Who knows something about SUNY Albany Men's Basketball?

[4decadedukie]

http://www.ualbanysports.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15800&KEY=&SPID=7999&SP SID=70287

Their foregoing website reveals little beyond Ws and Ls against some relatively inconsequential teams (Bucknell potentially excepted). Does anyone have information regarding their program or even why we are playing them? Thanks.

[dkbaseball]

I'm guessing it was scheduled as the Paulus home game. K tries to schedule a game near the home towns of his players at some time in their careers, usually later. He probably didn't want to play Syracuse, since Jim Boeheim is his good friend and assistant on the Olympic team. SUNY Albany was another school close by.

[tbyers11]

I'm guessing it was scheduled as the Paulus home game. K tries to schedule a game near the home towns of his players at some time in their careers, usually later. He probably didn't want to play Syracuse, since Jim Boeheim is his good friend and assistant on the Olympic team. SUNY Albany was another school close by.

Except that the game is at Cameron. Unless you are suggesting that there is a home-and-home series with a return game in Albany next year.

Albany was a 13 seed in the tourney last year and gave UConn a heck of a game as a 16 seed in 2006. I think this is just another example of K wanting to play a good low-to-mid major team that we are likely to see in the first round.

[hc5duke]

Except that the game is at Cameron. Unless you are suggesting that there is a home-and-home series with a return game in Albany next year.

Albany was a 13 seed in the tourney last year and gave UConn a heck of a game as a 16 seed in 2006. I think this is just another example of K wanting to play a good low-to-mid major team that we are likely to see in the first round.

Besides, Albany's not really that close to Syracuse (Paulus) - 150 miles. Though I would guess it's the nearest NCAA-I university other than Syracuse itself.

[dkbaseball]

My bad.

[greybeard]

They could have played Cornell in Ithaca. You can drive from Ithaca to Syracuse in an hour in the snow late at night more than half to the winds; my recollection, it was almost always more than worth it.

[DukeDude]

Besides, Albany's not really that close to Syracuse (Paulus) - 150 miles. Though I would guess it's the nearest NCAA-I university other than Syracuse itself.

If Duke does play at Albany, I expect the game would be at Pepsi Arena which is a rather large venue. It would be like playing Temple in the First Union Center or Davidson in the Charlotte Coliseum, i.e. not a true road game.

[Saratoga2]

Oh Darn

I typed in a long reply only to have it vanish into cyberspace. It happens once in a while after I log in.

I will try again. Suny Albany is close by and I get the daily local paper but don't go to their games. They are sort of a middle of the pack team in the America East Conference. They had a really solid year last year but lost two key players responsible for nearly 33 ppg (Jamar Wilson and Jason Siggers)

This year they have lost three straight and the last being to St. Bonaventure on Saturday. In that game they shot no free throws and went 7 minutes in the second half without a basket. St B. is 5-5 so not really a powerhouse.

Albany is very big and rugged but lacks the kind of athletic ability that Duke has. They don't seem to be turnover prone but that may change against Duke.

I'll list the main stat line for the players in the last game and you can draw your own conclusions.


Wilson F 6'8" 240# 4-11, 10p
Lillis F/G 6'5" 220# 5-8, 10p (7 assists)
Iati G 5'9" 175 4-12, 12p Likes the 3 pt shot)
Connelly F 6'8 225# 4-11, 8p
Covington C 6'7" 240# 1-1, 2
Martin G 6'5" 210# 2-6, 4 Freshman guard
Gifford C 6"11" 265# 2-2, 4p

There were a few other role players in the game but the top three listed are the key players for them and we need to guard them to throttle the offense.

[upstateny]

The story in Albany is that ESPN helped to arrange the game. Last season Albany had to go to Boise State for its Bracketbuster game, and made it there despite bad weather that would have easily allowed for them to bail. In gratitude for not messing up their programming for that particular 2 hour slot, ESPN agreed to get Albany a TV game for its early non-conference schedule. Should not be a competitive game, Albany is struggling without its backcourt from last 2 years.

[billybreen]

The story in Albany is that ESPN helped to arrange the game. Last season Albany had to go to Boise State for its Bracketbuster game, and made it there despite bad weather that would have easily allowed for them to bail. In gratitude for not messing up their programming for that particular 2 hour slot, ESPN agreed to get Albany a TV game for its early non-conference schedule. Should not be a competitive game, Albany is struggling without its backcourt from last 2 years.

Interesting.

I hope it's not close; I know how amused we all were with the close scrape UNC had with SUNY Binghamton during the Doherty era.

[burnspbesq]

Besides, Albany's not really that close to Syracuse (Paulus) - 150 miles. Though I would guess it's the nearest NCAA-I university other than Syracuse itself.

