March Madness: Dayton, Wichita both have trouble scheduling games

The Dayton Flyers and Wichita State Shockers have made a habit of getting to the NCAA tournament. Dayton is playing in a school-record fourth straight big dance. Wichita is playing in its sixth straight tournament. That’s also a school record.

Getting to the tournament isn’t easy, however, when scheduling is so difficult. Dayton coach Archie Miller says every year it’s the second most difficult thing he does after recruiting. He talked about scheduling again Thursday at a press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, one day before a first-round tournament game against the Shockers at 7:10 p.m. Friday.

“It’s difficult,” Miller said. “I think it’s getting more difficult. As the years go by here, within one year, two years or three years, it could become almost impossible.”

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The power conferences could start playing 20 conference games a season, Miller said, leaving few chances for programs like his to schedule teams from those conferences.

“It’s a unique challenge,” Miller said. “I’m at a great place with a great administration. We’re on the front end of things trying to be creative as we can.”

Wichita coach Gregg Marshall said he thinks the power five teams should have to play a certain number of games on the road.

“They’ve got the money with the TV and the bowl games and all that to do basically what they want,” Marshall said.

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About the Author

Dave Jablonski