CSNbbs

We are #21. Chattanooga is #9

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

UNCW at #7.. Would love to get revenge at their place this year!

Would love to see this team lose less than three games this year.

I'd love to see Florida Gulf Coast on our schedule.

(10-27-2016 03:18 PM)squeak Wrote: [ -> ]I'd love to see Florida Gulf Coast on our schedule.

I've always thought Mercer and FGCU would start an OOC series with how heated that rivalry got from 2012-2014. It was an awesome atmosphere at both places (I traveled down there).

As for the poll, not surprising to see UTC and ETSU on there. Mercer getting 40 votes to Wofford's 1 and Furman's 0 is a nice statement against the preseason coaches/media polls.

(10-27-2016 03:48 PM)MercerFan Wrote: [ -> ]As for the poll, not surprising to see UTC and ETSU on there. Mercer getting 40 votes to Wofford's 1 and Furman's 0 is a nice statement against the preseason coaches/media polls.

Did you see the Blue RIbbon thread on this board? Their rankings have Mercer 3rd, Furman 4th UNCG 5th, Wofford 6th and Samford 7th. That's more in line with my preseason guess. I don't think the SoCon coaches have learned how Bob Hoffman can reload. They will.

(10-27-2016 03:18 PM)squeak Wrote: [ -> ]I'd love to see Florida Gulf Coast on our schedule.

Tried to..FGC backed out.

[I don't think the SoCon coaches have learned how Bob Hoffman can reload. They will.
[/quote]

What is this based on? He hasn't reloaded the last two years. I'm not enamored with him at all and the fact he got nothing career-wise out of that title year and Duke upset suggests the industry is either not impressed or still tying him with Kelvin Sampson.

(10-27-2016 05:47 PM)Just Buc Wrote: [ -> ][I don't think the SoCon coaches have learned how Bob Hoffman can reload. They will.

Quote:What is this based on? He hasn't reloaded the last two years. I'm not enamored with him at all and the fact he got nothing career-wise out of that title year and Duke upset suggests the industry is either not impressed or still tying him with Kelvin Sampson.

Apparently you missed the fact that he was leading the SoCon last year, ahead of both UTC and ETSU, when Jibri Bryan, one of his players, was shot and killed and two others suspended (post player Desmond Ringer and highest scorer guard Jestin Lewis).

I think Hoffman's something of an ass with his on the court behavior, and he has been ruthless with players, cutting one after he won a student athlete award - a good decision from the point of view of talent on the floor - a lousy one from the point of view of a player who had given his all for the team and done everything he could.

But only someone too young to have been following his career at Mercer, would slight his recruiting abilities.

Consider what he did this year. Faced with the loss of his 2 best guards (2 of his top 3 leading scorers), and with his best post player on academic suspension, here’s what Hoffman did: got an a post replacement with high major experience ready to play this year in case Ringer could not be eligible.
J.J. N’Ganga 6-10 245 New Mexico Sr. 2* Achilles heel injury last year - Junior stats: 12 min., 3.2 points on .590, 1.7 boards; High school offers Nevada, Fresno, Albany, Librty

And got some experienced talent to bolster his returning talent at guard (which wasn’t bad with Jordan Strawberry and 6’8” Demetre Rivers.)
Ri’an Holland 6-0 152 JUCO-Jr Wichita St transfer, JUCO 13.3 ppg on 50.4% from 3 with 65 makes, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists; no other offers noted
Rashad Lewis 5-8 156 Tr-JUCO-Jr. USC Aiken transfer, JUCO 11.6 ppg on 41.6% from 3 with 99 makes, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists; no other offers noted
Ryan Johnson 6-5 192 Tr-Rs-So was at Rutgers, high school offers – JMU, Appy State, Gdnr-Webb, UNC-W, Asheville, GA St., Longwood
Along with a promising freshman guard: Fr. Darius Roy 6-2 170 Okla 5A POY.

