BobcatAttack.com - For Fans of Ohio University Sports

Welcome Guest!
Create an Account

site search

about us

advertise with us

help

BobcatAttack.com Message Board

Ohio Basketball

Topic: This Basketball Season has great potential

Topic: This Basketball Season has great potential

Author

Message

Antonio Pierce
General User

Member Since: 10/13/2012
Post Count: 243

Status: Offline

This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/20/2013 6:34:01 AM

Every year I drag the family to our home games and the tournament in Cleveland. This year I would like to go to a few away games as well. Any recommendations on games to attend? I am interested in not only good basketball but also interesting venues.

Don't let one day define the rest of your life.

Eagle66
General User

Member Since: 3/13/2005
Post Count: 1,329

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/20/2013 8:49:24 AM

Antonio Pierce wrote:

I try to make a handful of road games every year. Living in Cleveland, its not as easy for me to get to a lot of games in Athens. I make sure I hit up the games @ Akron and Kent every year, and then usually get to one of the @ BG, Toledo or Buffalo games. Outside of the MAC, I've been to Memphis, Pittsburgh (Pitt and Robert Morris), the Vegas tournament, etc... Luckily, I have a wife who doesn't mind me using Ohio Basketball as an excuse to go somewhere. As far as this year, I already went to Columbus, and will probably be going to the games @ Oakland on 12/7. I'd like to get to the Asheville game, but don't think I'll be able to. Inside the MAC, I've been everywhere except NIU, WMU and CMU, but don't really have a favorite arena outside of the Convo.

The bbpassport.com site Ted posted a while back is pretty cool for looking at the venues as well. If you have any questions, let me know (on here or PM if you prefer).

OU_Country
General User

Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,370

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/20/2013 8:49:38 AM

Without stating the obvious too much... Athens? After going to a game at the Schott in Columbus, I really like OUr gameday experience even more. The ability to park a car, not paying $10-$20, buying a ticket, not $30+, is the biggest plus financially. Then add walking through Athens from good establishments before and after the game makes it a great experience.

If not there, based on the fact that I believe you're in Cleveland, I'd suggest the next two obvious, which are Kent/Akron. I've not personally been to either one, so I'll let others chime in there.

Past THAT, Savage Hall/Arena in Toledo is supposed to also be a great venue, and we already know they have good fans that support their teams. BGSU's Stroh Center isn't a bad trip either. It's not the greatest venue, but it's a good college town to visit for a game in my opinion.

I forgot to add, I've found Stadium Journey to be an interesting site. I think some of their reviews might need some updating, but it gives you some ideas.

Last Edited: 11/20/2013 8:55:23 AM by OU_Country

Bobcat110
General User

Member Since: 3/5/2005
Location: Mount Gilead, OH
Post Count: 712

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/20/2013 10:39:37 AM

The Richmond game interests me. Enjoyed visiting with their fans in Providence before Georgetown game. Similar program in stature. Could drive out on Saturday and back after the Sunday 1pm game or out on Friday and do weekend in DC or a Colonial Williamsburg visit.

Premium tickets are only $12 on Groupon

groupon.com/deals/gl-richmond-spiders-basketball

Last Edited: 11/20/2013 10:53:48 AM by Bobcat110

GoCats105
General User

Member Since: 1/31/2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Post Count: 7,452

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/20/2013 12:26:36 PM

I would only go to Akron just because it would be a great game between two great teams, not for the facilities. They are in definite need of an upgrade there.

Plan a weekend trip and hit up a road game out of conference. Those are always my favorite. Nashville was a blast last year for the Belmont game, even though the team forgot to show up.

OU_Country
General User

Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,370

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 9:27:15 AM

With these thoughts in mind, what would everyone call their favorite road trip in the MAC? I've not been to a bunch of places personally, but I'm curious.

Eagle66
General User

Member Since: 3/13/2005
Post Count: 1,329

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 10:32:19 AM

OU_Country wrote:

With these thoughts in mind, what would everyone call their favorite road trip in the MAC? I've not been to a bunch of places personally, but I'm curious.

