D3 Hoops Bucket List

[Gregory Sager]

In the baseball world, some people's bucket list would be to attend a game in every ballpark. Obviously that would probably be impossible in our D3 basketball world, but how many gyms have some our well-traveled  posters been to?

I have been to quite a few gyms threw playing and then recently when I go somewhere new I like to stop at close D3 schools and check out their campus and gym specifically. Unfortunately, I have seen a limited amount of live games at these gyms, but I did see Springfield take on Salisbury this year at the Naismith Classic, with Nichols vs Eastern CT afterwards. Very fun to take that game in and see some great teams/talent from a region I follow more with a birds eye view. Located in Minneapolis it is too hard to reasonably travel to non-MIAC/UMAC games. That is where I am envious of the densely populated east coast!

You're not far at all from River Falls, though. It's 45 minutes from downtown Minneapolis to River Falls via I-90 and WI-35. Ever take in a game at the Karges Center? You potentially have the chance to see every WIAC team live each season.

[Smitty Oom]

In the baseball world, some people's bucket list would be to attend a game in every ballpark. Obviously that would probably be impossible in our D3 basketball world, but how many gyms have some our well-traveled  posters been to?

I have been to quite a few gyms threw playing and then recently when I go somewhere new I like to stop at close D3 schools and check out their campus and gym specifically. Unfortunately, I have seen a limited amount of live games at these gyms, but I did see Springfield take on Salisbury this year at the Naismith Classic, with Nichols vs Eastern CT afterwards. Very fun to take that game in and see some great teams/talent from a region I follow more with a birds eye view. Located in Minneapolis it is too hard to reasonably travel to non-MIAC/UMAC games. That is where I am envious of the densely populated east coast!

You're not far at all from River Falls, though. It's 45 minutes from downtown Minneapolis to River Falls via I-90 and WI-35. Ever take in a game at the Karges Center? You potentially have the chance to see every WIAC team live each season.

I did go there to watch Bethel play UW-RF in the first round of the NCAA tourney in 2016-17 tourney. The hosting UWRF beat a very good Bethel team in overtime, but lost to Wartburg later that weekend. The Falcons didn't quite have the legs under them after the emotional high of the Bethel win.

That was before their new renovations though, so no I have not seen the new gym. I should make more of an effort to see some good WIAC teams over there. Would be nice if the Falcons were a top 25 relevant team themselves though (this excuse is only good for this year, last couple years they have been solid).

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I think a proper D3 Bucket List would have to include a Grinnell game or in a pinch maybe Greenville. Also you have to keep track of the stats manually

I got to see Grinnell play at Grinnell when John Grotberg and (current coach) David Arseneault Jr were on the court - In my opinion, the best Grinnell team they've had.  It was a lot of fun.

I agree. And don't forget about Bobby Long. Those three really made that team very talented. It wasn't just a hackfest, helter skeltor-type system. It was a joy to watch them. I saw that version several times.

They also had a 6'6" guy with long arms playing the back end of the press - he was quick enough to prevent most open layups and made a ton of steals.  It was a very formidable team.  I think if they'd made some of the adjustments Little A has now made as coach, they could've been really dangerous for a lot of teams.

[Pat Coleman]

Recommendations for other peoples' bucket lists based on things I've already done:

A Friday night Wash U at NYU game. This has to wait for their new gym, now, but at the Coles Center this was definitely destination basketball. The Sunday UAA games don't have the same atmosphere as the Friday night ones.

A Saturday WIAC game at UW-Stevens Point. Great crowds, good noise, pick a competitive game.

I've seen a bunch of other great things but they have fallen by the wayside as rivalries have gotten non-competitive.

... and based on things I want to do:

A Pomona-Pitzer-Claremont-Mudd-Scripps game. Not sure with the new arena situation where this is better to see now, so we'll see.

A Whitman-Whitworth game. Nuff said.

The American Southwest Conference tournament and the ODAC tournament. Love these four-games-on-Thursday setups.

[Ralph Turner]

In the baseball world, some people's bucket list would be to attend a game in every ballpark. Obviously that would probably be impossible in our D3 basketball world, but how many gyms have some our well-traveled  posters been to?

I will take the ASC gyms and others in which I have seen a game (not just been to...)

I have also seen a game at LaGrange. 

Here are the ASC gyms. (Austin College and University of Dallas were ASC).

McMurry
HSU
HPU -  The Brownwood (Mausoleum) Coliseum (including Hope vs HPU in the Women's Elite 8 in 2008. Two other posters were there, but I will maintain their confidentiality to protect the innocent).
Mississippi College, back in the day.
UT-Dallas
University of Dallas
Austin College
UT-Tyler
LeTourneau
Concordia TX

and...drum roll please...

the piece de resistance...

The Gallego Center on the campus of Sul Ross State University in Alpine Texas (Elevation 4,475 feet).

[ronk]

 Once upon a time, i.e., when I was in college, a Kings-Scranton game would have been a top 10 rivalry game. In the 70 years since it started, there's been 128 games, even though for 35 of those years they weren't in the same conference and 4 years(2008-11) of not playing because of bad feelings about Scranton leaving the MAC-Freedom for the new Landmark. Scranton played at the CYC(capacity-4000) and it was filled for the Kings' game. This is ~ 25% more than the combined enrollment then for the 2 schools. We did have significant student support for this game from our sister colleges(Misericordia & Marywood), which were all-women at the time.
  When Scranton opened the Long Center(capacity-2800) in 1969, hundreds(including 50 Scranton riot police) were turned away at the door for lack of room. In addition, Kings had a student tradition that some of them(~ 30) would walk from Kings to the game(18 miles), a daunting task in the middle of a northeast PA winter. A huge celebration would break out when they would stagger into the gym some time during the frosh game.
  Alas, intersession and student obsession with academics along with playing the game in the fall semester time period have considerably lessened the rivalry aspect the last 10 years. It's been a fond memory.

