NU announces non-conference schedule

[lou v]

The Schedule (psst...it looks a lot like last year)

The release...

EVANSTON, Ill. -- A return to Evanston and the new Welsh-Ryan Arena as well as visits from three high-major opponents highlight the nonconference portion of the 2018-19 Northwestern men's basketball announced today.

In conjunction, a limited number of season tickets for the Wildcats' home portion of their campaign are now on sale. In all, Northwestern will play 19 games at Welsh-Ryan Arena during the upcoming season.

Limited season tickets are available at the new Welsh-Ryan Arena, featuring a brand new seating bowl, chairback seats, additional leg room between rows and more. For more information click here.

NU's first competition in its return to its home facility will be Friday, Nov. 2, when the 'Cats take on Division II foe McKendree University in an exhibition contest.

The lid gets lifted on the regular season Thursday, Nov. 8, when Northwestern plays host to New Orleans. The matchup begins a stretch of three straight home games to open the season as the Wildcats also host American Nov. 12 and Binghamton Nov. 16.

NU next heads west to California for three games as part of the Wooden Legacy over Thanksgiving weekend. As previously announced, the 'Cats open up tournament play against Fresno State Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 22). Northwestern continues competition in the Wooden Legacy Nov. 23 and 25.

The Wildcats' challenging stretch continues Nov. 28 when they return home to Evanston to face Georgia Tech as part of this year's ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It will be the second straight year, and the third time in five years, that NU and the Yellow Jackets are meeting in the Challenge.

Northwestern takes a break from nonconference play to then open its Big Ten Conference season with a pair of games – one at home and one on the road – between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5. Opponents and dates are to be determined. This is the second straight year that Big Ten teams are playing two games in early December. This year, the league is expanding to 20 conference games for the first time.

NU closes out the calendar year by playing four more nonconference games, all at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats will host a pair of Chicagoland opponents in back-to-back games. DePaul makes the quick trip north Dec. 8 before the Wildcats take a week off for final exams. Northwestern returns to action on Dec. 17 with a game against Chicago State.

After making a trip to Norman last season, Northwestern gets a return visit from Big 12 Conference challenger Oklahoma, Dec. 21, before the nonconference slate concludes with a visit from Columbia on Dec. 30.

The Big Ten portion of the schedule will be announced at a later date. The Wildcats will play home and away games against Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers and Wisconsin in 2018-19. NU also will host Minnesota, Penn State and Purdue while traveling to Maryland, Michigan State and Nebraska.

Season tickets start at just $350. For a full map, click here.

Season ticket availability for Welsh-Ryan Arena are as follows:

Courtside: Sold Out
Wilson Club: Sold Out
Level 1: Sold Out
Level 2: Limited Availability
Level 3: Sold Out
Level 4: Sold Out
Level 5: Sold Out
Level 6: Sold Out
Level 7: Moderate Availability

To order season tickets for the 2018-19 Northwestern men's basketball season, visit NUsports.com or call 888-GO-PURPLE.

 

[its_the_sauce]

Interesting... For all the whining about requiring donations for seats there's still "moderate availability" in the "no donation needed" zone.

 

[ellabrockway]

Saw this and the lack of true non-conference road games jumped out at me. Did some research and after lots of scrolling through the media guide, it appears as though this 2018-19 season will be the first time since the 1947-48 season that Northwestern has not faced a non-con opponent in a true road game (on the opponent's home floor, even in a tournament setting). Any thoughts?

 

[Catreporter]

When you are opening a new arena, why not play mostly home games to take advantage of the "curiousity" factor to maximize attendance?

 

[JournCat]

Saw this and the lack of true non-conference road games jumped out at me. Did some research and after lots of scrolling through the media guide, it appears as though this 2018-19 season will be the first time since the 1947-48 season that Northwestern has not faced a non-con opponent in a true road game (on the opponent's home floor, even in a tournament setting). Any thoughts?

We’re saying goodbye to our NCAA chances before the season begins. It’s annoying.

 

[willycat]

We’re saying goodbye to our NCAA chances before the season begins. It’s annoying.

