I think that if Kentucky is gonna host this Keightley Classic then bring in the big teams to play in it instead of these little weak teams that you know your gonna beat 20+.

..........8 "buy" games is a lot....also expensive, but I know that isn't an issue for UK. That doesn't even include Providence (who is probably 7th in the Big East) and a Baylor team that will take a (large) step back this year.

 

There are certainly some whoppers in the non-conference, but by and large, it isn't very good; that said, when you are consistently going to be breaking in freshmen, it makes sense.

 

By the way, the early line on the Robert Morris game is UK -35.

Pretty good schedule.

It boggles my mind that people think the OOC is weak....Begs the question, do they even watch basketball? :idunno:

It boggles my mind that people think the OOC is weak....Begs the question, do they even watch basketball? :idunno:

 

I don't believe anyone thinks it is weak. I do believe that people expect a tougher OOC schedule from UK. That is where I stand. If they lose games to their top 3-4 OOC opponents, will they have one win versus a top 50 opponent? That is what put them on the bubble last year.

I don't believe anyone thinks it is weak. I do believe that people expect a tougher OOC schedule from UK. That is where I stand. If they lose games to their top 3-4 OOC opponents, will they have one win versus a top 50 opponent? That is what put them on the bubble last year.

 

They play 3 top 5-7 teams and 2 more top 25 teams OOC. How many teams do that? Now if you want to say the schedule as a whole is weaker, due to the SEC, that's valid. To say that OOC isn't tough enough is purely delusional.

I don't believe anyone thinks it is weak. I do believe that people expect a tougher OOC schedule from UK. That is where I stand. If they lose games to their top 3-4 OOC opponents, will they have one win versus a top 50 opponent? That is what put them on the bubble last year.

 

Tougher? It is the toughest. And to answer your question about the top 50 wins... this season, they will. Boise State, Belmont (maybe, remember they finished with an RPI in the top 25 last year), and Baylor would all be top 50. Last season the schedule was weak and there were a lack of quality teams, but the team was weak. And it takes two to tango. There are not a multitude of top 50 teams looking to schedule UK or other high caliber opponents.

It boggles my mind that people think the OOC is weak....Begs the question, do they even watch basketball? :idunno:

 

Since everyone wants to talk about where these teams were last year (Baylor and Belmost are highly unlikely to be Top 50 this year, but yes, they were last year), here is UK's non-conf with LY's final RPI ranking:

 

UNC Asheville -- #215

NKU -- #271

Michigan State -- #9

Robert Morris -- #124

UT Arlington -- #120

Cleveland State -- #199

Eastern Michigan -- #239

Providence -- #90

Baylor -- #70

Boise State -- #44

North Carolina -- #17

Belmont -- #19

Louisville -- #3

 

You have three dominant historical programs (Michigan State, UNC, and UL), however, the rest of those games won't be very good (Belmont and Baylor won't be nearly as good, Providence has a nice roster, and while it is volatile, and I expect them to play inspired vs UK, they are still the 7th best team in the Big East).

 

I hope this boggles your mind a little less, but if I need to pass some UKFM "college basketball IQ test" to have future opinions, I'll happily sign up. If you'd like to compare knowledge of players, teams, coaches, conferences, basketball journalists, finances, referee tendencies, NCAA location selection, MEA's and their impact on the future of the college game, TV contracts, or the like, just let me know. Feel free to question my opinions (that is why we're here, right?), but if you want to get personal about it I'm here and ready to have the debate.

I'm in the "the OOC is solid - not great" camp. 3 strong games and not much else plus then you have a conference that is not near the top.

 

Did I pass the "UKMF basketball knowledge" test?

Reading some of the comments and reactions about our schedule (not necessarily saying those expressed here, just generally speaking), I don't think that some people realize Boise State was a tournament team last year and has been on the bubble the past few years.

 

Neutral site games with Michigan State and Baylor are somewhat misleading given the proximity of the schools to those locations. The Baylor game in Dallas will probably be a 50/50 split of UK fans to Baylor fans, best case scenario for UK.

 

Road games with North Carolina, Florida, LSU, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss. A home game with Louisville. Another neutral site game with Providence.

 

Those are ten quality games/teams, some of which we play twice. The only one of the aforementioned teams whose ability to make the NCAA tournament I might question would be Providence.

 

Is it the strongest schedule in the nation? No. The SEC isn't known as a basketball conference. Did we "schedule down", etc.? I don't really think so considering the youth of the team, etc. I don't really think there are many teams, even those in weaker basketball conferences whose top four out of conference slate would match ours (1. Louisville, 2. North Carolina, 3. Baylor, 4. Boise State).

