Courtesy of DePaulBlueDemons.com, here is the matchup matrix. As a DePaul fan, I am sad to see we do not get UConn or WV, but it does make for an easier conference schedule for us.

<a href='http://www.depaulbluedemons.com/imagelibrary/files/2005-06BIGEASTMensBasketballOpponents_1.pdf' target='_blank'>Matrix</a>

Can't blame you there, that sucks you miss possibly two of the top four teams in the Big East, Rutgers is in the same boat. I imagine Providence will be upset they miss Syracuse and Villanova the next two years as well.
What do the older BE fans think?

I can live with no Georgetown or Seton Hall for the next two years. We get the mirror games abotu as tough as they come. If nothing else, we will be tourney ready come March.

Looking at UL's schedule I see why they didn't want to play Memphis. That schedule is unbelievable. Are you guys playing any big games OOC?

UABGrad Wrote:Looking at UL's schedule I see why they didn't want to play Memphis. That schedule is unbelievable. Are you guys playing any big games OOC?

Only UK and maybe if you argue Miami (FL). Other than that, creampuff city.

Man I can't wait to be rockin the the Hall when UConn and Villanova come into town!

How long until we tip it off?

Wow...looks like Rutgers is a big loser here...they always seem to play Uconn tough and they have been in the same conference as WVU for decades...those are two tough "no plays" for Rutgers

-- as a WVU fan...I am not suprised that Pitt and UC are part of the home and home...but I am very suprised that UL is not #3...


Jackson

I honestly expected WVU and Louisville to get a home-and-home for the rematch element. I guess there are just too many good games in the conference, though. I'm surprised that Syracuse isn't a home-and-home, but not surprised by any who are... just too many choices and someone had to be left off, I guess.

Jackson1011 Wrote:Wow...looks like Rutgers is a big loser here...they always seem to play Uconn tough and they have been in the same conference as WVU for decades...those are two tough "no plays" for Rutgers

-- as a WVU fan...I am not suprised that Pitt and UC are part of the home and home...but I am very suprised that UL is not #3...


Jackson

How do we not play a team we've been playing since the late 70s? I can understand UConn but not playing WVU is just messed up. Marquette and DePaul no offense don't excite me the way WVU and UConn do. We've been playing WVU for nearly 30 years and UConn for 10 years. Seton Hall was naturally a home and home, St. John's was a bit of a surprise but a welcome one because that gives me another easy local road game to get to. South Florida was expected big time. Good I want a rivalry with you folks.

My only concern is teams not in the top four or five have as good or better chance of doing well in the conference as the top teams because their schedule isn't as tough. Oh well, guess it's a dog eat dog world. (Pitt did really well. If I were a coach, I'd want their schedule).

cardtopper Wrote:My only concern is teams not in the top four or five have as good or better chance of doing well in the conference as the top teams because their schedule isn't as tough.

It's called parity and a BUNCH of sports leagues strive for it now. Just look at the NFL. Case closed.

SU-nova: I like the cuse in this
SU-Uconn: Uconn is aways a mismatch,IMO
SU-UC: I like the cuse in this one

I'd have like to see Pitt play Nova since we represent different parts of the state. Other than that it looks good to me.

I don't know if I buy the parity explaination. Say you're the #4 team and you play the top two twice...you could likely loose three out of four games, then you play #5 twice and split. You're 2 and 4 with ten other games. Even if you go a decent 7-3 your finale record would be 9-7. a couple of the lower rated teams could sneak past you in the regular season standings because they get a break in the schedule and get a better seed in the conference tournament. You might end up playing one of the top ranked teams in the first round....parity just bought you a ticket to the NIT. I don't call it parity, I call it $$$$$ in the conference coffers. And how much of that TV money do the schools get based on their appearances or do we all split it evenly? I don't think I like parity even if it is case closed.

Eventually it's going to work agaimst the conference cause no matter how good you are, the pollsters are not going to rank a team with losses and TV doesn't want to show teams that aren't ranked.

cardtopper Wrote:I don't know if I buy the parity explaination. Say you're the #4 team and you play the top two twice...you could likely loose three out of four games, then you play #5 twice and split. You're 2 and 4 with ten other games. Even if you go a decent 7-3 your finale record would be 9-7. a couple of the lower rated teams could sneak past you in the regular season standings because they get a break in the schedule and get a better seed in the conference tournament.

That's exactly my point. They are trying for that "Cinderella Story" where a lower-ranked team soars up the standings (admittedly on the wings of a lesser schedule). If Nova, UConn, and Louisville played the exact same schedule as, say, USF, there would be no way for USF to even hope of finishing anywhere but at the bottom. But since USF gets an easier schedule, you can't immediately write them off.

*OK, so USF is probably a bad example... put a middle-of-the-road team in there and the point is the same*

cardtopper Wrote:I don't know if I buy the parity explaination. Say you're the #4 team and you play the top two twice...you could likely loose three out of four games, then you play #5 twice and split. You're 2 and 4 with ten other games. Even if you go a decent 7-3 your finale record would be 9-7. a couple of the lower rated teams could sneak past you in the regular season standings because they get a break in the schedule and get a better seed in the conference tournament. You might end up playing one of the top ranked teams in the first round....parity just bought you a ticket to the NIT. I don't call it parity, I call it $$$$$ in the conference coffers. And how much of that TV money do the schools get based on their appearances or do we all split it evenly? I don't think I like parity even if it is case closed.

Eventually it's going to work agaimst the conference cause no matter how good you are, the pollsters are not going to rank a team with losses and TV doesn't want to show teams that aren't ranked.

I really don't think SU will lose 3 time against Villinova/Uconn. Nova will have trouble against Zone and Uconn well anything goes

Quote:How do we not play a team we've been playing since the late 70s? I can understand UConn but not playing WVU is just messed up. Marquette and DePaul no offense don't excite me the way WVU and UConn do. We've been playing WVU for nearly 30 years and UConn for 10 years. Seton Hall was naturally a home and home, St. John's was a bit of a surprise but a welcome one because that gives me another easy local road game to get to. South Florida was expected big time. Good I want a rivalry with you folks.

-- this will be the first time that I can remember WVU and RU won't play in bball....at times it seems the two schools have been close to having a rivalry in hoops....now that has probably been put on hold for awhile...I have no idea why the league is insisten that WVU play Seton Hall but not Rutgers


Jackson

T, who is going to shoulder the scoring load of Hakim Warrick? McNamara did quite well last year down the stretch, but there were times I wondered if he was the only player on the floor. Is he going to have to score 30 a night for Syracuse to be Top 10 successful?

CardinalEmpire.com Wrote:T, who is going to shoulder the scoring load of Hakim Warrick? McNamara did quite well last year down the stretch, but there were times I wondered if he was the only player on the floor. Is he going to have to score 30 a night for Syracuse to be Top 10 successful?

the 4 Jouniors of Mccrosky,Roberts,Watkins,Nichols will have to step up (all 4 were a top 15 class) then they get McDonald AA Eric devondorf

Devondorf-McNamara combo SG/PG will score alot

Looking at it from the perspective of a DePaul fan, we are going to be a team that others are not going to like. Why? Because our schedule is one that might make us a "contender" for the conference title.
Home Games

Georgetown
Marquette
Notre Dame
Providence
Rutgers
Seton Hall
Syracuse
Villanova

Road Games

Cincinnati
Louisville
Marquette
Notre Dame
Pittsburgh
Providence
St. John’s
USF

Quite honestly, we have a decent chance to go 6-2 at home and 4-4 on the road. 10-6 has the chance to get a high seed in the BE Tournament.