- Mar 27, 2016
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Ordinarily, the pre-conference schedule in basketball is composed of power conference games (including one at mid-season) you need to split and non-power conference games at home you MUST win. With no home games in the pre-conference season, this year is a bit different. Still you need to find some way to win as many games in the pre-conference games.
Here is UF's pre-SEC schedule the rank of the opponent according to CBS's 1 to 351 ranking to get a rough idea of how good each team is expected to be:
26 Oct. Eckerd College (unranked) in Jacksonville, exhibition.
11 Nov. FGCU (168) in Jacksonville, UF needs to win this one to go to 1-0.
13 Nov. Mercer (154) in Jacksonville, another must UF win to go 2-0.
17 Nov. Saint Bonaventure (90) in Lakeland, if they finish in the top 100 this could be a better win than some SEC wins. Let's call this a win and UF goes to 3-0.
21 Nov. Belmont (80) in Tampa, another potential top 100 win and possibly a team that is in the field. Still UF is better and so call it 4-0.
24 Nov. Seton Hall (46) in Orlando. They were in the field last year and despite losing an early defection to the NBA draft, this would be a good win for UF. UF is rated a few spots higher so lets say 5-0.
25 Nov. Gonzaga (14) or Quinnipiac (269) in Orlando. Very likely the Zags and lets call it an L for 5-1.
1 Dec. at UNF (174). UF won there last year against probably a better team, but shot lights out. Call it a UF win but with worse shooting from the arc, 6-1.
6 Dec. Duke (1) NYC. This would be a huge game for UF to get and I think that is possible. Still I won't predict it, 6-2.
11 Dec. at FSU (31). I will call this one an upset win. UF 7-2.
17 Dec. Charlotte (179). UF needs this win to get to 8-2.
21 Dec. Little Rock (114). A HOME GAME against a good program, but a new coach and the best player gone. Still a UF win 9-2.
28 Jan. at OU (35). A similarly ranked team to UF, but on the road so call it a loss, 9-3.
BTW, UF is ranked 37 in the CBS ranking. All of these neutral and road games will help UF's RPI and away from home record IF UF can win a good number of them. Note I have UF going 2 and 3 against the power teams, ie power conference teams and Gonzaga if UF and them match up.
There irony is the renovation gives UF a bit of a leg up in getting a bid. Another irony is Foley gave away two football home games when the local economy is also sufferring from not having those Nov and Dec home basketball games that probably draw the equivalent of a football home game or so.
Here is UF's pre-SEC schedule the rank of the opponent according to CBS's 1 to 351 ranking to get a rough idea of how good each team is expected to be:
26 Oct. Eckerd College (unranked) in Jacksonville, exhibition.
11 Nov. FGCU (168) in Jacksonville, UF needs to win this one to go to 1-0.
13 Nov. Mercer (154) in Jacksonville, another must UF win to go 2-0.
17 Nov. Saint Bonaventure (90) in Lakeland, if they finish in the top 100 this could be a better win than some SEC wins. Let's call this a win and UF goes to 3-0.
21 Nov. Belmont (80) in Tampa, another potential top 100 win and possibly a team that is in the field. Still UF is better and so call it 4-0.
24 Nov. Seton Hall (46) in Orlando. They were in the field last year and despite losing an early defection to the NBA draft, this would be a good win for UF. UF is rated a few spots higher so lets say 5-0.
25 Nov. Gonzaga (14) or Quinnipiac (269) in Orlando. Very likely the Zags and lets call it an L for 5-1.
1 Dec. at UNF (174). UF won there last year against probably a better team, but shot lights out. Call it a UF win but with worse shooting from the arc, 6-1.
6 Dec. Duke (1) NYC. This would be a huge game for UF to get and I think that is possible. Still I won't predict it, 6-2.
11 Dec. at FSU (31). I will call this one an upset win. UF 7-2.
17 Dec. Charlotte (179). UF needs this win to get to 8-2.
21 Dec. Little Rock (114). A HOME GAME against a good program, but a new coach and the best player gone. Still a UF win 9-2.
28 Jan. at OU (35). A similarly ranked team to UF, but on the road so call it a loss, 9-3.
BTW, UF is ranked 37 in the CBS ranking. All of these neutral and road games will help UF's RPI and away from home record IF UF can win a good number of them. Note I have UF going 2 and 3 against the power teams, ie power conference teams and Gonzaga if UF and them match up.
There irony is the renovation gives UF a bit of a leg up in getting a bid. Another irony is Foley gave away two football home games when the local economy is also sufferring from not having those Nov and Dec home basketball games that probably draw the equivalent of a football home game or so.
