Akron completes 2013 Diamond Head Classic field
The eight-team field for the 2013 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic is set. Akron was named this week as the eighth team for the field.
The other seven teams (Boise State, George Mason, Iowa State, Saint Mary’s, Oregon State, South Carolina and host school Hawai’i) were previously announced.
If you haven’t heard of Akron, that’s understandable. But the Zips have been one of the top mid-major programs in recent years. They won the Mid-American Conference and finished 26-7 overall last season, including an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Three of the top four players from that team are expected to return.
The 2013 field is certainly a notch below last year’s field that featured three Top 25 programs – Arizona, Miami and San Diego State. However, there are several upstart programs in the 2013 field, including Akron.
Former WAC member Boise State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last season, and is considered a legitimate contender in the competitive Mountain West Conference for 2013-14.
Iowa State advanced to the second round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, and head coach Fred Hoiberg made headlines recently when he signed a 10-year, $20 million contract to stay with the Cyclones.
If there is a marquee team in the 2013 field, it would probably be Saint Mary’s. The Gaels have won at least 25 games in each of the past six seasons, including a 28-7 record in 2012-13.
The pairings for the 2013 Diamond Head Classic will be announced later.
The 2013 Diamond Head Classic is scheduled for December 22, 23 and 25 at the Stan Sheriff Center. In 2012, 11 of the 12 games in the tournament were televised nationally on either ESPN2 or ESPNU.
Maybe this is the year UH MBB team finally wins the Diamond Head Classic!
Hopefully so. Should be competitive. No top ten teams, thus far.
😀
Pretty sweet line-up! Should be uber-competitive!
Hopefully the DHC won’t screw UH again by placing them on the toughest side of the bracket like last year’s.
Another quality field, but it does lacks a marquee, big name, program. The DHC did a great job of getting a Big 12 and PAC-12 team but wasnt able to their better programs.
Yes! This is a perfect oppurtunity for the Warriors. The only team that the Warriors are looking to have problems with is probably St. Mary’s. The Warriors would most likely end up in the Diamond Head Classic finals against them and it will be a very close game. Either win or loose in the championship game this would be great for the teams March Madness résumé for the selection committee. But I have confidence in the Warriors winning that game because of the departure of St. Mary’s senior Matthew Dellavedova. I have high standards for the UH team and let’s hope they don’t end up being a bust like last season.
Hawaii is the weakest team in the field. Iowa St. Is tough. St. Mary’s is always good. Akron is good. S. Carolina and Oregon St. Are from power conferences. Boise St. Made it to the NCAA. George Mason is good too. If UH plays Oregon St. In the first or second game maybe Predident Obama will make an appearance and watch the game because his brother in law is the Head Coach.
Akron isn’t that great. Their Senior “All-Star” Center Zeke Marshall is graduating. He was a hugest of their offense so I am predicting there is nothing to worry about. In addition to the loss of Zeke Marshall the Zips also don’t have a good recruiting class either.
For South Carolina they aren’t a threat either. Their best player LaSay Page has histories of injury. If he is injured the highest scorer on the team is Brenton Williams who averages exactly 11 points a game. Not to mention the Gamecocks came third to last place in a not so great SEC conference. South Carolina a team from a “power house conference” lost to Elon last year by 12 points and also lost to Missouri State (their record being 11-22) by 7 points in a overtime game. But the main problem the Warriors will have is the Gamecocks incoming freshman Sindarius Thornwell out of Oak Hill Academy, with a prospect grade of 88 on ESPN recruiting. They also got 2 other good recruits so the Gamecocks have a solid class. Possibly could be a loss for the Warriors.
Oregon State had a record of 14-18 last season, so most people think the Beavers are a decent team. But those 14 wins consist of very weak non conference games. Teams liken Niagara, Montana State, Portland State, Howard and a lot more. But they might be a struggle for the Warriors because of the 4 players who score double digits a game. But I believe the Warriors will be able to compete with that. The Warriors could have 4 players average double digits a game as well (Spearman, Stranhardinger, Nevels, Thomas and maybe even Fotu). If the Warriors are to go head to head against the Beavers it will be a close game but I think the Warriors will win. Not to mention the Beavers recruiting class isn’t so great either. Warriors just need to find a way for the Beavers to make sure Roberto Nelson doesn’t get hot from the field (averages 17.8 PPG)
Boise State is going to be a struggle as well. But the same as the Beavers they have the Broncos to have a heavy offensive weapon in Anthony Drmic who averages 17.7 PPG. The Warriors can compete with the high scoring Broncos team. The best recruit the Broncos got is a 2 star rated prospect so nothing to worry about new talent. I believe the Warriors if they play Boise State will have a really close game, but just as the same as if they play the Beavers they will come up with the win because of the new additions to the roster that will boost the Warriors scoring.
George Mason is nothing to be worried about. The only thing that George Mason accomplish last season is being runner up CBI Champions. George Mason only has one player who scores in double digits. That is Sherrod Wright who averages 16.6 PPG. As of right now George Mason has no recruits so that is a plus for the Warriors. Warriors fans shouldn’t be afraid of George Mason. They are a good team who, at time, find a way to win but as long as the Warriors execute they wouldn’t have a problem with George Mason.
Like what you said “St. Mary’s is always tough”. I definitely will have to agree with you on that one. But like I said Mathew Dellavedova won’t be returning so that is good news for the Warriors. But the reason for the Gaels being so good is their coaching staff. The Gaels and the Warriors talent will equal up next season. They have one good recruit coming in and Thomas has the same prospect grade as him. The Warriors gameplan this game, if they do play the Gaels, is to execute and out coach the other team. So I believe the Warriors can come up with the win. But it is obviously going to be a tough game.
Well I obviously failed on this one. I misread the article. I thought it said Iowa not Iowa State. Without a doubt now the Warriors aren’t going to win the Diamond Head Classic. Iowa State is just to good. They are great in non conference games. They have two 80+ recruits coming in ON TOP of the good talent they already have. Enough being said already, the Warriors are going to have a tough time with Iowa State. I am not ruling out a upset because it is still possible but chances are very low.
The Warriors can loose to anyone of these teams. But with execution and good coaching they can win most of these games. Every team is a threat except for the Akron Zips. I predict Hawaii and Iowa State in the championship but Iowa State being the winners. Every game the Warriors will play will be close. They just need to execute their game plan for every game and they would be safe.
Well I fail. I read over my stuff and said that South Carolina is a threat in the first sentence of the second paragraph. Sorry I meant that they would be a team that will be tough to play against for the Warriors.
And I use the term but way too many times, sorry for my repetitive writing