College Hoops Needs More Big Games

I have some troubling news for you college basketball fans out there — your favorite team isn’t as good as you think it is.

Take AP No. 1 Oklahoma. As of Jan. 31, the Sooners have an impressive 18-2 record and are coming off a thrilling win against LSU in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Look closer and see that Oklahoma is 8-2 against the Top 100 teams in the RPI, and 10-0 against everyone else.

Not to pick on the Sooners — No. 2 North Carolina is 8-1 vs. everyone else, No. 3 Iowa is 9-0, No. 4 Kansas 6-1 and No. 5 Texas A&M is 9-2.

Look closer at some of these records and find that of UNC went 11-2 in the nonconference. Only six of those games came against Power Five opponents. Look a little closer at those six games and find that only two of them — Maryland and UCLA — came against ranked teams. Though Kansas State and Texas are traditionally solid opponents. The Tar Heels basically padded their win total by nine.

The Sooners are even big offenders, 11-0 in the nonconference, but only two really good games — Villanova and Wisconsin (who is having a down year, but is a traditional power). That 18-2 record looks like 9-2 to me.

I could do this for any basketball team. As of Jan. 31 the Top 30 RPI teams were a combined 507-118 — and yes some of those wins and losses are double counted (for instance Oklahoma played Villanova this year, just keep in mind that single game is counted as both a win and a loss) — but 55 percent (281) of those wins and just 12 losses came against teams outside of the Top 100 RPI.

College basketball teams do not challenge themselves in the nonconference. Basically, the pre-January nonconference season is a glorified preseason. It’s time for that to change. It’s time for the Power Five to step up and start scheduling more high-profile nonconference games.

Over the weekend, the Big 12 and the SEC engaged in a challenge, one that pinned 10 SEC teams against the 10 Big 12 teams — pretty much the same thing the ACC and Big Ten have done for the last 17 years. These challenges produce a number of high profile nonconference games, like Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield and LSU’s Ben Simmons — arguably the two best prospects — squaring off in a thriller.

Two blue-blooded programs in Kentucky and Kansas squared off. Also add in the coaching rematch between John Calipari and Bill Self, who played one another for the 2008 National Championship when Calipari was still at Memphis. Old Big 12 rivals in Iowa State and Texas A&M, both Top 15 teams also added to the excitement.

Conferences need to do more of these. With anywhere from 11-14 nonconference games, there’s no excuse not to schedule eight to ten solid opponents. Yes, sometimes these games don’t deliver. For instance anyone who scheduled Texas or Wisconsin this year was likely disappointed, but I at least give those teams points for trying because the Longhorns and Badgers are traditionally strong.

Why not have all the big conferences play one another? Have the Big Ten face the Pac-12, SEC, Big 12, ACC and even the Big East and Atlantic 10 in similar-styled challenges. This kind of a movement may inspire lower leagues to schedule their own events and really beef up the nonconference portion of the schedule.

Throw in a ton of these events, combined with high-profile nonconference tournaments like the Preseason NIT and the Maui Invitational, and the nonconference schedule just got a whole lot more exciting. Don’t tell me it can’t be done, there are plenty of nonconference games to schedule eight to 10 quality opponents and save four for tune-up purposes.

It’s not just basketball, football is guilty of watering down its schedule too. There are too many weak games on the college basketball docket, which is a shame because college basketball is one of the most exciting sports out there. It’s time for the Power Five leagues to step their games up and give the fans some more high profile games.