Game-wise it would be the trip to Buffalo last year. Got to see DJ make history, hang out with Dmac and Ivo's dad, and listen to some smack talked back to the student section. The arena was OK, but didn't think it was anything special.

Arena wise, I'd like to go back to Savage now that its been remodeled.

OU_Country
General User

Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,370

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 10:48:12 AM

What about the areas around the UB Arena? Could you park and walk for the whole day fairly easily? I mean for lunch and beverages, and then to the game without having to move a car.

I agree on Savage. I was hoping for a weekend road game up there this year.

Recovering Journalist
General User

Member Since: 8/17/2010
Location: Cleveland, OH
Post Count: 1,852

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 10:53:18 AM

OU_Country wrote:

With these thoughts in mind, what would everyone call their favorite road trip in the MAC? I've not been to a bunch of places personally, but I'm curious.

I like Kent for convenience from Cleveland, relatively pleasant home fans and ease of getting decent seats. The MACC is pedestrian at best, but the work they've done on the town and campus is impressive. Lots of good dining and imbibing options.

I enjoy BGSU even though the campus makes me feel like I'm in an Alexander Solzhenitsyn novel. The town itself is nice, and their arena is like the world's best high school gym. It's tiny but provides a great fan experience.

Akron's good for atmosphere when the Cats are in town, and parking is easy, but the JAR is a torture chamber for fans. That track and railing somehow make your back feel even worse sitting on those bleachers.

Western is fun if you're a beer fan. Bell's brewery is well worth a visit.

My hatred of Fiami is personal, as I lived a quarter mile from Millet once upon a time. That venue sucks as much as the school it serves.

Those are all the MAC venues I have visited. I have a morbid curiosity about EMU, and a trip there would go nicely with a visit to Ann Arbor, which is a great town. I'd really like to get to Toledo and Buffalo at some point, and if BallS ever improves, I might do that horrible drive to Muncie.

bobcat695
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Parkersburg, WV
Post Count: 1,345

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 12:12:12 PM

Akron is my favorite MAC road trip for both basketball and football. The football stadium is really nice and we always win. The JAR is a dump, but Akron is our biggest basketball rivalry right now. It is easy to get in and out of and the teams really dislike each other. My favorite regular non-conference trip is Marshall for many of the same reasons.

I've been to a lot of road games for both sports and it's tough to pick a favorite. Penn St is probably the best football experience I've had on the road (Miami the day after Thanksgiving in 2006 is a close 2nd) and my all-time favorite hoops trip was OSU in 1994. The NCAA trips were great the past few years, but those large corporate venues are too sterile. I am glad I chose to go to St. Louis, and my all-time regret was not making the trip to UNC in 2002.

"You can't un-fist a fist pump." - Saul Phillips 1/24/15

The Optimist
General User

Member Since: 3/16/2007
Location: CLE
Post Count: 5,597

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 12:33:08 PM

The JAR is a dump and the atmosphere is terrible but as long as that is as heated of a rivalry as it has been the last decade that'll be the best road trip.

I have been to Akron, Kent, Eastern, Miami and Ball State for hoops. Really want to go to Toledo and Buffalo. Would like to see BG's arena but I picture the atmosphere there as soft as that BG grad who wrote to the Post complaining about the O Zone.

Ohio's atmosphere is miles ahead of the rest of the MAC in men's hoops. There are other programs with arenas as nice as the Convo and teams near our level many years but no one is in the same ballpark for atmosphere.

The MAC Tourney in Cleveland is the exception to that. The atmosphere there is great. Ohio's crowd last year was a sight to see and with the local teams (Akron and Kent) in the semis as well that was a perfect situation.

On the topic, got a call from an Akron ticket rep about Ohio tickets. Ohio fans made up a pretty impressive % for our game there last year. I fully intend on pushing everyone I know to go to that game this year. Pretty confident we could fill that place up to near 50% Ohio fans and completely embarrass the Zips fanbase.

I've seen crazier things happen.

OU_Country
General User

Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,370

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 2:34:07 PM

The Optimist wrote:

The JAR is a dump and the atmosphere is terrible but as long as that is as heated of a rivalry as it has been the last decade that'll be the best road trip.

