The question of whether teams should schedule more marquee matchups instead of mismatches certainly brought out plenty of opinions last week. Here are some of the many responses that flowed into ESPN.com the past week:

"I think teams should play tough teams in non-conference matchups, but they also should play the lesser teams, especially when you are building a program. If you are a new coach trying to turn a program around you probably want to play the 'cupcakes' for a year or two before you stack your non-conference schedule. I think that was what Ben Howland was doing at Pitt, but now he is having trouble getting better teams on his schedule. No matter what you always will play a couple bad teams, but those schools also need their shot."

Matt Weber
Pittsburgh

	“	While it's easy for big-time programs to fatten their record against lesser opponents, it's often times overlooked that the small programs gain a lot of exposure while playing the big boys. Not just exposure for the basketball program but exposure for the school as well. While it may seem gaudy to some, be assured that it is mutually beneficial. ”
		— Travis Newell, Bloomington, Ind.

"I go to the University of Connecticut, and I am embarrassed with the types of teams that UConn has played and will play throughout most of the season. While we do have some good potential matchups, only one is outside of our conference (Oklahoma on Jan. 7). In going to all of our games that are at home thus far, I have been expecting great matchups but have come back very disappointed when UConn beats their competitors by a substantial amount. It's not due to the fact that UConn is an unbelievable team, it is due to the fact that the teams we play, in all actuality, just aren't up to par with UConn.

I have heard that the reason for these mismatches is due to the fact that Jim Calhoun wants to give recognition to other Connecticut/New England teams through playing us. What I don't get is how those teams are recognized as quality basketball programs when UConn blows them out by 40 points (case in point: Sacred Heart). While I do believe that some of the fault of our weak non-conference schedule is due to not being involved in any tournaments this year due to the new NCAA rule, I do believe that Calhoun should have scheduled better games against better teams. There are no good games at UConn this year (all the good games against UNC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh are away), which is making me feel a little bit like I wasted my money on tickets to watch UConn beat the crap out of lesser teams."

Jeff Pildis
Storrs, Conn.

"While Notre Dame is making a graveyard of the ranked teams, the rest of the Big East is playing the equivalent of directional parochial schools. Pittsburgh can not get games with decent opponents, no offense to the teams they have played intended. Pitt has the 'spankin new Pederson Center, sold out for the year already at 12,500 seats. While they do not need to have marquee teams to sell tickets, a patsy schedule leaves them ripe come conference time. I believe Coach Howland that there was no one willing to play them, however ...

After years of watching Syracuse go 12-0 at home before playing anyone and then ending the season 19-12 the league should be acutely aware of the downside. I realize this theory may not be popular with Syracuse-Connecticut campus (ESPN)."

Tim Heasley
Pittsburgh

"I would have to agree with the fact that the Big East plays some 'cupcake' teams. Georgetown and St. John's play teams every year that they beat by about 40 points, it is ridiculous. These so-called powerhouses of the Big East should be playing much better teams and stop playing North Southwestern Alaska twice a year. I go to Providence and this year they have an alright schedule, but I would like to see the Friars start playing more quality teams like a Minnesota or a Wake Forest, I am not saying that I want the Friars to put Duke, Kansas and Kentucky on their schedule, put they should really start playing some of the solid teams from the ACC, SEC, Pac 10, Big 12 and Big 10. It would just benefit them in the long run."

Ryan Durkay
Seekonk, Ma.

"As an admitted Hoya for Life, I must say it is really frustrating to watch our team play schools with 200+ RPI. The games are not well-attended and do not give fans or the team itself an accurate indication of just how good they are or can be. Coach Esherick has made an effort to beef up the Hoyas' out of conference schedule, but more work needs to be done. If teams don't play against the best they will never reach their full potential and besides I would love to watch Sweetney and company go against the nation's so-called elite teams. An I know I am not alone. Let's Go Hoyas!"

Donald Sherman
NYC

"The Big Easy (East) needs to schedule tougher games against higher quality teams. Notre Dame is the best story going for them (the Big East), and it is because they have played four (Creighton just getting in) top 25 teams to date. When it comes time I hope West Virginia doesn't whine when Notre Dame gets picked for the NCAA's, and they don't."

David Ganser
Cincinnati

"As a die-hard Syracuse fan, I have been attending games in the Carrier Dome since 1991. It has been the same old story ever since then, bring on the early-season cupcakes. The ending of the ACC-Big East Challenge was a terrible decision, and really hurt the Big East. A team should have a couple cupcakes on the schedule, but not full of them. Going to a preseason tournament is a step in the right direction, but Big East schools must also schedule tough games on their own. Syracuse, UConn, St. John's, Georgetown, Notre Dame, etc. are big name schools and capable of playing with the best of the ACC, Big 12, Big 10, and Pac 10 and should start that trend."

Tom Karpen
Skaneateles, N.Y.

"I don't mind the cupcakes, but I wish the coaches would choose them by fan interest. What Georgetown alum wouldn't want to see the Hoyas take on fellow Jesuit school Holy Cross? Or cross town American or Catholic Universities?"

Geoff
Washington, D.C.

	“	If winning big over patsies is your pleasure then go for it. But when a team stumbles later in the season against the 'real' teams you know where to place the blame. ”
		— Jason Younts, Austin, Texas

"If the goal is to make the NCAA Tournament, then each major-conference team should diversify its non-conference schedule to maximize its chances of reaching that goal. Loading up with six or seven top 25 opponents is laudable, and good for the RPI, but too dangerous. Playing mostly patsies keeps you down in the 50-80 RPI range, even after you've played your conference schedule, and that puts too much pressure on a team to finish in the top third of their conference. The best non-conference recipe is one-fourth patsies, one-fourth middle-division major conference teams, one-fourth local-interest games, and one-fourth Top 25."

