Vanderbilt officially released its 2016-17 non-conference basketball schedule earlier today.
Here’s how it shapes up:
- Nov. 11 vs. Marquette (Annapolis, MD)
- Nov. 15 vs. Belmont
- Nov. 18 vs. Norfolk State (Las Vegas Invitational in Nashville, TN)
- Nov. 21 vs. Bucknell (Las Vegas Invitational in Nashville, TN)
- Nov. 24 vs. Butler (Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas, NV)
- Nov. 25 vs. Arizona/Santa Clara (Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas, NV)
- Nov. 29 vs. Tennessee State
- Dec. 3 vs. Minnesota (Sioux Falls, SD)
- Dec. 6 vs. High Point
- Dec. 8 at MTSU
- Dec. 17 vs. Chattanooga
- Dec. 21 at Dayton
- Jan. 28 vs. Iowa State (SEC/Big 12 Challenge)
This schedule is loaded with intrigue, so let’s dive in and break it down:
1. The opener vs. Marquette will be special
This game is a part of the 2016 Veterans Classic at the U.S. Naval Academy. While some teams like to start the season with a cupcake, this will be far from it.
Marquette won 20 games last season, and although it lost its leading scorer and rebounder in Henry Ellenson, the Golden Eagles return four players that averaged double-figures in scoring.
2. In-state competition is awesome
Vandy will play four non-conference games against teams in the state of Tennessee. Belmont, Tennessee State, MTSU, and Chattanooga are all there, and it’s a beautiful thing.
These aren’t your typical push-over games against weak local teams. All four of these teams did major damage last season.
Belmont won the OVC regular season title. Tennessee State made a huge leap under the leadership of Dana Ford. MTSU pulled off the incredible upset against Michigan State in the NCAA tournament. Chattanooga won the SoCon and made the NCAA tournament.
Getting four wins from this group will not be easy.
3. The Las Vegas Invitational could pad the tournament resume
In my early SEC basketball observations for the new season, I said that Vanderbilt might be an NCAA tournament team. The Commodores have the talent to get there, but it all depends on how that talent meshes with new head coach Bryce Drew.
The Las Vegas Invitational provides plenty of opportunity to grab quality wins. Bucknell won’t be a pushover since it won the Patriot League regular season title last year.
And then there’s the matchup with Butler and the potential matchup with Arizona. Chris Holtmann got the Bulldogs to the second round of the NCAA tournament, and he’ll continue to have that program playing outstanding basketball.
Arizona is a preseason Top 10 team, so a meeting with the Wildcats on November 25 would be extra spicy.
4. Looking for revenge in more ways than one
The Commodores lost a tough home game to Dayton last season. It was one of several games that saw Vandy blow a big lead, but the Flyers deserved a lot of credit for that.
Of course, the Commodores were without Luke Kornet due to injury, which certainly played a role in the loss.
But Drew’s team will look for revenge against the Flyers before the Christmas break. Archie Miller has simply done a fantastic job with that program, and some fans thought he’d be a good choice in Nashville after Kevin Stallings left for Pittsburgh.
However, there’s another interesting facet that presents itself with the return to Ohio: Vandy’s last game in Dayton wasn’t all that pretty.
Wichita State blasted Vanderbilt in the NCAA tournament First Four game back in March, so this team will try to prevent history from repeating itself in the UD Arena.
5. Facing the challenge
Iowa State lost a lot of production from last year’s team, but that won’t stop the SEC/Big 12 Challenge game between the Cyclones and Commodores from being a fun one.
Steve Prohm will still have Iowa State in the NCAA tournament this season, and the visit to Memorial Gym in the middle of the brutal Big 12 conference slate is less than ideal.
Both teams are likely in the same situation this season. They’ll need to replace key players, and a game like this could help or hurt their NCAA tournament chances.
This game will be yet another non-conference treat.
What do you think of Vanderbilt’s non-conference schedule? Log into Facebook to comment below or hit me up on Twitter (@theblakelovell) with your thoughts.
Blake Lovell has worked in sports media for over 10 years. He currently covers SEC football and basketball for various publications.