2016-2017 College Basketball Thread

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

American Athletic Conference discussing Wichita State, other expansion options, according to report - Mid-Major Madness

Apparently, the American (AAC) thinking about expanding to a non-football school since Navy doesn't play in the league except for football, one more team would be ideal. Wichita State looks like it might be the team to make the move.

Thought the commissioner of that league came out a few days later and said "we are not looking to expand to any non-football schools at this time" basically shutting that down.

[Young Drachma]

He said "multiple non-football schools" which seemed to leave the door open for one. They need one, because they only have 11 basketball schools right now.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Excited about some things we're seeing with Mizzou.

Michael Porter Jr. accepted his national POY award today. Stated that he's not received a release of his LOI yet, but the amazing part is that he hasn't even heard from the new Washington coach yet. How is that not priority #1 with that coach?

Rumors swirling out of the Orlando area that Penny Hardaway is being considered as an assistant. Would love to see him on the staff to develop a pipeline out of Memphis. His HS team in Memphis has won two state championships.

Also sounds like Tilmon is getting a lot of pressure to hop out of his Illinois LOI regardless of whether Walker ends up at Illinois or Missouri. It'll be interesting to see if Cuonzo can pull some strings in East St. Louis to make that move happen.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Excited about some things we're seeing with Mizzou.

Michael Porter Jr. accepted his national POY award today. Stated that he's not received a release of his LOI yet, but the amazing part is that he hasn't even heard from the new Washington coach yet. How is that not priority #1 with that coach?

Rumors swirling out of the Orlando area that Penny Hardaway is being considered as an assistant. Would love to see him on the staff to develop a pipeline out of Memphis. His HS team in Memphis has won two state championships.

Also sounds like Tilmon is getting a lot of pressure to hop out of his Illinois LOI regardless of whether Walker ends up at Illinois or Missouri. It'll be interesting to see if Cuonzo can pull some strings in East St. Louis to make that move happen.

I hope for your sake that Martin has learned some things. Just two years ago he brought in Jaylen Brown, Ivan Rabb and Jabari Bird in the same class at Cal, something like #2 in the country that year, and he did absolutely diddly with them, making a short tourney last year and missing out on the tourney altogether this season.

Recruiting well only covers up so much if you can't coach.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Michael Porter Jr. accepted his national POY award today. Stated that he's not received a release of his LOI yet, but the amazing part is that he hasn't even heard from the new Washington coach yet. How is that not priority #1 with that coach?

Was just told that Hopkins hasn't called Porter yet because MPJ wants an in person conversation, not a phone call. FWIW

— Dave Softy Mahler (@Softykjr) March 22, 2017

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I hope for your sake that Martin has learned some things. Just two years ago he brought in Jaylen Brown, Ivan Rabb and Jabari Bird in the same class at Cal, something like #2 in the country that year, and he did absolutely diddly with them, making a short tourney last year and missing out on the tourney altogether this season.

Recruiting well only covers up so much if you can't coach.

Martin better hire a couple of really good assistants to go with Porter Sr, because he's just taking up space. Romar learned that the hard way...

[MrBug708]

I feel like we are about to see a Washington type program out of Missouri, which might be an improvement in the sense that at least there will a player to watch before they are left out of the postseason

[tarcone]

Missouri has known about Martin coming for a few weeks and Martin too. Sounds like he has been evaluating the program. He sent out texts to players after the hire. But not all the players. Cullen Van Leer did not receive a text. He is thinking he will be gone.
Mizzou has 3 schollies. Thats Porter, Tilmon and a pg from Houston. So Martin will free up schollies by letting players go.

[BishopMVP]

UMass hired Winthrop Head Coach Pat Kelsey, I like it a lot. Played & coached in the A10 (at Xavier), young/energetic for a fanbase that needs some outreach but can easily fill the Mullins Center if the team is successful (unlike football), and not only quickly rebuilt a program that had fallen off since Gregg Marshall left in 2008, and sustained success over the last 4 of his 5 years as head coach, so it wasn't all tied to one player or a fluke (hopefully).

If he can retain the youngsters the potential for a quick turnaround is there - Jarreau/Pipkins/Gresham/Rashaan Holloway started 94 games & all have 2-3 seasons of eligibility left. Chris Baldwin & Malik Hines flashed some potential too. I do hope Donte Clark leaves for his graduate year elsewhere. Classic guy who looks good to laymen but is hurting the team with lack of IQ/effort when the ball isn't in his hands.

