WOW ... UAA is opening a new $ 109M arena just in time for the tourney.

Thanks to Mssr Shelby for the link ... http://www.adn.com/article/20141122/new-...ps-tuesday

Is the NCAA provision that games played outside the continental US do not have to be counted in a team's record still in effect ?

Umm the games count in our record. It's just that you can play more games in a season when you play certain preseason tournaments like NIT, Alaska, Hawaii, etc.

(11-24-2014 07:40 AM)Da.Owl Wrote:  WOW ... UAA is opening a new $ 109M arena just in time for the tourney.

Thanks to Mssr Shelby for the link ... http://www.adn.com/article/20141122/new-...ps-tuesday

With a capacity of 5,000.

I wrote up a quick preview last night, but ended up falling asleep before I could hit the submit.. anyhow

2014 GCI Great Alaska Shootout

Last season, Rice participated in Santa Clara's Cable Car Classic. The Owls played up in both games, coming just short to Rider in OT, before upsetting the host Broncos.

For the uninitiated, the tournament follows the standard 8-team 3-games-in-3-days bracket common among these early season events. Once a premiere event among early season tournaments, the Shootout has lost some of its luster, but every tournament has included at least one team that would go on to play in the NCAA tournament. Long held at downtown Anchorage's Sullivan Arena, the tournament moves in to the host school's new on campus 5,000 seat Alaska Airlines Center.

It looks to be a competitive slate. Here's hoping not, but the quick turnaround may prove problematic for the frenetic Owls. Here's how the bracket shakes out...

NR (DII) Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves, Great Northwest Athletic Conference (2-4)
#198 Pacific Tigers, West Coast Conference (2-2)

#157 Missouri State Bears, Missouri Valley Conference (2-1)
#77 Colorado State Rams, Mountain West Conference (3-0)

#304 Rice Owls, Conference USA (1-2)
#189 Mercer Bears, Southern Conference (2-2)

#181 Washington State Cougars, Pacific 12 Conference (1-2)
#96 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, Big West Conference (1-2)

Rice's opening round opponent, Mercer, is coming off of 27-9 season in which they were co-champions of the Atlantic Sun Conference, as well as A-Sun tournament champions. In the NCAA tournament, the Bears upset Duke in the round of 64 before falling to Tennessee. They have moved to the Southern Conference for this season. Returning a grand total of zero starters from last that campaign, Mercer is 2-2 so far this year with home wins against Kennesaw State and DIII Piedmont, and road losses to Seton Hall and Colorado State. They are led by JR Guard Ike Nwamu, with 17.0 ppg.

Anybody else making the trip?

(11-24-2014 01:32 PM)That Guy 2012 Wrote:  I wrote up a quick preview last night, but ended up falling asleep before I could hit the submit.. anyhow

2014 GCI Great Alaska Shootout

Last season, Rice participated in Santa Clara's Cable Car Classic. The Owls played up in both games, coming just short to Rider in OT, before upsetting the host Broncos.

For the uninitiated, the tournament follows the standard 8-team 3-games-in-3-days bracket common among these early season events. Once a premiere event among early season tournaments, the Shootout has lost some of its luster, but every tournament has included at least one team that would go on to play in the NCAA tournament. Long held at downtown Anchorage's Sullivan Arena, the tournament moves in to the host school's new on campus 5,000 seat Alaska Airlines Center.

It looks to be a competitive slate. Here's hoping not, but the quick turnaround may prove problematic for the frenetic Owls. Here's how the bracket shakes out...

NR (DII) Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves, Great Northwest Athletic Conference (2-4)
#198 Pacific Tigers, West Coast Conference (2-2)

#157 Missouri State Bears, Missouri Valley Conference (2-1)
#77 Colorado State Rams, Mountain West Conference (3-0)

#304 Rice Owls, Conference USA (1-2)
#189 Mercer Bears, Southern Conference (2-2)

#181 Washington State Cougars, Pacific 12 Conference (1-2)
#96 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, Big West Conference (1-2)

Rice's opening round opponent, Mercer, is coming off of 27-9 season in which they were co-champions of the Atlantic Sun Conference, as well as A-Sun tournament champions. In the NCAA tournament, the Bears upset Duke in the round of 64 before falling to Tennessee. They have moved to the Southern Conference for this season. Returning a grand total of zero starters from last that campaign, Mercer is 2-2 so far this year with home wins against Kennesaw State and DIII Piedmont, and road losses to Seton Hall and Colorado State. They are led by JR Guard Ike Nwamu, with 17.0 ppg.

Anybody else making the trip?