And he got Wake Forest’s starting point guard to commit as a 5th yr – but then lost him to Seton Hall

This team should be ready to contend again. Only Steve Forbes and staff did a better recruiting job in this conference.
I saw Hoffman do this year after year in the ASun.

If you can put together a team that can beat Duke in the NCAA's your recruiting ability kind of speaks for itself.

(10-27-2016 08:29 PM)swvabucsfan Wrote: [ -> ]

(10-27-2016 05:47 PM)Just Buc Wrote: [ -> ][I don't think the SoCon coaches have learned how Bob Hoffman can reload. They will.

Quote:What is this based on? He hasn't reloaded the last two years. I'm not enamored with him at all and the fact he got nothing career-wise out of that title year and Duke upset suggests the industry is either not impressed or still tying him with Kelvin Sampson.

Apparently you missed the fact that he was leading the SoCon last year, ahead of both UTC and ETSU, when Jibri Bryan, one of his players, was shot and killed and two others suspended (post player Desmond Ringer and highest scorer guard Jestin Lewis).

I think Hoffman's something of an ass with his on the court behavior, and he has been ruthless with players, cutting one after he won a student athlete award - a good decision from the point of view of talent on the floor - a lousy one from the point of view of a player who had given his all for the team and done everything he could.

But only someone too young to have been following his career at Mercer, would slight his recruiting abilities.

Consider what he did this year. Faced with the loss of his 2 best guards (2 of his top 3 leading scorers), and with his best post player on academic suspension, here’s what Hoffman did: got an a post replacement with high major experience ready to play this year in case Ringer could not be eligible.
J.J. N’Ganga 6-10 245 New Mexico Sr. 2* Achilles heel injury last year - Junior stats: 12 min., 3.2 points on .590, 1.7 boards; High school offers Nevada, Fresno, Albany, Librty

And got some experienced talent to bolster his returning talent at guard (which wasn’t bad with Jordan Strawberry and 6’8” Demetre Rivers.)
Ri’an Holland 6-0 152 JUCO-Jr Wichita St transfer, JUCO 13.3 ppg on 50.4% from 3 with 65 makes, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists; no other offers noted
Rashad Lewis 5-8 156 Tr-JUCO-Jr. USC Aiken transfer, JUCO 11.6 ppg on 41.6% from 3 with 99 makes, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists; no other offers noted
Ryan Johnson 6-5 192 Tr-Rs-So was at Rutgers, high school offers – JMU, Appy State, Gdnr-Webb, UNC-W, Asheville, GA St., Longwood
Along with a promising freshman guard: Fr. Darius Roy 6-2 170 Okla 5A POY.

And he got Wake Forest’s starting point guard to commit as a 5th yr – but then lost him to Seton Hall

This team should be ready to contend again. Only Steve Forbes and staff did a better recruiting job in this conference.
I saw Hoffman do this year after year in the ASun.

If you can put together a team that can beat Duke in the NCAA's your recruiting ability kind of speaks for itself.

First, Mercer was not leading the conference when the shooting happened.

Second, I'm well past too young for just about everything.

Third, Hoffman has had 3 good years out of 8 at Mercer. Benefit of the doubt would say first 3 were building years followed by 3 good years - in a bad league - with a
couple of titles. Then a move up to the SoCon and two so-so years.

So again, I would disagree that he's "reloaded" since beating Duke given the record. Sure he's signed a few nice players the last few years- Nwamu, Jelks, Rivers - but I'd hardly describe the overall body of recruits as reloading and that includes this year's class.

Will they contend this year? Time will tell. The starting 5 is pretty much the same group that finished last year and nearly everybody after that is a question mark. But in any event, I'll retain the belief that a one game fluke doesn't make someone a great recruiter and reloading is absolutely reflected in the record. JMO.

Very sloppy on my part. Have to hire a better fact checker. On February 6 Chattanooga was 10-1; ETSU was 8-3; Mercer was 8-3 with a 2 point loss in overtime on the road to ETSU on a Ge’lawn Guyn shot with 3 seconds to go. And road losses to Chattanooga and Western Carolina. Each of the teams that had beaten them would have to face them in Macon in the last few games. Then Bryan was killed, Ringer and Lewis suspended and the season fell apart.

