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Non-conference scheduling studs and duds: The SEC

Non-conference scheduling studs and duds: The SEC

Since most of next season's non-conference schedules have finally been released, it's a good time to assess whose slates are the most daunting and who didn't challenge themselves enough. The Dagger will go league-by-league the next two weeks. Up next: The SEC.

Toughest non-league schedule: Florida

To understand how challenging Florida's non-league schedule is once again this season, consider this for a moment: Kentucky will play five potential preseason top 25 teams in non-league play, and the Gators' slate still is a smidge tougher than that of the Wildcats.

Of the eight games against power-conference foes Fiorida could play before the start of the SEC season, the toughest are probably a road game at potential top-five Kansas and a home game against the UConn team that eliminated the Gators in last year's Final Four. Florida will also play in next season's toughest holiday tournament, the Battle 4 Atlantis, where it will face Georgetown on day one, Wisconsin or UAB on day two and North Carolina, UCLA, Oklahoma or Butler on day three.  

Those are Florida's five marquee games but other challenges await. The Gators visit rival Florida State and host Wake Forest and in-state foe Miami. Credit Billy Donovan for not being afraid to test a team that lost four starter's from last year's Final Four run but still should begin the new season in the top 10 in the polls. If former backups Kasey Hill, Chris Walker and Dorian Finney-Smith can adjust to bigger roles and make a big impact, the Gators should be fine. 

Easiest non-league schedule: Mississippi State

Some teams with weak schedules go out of their way to avoid challenging themselves. Others are victims of scheduling a couple solid programs in the midst of transition years. In Mississippi State's case, it could be both.

It starts with the exempt tournament the Bulldogs will participate in — the Corpus Christi Challenge — where they will open against a rebuilding Saint Louis team that lost the five seniors who spearheaded three consecutive NCAA tournament seasons. Mississippi State will also get little out of its second day in Corpus Christi either as it will face Missouri Valley Conference also-ran Bradley or Big 12 doormat TCU.

A Jan. 2 home game against Florida State is easily the toughest opponent on Mississippi State's non-conference schedule, but beyond that there's nothing else to generate excitement. Oregon State lost five starters from last season and figures to be among the worst power-conference teams in the nation. Utah State lost four starters from a 14-loss team and the Aggies aren't what they used to be these days anyway.

In fairness to Mississippi State coach Rick Bay, however, his team might need a schedule like this. The Bulldogs went 3-15 in SEC play last season, though they return all five starters and finally have the depth and stability they have lacked in recent years. 

Team that scheduled too hard: Tennessee 

Between losing four starters to graduation or the NBA draft and its entire recruiting class after a coaching change, Tennessee is almost certainly headed toward a rebuilding season in Donnie Tyndall's debut. Alas, the Vols' non-league schedule does not reflect that as Tennessee will be challenged early and often prior to the start of SEC play. 

The biggest challenge will be the Orlando Classic, where Tennessee will probably see likely preseason top five Kansas in the semis and either Big Ten heavyweight Michigan State or Marquette on day three. The Vols also open the season against Atlantic 10 favorite VCU in Annapolis, visit NC State and host a strong Kansas State team and an improved Butler squad.

With former five-star recruit Robert Hubbs and returning starter Josh Richardson both back, Tennessee has plenty of talent at the wing. What the Vols will need to survive their early-season schedule without getting buried is for a point guard and some capable big men to emerge. IUPUI transfer Ian Chiles might be the best option at point guard if he can curb his volume-shooting ways. Rawane Ndiaye and freshman Tariq Owens should contribute down low. 

Team that scheduled too soft: LSU

With a revamped coaching staff in place, talented forwards Jarrell Martin and Jordan Mickey both returning and No. 1 recruit Ben Simmons a year away from arriving, LSU feels like a program on the cusp of regaining the relevance it previously enjoyed. That's why it's a shame this year's non-conference schedule doesn't reflect that. 

Sure, LSU's schedule isn't an abomination — a Dec. 4 SEC/Big 12 challenge road game at West Virginia should be challenging, as should a visit from UMass two days earlier. But the Tigers get next-to-nothing out of the Paradise Jam, where they will open with Old Dominion, face Illinois State or Weber State on day two and hope to see Clemson or Seton Hall on day three. And the toughest games on the rest of the non-league schedule are either a visit to UAB on Dec. 18 or a visit from Texas Tech on Nov. 18.

LSU underachieved last season, winning 20 games but narrowly missing the NCAA tournament. If the Tigers fail to make the field of 68 again this season, it again won't be a result of a lack of talent but a softer-than-expected non-league schedule certainly could play a role. 

Three SEC non-conference games to watch:

1. Kentucky at Louisville, Dec. 27: The nation's premier non-league rivalry will feature a Kentucky team with nine McDonald's All-Americans against a Louisville team with a strong backcourt and a potential All-American forward in Montrezl Harrell. The WIldcats won the last matchup 73-66 in Lexington last season behind a combined 28 points from Andrew and Aaron Harrison.

2.UConn at Florida, Jan. 3: When UConn and Florida met in the Final Four last April, the underdog Huskies stormed back from an early 12-point deficit to upset the top-seeded Gators 63-53 and move one win closer to their fourth national championship. Florida will get a rematch Jan. 3, but the two teams will look very different. Shabazz Napier, DeAndre Daniels and Niels Giffey are gone for UConn. Florida will also have four new starters after losing seniors Patric Young, Scottie Wilbekin, Casey Prather and Will Yeguete.

3. Georgia vs. Gonzaga, Nov. 26: Was Georgia's 12-6 SEC record last season a product of improvement or the league's most favorable conference schedule? The Preseason NIT semifinals against Gonzaga should offer some indication. Georgia returns its top five scorers from last season including the standout guard duo of Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines, but the Zags are loaded both in the paint and on the perimeter this year and should begin the season in the top 15.

Game that should have been scheduled but wasn't: Kansas-Missouri

Yes, Missouri has no right to complain about Kansas refusing to play since the Tigers are the ones who bolted from the Big 12 and threw the league's future briefly into doubt. Yes, the traditon-rich Jayhawks certainly don't need to schedule Mizzou since heavyweights line up every year for the chance to face Kansas. 

Nonetheless, it sure would be good for college basketball if Kansas coach Bill Self could be the bigger person and revive a rivalry with more than 100 years of history. Kansas and Missouri had played every year since 1907 until the series went on hiatus after the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012. The Jayhawks lead the overall series 172-95.   

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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!