ESPN Nonconference Schedule Analysis

[Harry0569]

SMU

Toughest: NIT Season Tip-Off (Nov. 14-25), vs. Oklahoma State in Dallas (Dec. 28), at Ole Miss (Jan. 3)
Next-toughest: TCU (Feb.
The rest: McMurry (Nov. 11), Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 19), Georgia Southern (Nov. 27), at Arkansas-Little Rock (Dec. 4), at Southeast Missouri State (Dec. 19), Dallas Christian (Dec. 22), Louisiana Tech (Dec. 31)
Toughness scale (1-10): 4 -- The Mustangs could see this scale jump up a few more notches if they beat Colorado State in the NIT opener and then take out host Stanford to get to New York for the NIT semis. Do that and suddenly SMU will be a player into the winter and the games against Oklahoma State and Ole Miss become relevant. But that's asking a lot of a team that's expected to finish in the bottom half of C-USA.

[goldenstang]

I find it hard to believe that TCU tougher than Arkansas

scratch that, I thought were playing Arkansas not UALR

[dickey1331]

Are we really expected to finish in the bottom half of CUSA?

[2ndandlong]

But we have a toughness factor of 4 out of 10

[whitwiki]

Are we really expected to finish in the bottom half of CUSA?

This seems conservative ...

[hoopmanx]

Are we really expected to finish in the bottom half of CUSA?

Those are the talking head predictions, although none of those guys have ever seen any of our roster play. En vogue to say we're 7th or 8th, just b/c we have 9 new guys on the roster. I wouldn't get strung out by it, cause our talent level is eons better than our 7th or 8th place finishing team last year. Just need them to get experience and gel quickly

[hoopmanx]

But we have a toughness factor of 4 out of 10

First, never trust Andy Katz or Gottlieb when it comes to SMU. Both have personal issues w/Doh, especially Gottlieb. Second, that rating is low when you look at the rest of the league and their schedules. It doesn't account for our second game in the NIT at all. We either get Stanford or fresno as a given, so those should be in the formula somewhere, but they aren't. Get to the Garden and the schedule jumps to like an 8.

[RGV Pony]

Was doh at nd when gottlieb was borrowing other peoples credit card info ?

[2ndandlong]

But we have a toughness factor of 4 out of 10

First, never trust Andy Katz or Gottlieb when it comes to SMU. Both have personal issues w/Doh, especially Gottlieb. Second, that rating is low when you look at the rest of the league and their schedules. It doesn't account for our second game in the NIT at all. We either get Stanford or fresno as a given, so those should be in the formula somewhere, but they aren't. Get to the Garden and the schedule jumps to like an 8.

I didn't. I was mocking it.

[hoopmanx]

But we have a toughness factor of 4 out of 10

First, never trust Andy Katz or Gottlieb when it comes to SMU. Both have personal issues w/Doh, especially Gottlieb. Second, that rating is low when you look at the rest of the league and their schedules. It doesn't account for our second game in the NIT at all. We either get Stanford or fresno as a given, so those should be in the formula somewhere, but they aren't. Get to the Garden and the schedule jumps to like an 8.

I didn't. I was mocking it.

gotcha, my bad

[hoopmanx]

Was doh at nd when gottlieb was borrowing other peoples credit card info ?

Nope, Gottlieb was at ND in 95-96. Not sure why the feud, but it was pretty nasty in HAwaii a few years back. We sucked, Gottlieb mouthed off, and it made things worse.

[PonyKai]

How can you not love and respect Gottlieb though? He was such a saint and an honorable guy during college!

[hoopmanx]

If his Dad wasn't a hoops legend, Gottlieb would be putting pine straw in my garden