Missouri not on the Jay’s schedule

It was funny, yesterday I was checking Basketball Travelers just because it is fun to see who is still looking for games, when I noticed that Missouri still had an opening.

Missouri-Mens
Type: Game
Dates: 11/14/2008 to 01/03/2009

Mizzou Basketball is looking for one game that can be played on any of the following date: Nov.26,28,30. Dec. 4,10,27 Jan. 3. Will consider any possibilities, including 2 for 1s, guarantees, or home and home starting either place. Please call to discuss any details.
Contact: Matt Zimmerman, 573-882-3463
zimmermanm@missouri.edu
Date Posted: 05/19/2008
Last Updated: 06/02/2008

So I decided to e-mail Mr. Zimmerman to see if the Jays were ever contacted or considered.

Mr. Zimmerman,

Has Missouri ever considered playing Creighton in a home and home series? I noticed on Basketball Travelers that Missouri was still trying to fill a game. As a fan, I think this would be a great local matchup with 2 great well known teams. With gas prices continuing to rise, a local series would be a good fit I would think. I was just curious if Creighton was ever an option or the two schools have ever discussed a home and home series.

I appreciate he took the time to reply, though sort of a roundabout answer. The same canned response that everyone seems to give about scheduling teams like Creighton.

We have talked to Creighton several times in the past few years about playing, while we were at UAB and here at Mizzou. Good people over there and always have a good team. A lot of factors go into scheduling, including distance and convenience. Matching up dates, having dates that fit the kind of game each school needs at that particular time, and how many “tough” games you already have on the schedule. Last year we played 7 high level opponents in the nonconference. Many others thought we were crazy for having that tough of an early schedule, but that is how we like to do it.

Thanks for your interest in it and maybe someday it will happen.

Sincerey,

Coach Zimmerman

So, no Missouri this year. Hard to tell if there was no room on the Jays schedule, or if they were doing the normal 2 for 1 thing or if there was really a conversation. But the bottom line is “Thanks, but no thanks.” I really thought the gas issue would be the selling point :) Looks like there is a conversation on the bluejaycafe that some others noticed this game being available as well that thought it would be a good matchup.  It will be interesting to see how the schedule finally shakes out. Maybe we’ll get to play Iowa Western Community College this year. As a season ticket holder with quite the increase in prices this year, I hope it is a better home schedule than last year. As much as I love watching the Jays and taking the family as our one constant family event, it is disappointing to watch games like North Carolina Central and Houston Baptist.

I wish the local Omaha newspaper would do a better job on keeping up on the scheduling issue, or even if Mr. Perrault would be pushing more to find out more and keep us up to date on scheduling, that would be great. At least thanks to him we know about the New Mexico possibility. The local paper can’t say anything about that. They don’t even cover the summer league basketball stuff going on. Oh well, at least the we get to look forward to summer ball. The schedule is out.