Three of the marquee games from college basketball’s opening weekend were scheduled outdoors on aircraft carriers. These games are scheduled right around Veterans Day and fittingly aim to honor the United States’ Armed Forces.
Of this season’s Carrier Classic games, one was canceled entirely, another was canceled at halftime and the third was rescheduled for two days later. In each case, the weather—excessive moisture on the court’s surface, in the case of the two canceled games—caused the change in plans.
Syracuse and San Diego State played outdoors on a sunny, windy afternoon in the only completed aircraft carrier game. No. 20 San Diego State, a team that averaged 71 points per game last season, shot 27 percent from the floor. To put that number in perspective, consider Division III UW-Oshkosh managed 35 percent shooting against Wisconsin in an exhibition game earlier this month.
The Aztecs made only one of their 18 three-point attempts and shot 14-of-33 (42 percent) from the free-throw line. It is entirely possible SDSU simply had an awful shooting day, but the conditions were brutal.
“You had to get to the basket,” Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said after the game. “That was the only way you were going to score. You weren't going to make any jump shots."
The Orange shot 44 percent, but it attempted just four three-point field goals.
Regardless of the weather conditions, Syracuse topped the Aztecs fair and square—both teams were in the same situation, after all.
However, there have been murmurs since the Orange’s win that the NCAA Selection Committee—the group of commissioners and athletic directors who create the March Madness bracket—won’t take the Syracuse’s win into account when March rolls around.
So, the 1-of-3 game completion rate could essentially be 0-of-3.
The NCAA has received heavy criticism for its handling of this season’s Carrier Classic, with many college hoops writers suggesting the games not be scheduled at all in the future.
While I think the NCAA was inept in its preparation, I strongly disagree with the idea the association should stop scheduling the novelty event.
It’s for the troops! These games serve as an appreciation for those serving in our Armed Forces, from the teams’ camouflage uniforms to the sections of seats saved for the troops based on that particular aircraft carrier. If you’ve watched one of these games—North Carolina and Michigan State played the first Carrier Classic matchup last season without any weather issues—you’ll see that the military members truly appreciate the gesture.
In my book, that alone is enough to continue scheduling this type of event.
From a college basketball standpoint, the games give the sport some early-season excitement it desperately needs. As popular as March Madness may be, there simply isn’t enough regular-season intrigue for the casual fan to regularly tune in until the season’s final four weeks.
But if the NCAA continues scheduling the Carrier Classic, it can’t flop the way it did this weekend.
It’s obvious the weather didn’t cooperate—the only appropriate course of action was to cancel or postpone the games. However, neither cancellation nor postponement should have been the primary alternative. I know a big part of this event’s intrigue is the outdoor aspect, but the NCAA needs to set up an indoor facility as its Plan B.
While the extra preparation to set up an alternative venue could be seen as a waste, it’s certainly not as wasteful as what happened this weekend, when players, coaches, fans and media members flew out to these military bases and couldn’t carry out the Armed Forces tribute. An indoor game isn’t as appealing as one played on a ship, but it’s better than no game at all. Michigan State and Connecticut played indoors at a military base in Germany, and that had similar success to last season’s Carrier Classic.
NCAA, you dropped the ball this weekend. Prepare an indoor facility in the future so this phenomenal event isn’t written off as a waste of time and effort.
Do you think future Carrier Classics should be scheduled? Have you had enough of the novelty games? Let Vince know at sports@dailycardinal.com
