(07-18-2016 08:00 AM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  Lets hope not for UNCW basketball. ECU adds zero to the program's growth and is all downside other that the fact that a few fans still see it as a rivalry game. It is time to move on from this and build on the COC games as a rivalry type deal. Wilmington has a large contingent of ECU grads and fans and I am guessing that is where the interest comes from because it makes no sense for UNCW. Baseball is a yes and basketball is a big fat no way.

You say this all the time, but offer up zero suggestions on how to fill our schedule without series like these. We have a hard enough time bringing halfway decent teams to Trask without having to make long road trips (such as Western Michigan) in return. I hate that we have to play Campbell and ECU too, but until we become such a good program that bigger programs find a benefit to playing us in Wilmington, this is going to be our reality. We have to play at least a few teams close to home.

I have no problem with us playing EZU, for people that have been following the program a while, the hate is still there.

(07-18-2016 08:23 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  I have no problem with us playing EZU, for people that have been following the program a while, the hate is still there.

Yep. Mullet can say what he wants, but the numbers don't lie. In Keatts' first season, the ECU game drew 4388 in attendance, in a Dec 20 game when the students weren't around. For comparison purposes, 3 nights prior, a home game against Liberty only drew 3028, and the next home game, a Jan 3 conference tilt with Hofstra, only drew 3233.

People here care about that game.

(07-18-2016 08:32 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(07-18-2016 08:23 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  I have no problem with us playing EZU, for people that have been following the program a while, the hate is still there.

Yep. Mullet can say what he wants, but the numbers don't lie. In Keatts' first season, the ECU game drew 4388 in attendance, in a Dec 20 game when the students weren't around. For comparison purposes, 3 nights prior, a home game against Liberty only drew 3028, and the next home game, a Jan 3 conference tilt with Hofstra, only drew 3233.

People here care about that game.

Numbers don't lie

Who won the game last season? Losing to them is sucking the air out of the room. I did offer a suggestion-try to play Duke and if you play well and lose it is a total win,not to mention you make money and might crap out and win!
ECU is not a basketball program that UNCW should give the time of day if they are serious about getting better.
It is really sad that people here would attend a suckass game like ECU.

(07-18-2016 12:21 PM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  Who won the game last season? Losing to them is sucking the air out of the room. I did offer a suggestion-try to play Duke and if you play well and lose it is a total win,not to mention you make money and might crap out and win!
ECU is not a basketball program that UNCW should give the time of day if they are serious about getting better.
It is really sad that people here would attend a suckass game like ECU.

Obviously if you can play Duke or ECU you play Duke. Duh! But that hasn't been or likely will be an option. ECU is.... big difference.

(07-18-2016 12:21 PM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  Who won the game last season? Losing to them is sucking the air out of the room. I did offer a suggestion-try to play Duke and if you play well and lose it is a total win,not to mention you make money and might crap out and win!
ECU is not a basketball program that UNCW should give the time of day if they are serious about getting better.
It is really sad that people here would attend a suckass game like ECU.

since Duke is not likely to come to Trask, do you have any realistic options for a holiday season game that will draw over 4K?

(07-18-2016 12:21 PM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  Who won the game last season? Losing to them is sucking the air out of the room. I did offer a suggestion-try to play Duke and if you play well and lose it is a total win,not to mention you make money and might crap out and win!
ECU is not a basketball program that UNCW should give the time of day if they are serious about getting better.
It is really sad that people here would attend a suckass game like ECU.

Suckass home game against ECU >>>> 1 fewer home game because we refuse to play a home and home against, say, Illinois St.

That's the point we're making here. It's not an either/or situation with Duke.

(07-18-2016 12:28 PM)solohawks Wrote:  since Duke is not likely to come to Trask, do you have any realistic options for a holiday season game that will draw over 4K?

Mullet won't answer this question, because he's been proven wrong on this one and just wants to complain for complaining sake, like he always does. It's a phenomenon as constant as death and taxes.

