Ralph Baer writes:
>Perhaps, this is a case of the main campus of a state university
>(Amherst) not wanting to play and probably lose to another branch
>(Lowell).  However, with UMass-Amherst scheduled to join HE in 1994,
>this also does not make sense as in the future they will be playing
>several times a year.
 
Yes, that's why I don't think this was a factor (not wanting to play
Lowell), although it is strange that UMass will be playing Merrimack
twice but will face no other HE team in 93-94.  It seems that they're
setting themselves up for a real baptism by fire in 94-95.  Yet, it's
not an easy situation - UMass will be young, so they won't want to
schedule too many probable losses...Merrimack coach Ron Anderson has
said, for example, that "the atmosphere around the locker room is much
better after a win, whether it's over a league opponent or not"
(paraphrased), so when you're trying to build a team and maintain
morale, it makes sense to schedule some games you think you'll
probably win.  But this leads to the question of how well-prepared
UMass will be when it comes time to play 24 HE games in 94-95.  I
guess we'll have to wait and see.
 
However, I'm wondering - was UMass EVER scheduled to play in the RPI
Inv?  Lowell was apparently always scheduled, and maybe the Times
Union (which apparently published some of the info Jayson drew from)
was confused in thinking both UMass and Lowell would appear.  Later,
we learned that the tourney wasn't on UMass's schedule while it was
still on Lowell's (and the HE composite), so maybe UMass never really
planned to play in it (and thus never "withdrew").  Possibly they were
just rumored to be taking part but it never came about.  Anyone know?
---
Mike Machnik           [log in to unmask]    [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                  *HMN* 11/13/93