I went to the Stroh Center with fellow poster Bleed Green & White for the inaugural conference game there vs. Ohio. Students weren't on campus, so the turnout was not good. The venue itself, while shiny and nice, is just okay. The main entry and concourse are outstanding, but the remainder of the arena is a bit bland. Part of the blandness to me are the dark brown seats. If they ever got a decent team up there, I could see it being an absolute pit for opponents to come into though. The nice thing about BG to me was the selection of college town bars to choose from for lunch. I'd recommend a trip there when the Bobcats play there.

MAC Venues I'd like to see for the sake of the venue include EMU, Ball State, Western and Toledo. I'd love to go to Kent because I've heard good things about the campus and the area. Miami is a good visit for me because I have family there, but the venue is simply dreadful.

As a side note, I also was contacted by an Akron ticket person last year. He touted the JAR as "the best arena in the MAC". I laughed, and said, "I'm not so sure about that." Delusional Zippies.

OakStreet
General User

Member Since: 3/28/2012
Location: Bloomington, IN
Post Count: 138

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 2:56:27 PM

I'm headed to the game at UNC-Asheville on Jan. 4, weather and roads permitting. Fun city to visit and I got great tickets and a nice hotel at a good price. Anybody else going to Asheville?

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,878

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 3:27:10 PM

I went to the Kent game last year and although I hate everything about the MAC Center, I really enjoy being around the campus. All of the new development is quite impressive and probably very attractive to prospective students. Plus, the X-wing restaurant is a good place for the novelty.

Believe it or not, the best collection of college bars in the MAC is not in Athens, but rather, Bowling Green. I have never been to a game of any kind at BG, but the quantity and variety of pre and postgame spots in uptown BG should make it worth the trip.

The only thing I really enjoy about a trip to Miami is Steinkeller, a German-style basement bar. Think the shootout scene in Inglourious Basterds.

I have twice taken the drive from Cincinnati to Muncie and I got lost both times before I even made it to town. Once there, not much of an uptown area or basketball atmosphere to make up for it.

mf279801
General User

Member Since: 8/6/2010
Location: Newark, DE
Post Count: 2,473

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 3:57:38 PM

OU_Country wrote:

No, not as such. UB's arena is on the North Campus, and is pretty well cut off from any sort of off campus bar/restaurant. Way too far to walk. That being said, parking is normally abundant and its easy to drive to campus and park after having gotten food/drink. I'd recommend a meal at Duffs followed by a pregame drink or two at Jack's Place. Its not much to look at, and I've actually only been there once, but the beer was cold and it was convenient to the arena.

If you've got a little more time, I'd recommend eating at Pearl Street Brewery or the Anchor Bar. Both are down town, so probably about 25 minutes from UB, but they're kinda/sorta on the way if you're driving in from Ohio.

Mike Bundt WHIZ
General User

Member Since: 12/11/2010
Location: West Seneca, NY
Post Count: 274

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 4:09:57 PM

mf279801 wrote:

OU_Country wrote:

This is spot on. There's really nothing on UB's campus that's great for food or walking distance but if you want to go 10-20 minutes out of your way, there's a bunch of good places.

The original Duff's is a hot spot and there's a bunch of chain restaurants on Niagara Falls Boulevard and the Galleria Mall which are both within 10 minute drives of UB's campus.

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,878

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 4:26:42 PM

I've been to the Buffalo area a few times before. It's worth noting that there are two UB campuses in the area, and all of the athletics facilities are on of the campuses. I don't remember seeing anything that resembled a college uptown area. Still, Buffalo ain't a bad trip. Of course you have Niagara Falls and casinos on both sides. The downtown area is quite clean and easily-navigated with plenty of interesting restaurants.

The Optimist
General User

Member Since: 3/16/2007
Location: CLE
Post Count: 5,597

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 6:03:46 PM

Niagara University was on my list of schools. I was a bit turned off when I watched them do WT/LT on my college visit.

I've seen crazier things happen.

