Our ooc scheduling has to change.

[Goingfor9]

We have played either Q1 or Q4 teams. 1 Q2 in IU. That has to change. We can’t keep doing this with so many Q4 teams. Last year was similar. Even if we were winning it’s a drag on us when it comes to ncaa seeding. We need a couple more home games against decent teams. You can’t measure your team if you’re playing only q1 or q4. Especially when you have a new team like ours. Man it would have been nice to play a couple more iu type teams at home. Great for confidence. Great for our numbers.

The real season. Begins tomorrow! I feel like based on where we are now if we finish top 3 in the sec we can get back to a top 3 seed.

Kentucky - NET Rankings and Quad Wins

2026 Kentucky Quad wins for NCAA College Basketball. NET rankings and Quadrants are used to help select teams for the NCAA Tournament during March Madness.

bballnet.com

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

To truly game the system, I agree. Go play - and BEAT - some brand names that aren't major threats from power conferences. Teams like Iowa, USC, Xavier, and so on ...

Problem is, we haven't been winning the power conference matchups that we should have been winning (teams like Ohio State, for example).

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

I agree.
I also think it's made worse by how bad we've been so far. We get totally outclassed vs. elite teams, then we go take our frustration out on teams that are barely D1 level with their tallest player being 6'5" and 4 out of 5 starters being whiteys. Gives the noncon portion of the schedule a weird vibe, for me at least. Too up and down, with too many games that don't tell you anything. Gotta find the middle ground

 

[JPFisher]

How much of this poor schedule is Pope and how much is just holdovers from Cal? Iirc, Pope has to abide by certain agreements and can't get us into certain tournaments immediately.

 

[NociHTTP]

Do coaches really measure their teams? Just win what you've been given, the rest will take care of itself. Can't really complain about seeding with the way we've been playing the past 5-6 years.

 

[Anon1751335390]

I don’t think it matters too much.

I enjoy having a handful of big games to watch in the nonconference.

 

[GoCATSGo77]

Are we really complaining about our OOC schedule being too hard???? Bro, were Kentucky.

Its the Q4 teams ranked in the 300's that kills our metrics. Our "gimme games" should be against teams favored to win their small conference, in the long run that will really help your numbers. Duke has done this for years and it's a reason they always get a favorable seed.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Are we really complaining about our OOC schedule being too hard???? Bro, were Kentucky.

Its the Q4 teams ranked in the 300's that kills our metrics. Our "gimme games" should be against teams favored to win their small conference, in the long run that will really help your numbers. Duke has done this for years and it's a reason they always get a favorable seed.

i don't think that's the complaint

 

[KyKevin]

Are we really complaining about our OOC schedule being too hard???? Bro, were Kentucky.

Its the Q4 teams ranked in the 300's that kills our metrics. Our "gimme games" should be against teams favored to win their small conference, in the long run that will really help your numbers. Duke has done this for years and it's a reason they always get a favorable seed.

Getting the top players and winning, will help that favorable seed also. And I'm not a Duke fan at all, but it is what it is. You get those horses every year, and you have a great chance for a favorable seed, and to win the big race.

 

[Vek96]

Disagree. I thought the non conference schedule was about perfect. Lot of good competition.

 

[PDX_Blue]

Nothing says “brand new year” like complaints about the non-conference scheduling.

 

[TheAssignment9]

Are we really complaining about our OOC schedule being too hard???? Bro, were Kentucky.

Its the Q4 teams ranked in the 300's that kills our metrics. Our "gimme games" should be against teams favored to win their small conference, in the long run that will really help your numbers. Duke has done this for years and it's a reason they always get a favorable seed.

That's literally what the OP is about. To not schedule so many Q4 games and add more games against Q2 opponents like Indiana.

Teams like Cincy, Xavier, etc. would be great- the problem is that they would expect a return game up in Ohio, don't think we'd have any interest in playing those. Not worth our time.

Scheduling is tricky.

 

[Vek96]

Again, if you’re bitching about our non conference schedule this year, then everything in your life has to be going perfectly.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Nothing wrong with the schedule and it doesn't matter anyway.

I do wish we had scheduled more cupcakes for MSG and Bridgestone. Not much we could about the UL game. Pope is not going to win anything of significance here so we might as well load up on cupcakes and hold off Kansas for as long as we can.


Oh, and don't schedule teams at Christmas break if you don't intend to play.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

i don't think that's the complaint

Exactly. The complaint is that we play too many Q4 opponents! I agree! Nice to have some Q2/Q3 games in there as well.

 

[loublue22_rivals308424]

The only thing I care about is the number of power conference teams we play, and it's six, which is the right amount I think. I do not think the ranking of the cupcakes you beat by 30 in November matters to the committee.

 

[mhs1964]

That's literally what the OP is about. To not schedule so many Q4 games and add more games against Q2 opponents like Indiana.

Teams like Cincy, Xavier, etc. would be great- the problem is that they would expect a return game up in Ohio, don't think we'd have any interest in playing those. Not worth our time.

Scheduling is tricky.

And there in lies one of the problems. We depend on those home game ticket sales to generate dollars for the program. If you move up in quality you will lose that game at home every other year. You can still probably find some better schools that might not demand a return game but more dollars. It is tricky.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Florida played almost exclusively Q2/Q3 type games in the non-con last year. Didn’t kill them — they stayed healthier than most teams, stacked wins against semi-good teams, developed confidence and chemistry, built an identity, padded analytics numbers and did just fine in the SEC. Wish we scheduled like that —- we can’t because fans want PR wins more than actual wins in many cases. I’m good with doing whatever keeps the Jerkhawks off our tails.