Colgate, Cornell, and Binghamton are all closer to Syracuse than Albany. In that part of the country, any road trip during basketball season can be a hairy experience. My senior year at Union College in Schenectady, I did basketball play-by-play for the college radio station. The trips to Williams and St. Lawrence to do games are anything but fond memories.

[mus074]

Interesting.

I hope it's not close; I know how amused we all were with the close scrape UNC had with SUNY Binghamton during the Doherty era.

Isn't the Stony Brook team that took Kentucky to late in the game also or formerly a SUNY college?

[jimsumner]

Duke will be coming off a long exam break.

Duke has a high-profile game at MSG later in the week.

Duke wants a tune-up before then. Albany is exactly what Duke wants, a team good enough to force Duke to shake off the cobwebs, not good enough to actually have a real chance to win.

[xaloc]

I actually have seen a lot of Albany, as I closely follow the America East (longtime BU season ticket holder and conference tourney attendee). The current crop of Great Danes is going to be completely outclassed athletically by our Devils. Somebody previously mentioned the graduation of Jamar Wilson--that guy could hang with us on an individual level, but there's nobody left who can claim that. The one guy I'd point people to is Lillis, who is really quite a unique player, especially for the America East. He's a remarkably good defender and is extremely long at the point (6'6"?). He's not a scorer, but a really fun player to watch. It should be noted that the coach is very crafty and might try to pull out some unique plays (see: Uconn game a couple of years ago where they almost won as a 16 seed). Anyway. While I'd like to see the America East make a decent showing, I think this might be a serious blowout.

jordi

ps the good AE teams? UMBC and maybe BU (their best player by far has missed the season but is just coming back).

[budwom]

And don't forget those Vermont Catamounts.
The Albanians are a bit feisty, but totally outclassed in this one.

[SilkyJ]

They could have played Cornell in Ithaca. You can drive from Ithaca to Syracuse in an hour in the snow late at night more than half to the winds; my recollection, it was almost always more than worth it.

wow. that doesn't sound safe at all.

If Duke does play at Albany, I expect the game would be at Pepsi Arena which is a rather large venue. It would be like playing Temple in the First Union Center or Davidson in the Charlotte Coliseum, i.e. not a true road game.

What?!? but that's not a true road game! why are you encouraging K to have all his road games at neutral courts?!

The story in Albany is that ESPN helped to arrange the game. Last season Albany had to go to Boise State for its Bracketbuster game, and made it there despite bad weather that would have easily allowed for them to bail. In gratitude for not messing up their programming for that particular 2 hour slot, ESPN agreed to get Albany a TV game for its early non-conference schedule. Should not be a competitive game, Albany is struggling without its backcourt from last 2 years.

very interesting story. is that in the papers up there or something?

[hc5duke]

Colgate, Cornell, and Binghamton are all closer to Syracuse than Albany. In that part of the country, any road trip during basketball season can be a hairy experience. My senior year at Union College in Schenectady, I did basketball play-by-play for the college radio station. The trips to Williams and St. Lawrence to do games are anything but fond memories.

Ah, I forgot about Cornell. Also, I just assumed the Patriot league (and Colgate) was D-II or D-III (apparently it's D-I?), because RPI doesn't field a D-I basketball team. As for Binghamton, for some reason I thought it was on Lon gIsland.

[upstateny]

I recall the story about ESPN's role in the scheduling in the Albany paper when word first came out about the game. Months ago at least.

[xaloc]

And don't forget those Vermont Catamounts.
The Albanians are a bit feisty, but totally outclassed in this one.

Eh, after losing Tripani to a transfer (and Holm, who either led the nation in rebounding or was very very close, and another starter whose name escapes me) I've sort of discounted them this year. Although I do recall seeing recently that Marqus Blakely, a former role player, has busted out.

I actually think the Tripani transfer is pretty interesting...last year he had a great game against BC (when VT beat them) and then he ups and transfers there. Does that mean if Albany somehow beats duke, one of their players will listening to k, wojo, et al in a couple of years?

[burnspbesq]

Ah, I forgot about Cornell. Also, I just assumed the Patriot league (and Colgate) was D-II or D-III (apparently it's D-I?), because RPI doesn't field a D-I basketball team. As for Binghamton, for some reason I thought it was on Lon gIsland.

The Real Troy High (that's actually one of the cleaner ways that Union people refer to RPI), like Union, St. Lawrence, and Clarkson, is D3 in everything except hockey, in which they play in the ECAC Division 1 hockey league along with Colgate, Quinnipac, and the six Ivies that play hockey.