Marquette’s non-conference schedule is pretty weak

The Marquette Golden Eagles fell out of college basketball’s elite during what was Steve Wojciechowski’s first season as head coach in 2014. The team went 13-19 and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.

It seems as though Dwyane Wade’s former school will have to do some major damage in the Big East conference if they want to get back to the tournament in 2016. According to College Basketball Talk, the team’s non-conference schedule for 2015-16 leaves a lot fans scratching their heads.

Don’t get me wrong, the Golden Eagles have some pretty impressive teams in their non-conference slate. Four of their first six non-conference opponents made the 2015 NCAA Tournament. They open the season in the Legends Classic against Belmont and IUPUI. They then play Iowa in the Gavitt Tip-off Games on November 19. The team then travels to New York to play in another Legends Classic against NC State, LSU, and Arizona State.

After that, the Golden Eagles only play one team that made the Tournament for the rest of their non-conference schedule. That one team IS Wisconsin, who played in the national title game, but even the Badgers can’t make up for the rest of their weak slate.

The full non-conference slate is as follows:

11/9: Valley City State (Exhibition)
11/13: Belmont (Legends Classic)
11/16: IUPUI (Legends Classic)
11/19: Iowa (Gavitt Tip-Off Games)
11/23-24: Arizona St./LSU/NC St., New York, N.Y. (Legends Classic)
11/29: Jackson State
12/02: Grambling St.
12/05: Maine
12/08: San Jose State
12/12: at Wisconsin
12/22: Chicago State
12/27: Presbyterian
1/27: Stetson

As you can see, once December rolls around, there isn’t much to look forward to for the Golden Eagles.

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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports

James Blackmon Jr. has knee surgery, out until September
James Blackmon Jr. has knee surgery, out until September