Gonzaga schedules H&H with Kentucky

[Huskyforlife]

Kentucky's OOC is insane. Ours will never look like this but there is really no excuse for scheduling more than 2 cupcakes. We should be loading up on P5 names, even if it's lower level P5's like Rutgers. Enough with the constant slate of 300+ ranked Kenpom teams that do nothing to get us prepared for Big East play

If Kentucky can do that, we should do at least 1/3 of that. Do other P5s not want to play us?

 

[Kenny11]

If Kentucky can do that, we should do at least 1/3 of that. Do other P5s not want to play us?

maybe some but I think most would play us.

 

[auror]

TBH I am a little surprised we don't try to play in Boston at least once every 4 years, considering the size of the alumni base there & amount of good recruits we have pulled from the area. Just don't know what opponent would make sense to play there (are there any big college fan bases in MA that aren't UConn or another New England school?) that would out draw a game in Storrs or Hartford. Could they fill the arena for UConn vs Texas/Bama/OSU/Arizona? IDK...

UConn - Zags in '08 drew 18k (just about a sellout) when both teams were fringe top 25 teams. This was not modern Gonzaga. Jeremy Pargo was Gonzaga's best player and they had made 1 Sweet 16 in 7 years. I'm confident we'd fill the building every few years.

 

[cullaville]

Ha ha. Again, I'm sorry for hoping they'd schedule a game in a neighboring major city (10th largest media market) with a bazillion alumni once every 2 decades (it's been 15 years and counting). It seems like we're going to often play in NYC 3x+ a year now, plus South Orange, NJ. Would love if they threw us a bone and scheduled the flexible 1 of those (ala the St. Bonnie's Barclays game) in Boston every 3-5 years, but honestly I'd be psyched if it was once a decade.

Wouldn't be an issue if BC was still in the Big East, but I have to think the 1st game in Boston does more for the UConn brand than the 20th game in the NYC metro every 4 years. Claiming to be "NYC's team" hasn't seemed to move the needle in conference realignment (and the marginal gain from one more game every few years basically doesn't matter on that front). Recruiting wise, we do pull from Boston somewhat often and it's easier for a lot of the NEPSAC kids to get to Boston, too. Schedule makers don't seem to care, though, so all I can do is make the case on a fan message board.

Not everyone in CT is a quick drive to Storrs or Hartford.

Kind of in the same boat as you even though I live in CT. We still make it so several games a year but it still not easy from SW CT. Storrs is about an hour and half drive (longer driving up on a weekday). Hartford is a little better but still with traffic not a way to get there quickly - coming home not as bad. Also there is no public transportation option so in the case of bad winter weather we may have to eat the tickets.

NYC - for the past several years we have not been able to get into NYC driving in less than 90 minutes. The train is an option but from our town the ride is about an hour and twenty minutes. Coming home if you don't make a train depending on the day and time of day the wait for the next train could be an hour so add that to the train ride and you have close to 2 and a half hours. At least the train is an option in bad weather.

So I feel your pain but do what we need to do to attend a game in person.

 

[freescooter]

I’d love to see us get a H&H vs a true blue blood soon. If Gonzaga can get Kentucky to come to Spokane, we should be able to get Kansas or Duke to come to Storrs.

Yeah, but do they have both Stonehill and Del State?
3 things hurt the H-H thing. 1 is the growth of these early season festivals. Why risk a game on the road when you can play a team at a neutral site?
2. is Hurley doesn’t really want to schedule that tough out of conference. And 3 is that we aren’t looked at the way we were a decade ago. Then we were a potential national champion. Now we are not. We are program that used to be someone. We are NC State or USC, not UNC or Duke or Villanova. No benefit to playing us home and home. See #2.

 

[uconnric]

Ha ha. Again, I'm sorry for hoping they'd schedule a game in a neighboring major city (10th largest media market) with a bazillion alumni once every 2 decades (it's been 15 years and counting). It seems like we're going to often play in NYC 3x+ a year now, plus South Orange, NJ. Would love if they threw us a bone and scheduled the flexible 1 of those (ala the St. Bonnie's Barclays game) in Boston every 3-5 years, but honestly I'd be psyched if it was once a decade.

Wouldn't be an issue if BC was still in the Big East, but I have to think the 1st game in Boston does more for the UConn brand than the 20th game in the NYC metro every 4 years. Claiming to be "NYC's team" hasn't seemed to move the needle in conference realignment (and the marginal gain from one more game every few years basically doesn't matter on that front). Recruiting wise, we do pull from Boston somewhat often and it's easier for a lot of the NEPSAC kids to get to Boston, too. Schedule makers don't seem to care, though, so all I can do is make the case on a fan message board.

Playing in Boston doens't do anything for the UConn brand. It's a BC town, and they don't even care about them too much, except for hockey. NYC is much more convenient for our fans, especially New Haven and Fairfield Counties. Boston press and media Have never given us much attention.

 

[Get a Job]

Playing in Boston doens't do anything for the UConn brand. It's a BC town, and they don't even care about them too much, except for hockey. NYC is much more convenient for our fans, especially New Haven and Fairfield Counties. Boston press and media Have never given us much attention.

