In addition to the OOC slate I recently posted for Memphis, looks like Calipari has the Tigers lined up the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, which would yield 2 more home games for Memphis and a possible trip to Madison Square Garden. Others in the 16-team tournament are California, Syracuse, and either Duke or Kentucky.
Cal also has Memphis lined up for the Preseason NIT in 2005 and the Maui Classic in 2006. Of course, the current rules on exempt tourneys would require Memphis to bail out on the NIT or Maui. Still, how does Memphis get all these high profile games and the best we can do is the Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara? Hmmm…
[BTW, speaking of the Preseason NIT, George Washington takes on Wake Forest in W-S on November 15th in the first round of the 2004 tourney.]
Anyway, Memphis was already looking pretty good with games against Maryland in the Hall of Fame Classic in Springfield Mass., and Pittsburgh in the Jimmy V. Classic in Madison Square Garden, plus other OOC games vs. Ole Miss, Providence, East Tennessee State, Purdue, and Texas.
Can’t wait to kick some Tiger tail in Halton as the 49ers bid farewell to C-USA in 2004-05…
They sound like an up & coming program. Maybe after this season memphis state may actually dominate CUSA the way they think they do now. :lol: Of course, they’ll have to be cautious of basketball powerhouses ECU, TCU, & S. Miss.
Run, I’m in agreement with you on wondering how memphis state managed to do this while all we could muster was the Cable Car?
Duke bailed out of the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament, they were to play High Point. When Duke cancelled, HPU dropped out and got lucky with Wake Forest dropping out of the Great Alaska Shootout in favor of 2 home games in the Preseason NIT, so the Panthers will play Oklahoma in Ankorage.
Duke’s opening 3 games are 11/20 Tennessee-Martin, 11/22 at Davidson (Charlotte Coliseum) and 11/27 UNC Greensboro. The entire 2004-2005 ACC schedule was released yesterday by the league. Hopefully, Conference USA won’t be far behind.
11/26 Maryland at Memphis
11/27 TCU vs. Florida State, Corpus Christi Invitational
11/27 Xavier vs. Miami, Orange Bowl Classic
11/28 Richmond at Virginia
12/04 Richmond at Wake Forest
12/09 ECU at Clemson
12/12 UMass at Miami
12/13 Wake Forest at Temple
12/21 UAB vs. Clemson, Rainbow Classic
01/08 Temple at Duke
01/15 Temple at Maryland
01/22 Wake Forest at Cincinnati
[i]Originally posted by Over40NINER[/i]@Aug 19 2004, 10:54 AM
[b] I'm in agreement with you on wondering how memphis state managed to do this while all we could muster was the Cable Car? [/b]
My guess is it's the same reason for a lot of stuff: we need to get far past the first round, make some noise and look like we're serious in the Big Dance. If we do that, they're come to us for their "prestigeous" tourneys. Win big, win often...ESPECIALLY in March.
HP49er, if Duke had the nerve to actually play Davidson in Davidson (and they have in the past), then I would consider that a home game for the Wildcats. Otherwise, that’s just a neutral court when played at the Coliseum.
Also, that Memphis-Maryland matchup is the Hall of Fame Classic in Springfield, Mass.
Over49er, I think the Memphis fans are going to find out that they will have to earn their Big Dance ticket in the new C-USA. I don’t think that UAB, Tulsa, and possibly UTEP, are just going to give the Tigers a free pass every year.
And who knows, perhaps Eustachy can perform some sort of miracle in Hattiesburg so that Southern Miss fans will have something to cheer about between football and baseball seasons. FWIW, I believe TCU is going to be lost in the Mountain West are far as hoops are concerned.
Anyway, all I really care about right now is 2004-05. I’d like to see the Niners make a perfect run in Halton this season, win the regular season and conference tourney in their farewell tour of C-USA, make at least a Sweet 16 appearance in the Big Dance, and garner POY and COY in C-USA.