It's late September and Kentucky takes on No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday so football is front and center. But when you cover Kentucky you never really get too far away from basketball talk, and we're actually inching a lot closer to tip there, too. The 28-minute sellout of Big Blue Madness tickets tonight served as a reminder of that.
So let's touch on a quick basketball topic: The SEC's non-conference schedules. I'm not trying to make any point here. Just taking a look at the non-conference opponents for each of the league's schools. How the league fares against these slates of opponents below will have a lot to say about how many SEC teams go dancing, what their seeds will be, and whether the league might finally start to show signs of real progress beyond recruiting.
Without further ado, here are the 2016-17 SEC basketball non-conference schedules (if you have questions about dates, times, TV networks, etc., just go to each team's official site):
Alabama: vs Coastal Carolina, vs Dayton, vs Ball State, vs Valparaiso (neutral), vs Charleston Southern, at Texas, at Oregon, vs South Carolina Upstate, at Clemson, vs Arkansas State (neutral), vs Stetson.
Thoughts: The Tide's home non-conference schedule isn't going to generate any buzz in Tuscaloosa but games in Austin, Tex., and Eugene, Oreg., are big opportunities. Clemson always plays some SEC opponents and they host Alabama in an ACC-SEC matchup. Valparaiso at a neutral site will be a big test. Alabama plays Ball State and Valparaiso in the Las Vegas Main Event and two days after the Valpo game the Tide could face either BYU or Saint Louis. Alabama actually has four games set for that preseason tournament but the only one locked in at Vegas is Bama-Valpo. The preceding games are in Tuscaloosa.
Arkansas: vs Fort Wayne, vs Southern Illinois, vs UT Arlington, at Minnesota, vs Mount Saint Mary's, vs Stephen F. Austin, vs Austin Peay, vs Houston, vs North Florida, vs Texas (Houston, Tex.), vs North Dakota State, vs Sam Houston State, at Oklahoma State
Thoughts: Arkansas isn't part of a marquee early season tournament but they do travel to Stillwater, Okla., for the SEC-Big XII Challenge, they get Texas in the Lone Star State and they go to Minnesota for an early road game. Most of their other games should be easy wins.
Auburn: vs North Florida, vs Georgia State, vs Eastern Kentucky, vs Texas Tech (neutral), vs South Carolina Upstate, at UAB, vs Boston College (neutral), vs Coastal Carolina, vs Mercer, vs Oklahoma (neutral), at UCONN.
Thoughts: There are enough games against quality or at least name opponents that Auburn won't be ridiculed but this is a pretty manageable non-league slate. As is the case for Alabama, Auburn's home non-conference schedule isn't exactly sexy. The Auburn-Texas Tech game in the Cancun Challenge could be followed the very next day by a game against either Purdue or Utah.
Florida: vs Florida Gulf Coast, vs Mercer, vs St Bonaventure, vs Belmont, vs Seton Hall, vs Duke, at Florida State, vs Charlotte, vs Arkansas-Little Rock, at Oklahoma.
Thoughts: Plenty to get excited about here. Road trip to Norman, Okla., in late January? They should be 'dogs in that one. The Gators draw Duke in New York City. The Belmont and Seton Hall games are part of the Advocare Invitational (games in Tampa, Orlando) and the day after UF-Seton Hall the Gators could face Gonzaga or Quinnipiac and there might still be another game (opponent unknown) two days after that. UF won't play in the revamped O'Connell center until Dec. 21 against UA-LR.
Georgia: at Clemson, vs UNC Asheville, vs Furman, at George Washington, vs Gardner-Webb, vs Morehouse College, vs Marquette, vs UL-Lafayette, vs Charleston Southern, at Georgia Tech, at Oakland, vs Texas.
Thoughts: Hosting Texas in the SEC-Big XII Challenge is a big opportunity for a quality out of conference win. UGA's games against UNCA, Furman and GW are part of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic with a possible game against Kansas or UAB in Kansas City, Mo., the day after UGA-GW.
LSU: vs Wofford, vs Southern Miss, vs North Florida, vs Wichita State (neutral), vs Houston, vs North Carolina Central, vs Texas Southern, vs Charleston, at Wake Forest, at Texas Tech.
Thoughts: Overall a pretty unimpressive non-conference schedule for the Tigers although the Wichita State game is part of the Battle 4 Atlantis and could include additional games against Louisville or Old Dominion and perhaps one more the following day.