 

[dennismenace]

it'd be nice, but there's no way Duke would come to Hartford or Storrs. They'd insist on a NYC game.

Or the Meadowlands; their home in the Northeast. I'd be ok with that but prefer the Garden. But what is the off-campus arena site for Duke in their area?

Come to think of it playing on each other's campus would be a lot of fun. Shutting up the mouths of the Duke fans on their home court would be epic. I think there is too much money to be made though and the exposure of big arenas make that less likely.

 

[dennismenace]

TBH I am a little surprised we don't try to play in Boston at least once every 4 years, considering the size of the alumni base there & amount of good recruits we have pulled from the area. Just don't know what opponent would make sense to play there (are there any big college fan bases in MA that aren't UConn or another New England school?) that would out draw a game in Storrs or Hartford. Could they fill the arena for UConn vs Texas/Bama/OSU/Arizona? IDK...

A number of the Big Ten schools seem to have large alumni bases in many metropolitan areas. For example Michigan, Ohio State etc. Many graduates of those schools are/were also attracted to the prestigious grad schools of MIT, Harvard etc. Boston area is increasingly becoming a larger tech hub.
BC apparently doesn't give a hoot about basketball.

The other thought that puts kind of a damper on this is the politicians in Hartford might not be too thrilled with missing a matchup in Hartford at the expense of Boston. ("where's our gratitude?")

 

[Hoophound]

Yeah, but do they have both Stonehill and Del State?
3 things hurt the H-H thing. 1 is the growth of these early season festivals. Why risk a game on the road when you can play a team at a neutral site?
2. is Hurley doesn’t really want to schedule that tough out of conference. And 3 is that we aren’t looked at the way we were a decade ago. Then we were a potential national champion. Now we are not. We are program that used to be someone. We are NC State or USC, not UNC or Duke or Villanova. No benefit to playing us home and home. See #2.

Nah. The name is still big. We are not NC State or USC. You always go to the extremes with this stuff. That’s just how you feel. I absolutely get it, but when we are referred to in terms of tournaments and out of conference away games, it is always as a national power, headliner or elite program. However, we do need to make some noise in the tournament in the next couple of years.

 

[Kitaman]

Hell I'll take UCLA home and home. In fact I prefer UCLA over Gonzaga. Something about those true legends of the west coast/ east coast matching up. Maybe it would become the first coast to coast rivalry in NCAAs. I know its old school, because I'm still am sore about that PG ending decades ago.

With two big media outlets, I'm certain the LA game will attract some ballers (i.e. recruits), including perhaps some Lakers/Clippers.

Anyway, both teams seem to be returning back to the top.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Kentucky's OOC is insane. Ours will never look like this but there is really no excuse for scheduling more than 2 cupcakes. We should be loading up on P5 names, even if it's lower level P5's like Rutgers. Enough with the constant slate of 300+ ranked Kenpom teams that do nothing to get us prepared for Big East play

The Gonzaga non-con is even more insane, but of course needed when wanting to field an elite team but having to play in the WCC:

11/11 - v Michigan State on a boat
11/16 - @ Texas
11/20 - v Kentucky
11/25 v Purdue/West Virginia in PK
11/27 v Final of PK (Duke/Xavier/Florida/Oregon State)
12/2 v Baylor in Sioux Falls, SD
12/9 v Washington
12/17 @ Alabama in Birmingham

 

[NJHoops]

Calipari is refusing to play on Gonzaga’s home court, but sure, a few message board geniuses think they could put together the perfect OOC schedule and never even consider all of the nonsense that goes on behind the scenes these days.

 

[aburks41]

Calipari is refusing to play on Gonzaga’s home court, but sure, a few message board geniuses think they could put together the perfect OOC schedule and never even consider all of the nonsense that goes on behind the scenes these days.

All we are asking for is a H/H series or two with a P5 program that generates buzz from the fan base. Call up Texas, Syracuse, Pitt, UofL, WVU, Rutgers, Florida again (I know we are away this year) and schedule it.

 

[shizzle787]

Calipari is refusing to play on Gonzaga’s home court, but sure, a few message board geniuses think they could put together the perfect OOC schedule and never even consider all of the nonsense that goes on behind the scenes these days.

You mean like how we have one of the worst OOC schedules in the league. You are telling me Creighton and Seton Hall have more sway than us when it comes to getting big time games?

 

[ThabeetDown]

Ha ha. Again, I'm sorry for hoping they'd schedule a game in a neighboring major city (10th largest media market) with a bazillion alumni once every 2 decades (it's been 15 years and counting). It seems like we're going to often play in NYC 3x+ a year now, plus South Orange, NJ. Would love if they threw us a bone and scheduled the flexible 1 of those (ala the St. Bonnie's Barclays game) in Boston every 3-5 years, but honestly I'd be psyched if it was once a decade.

