espn.com ranks basketball nonconference schedules...

[Maroon Eagle]

From earlier this week (forgive if Germans):

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Toughest: 2K Sports Classic (Nov.
17-18), West Virginia (Dec. 3), vs. Baylor in Dallas (Dec.
28)
Next-toughest: North Texas (Nov. 27), at Detroit (Dec.
17), Utah State (Dec. 31)
The rest: Eastern Kentucky (Nov.
7), Akron (Nov. 9), South Alabama (Nov. 12), Louisiana-Monroe (Nov. 21),
Tennessee-Martin (Nov. 25), Troy (Dec. 10), Florida Atlantic (Dec. 13), vs.
Northwestern State in Jackson (Dec. 22)
Toughness scale (1-10):
8 -- The Bulldogs’ hectic schedule backfired last season while this
year’s is set up to give them a chance to shine. The 2K Sports Classic
benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer features an opener against Texas A&M and then
either Arizona or St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. There's a home game
against Bob Huggins' crew, a neutral-site game against Baylor, which many
consider the Big 12 favorite, and chance to go against sleeper teams Detroit on
the road and Utah State at home. Now Rick Stansbury’s team just has to come
through.

Ranked in order of toughness:

10 - Florida
9 - Kentucky
8 - Alabama, MSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
7 - Georgia
6 - South Carolina
5 - Arkansas, LSU
3 - Mississippi
2 - Auburn

 

[57stratdawg]

And not a bad year for Baylor Athletics..

 

[Hanmudog]

Seems like every time we beef up the schedule in any sport we end up getting out *** kicked and wishing we hadn't done it.

 

[maroonmania]

we will be totally unprepared to play any quality basketball opponent through the first 10 games of the season. That you can pretty much count on.

 

[KurtRambis4]

this is a legit complaint. Good post.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

[No message]

 

[gravedigger]

screw this 'preseason' up with poor gameplanning. Can he wreck the train later with poor player management ? sure

I'm thinking this team, plays well in the beginning and maybe not so good in the middle. Finishing the regular season strong will dictate everything else.

This isthe inverse of the usual : start by sucking, play well the first few weeks of the sec, lay another turd to end the season, and then have to win the sec to get a bid.