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Next season's non-conference schedule and who should open WRA2

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pschatz25

Redshirt
Nov 29, 2005
2,113
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Now we can finally put the 2017-18 behind us and look forward to 2018-19. I know the schedule won't be out for a few months, but we know some of the non-conference games already.

Here's what I'm aware of:
DePaul (home)
Oklahoma (home)
B10/ACC Challenge (presumably home)
Gavitt Games? (Each B10 team will participate a minimum of 4 times in the 8 year run. We've played 2 out of the first 3 years.)
Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, CA featuring Fresno State, Grand Canyon, Hawai'i, LaSalle, Miami (FL), Seton Hall, and Utah. Looks like we get 3 games in the event, none on campus.

Did I miss any?

So that's 6 games (7, if we're part of the Gavitt Games). Hopefully we can avoid filling it out with too many sub-200 teams.

Thinking about who should open the regular season at new Welsh-Ryan Arena. Here are a few suggestions and then my choice:
- DePaul: Our local rival and an obvious choice. I wouldn't give them the platform though. They opened their arena with Notre Dame. Then they hosted us in the Dedication Game a few weeks later, so I would be fine with doing something like that with them.
- Duke: All comments from CC about this match up make it clear it won't be happening.
- Kentucky/Kansas/UNC/other big name opponent: It would be fun.And good for our SOS. I wouldn't want the opponent to overshadow us though.
- Notre Dame: A bigger name local opponent with which we have some history.
- Western Michigan or Bradley: We opened McGaw Hall against WMU and Welsh-Ryan Arena against Bradley. Just saying. By the way, we opened the 1984 season against Bradley, Loyola, Marquette, ND, and NIU. Also, just saying.
And finally...
- A brand name opponent that resonates with NU fans and doesn't have a ton of local fans: Stanford. That would be my choice.
 
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Sec_112

Junior
Jun 17, 2001
6,600
202
63
I vote for Loyola also. Who cares if you win or lose the first game vs. the eighth game. Make it a good game and atmosphere.

The d*mn first game in the new arena BETTER be overwhelmingly purple - especially with 2/3 of the seats gone before students have any seats. If it's not, CC and Phillips have more work than they thought.

One way or the other, as I've said for a long time, get Loyola on the schedule.
 
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ricko6543211

Junior
Nov 15, 2006
4,222
207
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Sec.112 said:
I vote for Loyola also. Who cares if you win or lose the first game vs. the eighth game. Make it a good game and atmosphere.

The d*mn first game in the new arena BETTER be overwhelmingly purple - especially with 2/3 of the seats gone before students have any seats. If it's not, CC and Phillips have more work than they thought.

One way or the other, as I've said for a long time, get Loyola on the schedule.
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Loyola Chi is a good idea, that would be a great way to capitalize on their run last year (on top of new stadium and ours the year before) to get even more publicity, I would definitely imagine that would get the TV networks interested.

I also like the Stanford suggestion, UWM is a decent one too. I like playing ND at some point but I think too many of their fans would swoop in, don't really want that on opening night. DePaul I'm sort of meh on too as they haven't been competitive in years.

Think we want to play a respectable opponent to create interest, but not one that we would be a meaningful underdog against. Either a tossup type game or one where we are modestly favored.
 
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NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
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ricko654321 said:
but not one that we would be a meaningful underdog against. Either a tossup type game or one where we are modestly favored.
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Then Loyola is out. They will be experienced and NU will not. I'd expect LU(C) to be an 8-10 point fav.
 
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olsh

Sophomore
Oct 6, 2001
3,555
163
63
Loyola has to be out. There's no way we'd beat them. I mean having a historic season ABSOLUTELY guarantees you success the following year.
 
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NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,329
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olshin said:
Loyola has to be out. There's no way we'd beat them. I mean having a historic season ABSOLUTELY guarantees you success the following year.
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Not sure what was "historic" about the 2017-18 Loyola season. They won the whole damn thing once, finishing in the top 4 isn't historic!!
 
