2016-17 non-conference schedules

[MUPanther]

You can't get any more local like Northwestern, UIC and Chicago State.

[milksteak]

They should look at schools with local interest like Illinois, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Indiana etc.

Let's be realistic...no way any of those teams will do a home and home with DePaul. They might be able to get something with Illinois. But keep in mind...there are few fanbases in the country that have a larger undeserved sense of self-worth.

DePaul is in a weird spot because there are not a whole lot of big non-Big East schools in their area that suck. Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Iowa State are all relatively nearby, but they are all pretty successful programs. They really wouldn't gain anything from a home-and-home with DePaul.

Minnesota and Missouri are probably more realistic regional options, but they are still pretty damn far away from Chicago. Illinois is certainly an option, but -- like I said -- I doubt they would ever agree to it. I could see Illinois agreeing to play in the United Center or something like that, though.

[hoyahooligan]

They should look at schools with local interest like Illinois, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Indiana etc.

Let's be realistic...no way any of those teams will do a home and home with DePaul. They might be able to get something with Illinois. But keep in mind...there are few fanbases in the country that have a larger undeserved sense of self-worth.

DePaul is in a weird spot because there are not a whole lot of big non-Big East schools in their area that suck. Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Iowa State are all relatively nearby, but they are all pretty successful programs. They really wouldn't gain anything from a home-and-home with DePaul.

Minnesota and Missouri are probably more realistic regional options, but they are still pretty damn far away from Chicago. Illinois is certainly an option, but -- like I said -- I doubt they would ever agree to it. I could see Illinois agreeing to play in the United Center or something like that, though.

They gain exposure in Chicago. Teams like Duke and UNC employ this strategy all the time. That's why they've played @St. John's (Duke) and @ Rutgers(UNC).
Obviously the big 10 teams get that when they travel to NWestern, but that's not every year so even they may be interested. Plus it's an easy win but still gets you the road RPI bonus.

[NJRedman]

They should look at schools with local interest like Illinois, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Indiana etc.

Let's be realistic...no way any of those teams will do a home and home with DePaul. They might be able to get something with Illinois. But keep in mind...there are few fanbases in the country that have a larger undeserved sense of self-worth.

DePaul is in a weird spot because there are not a whole lot of big non-Big East schools in their area that suck. Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Iowa State are all relatively nearby, but they are all pretty successful programs. They really wouldn't gain anything from a home-and-home with DePaul.

Minnesota and Missouri are probably more realistic regional options, but they are still pretty damn far away from Chicago. Illinois is certainly an option, but -- like I said -- I doubt they would ever agree to it. I could see Illinois agreeing to play in the United Center or something like that, though.

Dude, lets be realistic. My Johnnies get home and homes with big name schools all the time because of our location. Those schools want to be seen in Chicago so they would be up for the series. SJU in recent years have gotten big name schools like duke and UCLA to come to town. DePaul can get local midwestern powers to play in a brand new arena right off the lake.

[NJRedman]

They should look at schools with local interest like Illinois, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Indiana etc.

Let's be realistic...no way any of those teams will do a home and home with DePaul. They might be able to get something with Illinois. But keep in mind...there are few fanbases in the country that have a larger undeserved sense of self-worth.

DePaul is in a weird spot because there are not a whole lot of big non-Big East schools in their area that suck. Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Iowa State are all relatively nearby, but they are all pretty successful programs. They really wouldn't gain anything from a home-and-home with DePaul.

Minnesota and Missouri are probably more realistic regional options, but they are still pretty damn far away from Chicago. Illinois is certainly an option, but -- like I said -- I doubt they would ever agree to it. I could see Illinois agreeing to play in the United Center or something like that, though.

They gain exposure in Chicago. Teams like Duke and UNC employ this strategy all the time. That's why they've played @St. John's (Duke) and @ Rutgers(UNC).
Obviously the big 10 teams get that when they travel to NWestern, but that's not every year so even they may be interested. Plus it's an easy win but still gets you the road RPI bonus.