There’s very good reason to think that Mercer will be at least as good as they were at that point with the return of 6’9” 255 Ringer, the addition of 6’10” New Mexico transfer N’Ganga and the addition of a couple of good guards. The rotation will be nothing like it was at the end of the season with a battered heavily taped 6'6" Jelks trying to hold down the fort in the middle without Ringer.

Which is why I think that 3rd is a good bet for them, as the Blue Ribbon folks say.

(10-28-2016 06:41 PM)Just Buc Wrote: [ -> ]

(10-27-2016 08:29 PM)swvabucsfan Wrote: [ -> ]

(10-27-2016 05:47 PM)Just Buc Wrote: [ -> ][I don't think the SoCon coaches have learned how Bob Hoffman can reload. They will.

Quote:What is this based on? He hasn't reloaded the last two years. I'm not enamored with him at all and the fact he got nothing career-wise out of that title year and Duke upset suggests the industry is either not impressed or still tying him with Kelvin Sampson.

Apparently you missed the fact that he was leading the SoCon last year, ahead of both UTC and ETSU, when Jibri Bryan, one of his players, was shot and killed and two others suspended (post player Desmond Ringer and highest scorer guard Jestin Lewis).

I think Hoffman's something of an ass with his on the court behavior, and he has been ruthless with players, cutting one after he won a student athlete award - a good decision from the point of view of talent on the floor - a lousy one from the point of view of a player who had given his all for the team and done everything he could.

But only someone too young to have been following his career at Mercer, would slight his recruiting abilities.

Consider what he did this year. Faced with the loss of his 2 best guards (2 of his top 3 leading scorers), and with his best post player on academic suspension, here’s what Hoffman did: got an a post replacement with high major experience ready to play this year in case Ringer could not be eligible.
J.J. N’Ganga 6-10 245 New Mexico Sr. 2* Achilles heel injury last year - Junior stats: 12 min., 3.2 points on .590, 1.7 boards; High school offers Nevada, Fresno, Albany, Librty

And got some experienced talent to bolster his returning talent at guard (which wasn’t bad with Jordan Strawberry and 6’8” Demetre Rivers.)
Ri’an Holland 6-0 152 JUCO-Jr Wichita St transfer, JUCO 13.3 ppg on 50.4% from 3 with 65 makes, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists; no other offers noted
Rashad Lewis 5-8 156 Tr-JUCO-Jr. USC Aiken transfer, JUCO 11.6 ppg on 41.6% from 3 with 99 makes, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists; no other offers noted
Ryan Johnson 6-5 192 Tr-Rs-So was at Rutgers, high school offers – JMU, Appy State, Gdnr-Webb, UNC-W, Asheville, GA St., Longwood
Along with a promising freshman guard: Fr. Darius Roy 6-2 170 Okla 5A POY.

And he got Wake Forest’s starting point guard to commit as a 5th yr – but then lost him to Seton Hall

This team should be ready to contend again. Only Steve Forbes and staff did a better recruiting job in this conference.
I saw Hoffman do this year after year in the ASun.

If you can put together a team that can beat Duke in the NCAA's your recruiting ability kind of speaks for itself.

First, Mercer was not leading the conference when the shooting happened.

Second, I'm well past too young for just about everything.

Third, Hoffman has had 3 good years out of 8 at Mercer. Benefit of the doubt would say first 3 were building years followed by 3 good years - in a bad league - with a
couple of titles. Then a move up to the SoCon and two so-so years.

So again, I would disagree that he's "reloaded" since beating Duke given the record. Sure he's signed a few nice players the last few years- Nwamu, Jelks, Rivers - but I'd hardly describe the overall body of recruits as reloading and that includes this year's class.

Will they contend this year? Time will tell. The starting 5 is pretty much the same group that finished last year and nearly everybody after that is a question mark. But in any event, I'll retain the belief that a one game fluke doesn't make someone a great recruiter and reloading is absolutely reflected in the record. JMO.

