URI hoops

[champs99and04]

I know we're pretty close to booked for next years schedule, but assuming slots open up, I wouldn't mind a two year home-and-home with the Rams. They just knocked off #21 Nebraska and seem well set up for the future with all their best players being underclassmen. Hurley probably won't be there too much longer, but in the interim, this could be a nice regional rivalry. I'd like to see it happen if for no other reason than that it would be hilarious to see the reaction of Providence fans.

Anyway, Boston College is now officially the sixth best program in New England. And Vermont is closing the gap quickly.

 

[UConn17]

They could come here, but I'll pass on the home and home

 

[joober jones]

We could call it the Ben Eaves Classic.

 

[djct1999]

Never liked them as players, but those Hurley boys sure can coach!

 

[superjohn]

They have a couple of really good guards in E.C. Matthews and Jared Terrell.

 

[Deepster]

I was there tonight. The Ryan Center is a great college hoops venue. Holds about 7,500. Great video and sound and the student sections were really, really involved. If Hurley can get a little more talent there, it will be a tough place to play.

 

[Stainmaster]

I may be in the minority here, but I tend to enjoy when NE's mid-majors do well as long as they're never a threat to UCONN. Always rooted for UVM whenever they made the tourney in the 2000s (can't forget that time they beat Cuse), and it was fun seeing Northeastern convincingly beat a P5 team earlier this year. Of course this would never extend to PC, and Goodman's Harvard comments leave me beyond wary of ever supporting them.

 

[champs99and04]

I may be in the minority here, but I tend to enjoy when NE's mid-majors do well as long as they're never a threat to UCONN. Always rooted for UVM whenever they made the tourney in the 2000s (can't forget that time they beat Cuse), and it was fun seeing Northeastern convincingly beat a P5 team earlier this year. Of course this would never extend to PC, and Goodman's Harvard comments leave me beyond wary of ever supporting them.

I root for all New England teams besides BC.

 

[johnhuskies95]

UConn can afford to play two true road non-conference games a year, they're not going to use one of those on URI.

 

[mauconnfan]

Providence ripped Florida St yesterday and now get to play Notre Dame today after the Irish beat UMass. Not sure how many would admit or even think it, but I certainly would like PC to beat the Irish! UMass had better take care of business against the Seminoles who lost to the Friars but 20 plus and also lost to Northeastern last week. Can you imagine Floridat State and Leonard Hamilton playing 3 teams NOT named UConn from New England and losing to them all?

 

[JonnyRI]

I live in North Kingstown (about 5 minutes from the Ryan Center) so it sure would be nice to see a game that wasn't a 2 hour drive (have season tickets at Gampel). No way it would ever happen though - Hurley most likely gone within a few years and they wouldn't risk scheduling a home and home that turned into a total dud. Much more likely that something finally gets done with UMass or PC where you are guarenteed sellouts on both ends of it.

I was thinking the BC as the sixth best program in NE was a joke until I thought about it for a few minutes, sixth really is correct, and they aren't close to the top 5. The Eagles cannot suck for enough years to make me happy, though it seems they are trying.

 

[Deepster]

UConn can afford to play two true road non-conference games a year, they're not going to use one of those on URI.

Hurley had some nice comments on the post game where he thanked "a program like Nebraska" for agreeing to a home and home and coming up to RI first. Not sure a series with a bigger name like UConn is in the cards. Nothing in it for UConn other than the potential for an upset. And FYI, the URI fans stormed the court last night beating #21 Nebraska. They don't really expect a defending National Champ to come there.

 

[BoatShow]

We've played some funky non conference small time road games in the past. I'm thinking Buffalo and Rice? (Mmmmm buffalo rice) Narrowly avoided upsets. We're the superbowl for these teams and fans. Always makes me nervous. However, if we bring as many people to Kingston as we usually did PC it wouldn't be much of s true road game.

 

[bobbygt]

Maybe it's just me- but the Providence fans who come are entertaining, some may get under the skin of some posters, but I'm not savvy to that history

And I say this because I've never really met any Providence fans outside of random ones at MSG, but I really have no animosity towards Providence as a bball program.

I'd root for them playing almost any team, and especially a team like Notre Dame.

As for URI, it's amazing when you look at how many times Uconn has played them historically- I think more than any other program. Even though most were pre-BE, I like the idea of playing regional schools.

 

[alexd]

We've played some funky non conference small time road games in the past. I'm thinking Buffalo and Rice? (Mmmmm buffalo rice) Narrowly avoided upsets. We're the superbowl for these teams and fans. Always makes me nervous. However, if we bring as many people to Kingston as we usually did PC it wouldn't be much of s true road game.

Buffalo was a deal we cut when a bigger name school (forget who) pulled out of a game at the Rent and Buffalo agreed to step in last minute and play at the Rent as long as we played them in hoops at their place.

Rice was a homecoming game for Okafor.

 

[alexd]

As posted in another thread. Rhody is actually far and away UConn's most played opponent all time (by 30 games). The two teams have met in 145 games with the Huskies leading the all-time series 77-68.

Below is a list of the most played series for UConn hoops:

OPPONENT #GAMES
URI 145
UNH 115
UMASS 108
MAINE 97
BC 89
SYRACUSE 87
PC 69
YALE 65
HOLY CORSS 63
VILLANOVA 61
GEORGETOWN 60
SETON HALL 60
PITT 59
VERMONT 54
ST JOHNS 51


Source:
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/conn/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/history.pdf

Nice stats. Obviously driven by the old Yankee Conference numbers. But I'm not quite sure where you're going with this. 9 or 10 of these teams I would never want UCONN to set up a series with right now.

 

[champs99and04]

UConn can afford to play two true road non-conference games a year, they're not going to use one of those on URI.

I get that Rhode Island wouldn't be the first choice. But a lot of discussions with the bigger schools tend to fall through - programs like Kentucky, Duke, and Syracuse will hardly entertain the thought of playing a true road game out of conference, and most of the time, the logistics just don't work. I'd obviously much prefer playing the Texas, Florida, G'Town, and OSU type programs that we've hooked up with recently, but I'll take playing a rising regional program like URI - even if we have to go to their place - over BE retreads like Pitt or middle-of-the-road programs like Washington.

 

[Fishy]

There is just no reason to play a home and home series with Rhode Island.

You play Pitt or Washington and that game is on ESPN.

You play Rhode Island and it's on CBS's backwater cable network.

 

[FartMan69]

It'd be cool to see but it won't happen.

 

[champs99and04]

There is just no reason to play a home and home series with Rhode Island.

You play Pitt or Washington and that game is on ESPN.

You play Rhode Island and it's on CBS's backwater cable network.

So you're saying UConn values money and exposure over my personal interests?

 

[Fishy]

So you're saying UConn values money and exposure over my personal interests?

No, definitely not.

It's just that your Rhode Island series has to wait until they finish my Marist series.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I get that Rhode Island wouldn't be the first choice. But a lot of discussions with the bigger schools tend to fall through - programs like Kentucky, Duke, and Syracuse will hardly entertain the thought of playing a true road game out of conference, and most of the time, the logistics just don't work. I'd obviously much prefer playing the Texas, Florida, G'Town, and OSU type programs that we've hooked up with recently, but I'll take playing a rising regional program like URI - even if we have to go to their place - over BE retreads like Pitt or middle-of-the-road programs like Washington.

Pitt is gonna be much better in terms of RPI basically every year. In the AAC, that's really important. And with road games against Texas, Arizona, and Ohio State in the future, they just can't play Rhode Island.