Wouldn't be an issue if BC was still in the Big East, but I have to think the 1st game in Boston does more for the UConn brand than the 20th game in the NYC metro every 4 years. Claiming to be "NYC's team" hasn't seemed to move the needle in conference realignment (and the marginal gain from one more game every few years basically doesn't matter on that front). Recruiting wise, we do pull from Boston somewhat often and it's easier for a lot of the NEPSAC kids to get to Boston, too. Schedule makers don't seem to care, though, so all I can do is make the case on a fan message board.

As a Boston resident I too selfishly would love to have a game scheduled at TD Garden (I have Gampel season tix so I'm not 100% deprived but it's 90 min each way).

I've said before from a recruiting standpoint it makes sense to have a game in Boston yearly/every two years -- it's a lot easier for the Brewster Kids to get to Boston than it is Hartford...honestly I'd rather have a game in Boston than Newark just because it's a better experience for the fans (I get the Jersey recruiting/Hurley connection is important don't get me wrong).

Who cares what the Boston media says/does about us -- they don't care about any college team, Chestnut Hill Community College Eagles included.

Luckily we have plenty of UConn hockey games in Boston to scratch the itch...

 

[freescooter]

Nah. The name is still big. We are not NC State or USC. You always go to the extremes with this stuff. That’s just how you feel. I absolutely get it, but when we are referred to in terms of tournaments and out of conference away games, it is always as a national power, headliner or elite program. However, we do need to make some noise in the tournament in the next couple of years.

Sorry but we are not considered the same way we were 10 years ago. Heck we haven’t won a tournament game in over 5 years, haven’t been ranked in the top 10 since 2014. we are not viewed in the same light as we used to be.

 

[McLovin]

Sorry but we are not considered the same way we were 10 years ago. Heck we haven’t won a tournament game in over 5 years, haven’t been ranked in the top 10 since 2014. we are not viewed in the same light as we used to be.

Sure, we aren’t at Duke / UNC / Nova / Kansas / Kentucky status in the CBB world currently. But we sure aren’t NC State or USC.

We are more on par with Michigan, Louisville, Oregon, Texas and the likes. Still a good name for any team to schedule and will be a competitive game.

 

[superjohn]

I've said before from a recruiting standpoint it makes sense to have a game in Boston yearly/every two years -- it's a lot easier for the Brewster Kids to get to Boston than it is Hartford...honestly I'd rather have a game in Boston than Newark just because it's a better experience for the fans (I get the Jersey recruiting/Hurley connection is important don't get me wrong).

Don't think we're going to be able to convince Seton Hall to drop their home game against us.

A Boston game makes very little sense, you guys are lucky you live close enough to CT. to go to games.

 

[cullaville]

The Gonzaga non-con is even more insane, but of course needed when wanting to field an elite team but having to play in the WCC:

11/11 - v Michigan State on a boat
11/16 - @ Texas
11/20 - v Kentucky
11/25 v Purdue/West Virginia in PK
11/27 v Final of PK (Duke/Xavier/Florida/Oregon State)
12/2 v Baylor in Sioux Falls, SD
12/9 v Washington
12/17 @ Alabama in Birmingham

Baylor - Gonzaga in Sioux Falls SD? Talk about a game that is a large inconvenience for the fans of both teams.

What is the rationale for that location?

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Baylor - Gonzaga in Sioux Falls SD? Talk about a game that is a large inconvenience for the fans of both teams.

What is the rationale for that location?

The Pentagon in Sioux Falls has been a popular neutral site for non-con games for a few years now, but it particularly increased in popularity over the last two Covid-affected seasons.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

As a Boston resident I too selfishly would love to have a game scheduled at TD Garden (I have Gampel season tix so I'm not 100% deprived but it's 90 min each way).

I've said before from a recruiting standpoint it makes sense to have a game in Boston yearly/every two years -- it's a lot easier for the Brewster Kids to get to Boston than it is Hartford...honestly I'd rather have a game in Boston than Newark just because it's a better experience for the fans (I get the Jersey recruiting/Hurley connection is important don't get me wrong).

Who cares what the Boston media says/does about us -- they don't care about any college team, Chestnut Hill Community College Eagles included.

Luckily we have plenty of UConn hockey games in Boston to scratch the itch...

yup. more Boston, less NYC. every thing is more funner there.
i mean, it's not like Boston is the capitol of New England, where *we live, or anything like that.

*we - The University of Connecticut.
Providence v UConn at the gahden? fuhghettabootit. whacked. big fun.
folks be crackin a 40 ... over each others heads.

 

[navery12]

You mean like how we have one of the worst OOC schedules in the league. You are telling me Creighton and Seton Hall have more sway than us when it comes to getting big time games?

We don't have one of the worst OOC schedules in the league, stop it with this nonsense

 

[shizzle787]

We don't have one of the worst OOC schedules in the league, stop it with this nonsense

Read my earlier post. Six BE schools have at least six good OOC games. Three others have five like us. Only Providence has 4 (and they still have a couple games to schedule).

 

[ctchamps]

We don't have one of the worst OOC schedules in the league, stop it with this nonsense

Shizzle says we lack sizzle.