Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

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TruBluMaroon
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Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by TruBluMaroon » Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:51 pm

Reaching out to WMass basketball people.........has anyone heard anything about this year being the last year that The Cage will host WMass Hoop Semis and Finals. UMass is looking to repurpose The Cage for other sports since neither Hoop teams practice there anymore since the advent of the Champions Center. There is a note in the Spring 2018 issue of Berkshire Magazine and that is not normally one of my sources of sports information, UMass or any other!!
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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by McKinney » Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:00 pm

I don't know anything about the semi/finals bid, but would not be surprised to see another tenant leave The Cage. Of course if/when this IPF is built there very well could be NO tenants at Curry Hicks Cage.

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by UMass02 » Sat Feb 24, 2018 12:37 pm

If true, it would be a shame to lose that event to the MassMutual Center or another college. I always thought it was cool to have the best players in Western Mass play on campus in a historic gym. Perhaps something could be worked out with Mullins, but I bet the cost to the MIAA for use of Mullins would be prohibitive.

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 am

The MIAA has used the Mullins before and I'm sure they will again. They play in the Garden and DCU in Worcester for playoff tournaments already, so I'm sure money isn't the issue.

It would be a shame if they moved out of the Cage, but hopefully they remain on campus at The Bill.
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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by Juice Stand » Sat Mar 07, 2020 7:20 am

Story in the Gazette today on the MIAA format changes and coaches reflecting on their time at the Cage: https://www.gazettenet.com/With-statewi ... e-33165763

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by Quann » Sat Mar 07, 2020 8:34 am

Not sure if the school would ever do it but I’d love to see a major renovation of the cage to get it up to modern standards. Make it the permanent venue for women’s basketball, much better sized arena for them. The men’s team could play 3-4 games per year in there as well.

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by m626t » Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:48 am

Quann wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 8:34 am Not sure if the school would ever do it but I’d love to see a major renovation of the cage to get it up to modern standards. Make it the permanent venue for women’s basketball, much better sized arena for them. The men’s team could play 3-4 games per year in there as well.
I'm hoping the improvement in the men's program would generate constant crowds of 5K to 9500, making playing to under 4,000 people in the cage impossible.
Last edited by m626t on Sat Mar 07, 2020 1:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by m626t » Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:49 am

m626t wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:48 am
Quann wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 8:34 am Not sure if the school would ever do it but I’d love to see a major renovation of the cage to get it up to modern standards. Make it the permanent venue for women’s basketball, much better sized arena for them. The men’s team could play 3-4 games per year in there as well.
I'm hoping the improvement in the men's program would generate constant crowds of 5K to 9500, making playing to under 4,000 people in the cage unthinkable :)
All due respect, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart, I'm gonna pass.

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by Quann » Sat Mar 07, 2020 1:14 pm

m626t wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 11:48 am
Quann wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 8:34 am Not sure if the school would ever do it but I’d love to see a major renovation of the cage to get it up to modern standards. Make it the permanent venue for women’s basketball, much better sized arena for them. The men’s team could play 3-4 games per year in there as well.
I'm hoping the improvement in the men's program would generate constant crowds of 5K to 9500, making playing to under 4,000 people i n the cage impossible.
Winter session league games are always small crowds even if the team is good. Perfect time for some games in the Cage.

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by Berkman » Sat Mar 07, 2020 3:40 pm

The cage was renovated back in the 80's I think. We cannot play regular games in the cage because of the contract with the Mullins Center. Just need the team to improve to bring back the crowds.

Many of the gang that I was a part of back in the 90's have passed away or are on the older side and the trip from the Berkshires are a bit much for the night games. Need to get a lot more younger people to come to the games and that is by becoming a winning team. With the 7 freshmen that are good that should be possible.

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by Floyd » Sun Mar 08, 2020 6:41 am

I don't really want to watch UMass play in a HS gym.
We have a nice one not far away
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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by Old Cage » Sun Mar 08, 2020 8:18 am

If this is the last year, it is only fitting that George Miller is the announcer for the games.
"Jack didn’t have any envy in him," Calipari said. "He was the greatest coach to ever coach here."

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by DoctorJ » Sun Mar 08, 2020 3:26 pm

We should have one last game there!
Refuse To Lose!!!

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by UMass02 » Mon Mar 23, 2020 1:09 pm

Berkman wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2020 3:40 pm The cage was renovated back in the 80's I think. We cannot play regular games in the cage because of the contract with the Mullins Center. Just need the team to improve to bring back the crowds.

Many of the gang that I was a part of back in the 90's have passed away or are on the older side and the trip from the Berkshires are a bit much for the night games. Need to get a lot more younger people to come to the games and that is by becoming a winning team. With the 7 freshmen that are good that should be possible.
With the video replay equipment needed, the Cage is no longer suitable to hold a sanctioned NCAA basketball game. They would need to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars just to make that happen, never mind the demand for streaming.

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Re: Last Year Cage will host WMass Semis and Finals

Post by Quann » Tue Mar 24, 2020 2:18 pm

I think it would be pretty sweet if they did renovate it. It's such a historic building on campus, I'd hate to see it keep wasting away. Get it up to modern standards and have it be the future home of women's hoops. Also, have a few wintersession men's games in there.

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