Wichita State schedule

[Aargh]

I'm really glad I didn't pay $850 to upgrade my season ticket by 5 rows (25 to 20).

I'd sooner watch an away game on TV against a decent team than suffer through a Chicago State home game.

I get the feeling that someone in the athletic department insisted on a certain number of home games to justify pricing. There will be a lot of very high-dollar seats empty for a lot of this schedule.

[SubGod22]

The schedule leaves A LOT to be desired. I know they want home games to justify pricing but there is zero entertainment value in playing SIX horrible teams at home. And more importantly, there's not competitive value for the team. A couple we all understand. Six is ridiculous. I'd gladly give up a couple of home games to go on the road against decent competition. A home and home with a team with RPI under 200 would be better than six home games against teams with disgustingly sick RPIs. Those games are no fun to watch after the first media timeout when the game is already in hand. These are games where you'd have to beg someone to take your tickets. Is sickening really that with this years team they've given them little to no room to err. Lose to UConn and we have to win in STL.

[bigdawg]

It could be worse. You could be a Redbird fan. A worse team AND a worse schedule.

[45otseoj]

It could be worse. You could be a Redbird fan. A worse team AND a worse schedule.

ZING!

[Little Eddie]

I think this type of schedule is going to be the norm for Valley teams going forward. Do your best to get one for one's with similar teams but if you can't land that you're going on the road or to a tourney to play "BCS" teams and you're paying Cal Poly San Li Obispo to come to your place because you lose too much revenue going on the road. Sad state of affairs and I don't think there's much coaches can do about it.

[MoValley John]

Here's something interesting...Wichita State released their whole schedule and it's pretty weak...except for a game vs. Tulsa..
BUT -- there's talk among the Shocker fans who seem to know something -- that the Tulsa game is NOT going to be played in the Shockers' usual home arena...
Instead, for a reason not yet made clear, it is reportedly going to be played in the "INTRUST Bank Arena" affectionately called "IBA" by Shocker fans...
INTRUST is a 15,000 seat municipal arena in downtown Wichita, only 5-10 minutes away from the Wichita State University campus.
Wichita's usual on-campus home arena, the Charles Koch Arena (once called Levitt Arena and sometimes referred to as the Roundhouse) seats 10,500.


Lastly -- just a few comments from Wichita State shocker fans who have now seen their entire schedule and who obviously do not like it with all the horribly weak and obscure guarantee opponents...

"It took five months to schedule some of the worst basketball teams in Division 1. Why not just do that the first week and get it over with?"

"I am disappointed and gravely concerned."

"Given the schedule, I think it's safe to assume the following:
Not good enough to get to the dance (via at-large bid)"

"Well with that schedule, we have very little room for err for a potential NCAA bid"

"It's a poor schedule which will be considered weak at tournament selection time"

"pretty disapointed to spend so much money for season tickets and have to sit thru that non conference schedule"

"If this was simply the best they could do, somebody sucks."

"I'm not sure I can motivate myself to go watch most of the noncon schedule. Wonder if I can give my ticket away? Doubtful."

"This is a truly disappointing schedule."

Then the best comment.........
"It's almost, dare I say it... Illinois State-like."

[bigdawg]

A question for Shox fans- is the greater concern the number of buy games or the appearance that non- conference teams might only agree to play in Wichita at IBA?

[WuDrWu]

We've had home games with Texas Tech and LSU recently that weren't forced or threatened, so it can be done.

I think most fans, not all but most and including myself, are frustrated with the balance, and not really the whole and how, specifically, this season is important and sets up potentially to be a special season.

If you look big picture, and be fair about it, I think you will see the following:

We're playing in THE premiere mid-season tournament, by far. We have a great chance to advance against a solid BCS team (it's certainly better than drawing Michigan State for example) and there is a potential for 3 games against top 20 competition. Yes, it's huge to beat UCONN, but at least we get a chance. ZERO complaints and in fact, this is a huge plus.


The Tulsa game is to set up other things down the road plus they are mostly competitive. Some people have a problem with this game....I understand their consternation....I have no such problem. It's 1 game, and if the team is as good as we hope, it should generate some extra chances for people to watch the team.

Hard to complain about the LSU game. Most years that's going to be a very good game. Maybe they're down this year, but I'd be willing to wager they'd do fairly well against the balance of the Valley in a head to head matchup.

MWC Challenge is good too. SDSU is a likely top 40 team, perhaps top 20. We probably have the toughest game of all the Valley teams, and it should be that way.

BB....I hate it but I guess it serves a purpose. Again, it should be a solid game although the road options are thin....looks like right now USU is the most likely target.

So 7 of the 12 games are frankly a really good package. As good or better than any other Valley team.

Now we get to the last 5. We all understand you are going to have some confidence builders. I think it's all about there being 5 instead of 2, 3 or 4. Just take 1 or 2 road apples and substitute any combination of the following:

1 and done elite
home and home any decent mid major
home and home or 2 for 1 or 3 for 2 mid level BCS

Everyone seems to believe giving up 1 home (essentially) exhibition for a quality road test is acceptable both from a financial situation and from a get your team better situation.

Anyway, it's far from being all bad. But the 5 creampuffs are certainly 1 (if not 2 or 3) too many to both prepare a team for postseason play and to ensure they actually get there in the first place.

[WSUbballer]

A question for Shox fans- is the greater concern the number of buy games or the appearance that non- conference teams might only agree to play in Wichita at IBA?

The number of buy games is the concern. The Tulsa game at IBA is not on their terms. WSU has said they have wanted to play one game a year downtown. So I guess they picked the best team on the schedule and moved it there. The contract with Tulsa did not require a neutral site. This was done by WSU on its own and will be included in the season ticket package.

Teams aren't even agreeing to play WSU at IBA. Marshall asked K-State for a game in IBA, a game at KSU, and a game at another neutral site (likely KC) and it was left on the table. I think that was a more than fair offer with KSU and it was turned away.

The home schedule this year is awful and I think season ticket holders have a rightful beef with it. This is the type of schedule you could possibly lose next-year season ticket holders to - especially if that part of the schedule factors into the potential demise of an NCAA bid.

[WSUbballer]

What Doc said..

Nobody has a problem with the games away from CKA. I think it's great and thus overall the schedule is pretty good. But from a season ticket holder perspective, it's lacking. And from a perspective of looking for an at-large bid if possible, the 5 brownies on the schedule could affect us if we're close to the bubble (likely).