tech last season finished with a winning record if we exclude additional Maui Invitational games on top of Creighton. (Solely for the purpose of it being TBD on who it will play beyond the Bluejays.) Nearly half of its nonconference opponents finished with a losing record last season and in totality -- again, excluding whatever additional games it will play in the Maui beyond Creighton -- those opponents finished with a record that was well below .500, too: combined, they were 52-101 in 2021-22. There's always a chance that can change a little, maybe a lot, but most of these matchups are scheduled auto-Ws where Tech should roll by double digits easily.

4. Missouri​

Nonconference highlights

• at Wichita State, Nov. 29
• vs. No. 5 Kansas, Dec. 10
• vs. No. 23 Illinois, Dec. 22
• vs. Iowa State, Jan. 28

Nonconference lowlights

• vs. Lindenwood, Nov. 13
• vs. Houston Christian, Nov. 26
• vs. Southeast Missouri State, Dec. 4

Schedule thoughts: The top matchups for Mizzou in its nonconference slate allows it to avoid a No. 1 ranking on this list, but ... it's certainly close. Outside the big three -- Wichita State, Kansas and Illinois -- only one team the Tigers face is ranked in the top 100 at KenPom to open the season.

5. Utah​

Nonconference highlights

• vs. BYU, Dec. 17
• vs. TCU, Dec. 21

Nonconference lowlights

• vs. LIU, Nov. 7
• vs. Idaho State, Nov. 14

Schedule thoughts: The Pac-12's wonky schedule with conference games starting in December then pauses until the end of December makes Utah's schedule at first glance look decent, especially with Arizona on Dec. 1 on deck. But believe me: it is not decent. This schedule is not very tough. Aside from tests against BYU and TCU it should not only win out in non-league play, but do so by 10, 15, maybe 20 points on average per game.

And 1: LSU​

Nonconference highlights

• vs. Wake Forest, Dec. 10
• vs. No. 25 Texas Tech, Jan. 28

Nonconference lowlights

• vs. UMKC, Nov. 9
• vs. New Orleans, Nov. 17

Schedule thoughts: LSU's opening slate in SEC play is hilariously loaded -- I mean, seriously, it's just downright evil -- but the prelude to it in nonconference play is quite the opposite. Only two opponents are ranked inside KenPom's top 150 -- and one of those, Wofford, is ranked No. 147. This is a schedule unbefitting of a major conference player like LSU.

 

[Halldan1]

Hello.....


Rutgers

Mon Nov 7		316	Columbia	W, 81-58		98%	Home
Thu Nov 10		305	Sacred Heart	W, 80-58		98%	Home
Sat Nov 12		170	UMass Lowell	W, 75-61		90%	Home
Fri Nov 18		92	Temple	W, 70-65		67%	Neutral
Tue Nov 22		186	Rider	W, 77-61		92%	Home
Sat Nov 26		333	Central Connecticut	W, 77-54		98%	Home
Wed Nov 30		42	Miami FL	L, 71-67		36%	Away

Sun Dec 11

48

Seton Hall

W, 68-65

61%

Home

Fri Dec 23		284	Bucknell	W, 80-59		97%	Home
Fri Dec 30		315	Coppin St.	W, 80-57		98%	Home

 

[hinson32]

Rutgers being screwed again by the media. I hope Pike uses this as motivation to soften the schedule going forward.

 

[MBF72]

Rutgers schedule looks a lot like ours not-too-many years ago.

 

[JTSHU]

RU looks much worse than the others. But every team schedules a few tough ones and majority are cupcakes. Now what if thosr teams finish at the top of their conference? Im sure committe will forget their non conference sos. Still to this day we dont know what the hell the committee looks at.

They still rate some if these mid majors too high. Not to say they cant advance but their seedings based off their schedule is ridiculous. Gonzaga will always move up in the AP and seeding because they beat nobody and even good power 5 teams will lose as their schedule is tougher. My issue with the zags is not agreeing that they are good but their road is easier in the tournament because of their schedule. Put them in a power 5 and they are bound to lose a few. SoS in my opinion needs to be factored in way more than it is. That goes for the zags or a mid major.

 

[hinson32]

RU looks much worse than the others. But every team schedules a few tough ones and majority are cupcakes. Now what if thosr teams finish at the top of their conference? Im sure committe will forget their non conference sos. Still to this day we dont know what the hell the committee looks at.

They still rate some if these mid majors too high. Not to say they cant advance but their seedings based off their schedule is ridiculous. Gonzaga will always move up in the AP and seeding because they beat nobody and even good power 5 teams will lose as their schedule is tougher. My issue with the zags is not agreeing that they are good but their road is easier in the tournament because of their schedule. Put them in a power 5 and they are bound to lose a few. SoS in my opinion needs to be factored in way more than it is. That goes for the zags or a mid major.

Sadly until RU gets kept out an NCAA due to their weak OOC, I don't see it improving.

 

[kcg88]

As someone who's hated Pikiell's weak scheduling in the past, this year's is fine. It's not exceptionally strong but SHU, Miami, Temple, and Wake Forest are all top 100. Rider and UMass Lowell are top 200. They also play two extra conference games compared to Big 12 and SEC teams so that's why teams like LSU, Iowa State, Missouri, etc are much worse.

 

[SOBO1]

Sadly until RU gets kept out an NCAA due to their weak OOC, I don't see it improving.

I think the strategy was largely due to Pikel trying to artificially inflate his record to ensure he got his big money/second contract.

The current scheduling strategy doesn't really work in my opinion. It's stinks for the fans and one slip up during the season and you're cooked. For instance, RU finished 4th in the BigTen and made the play-in game (in some fan's eyes that's not even 'making' the tournament). If they scheduled a challenging OOC they would have been a protected seed.

 

[Halldan1]

The last few years because the Big Ten was so grossly overrated Rutgers had an easier time getting an invite with a mediocre record. That won't be the case this season so Pikiell will have to earn that invite by playing well in conference.

 

[MBF72]

Long, long-time Hall fan and a gracefully aging alum, but I like Pike.
Heard in the car this afternoon that Rutgers games are on WCBS a.m. in NYC. That's impressive. Wish ours were.

 

[Halldan1]

He's well liked and respected. Just not much for challenging non conference schedules

 

[JTSHU]

Until the committee wacks u for a weak non conf schedule, keep scheduling easy. I feel like the committee picks and chooses their arguments basef on the team

 

[walshtrips]

Missouri shouldn't be in this group with two top 25 teams in the OOC schedule.

 

[TheHall87]

Texas Tech is going to get either Louisville and Arkansas and then one of Arizona, Cincinnati, Ohio State and San Diego State in Maui.

The idea of including them based on excluding their TBA games is absurd.

I agree with Hinson. RU gets screwed again. Lol.

 

[SHUSA]

Rutgers schedule looks a lot like ours not-too-many years ago.

well once we became competitive so did our schedule. and back when it was a weak schedule our fans pointed it out.

rutgers has made the tournament recently. get it together

 

[SHUisNJsTeam]

If they scheduled a challenging OOC they would have been a protected seed.

If they scheduled a challenging OOC they would have sat home, like the should have anyway, because they would have lost those games!