2019-20 schedule news

[EvanJ]

With 353 teams, the average NET rank last year was 177. The average rank of our 10 known Division I opponents was a worse than average 196.9. If you factor in that we play more away games than home games, it makes our schedule look harder.

We have 24 consecutive days without a home game and 30 consecutive days without a Division I home game.

San Jose State went 3-27 against Division I last season and 1-26 in Division I away games in the last two seasons.

San Diego will be our first West Coast Conference opponent since a season-opening 69-61 loss at Gonzaga on November 22, 2002. Losing by only 8 at Gonzaga was impressive considering we went 8-21.

[Cards]

2019 schedule with opponents 2018 end of season Net rankings:
SJ State 341
Monmouth 289
Bucknell 151
NYT ---
UCLA 114
CalSt Full 214
SD 98
TBD
TBD
ST Bon 118
Stony Br 156
Princeton 183
Manhattan 320

Of the potential TBDs, they fall between 152 and 284.
HU finished 2018 ranked at 76.

Of course rankings don't tell the entire story, and teams can change drastically from one season to the next....but I see this as a relatively weak schedule. One game against a team that barely made it into the top 100. Combine this with the decreasing rank/talent of the CAA and even if we have a monumental season, HU will never crack the top 75.

[The Shadow]

On the Holy Cross Basketball Message Board, there was a reference to the pairings for the Boca Raton Tournament. So, for the Naismith Division: Sunday, December 1st, 12:00 is Mercer vs Canisius and 3:00 is Hofstra vs Holy Cross. For Monday, December 2nd, 11:00, the two losers from Sunday play, and at 2:00, the two winners from Sunday are scheduled. By the way, the NFL schedule has Green Bay at the Giants at 1:00 and the Jets at Cincinnati also at 1:00.

[Sctvman]

Northeastern has officially released their full schedule for the season, and with Hofstra being their travel partner, you can see it for Hofstra too.

Dec. 28- Northeastern @ Towson
Hofstra @ JMU
Dec. 30- Northeastern @ JMU
Hofstra @ Towson

Jan. 2- Elon @ Northeastern
W&M @ Hofstra
Jan. 4- W&M @ Northeastern
Elon @ Hofstra
Jan. 11- Hofstra @ Northeastern
Jan. 16- Northeastern @ CofC
Hofstra @ UNCW
Jan. 18- Northeastern @ UNCW
Hofstra @ CofC
Jan. 23- Drexel @ Northeastern
Delaware @ Hofstra
Jan. 25- Delaware @ Northeastern
Drexel @ Hofstra
Jan. 30- Northeastern @ W&M
Hofstra @ Elon
Feb. 1- Northeastern @ Elon
Hofstra @ W&M
Feb. 8- Northeastern @ Hofstra
Feb. 13- UNCW @ Northeastern
CofC @ Hofstra
Feb. 15- CofC @ Northeastern
UNCW @ Hofstra
Feb. 20- Northeastern @ Delaware
Hofstra @ Drexel
Feb. 22- Northeastern @ Drexel
Hofstra @ Delaware
Feb. 27- JMU @ Northeastern
Towson @ Hofstra
Feb. 29- Towson @ Northeastern
JMU @ Hofstra

http://nuhuskies.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

[EvanJ]

Last season we played more home games in the first half of our CAA games. This season we have more away games earlier, and the last 7 are 5 at home and the shortest pair of away games.

[EvanJ]

The schedule page for last season at https://gohofstra.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=315 now has links the the recap and box score rather than having to go to the recap and then the box score. There's also a + you can click on to get each team's leader in points, rebounds, and assists, and the attendance without going to the box score. A box on the right has team season statistics leaders.

[The Shadow]

GoHofstra has the complete 2019-20 men's basketball schedule released with a few changes that I noticed: the NYIT game on Friday, November 15th has an unusual 5:00pm tipoff, and the Northeastern home game is scheduled for a Friday night, February, 7th at 7:30pm. It seems the NU game is part of a doubleheader with the women taking on Drexel at 5:00pm.

[EvanJ]

Teams only play one game the week they play their travel partner. Last season eight CAA teams opened by playing on Friday December 28 and Sunday December 30, while Charleston played at UNCW the Saturday in between. That's what the Friday game at Northeastern will be.