RSBobcat
General User

Member Since: 8/22/2010
Location: Columbus, OH
Post Count: 4,437

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/21/2013 10:25:52 PM

Love going to Pittsburgh. Bobby Mo,Pitt (except for the losing part). A Great town to visit and not that far away. Can always find a good hotel room at reasonable price. Lot's of good eats. Easy scenic drive to/fro (from Columbus). Would love to see us schedule there again - Duquesne?

The new Savage Hall is nice - lot better than Stroh Center. Millet is a dungeon. Worthen reminds me a bit of the Convo - but was so vacant last time there. I like going to the Jar - feels like a great H.S. game.

Would like to make to the Michigan directionals sometime.

St Louis atmosphere was great - but basketball should not be played in football arenas!

RS Bobcat

OU_Country
General User

Member Since: 12/6/2005
Location: On the road between Athens and Madison County
Post Count: 8,370

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/22/2013 9:04:25 AM

RSBobcat wrote:

Would like to make to the Michigan directionals sometime.

St Louis atmosphere was great - but basketball should not be played in football arenas!

I have a buddy who is a Duquesne grad, who talks about getting to a basketball game there, and perhaps at Robert Morris or Pitt in a weekend. While I have disdain for the Steelers, I love visiting Pittsburgh.

I agree the Schott sucks -- unless you're in the Club level. As for the Michigans, I have zero desire to go up to Mt. Pleasant, but I would like to see Western's barn.

Eagle66
General User

Member Since: 3/13/2005
Post Count: 1,329

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/22/2013 9:14:39 AM

OU_Country wrote:

MAC Venues I'd like to see for the sake of the venue include EMU, Ball State, Western and Toledo. I'd love to go to Kent because I've heard good things about the campus and the area. Miami is a good visit for me because I have family there, but the venue is simply dreadful.

I'd agree with what was already said for UB, I drove in after work and home right after the game since it was a week night, so I didn't spend much time looking though.

EMU was interesting on my first trip up there. I think for 4 of us it was cheaper per person to buy the group pack of 10 tickets, and we still were row 2 behind the bench. I like the way EMU's Basketball and football Stadium are configured. The lobby of their Convocation center has large glass windows that open to the football stadium. They also had a second level balcony so you could watch the football game from inside. I don;t really remember there being anything directly around the arena to walk to an eat, but the parking was free for both basketball and football, so driving a short distance would provide some options. If they are playing better I'd like to go back to EMU this year and see how it is with more than 1000 fans and 20 students.

I went to Anderson and Stroh in BG and do like their set up. I like Worthen at Ball State. Went to a good bar before the game on Borna's suggestion, but can't remember the name. I'd agree with whats already been said about the mausoleum in Oxford, Akron and Kent as well.

The wife and I are going to visit friends in Chicago the weekend of 1/18, so I'm going to make sure I make my way to Dekalb for the game that weekend too.

mcbin
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Columbus, OH
Post Count: 951

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/22/2013 11:28:54 PM

OU_Country wrote:

With these thoughts in mind, what would everyone call their favorite road trip in the MAC? I've not been to a bunch of places personally, but I'm curious.

my .02.. Pretty much any road trip where you have to stay overnight is better than those where you do the up and back. How the team is doing though makes it more exciting to me. So roadies to Nashville/STL/Akron/Kent are at the top of my list.

Other thoughts.
Delaware was fun, and Devaughn was a man possessed in the land of Joe Flacco.
BGSU's old place was worse than a high school. Their new place is a nice high school gym. Nothing impressive either way, and we still can't seem to win with consistency there.
Eastern Kentucky has the coolest arena from an odd perspective. It has a wooden roof, sort of, and is pretty amazing looking. I think the women's team plays there tomorrow(or did today). Too bad we lost when I went there.
BSU is not bad, but very standard.
NIU is decent too, but also sterile.
Buffalo & Akron have the best attempts at student sections. Both about 25% as good as the O Zone. And a couple of us on our trip to UB got food poisoning at Jack Astor's, so screw that place.
Western Michigan isn't anything special, but they do roast their own almonds in-house. That's a must have.
Miami is terrible, nothing impressive.
Kent/Akron have high schoolish gyms. But the competition/games are typically good/fun. At least Akron has Chik-fil-a.
Haven't made to Central for hoops yet. I doubt I'm missing much.