Ole Miss: vs Morehouse, vs UT-Martin, vs UMass, vs Oral Roberts (neutral), vs Loyola or St. Joseph's (neutral), vs Montana, vs Middle Tennessee, vs Memphis, at Virginia Tech, vs Murray State, vs Bradley, vs South Alabama, vs Baylor
Thoughts: Ole Miss-Oral Roberts and Ole Miss-Loyola-St. Joe's take place in the Virgin Islands. There's a possible third game two days afterwards and the other teams in the tournament (i.e. possible opponents) are Creighton, NC State and Washington State. The notable thing about this Ole Miss schedule is how heavily slanted the Rebels' non-conference slate is towards home games. They draw Baylor, Memphis, UMass and most everyone else in Oxford.
Mississippi State: vs Norfolk State, vs UCF, vs Boise State or Charleston, vs Lehigh, vs Northwestern State, vs Oregon State, vs Georgia State, vs East Tennessee State, vs Southern Miss (Jackson, Miss), vs Morehead State, UMKC
Thoughts: A very weak non-conference schedule for the Bulldogs and almost all of it is at home. The UCF and Boise/Charleston games are part of the Charleston Classic in Charleston, S.C. with a possible championship on Sunday. The other teams (i.e. possible opponents) in that field are UTEP, Villanova, Wake Forest and Western Michigan.
Missouri: vs Alabama A&M, vs Xavier, vs Clemson or Davidson, vs Northwestern State, vs North Carolina Central, vs Western Kentucky, vs Miami (OH), vs Arizona, vs Eastern Illinois, vs Illinois, vs Lipscomb
Thoughts: A fairly attractive schedule here because of games against Xavier, Arizona and archrival Illinois. The games against Xavier and Clemson or Davidson are part of the 2016 Puerto Rico Tipoff with potentially one more game. The other teams in that field are Northern Iowa, Arizona State, Tulane and Oklahoma.
South Carolina: vs La Tech, vs Holy Cross, vs Monmouth, vs SC State, vs Michigan, vs Syracuse (Brooklyn, NY), vs Vermont, vs FIU, vs Seton Hall (NYC), at USF, vs Clemson, vs Lander, at Memphis
Thoughts: The Gamecocks made a killing OOC last year and this year's slate looks tougher. They face two Northeastern teams in New York, and quality programs at that. They travel to face Memphis and USF and they get Michigan and Clemson at home. Not a killer schedule but two marquee games for their team and fans (Michigan, Syracuse).
Tennessee: vs Slippery Rock, vs Chattanooga, vs Appalachian State, vs Wisconsin, vs Georgia Tech, vs Presbyterian, at North Carolina, vs Tennessee Tech, vs Limpscomb, vs Gonzaga, at ETSU, vs Kansas State
Thoughts: This is one of the tougher SEC schedules with a game against the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, a home game against Gonzaga and a game against Wisconsin. The Maui Invitational, of which UT is a part this year, also includes Chaminade, Georgetown, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Oregon and UConn, so those are possible opponents.
Texas A&M: vs Northwestern State, vs American, vs Southern Cal, vs Cal-State Northridge (Fullerton, Calif.), vs New Mexico or Virginia Tech (Fullerton, Calif.), vs A&M-Corpus Christi, vs Denver, vs South Carolina State, vs Arizona (Houston, Tex.), vs St. Francis, at West Virginia
Thoughts: The Aggies' schedule isn't too easy. They play a true road game at WVU in the Challenge, take on Arizona and are part of the Direct TV Wooden Legacy tournament which could include an additional game (other possible opponents in that hypothetical one-game final: UCLA, Portland, Nebraska, Dayton).
Vanderbilt: vs Marquette (Annapolis, Md.), vs Belmont, vs Norfolk State, vs Bucknell, vs Butler (Vegas), vs Arizona State or Santa Clara (Vegas), vs Tennessee State, vs Minnesota (Sioux Falls, S.D.), vs High Point, at Middle Tennessee State, vs Chattanooga, at Dayton, vs Iowa State
Thoughts: Plenty of opportunities for quality wins and improving against a solid road slate. Games against Marquette, Butler and Minnesota at neutral sites, against Iowa State at home and on the road against Dayton should test the Commodores.
Toughest OOC schedules
1. Kentucky
2. Tennessee
3. Florida
Weakest OOC schedules
1. Mississippi State
2. Ole Miss
3. LSU
Best matchups in the SEC's non-conference schedule
1. Kentucky vs. Kansas (Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.)
2. Kentucky vs. North Carolina (Las Vegas, Nev.)
3. Kentucky at Louisville (KFC Yum! Center)
4. Texas A&M vs. Arizona (Houston, Tex.)
5. Florida vs. Duke (New York City)
Note: Here's our site's 2016-17 basketball schedule for the Cats (not an external link).
