JCT wrote:
I thought we were done with Fordham, but I could be wrong. Creighton has been stringing us along for years-- we'll see if they finally come through, but I'm not holding my breath. I think you're right about UIC being an ongoing thing.
We also haven't played Northwestern since 1996, I believe. We had Pat Baldwin as an assistant for years, and now they have Armon Gates from us, and Northwestern has recently played home and homes with UIC, Illinois State, Northern Illinois, and Butler. Oh, sure, they expect to play us just about every single year in men's soccer, women's basketball, women's volleyball, etc. because we're so close to each other, but they refuse to play us in men's basketball. If it were me, I'd tell them to take a hike next time they want to fill out their non-revenue sport schedules with us, until they agree to a home and home in men's basketball.
I thought so too with Fordham, but I recall somebody on here saying both FU and CU were coming to Gentile next season. At least we have a contract with Creighton, unlike NU. I totally agree with your sentiment about NU, but I think we can't get too hung up on a game with them when they've been that unreceptive to the idea. I think that was a problem this year with the schedule: spending too much time trying to lure a school like Dayton only to be spurned and have to go back to the well with Rockhurst to fill out the schedule.
Since the beginning of this month, the Schedule Board on Basketball Travelers also has some appealing options for home/homes and guarantees:
Home/Home (would start here):
Albany
Fresno St.
Miami (OH)
Nebraska-Omaha
Middle Tennessee St.
Santa Clara
Home/Home (would start on the road):
UAB
Northern Arizona
Ohio
San Francisco
Guarantees:
Purdue
Arizona
Southern Cal.
Mississippi St.
Cincinnati
The Purdue game is really appealing mainly because it'll probably net us a good chunk of change and is a really doable day trip from Chicago. And we could always go back to the well with MSU and this time add in Cincinnati to promote the 63 team again....