Padding the record?

[Halldan1]

Marquette’s non-conference schedule leaves much to be desired

Rob Dauster

Jul 14, 2015, 12:50 PM EDT

AP
Marquette announced their completed non-conference schedule on Monday and it’s interesting, to say the least.

The Golden Eagles have a couple of tests on the schedule. They play Iowa in the Gavitt Games, the Big East-Big Ten competition that takes place during the first week of the season. They head to New York to play in the Legends Classic with Arizona State, LSU and N.C. State. And they take on in-state rival Wisconsin.

Beyond that? Things get pretty ugly.

Of the other nine teams on Marquette’s schedule, just one of them — Belmont — finished last season ranked higher than 286th on KenPom. Seven of those other eight finished last season ranked 316th or worse on KenPom, including three of the nation’s seven lowest-ranked teams and, arguably, the two worst teams in the country last season in Grambling and San Jose State.

Yeah.

I’m bullish on Marquette. I actually have them ranked in my preseason top 25. That may change come September, however, as it seems that I may be more confident in what this group can do that Steve Wojciechowski is.

Anyway, here’s the full non-conference slate:

11/9: Valley City State (Exhibition)
11/13: Belmont (Legends Classic)
11/16: IUPUI (Legends Classic)
11/19: Iowa (Gavitt Tip-Off Games)
11/23-24: Arizona St./LSU/NC St., New York, N.Y. (Legends Classic)
11/29: Jackson State
12/02: Grambling St.
12/05: Maine
12/08: San Jose State
12/12: at Wisconsin
12/22: Chicago State
12/27: Presbyterian
1/27: Stetson

 

[halltheway]

If you have a impressive winning record at the end, doesn't matter, if not... you have problems.

 

[Save Continental]

If you have a impressive winning record at the end, doesn't matter, if not... you have problems.

Wouldn't it matter more? Your impressive winning record is going to be torn apart if you're even sniffing an NCAA bid. That schedule has no balance at all. My guess is Wojo knows he's a year or two away so this won't matter much anyway...but jeez give your fans something to get excited about coming to watch.

 

[TrueBlue1989]

Unlike too many Seton Hall fans, Marq fans will turn out in droves to watch even these weak teams. This clearly helps funding and recruiting. No excuses for SHU fans for not showing up to most/all home games.

 

[Save Continental]

Marquette fans show up but their attendance was already down nearly 15% last year.

 

[anon_ezos2e9wn1ob0]

LOL if not for Willard padding his record against non-conference schleps his winning % might be under 40%.

 

[cernjSHU]

Actually, it is not a weak out of conference schedule. They play Iowa a tough team. They play in the Legends Classic which should have one quality game and they play Wisconsin. I know we play Wichita St and there is a tournament, but who else does Seton Hall play? Is Marquette's schedule weaker than Seton Hall? I don't think so.

 

[Halldan1]

Actually, it is not a weak out of conference schedule. They play Iowa a tough team. They play in the Legends Classic which should have one quality game and they play Wisconsin. I know we play Wichita St and there is a tournament, but who else does Seton Hall play? Is Marquette's schedule weaker than Seton Hall? I don't think so.

IMO our schedule is clearly stronger. Not a great one, but clearly not bad either.

And that's without the benefit of being included in the Big Ten/Big East matchups this season. A tourney that neither team had any say regarding who and if they play.

Wichita State, Georgia and South Florida at home. GW and RU on the road.

Charleston Classic: Bradley, George Mason, Long Beach State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Seton Hall, Towson and Virginia.

And although it won't show we tried to schedule a power 5 conference team at Barclays, but it didn't work out. We only got interest from mid major teams so we passed.

 

[sportsfantatic44]

Why is Seton Hall passing on mid major teams? People need to come to the realization that we are no better than a mid major in college hoops now.

 

[Pirate6711]

Why is Seton Hall passing on mid major teams? People need to come to the realization that we are no better than a mid major in college hoops now.