So let's touch on a quick basketball topic: The SEC's non-conference schedules. I'm not trying to make any point here. Just taking a look at the non-conference opponents for each of the league's schools. How the league fares against these slates of opponents below will have a lot to say about how many SEC teams go dancing, what their seeds will be, and whether the league might finally start to show signs of real progress beyond recruiting.
Without further ado, here are the 2016-17 SEC basketball non-conference schedules (if you have questions about dates, times, TV networks, etc., just go to each team's official site):
Alabama: vs Coastal Carolina, vs Dayton, vs Ball State, vs Valparaiso (neutral), vs Charleston Southern, at Texas, at Oregon, vs South Carolina Upstate, at Clemson, vs Arkansas State (neutral), vs Stetson.
Thoughts: The Tide's home non-conference schedule isn't going to generate any buzz in Tuscaloosa but games in Austin, Tex., and Eugene, Oreg., are big opportunities. Clemson always plays some SEC opponents and they host Alabama in an ACC-SEC matchup. Valparaiso at a neutral site will be a big test. Alabama plays Ball State and Valparaiso in the Las Vegas Main Event and two days after the Valpo game the Tide could face either BYU or Saint Louis. Alabama actually has four games set for that preseason tournament but the only one locked in at Vegas is Bama-Valpo. The preceding games are in Tuscaloosa.
Arkansas: vs Fort Wayne, vs Southern Illinois, vs UT Arlington, at Minnesota, vs Mount Saint Mary's, vs Stephen F. Austin, vs Austin Peay, vs Houston, vs North Florida, vs Texas (Houston, Tex.), vs North Dakota State, vs Sam Houston State, at Oklahoma State
Thoughts: Arkansas isn't part of a marquee early season tournament but they do travel to Stillwater, Okla., for the SEC-Big XII Challenge, they get Texas in the Lone Star State and they go to Minnesota for an early road game. Most of their other games should be easy wins.
Auburn: vs North Florida, vs Georgia State, vs Eastern Kentucky, vs Texas Tech (neutral), vs South Carolina Upstate, at UAB, vs Boston College (neutral), vs Coastal Carolina, vs Mercer, vs Oklahoma (neutral), at UCONN.
Thoughts: There are enough games against quality or at least name opponents that Auburn won't be ridiculed but this is a pretty manageable non-league slate. As is the case for Alabama, Auburn's home non-conference schedule isn't exactly sexy. The Auburn-Texas Tech game in the Cancun Challenge could be followed the very next day by a game against either Purdue or Utah.
Florida: vs Florida Gulf Coast, vs Mercer, vs St Bonaventure, vs Belmont, vs Seton Hall, vs Duke, at Florida State, vs Charlotte, vs Arkansas-Little Rock, at Oklahoma.
Thoughts: Plenty to get excited about here. Road trip to Norman, Okla., in late January? They should be 'dogs in that one. The Gators draw Duke in New York City. The Belmont and Seton Hall games are part of the Advocare Invitational (games in Tampa, Orlando) and the day after UF-Seton Hall the Gators could face Gonzaga or Quinnipiac and there might still be another game (opponent unknown) two days after that. UF won't play in the revamped O'Connell center until Dec. 21 against UA-LR.
Georgia: at Clemson, vs UNC Asheville, vs Furman, at George Washington, vs Gardner-Webb, vs Morehouse College, vs Marquette, vs UL-Lafayette, vs Charleston Southern, at Georgia Tech, at Oakland, vs Texas.
Thoughts: Hosting Texas in the SEC-Big XII Challenge is a big opportunity for a quality out of conference win. UGA's games against UNCA, Furman and GW are part of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic with a possible game against Kansas or UAB in Kansas City, Mo., the day after UGA-GW.
LSU: vs Wofford, vs Southern Miss, vs North Florida, vs Wichita State (neutral), vs Houston, vs North Carolina Central, vs Texas Southern, vs Charleston, at Wake Forest, at Texas Tech.
Thoughts: Overall a pretty unimpressive non-conference schedule for the Tigers although the Wichita State game is part of the Battle 4 Atlantis and could include additional games against Louisville or Old Dominion and perhaps one more the following day.