Will an undefeated non-conference record do that?

 

[Medill90]

Just for the heck of it....when we talk about the non-con's impact on the post season...can talk about it as non-con +2 Big Ten games?

We've added two conference games this year folks, include that in the discussion about how crappy the non con is.

 

[NJCat]

Just for the heck of it....when we talk about the non-con's impact on the post season...can talk about it as non-con +2 Big Ten games?

We've added two conference games this year folks, include that in the discussion about how crappy the non con is.

Already noted.....

Don't forget that there are now 20 B1G games, replacing 2 weaker OOC opponents......go 11-9 in the B1g and you're probably in regardless of OOC SOS.

 

[freewillie07]

We’re saying goodbye to our NCAA chances before the season begins. It’s annoying.

Good lord. Enough griping about the noncon. How about NU focuses on somehow getting a winning record in conference and letting the chips fall where they may.

 

[IGNORE2]

Or let’s get a recruit or two.

When was the last time we had some really great news out of the MBB program?

 

[NJCat]

When was the last time we had some really great news out of the MBB program?

March, 2013......

http://www.espn.com/chicago/mens-co...northwestern-wildcats-fire-coach-bill-carmody

 

[mikewebb68]

What we can always count on people posting incessantly on this board about, imo

1) People griping about the noncon
2) People griping about unused scholarships
3) People griping about recruiting
4) People griping about CC
5) People griping about seating capacity
6) People griping about never having made the tourn-- oh wait. CC made the Dance, baby, THE DANCE!

What people should post more about, imo

1) Carmody sucking
2) CC not sucking
3) Did I mention we made the Dance?

 

[IGNORE2]

mikewebb68, post: 537968, member: 958 What we can always count on people posting incessantly on this board about, imo

1) People griping about the noncon - kinda important if you want to dance
2) People griping about unused scholarships - been kinda important in our depth related issues
3) People griping about recruiting - kinda important and a matter a recent issue
4) People griping about CC - see above
5) People griping about seating capacity - when?
6) People griping about never having made the tourn-- oh wait. CC made the Dance, baby, THE DANCE! - or we could have a scout like dormant board????

What people should post more about, imo

1) Carmody sucking - why? Let it go
2) CC not sucking - Houston, we have some problems....
3) Did I mention we made the Dance? - yes

 

[Sec.112]

What we can always count on people posting incessantly on this board about, imo ...

8) People griping about people "griping."

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

Good lord. Enough griping about the noncon. How about NU focuses on somehow getting a winning record in conference and letting the chips fall where they may.

Exactly! We need to take care of what’s laid out for us. Win. The rest will handle itself.

 

[EvanstonCat]

What we can always count on people posting incessantly on this board about, imo

1) People griping about the noncon
2) People griping about unused scholarships
3) People griping about recruiting
4) People griping about CC
5) People griping about seating capacity
6) People griping about never having made the tourn-- oh wait. CC made the Dance, baby, THE DANCE!

What people should post more about, imo

1) Carmody sucking
2) CC not sucking
3) Did I mention we made the Dance?

Carmody does suck.

 

[FeralFelidae]

We’re saying goodbye to our NCAA chances before the season begins. It’s annoying.

The benefit of being in a conference like the Big Ten is that you get the chance for quality wins within conference. Finish in the top third of the conference and we should look pretty good at the end of the season.

Of course, after last season, I would dial back my expectations.

 

[MysticCat]

We’re saying goodbye to our NCAA chances before the season begins. It’s annoying.

Yes, more pathetic, than annoying though. In much the same way that we are mathematically eliminated from the football playoff every year before the season starts. Not that we’ll ever be a top 4 or 8 football team, but to preempt that every year by virtue of the schedule is pretty gutless and sad.

It’s to the point where in fb literally half our games are against bottom feeders.

If you’re CC I guess you just water down the sos more and more every year to get wins to keep your job and see if the new arena can help us crack the top 10 (in the big ten, that is).

 

[NJCat]

It’s to the point where in fb literally half our games are against bottom feeders.

