Just 6 home nonconf games (7 away--1st time in 18 yrs); Numbers handed out to freshman

[Franisdaman]

McCaffery's 2017-18 Hawkeyes have five neutral-site games already on the books: three in the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic from Nov. 20-22 (Cincinnati, Richmond, South Dakota State and Wyoming are among the headliners); one against Drake in the annual Hy-Vee Classic in Des Moines; and one against Colorado in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Add that to a pair of road games against teams that reached last year's NCAA Tournament – at Iowa State and now at Virginia Tech – and that makes seven. The last time the Hawkeyes played seven games away from Carver-Hawkeye as part of its non-conference schedule was in 1999-2000, Steve Alford's first season at Iowa.

Iowa is 0-3 all-time against the Hokies, all in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games (2006, 2009 and 2012). The Hokies were a 9-seed in last year's NCAA Tournament and lost a first-round game against Wisconsin.

Iowa will likely have six home games to announce as part of its typical, 13-game non-conference schedule. And in another wrinkle to the 2017-18 slate, every Big Ten team will play two conference games – one home, one away – on the first weekend in December. The league is front-loading its schedule this year with the league tournament Feb. 28-March 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, a week earlier than its traditional placement.

In other Hawkeye hoops news Wednesday, jersey numbers for three incoming freshmen were announced: No. 2 for forward Jack Nunge; No. 30 for guard Connor McCaffery, who will redshirt; and No. 55 for big man Luka Garza. The last Hawkeye to wear 55 was Greg Helmers in 1998.

source: http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...g-ten-acc-challenge-fran-mccaffery/380600001/

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

At least this will have us battle ready come the B1G season. I am ready for the season to start now. It will definitely be a good one. This team is fun to watch! Prossibly my favorite of all-time. This year will be telling, if not very entertaining.

One concern about Delaney playing the B1G tournament so early, is the time off before the NCAAs. That much of a break (11-15 days depending on when you exit the B1G) before the NCAAs means you will be well rested, but lots of rust with so much time before the dance.

 

[And1Hawk]

Not sure if the limited home games is any big deal... no one shows up in the non-con unless it's a perceived good opponent.

 

[Ronman]

Not sure if the limited home games is any big deal... no one shows up in the non-con unless it's a perceived good opponent.

That would be the one change I would like to see in our future schedules. Try and arrange a home and home contract with teams with a pulse. Really tired of the Kennesaw States and the Garner-Webbs, just here for a beatdown payday.

 

[perryhawk]

This is a challenging schedule.....I like it. Again I think defense is the key for this teams success, particularly early in the season against this schedule. I think this Iowa team has adequate size, talent, and athletes to compete with top 25 type teams and maybe even at a higher level once they start firing on all cylinders.

 

[Franisdaman]

At least this will have us battle ready come the B1G season. I am ready for the season to start now. It will definitely be a good one. This team is fun to watch! Prossibly my favorite of all-time. This year will be telling, if not very entertaining.

One concern about Delaney playing the B1G tournament so early, is the time off before the NCAAs. That much of a break (11-15 days depending on when you exit the B1G) before the NCAAs means you will be well rested, but lots of rust with so much time before the dance.

Not sure if the limited home games is any big deal... no one shows up in the non-con unless it's a perceived good opponent.

its just weird that we have not had 7 away nonconf games in 18 years

 

[Franisdaman]

That would be the one change I would like to see in our future schedules. Try and arrange a home and home contract with teams with a pulse. Really tired of the Kennesaw States and the Garner-Webbs, just here for a beatdown payday.

Yeah. There are a lot of Midwest options for this:
* Kansas
* Missouri
* Kansas State
* Creighton
* Marquette

And that is just for starters

 

[Franisdaman]

This is a challenging schedule.....I like it. Again I think defense is the key for this teams success, particularly early in the season against this schedule. I think this Iowa team has adequate size, talent, and athletes to compete with top 25 type teams and maybe even at a higher level once they start firing on all cylinders.

4 starters back is HUGE; they will all step up to make up for losing Jok; and then our 2 incoming freshman should help in terms of rebounding, 3 pt shooting, etc

 

[And1Hawk]

Yeah. There are a lot of Midwest options for this:
* Kansas
* Missouri
* Kansas State
* Creighton
* Marquette

And that is just for starters

How many of this group are really interested in doing a home & home with us? It's not that easy.

