UConn-Gonzaga: Venue less hostile than you might think

[Sphinx]

The game will be played in the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Gonzaga is located in Spokane, 230 miles away. Its home court is the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane.

No current Gonzaga player has ever played a game at the Climate Pledge Arena. The only games Gonzaga has played in Seattle in the past four years have been on campus of the University of Washington. Until now, Gonzaga has always been the visiting team in Seattle.

No doubt Gonzaga will have a greater chance to practice in the facility, and no doubt a goodly number of their fans will make the 460-mile round-trip trek to the game, but the venue is NOT Gonzaga's equivalent of Gampel Pavilion or even the XL Center. And Seattle is not their NYC. The Climate Pledge Arena is not their MSG, where, btw, next year's rematch will be played.

 

[Marat]

In 2008, wasn't that game vs Gonzaga in Seattle where AJ Price hit the late game 3 to send to OT? Then the good guys won it in OT. That was also a top 10 match-up



Same place ?

 

[Sphinx]

In 2008, wasn't that game vs Gonzaga in Seattle wher AJ Price hit the late game 3 to send to OT? Then the good guys won it ib OT.



Same place ?

Yes, I was a little careless there. I only took my research back four years. Statement should have read, "In recent years, Gonzaga has been strictly the visiting team in Seattle."

 

[ConnZag3]

Climate Pledge Arena, as renovated, has only been open for 3 years so it would have been a bit hard for Gonzaga to play there a whole lot, but they did play there in 2021 and lost to Alabama (I had tickets but ended up not going).

It's a neutral site game but it's still going to be 80%+ Gonzaga fans with I'm sure a few general fans of basketball too.

 

[SeattleHoop]

In 2008, wasn't that game vs Gonzaga in Seattle where AJ Price hit the late game 3 to send to OT? Then the good guys won it in OT. That was also a top 10 match-up



Same place ?

I was at this game. Surrounded by Zags fans in my UConn attire: The atmosphere was electric. Classic!

 

[ucinnc]

I will be there on Friday night. (Wearing blue)

 

[LIuconn]

Was at the Boston rematch. Not a good result

 

[Drame]

The game will be played in the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Gonzaga is located in Spokane, 230 miles away. Its home court is the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane.

No current Gonzaga player has ever played a game at the Climate Pledge Arena. The only games Gonzaga has played in Seattle in the past four years have been on campus of the University of Washington. Until now, Gonzaga has always been the visiting team in Seattle.

No doubt Gonzaga will have a greater chance to practice in the facility, and no doubt a goodly number of their fans will make the 460-mile round-trip trek to the game, but the venue is NOT Gonzaga's equivalent of Gampel Pavilion or even the XL Center. And Seattle is not their NYC. The Climate Pledge Arena is not their MSG, where, btw, next year's rematch will be played.

Nice Jinx dude.. Just love all the definitive statements. Someone please forward this analysis to DH.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Calling this game a neutral is a joke, but whatever, we need practice in hostile environments before the Big East ramps up.

 

[willie99]

Calling this game a neutral is a joke, but whatever, we need practice in hostile environments before the Big East ramps up.

Well, they call MSG a neutral court too

And they call it a road game when we play St John's

 

[auror]

No current Gonzaga player has ever played a game at the Climate Pledge Arena. The only games Gonzaga has played in Seattle in the past four years have been on campus of the University of Washington. Until now, Gonzaga has always been the visiting team in Seattle.

All 3 of these statements are wrong.

 

[Khal Drogo]

In 2008, wasn't that game vs Gonzaga in Seattle where AJ Price hit the late game 3 to send to OT? Then the good guys won it in OT. That was also a top 10 match-up



Same place ?

What a shot

 

[UConnSwag11]

It’s going to be a road game just like if they came here and played us in NYC.

 

[CL82]

You're right. These two lines seem just about the same size. Really, there's hardly any advantage for Gonzaga at all.

 

[Sphinx]

All 3 of these statements are wrong.

Yes, Gonzaga did lose to Alabama at the Climate Pledge Arena on 12/4/2021. That is their one appearance at the arena in the past four years. My tired eyes somehow passed that over.

If you wish to challenge my final paragraph by saying that Gonzaga did play and lose a game at this venue two years ago, then feel free. I submit that it only reinforces my conclusion -- that this venue is nothing like a Gampel or an XL or a MSG for Gonzaga. It is not their second home court. It is not their "Spokane East" in the way MSG is our "Storrs South."

I am NOT contending that this is not a road game for UConn. I'm suggesting that it's not the hostile environment one might imagine. It was not my intent to start a controversy.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

View attachment 93868 View attachment 93869
You're right. These two lines seem just about the same size. Really, there's hardly any advantage for Gonzaga at all.

No scale bar, no problem!

 

[Sphinx]

Alas, I said "Spokane East" instead of "Spokane West." Now I'm really in for it.

 

[UConn Esq]

Gonzaga is a great program with a lot of fans and certainly a lot of fans in the northwest. Their games are notoriously hard to get tickets to because of the size of their home court, which makes alumni circle games like this on the calendar. Gonzaga has sold out every single home game since 2005. Couple that with rarely “hosting” marquee matchups and acting as a revenge game for the Zags from last season - I have to believe this will be the thing to do in Washington state on a lively Friday night.

 

[Slappy]

View attachment 93868 View attachment 93869
You're right. These two lines seem just about the same size. Really, there's hardly any advantage for Gonzaga at all.

You’re driving?!

 

[Kolumbo]

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[Phoenixhusky]

I was going to fly up from Phoenix, but plane tickets were a bit pricey.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

It’s going to be a road game just like if they came here and played us in NYC.

Probably true, but the 380 mile distance from Gonzaga to Climate Pledge Arena is just about the same as from UConn to Syracuse Dome (or Cooper Flagg's hometown Newport, ME).

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Probably true, but the 380 mile distance from Gonzaga to Climate Pledge Arena is just about the same as from UConn to Syracuse Dome (or Cooper Flagg's hometown Newport, ME).

It's less than 300 mi to Syracuse

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Probably true, but the 380 mile distance from Gonzaga to Climate Pledge Arena is just about the same as from UConn to Syracuse Dome (or Cooper Flagg's hometown Newport, ME).

280 miles, fat fingered

 

[auror]

This is the dumbest thread I've ever seen. If anyone thinks it won't be 95% hardcore Gonzaga fans there, I don't know what to tell you. They've got UConn coming to their hood.

OP is right, it's not The Kennel. But yeah it is like MSG for us, it's the closest metropolis to their campus. An extra hour or whatever drive, it doesn't matter. Seattle is where all their grads go. It's where all the bandwagon fans live that they've made by making 24 straight tournaments during which the city lost its NBA team

It's going to be hostile. We still might win.