2016-17 MBB Schedule Speculation

[flyingdutchdevil]

The complete schedule for the Tipoff Classic was released this morning.

It fills in a few details for Duke. The Blue Devils will face Grand Canyon in the first round Nov. 11 in Cameron ... that's almost certainly our opener.

Then Duke meets Albany in the second round, Nov. 12 (also at Cameron).

Win or lose those two games, Duke goes to Uncasville, Conn, for what's called the Naismith Round, where they face Penn State on Nov. 19.

The winner will face the winner of Cincinnati-Rhode Island on Nov. 20 (or, if Duke were to lose vs. PSU, the loser of that game).

The schedule:

Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament Schedule

Campus Round Schedule

November 11

Grand Canyon University @ Duke University

Marist College @ Penn State

Brown University @ University of Cincinnati

November 12

University at Albany @ Duke University

November 14

University at Albany @ University of Cincinnati

Marist College @ University of Rhode Island

November 15

Grand Canyon University @ Penn State

November 16

Brown University @ University of Rhode Island

Saturday, November 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT

Naismith Bracket

Duke University vs. Penn State

University of Cincinnati vs. University of Rhode Island

Sunday, November 20 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT

Naismith Bracket
Consolation Game
Championship Game

Penn State, Cincy, and RI? That's the best the organizers could do for Duke? The number 1 team in the country? Really?

Well, given that I work in New Haven, I'll be watching Duke play and losing a few dollars in Mohegan Sun.

[pfrduke]

Also, to add, while we don't know the dates we do know our ACC opponents for next year:

Home and Away: UNC, Wake, Miami, FSU
Home Only: BC, Clemson, Georgia Tech, NC State, Pitt
Away Only: Louisville, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Obviously it's early to say who precisely will be the toughest opponents next season, but my gut reaction to that is that we got a rough draw on the home/road split. Our road opponents collectively look to be much tougher than our home opponents.

[cato]

Also, to add, while we don't know the dates we do know our ACC opponents for next year:

Home and Away: UNC, Wake, Miami, FSU
Home Only: BC, Clemson, Georgia Tech, NC State, Pitt
Away Only: Louisville, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Obviously it's early to say who precisely will be the toughest opponents next season, but my gut reaction to that is that we got a rough draw on the home/road split. Our road opponents collectively look to be much tougher than our home opponents.

Looking at that away only schedule gets me every year. There are many things that have lead to my decreased interest in college basketball, but the death of the ACC round robin is front and center.

[duke2x]

Five non-conference games left to be filled in. Assume 1-2 the week of Thanksgiving and then 3-4 in the latter half of December, likely all to be at home (although we could play @UNCG to get a game at the Greensboro Coliseum, which we've done before in years that it's an NCAA host site*)

*assuming it continues to be an NCAA host site

I think we already have the full quota of games outside of Cameron with the possible exception of the ACC-Big10 Challenge. St. John's also owes us a trip to Cameron, but I'm not sure that will happen.

[wilson]

So the updated non-conference schedule so far:

11/11 - Grand Canyon, Cameron
11/12 - Albany, Cameron
11/15 - Kansas, MSG
11/19 - Penn St, Mohegan Sun
11/20 - Cincinnati/Rhode Island, Mohegan Sun
11/29/30 - ACC/B1G TBD
12/6 - Florida, MSG
12/10 - UNLV, MGM Grand

Five non-conference games left to be filled in. Assume 1-2 the week of Thanksgiving and then 3-4 in the latter half of December, likely all to be at home (although we could play @UNCG to get a game at the Greensboro Coliseum, which we've done before in years that it's an NCAA host site*)

*assuming it continues to be an NCAA host site

I'll be excited for the Grand Canyon opener, but I am not excited about GCU's presence in D-1...I think the membership of a for-profit university is a distinct net negative. I know, I know...insert NCAA joke here, but for all the ethical foibles of the NCAA and its member institutions, I still don't think they rise to the level of questionability present in the world of for-profit education.

[Olympic Fan]

I'll be excited for the Grand Canyon opener, but I am not excited about GCU's presence in D-1...I think the membership of a for-profit university is a distinct net negative. I know, I know...insert NCAA joke here, but for all the ethical foibles of the NCAA and its member institutions, I still don't think they rise to the level of questionability present in the world of for-profit education.

I understand your concern. Still, Grand Canyon did win 27 games last season. They play in the WAC and are coached by Dan Majerle. They were in the CIT Tournament last season.

They did win three Division II national championships before moving to Division I in 2013.

I'm also interested to see Albany for game two. You might remember Duke faced Albany in the NCAA opener in Philadelphia in 2013 (the first step on our Elite Eight run).

I agree that it's not the greatest early season tournament around -- it might be the weakest field we've been in for many years. But at least we'll have the game with Kansas (a top 5 team) in Madison Square Garden in between the Albany game and the game with Penn State.

[wilson]

I understand your concern. Still, Grand Canyon did win 27 games last season. They play in the WAC and are coached by Dan Majerle. They were in the CIT Tournament last season.

They did win three Division II national championships before moving to Division I in 2013.

I'm also interested to see Albany for game two. You might remember Duke faced Albany in the NCAA opener in Philadelphia in 2013 (the first step on our Elite Eight run).