[The Shadow]

To EvanJ, I am aware that when HU plays NU, it is a travel partner game. I was making reference that the HU vs NU game was on a Friday night, as the second game of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader, and not scheduled for the usual Saturday afternoon or evening as in the past. In the past few seasons, these men's and women's doubleheaders have usually occurred in the nonconference part of the schedule, such as on opening night. Also, the previously released NU men's basketball schedule had the game listed for Saturday, February 8th. I cannot remember a HU CAA conference doubleheader in the past few seasons.

[CTDutch]

FloSports??

[The Shadow]

ToCTDutch, That is a really good answer! I did not think of the FloSports possibly altering the schedule.

[EvanJ]

To EvanJ, I am aware that when HU plays NU, it is a travel partner game. I was making reference that the HU vs NU game was on a Friday night, as the second game of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader, and not scheduled for the usual Saturday afternoon or evening as in the past. In the past few seasons, these men's and women's doubleheaders have usually occurred in the nonconference part of the schedule, such as on opening night. Also, the previously released NU men's basketball schedule had the game listed for Saturday, February 8th. I cannot remember a HU CAA conference doubleheader in the past few seasons.

A CAA doubleheader is unusual, but it probably saves labor costs compared to using the Mack twice. My point about it being a travel partner game is that if Hofstra was scheduled to host Thursday and Saturday, they wouldn't move a game to Friday and play two days in a row. The only way to play Friday without playing consecutive days is hosting your travel partner.

I would hope that FloSports is capable of streaming many games at the same time and wouldn't need games to be moved. I've heard of games moved for TV, but I don't know if I've heard of a game moved because that's what a streaming service wanted.

Along with the FloSports announcement, the CAA said a few games will be on CBS Sports Network. It would be great if hosting Northeastern was on national TV. There are very few games on Fridays, so if CBS Sports Network will show the CAA but not give it priority, maybe they will want games on Friday, and in that case they would get travel partner games.

[The Shadow]

To EvanJ, I was not aware of the CBS Sports Network possibility. I think you are probably correct that the NU vs HU game might be on TV. That seems like a much better possibility that FloSports.

[Jojogunne]

I was just looking at the schedule and noticed that we're playing four California schools. That must be a first for us.

[EvanJ]

I used the Media Guide to find the 16 times we've played a California school. I spent time looking up non-Division names I didn't recognize that was 99 percent sure were not in California, but I checked. The only one of those in California is Westmont. Here is the breakdown by school:

Cal State Fullerton: 2018-2019
California: 1986-1987 and 1999-2000
California-Irvine (UC-Irvine): 1979-1980 and 1992-1993
California-Los Angeles (UCLA): 1979-1980 and 2000-2001
California-San Diego: 1990-1991
California-Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara): 1982-1983
Fresno State: 1989-1990
Long Beach State: 1972-1973 and 1989-1990
Pepperdine: 1983-1984
San Francisco: 1992-1993
Santa Clara: 1984-1985
Westmont: 1987-1988

The 16 games were in 13 seasons:

1972-1973
1979-1980: 2
1982-1983
1983-1984
1984-1985
1986-1987
1987-1988
1989-1990: 2
1990-1991
1992-1993: 2
1999-2000
2000-2001
2018-2019

Hosting Cal State Fullerton last season was our first game against a California school since we joined the CAA!

[EvanJ]

https://gohofstra.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball lists the Northeastern travel partner game on Saturday February 8 at 4:00 P.M. rather than Friday like was previously posted.

[The Shadow]

Evan, Thanks so much for the notification about the HU vs Northeastern men's basketball switch in schedule back to Saturday afternoon.

[EvanJ]

I read on Twitter that the Northeastern game got switched to Friday night and Hofstra's website didn't change it. It's Friday at 7:30 P.M. according to Northeastern's schedule. Like I did earlier, there's speculation that it was moved to Friday night for CBS Sports Network.

[Polito]

I really like the west coast games - very solid opponents, pull a couple of W's there and it would be a very nice boost to this program. Big fan of Bucknell as well - I like Princeton, and understand the usual SBU, Manhattan, Monmouth, etc.

I don't see this as a particularly tough schedule, some challenging but winnable games for the most part. A lot is going to depend on Kante's actual impact, if Pemba puts it all together and actually fulfills expectations/potential, and the others putting the ball through the hoop enough to replace JWF's scoring.

I won't even bother mentioning D, we all know what's needed and the likely reality.

[The Shadow]

I was just looking at the HU 2019-20 Men's Basketball schedule and noticed the Manhattan College game on Sunday, December 22nd has a 12:00pm tip-off. Isn't that a little early? Maybe it was done for TV. Does anyone have any information?