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ricko6543211

Junior
Nov 15, 2006
4,222
207
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Fitzphile said:
Then Loyola is out. They will be experienced and NU will not. I'd expect LU(C) to be an 8-10 point fav.
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well agree to disagree I guess. They are good but we would be home and have plenty of incoming talent too, they might be a modest favorite, but I think expecting their NCAAT success (3 wins by 1-2 points over decent but not great teams, and 1 impressive blowout of K St) to translate to them being an 8-10 pt favorite does not make sense. I think even when top 5 MSU played us this year, in the midst of an ugly season, at the crappy Allstate home venue, they were -9. LU Chi would be maybe -3 I'd guess.
 
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NUCat320

Senior
Dec 4, 2005
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ricko654321 said:
well agree to disagree I guess. They are good but we would be home and have plenty of incoming talent too, they might be a modest favorite, but I think expecting their NCAAT success (3 wins by 1-2 points over decent but not great teams, and 1 impressive blowout of K St) to translate to them being an 8-10 pt favorite does not make sense. I think even when top 5 MSU played us this year, in the midst of an ugly season, at the crappy Allstate home venue, they were -9. LU Chi would be maybe -3 I'd guess.
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Transitive property says Loyola 2018 would get smoked by Northwestern 2018. Loyola couldn't even beat Michigan. Pshaw!
 
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olsh

Sophomore
Oct 6, 2001
3,555
163
63
Fitzphile said:
Not sure what was "historic" about the 2017-18 Loyola season. They won the whole damn thing once, finishing in the top 4 isn't historic!!
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They were tied for the lowest seed ever to make the Final Four. Which is history. Which makes what they did historic.
They also set a record for most wins in school history. Which is history. Which is also historic.
 
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Sec_112

Junior
Jun 17, 2001
6,600
202
63
112, as usual, you don't know what f you're talking about!!!!!!

Why would NU combine a probable sellout with another probable sellout in one game?

Put a lousy team in there that you're already contractually obligated to play. Then we'll see Loyola in December if Phillips and Collins have a basketball soul and some cahones.
 
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Catreporter

Senior
Sep 4, 2007
4,958
437
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Would like to start playing Loyola but we do NOT want to play them to open our new arena. The excitement of that night should be about OUR team, not the visitors.
 
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willycat

Junior
Jan 11, 2005
21,448
318
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Catreporter said:
Would like to start playing Loyola but we do NOT want to play them to open our new arena. The excitement of that night should be about OUR team, not the visitors.
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How about Marquette? Maybe not on opening night but they should be on the schedule. OK the perfect opening game opponent could be Chicago sate, Miss.Valley State or Wheaton college. That would probably be the only time more than 3.000 people would be in attendance for their games.
 
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NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
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willycat said:
OK the perfect opening game opponent could be Chicago sate, Miss.Valley State or Wheaton college. That would probably be the only time more than 3.000 people would be in attendance for their games.
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Willyman, you couldn't be more wrong. Last year, Chicago State played at Iowa, Purdue, Notre Dame, Marquette and Wisconsin. Mississippi Valley State played ay BYU, Utah, Oklahoma State and UNLV, all of which drew crowds well in excess of the capacity of the new WRA. Oh, why didn't NU build a bigger arena? The shame......
 
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willycat

Junior
Jan 11, 2005
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Fitzphile said:
Willyman, you couldn't be more wrong. Last year, Chicago State played at Iowa, Purdue, Notre Dame, Marquette and Wisconsin. Mississippi Valley State played ay BYU, Utah, Oklahoma State and UNLV, all of which drew crowds well in excess of the capacity of the new WRA. Oh, why didn't NU build a bigger arena? The shame......
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Gee wonder what's the capacity of those arenas at Iowa, Purdue, ND, Marquette, Wisconsin, BYU, Utah, Okla. St. and UNLV? Maybe a bit more then the new smaller W-R gym? Let the guessing begin.
 
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Medill90

Junior
Jan 30, 2011
6,910
321
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Willy, I want to assure you that when all 2,750 seats of the new WR are filled it's going to feel like the United Center in 1996.
 
