BYU's non-conference schedule

So I was putting the non-conference games into the prediction game this afternoon and it really got me thinking. It seems like this year's non-conference games are pretty fluffy. Anyone else who knows more about basketball want to show me where I'm off base?



What teams are you thinking are acceptable losses with the team that we have?

Doesn't seem fluffy to me at all. Not great, but definitely solid and challenging. The Maui Invitational in and of itself is stacked. Start with San Diego State and if you win you probably get Pitt and then Arizona. Utah State @ Logan is a very difficult game no matter how up or down the Aggies are. Many are predicting Utah to be a surprise team to make the field of 68 come March and both UMass and Stanford are potential NCAA tournament teams as well. The upside is these last 3 games are at home. Not much travel aside from Maui, but this schedule will challenge the Cougars.

It's no cake walk. Yes, there are some fluffy teams in there, like:



- Long Beach State University (11/14) - Big West Conference. Finished 15 - 17 last year.

- University of Arkansas-Little Rock (11/18) - Sun Belt Conference. Finished 15 - 17 last year.

- Southern Virginia Knights (11/19) - DIII team

- Eastern Kentucky Colonels (11/29) - Ohio Valley conference. Finished 24 - 10.

- @Hawaii (12/6) - Big West conference. Finished 20 - 11

- @Weber (12/13) - Big Sky conference. Finished 19 - 12. Lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to #1 Arizona



But, there are some heavy hitters too:



- SDSU (11/24) - Currently ranked #16. Finished 31 - 5 last year. Made it to the Sweet 16 last year

- @USU (12/2) - Okay, not a heavy hitter but it's an in-state rivalry game. Finished 18 - 14 last season

- Utah (12/10) - Currently ranked #25. Finished 21 - 12 last season. Lost in the 1st round of the NIT to St. Mary's

- Stanford (12/20) - Finished 23 - 13. Sweet 16 team last year.

- UMASS (12/32) - Finished 24 - 9 last year. Made it to the 1st round of the NCAA tournament



So, we play 5 teams that made the post season in 2014, 4 teams that played in the NCAA tournament last year, 2 Sweet 16 teams, and 2 teams currently ranked in the Top 25. If by some miracle we beat SDSU in the Maui Invitational, we'll play Pittsburgh or Chaminade (two solid programs) and if we happen to win that game there's a chance we play Arizona or Kansas State. One can dream...



If you look at Gonzaga's schedule, their's really isn't that much tougher. They play #22 SMU, Georgia (SEC team), #2 Arizona, WSU and UCLA.



I like the mix in the scheduling. With all the new players on the team we'll need those first 3 games before we hit SDSU. And the other big games are cushioned by beatable teams.



Coming out of the non-conference schedule, optimistically I'd put us at 8 - 3 with losses to SDSU, Utah, and Stanford. Good news is there are not a lot of road games.

Great insights into the schedule, everyone. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the teams we're playing now.