Passing on them for a neutral site game (if I read Dan's post correctly). I agree with that. A neutral site/close to home game against a non-power team would have no chance of drawing a crowd from either team. You could not justify the expenses.

 

[Halldan1]

Passing on them for a neutral site game (if I read Dan's post correctly). I agree with that. A neutral site/close to home game against a non-power team would have no chance of drawing a crowd from either team. You could not justify the expenses.

Exactly. The Hall is not going to give up a home game to play in Brooklyn against a nondescript team.

We will try again next season as we want to play a game in the area that produced our three NY stars players.

 

[sportsfantatic44]

If Seton Hall plays UVA and either Mississippi/Oklahoma State in Charleston the non conference isn't too shabby.

 

[sportsfantatic44]

But why would a power 5 team play Seton Hall in Brooklyn? What is a power 5 team getting out of it? Those teams most likely think if we play the Hall and lose its a really bad loss on a resume come tourney time.

 

[mjs428]

Willard relies on playing a good team in ooc touneys. Last year it backfired. Our schedule is slightly better than theirs as of right now. Wichita St is the only lock to make the ncaa tourney. Georgia & GW are likely to be a little worse. South Florida and Rutgers are laughable

 

[sportsfantatic44]

Willard relies on playing a good team in ooc touneys. Last year it backfired. Our schedule is slightly better than theirs as of right now. Wichita St is the only lock to make the ncaa tourney. Georgia & GW are likely to be a little worse. South Florida and Rutgers are laughable

Agree 100%. Banking on playing UVA, Mississippi, and Oklahoma State in a tourney is a mistake IMO. And if somehow we lost the 1st game (which I don't think is out of the realm of possibilities) of that tourney then forget it.

 

[sportsfantatic44]

Also should point out it's Wojo's 2nd year at Marquette so he should probably still get a pass on an OOC schedule.

 

[BayonneRay]

But why would a power 5 team play Seton Hall in Brooklyn? What is a power 5 team getting out of it? Those teams most likely think if we play the Hall and lose its a really bad loss on a resume come tourney time.

The reason a power five team would play SHU in Brooklyn can be summed up in one word RECRUITING. The NY/NJ metro area still is a hotbed for HS basketball talent and the exposure that the power five team can receive from this appearance would help their recruiting in the local area immensely.

 

[SHUisNJsTeam]

Unlike too many Seton Hall fans, Marq fans will turn out in droves to watch even these weak teams. This clearly helps funding and recruiting. No excuses for SHU fans for not showing up to most/all home games.

Well, yes and no. You can't have a weak schedule and then lose to those weak teams. You have to pound the crap out of them. Losing to the likes of St. Peter's and Rutgers isn't going to excite or bring out the fans of most teams except for the extreme die-hards. And since someone stated above that Marquette's attendance already dropped 15% that sort of shoots a hole in your theory that their fans will turn out in droves for the weak teams when it seems 15% of them gave up on coming out altogether!

I want a strong schedule in the non-conference to prepare us for the Big East and beyond. I absolutely hate seeing our boys sitting home season after season! I want the NCAA's year in and year out, no excuses! Weak schedules build weak excuses, strong schedules build champions!

 

[Hoya1987]

It's a pathetic schedule and the only excuse is to pad their record. Wojo clearly has no faith in his team to compete. If they're on the bubble this could bite them in the ass.

Their only decent games weren't even scheduled: Wisconsin happens every year, Iowa is part of the Gavitt Games and then there's the 2 games from the tournament. The 8 games they scheduled themselves are all 300+ RPI last year.

 

[JIMSOULS]

As much as I think Wojo will succeed at Marquette, I will be pulling for them to lose one of those eight games. I have been a fan of tough scheduling ever since Denny Crum pioneered it. I'm not saying it has to be brutal, just that it should be challenging enough to seriously test a team's strength and weaknesses. Schedule decent teams that play different styles. If you're a talented team then play someone that employs a deliberate style, which is something a potential tourney team might have to deal with come March.