Home Opener

[B9j2j6s]

Well again its a good start and it makes sense that the Fire Marshell has a cap of under 5,000. I think the University if they again advertised more on the website and had purchasing tickets online avaliable you would see a jump, and I wouldn't be surprised if by a week or two before the season starts that you will see a rush on tickets. I can't wait to feel the RACC shake with attendence over 4,000 it should be exciting.

[Dane96]

Reality check, UA has no right beating Florida. (I hope we do)

 

Oakland came on strong last season and played in the NCAAs. We should be able to compete with them but Florida is in a different galaxy (a much more powerful one).

 

Sacred Heart is a good home opener, let's remember UA has never had a .500 season and now it seems our imagination is running away with us.

 

Being picked to win the AE in most the publications shows that the program has come along way and has won the respect of some. We still have alot to prove - let's be cautiously optimistic.

 

Let's hope we can get into the AE season healthy and playing well.

 

If all goes right we could win the AE!

9718[/snapback]

 

I dont think we will beat Florida, but they are no better than the Villanova team we took to the final minutes. Villanova, IMHO, is much better.

[alum73]

You can't go by last year's Villanova game and extrapolate what we'll do against anyone. Using that logic, we should have won 20 games last year, except every team has a game that they can extrapolate into being national champions We almost beat Vermont, and they beat Syracuse, so ...................

 

I'm really worried about the fan experience when our concessions have been overwhelmed by 1500- 2000 basketball fans and what happened at the first football game. I'm hoping for a huge improvement in that area, it has to improve or else it will affect fan suppport for both sports.

[Dane96]

You can't go by last year's Villanova game and extrapolate what we'll do against anyone.  Using that logic, we should have won 20 games last year, except every team has a game that they can extrapolate into being national champions  We almost beat Vermont, and they beat Syracuse, so ...................

 

I'm really worried about the fan experience when our concessions have been overwhelmed by 1500- 2000 basketball fans and what happened at the first football game.  I'm hoping for a huge improvement in that area, it has to improve or else it will affect fan suppport for both sports.

9726[/snapback]

 

You absolutely can go by that game. UA was in that game and gave 'Nova a fight. The talent level, from my perspective, was not so different. 'Nova overall is a much more balanced team than UF. UF actually returns less than they had last year. Billy Donovan can recruit, but his teams have failed to produce at FLA.

 

If UA gets to that game....it will be closer than you think.

[alum73]

Then why did we lose to Wagner, Lehigh, Long Island, Binghamton and Stony Brook? Some teams match up well against others. Villanova might have underestimated us to start the game. They were a guard oriented team which was also our strong point. We hung in well in the second half, but they had an answer for everything we did in the second half. I hope we win, but I know we're a big underdog if we get to that game.

[Patch]

In regard to Villanova - as good as our guards were theirs were much better.

 

Nova was guard orientated but with that said there was no way could could even come close to matching Curtis Sumpter and Jason Fraser. In fact Sumter was special and Fraser almost killed one of our guys (maybe Brent) when he pinned him down low and hammered one home.

 

Let's be realistic these top level teams just have alot more real talent than we have, with that said I'd love to get to play Florida and upset them.

 

Of course this is just one common fan's opinion.

[alum73]

Totally Agree. Upsets happen and I'll be rooting for it if we get the chance, but I'm realistic enough to know it's a looongshot.

 

I still have more worries about fan experience in the RAAC than about our team.

[daneguy04]

I'm not so sure how this whole coaches v. cancer tournament will work out in Florida for us, but I think there is a good chance that we catch Oakland off guard, based on their website (see below) they seem to assume that they will walk all over us and I would like to think that this is far from the truth.

 

"Oakland will open the season on November 9 in Gainesville, Florida as it takes on Albany in the first round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. The Golden Grizzlies will then face off against either host Florida or Saint Peter’s the next day."

 

Seems to me like they are more worried about Florida or Saint Peter's, hopefully coach Brown catches wind of this and uses it to get the guys pumped.

[alum73]

Well regardless of what happens in the first game they are going to play Florida or St. Peters, so that isn't anything to get pumped up about, We're also going to play one of those two teams.

[daneguy04]

I was under the impression it was a tournament style event in Florida with the winner advancing to MSG. What is the format?

[reeder]

It is a tournament but you are guaranteed two games - so on the second day, the two winning teams play each other and the two losing teams play each other.