Exactly! Notre Dame plays bball in an east coast conference and it's alum would probably love a game every few years in Chicago. The big name schools don;t want to give the little schools like UIC or Manhattan a home game but they will play a lower level school from a power conference like DePaul or SJU.

[stever20]

or do the next best thing- play a neutral site game at the United Center or MSG. Get the exposure in Chicago or New York City- but against a better opponent.

[milksteak]

Dude, lets be realistic. My Johnnies get home and homes with big name schools all the time because of our location.

And MSG. MSG is the Mecca of the basketball world. Allstate is obviously miles behind MSG. DePaul doesn't even play any games in the United Center. No idea why. They could maybe get big-time programs into Chicago if they played there. Illinois does it.

SJU in recent years have gotten big name schools like duke and UCLA to come to town.

Not denying this. You guys are competitive. Teams have a lot more to lose playing DePaul.

DePaul can get local midwestern powers to play in a brand new arena right off the lake.

Only time will tell.

Overall, you East Coast guys frequently overestimate the value of the Big East in the Midwest. This is Big Ten country. Hell, Butler isn't even the most popular program in Indianapolis, and we are five miles north of Downtown. Midwestern Big Ten programs would rather play Kentucky, Louisville and Notre Dame in the non-conference. That's just the way it is. We can't even get Purdue or Indiana to come to Hinkle, and we've been on par if not better than both programs for at least a decade.

[gtmoBlue]

Nice... Now all the Warriors need to do is Win those games.

[NJRedman]

Dude, lets be realistic. My Johnnies get home and homes with big name schools all the time because of our location.

And MSG. MSG is the Mecca of the basketball world. Allstate is obviously miles behind MSG. DePaul doesn't even play any games in the United Center. No idea why. They could maybe get big-time programs into Chicago if they played there. Illinois does it.

SJU in recent years have gotten big name schools like duke and UCLA to come to town.

Not denying this. You guys are competitive. Teams have a lot more to lose playing DePaul.

DePaul can get local midwestern powers to play in a brand new arena right off the lake.

Only time will tell.

Overall, you East Coast guys frequently overestimate the value of the Big East in the Midwest. This is Big Ten country. Hell, Butler isn't even the most popular program in Indianapolis, and we are five miles north of Downtown. Midwestern Big Ten programs would rather play Kentucky, Louisville and Notre Dame in the non-conference. That's just the way it is. We can't even get Purdue or Indiana to come to Hinkle, and we've been on par if not better than both programs for at least a decade.

We are talking about upcoming seasons that will be at the new arena not at Allstate. So with that in mind, yes DePaul is an attractive OOC opponent for the big mid-western programs.

Thats because you were a mid-major up until 2 years ago. Marquette gets Wisconsin to come to it's arena. Same with Creighton and Nebraska. DePaul playing right to the lake will draw big name teams if it wasn;t run by the most incompetent AD in D1.

[stever20]

few things....
1- true road OOC games are getting more and more rare. From last year a few teams.....
Kentucky- 1 road game
UNC- 2 road games
UVA- 2 road games(1 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge)
Mich St- 1 road game(vs Northeastern)
Oklahoma- 1 road game
West Va- 1 road game
Louisville- 2 road games- 1 in acc/big ten challenge, other vs Kentucky

2- Butler and Creighton were both mid-major 3 years ago. Creighton gets to play Nebraska because frankly Nebraska sucks and has no leverage. It's no where near the same type of situation that Butler faces with schools there.

3- like I've said- teams don't need DePaul to play in Chicago. Or St John's to play in MSG. all these teams are playing at MSG this season...
Marquette, Michigan, Pittsburgh, SMU
Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan St
UConn,Syracuse
Arizona St, Purdue, Duke, Florida

between the exempt tournaments and the 1 day special events like the Champions Classic and the Jimmy V classic- teams don't need to schedule a home and home with St John's for instance like they used to.

Oh and 1 thing to remember- if conferences ever do go up to 20 conference games- the number of home and home series would severely decrease. You'd have 20 conference games, 4 game exempt tournament, maybe a neutral site game, and then the other 6 would be buy games.