[Kodos]

The IU board at 247 has a "Who Do You Hire?" thread that started in late January. It is rivaling the Maximum Football thread on this board. Lots of over-analysis, random entertainment and "insider info" as we wait and pray that Fred Glass gives us Billy Donovan and not Steve Alford. Hoosier fans may have their faults, but you can't question their passion. It's been a real roller-coaster as good news and bad news has come in. The loss in worker productivity must be staggering. We're kind of pathetic. Go Hoosiers!

Edit: Actually, it is crushing the Maximum Football thread in terms of posts and views (if not in content).

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Excited about some things we're seeing with Mizzou.

Michael Porter Jr. accepted his national POY award today. Stated that he's not received a release of his LOI yet, but the amazing part is that he hasn't even heard from the new Washington coach yet. How is that not priority #1 with that coach?

Rumors swirling out of the Orlando area that Penny Hardaway is being considered as an assistant. Would love to see him on the staff to develop a pipeline out of Memphis. His HS team in Memphis has won two state championships.

Also sounds like Tilmon is getting a lot of pressure to hop out of his Illinois LOI regardless of whether Walker ends up at Illinois or Missouri. It'll be interesting to see if Cuonzo can pull some strings in East St. Louis to make that move happen.

This sounds like a really fun way to root for your favorite group of amateur athletes.

[MrBug708]

I check it out on occasion and it has some hilarity and some craziness. The fans think they are going to pay 7 million for a coach and that they are pretty much the the basketball version of Alabama.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

I check it out on occasion and it has some hilarity and some craziness. The fans think they are going to pay 7 million for a coach and that they are pretty much the the basketball version of Alabama.

That is definitely something that gets talked about. A great coach coming in from a professional team to revive a dormant former power in the college game. FWIW, the AD said in a press conference that if we didn't get our guy, it wouldn't be due to money.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Missouri has known about Martin coming for a few weeks and Martin too. Sounds like he has been evaluating the program. He sent out texts to players after the hire. But not all the players. Cullen Van Leer did not receive a text. He is thinking he will be gone.
Mizzou has 3 schollies. Thats Porter, Tilmon and a pg from Houston. So Martin will free up schollies by letting players go.

Van Leer could be an interesting casualty of the new APR measurements. I know that Mizzou can only let go of two players with a GPA of 2.6 or less to make sure they steer clear of any postseason ban. But they can release as many as they want with a GPA higher than 2.6. Cullen could end up being a casualty just because his grades are good and it doesn't hurt the program to have him move on.

It's somewhat unfortunate, but it's kind of like the new salary cap of the NCAA. You can only release certain people without being penalized. Unfortunately, it's the academic achiever that actually gets hurt in this instance. He/she becomes expendable in a coaching change where they want to turn over the roster.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

I feel like we are about to see a Washington type program out of Missouri, which might be an improvement in the sense that at least there will a player to watch before they are left out of the postseason

Yes it certainly looks that way. Reminds me of the Quin Snyder era of the early 2000's where we assembled great teams on paper and did nothing with them absent an occasional tourney run (including an elite 8 as a 12 seed). The funny part is the Mizzou boards are all gaga over a guy that they were crapping on just 2-3 weeks ago when they thought it was Marshall/Creen or bust.

However on the flip side our team has finished last in the SEC three straight years including losing to juggernauts like North Carloina Central, Liscomb, and Eastern Illinois at home this season so some NBA talent actually finishing in the middle of the pack or better sadly is a huge improvement over the Kim Anderson era.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I hope for your sake that Martin has learned some things. Just two years ago he brought in Jaylen Brown, Ivan Rabb and Jabari Bird in the same class at Cal, something like #2 in the country that year, and he did absolutely diddly with them, making a short tourney last year and missing out on the tourney altogether this season.

Recruiting well only covers up so much if you can't coach.

There were a lot of parallels between Martin and Romar. I was never impressed with either as an in-game coach - but they certainly got a lot of talent. I can't see either ever really having a tourney run as the margin for error is so small. I guess we'll see.

[cartman]

JT3 was fired at Georgetown

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

He's an open recruit again.

@ChristianCaple

UW has officially released Michael Porter Jr. from his NLI, per a spokesperson.
12:40 PM - 23 Mar 2017

[Young Drachma]

No big shock on JT3, really. They gave him 13 years though on a fairly thin resume at Princeton. Wonder where he'll go next.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

UMass hired Winthrop Head Coach Pat Kelsey, I like it a lot. Played & coached in the A10 (at Xavier), young/energetic for a fanbase that needs some outreach but can easily fill the Mullins Center if the team is successful (unlike football), and not only quickly rebuilt a program that had fallen off since Gregg Marshall left in 2008, and sustained success over the last 4 of his 5 years as head coach, so it wasn't all tied to one player or a fluke (hopefully).

