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Basketball holiday tournaments???

bowlgoal

Heisman Winner
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Jul 20, 2004
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I know we haven’t done a destination tournament in a very long time and we’ve been told that as the program builds, we will get back into those types of events. Are these things scheduled years in advance or is it something where you have to be invited?

That’s a small piece but probably helps recruiting for some schools when you look at road trips to places like Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Florida in the midst of cold weather on the east coast. I would definitely travel for one of these. Not a big fan of Hawaii as it’s just too far for a short trip but I would do California, Arizona or Puerto Rico or Florida for sure.
 
I think next year would be a good year for Rutgers to get into one of the early season tournaments in a good travel spot.

I also think at some point in the not too distant future an overseas summer trip is in order.
 
I think next year would be a good year for Rutgers to get into one of the early season tournaments in a good travel spot.

I also think at some point in the not too distant future an overseas summer trip is in order.

I think next year we will finally have a completed roster with the guard play necessary to compete with anyone in our league. The additions of Mulcahy and Jacobs are going to be so huge. A game like tonight is very much like playing a St.John’s team. Quick guards who can beat you from beyond the arc if you give them an inch or blow by you and go to the hoop. That’s the one thing we are missing right now but help is coming.

I hope our fans realize this is not the finished product so don’t be discouraged. We are very close to turning the corner. This year is a chance for Mathis and Harper to get experience and both will take big leaps next year. Still curious to see who we get to fill the other open ship?
 
If not a destination tournament we should at least try to play in the Jimmy V. Classic next year (25th anniversary), against NC State would tie the theme together nicely.
 
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If you look at how many tournaments there are and multiply by 8 (the number of teams in most of them), it becomes pretty clear that there’s more than enough room for Rutgers in them... and they are also better than plenty of the teams playing in them... so the obvious answer seems to be that, for whatever reasons, Rutgers chooses not to go.
 
If you look at how many tournaments there are and multiply by 8 (the number of teams in most of them), it becomes pretty clear that there’s more than enough room for Rutgers in them... and they are also better than plenty of the teams playing in them... so the obvious answer seems to be that, for whatever reasons, Rutgers chooses not to go.

By my count there were 24 preseason bracketed events. 11 had 8 teams, 13 had 4 teams. So 140 teams.

Preseason tournaments can only take one team from each conference, so that definitely hurts Rutgers. Three of them didn't take any major-conference teams so that limits the pool further.

Would you rather have swapped places with Penn State, who traveled to Cancun to play Wright State and Bradley? Or Oregon State who went to the Virgin Islands and played Old Dominion, Missouri, and Penn? Washington State is in an event with Drake, New Mexico State, and San Diego.

Heck, even Seton Hall's event was a bust: They had to go to Fullerton, CA and played Grand Canyon on Thanksgiving night on ESPN3, Hawaii the next night at 11:30 pm eastern, and then Miami at 10:30 eastern on a Sunday night.

It's not as glamorous as it seems, is my point.
 
By my count there were 24 preseason bracketed events. 11 had 8 teams, 13 had 4 teams. So 140 teams.

Preseason tournaments can only take one team from each conference, so that definitely hurts Rutgers. Three of them didn't take any major-conference teams so that limits the pool further.

Would you rather have swapped places with Penn State, who traveled to Cancun to play Wright State and Bradley? Or Oregon State who went to the Virgin Islands and played Old Dominion, Missouri, and Penn? Washington State is in an event with Drake, New Mexico State, and San Diego.

Heck, even Seton Hall's event was a bust: They had to go to Fullerton, CA and played Grand Canyon on Thanksgiving night on ESPN3, Hawaii the next night at 11:30 pm eastern, and then Miami at 10:30 eastern on a Sunday night.

It's not as glamorous as it seems, is my point.

Most of them are owned by ESPN to give them a ton of programming. Most are also in nice locations, where it’s importantly also the off-season for tourism, so they can push decently priced travel packages when rooms and restaurants might otherwise be empty.

It’s pretty much a matter of what each school wants. There are obvious pros (good chance to get away to a nice spot and build/develop your team early in the season). Then there are the extra games added to your schedule as well. There are also definitely the negatives you pointed out. Plus you are also at the mercy of your bracket. You could lose or a team(s) around you can lose, and your resume kind of suffers. All a matter of choice.
 
By the way, that Grand Canyon team isn't bad. Whole bunch of transfers, Michigan, Illinois, Northwestern... Coached by Dan Majerle.
 
Pike was non commital on a tourney for next year as it needs to be approved by conference. I think there's a possibility that we can get placed in next year legends tourney as they need a local squad and Richmond, New Mexico also included so not so tough tourney. Auburn is clear cut favorite.
 
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