Today's Times Union - Siena/Villanova/Barnes

[sarge965]

Confirmation that women's game with Siena is off for 2004-05.

Men to play at Villanova between Christmas and New Year's.

Brown confirms Barnes up for asst job.

[Dane Pound]

Here's the links for those stories.

I like this quote-"The game will be back. We have every intention of playing UAlbany in the 2005-06 season," (Siena AD) D'Argenio said Tuesday, "just as soon as Danielle Hutcheson graduates-she scares the hell out of us," he did not add.

 

Saints, Danes women will skip a year

UAlbany to make trip to Villanova

[statefan]

Gina will be glad to play us again when we are rebuilding our frontcourt, instead of when we are starting three seniors.

[Dane96]

LOL...very, very good pts. They are such pu$$y$ its unreal. Sorry for the language...but that is exactly what they are and someone has to say it. If they really wanted to make this happen they would. Opportunity?! I am sure they will search for other "opportunities", once the men stick it to their big stiffs in a few years (professor has assured us they have stiffs....and I am going w/ it).

[statefan]

Today's Gazette has a somewhat more detailed article entitled "Rivals won't meet - Albany women off Siena slate" It includes several quotes from Dr. McElroy, who was very diplomatic, but was sure to point out that the problem was not on our end. He noted that it's a huge game for us in recruiting; that the players and coaches love it and that the series has been good for promoting women's basketball. Coach Patterson notes that losing the Siena game hurts our schedule. The women will open their season at Morgan State.

 

By the way, the Gazette had a significantly longer article yesterday than the TU about the lacrosse pairings, including several quotes from Coach Marr and Luke Daquino. It was page 1 - column 1 of the Sports section and continued inside, with the entire men's D-1 lax bracket.

[Patch]

statefan

 

The option for this year's women's game was $iena's and they showed their true colors.

 

No way do they want to play our women when the Danes have a chance to be competitive or even beat them.

 

I guess Dane Pound was correct with the cartoon post at the start of the website.

[Dane Pound]

From reading the $iena board it's clear most of them don't follow their women's program enough to know what kind of shape they'll be in next year and they certainly don't follow us. While Castelli has built a nice program I would expect them to be down a bit from this year with the loss of Marchino, Johnson and probably one of the best players to play there in Jansone. Siena's RPI last year was around 105 and ours was around 170, not light-years apart. I don't think I'm surprising anyone by expecting UA to be better next year and there is certainly the possibility that they will be worse. It would have been a good game.

Anyway, it's too bad all this info had to come out at once because the other stories were good also. The Villinova game is a nice senior game for Wyatt and will be interesting to see how we do against a mid-tier Big East team. Hopefully the Iati's organize another bus trip like at UMBC.

It's also great to see Barnes has a shot at the assistants job. He's been at UA through the toughest times and it would be terrific to see him get a shot at building the future of the program.

[Dane96]

Remember...Wyatt, Iati, and Bauman should all have their families in attendance. Will be a good game in a small yet big time atmosphere building. Dysons family would probably make the trip (about an hour or so) to Bryn Mawr. BTW, Villanova will not be mid-tier...they will be near the top this year. I believe the entire squad returns. The PG battle will be ferocious with Nardi and Iati/Wilson.

 

There is also the potential of a Dyson/Sheridan matchup, which will be rather interesting. Jay Wright is the type of guy who a few years down the road may give UA a home game. His former assistant (and current Hofstra asst) David Duke played at UA. Jay understands how tough it is for mid-major teams to schedule. I wouldnt be suprised if this is a once every couple of years series.