today's games in the MVC (11/24)

[Veritas]

The LuC schedule can't be held against them too much. Most of those scheduling contracts were all set prior to their inclusion into the MVC. However, as pointed out in the "Publicity" thread on their message board, I will be very disappointed and concerned if they don't sell out 1/2 of the MVC games in their small gym.
It looks to have the potential of a great environment when full, but the feel of a small DIII gym if only 1/2 full.
Here's hoping there is a big marketing blitz at LuC and that their alums in Chicagoland take notice.

[Black]

Loyola has the best schedule in the country. I wonder if I'll get asked to prove that.

[GoRamblers]

Loyola has the best schedule in the country. I wonder if I'll get asked to prove that.

This guy's a funny guy! Look out for this guy!

[m-v-c]

RPIForecast.com has Loyola as an expected 350th OoC SoS. There are 351 D1 teams.

Way too early in the season to take the current results and project a non-conference SOS. Hardly any kind of sample size to base that on. If still projecting that at the end of December then might be more concerned. Agree with GoRamblers, rather see what a team has done, not what some projection claims they will do. Especially this early in season, lot of teams have been known to have great non-conference results and flub in conference against familiar opponents, and vice versa. In fact, several of Loyola's opponents this year did exactly that last year.

[BradleyBrave]

Much more important than the Loyola schedule IMO is the MRI results for Pickens and Marshall at MSU. Would be bad news for them if they're lost for an extended period as Lusk has hinted.

[2livewu]

It is way too early, but I sure would like to see 6 Valley teams in the top 100 when it's all said and done, like there are right now.

[ACECARD]

Murderer's Row:

Milwaukee
Tennessee Tech
Tulane
Rockhurst
Portland State
UC Davis
SIU-Edwardsville
Mississippi State
Illinois-Chicago
Campbell
Northern Illinois

Great statistical analysis. Please show me more of your stunning wit...

He will only be able to show you half of it.

[Snaggletooth]

RPIForecast.com has Loyola as an expected 350th OoC SoS. There are 351 D1 teams.

Way too early in the season to take the current results and project a non-conference SOS. Hardly any kind of sample size to base that on. If still projecting that at the end of December then might be more concerned. .

Actually it not, and pretty much your strength of schedule is already determined before you start the season. Sometime there are suprises (good and bad), but a crappy schedule doesn't somehow become good or vice versa. Now if you have a in-betweener schedule - maybe, but that is not the case with Loyola.

Loyolla is not playing a decent team in non-conference so the Non-Conf RPI is suddently going to strengthen like some other Valley Teams who will start playing some Top 100 teams. LUC has Miss St (150-200 RPI), Ill Chic (300+), Campbel (250+), NIU (300+) and Fordham (200+).

Though what would really help is if they would beat the cupcakes on their schedule - at least minimize the RPI drag on the conference.

[Black]

He will only be able to show you half of it.

I'm glad you were able to add the nugget to the conversation. Loyola has a great schedule, which was my main point.

[TheAsianSensation]

I don't care what any forecaster says. When I saw Loyola's schedule, I thought it had a chance to be the worst non-con in the entire country if things broke the wrong way. I don't see a single team on there that I think will be .500 in their conference. A lot of losing records are piling onto that SoS.

There's a chance there's not a RPI Top 200 team in there. Now, I'm probably wrong. Odds are someone will be top 200. But if I was forced to make an individual guess on each team, each are 201+.

I'm ok with the schedule in year 1 though. As long as there's improvement in the long term.