 

[lonewolf52]

How many of this group are really interested in doing a home & home with us? It's not that easy.

We've done home and home with Kansas, Missouri, & Kansas St. before. Granted now I believe the KU scenario makes less sense but a home and home with Mizzou wouldn't be bad especially with STL recruiting getting hot lately.

 

[Suterman]

This is a challenging schedule. Yes most of the 6 home games will be pretty much guaranteed "W's but we do need to win enough games to even get to the dance. This isn't settling for mediocrity, it's understanding that we are in a conference where every game can go either way.

 

[SSG T]

Yeah. There are a lot of Midwest options for this:
* Kansas
* Missouri
* Kansas State
* Creighton
* Marquette

And that is just for starters

I'll be honest, I'd rather them do a home and home with teams from outside the immediate region. Assuming you're talking higher level opponents...

Villanova
Arizona
Syracuse
St Johns
Pitt
Gonzaga
Louisville

Try to get one (possibly two under the right circumstances) each year. Maybe alternate with two of them. Play @Cuse one year, then AZ in IC, then Cuse in IC, then @AZ. Do that over a 4 year period.

 

[TKingpin]

DePaul, Notre Dame for the Chicago Market; Missouri and St Louis U for the KC and St Louis markets; Marquette to keep our name in Wisconsin, especially with the boring Slow-down offense that Wisky plays.

It might be good to play one of those Philly schools, to keep our name out there as an Option for that talented market as well: Villanova, LaSalle, Temple, St Joe's and Penn. Penn is kind of a nice story for Fran, too. I think we played them once when Pete's brother was there.

 

[TampaHawkfan]

This is a challenging schedule. Yes most of the 6 home games will be pretty much guaranteed "W's but we do need to win enough games to even get to the dance. This isn't settling for mediocrity, it's understanding that we are in a conference where every game can go either way.

I agree that Iowa needs to win games, but I think we've seen in the past that W's over teams RPI 250-300+ don't help. In fact, they actually hurt. I'm not saying we've got to be scheduling top teams with these other 6 games, but I'm hoping for more teams maybe in the 100's range (150 or so?). In other words, games we *should* win but not games that are gonna totally sabotage your RPI.

One or two of these 300+ games? Fine. But I really hope it's not 4-6 of them, but that's what I expect will happen, to be honest.

I think there's a good number of tough games on this schedule - just don't water down the rest TOO much.

 

[And1Hawk]

We've done home and home with Kansas, Missouri, & Kansas St. before. Granted now I believe the KU scenario makes less sense but a home and home with Mizzou wouldn't be bad especially with STL recruiting getting hot lately.

How long ago was the most recent example of one of these home & homes? Missouri was in the Alford era and KU in the Davis era. That's 10-15+ years ago. I do not recall a home and home with KSU. The point being the landscape has changed with home & homes. There has to be something mutually beneficial for both teams to do this. What's the benefit for those teams playing in Iowa City??? I see almost none.

The way to get these matchups is not home & home but neutral site games; i.e. pre-season tourneys or the conference to conference challenges like ACC v B1G, B1G v Big East.

I'd like these home & home matchups also.... just pointing out times have changed. They are not that easy to schedule.

 

[Suterman]

I agree that Iowa needs to win games, but I think we've seen in the past that W's over teams RPI 250-300+ don't help. In fact, they actually hurt. I'm not saying we've got to be scheduling top teams with these other 6 games, but I'm hoping for more teams maybe in the 100's range (150 or so?). In other words, games we *should* win but not games that are gonna totally sabotage your RPI.

One or two of these 300+ games? Fine. But I really hope it's not 4-6 of them, but that's what I expect will happen, to be honest.

I think there's a good number of tough games on this schedule - just don't water down the rest TOO much.

I agree with you. The 300+ RPI's can be self defeating. 150-250 RPI's at home should be close to automatic wins.

 

[Franisdaman]

I'll be honest, I'd rather them do a home and home with teams from outside the immediate region. Assuming you're talking higher level opponents...

Villanova
Arizona
Syracuse
St Johns
Pitt
Gonzaga
Louisville

Try to get one (possibly two under the right circumstances) each year. Maybe alternate with two of them. Play @Cuse one year, then AZ in IC, then Cuse in IC, then @AZ. Do that over a 4 year period.

And get the game on CBS/ESPN/etc