[Greek Tragedy]

Recommendations for other peoples' bucket lists based on things I've already done:

A Friday night Wash U at NYU game. This has to wait for their new gym, now, but at the Coles Center this was definitely destination basketball. The Sunday UAA games don't have the same atmosphere as the Friday night ones.

A Saturday WIAC game at UW-Stevens Point. Great crowds, good noise, pick a competitive game.

I've seen a bunch of other great things but they have fallen by the wayside as rivalries have gotten non-competitive.

... and based on things I want to do:

A Pomona-Pitzer-Claremont-Mudd-Scripps game. Not sure with the new arena situation where this is better to see now, so we'll see.

A Whitman-Whitworth game. Nuff said.

The American Southwest Conference tournament and the ODAC tournament. Love these four-games-on-Thursday setups.

I agree. It would be cool to set up camp for 4 days and just watch basketball. Reminds me when I was a kid and Point was in the NAIA tourneys and we'd go down to KC.

Off the top of my head I was trying to figure out how many gyms I've seen a game at, I'm at about 25. I don't think that's too bad since I don't have the advantage of ever being a player/coach/staff member.

[ronk]

I've got 27 gyms(8 as a player), 2 Final 4s(Albright-'76, Virginia Wesleyan-2005), 12 NCAA tourney sites, 3(Williams, Bowdoin, Washington College) more from the outside while passing thru on summer vacation and 2 more for a dance(Misericordia, Marywood) when they were all-women colleges.

[Gregory Sager]

I've got 22 D3 gyms in five states, three Final Fours (Rock Island in '80, Grand Rapids in '85 and '87), and more D3 tourney games than I can remember.

I've also been in three gyms (Concordia WI, Olivet, and Anderson) where I didn't see a game, because I was on campus to do PBP for a football game.

[Smitty Oom]

I have been to 27 total d3 gyms! In addition to that I have been to the Salem civic center for a final four weekend and also watched a d3 game at US Bank Stadium (where the MN vikings play). Not a bad resume for now. Kind of a shame/embarrassing I haven't seen a Bethany Lutheran or any Iowa school gyms and just two WI school gyms. Add in a 2017 first weekend pod at UWRF and a 2018 first weekend pod at SJU!
   
PLAYED IN... 19 total
        11 MIAC gyms
   UW-Superior
   NWU
   Crown
   UM-Morris
   North Central
   St. Scholastica
   Northwestern
   Roanoke
        Salem Civic Center*

WATCHED A GAME IN (and not play in)... 3 total
   UW-RF
   St. Kates (Women only)
   Springfield
   US Bank Stadium*
   Salem Civic Center*

JUST TOURED.... 5 total
   Colorado College
   Tufts
   Pacific Lutheran
   Puget Sound
   Emerson (doors locked, only peered through window)

* do not count as D3 gyms

[Smitty Oom]

Recommendations for other peoples' bucket lists based on things I've already done:

A Friday night Wash U at NYU game. This has to wait for their new gym, now, but at the Coles Center this was definitely destination basketball. The Sunday UAA games don't have the same atmosphere as the Friday night ones.

A Saturday WIAC game at UW-Stevens Point. Great crowds, good noise, pick a competitive game.

I've seen a bunch of other great things but they have fallen by the wayside as rivalries have gotten non-competitive.

... and based on things I want to do:

A Pomona-Pitzer-Claremont-Mudd-Scripps game. Not sure with the new arena situation where this is better to see now, so we'll see.

A Whitman-Whitworth game. Nuff said.

The American Southwest Conference tournament and the ODAC tournament. Love these four-games-on-Thursday setups.

All great things, Pat. Personally, I have fallen in love with WashU the past couple years so I would love to see a Maroons-Bears or Eagles-Bears game at the Field House for a UAA matchup.

Agree with the large full conference tournament of the ODAC and ASC with games at a neutral site. Personally would love to see the 11 team MIAC transition to that eventually, but not ever expecting it.

[augie77]

I've seen games on 21 campuses in eight states (some arenas have been replaced since the 1970s):

9 CCIW gyms
Albright College
Calvin
Hope
Albion
Olivet
Alma
Coe
UW-Platteville
UW-Eau Claire
Louisiana College
Otterbein
Rhodes

Eight additional gyms (no game) include Knox, Monmouth, MacMurray, Cornell, Washington U, Bluffton, Northwestern, St. Marys of Indiana (women)

[sac]

I mentioned this to Dave over the weekend.  Wittenberg/Wooster is a good one to see, I enjoyed being a neutral there.  Honestly though I think if you pick the two best teams in just about any conference and go watch them play you'll get a great atmosphere.

Good tip, best time for an "outsider" to see a Hope/Calvin game is in the MIAA Tournament.  It hasn't sold out in awhile.


I've been in 14 gyms in the MIAA alone.  That's not bad for an 8 team conference.    
25 overall I think, 27 if we're counting women's games as well (BW, IWU).  But multiple trips to places like Witt, Augustana, Wheaton, Carthage, UWSP.

[Greek Tragedy]

I think a qualifier has to be that you watch a men's basketball game, considering this is a men's basketball board. I would accept a non-D3 basketball game, like a lot of WIAC teams have played Viterbo in the past and the MIAA teams seem to play a handful of non-D3 teams. Simply "touring a facility" shouldn't count, not that we are actually keeping count.

[Greek Tragedy]

Good to know sac. I think we all just assumed Hope v Calvin was always sold out!