We’re back for more of Ask Al, where you, the students, get to ask Coach Al Walker any question you want. Send me an e-mail at chrisstrub@binghamton.edu to see your question in print.

Now that we’ve finally seen the America East conference schedule, what are your feelings toward the draw Binghamton got this year? Is there one game in particular you are really looking forward to, such as Albany’s “Big Purple Growl” on Feb. 3?

No, I’m just disappointed that we don’t have more home games in the second semester in conference season. That’s the most disappointing thing, it’s such a great opportunity, when we’re playing well for excitement on campus. I think there’s three, maybe four games on campus when the students are back in town … There’s an awful lot of games early when everybody’s gone.

The following question is from Nick Nunziato, sophomore financial engineering major: How do you feel about walk-ons? What is your attitude toward ambitious students who haven’t been recruited? And how could someone go about trying to play for the team?

We’ve had a couple guys walk on, Louie Karis was probably the most successful one; he did play just a little bit. Some of the guys who will contact me we’ll throw in the pickup games in September, and then the guys will give me some feedback on how they do. Last year, we had Jon Katz stick with us for like two weeks in practice, its awful hard for a walk-on because we make commitments to 12 or 13 scholarship players. A guy has to be a really strong, strong high school basketball player, and he has to have the skills to be competitive as a walk-on. We get half a dozen to a dozen every year who come by the first couple weeks in September, and I first ask them about their experiences, and if they haven’t had any high school basketball experiences, I let them know that this is a level that might be way too competitive. We put them in a few pickup games with the guys, [but] first I ask them to come down to the gym and watch the guys to see if they’re comfortable. It’s every year, we get about half a dozen guys who give it a try in a very informal, unofficial capacity.