“We need to have a couple ‘buy’ games every year,” she said, meaning visiting a power-conference school for a sizable check without getting a home game in return.
“We have to do that. But it’s good experience for us.”
The Raiders will play at Michigan State on Nov. 12 and West Virginia on Dec. 18. But they have a more favorable schedule than last year when their road toughies included Ohio State (a 53-point loss) and Tennessee (a 39-point defeat).
They have five non-league home games, compared to just two last year.
They also will play a pair of neutral-site games at a multi-team event in Las Vegas, facing Presbyterian and Wyoming on Dec. 21 and 22.
They have an exhibition against Tiffin on Nov. 1 and open the season at Southern Indiana on Nov. 6.
“I’m excited about (the non-league lineup),” Hoffman said. “Going out to Las Vegas will be a good experience with two good games out there. We’re also playing a few return games (the second half of two-year series) and now we get to play at home with Bowling Green and Marshall.
“Hopefully, there’ll be a little home-court advantage and familiarity with those teams that will help. And, hopefully, having a team that believes it should win will keep us in every game.”
The Raiders finished last season with six wins in their last 11 games to go 8-24.
Hoffman had to replace seven players (four graduates and three transfers), but she’s hoping for some carry-over.
“I do think it created a belief with the players who were on the team, seeing what we could do and what it took to get to that point,” she said. “But it took till February (to kick in). And I’m already talking about: ‘Here’s what we need to start with instead of waiting till February.’
“We’re talking about that mindset and mentality, and I think this group is embracing that.”
A few transfers are already making an impact, including 5-foot-7 guard Alexis Hutchison (Malone), 6-2 guard Layne Ferrell (Akron) and 6-1 post Julia Hoefling (Loyola Chicago)
“Hutch has been a leader with how hard she plays, and she raises everyone else’s level. She’s been excellent,” Hoffman said.
“Layne has been awesome, and Julia has been great. A lot of our transfers have walked in our building and fit in right away. They bring a lot of experience and maturity to our team, and it’s raising our level of competitiveness.”
The Raiders like to shoot the 3 — they made 10.1 per game last year, the second-most in the country — and Hoffman landed one of the best long-range shooters in Ohio high school history in Tri-Village’s Rylee Sagester.
The 5-7 lefty, who made a state-record 401 career 3′s while finishing as runner-up for the Ohio Miss Basketball award, has gone through the typical freshman erratic spells but is showing promise.
“There’s a transition from playing Division IV basketball down the road and coming here,” Hoffman said, “but she has done it with nothing but humility and a willingness to make the team better.
“We’re excited to have her here and see her development.”
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