In short: yes.

I think there are subtle differences between the teams. We should be a step or two above them in talent. While we could use the money, we don't need to play six or seven guarantee games against P5 schools like low majors.

But we've had 1 guarantee game and 4 non D1 games (not to mention the other cupcakes we'll play) in the past two years. Our schedule is way too soft. 2 guarantee games (even if they're Ls) will NOT hurt us on or off the court($). The only thing they'll hurt is our win/loss record and quite frankly that will only give us a more accurate measurement of the on-court product.

It also gives Dayton a chance to play in front of its really large and loyal Chicago alumni base. They played NW at the United Center last season and had a really impressive crowd as well as a couple well-attended alumni gatherings around the city. They would take over Gentile in force and I'd be really surprised if that game didn't sell out (with 75% Dayton fans, unfortunately).

Got it! Townes and Avery are both really good slashers and finishers around there rim, which will offer a lot more in terms of scoring (doyle was really our only slashing guard last season). Will be interesting to see how well they can dish it outside on the drive though. Hopefully we should have more ways to spread the floor and score next season.

I think there are 5 tiers of teams to schedule:

Tier 1- Power 5. I will not hold my breath on them coming here, but they provide great competition, money, and exposure. To have no interest in them puts your win-loss record (which over the course of a 30+ game season will take a marginal hit) over all 3, which is basically CYA scheduling. We are not at the Syracuse level where we snub anybody not willing to play us at our arena either so while not ideal, I'm most certainly not above going on the road.

Tier 2: Big East/AAC/Gonzaga, Dayton, VCU, etc. These will be great home and homes, but again, we can't sit by the phone and wait for a call. Hopefully down the road we schedule them, but I won't hold it against Porter and the athletic department if we can't schedule them.

Tier 3: OK mid majors. I see this as the average A-10 team. Might not be great, but really solid even matchups for us. We have had success with scheduling these (think UIC, Fordham, Tulane, and San Francisco a few years back)

Tier 4: Low majors. No problem scheduling a couple of these games, but they should be the worst, most cupcake games on the schedule.

Tier 5: Non D1. Avoid at all costs. It's embarrassing to the program that we even tout these wins. Play D1 competition or drop down a level and try to dominate. But to think we can regularly play such a soft schedule and transition smoothly into our conference play is underestimating this conference in an alarmingly casual manner.

"It also gives Dayton a chance to play in front of its really large and loyal Chicago alumni base."
Good point...... if the scenario played out like you foresee with Dayton taking over the stadium,...how do you feel about that? I saw where DEPEW got Notre Dame for their opener in their new stadium (still wonder how public money got used for that ?) I am guessing they had to shell out some cash. I still keep thinking a lot of this is a money thing. Does Depaul have deeper pockets than LU ?

Our guys should be looking at rosters of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 schools and seeing if and when Chicago area kids are graduating. Call them up and mention said player. Suggest it would be great to have him play in his hometown in front of his friends and family. See if they'll bite on a 2-1. Take the 3-1 if necessary.

_________________
Cigarboy sucks!

Here are some individual teams that I think would be mutually attractive and realistic matchups for home-and-home agreements:

(AAC) Tulane, Tulsa, Temple
(A-10) Saint Bonaventure, George Mason, La Salle, Fordham, Saint Louis, Saint Joseph's, Duquesne
(Colonial) William & Mary, Hofstra
(Sun Belt) Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State (long history with LU)
(MAC) Kent State, Western Michigan, Northern Illinois
(Horizon) I would not want to play at Green Bay or Youngstown State, and their budgets are so low I'll bet we could pay a little to have them play in Chicago. I guess I would be OK with a regular home-and-home with Detroit, just because of the affinity between Jesuit schools and doing our part to continue that. Maybe we could use that as a way to guilt trip other Jesuit schools to play here.

Then there are a number of other programs I'd like to get into reciprocal agreements with: Holy Cross, Boston College, Marquette, Rice, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Denver, etc.

JCT !! Good post again except that we owe our "fellow" Jesuit schools little as they have NOT helped us at all--except for Detroit. Play more MAC zchools plus
Bonny and Duquesne. Add Tulane and perhaps Dayton !! I have soured on Marquette especially. Try even IZZO's gang ==He is classy !!

Good list JCT. I would also include the entire WCC (sans Gonzaga) and Iona in your list. I also think Marquette and Boston College are probably too out of our price range for a Home and Home. The Ivies would be great matchups too.

As for the tiers, I would be OK with settling for a few guarantee games in tier 1. I obviously would like to see Home and Homes in tier 2, but if they don't budge, let's wait five years until we're really good and then schedule those games. If we have success in five years we could play Dayton at the UC too and it wouldn't be a 75/25 Dayton crowd. Tier 3 should be a big bulk of the schedule and we should schedule 3 (maybe 4 tops) non-con games out of Tier 4 (depending on our MTE).

I for one have waited long enough !! As stated it is now--2017-8--rug cutting time !!! We take down the VALLEY this season--get a Dance bid and away we go !! READY OR NOT !! We are MOSTLY ready this time while I do not feel our Valley Comp is as good as we are-

Also DePewl plays the Fighting prairie dogs this year--They WILL get all the publicity--Just another reason to WIN NOW !!!

Moser is doing all he can--It will soon be up to the team and him. AND of course the sixty or so students who exert themselves to get to the games !!