If he can retain the youngsters the potential for a quick turnaround is there - Jarreau/Pipkins/Gresham/Rashaan Holloway started 94 games & all have 2-3 seasons of eligibility left. Chris Baldwin & Malik Hines flashed some potential too. I do hope Donte Clark leaves for his graduate year elsewhere. Classic guy who looks good to laymen but is hurting the team with lack of IQ/effort when the ball isn't in his hands.

... or not. Press conference cancelled 10 minutes before he was due to be introduced. Rumors flying that he'll end up at Georgetown for double the money, or that Chris Mack will be offered the Indiana job & Kelsey Xavier. Idk what to believe, this sucks.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

... or not. Press conference cancelled 10 minutes before he was due to be introduced. Rumors flying that he'll end up at Georgetown for double the money, or that Chris Mack will be offered the Indiana job & Kelsey Xavier. Idk what to believe, this sucks.

Interesting on the Georgetown front. Nobody local has been saying that. The names I've heard here have been Patrick Ewing, Tommy Amaker, and Shaka Smart.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

... or not. Press conference cancelled 10 minutes before he was due to be introduced.

Now citing "personal reasons" but "According to Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, Kelsey plans to return to Winthrop, rather than searching for a different head coaching job. "


Pat Kelsey has 'change of heart,' turns down UMass coaching job to return to Winthrop (report) | masslive.com

[rjolley]

Hey dawgfan, have you heard anything about what's going on with Noah Dickerson? I was surprised he came across the country to go to school out here, but why is he looking to leave?

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by rjolley

Hey dawgfan, have you heard anything about what's going on with Noah Dickerson? I was surprised he came across the country to go to school out here, but why is he looking to leave?

Seems pretty clear he came to Washington to play for Coach Romar (after de-committing from Florida when Coach Donovan left). That's what happens when you commit to a coach and not a school. It's too bad - he would have been one of the key players on the team next year, and I think a system that uses more zone (as Hopkins will bring to the Huskies) would be a better fit for him.

Romar was a coach that players loved, so it's not a surprise that him getting fired is resulting in guys wanting to leave or get out of their commitments.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

Interesting on the Georgetown front. Nobody local has been saying that. The names I've heard here have been Patrick Ewing, Tommy Amaker, and Shaka Smart.

Nothing to see in Cambridge. Move along please.

[murrayyyyy]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

... or not. Press conference cancelled 10 minutes before he was due to be introduced. Rumors flying that he'll end up at Georgetown for double the money, or that Chris Mack will be offered the Indiana job & Kelsey Xavier. Idk what to believe, this sucks.

Could be worse, you could hire a guy for a week and then have him leave for Texas Tech after recruiting for a week.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Romar was a coach that players loved, so it's not a surprise that him getting fired is resulting in guys wanting to leave or get out of their commitments.

I imagine they could go 9-22 regardless of whether Romar was there or not.
Or miss the NCAA tourney for six straight year with or without him.
Or quite possibly make any post-season once in four years with or without him.

Those wanting to leave might very well be some that the program will be better off without, certainly doesn't seem that winning is a big priority to them.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I imagine they could go 9-22 regardless of whether Romar was there or not.
Or miss the NCAA tourney for six straight year with or without him.
Or quite possibly make any post-season once in four years with or without him.

Those wanting to leave might very well be some that the program will be better off without, certainly doesn't seem that winning is a big priority to them.

They would have been better than that this coming year. Pretty much everyone was returning (only one senior on the current team), plus adding a lot of talent headlined by Porter.

But your point is valid. I was in favor of letting next year play out because it probably would have been a good one, but in the end I agree with the AD's choice - she didn't feel like Romar was the answer moving forward, so no point delaying things. Yes, this coming season will most likely be a lot worse than it would have been, but if she hired the right guy then the future should be better.

Oh and Mizzou fans - Husky wing Matisse Thybulle is dating Cierra Porter. Wouldn't surprise me in the least to see him transfer there.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by murrayyyyy

Could be worse, you could hire a guy for a week and then have him leave for Texas Tech after recruiting for a week.

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Now citing "personal reasons" but "According to Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, Kelsey plans to return to Winthrop, rather than searching for a different head coaching job. "


Pat Kelsey has 'change of heart,' turns down UMass coaching job to return to Winthrop (report) | masslive.com

Certainly better to know now than have a guy who didn't want to be here, and maybe a family member is sick, maybe a mistress with a secret family threatened to expose him if he left SC, maybe that Chris Mack to Indiana rumor is true & the Xavier job opens up. But maybe you should've decided this before signing the contract & meeting the players/telling them you would "love them like sons" (which imo is a weird thing to say before you actually know players anyways), and I'll believe he's coaching at Winthrop next season when November comes around and not a moment before.