(07-18-2016 01:31 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(07-18-2016 12:28 PM)solohawks Wrote:  since Duke is not likely to come to Trask, do you have any realistic options for a holiday season game that will draw over 4K?

Mullet won't answer this question, because he's been proven wrong on this one and just wants to complain for complaining sake, like he always does. It's a phenomenon as constant as death and taxes.

Go to Duke and play them,go to NCSU,UNC-ask Davidson,UNCA anybody that has a legit program and is in the area. ECU is not and will not be a program/game that will benefit UNCW in the long run. If you think small like this it will only hold the program back. Go on the road if you have and and make your mark as a program on a national level and stop with the cornfield mentality. UNCW is on the verge of being a pretty damn good program but this thinking has to stop to take the next step and be considered a serious program that can beat real teams.
Lets hear your reason for playing a ECU other than a few oldheads like the game just because,no reason to play them other than they will play and a few people might show up to watch.

Yes, let's play a bunch of guarantee games and only host 10 at Trask. That's a great way to build a program. What is this, the SWAC?

Hey you guys, let's make a schedule like Arkansas-Pine Bluff did last year. 9 home games (all in conference play), 22 on the road, 2 on a neutral court. Including contests @ Michigan State (46 point loss), Cincinnati (49 pt loss), Texas Tech (40 pt loss), Virginia Tech (35 pt loss) and Hawaii (28 pt loss). Their fans didn't get to see the team play a home game until January 16th.

Look, I get it. I'm not completely opposed to guarantee games. I think we should have 2 every year. This year we have 1.

But you also need to balance that with some home games, preferably not against weak or non-DI competition. And the only way to get home games is to sign agreements with teams for home-and-home's or 4-game deals. Or get creative with a 3-for-1 type deal like the one we had with Wake Forest a few years backs.

And you're never going to fill your schedule with quality home games when you're a mid-major. It just doesn't happen. For every Missouri State or Stephen F. Austin we've gotten to come here, there's also been plenty of Liberty's and Charleston Southern's too. ECU is a step up from those type of games for sure, because they at least provide solid attendance, some local intrigue, and some much-needed short roadtrips.

A nice balance of an early season tournament, 2 guarantee games, a few series with the likes of ECU, Coastal, and Campbell, and some home-and-home's with decent mid-majors outside of the normal regional scope (like an ETSU) are a nice blend, and very realistic. This year's is shaping up to be not too far from that.

(07-19-2016 09:16 AM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  

(07-18-2016 01:31 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(07-18-2016 12:28 PM)solohawks Wrote:  since Duke is not likely to come to Trask, do you have any realistic options for a holiday season game that will draw over 4K?

Mullet won't answer this question, because he's been proven wrong on this one and just wants to complain for complaining sake, like he always does. It's a phenomenon as constant as death and taxes.

Go to Duke and play them,go to NCSU,UNC-ask Davidson,UNCA anybody that has a legit program and is in the area. ECU is not and will not be a program/game that will benefit UNCW in the long run. If you think small like this it will only hold the program back. Go on the road if you have and and make your mark as a program on a national level and stop with the cornfield mentality. UNCW is on the verge of being a pretty damn good program but this thinking has to stop to take the next step and be considered a serious program that can beat real teams.
Lets hear your reason for playing a ECU other than a few oldheads like the game just because,no reason to play them other than they will play and a few people might show up to watch.

Im all for hitting the road and playing up a level, but we do have to have home games and pay the bills. During the holiday season, there is no better. realistic team we can host than ECU. That is just reality

(07-19-2016 10:13 AM)solohawks Wrote:  

(07-19-2016 09:16 AM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  

(07-18-2016 01:31 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(07-18-2016 12:28 PM)solohawks Wrote:  since Duke is not likely to come to Trask, do you have any realistic options for a holiday season game that will draw over 4K?

Mullet won't answer this question, because he's been proven wrong on this one and just wants to complain for complaining sake, like he always does. It's a phenomenon as constant as death and taxes.

