DWRedbird said:jamminjamarsmiley said:I know Elgin took away the Jank tiebreakers (sort of, the NET still looks at SOS).... But, it may be time to implement something that would encourage tougher schedules. Although UNI did play in a quality MTE and at Colorado... I would be fine with their schedule if they played a couple of other mid majors and got rid of the non d-1.
I definitely think it is time to implement something that would at least encourage teams not to schedule non-D1 opponents. A couple of good mid-majors this year improve UNI's chance at an at large this year.
ISU86 said:Missouri State was only Valley school to be non-DI free. Bradley, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Loyola Chicago, Southern Illinois and Valparaiso all scheduled one, with Drake and Northern Iowa having two.
There is no guarantee, with the additional slots, does not mean they would go after, or be able to get, quality opposition. I would think they have a minimum number of home games they prefer to hold. They could just as easily have scheduled the likes of Kennesaw State and Chicago State.
The P5+BE are generally avoiding buying the likes of the MVC. They prefer to pound on the MEAC and SWAC, then throw in a MTE and a conference challenge for good measure, then increase the number of conference games. So that means targeting the likes of AAC, A10 and MWC schools, or find schools that routinely are playing for their conference bid (Belmont, Murray State, New Mexico State, North Dakota State, South Dakota State).
Scheduling is continuing to be more of a nightmare for the mid-majors. Difficult needle to thread. For as much grief Dan Muller has received in other areas, he has made a concerted effort to schedule tougher than the Basketball Travellers Classic days of Tim Jankovich.
I would agree that scheduling is difficult, but I'd always want to schedule a D1 opponent of any caliber than I would a D1.
I don't have a problem with Muller's scheduling over all. I'm generally pretty satisfied with it but, I've never been a fan of the non-D1 in the middle of the season as it doesn't really do anything for the team.
Precisely. Schedule a second exhibition if need be, but the non-DI game in the regular season needs to stop. I'd much rather host the SEMO's, Winston-Salem's and Nicholls State's of the world than the Quincy's & Lewis's in-season.