Jenny Yopp believes non-conference schedules should address goals and her 2000-2001 Illinois State basketball schedule backs that idea. The Redbirds open Nov. 17 at Northern Illinois, and play their home opener two days later against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. ISU's second home game is Dec. 7 against cross-state rival Illinois.
"Our philosophy of scheduling includes reaching goals and standards that are important for the program," said Yopp, beginning her second season at Illinois State.
That philosophy includes:
selected teams with 1999-2000 RPIs in the top 100 and top 150 to help elevated Illinois State's and the Missouri Valley Conference RPI.
a tournament experience to prepare for the three-games-in-three-days grind of the Valley Tournament.
foes from neighboring conferences like the Big Ten, Big 12 and Conference USA.
the continuation of in-state rivalries.
"We want to face a variety of challenges before facing the Missouri Valley, " said Yopp.
The RPI strength includes Illinois (24), Tennessee-Chattanooga (57), Missouri (99) and Louisville (101) from around the top 100 of the more than 315 Division I programs. Valparaiso (131), Wisconsin-Milwaukee (155) and Western Illinois (163) all among or close to the top 150.
"Before the conference season begins, you want to face different styles, both at home and away," said Yopp. The Thanksgiving weekend tournament at San Diego State features the host school, plus Chattanooga and Gonzaga.
"San Diego is a great place to visit," said Yopp. "The tournament also gives us games on back-to-back days and you want to be exposed to that."
Facing Big Ten (Illinois), Big 12 (Missouri) and Conference USA (Louisville) opponents hit those neighboring conferences. Yopp knows those teams will test her young squad, which includes seven freshmen and eight total newcomers.
"You always want to see where you are and how you match up against those types of teams from those conferences," said Yopp, whose team will face Western Illinois in addition to Illinois and NIU. "Early in the season, those will be a challenging games for a team with as much youth as we will have."
The Redbirds play two exhibition games at home: Nov. 4 at 2:05 p.m. against the Chicago Challengers and Nov. 8 at 7:05 p.m.vs. a representative of the new professional National Women's Basketball League.
