The LBSU men’s basketball team has a tough pill to swallow with the nonconference schedule, and that’s the way head coach Dan Monson wants it.
Since Monson’s arrival at LBSU in 2007, the 49ers have made an effort to maintain one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the nation. According to ESPN, the 49ers have regularly ranked in the top 15 of the strongest nonconference schedules in the nation; they even ranked No. 1 overall in the 2011-12 season.
“[Other schools know] we want to play the best, so they’ll call us,” 49ers head coach Dan Monson said.
None of the fixtures this season are more notable than a road game in Durham, North Carolina against the reigning national champion Duke Blue Devils.
A win against the defending champs would be an enormous achievement. But, Monson is more concerned about winning games later in the season at the Big West Tournament.
“[A win at Duke] would be a huge win,” Monson said. “But I’d trade that win for three wins at the Honda Center, [home to the Big West Conference tournament].”
Junior guard Branford Jones and the rest of the 49ers men’s basketball team will play one of the most difficult nonconference schedules once again.
Monson said he is most looking forward to the 49ers second game of the season, two days after the opener, against the BYU. The game will be nationally televised.
“That’s not going to be a game for the elderly,” Monson said. “I might have to take a nap before that one.”
The 49ers will then travel to Charleston, South Carolina to play in the Charleston Classic, which will be followed by a non-bracketed game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
OKSU lost in the first round of the West Regionals of the NCAA tournament last season to Oregon, 79-73, a tough PAC-12 opponent the 49ers will face later during their nonconference slate.
LBSU returns home to host longtime coach Steve Fisher’s San Diego State Aztecs (27–9, 14–4) on Dec. 1. The 49ers are 0-3 in the last three head-to-head matchups against the Aztecs, falling 60-59 last season in San Diego.
The 49ers will host tournament participant New Mexico State on Dec. 5 before visiting Pauley Pavilion the next day to play UCLA (22–14, 11–7). The Bruins went all the way to the Sweet 16 last season.
LBSU will then endure a tough three game road trip from Dec. 18-30 to close out its nonconference schedule. Before the 49ers begin conference play against Cal State Northridge on Jan. 6, they will play against Oregon (26–10, 13–5), Arizona (34–4, 16–2) and finally Duke.
Although the nonconference schedule pits a rigorous stretch of road games, Monson said that he feels it is better this way.
“If [recruits] can’t go to UCLA then they want to play against them,” Monson said.
The feeling of losing hurts, but Monson said that losing against a top team pushes his team to play harder the next day.
View the full 2015-16 men’s basketball schedule here.