Go to Duke and play them,go to NCSU,UNC-ask Davidson,UNCA anybody that has a legit program and is in the area. ECU is not and will not be a program/game that will benefit UNCW in the long run. If you think small like this it will only hold the program back. Go on the road if you have and and make your mark as a program on a national level and stop with the cornfield mentality. UNCW is on the verge of being a pretty damn good program but this thinking has to stop to take the next step and be considered a serious program that can beat real teams.
Lets hear your reason for playing a ECU other than a few oldheads like the game just because,no reason to play them other than they will play and a few people might show up to watch.

Im all for hitting the road and playing up a level, but we do have to have home games and pay the bills. During the holiday season, there is no better. realistic team we can host than ECU. That is just reality

At some point you have to step it up and play somebody if you want to be considered for an at large bid. I get it that ECU brings in a few rednecks to Trask and they can use the extra cash but its a dead end road to bill this as a BIG game-its just not and nobody outside of Burgaw could care less about a UNCW vs ECU basketball game. Its really hard to have it both ways if you want to be bigtime. There teams around that provide a real game that might actually help your case in March if you lose the tourney but if you play these games and the D2's you have no argument at all. I think they are ready to accept the challenge of better competition and leave the garbage behind.
Its also time to drop Campbell,losing to these teams is just a party killer and it can happen.

(07-19-2016 12:50 PM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  At some point you have to step it up and play somebody if you want to be considered for an at large bid. I get it that ECU brings in a few rednecks to Trask and they can use the extra cash but its a dead end road to bill this as a BIG game-its just not and nobody outside of Burgaw could care less about a UNCW vs ECU basketball game. Its really hard to have it both ways if you want to be bigtime. There teams around that provide a real game that might actually help your case in March if you lose the tourney but if you play these games and the D2's you have no argument at all. I think they are ready to accept the challenge of better competition and leave the garbage behind.
Its also time to drop Campbell,losing to these teams is just a party killer and it can happen.

Cool. So let's just tell Keatts to pick up the phone and schedule home-and-homes with Duke, NC State and UNC. It's so simple.

All complaints. No solutions. Typical out of you.

(07-19-2016 01:00 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(07-19-2016 12:50 PM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  At some point you have to step it up and play somebody if you want to be considered for an at large bid. I get it that ECU brings in a few rednecks to Trask and they can use the extra cash but its a dead end road to bill this as a BIG game-its just not and nobody outside of Burgaw could care less about a UNCW vs ECU basketball game. Its really hard to have it both ways if you want to be bigtime. There teams around that provide a real game that might actually help your case in March if you lose the tourney but if you play these games and the D2's you have no argument at all. I think they are ready to accept the challenge of better competition and leave the garbage behind.
Its also time to drop Campbell,losing to these teams is just a party killer and it can happen.

Cool. So let's just tell Keatts to pick up the phone and schedule home-and-homes with Duke, NC State and UNC. It's so simple.

All complaints. No solutions. Typical out of you.

Mullet, who do you suggest UNCW hosts during the holiday season that will allow for 4K plus tickets to be sold?

I dont see them marketing this as a big time game, but playing ECU during the holiday season is a no brainer

Charlotte? Davidson? USC? FGC?

VCU? Belmont?

Don't see VCU agreeing to a home and home with us anytime soon, and I sincerely doubt Belmont or FGC could draw 4,000+. Charlotte, Davidson, and South Carolina would be solid options. But even those 3 would be tough to get to an agreement, sadly. We never seem to be able to schedule Charlotte over the course of several different regimes/coaches. But they seem like a similar category as ECU. Decent conference but not much success.

We did, however, get Davidson to come to Trask in 2011. Drew under 3,000 in a game around Thanksgiving, but have to remember we went 10-21 that season (Year 2 of Buzz Peterson's tenure) and were 0-3 at the time. I imagine that game would draw very nicely now, with Davidson in the A-10 and us having recent success.