^EXHIBIT A

Hey That Guy, sorry to be a picky knitter and thanks for the great write-up, but your avatar info is off. Exhibit A confirms you are actually "Row 18, Seat 4." Please correct post-haste.

Mency won C-USA freshman of the week honors: http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-ba...14aac.html

(11-24-2014 01:51 PM)smackdaddy Wrote:  Hey That Guy, sorry to be a picky knitter and thanks for the great write-up, but your avatar info is off. Exhibit A confirms you are actually "Row 18, Seat 4." Please correct post-haste.

Location ain't nothing but a mindset. I'm always first-class, no matter where the man sits me.

(11-24-2014 10:41 AM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 07:40 AM)Da.Owl Wrote:  WOW ... UAA is opening a new $ 109M arena just in time for the tourney.

Thanks to Mssr Shelby for the link ... http://www.adn.com/article/20141122/new-...ps-tuesday

With a capacity of 5,000.

...AND a restaurant!!

"And for those who think ahead and get reservations at the upscale Varsity Grill, fans can have dinner and drinks while watching the games through floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the gym."

So...JK, if you are attending the games in Alaska, perhaps you'd bring a Hooters to Rice? Or what about "Hooters service" to the VIP stands--import some Hooters hostesses (hostei??) to add some color to the basketball games?


from my post in the EZF thread:
To THRILL: yeah, I'd like to see a real Hooters sports bar on game-days at Rice Stadium too, so the casual fan could come out and watch all their games and also see some of Rice in person!

My wife is from Anchorage. Plenty of great places to eat....recommended are:

-Simon and Seafort's (fancy)
-Moose's Tooth Brewing (pizza, brewery)
-Glacier Brewhouse

If you are a skier and are going to go to Aleyeska (south of Anchorage in Girdwood), stop at the Bake Shop and get Sourdough Pancakes.

If you don't eat Salmon and Halibut when in Alaska, you are doing yourself a disservice.

Have fun! We almost made the trip!

Luke

Speaking of your wife, how is she doing?

(11-24-2014 10:38 PM)seniorowl Wrote:  My wife is from Anchorage. Plenty of great places to eat....recommended are:

-Simon and Seafort's (fancy)
-Moose's Tooth Brewing (pizza, brewery)
-Glacier Brewhouse

If you are a skier and are going to go to Aleyeska (south of Anchorage in Girdwood), stop at the Bake Shop and get Sourdough Pancakes.

If you don't eat Salmon and Halibut when in Alaska, you are doing yourself a disservice.

Have fun! We almost made the trip!

Luke

I was in Anchorage for work last week - had pizza and beverages at the Moose's Tooth. Great pizza.

Been a strangely mild winter to date up there. As of last Thursday - it was 40 degrees with absolutely no snow on the ground. Even the peaks on the mountainous bowl around the city were only lightly dusted.

Also - we had to dodge a moose crossing the road on the way to a meeting right in the middle of the city. Seriously. Was kind of awesome - although I got a pretty significant moose stare down when pulling over to take pictures.

To Luke's point ... you don't have to drive very far south out of town before the scenery is insane.

We would have gone if it wasn't directly over a major holiday.

I am from Juneau and have family in Anchorage, so have spent tons of time there. Moose's Tooth is a good recommendation. Anchorage itself is a big city (for Alaska), but not particularly scenic (for Alaska). If Rice had just held off a little longer on Coach Rhoades's first win, he could have found other cold-water options to take a dunk in to celebrate his first victory...

(11-24-2014 11:48 PM)mrbig Wrote:  I am from Juneau and have family in Anchorage, so have spent tons of time there. Moose's Tooth is a good recommendation. Anchorage itself is a big city (for Alaska), but not particularly scenic (for Alaska). If Rice had just held off a little longer on Coach Rhoades's first win, he could have found other cold-water options to take a dunk in to celebrate his first victory...

Well, he is looking for his first road win.

(11-25-2014 09:11 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-24-2014 11:48 PM)mrbig Wrote:  I am from Juneau and have family in Anchorage, so have spent tons of time there. Moose's Tooth is a good recommendation. Anchorage itself is a big city (for Alaska), but not particularly scenic (for Alaska). If Rice had just held off a little longer on Coach Rhoades's first win, he could have found other cold-water options to take a dunk in to celebrate his first victory...

Well, he is looking for his first road win.

Just like OCO's moose?

Wife is doing great.

Watch out for those moose. Cows on stilts.

The tournament began last night with Pacific besting the host UAA squad (although it was close for awhile), and Colorado State beating Missouri State (whose leading scorer missed the game with an injury).

We open the games tonight at 8:30 pm CST. I'm a little worried about an 0-3 result, but hopefully we are competitive.

Good luck in Alaska.