I agree that it's not the greatest early season tournament around -- it might be the weakest field we've been in for many years. But at least we'll have the game with Kansas (a top 5 team) in Madison Square Garden in between the Albany game and the game with Penn State.

I don't care about Grand Canyon's on-court competitiveness...I wish never to engage with the program and do not believe there should be a place for for-profit institutions in college athletics.
I do find the Albany matchup intriguing...that NCAAT game was pretty competitive the whole way, and as I recall, we only won by 12 or so.

[dukebsbll14]

I don't care about Grand Canyon's on-court competitiveness...I wish never to engage with the program and do not believe there should be a place for for-profit institutions in college athletics.
I do find the Albany matchup intriguing...that NCAAT game was pretty competitive the whole way, and as I recall, we only won by 12 or so.

Also, I worry about Grand Canyon's ability to even play the sport...being a canyon and all

[hallcity]

I don't know how far along they are but Grand Canyon has announced that they are in the process of returning to non-profit status.

[devildeac]

I don't know how far along they are but Grand Canyon has announced that they are in the process of returning to non-profit status.

Wonder if that process is anything like the process underway at chappaheeya to returning to a better example of the student-athlete model.

(yep, folks, any chance I get for a derogatory comment about the cheaters )

[wilson]

I don't know how far along they are but Grand Canyon has announced that they are in the process of returning to non-profit status.

I hadn't seen that. I consider it a very positive step.

[tbyers11]

Duke will host Michigan St this year. 2 home games in a row

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/sta...81487137431552

Full list here

Other games of note:

UNC @ Indiana
Purdue @ Virginia
Ohio St @ Louisville

[Olympic Fan]

Duke will host Michigan St this year. 2 home games in a row

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/sta...81487137431552

Full list here

Other games of note:

UNC @ Indiana
Purdue @ Virginia
Ohio St @ Louisville

Glad to see Michigan State -- I think they will end up being the best team in the Big Ten. Kind of sorry to see Duke get them at home ... I'd like to see a road game (we won last time we played in East Lansing).

It will be interesting to see if K's mastery of Izzo continues -- Coach K is 10-1 vs. Michigan State and 9-1 against Izzo.

[BD80]

I don't know how far along they are but Grand Canyon has announced that they are in the process of returning to non-profit status.

Wonder if that process is anything like the process underway at chappaheeya to returning to a better example of the student-athlete model.

(yep, folks, any chance I get for a derogatory comment about the cheaters )

Grand Canyon got a chance to see what a true "for profit" university is all about, and decided they didn't belong in the same league as unc, nor did they want to be.

[brevity]

Duke is also scheduled to play UNLV on Dec. 10 at the MGM in Vegas: http://www.dukechronicle.com/blog/bl...na-in-december

Well we can probably safely say that this will be the most games Duke has played at casinos in any season with two at the Mohegan Sun and one at the MGM.

So the updated non-conference schedule so far:

11/11 - Grand Canyon, Cameron
11/12 - Albany, Cameron
11/15 - Kansas, MSG
11/19 - Penn St, Mohegan Sun
11/20 - Cincinnati/Rhode Island, Mohegan Sun
11/29/30 - ACC/B1G TBD
12/6 - Florida, MSG
12/10 - UNLV, MGM Grand

Reviving this thread to provide a correction after reading about Las Vegas' new arena for their NHL team. The Chronicle article above correctly points out that the game will take place at the T-Mobile Arena, located on the Strip behind New York New York, and opposite the MGM Grand. Someone local can verify, but it looks like a freestanding building separate from any casino.

Not to be outdone, Kentucky will play UNC and UCLA will face Ohio State one week later, December 17, in the CBS Sports Classic. How original.

[hallcity]

I'm bumping this up because there's still about six nonconference games still to be accounted for. That seems like a lot for mid-July.

[hallcity]

I've found this compilation of what's known about Duke's non-conference schedule. It looks like there are three non-conference games yet to be announced. Becaues the home conference schedule is as bland as it could possibly be it would be nice to have another major non-conference game at home but I'm not expecting it.
11/11 Grand Canyon (HOF Tipoff), 7PM
11/12 Albany (HOF Tipoff)
11/15 vs Kansas (Champions Classic), TBD, ESPN
11/19 vs Penn State (HOF Tipoff), ESPN Network
11/20 vs Cincinnati/Rhode Island (HOF Tipoff), ESPN Network
11/29 Michigan State (ACC/B10 Challenge), TBD, ESPN Network
12/6 vs Florida (Jimmy V Classic), 9pm, ESPN
12/10 at UNLV
TBD Appalachian State
TBD Maine
TBD
TBD
TBD

[gam7]

Coach K says we have already scheduled someone to fill the Albany slot: http://nypost.com/2016/07/21/coach-k...me-in-protest/

Anyone on the inside know who it is? Jim? Oly?

[duke2x]

90% chance it will be one of the other teams, Marist or Brown. Both are private schools and do not answer to the Governor. Albany doesn't want out of this tournament entirely, and Albany isn't coming back to Cameron if there is a change in the law.

[Spanarkel]

90% chance it will be one of the other teams, Marist or Brown. Both are private schools and do not answer to the Governor. Albany doesn't want out of this tournament entirely, and Albany isn't coming back to Cameron if there is a change in the law.

I hope Brown doesn't have to answer to Governor Cuomo as it's located in Providence.