 

According to what other schools do, I could see this team having 4 losses but still getting the final #1 seed. (If those four were something like: Louisville, North Carolina/Michigan State, Baylor/Boise State, then getting on a roll in conference play and only losing one game to a team like LSU; that scenario would still leave wins two wins over Florida, a win over either North Carolina on the road/Michigan State at a neutral site, a win over either Baylor (defacto road game)/Boise State at home, LSU, Ole Miss, Belmont, Providence, etc.... obviously this scenario would depend on how close the losses and how convincing the wins were though, as well as whether or not we won the SEC tournament and got more quality wins along the way).

 

Great post and completely agree in regards to your comments about the quality of teams they play.

The schedule continues to get weaker. I understand with the freshman focus the need to tone the schedule down, but it is getting too weak IMO. Last season, it was ranked 70. This season it may be even worse. If they want a top seed in the tourney, they better go 29-2.

 

Tell me what other top teams have this loaded schedule? I mean where exactly is this schedule any different than any other year besides not having Indiana? Still have UNC, UL like always, they have Michigan St, and Providence. If I had to guess when it comes to non conference schedules, they have one of the toughest non conference schedules with more top opponents. Now in conference is a different story. So what really is different that your talking about besides not having Indiana like they should?

Since everyone wants to talk about where these teams were last year (Baylor and Belmost are highly unlikely to be Top 50 this year, but yes, they were last year), here is UK's non-conf with LY's final RPI ranking:

 

UNC Asheville -- #215

NKU -- #271

Michigan State -- #9

Robert Morris -- #124

UT Arlington -- #120

Cleveland State -- #199

Eastern Michigan -- #239

Providence -- #90

Baylor -- #70

Boise State -- #44

North Carolina -- #17

Belmont -- #19

Louisville -- #3

 

You have three dominant historical programs (Michigan State, UNC, and UL), however, the rest of those games won't be very good (Belmont and Baylor won't be nearly as good, Providence has a nice roster, and while it is volatile, and I expect them to play inspired vs UK, they are still the 7th best team in the Big East).

I hope this boggles your mind a little less, but if I need to pass some UKFM "college basketball IQ test" to have future opinions, I'll happily sign up. If you'd like to compare knowledge of players, teams, coaches, conferences, basketball journalists, finances, referee tendencies, NCAA location selection, MEA's and their impact on the future of the college game, TV contracts, or the like, just let me know. Feel free to question my opinions (that is why we're here, right?), but if you want to get personal about it I'm here and ready to have the debate.

 

 

Forgetting Boise State again. Tournament team last year. Tournament quality team for the past 3 years. That one would be a solid win for anyone and is one that I mentioned as a possible "trap game" in an earlier post. I could see them being in and out of the Top 25 or at least the "Others Receiving Votes" at different points in the year. They only lost 1 senior from last year's team.

 

Boise State's Magic 8-Ball: "Outlook Good" - Mountain West Connection

Great post and completely agree in regards to your comments about the quality of teams they play.

 

Thanks.

Forgetting Boise State again. Tournament team last year. Tournament quality team for the past 3 years. That one would be a solid win for anyone and is one that I mentioned as a possible "trap game" in an earlier post. I could see them being in and out of the Top 25 or at least the "Others Receiving Votes" at different points in the year. They only lost 1 senior from last year's team.

 

Boise State's Magic 8-Ball: "Outlook Good" - Mountain West Connection

 

Not forgetting Boise State, I've seen them live, I've been to Taco Bell Arena, and they are fine. If UK were going to the high desert to play the game, it may be interesting, but they are being paid to come to Rupp Arena for one reason and one reason only: they are a high (potential) RPI team who will come and not expect a return trip. Also, they were a 13 seed that had to go to Dayton for the First Four, just to clarify.

 

The Mountain West is an entertaining brand of basketball, but let's not forget that they perpetually under-achieve in the tournament, as evidenced by their 2-5 record last year in the tournament (despite being seeded 3, 5, 7, 8, and your Boise State team that lost to La Salle in the play-in game for the 13 seed). In fact, as you may recall, both their 3 and 5 seeds were beat in round 1 by, wait for it, Harvard and Cal.

I'm kind of in the camp, "who the hell else could they play". This OOC schedule is loaded. Top heavy, yes. But still showcased with talent. A lot of analyst have MSU rated in the top 2. Last years championship team, UNC, etc.