Game 25, 2025-26: at Coastal Carolina (2/7)

[Plano Minuteman]

Part of the Sun Belt vs. MAC challenge.

Kicked off this "oddball game" thread since I now live about 4 hours away and there's a 50% chance I'll be able to attend. Any of you alums from the
Carolinas who might be able to do the same?

[bobolink]

How does the conference and UMass view Saturday’s MAC-SBC games? You always want to win, but how badly? Plenty of incentive for Miami or Akron, where a W improves their chances of an NCAAT at large or NIT with better seeding, and a loss would hurt a lot. If you’re EMU, CMU or any team towards the bottom of the standings, you want any W you can get, so something like firing the coach doesn’t happen (although it might anyway). If you’re in the middle of the standings like UMass what’s in it for you? Sure, the conference wants to show it’s better than the SBC and nudge up the conference rating, but what specifically does UMass gain? Perhaps an opportunity to experiment with player combinations or a new play or a chance to give more PT to guys you want to see, while getting a little rest for some. How about more minutes for Placide, Wimbley and Ghost? Freshman Carbuccia is improving, but he’s a freshman and they sometimes tire by late February. Just wondering.

[Juice Stand]

That's a great question, and Frank said in the postgame the other night that he wasn't a fan of breaking up the conference schedule like this. You obviously want to win, keep spirits high, positive momentum and all that, but I think it's a fine idea to treat it like an exhibition game and get more experience for those guys you mentioned.

[MikeUMA]

How does the conference and UMass view Saturday’s MAC-SBC games? You always want to win, but how badly? Plenty of incentive for Miami or Akron, where a W improves their chances of an NCAAT at large or NIT with better seeding, and a loss would hurt a lot. If you’re EMU, CMU or any team towards the bottom of the standings, you want any W you can get, so something like firing the coach doesn’t happen (although it might anyway). If you’re in the middle of the standings like UMass what’s in it for you? Sure, the conference wants to show it’s better than the SBC and nudge up the conference rating, but what specifically does UMass gain? Perhaps an opportunity to experiment with player combinations or a new play or a chance to give more PT to guys you want to see, while getting a little rest for some. How about more minutes for Placide, Wimbley and Ghost? Freshman Carbuccia is improving, but he’s a freshman and they sometimes tire by late February. Just wondering.

All valid questions.

For the squads that may find themselves on the bubble, yeah, you wanna get the wins. Don't give the NCAA a reason to give your slot to the 15th-place SEC team

CMU's coach is in Year 1, but a guy like Stan Heath at EMU is in Year 5, and if you have an impatient AD, don't give them another reason to think a change might be good.

For us, when maybe an NIT bid, or one of the other fringe post-season tourneys, is still attainable, you don't wanna mess with a lineup that's more or less working. We've won 6 of our last 8 and we're not locked into a Cleveland bid yet, so although you would like to see someone like Clerc get more minutes, don't tinker with the rotation too much, where it'd be hard to restore the balance again for a game that matters in the MAC standings.

The "get 'em some rest" argument might be valid, but we have a mid-week bye this week, so the rest opportunity is there anyway.

[Floyd]

Dont you play every game to win? I mean its not preseason.

[devildawg3010]

Hopefully this gives them a break from the grind of conference play. Go some place warmer for a game and come back and finish off MAC play renewed.

[MikeUMA]

Hopefully this gives them a break from the grind of conference play. Go some place warmer for a game and come back and finish off MAC play renewed.

Not warm, but warmer for sure.
Saturday in...
Conway SC: 44 and sunny
Amherst: 22 with a little snow

Will feel good by comparison.

[PreecherJenkins]

We know anything about CC? Think they play on teal court? Berkman you able to make the drive from the Charlotte area to Conway SC?

[Jack]

Don't know much about them, but it's a return to SC for Coach Martin and the Chanticleers have been playing pretty well lately but certainly look beatable if UMass continues to keep improving. Looking forward matching up w/Teal Nation at Conway

[Berkman]

We know anything about CC? Think they play on teal court? Berkman you able to make the drive from the Charlotte area to Conway SC?

I turned 89 a couple weeks ago. Don't drive very far these days.

[Juice Stand]

Isn't Coastal the team that has free concessions? I know we make additional revenue on food and bev, but having a limited free concessions menu, at least for attendees with a valid student ID, is a great way to boost interest and get students in the door.

*Edit, that's just for football. https://chanticleernews.com/5831/news/c ... ncessions/

[69MG]

We're favored by 1.5 in case anybody cares, and it doesn't look like anybody does.

[m626t]

We're favored by 1.5 in case anybody cares, and it doesn't look like anybody does.

[inthescoop]

We're favored by 1.5 in case anybody cares, and it doesn't look like anybody does.

2.5 now, the excitement is building

Edit: now 3.5

[Floyd]

Boy that court is hideous, and camera angle is too high.
Let's get another road win & gain some momentum.
Marcus with 11 3's