Non-Conference Gets Upgrade for '09, '10, '11 (Updated)

Those looking for tough out-of-conference scheduling need look no further than January 3, 2009 when NC State comes down to Gainesville to pay me a visit in a showdown with the Florida Gators. Of course we have yet to see how the conference schedule pans out, but most likely this will be the “tune-up” game leading into ACC play (at the very least leading into the meat of the ACC schedule). Florida returns the visit a year later to the day.

Of interest is the fact that Dan Werner (ring a bell?) suits up for the Gators. Jai Lucas and Nick Calathes should join him in anchoring the team. Speights might test the NBA waters, other than that the Gators you may be watching in the NIT will be what we see next year. Should be a great road test, and for those who love the RPI (or at least pay attention), this can do nothing but help barring a Michigan State-esque debacle. This game next year also serves the immediate role of mitigating our probable non participation in the ACC/Big 10 challenge.

Additionally, the Wolfpack has also inked a home and home with Arizona for the ’10 and ’11 season.

It’s sad to say, but the ESA/RBC will get its highest profile out-of-conference opponents in the arena’s 11th and 12th year of operation. Wow. So much for those fans who remember NC State Basketball from 1940-1990.

32 Responses to Non-Conference Gets Upgrade for ’09, ’10, ’11 (Updated)

Stoner 03/27/2008 at 10:05 AM #

Getting a good OOC RPI isn’t just about playing a few top notch opponents. You need to limit the number of RPI > 200 teams you play. Carolina had a good OOC RPI because they avoided playing teams with RPI > 200. This doesn’t mean you need to schedule UCLA, Memphis, etc. for every game, but look to get some relatively strong mid-majors in – though this can be a bit of a crapshoot, since a senior heavy mid-major could be an NCAA caliber team or NIT at worst, but if you schedule them after those seniors leave they won’t be very good and likely could be an RPI > 2000 team – along with non-cellar dwellers from majore conferences, which we did in playing Seton Hall and Cinncinati.

The NCAA selection committee is also looking at OOC road games, for big conference schools, like us, so we do need a couple of games on the road for good measure, like Seton Hall and Mich. State this past year.

Interesting to see if we end up in any quality OOC tournaments this year, like the Old Spice Classic, which will have us playing solid D-1 schools on neutral sites, because this will also help the OOC RPI.
blackdom 03/27/2008 at 10:23 AM #

Stoner: must have some good stuff boss ! We are talking RPI? more like RIP with our program .
packbackr04 03/27/2008 at 11:09 AM #

stoner^ i dont believe we have an OOC holiday tourney scheduled for next yr. i could be wrong though
b 03/27/2008 at 2:21 PM #

You could argue that VT’s easy conference schedule actually hurt them in regards to getting a tourney bid. They had no quality wins.

It’s a plus to play quality teams anytime IMO, someone said we should play USC every year and I agree. I’d rather get Spartaned in Gainsville next January and know what is about to happen when conference play kicks off, rather than squash some chumps like this year and spend a week wondering how we are going to do against conference teams. Also if we do pull it off in Gainsville, then all we need to do is schedule Georgetown and the oathbreaker revenge tour will be complete.
tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 03/27/2008 at 4:23 PM #

“possessing a coach with 2 national titles in the last 3”

True but without Noah he is a NIT coach. I give the Billy the kid credit for recruiting Noah but I’ll give the championships to Noah.

I suppose Donovan should get a tad of credit as well for developing the 18th rated PF in his recruiting class into the player you award the championships to. Not trying to bust your chops, but Donovan has a track record for recruiting players and developing them past expectations- or at least meeting expectations. Corey Brewer was a 5 star, #5 at his position and managed to stick around 3 years and not see his draft stock fall- in fact it probably jumped a tad. So Donovan is doing something right with his talent.
StateofthePack 03/27/2008 at 4:41 PM #

I would hardly call Donovan an NIT coach after accomplishing something that has only been done twice in thirty years. So what is Jim Calhoun since he won 2 titles and didn’t even sniff the NIT last year. Do you credit DT, Burleson, and Towe for ’74 or do you credit Sloan for getting them here on campus to begin with? Just curious.
Wulfpack 03/27/2008 at 7:15 PM #

There was a max exodus after Florida’s championship run last year. The fact Billy kept Florida competitive is a testament to his ability. Clearly, he “gets it”.