Sheesh. You realize that NU is one of only 5 or 6 Power 5 teams that have scheduled 11 Power 5 teams this season? And that NU has 3 top 15 teams on its schedule? It isn't NU's fault that Illinois is the equivalent of a bad FCS team......

 

[Catreporter]

Sheesh. You realize that NU is one of only 5 or 6 Power 5 teams that have scheduled 11 Power 5 teams this season? And that NU has 3 top 15 teams on its schedule? It isn't NU's fault that Illinois is the equivalent of a bad FCS team......

Mystic doesn't like facts to get in the way of his anti-Phillips,Fitz,Collins? narrative. I remember 2012 where we played three power5 nonconference games to start the season (Syracuse,Vandy,BC) and all the BTN guys were calling us crazy. Then, we swept em and went 10-3. Come to think of it, who does Mystic root for? We know who he's against.

 

[NJCat]

Come to think of it, who does Mystic root for? .

Whoever is playing NU that day.......

 

[mikewebb68]

Mystic doesn't like facts to get in the way of his anti-Phillips,Fitz,Collins? narrative. I remember 2012 where we played three power5 nonconference games to start the season (Syracuse,Vandy,BC) and all the BTN guys were calling us crazy. Then, we swept em and went 10-3. Come to think of it, who does Mystic root for? We know who he's against.

He roots for Holy Cross, obv.

 

[MysticCat]

Mystic doesn't like facts to get in the way of his anti-Phillips,Fitz,Collins? narrative. I remember 2012 where we played three power5 nonconference games to start the season (Syracuse,Vandy,BC) and all the BTN guys were calling us crazy. Then, we swept em and went 10-3. Come to think of it, who does Mystic root for? We know who he's against.

So you had to go back 6 years to find a “hard” schedule, and now let’s look at some facts:

In that murderers row year you refer to of 2012 we played the 50th hardest schedule in the country. So only a few power 5 teams played a softer schedule.

Last year we played the 57th.

We’re usually in that range. Aka very weak.

Of course when you lose back to back home games to FCS teams maybe upgrading the schedule into the 40s might not be the best idea.

 

[IGNORE2]

Sheesh. You realize that NU is one of only 5 or 6 Power 5 teams that have scheduled 11 Power 5 teams this season? And that NU has 3 top 15 teams on its schedule? It isn't NU's fault that Illinois is the equivalent of a bad FCS team......

Mystic doesn't like facts to get in the way of his anti-Phillips,Fitz,Collins? narrative. I remember 2012 where we played three power5 nonconference games to start the season (Syracuse,Vandy,BC) and all the BTN guys were calling us crazy. Then, we swept em and went 10-3. Come to think of it, who does Mystic root for? We know who he's against.

Ok, so the record is straight, you both contend that NU SoS will rank in range of Power 5 NCAA teams without automatic bids and also be a non talking point if we are on any tournament bubble? (Odds of getting a direct, responsive answer - slim and none. Nobody believes what they post, just clogging up bandwidth.)

 

[Gladeskat]

Ok, so the record is straight, you both contend that NU SoS will rank in range of Power 5 NCAA teams without automatic bids and also be a non talking point if we are on any tournament bubble? (Odds of getting a direct, responsive answer - slim and none. Nobody believes what they post, just clogging up bandwidth.)

Mystic threw everyone off with a lame remark about our football scheduling which elicited several rebuttals. In other words, we're talking football now, not basketball. Just clogging up some more bandwidth.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

He roots for Holy Cross, obv.

Yikes. Is that even a thing?

 

[willycat]

So you had to go back 6 years to find a “hard” schedule, and now let’s look at some facts:

In that murderers row year you refer to of 2012 we played the 50th hardest schedule in the country. So only a few power 5 teams played a softer schedule.

Last year we played the 57th.

We’re usually in that range. Aka very weak.

Of course when you lose back to back home games to FCS teams maybe upgrading the schedule into the 40s might not be the best idea.

Mystic, since you seem to hate anything NU, just stop using "we" when referring to NU programs. Also maybe you should consider dropping "Cat" from your handle. Now go back to the Holy Cross board, if they even have one.