It's hard to believe the number one team is in town with such little hype. I have to work tonight otherwise I would be there just to see Okafor. Anyone going?
Does Rice ever play home games anywhere else than ****ty little Autry Court? I think it's a 'historic' place and all, but they're playing the number one team.
Jeff Van Gundy was there too.. Rice didn't lose too badly. Okafor wasn't that great to me. He just plays the game..but representin Bellaire!
No. It's always Autry. Their has been talk of building a new convocation center that would serve as the basketball facilities, auditorium for big speakers, and graduation in case of rainout...
Rice did play a few games back in the mid 90s at the Compaq Center. They were against Michigan and Minnesota. Actually Autry Court doesn't even have much history, but it's just old. Believe me, nobody at Rice is arguing against running a bulldozer over it tomorrow to make room for something better. It's not well liked by anyone. The problem is that unless some donor to the athletic department ponies up the $$, Rice is going to continue spending its funds on academic improvements, not on athletic facilities. The convocation center that Rockets104 talks about is in the long term university plans, though.
I guess I just can't undertand why a Division I basketball team can play in such a facility compared to much bigger universities. Here in Alabama, pretty much ALL of the alumni money is directed towards athletics. I've been in Autry Court a few times (I took a summer basketball course in '98) and I just recall it being very outdated. Going back to Alabama, there's a nearly identical structure on campus. Foster Auditorium (built in 1939) is only used for intramural sports and classes such as volleyball. It's a neat place to go and practice, but it's amazing that it still stands, even with asbestos tiles in the ceiling. It holds about the same as Autry Court (roughly 5400) and is designed pretty similar. It doesn't have a practice court, but does have a stage (I believe) and many classrooms. Yet, there are plans to renovate it. It's also where George Wallace stood in front of. I don't know why I even posted that, but I guess I just don't understand why Rice can't get money to update an ooooold arena, build up a basketball program, and generate money.
The basketball team doesn't have the tradition of the football team. Rice focuses its money on academics (and new buildings right now). Rice Stadium is really old, but it's from the football glory days. Reckling Park (baseball) is a gorgeous new facility, but note how it arose *after* the team became a national contender. The same may happen with Autry. I can say that more people are disappointed with Rice because of its appearance during visits by dignitaries than during basketball games. Heaven forbid it actually rain during graduation, because Autry for graduation would be like a high school event. Ugh. And Rice is not like other Div I-A schools. It's laughable to compare it to Alabama. I'll defer to another alum like bigtexx who may have more info than I do.
Was it really close? Rice already played Stanford or some other highly ranked team close earlier this year, right?
Rice and UH should both move their home games to the Aldine Campbell center. A much superior facility that might allow them the get the occasional sellout, something that never happens now.
Rice should have beat Stanford earlier this year. I went to that game. We lost by 4 points. We missed something like 12 free throws and led most of the game. I was sick.
Rice sold out the game versus UCONN. The Comicle got it wrong when they called it a "near sellout". Rice added some chairback seats at Autry that reduced the capacity to around 4500, which is what they got at the game. Believe me, Rice isn't going to sell out some gym that isn't even on campus. With an extremely sports-apathetic undergrad student body of 2800, I would imagine a grand total of 10 of those students might be willing to drive off campus to see a game.
speaking of...I saw Okafor today at the AMC Studio 30 off of Westheimer. sorry...no pictures. on a side note...Big Fish was great!
I remember a game vs #1 (I think) Kansas a few years back. They actually opened up the curtained off end and put in bleachers and the place was really packed. That wasn't so this time. I was surprised they didn't do that again.
