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Non-Conference schedule released

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I think it's a tougher Non-con than you guys realize.

Colorado is going to be very improved. They return da Silva, Simpson, Hadley, Hammond and O'Brien, and they added Cody Williams (#7 overall recruit in 2023), plus Lampkin from TCU.

Kentucky signed three top 5 players in the country and five of the top 25. Might not be totally in sync when they play us, but they'll have talent.

KSt, Providence and UGA will be decent tests before conference play.
 
WeBallinBoyz said:
I think it's a tougher Non-con than you guys realize.

Colorado is going to be very improved. They return da Silva, Simpson, Hadley, Hammond and O'Brien, and they added Cody Williams (#7 overall recruit in 2023), plus Lampkin from TCU.

Kentucky signed three top 5 players in the country and five of the top 25. Might not be totally in sync when they play us, but they'll have talent.

KSt, Providence and UGA will be decent tests before conference play.
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There are never any guarantees in the world of college basktball, but Miami will likely be favorite in 11 of their 12 non-conference games this upcoming season. I expect Kentucky to be favorite vs Miami being that the game will be played in Lexington. Aside from that one, I think Miami will be favorite in all the other games. I don't expect it to be a walk in the park, but will not be surprised if we're 11-1 by the time conference play rolls around.
 
My only complaint under L. Home non conference schedule is trash, it is every year. It prevents the fans from getting excited about the season until ACC play starts.

say we go beat UK by 20, you think the fans are going to show up to see us play LIU for the next home game?
 
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Miami04 said:
My only complaint under L. Home non conference schedule is trash, it is every year. It prevents the fans from getting excited about the season until ACC play starts.

say we go beat UK by 20, you think the fans are going to show up to see us play LIU for the next home game?
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Student turnout should be strong. Nice 2 hour diversion before finals starting the next day.
 
Miami04 said:
My only complaint under L. Home non conference schedule is trash, it is every year. It prevents the fans from getting excited about the season until ACC play starts.

say we go beat UK by 20, you think the fans are going to show up to see us play LIU for the next home game?
Click to expand...
So you're not counting on any carry over (in terms of better attendance throughout the season) from the Final Four run? You'd think that might be enough to stoke excitement. .
 
Miami04 said:
My only complaint under L. Home non conference schedule is trash, it is every year. It prevents the fans from getting excited about the season until ACC play starts.

say we go beat UK by 20, you think the fans are going to show up to see us play LIU for the next home game?
Click to expand...
they should show up instead of worrying about who football needs to beat to get bowl eligible
 
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hotshot said:
So you're not counting on any carry over (in terms of better attendance throughout the season) from the Final Four run? You'd think that might be enough to stoke excitement. .
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I do not believe there will be any significant carry over from the final 4 run.

I would be willing to bet the first game where we raise the final 4 banner against NJIT (who the F?) the place isn’t 1/2 full.

That game is on my birthday and I’m planning on flying down from TN for it to see the banner go up so I hope I'm wrong.

First game of the season at the minimum should have been against a team that at least 2/3 of the student body had heard of before.
 
WeBallinBoyz said:
I think it's a tougher Non-con than you guys realize.

Colorado is going to be very improved. They return da Silva, Simpson, Hadley, Hammond and O'Brien, and they added Cody Williams (#7 overall recruit in 2023), plus Lampkin from TCU.

Kentucky signed three top 5 players in the country and five of the top 25. Might not be totally in sync when they play us, but they'll have talent.

KSt, Providence and UGA will be decent tests before conference play.
Click to expand...
The caveat to Kentucky is that while they are almost always loaded with talent, they're one of the least cohesive teams on an annual basis in CBB.

They have very little team chemistry & because Calipari is pretty much a part time Coach, when Kentucky gets into sticky situations their young guys always panic & start playing ISO Hero-ball & jacking up bad shots. It's why despite usually having a significant talent advantage over most teams year in & year out, Kentucky is pretty much always due for at least 8-12 losses a year.

They're not really a "team", they're a collective of high ranked AAU guys who are there for one reason & one reason only, to make the NBA.
 
Miami04 said:
I do not believe there will be any significant carry over from the final 4 run.

I would be willing to bet the first game where we raise the final 4 banner against NJIT (who the F?) the place isn’t 1/2 full.

That game is on my birthday and I’m planning on flying down from TN for it to see the banner go up so I hope I'm wrong.

First game of the season at the minimum should have been against a team that at least 2/3 of the student body had heard of before.
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Sadly you’re likely right. Any word on how season ticket sales are going?
 
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Miami04 said:
I do not believe there will be any significant carry over from the final 4 run.

I would be willing to bet the first game where we raise the final 4 banner against NJIT (who the F?) the place isn’t 1/2 full.

That game is on my birthday and I’m planning on flying down from TN for it to see the banner go up so I hope I'm wrong.

First game of the season at the minimum should have been against a team that at least 2/3 of the student body had heard of before.
Click to expand...

NJIT isn't a bad team. They are a respectable program. They are not a big school but play decent hoops. Same is true for LIU and LaSalle.

It's obvious to me that Coach L is scheduling teams from the NE area, and with good reason. Canes will get more exposure (and potential face time with recruits).

LIU - NYC (Brooklyn)
NJIT - Jersey
LaSalle - Philly
 
passitback said:
NJIT isn't a bad team. They are a respectable program. They are not a big school but play decent hoops. Same is true for LIU and LaSalle.

It's obvious to me that Coach L is scheduling teams from the NE area, and with good reason. Canes will get more exposure (and potential face time with recruits).

LIU - NYC (Brooklyn)
NJIT - Jersey
LaSalle - Philly
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I have no problem with opening up with a school like NJIT, as most power conference schools do, but I think you are overselling them and LIU as schools that play 'decent hoops', at least by D1 standards. La Salle is in a different category, and I generally agree with you regarding them.

NJIT is a team that has never made the tournament since they moved up in 2007, has only had a winning record four times, has only finished as a top 250 team once in the past seven years, and have finished rated at 342 and 330 the past two seasons, per Kenpom. And at least by the one site that has preseason rankings up for 2024 (Bart Torvik), their preseason ranking is 325 (out of 361 teams).

LIU had one three year stretch between 2011-2013 where they had a good run, and were a reasonably good mid-major team. But since then, they are typically a middle-of-the-pack program in what has probably become the worst conference in D1 basketball. They have only once been a top 250 team in the stretch between 2014-2023, though usually in the top 300. Which would still be better than NJIT if you discount 2023, but LIU was legitimately the worst team in D1 basketball last season. They probably won't be dead last in the country this year, but it's reasonable to expect they'll be outside of the top 300 again (their preseason ranking at Torvik is 349).

I do agree that Coach L is targeting these Northeast/Mid-Atlantic schools for scheduling, but I don't think it's for exposure reasons, I think it's just more due to familiarity of the region for Coach L and having more connections up there as a result. LIU and NJIT (throw in Stonehill in Massachusetts, for that matter) are not going to be on the radar for higher rated recruits, and it isn't like Miami is going up there to play LIU or NJIT to give recruits from the Northeast the chance to see them play. That is what the game in Brooklyn against Colorado is for.
 
Also, put me in the camp that thinks our toughest non-conference matchup will end up being the Colorado one. Kentucky is the more talented team, and I think they will be the best team among our non-conference foes by the time we get to February-March, but they are also very young and will need some time to gel. Colorado has more experience, both with each other and just overall with a guy like Lampkin, and they were impacted by having two of their starters (Simpson and Hadley) injured during the season.
 
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