MU in 2015 Legends Classic

[barfolomew]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25082865/lsu-arizona-state-marquette-and-nc-state-to-headline-2015-legends-classic

[4everwarriors]

AKA Stew Morrill Classic, ai na?

[MUMountin]

Seems like an appropriate field in terms of difficulty for us next year.  Winnable, but all decent programs.

[wadesworld]

AKA Stew Morrill Classic, ai na?

Well done.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

LSU will probably be the heavy favorite to win, assuming their current stars don't bolt for the Association.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Well done.

Priceless 4ever!

[chapman]

Interesting, three of the recent teams we've scheduled home and homes with.  Just throw in Ohio State and Vanderbilt.

[GooooMarquette]

AKA Stew Morrill Classic, ai na?

Hope this doesn't mean we have to lose the opening round game next time we make it to the Dance....

[Dawson Rental]

For those like myself who aren't up on arena locations:

"Barclays Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York."

[Class71]

AKA Stew Morrill Classic, ai na?

Please define the word ai na.

[Dawson Rental]

Please define the word ai na.

Please mods, don't ban him.  He didn't know what he was doing.

[Sir Lawrence]

Please define the word ai na.

It's two words, or rather abbreviations

AI:  an abbreviation for artificial intelligence
NA:  an abbreviation for natrium.  Latin for sodium. 

It's short hand for salt substitute.   
Or farm German for "isn't that so?"

[brewcity77]

On topic, I like this tournament. It will guarantee four games, including two home games. That gives us 13 non-con games, unlike the 12 this year. Love to see the Ellenson/Simmons matchup.

[brandx]

LSU will probably be the heavy favorite to win, assuming their current stars don't bolt for the Association.

Probably a Top 10 team if they stay - but that's a pretty big if.

[MU82]

This would be a fun one to go to. Maybe I'll finally make it to one of these Thanksgiving week events.

[ChicosBailBonds]

t-shirts on Sale....get them while they are hot

http://usustatesman.com/stew-immortalized-usu-hurd-makes-shirts-to-remember-the-legend/

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

This would be a fun one to go to. Maybe I'll finally make it to one of these Thanksgiving week events.

I might have to take the train down to see Marquette and to check out the Barclay's Center.  I've only driven by it.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I might have to take the train down to see Marquette and to check out the Barclay's Center.  I've only driven by it.

It's nice, but small.  Good for basketball.

[WarriorInNYC]

Yeah, I think the Barclays Center looks terrible on the outside, but its a beautiful arena inside.  I've been for a Nets preseason game a couple of years ago when it first opened.

Its also really easy to get to.  The subway stop there services a great deal of lines as well as the LIRR.

[79Warrior]

It's nice, but small.  Good for basketball.

If almost 18k capacity for basketball is small then you are right.

I think it  is a great venue for hoops, excellent sightlines.

[The Equalizer]

If almost 18k capacity for basketball is small then you are right.

According to Wikipedia, 17,732 is the 2rd smallest in the NBA when you include standing room.  Only Sacramento is smaller.

[ChicosBailBonds]

If almost 18k capacity for basketball is small then you are right.

I think it  is a great venue for hoops, excellent sightlines.

Compared to most NBA arenas, it is small.  For hockey (the Isles play there next year), I believe it will be 15.5K or something.

[Jay Bee]

On topic, I like this tournament. It will guarantee four games, including two home games. That gives us 13 non-con games, unlike the 12 this year. Love to see the Ellenson/Simmons matchup.

It doesn't guarantee it, aina'l? Those two "prelim dates" need to be scheduled... but if for whatever reason, say only one worked out... SOL.

[T-Bone]

t-shirts on Sale....get them while they are hot

[brewcity77]

It doesn't guarantee it, right'l? Those two "prelim dates" need to be scheduled... but if for whatever reason, say only one worked out... SOL.

Probably true, but from what I've seen the Legends has been good about getting those games scheduled. Here's a look at those teams from the past, with the RPI of teams in parentheses:
.

• 2014: Toledo (74), Bucknell (140), Maryland-Eastern Shore (195), Detroit (196)
  
• 2013: South Dakota State (143), Lehigh (236), Texas Southern (239), Howard (323)
  
• 2012: Southern Miss (27), North Dakota St (75), UC-Irvine (136), James Madison (169), Youngstown St (190), Sam Houston St (223), Duquesne (231), Liberty (290)
  
• 2011: Cleveland St (85), Princeton (86), Bucknell (89), Morehead St (166), Boston University (190), Rhode Island (257), Hofstra (263), Western Alabama (D2)
  
• 2010: Detroit (143), Western Carolina (171), Albany (216), Mercer (221), William & Mary (228), Bowling Green (245), Gardner-Webb (263), Niagara (288)

.
Over the past 5 years, every high-major team that has played in the Legends has played 2 home games against the above teams. They changed the format in 2013 so you it was more round-robin between the HM and LM teams, but they have done a good job of picking teams. Of the 32 non-marquee teams to play in the tournament, only one has been a non-D1 school and only one has been a sub-300 RPI team.

17 of those 32 teams have finished as top-200 RPI teams. In general, they are going to try to get you two pretty good games. I would be absolutely stunned if Marquette didn't get four games out of this, as mentioned, they would be the first team in 6 years and maybe even the history of the tournament to not get 4 games (I only went back to 2010).

The Legends Classic wiki page does say "every team is guaranteed four games." Not sure who provided that info or if it is accurate, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Legends only allowed low-major teams into their field that could accommodate the dates available for their high-major teams.