Recovering Journalist wrote:

Those are all the MAC venues I have visited. I have a morbid curiosity about EMU, and a trip there would go nicely with a visit to Ann Arbor, which is a great town. I'd really like to get to Toledo and Buffalo at some point, and if BallS ever improves, I might do that horrible drive to Muncie.

EMU's arena is very nice. I'd say maybe top 2/3 after the Convo. Has luxury boxes and all that. Free programs too. Still nobody comes. But the location, next to Ann Arbor, is very nice. Tons of places around there to imbibe. And the UM crowd isn't like the tOSU crowd if that is what you are expecting.

The Optimist wrote:

The JAR is a dump and the atmosphere is terrible but as long as that is as heated of a rivalry as it has been the last decade that'll be the best road trip.

I have been to Akron, Kent, Eastern, Miami and Ball State for hoops. Really want to go to Toledo and Buffalo. Would like to see BG's arena but I picture the atmosphere there as soft as that BG grad who wrote to the Post complaining about the O Zone.

Ohio's atmosphere is miles ahead of the rest of the MAC in men's hoops. There are other programs with arenas as nice as the Convo and teams near our level many years but no one is in the same ballpark for atmosphere.

The MAC Tourney in Cleveland is the exception to that. The atmosphere there is great. Ohio's crowd last year was a sight to see and with the local teams (Akron and Kent) in the semis as well that was a perfect situation.

Agree the JAR stinks. But the games are the best so I give it my nod for #1 MAC road trip, for the competition & hate. Agree 1000% on the Convo. You're spoiled if you've gone nowhere else in the MAC. You'll quit whining about pretty much everything after taking a couple MAC roadies. Everyone else in the MAC dreams of Ohio when it comes to attendance, atmosphere, student section, etc. We've got it best. Our season ticket base beats almost every other average attendance number.

OakStreet wrote:

I'm headed to the game at UNC-Asheville on Jan. 4, weather and roads permitting. Fun city to visit and I got great tickets and a nice hotel at a good price. Anybody else going to Asheville?

We're going to Asheville & Oakland. Asheville is a great downtown, lot of fun to be had. Can't wait. I didn't make that call until recently when I was sure Ohio Football wouldn't be bowling, and thus no overlap with GoDaddy bowl. But glad it will work out.

RSBobcat wrote:

The Shott sucks. UD Arena is a great experience. Nutter Center no so much. Love going to Louisville - Freedom Hall was classic - the new YUM Center is very nice - great middle of downtown locations w/surprisingly easy in & out. Henderson not so great - always on edge in Huntington (but kinda like it). Cintas Center just OK.

Would like to make to the Michigan directionals sometime.

St Louis atmosphere was great - but basketball should not be played in football arenas!

Agree with almost everything RSBobcat said here. Schott is too big for hoops. Probaly 50% decent seats, and the rest.... well that's why it didn't sell out in a 1,000,000+ city I suppose. Nutter Center is nothing special. Louisville, YUM center was rocking, and the Freedom Hall was pretty cool. Cintas Center was blah imo. STL was super exciting because of the situation, but boy was it cavernous and an awful setting for hoops. Nashville is the best city to play in, and conveniently we've gotten to play there two times now.

Last Edited: 11/22/2013 11:30:04 PM by mcbin

mf279801
General User

Member Since: 8/6/2010
Location: Newark, DE
Post Count: 2,473

Status: Offline

RE: This Basketball Season has great potential

Posted: 11/27/2013 12:03:10 PM

Sorry to reopen this thread, but I wanted to add "the brick house" to buffalocatfans recommendation of places on maple, and specifically recommend it to him: good tap list, a lot of tv's on the walls. I wouldn't come up from the south towns specifically for it, but if you need someplace near ub for a beer and some games it seemed nice

Showing Replies:	1 - 23 of 23 Posts
Jump to Page:	1

View Other 'Ohio Basketball' Topics

There are 287 Active Visitors on BobcatAttack.com

286 Guests
1 Registered User:
	Deciduous Forest Cat

There are no other users looking at this page.