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MysticCat

Redshirt
Jun 27, 2001
2,108
2
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Fitzphile said:
Holy Cross is perfect. They could hoist BC's NIT banners, and then the CCC NCAA banner into the rafters. Dang!!!!
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I’m sure CC10P can find us another middle of the pack division two opponent again.
 
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NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,329
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NURoseBowl said:
I still stand by what I told you before, Willy --- you're gonna love this place.
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If the standard they are rebuilding WRA to is the same as Ryan Fieldhouse, it will indeed be amazing. Doesn't seem like they are skimping anywhere.

Willy and 7,038 of his closest friends will be delighted!! Dang!!!
 
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Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
21,038
1,300
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Catreporter said:
Would like to start playing Loyola but we do NOT want to play them to open our new arena. The excitement of that night should be about OUR team, not the visitors.
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That was my thought. They are currently the darlings of Chicago. The press would be focused on them not NU's commitment to the BB program and the beautiful new arena. Wheaton college is aiming a bit low but I want a game where the tone is set with a victory and tons of over the top cheering.
 
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NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,329
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Deeringfish said:
That was my thought. They are currently the darlings of Chicago. The press would be focused on them not NU's commitment to the BB program and the beautiful new arena. Wheaton college is aiming a bit low but I want a game where the tone is set with a victory and tons of over the top cheering.
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This. And Collins needs to be preparing for the full season, scheduling easy games early to get his new team to gel. No point in starting out with a tough game and losing the chance to build confidence. There are enough resume games already on the schedule that with a young team the rest of the OOC schedule needs to be tomato cans, a la 2015-16.
 
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Kelly_32_rivals

All-American
Dec 12, 2004
9,832
5,443
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Big Ten football has been opening with conference games.

Petition the league and bring in Illinois for the first game.
 
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Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
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Kelly_32 said:
Big Ten football has been opening with conference games.

Petition the league and bring in Illinois for the first game.
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No. Illinois is too close to hoe and would bring too many fans. PSU to Rutgers maybe.
It is a marquis game just because it is the first in the new arena. You should be able to play anyone and have it be a sell out.
 
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willycat

Junior
Jan 11, 2005
21,448
318
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Deeringfish said:
No. Illinois is too close to hoe and would bring too many fans. PSU to Rutgers maybe.
It is a marquis game just because it is the first in the new arena. You should be able to play anyone and have it be a sell out.
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Don't know seems like a lot of the purple seat people just love making a few extra bucks versus actually attending and cheering the Cats on.
 
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NURoseBowl

Junior
Jun 16, 2009
8,138
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Deeringfish said:
No. Illinois is too close to hoe and would bring too many fans. PSU to Rutgers maybe.
It is a marquis game just because it is the first in the new arena. You should be able to play anyone and have it be a sell out.
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At any other point in the season, you couldn't discount that possibility. With this first game, though, I can't imagine too many of us will be selling.
 
Purple Pile Driver

Purple Pile Driver

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May 14, 2014
27,132
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willycat said:
Gee wonder what's the capacity of those arenas at Iowa, Purdue, ND, Marquette, Wisconsin, BYU, Utah, Okla. St. and UNLV? Maybe a bit more then the new smaller W-R gym? Let the guessing begin.
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Willy, you might go ape **** when they announce the remodel of Ryan Field with reduced capacity.
 
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Noah121

Redshirt
Mar 9, 2010
1,356
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I'd like to see Loyola in the same sense of how Nebraska opened Pinnacle Bank Arena with a Cinderella from the previous years NCAA: Dunk City (FGCU).

Or maybe UMBC for that reason!
 
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NUCat320

Senior
Dec 4, 2005
19,469
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Noah121 said:
I'd like to see Loyola in the same sense of how Nebraska opened Pinnacle Bank Arena with a Cinderella from the previous years NCAA: Dunk City (FGCU).

Or maybe UMBC for that reason!
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UMBC is a great idea. I believe they've been on the NU schedule previously.
 
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