Originally Posted by dawgfan

They would have been better than that this coming year. Pretty much everyone was returning (only one senior on the current team), plus adding a lot of talent headlined by Porter.

I feel like there is one kinda important guy not coming back...

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I feel like there is one kinda important guy not coming back...

Fultz is awesome, no doubt. But I think Porter will have even more impact. And the other guys that were going to be in that class: Harris, Nowell, Davis - are all very good prospects in their own rights.

Nowell and Davis probably will stick with their commitments being local guys and with Hopkins having retained Will Conroy. But the roster is likely going to get a serious makeover. And as Jon notes, that may not be such a bad thing.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Certainly better to know now than have a guy who didn't want to be here, and maybe a family member is sick, maybe a mistress with a secret family threatened to expose him if he left SC, maybe that Chris Mack to Indiana rumor is true & the Xavier job opens up. But maybe you should've decided this before signing the contract & meeting the players/telling them you would "love them like sons" (which imo is a weird thing to say before you actually know players anyways), and I'll believe he's coaching at Winthrop next season when November comes around and not a moment before.

For a guy who had engendered a lot of support when he went through a bout of depression and was out of coaching for a while, he just threw all of that away and will become a bit of a villain if he turns around and takes another job before next season.

[dawgfan]

If Alford ends up at Indiana, I think you can give a big assist to LaVar Ball. Can you imagine having to deal with that ass-clown on a regular basis?

[MrBug708]

Maybe he follows him

[Kodos]

Rumblings coming out of Bloomington... and it ain't Steve Alford.

[MrBug708]

He has a job still to do

Is it Donovan? Reading the board, the rumor is Donovan, which makes me think Alford will be introduced tomorrow

[Kodos]

That's what they're saying. Nothing concrete that proves it yet.

[cartman]

Cuonzo Martin to Indiana, as well as the whole Porter clan.

[Kodos]

Or it could be a whole lot of nothing...

[tarcone]

Porter has committed to Mizzou

[MrBug708]

Porter committed to his dad, would be a better comment

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Porter committed to his dad, would be a better comment

Quoted for truth.

Porter Sr. seems like a decent guy, but he wouldn't be an assistant on a men's D1 staff if it weren't for his kids. He was basically a non-entity with Washington this past year.

[Kodos]

http://albersangle.com/sources-billy...isits-indiana/

Donovan was reportedly in Bloomington this morning.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Kodos

http://albersangle.com/sources-billy...isits-indiana/

Donovan was reportedly in Bloomington this morning.

I think he's doubling down on his comment. But I dont think Donovan would be flying into Indiana for an interview. The interview would happen outside of campus.

[Kodos]

FWIW, insiders on the 247 board were saying he was there before Albers said it. Said Donovan and his wife were there this morning.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Quoted for truth.

Porter Sr. seems like a decent guy, but he wouldn't be an assistant on a men's D1 staff if it weren't for his kids. He was basically a non-entity with Washington this past year.

He'll be far more helpful to the staff at Mizzou than he was at Washington simply because of location. He's got a lot of contacts in the STL area. While that doesn't do much in Washington, it's extremely helpful at Mizzou.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

He'll be far more helpful to the staff at Mizzou than he was at Washington simply because of location. He's got a lot of contacts in the STL area. While that doesn't do much in Washington, it's extremely helpful at Mizzou.

Is contacts code for baby mommas? I mean, do you seriously believe that? Contacts?

[tarcone]

Yeah. Mizzou has always struggled recruiting St Louis. They need someone that knows the right people. Porter is it.
And St Louis has some serious talent. But it always goes elsewhere.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Looks like Tilmon is going to stay with Illinois after meeting with Underwood today.

Mizzou got some good news today on the recruiting front after the MPJ commit. Per Rivals, Kevin Knox will use his final campus visit in April on Mizzou. He has previously visited Duke, Kentucky, FSU, and North Carolina.

Rivals.com

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Yeah. Mizzou has always struggled recruiting St Louis. They need someone that knows the right people. Porter is it.
And St Louis has some serious talent. But it always goes elsewhere.

If they always go elsewhere, why wouldn't he be able to recruit them to Washington?

But if Missouri needs to hire a warm body with contacts to recruit their largest metro area, so be it.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Looks like Tilmon is going to stay with Illinois after meeting with Underwood today.

Mizzou got some good news today on the recruiting front after the MPJ commit. Per Rivals, Kevin Knox will use his final campus visit in April on Mizzou. He has previously visited Duke, Kentucky, FSU, and North Carolina.

Rivals.com

Yeah, Mizzou is right on their level. I like Mizzou's chances.

I only kid! Good luck!