MVC non-conference schedule analysis - 3rd annual edition!

[TheAsianSensation]

Everyone's favorite thread returns for a third year. The one where I dive in and psychoanalyze the non-conference schedules in the MVC this year and see if this conference is on the right track. With everyone now in conference play across the country, we can begin to form conclusions about which opponents were quality, which weren't, who got lucky, and who got unlucky with their schedule.

All SoS numbers pulled from ESPN InsideRPI, which isn't the most accurate, but it's close enough for our purposes.

My grades from previous years, for reference:

2009-2010
Indiana St A
Northern Iowa A-
Bradley A-
Creighton B
Missouri St B-
Drake D+
Wichita St D+
Southern Illinois D+
Evansville D
Illinois St F--

2010-2011
Northern Iowa A-
Indiana St B+
Evansville B
Southern Illinois B-
Missouri St B-
Wichita St C+
Bradley C
Drake D+
Creighton D-
Illinois St F--

two year rolling average:
Indiana St A-
Northern Iowa A-
Bradley B
Missouri St B-
Creighton C
Wichita St C
Southern Illinois C
Evansville C
Drake D+
Illinois St F--

[TheAsianSensation]

Bradley
non-conference SoS; 96

The lineup:
UMKC (246)
SE Missouri St (280)
North Dakota (282)
Wofford (180)
N-Wisconsin (58 )
N-Nevada (85)
@Wyoming (114)
Northeastern (188 )
@George Washington (216)
@Drexel (128 )
Western Carolina (181)
@Michigan (17)

The forced games: Drexel was the return BB game; Wyoming the MWC game
The good: CIC, Michigan
The bad: The SEMO/UND combo

The grade: B+

Given what this team was lined up to do this year, the schedule was solid. I'd expect a tighter, more concise and better schedule if the team was a contender, so we'll see how Geno handles it in years 2/3.

UMKC and Wofford were the price to pay to get Wisky and Nevada, so I'm ok with that. I'm also fine with roadies at a A-10 school and Michigan. WCU, well my opinions are well known about that series, thankfully it's over now.

The only problem I really have is that SEMO/UND combination. Maybe Geno wanted the good start to the season but for RPI purposes that's a bit of a downer. I'm actually pretty pleased we held at 96 given those games. There's really only one shining star (Michigan) on the sked, so I'm pleasantly surprised we hung on in the top 100. I would've expected closer to 150.

Also, no one thought the CAA could possibly tank the way they have, so I'm giving a bit of leeway for Northeastern and Drexel here. Those will be better numbers in better years.

We'll get a better idea of Geno's scheduling in future years, as there were Les remnants on this schedule. Based on the little evidence we have, he seems to be similar to Les, except his focus (the university's?) is more on the east coast schools than the Horizon schools. Whether that's prudent or not, we'll see.

[BradleyJD]

The schedules should be interesting.

How tough do want to schedule for a younger team? It's not an easy question to answer.

[TheAsianSensation]

I may be slacking here.



Anyways, up next:

Illinois St
non-con SoS: 310

@Fresno St (212)
SIU-Edwardsville (314)
Lipscomb (218 )
N-Rutgers (138 )
N-Illinois (32)
Bethune-Cookman (274)
Chicago St (326)
NC-Wilmington (209)
@Morehead St (167)
Norfolk St (123)
Arkansas-Little Rock (175)


The forced games: just Morehead St, I think (BB return game)
The good: Cancun
The bad: heh

The grade: F+

An upgrade! Minor credit for Rutgers breaking out a bit and getting UI. But everything else is garbage. Norfolk's RPI is one of the biggest anomalies in the history of history. Two MEAC schools on here. Big no-no. Chicago State. No no no. Ugh, SIUE. Lipscomb and UNCW are ok....as the two worst games of a schedule. Not as building blocks. (ISU fans help me out. Was Lipsy and SIUE part of Cancun too?)

They're beginning to focus on slightly better conferences...WAC, Sun Belt, CAA. And then taking their bottom teams. That's not how it works. Try to find the good teams from there, not the bad ones!

Anyway, this is garbage and you all know it, so I won't waste your time.

[cpacmel]

(ISU fans help me out. Was Lipsy and SIUE part of Cancun too?)

Yeap