Chris McConn
Houston

"I had to laugh at the dissing of the Big East schedule -- right next to the Game of the Week pick Louisville at Seton Hall. At least be consistent! No one has taken into effect the new NCAA ruling concerning preseason tournaments that took a lot of high-profile schools out of the Guardian Tournament, including Duke and UConn. Both were left scrambling to fill their game schedules, and both have suffered with strength of schedule ratings. Jim Calhoun went so far as to apologize to the fans for the weak schedule, promising to make up for it next year. Still UConn will play away games at Chapel Hill and at Oklahoma."

Arnie Cicchetti
San Anselmo

"As a Pittsburgh alumnus, I am both excited and concerned about the Panther's early season top-five ranking. While other teams have chances to prove themselves in tournaments like the Great Alaska Shootout and the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Pittsburgh, in recent years, has not chosen to take part in such early-season tournaments. While this enables them to 'warm up' against lesser opponents, who they have beaten handily for a 5-0 record, they will not be challenged until conference play where in the Big East anything can happen. Since winning or finishing well in the conference is what ultimately determines NCAA Tournament eligibility for a high caliber conference, I would like to see more challenging early matchups so that teams are really ready for those tough conference games and so that early-season No. 3 rankings are 100-percent legitimate."

Paul Levine
East Brunswick, N.J.

"I'm a big Syracuse fan, and the schedule that they put out each year makes me sick to my stomach. Especially this year, with such a talented group of kids. Sure, they're young, and the team is currently unranked, but give me a break. Who wants to pay $30 to sit courtside and see SU play Colgate, Cornell, Binghampton, Albany, and Canisius. Why aren't they scheduling games against top programs? Boeheim gets ridiculed for this every year, and the program just keeps on doing it!"

Joe
Rochester, N.Y.

"I definitely agree withe ESPN. Sure playing the cupcakes gives a team a padded record, but what else? I can understand playing a couple of in-state teams to help them, but overall cupcake teams are just a waste of time. They are hard to measure a team's progress against and do horrors to a team's RPI. It would be much better to play tougher opponents -- even if the team loses. Playing the tougher opponents will not only improve the team's RPI, but just as important, it will give the team valuable experience that it can use come conference and tournament time."

Ben Wood
Marlborough, Conn.

"Needless to say, students have been looking forward to the Panthers' basketball season for some time. Students have camped out for tickets, waited hours in lines, paid hundreds of dollars. All of this so we can watch a predetermined slaughter? Athletic office has dealt with criticism over lack of tickets for students, and they in turn criticize students' attendance at these early-season games. How can they expect students to get psyched up over a game with a 40-point spread?"

Andrew Powers
Pittsburgh, Pa.

"As a college basketball fan, I respect the team that goes out there and tackles a tough non-conference schedule. To me it seems to be a win-win situation when regarding what really matters: how good your team really is. The only way the committee can see that is through your strength of schedule. Besides, in the long run, playing quality teams early nearly always makes a team better for the stretch run. Isn't that what it's all about?"

Nick Bonomo
Orange, Conn.

"I think that teams should definitely play teams at or above their level early in the season. Here at Mizzou (where I go to school), our team hasn't played anyone of note, and then everyone wonders why we play so badly in the Big XII. If you don't warm up to playing good teams, you'll never beat Oklahoma and Texas."

Matthew
Columbia, Mo.

"As a UC Santa Barbara grad, I have another take on how the major conference teams look at the preseason. For UCSB, we have a hard time scheduling these big-time schools because the fear of losing to a mid-major early in the season. In fact, USC has dropped us from their schedule for upcoming years and UCLA backed out on our home-and-home series this year. Coming from a mid major school, I enjoy seeing these so called mismatches. Isn't one of the fortunes of the tournament the early round upsets? Well, why should we have to wait until March to see these?"

Jared Zarecky
Sacramento, Calif.

"I think there needs to be a balance. It's important to play 6 or 7 tough non-conference games against top 50 opponents, because this will build your RPI and prepare you for the conference season and the NCAA Tournament. But teams also need a few "confidence building" games sprinkled in here and there against lesser competition. I don't think it's advantageous for a young team like Temple to start the season with 6 or 7 straight losses. The players need something to feel good about early in the season, and wins can provide that positive feeling."

Scott Schaberg
East Lansing, Mich.

"In defense of Syracuse, they usually play a cupcake schedule at the start of the season, but they also mix in some talent. These schedules are picked pretty far in advance, and you take a chance when you give the OK to enter preseason tournaments, such as this year's against Memphis. Because of restrictions set by the NCAA, Syracuse did not have the opportunity to play the other teams in the so-called tournament and had to play a one-game exhibition. They played Valpo who is usually pretty good. They have Georgia Tech and 10th-ranked Missouri coming up in the schedule and play an excruciatingly long (over 3 months) Big East Schedule. They also are doing schools like Canisius and Colgate (long time rival) a favor by letting them play against a big time school. Maybe some of the cream puff schools don't need to be whupped on as bad as they do, but it's a real chance for kids at a nobody school to play against big time talent, and maybe, just maybe shock the world."

Gene Siudut
Tampa, Fla.

"For the fans, early-season games between powerhouses are great. But, for young teams, early-season cupcakes provide invaluable experience come conference time without the risk of early losses demoralizing young players and/or jeopardizing a trip to the NCAAs."

Jonathan Jacobs
New Hyde Park, N.Y.

"The team I root for, Holy Cross, needs games against these power conference teams because it's the only way to improve our RPI. We have a darned good team, but get no national respect because of a poor conference rating. I think the only people who have a problem with so called 'patsy scheduling' is the NCAA selection committee. The power teams have less to gain from these games because there is a chance, however small, that they may lose."

John Thyden
Sutton, TMA