2022-2023 season: What opponent for Aubrey Griffins " senior" game?

[Alydar]

Syracuse was in reference to the side discussion of a future "home" game for Aaliyah Edwards (Kingston, Ontario home town).

sorry. That makes sense except that you usually need a dogsled to get to Syracuse half the year.

 

[Jingo]

Marist is the only D1 team in Poughkeepsie, but Vassar - which is D3 - is also located in that town. Btw, the Marist coach for many years has been Brian Giorgis. He is still there. Giorgis is one of the few coaches to go directly from being a high school coach to being a successful D1 head coach. Sherri Coale is another one who immediately comes to mind.

Yes I coached against Brian Giorgis in AAU .. he was with the Hudson Valley Knights .. I started AAU girls on Long Island in in 1991, the "Long Island Girls" AAU club .. we went to Nationals in C|incinnati & New Orleans ..

 

[cancontent]

Yes I know there was a game in Toronto. But as I said Aaliyah is not from anywhere near Toronto.

The Toronto game worked because both teams had locals and thus an interest in playing. I am unsure if there is anyone else from near Aaliyahs hometown — my guess is no because it’s small and far from both Toronto and Montreal (nearly 3 hours from both).

So the likely end result is finding a school with no local Canada connection to travel 3+ hours (at minimum) to play a game in Kingston against UConn.
(Eastern Michigan had to travel just 90 minutes for the Iowa St game — big difference.)


I didnt say it couldn’t happen; I just said it would not be easy. Certainly not as easy as arranging a Toronto game.

I stand by my assessment.

With the number of schools that have Canadian talent playing for them, it could be easier to arrange than you assume. There are several schools with Canadian players graduating the same year she does, some with Ontario ties.

You're also shortchanging proximity and possible venue options. Toronto and Ottawa both have airports, making plane travel an option. For fans attending, driving 3 hours isn't considered overly taxing considering this province.

 

[Inthepaint]

Is she from Poughkeepsie or Ossining? If Poughkeepsie I’d say Marist, if it’s Ossining I’d say Pace

I believe she is listed as hailing from Ossining, in Westchester County.
How about Iona College, who I believe are in the MAC, Div1.
Or SUNY Purchase where the NY Liberty play some of their games

 

[Inthepaint]

Getting back to the Aaliyah game possibility, in looking it up, it says she is from Kingston, yes? I don't know what "nowhere near" is to you folks, but Kingston is 2 1/2 hours away from Toronto. Yes, it's not a hop, skip and a jump, but Kingston is not exactly next to anything big. It's an hour out of Ottawa, for example. But if, in other posts, people are talking about family and friends of Aubrey traveling two hours to see her play, I don't think Aaliyah's family and friends would mind the schlep to Toronto, especially since that's what they had to do when she played prep ball, anyway. The attraction would be even better if UConn schedules a neutral-court game with a good team in Toronto. There is also Ottawa, a city of about a million people, which just might have a decent basketball venue if two teams were to come a'callin'.

Exhibition game against the Canadian National Team in Ottawa (national capital)?
Wherever the Ottawa Senators play hockey?
I think the Huskies have enough marquee value to make it happen.

 

[cancontent]

Getting back to the Aaliyah game possibility, in looking it up, it says she is from Kingston, yes? I don't know what "nowhere near" is to you folks, but Kingston is 2 1/2 hours away from Toronto. Yes, it's not a hop, skip and a jump, but Kingston is not exactly next to anything big. It's an hour out of Ottawa, for example. But if, in other posts, people are talking about family and friends of Aubrey traveling two hours to see her play, I don't think Aaliyah's family and friends would mind the schlep to Toronto, especially since that's what they had to do when she played prep ball, anyway. The attraction would be even better if UConn schedules a neutral-court game with a good team in Toronto. There is also Ottawa, a city of about a million people, which just might have a decent basketball venue if two teams were to come a'callin'.

This was the point I was trying to make earlier. It's more than possible and people will make the drive. Trust me, as a parent of a child who played prep, parents have gone further for in-competition games only to return home the same day.

Exhibition game against the Canadian National Team in Ottawa (national capital)?
Wherever the Ottawa Senators play hockey?
I think the Huskies have enough marquee value to make it happen.

I don't know if the Canadian National team would be feasible (availability due to overseas commitments), however the idea of the game in Ottawa is intriguing. Merissah Russell is a 2020 and plays for Louisville. That could be an interesting match up that could be hosted in Kanata (don't remember the name of the Senators venue - more because of hockey rivalry ). Heck, while some are pondering Gonzaga for the Big East, how about Gonzaga as Yvonne Ejim would be graduating in 2020? Lots of possibilities.

Your note about marquee value also is a good point. Kia's game was broadcasted nationally on TSN. Compared to now, the game was a sellout and had good ratings. The attention Aaliyah has gotten along with others has been larger because of Kia's success. I wouldn't be surprised if TSN wouldn't try to do something similar. One example is Amihere of USC who graduates next year.

Key UConn games were simulcasted in Canada on TSN several times because of Aaliyah. It could be a mutually beneficial for both sides as it helps to expand the UConn fanbase in Canada.

 

[cancontent]

UConn Euro tour?!

Toronto has a large Croatian contingent. They would make Nikka feel very welcome here too.

 

[Zarathustra]

I believe she is listed as hailing from Ossining, in Westchester County.
How about Iona College, who I believe are in the MAC, Div1.
Or SUNY Purchase where the NY Liberty play some of their games

Agreed!

 

[Zarathustra]

Exhibition game against the Canadian National Team in Ottawa (national capital)?
Wherever the Ottawa Senators play hockey?
I think the Huskies have enough marquee value to make it happen.

Ottawa sounds good to me!

 

[Vowelguy]

I believe she is listed as hailing from Ossining, in Westchester County.
How about Iona College, who I believe are in the MAC, Div1.
Or SUNY Purchase where the NY Liberty play some of their games

Folks this is not going to happen. Uconn has never done a non conference game in the northeast as a player home game.

and it will not happen now

 

[hoopsfan22]

Folks this is not going to happen. Uconn has never done a non conference game in the northeast as a player home game.

and it will not happen now

What about for Stewie's homecoming game?

 

[HuskyNan]

Folks this is not going to happen. Uconn has never done a non conference game in the northeast as a player home game.

and it will not happen now

It’s another topic to discuss. Or would you rather debate the distribution of minutes next year?

 

[Vowelguy]

It’s another topic to discuss. Or would you rather debate the distribution of minutes next year?

Fair enough.

We can also discuss if the NCAA will cancel the season and award the title to UConn.

Has the same probability of occurring as UConn scheduling a game against Iona/Marist/Rutgers/Fairfield etc so Aubrey gets a “home game.”

 

[Vowelguy]

What about for Stewie's homecoming game?

Sorry thought I responded to this earlier. Yes you are correct. I was thinking near UConn/near a conference mate and thought I could shorthand it as “northeast.”

 

[Kaizen]

Is SUNY-Albany a good school?

 

[Alydar]

Folks this is not going to happen. Uconn has never done a non conference game in the northeast as a player home game.

and it will not happen now

Colgate for Stewart?

 

[Zarathustra]

What about for Stewie's homecoming game?

YES!, the 'Home ' game for Stewart at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. I watched it
by GOOGLE ,l think that it was on Youtube! Cotterel ( ? ) court?? Gate '71 '73