Ole Miss: vs Morehouse, vs UT-Martin, vs UMass, vs Oral Roberts (neutral), vs Loyola or St. Joseph's (neutral), vs Montana, vs Middle Tennessee, vs Memphis, at Virginia Tech, vs Murray State, vs Bradley, vs South Alabama, vs Baylor
Thoughts: Ole Miss-Oral Roberts and Ole Miss-Loyola-St. Joe's take place in the Virgin Islands. There's a possible third game two days afterwards and the other teams in the tournament (i.e. possible opponents) are Creighton, NC State and Washington State. The notable thing about this Ole Miss schedule is how heavily slanted the Rebels' non-conference slate is towards home games. They draw Baylor, Memphis, UMass and most everyone else in Oxford.
Mississippi State: vs Norfolk State, vs UCF, vs Boise State or Charleston, vs Lehigh, vs Northwestern State, vs Oregon State, vs Georgia State, vs East Tennessee State, vs Southern Miss (Jackson, Miss), vs Morehead State, UMKC
Thoughts: A very weak non-conference schedule for the Bulldogs and almost all of it is at home. The UCF and Boise/Charleston games are part of the Charleston Classic in Charleston, S.C. with a possible championship on Sunday. The other teams (i.e. possible opponents) in that field are UTEP, Villanova, Wake Forest and Western Michigan.
Missouri: vs Alabama A&M, vs Xavier, vs Clemson or Davidson, vs Northwestern State, vs North Carolina Central, vs Western Kentucky, vs Miami (OH), vs Arizona, vs Eastern Illinois, vs Illinois, vs Lipscomb
Thoughts: A fairly attractive schedule here because of games against Xavier, Arizona and archrival Illinois. The games against Xavier and Clemson or Davidson are part of the 2016 Puerto Rico Tipoff with potentially one more game. The other teams in that field are Northern Iowa, Arizona State, Tulane and Oklahoma.
South Carolina: vs La Tech, vs Holy Cross, vs Monmouth, vs SC State, vs Michigan, vs Syracuse (Brooklyn, NY), vs Vermont, vs FIU, vs Seton Hall (NYC), at USF, vs Clemson, vs Lander, at Memphis
Thoughts: The Gamecocks made a killing OOC last year and this year's slate looks tougher. They face two Northeastern teams in New York, and quality programs at that. They travel to face Memphis and USF and they get Michigan and Clemson at home. Not a killer schedule but two marquee games for their team and fans (Michigan, Syracuse).
Tennessee: vs Slippery Rock, vs Chattanooga, vs Appalachian State, vs Wisconsin, vs Georgia Tech, vs Presbyterian, at North Carolina, vs Tennessee Tech, vs Limpscomb, vs Gonzaga, at ETSU, vs Kansas State
Thoughts: This is one of the tougher SEC schedules with a game against the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, a home game against Gonzaga and a game against Wisconsin. The Maui Invitational, of which UT is a part this year, also includes Chaminade, Georgetown, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Oregon and UConn, so those are possible opponents.
Texas A&M: vs Northwestern State, vs American, vs Southern Cal, vs Cal-State Northridge (Fullerton, Calif.), vs New Mexico or Virginia Tech (Fullerton, Calif.), vs A&M-Corpus Christi, vs Denver, vs South Carolina State, vs Arizona (Houston, Tex.), vs St. Francis, at West Virginia
Thoughts: The Aggies' schedule isn't too easy. They play a true road game at WVU in the Challenge, take on Arizona and are part of the Direct TV Wooden Legacy tournament which could include an additional game (other possible opponents in that hypothetical one-game final: UCLA, Portland, Nebraska, Dayton).
Vanderbilt: vs Marquette (Annapolis, Md.), vs Belmont, vs Norfolk State, vs Bucknell, vs Butler (Vegas), vs Arizona State or Santa Clara (Vegas), vs Tennessee State, vs Minnesota (Sioux Falls, S.D.), vs High Point, at Middle Tennessee State, vs Chattanooga, at Dayton, vs Iowa State
Thoughts: Plenty of opportunities for quality wins and improving against a solid road slate. Games against Marquette, Butler and Minnesota at neutral sites, against Iowa State at home and on the road against Dayton should test the Commodores.
Toughest OOC schedules
1. Kentucky
2. Tennessee
3. Florida
Weakest OOC schedules
1. Mississippi State
2. Ole Miss
3. LSU
Best matchups in the SEC's non-conference schedule
1. Kentucky vs. Kansas (Rupp Arena, Lexington, Ky.)
2. Kentucky vs. North Carolina (Las Vegas, Nev.)
3. Kentucky at Louisville (KFC Yum! Center)
4. Texas A&M vs. Arizona (Houston, Tex.)
5. Florida vs. Duke (New York City)
Note: Here's our site's 2016-17 basketball schedule for the Cats (not an external link).
