sagegrouse
10-05-2011, 08:14 AM
ESPN is publishing summary evaluations (http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/tag/_/name/2011-12-nonconference-schedule-analysis) of the non-conference schedules of the major conferences. Tommy Amaker's Harvard team is getting credit as a tough opponent And although the BC reference is a backhanded compliment, the FSU reference puts the Crimson on the same plateau as UConn.
BOSTON COLLEGE
Toughest: 76 Classic (Nov. 24-27), Harvard (Dec. 29)
Next-toughest: UMass (Nov. 21), Boston University (Dec. 3), Stony Brook (Dec. 11), Rhode Island (Jan. 2)
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Toughness scale (1-10): 3 -- Steve Donahue can be forgiven for a less-than-overwhelming schedule, with all five of his top scorers gone. But the facts are the facts. There are some nice mid-majors here -- Boston U. and Stony Brook could potentially win in Chestnut Hill -- but hanging your hat on the top team in the Ivy League isn’t going to turn a lot of heads.
FLORIDA STATE
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Toughness scale (1-10): 7 -- A lot of eyes will be watching the Seminoles this season, seeing if the preseason excitement is warranted after the surprise Sweet 16 run. This schedule will help clear the issue. Two tough road games -- in East Lansing and in Gainesville -- will be stiff tests obviously. The rest of the schedule, on the surface, looks just OK. But Florida State, after opening with UMass down in the Bahamas, will potentially face Harvard and UConn in its next two games. That would be quite a 1-2 punch in back-to-back games.
Quite an upheaval in the Ivy League with Harvard showing signs of blowing up the Princeton-UPenn cartel that has won most of the basketball championships. As you remember, Harvard lost on a last-second shot in a playoff to Princeton for the NCAA bid last year, after the two were declared co-champions. This year it is a heavy favorite in the league where athletic scholarships are paid out of the general scholarship fund.
sagegrouse
BOSTON COLLEGE
Toughest: 76 Classic (Nov. 24-27), Harvard (Dec. 29)
Next-toughest: UMass (Nov. 21), Boston University (Dec. 3), Stony Brook (Dec. 11), Rhode Island (Jan. 2)
......................
Toughness scale (1-10): 3 -- Steve Donahue can be forgiven for a less-than-overwhelming schedule, with all five of his top scorers gone. But the facts are the facts. There are some nice mid-majors here -- Boston U. and Stony Brook could potentially win in Chestnut Hill -- but hanging your hat on the top team in the Ivy League isn’t going to turn a lot of heads.
FLORIDA STATE
....................................
Toughness scale (1-10): 7 -- A lot of eyes will be watching the Seminoles this season, seeing if the preseason excitement is warranted after the surprise Sweet 16 run. This schedule will help clear the issue. Two tough road games -- in East Lansing and in Gainesville -- will be stiff tests obviously. The rest of the schedule, on the surface, looks just OK. But Florida State, after opening with UMass down in the Bahamas, will potentially face Harvard and UConn in its next two games. That would be quite a 1-2 punch in back-to-back games.
Quite an upheaval in the Ivy League with Harvard showing signs of blowing up the Princeton-UPenn cartel that has won most of the basketball championships. As you remember, Harvard lost on a last-second shot in a playoff to Princeton for the NCAA bid last year, after the two were declared co-champions. This year it is a heavy favorite in the league where athletic scholarships are paid out of the general scholarship fund.
sagegrouse