Charleston Classic 2013

sbloombe · Post by **sbloombe** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:11 pm

NilesGold wrote:^ Looks like that's the one. Not a particularly impressive field. Temple is in there, so we probably aren't going to start a separate H-H series with them next year.

IV, what about that field is impressive to you?

P.S. it's not a bad field per se, none of those are bad teams, but none of them stand out as exceptional in any way.

Would we really want to start the season playing "exceptional" teams - eg top tier BCS opponents? I'd rather play some good teams that we can beat: Temple, UNM, Davidson, Clemson

PJ2015 · Post by **PJ2015** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:21 pm

It's 1:04...

NilesGold · Post by **NilesGold** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:28 pm

sbloombe wrote:
NilesGold wrote:^ Looks like that's the one. Not a particularly impressive field. Temple is in there, so we probably aren't going to start a separate H-H series with them next year.

IV, what about that field is impressive to you?

P.S. it's not a bad field per se, none of those are bad teams, but none of them stand out as exceptional in any way.
Would we really want to start the season playing "exceptional" teams - eg top tier BCS opponents? I'd rather play some good teams that we can beat: Temple, UNM, Davidson, Clemson

^ I agree with you, I think this is the right move for next year's team. I was just looking at the field objectively and noting that none of the teams are all that great. We'll still need to schedule some good teams for our remaining OOC slate to help our RPI and SOS.

Post by **MikeUMA** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:31 pm

Of the teams in the field, UMass all time record:
0-1 vs Alabama-Birmingham
0-1 vs Clemson
4-4 vs Davidson
22-44 vs Temple
Never faced: Georgia, Nebraska, New Mexico

69MG · Post by **69MG** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:32 pm

I think this is a reasonable tournament for us at the beginning of the year when we have a lot of new players to integrate into the system and Jesse probably not close to 100%.

There are teams from the Big 10, NBE, ACC, SEC, CUSA and Mountain West, all good conferences. The team from a lesser conference, Davidson, went 26-8 last year. I haven't looked to see how many seniors were on each team but we have a chance to win a couple of games and this tournament won't hurt our SOS at all.

Refuse2Lose83 · Post by **Refuse2Lose83** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:34 pm

The only team that's going have any pre-season hype is New Mexico. They're still going be a top 20 team going into the year, and if for some reasonable Snell pulls his name out of the draft they could be a top 10 team again. It's possible if we play them that they could stil be adjusting to losing Alford, and we could get a win over a top 20 program. Although, they stayed inhouse for Alford's replacement so it might not be as big of a transition.

Temple will be Temple although Wyatt will be tough to replace. As for the rest of the field, it's okay, but wins over ACC, SEC or Big Ten schools are nothing to sneeze at.

It's definitely a touranment we could win, which would put us in the NCAA if we have the same resume as this year. Altough, with the A10 ot being quite as strong we're going need to beat teams like this in the ooc.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:39 pm

NilesGold wrote:
IV, what about that field is impressive to you?

I said "not bad", not that I was impressed by the field. It isn't a superstar tournament, but it is decent enough, and one we have a very good chance of coming out as champions of.

Marty Peretz · Post by **Marty Peretz** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:42 pm

Great town, great food, great hoop. Think I'm gonna have to find a way to get there.

LooneyGoon · Post by **LooneyGoon** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:50 pm

Any idea on the dates? I couldnt find anything

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:52 pm

Nov 21-24.

http://www.charlestonclassic.com/home/p ... leases/189

Also noted in this press release is that we are a headliner for the tournament.

DKera · Post by **DKera** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:29 pm

I really hope we get a shot at New Mexico. Like someone said earlier, they will be a top 25 team, but I think we will have a really good shot at beating them if we come to play, unlike our past 2 early season tourneys. It would be nice to go down there and go 2-1 or even 3-0, rather than a disappointing 1-2 like the last couple years.

Playing Temple for the first time in a non-conference matchup would be pretty cool as well, especially considering how epic our games with them were over the past 2 years in the regular season and A10 tourney.

LS71 · Post by **LS71** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:45 pm

UMass will have a several new players next season. They'll need time to figure things out, roles, line-up combos that work, etc.

I like that they're playing in a tourney in which they're not overmatched that early in the season. I want them to come out of there feeling good about themselves...not deflated!

It's a quality field and UMass has a chance to win.

Max11 · Post by **Max11** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:08 pm

Sounds like a pretty solid trip for late November. Charleston is an awesome city by all accounts.

SJGMoney · Post by **SJGMoney** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:13 pm

Turn it into a week long golf vacation and go play at Kiawah. Balls.

Marty Peretz · Post by **Marty Peretz** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:25 pm

In addition to Wyatt, Temple also loses O'Brien, DiLeo, Hollis-Jefferson and I believe Randall. They had a strong frosh class this year, but they didn't get too many minutes, so they'll struggle early next season. That's a team we'd absolutely be favored to beat by at least six or seven points at that point in the season. Fran will have them playing well by year's end like he always does, but they'll take some real lumps early. Also, pretty sure Davidson loses at least a few starters, so despite having a pair back, they aren't going to be rolling at that point in the year. Just looked at Clemson's roster: they lost arguably their two best players but return everyone else. Still, they won't have an identity by that point in the season and a 13-18 team in a weak ACC that lost its two top guys doesn't worry me much. If I recall right, UGA had a lot of young guns and could actually be quite good (I just looked up their roster and, indeed, they return just about everyone, including the Caldwell-Pope kid who apparently isn't going to the draft until next year when he's expected to be a sure-thing lottery pick. He'll be one of the best players in the country next year). New Mexico returns a lot, but it's never easy to win early in the season when you're adjusting to a new coach. Then again, he was on staff there this year, so it won't be as big an adjustment.

Nebraska lost two of their top three scorers, but brings everyone back. Big 10 team, though, and maybe they get later in the year, which could help us in our RPI.

I know nothing about UAB.

To me, we want to open with a young Nebraska or Clemson team that won't be good at that point in the year, but could improve and will both be playing in super tough conference, thus helping our RPI long-term. Then we want to play Georgia and New Mexico, two teams that could be quite good next year. I don't see Davidson being quite as good as they were this year and I don't think our RPI will be helped a ton by playing them, since they are in a weaker league. Temple could be fun because we know them, but next year is almost definitely going to be a down year for them and I'm just not sure how helpful a win would be, since their new big east slate will probably be fairly unimpressive.

I have some friends down there and am definitely thinking I want to make the trek. Great town. Outstanding food, drink, nightlife, music and women. Jet Blue now flies there from Kennedy and flights are apparently quite cheap. Anyone else thinking about the trip?

UMassHoops.com

Charleston Classic 2013

yeah

Re: yeah