- If a "bad league" has 3 NCAA wins + 1 NIT (over the mighty UT-Knox) win over 2 years, then put me in a bad league any year you want. Hoffman took Mercer to the top at the most difficult time in A-Sun history.

- The starting 5 is pretty much the same group? In the final game of 2015-16, Mercer started Leonard, Stair, Rivers, Jelks, and Fishler. At most 2 of those (Jelks, Rivers) will be starting in the 2016-17 opener.

- If a "bad league" has 3 NCAA wins + 1 NIT (over the mighty UT-Knox) win over 2 years, then put me in a bad league any year you want. Hoffman took Mercer to the top at the most difficult time in A-Sun history.

- The starting 5 is pretty much the same group? In the final game of 2015-16, Mercer started Leonard, Stair, Rivers, Jelks, and Fishler. At most 2 of those (Jelks, Rivers) will be starting in the 2016-17 opener.
[/quote]

In 2012-13 season ASun had 2 teams finish above .500 and had a conf RPI of 26. In 2013-14 they had 4 teams above .500 and an RPI of 23. Mercer and FGCU obviously had good teams those years and won a couple of post season games each. Does not make it a good league.

Was including Stair and Ringer in lineup since they both started a good portion of last year albeit Stair's starts were after the incident. So pretty much the same group.

UNCW up to 4.
ETSU down to 22.
Chatt down to 10.
FGCU at 21 (and 1-3 after the controversial finish at Sparty).
Jackrabbits getting either 1 or 3 votes, depending on which one is wrong.

[And guess what? There are TWO "Sanford Pentagon Showcases". The first one ended last night with the Jackrabbits going 1-3. But those games weren't in Sioux Falls - 3 of the 4 were on the road.]

(Original link at the top by Bucster takes one to the current rankings.)

Up to #9

Right behind Chattanooga at #8. I think the mid major ranking is still a bit high on them as last year's SoCon champions. I know it only counts as one loss, but that 40 point loss to North Carolina is still fresh in my memory. Interesting enough, realtimerpi.com has ETSU (5-1) at 78, ahead of Chattanooga at 85, and both behind Mercer at 67. Then there's the SoCon power rankings showing ETSU at top of conference, Chattanooga next, and Mercer down fourth. All subject to bias and the deficiencies of early season metrics. :)

(11-28-2016 07:23 PM)shampoo Wrote: [ -> ]Right behind Chattanooga at #8. I think the mid major ranking is still a bit high on them as last year's SoCon champions. I know it only counts as one loss, but that 40 point loss to North Carolina is still fresh in my memory. Interesting enough, realtimerpi.com has ETSU (5-1) at 78, ahead of Chattanooga at 85, and both behind Mercer at 67. Then there's the SoCon power rankings showing ETSU at top of conference, Chattanooga next, and Mercer down fourth. All subject to bias and the deficiencies of early season metrics. :)

RPI seems to me it is very wacky before each team plays about 15 games.

Just realized the College Insider poll doesn't include the Atlantic 10, although Mid Major Madness does

(11-28-2016 07:23 PM)shampoo Wrote: [ -> ]Right behind Chattanooga at #8. I think the mid major ranking is still a bit high on them as last year's SoCon champions. I know it only counts as one loss, but that 40 point loss to North Carolina is still fresh in my memory. Interesting enough, realtimerpi.com has ETSU (5-1) at 78, ahead of Chattanooga at 85, and both behind Mercer at 67. Then there's the SoCon power rankings showing ETSU at top of conference, Chattanooga next, and Mercer down fourth. All subject to bias and the deficiencies of early season metrics. :)

Also Kenpom has us at #90 and Chattanooga at #93. We never broke 100 in Kenpom last year, Kenpom is looked at heavily during NCAA seedings.

(11-29-2016 09:23 AM)Bucster Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-28-2016 07:23 PM)shampoo Wrote: [ -> ]Right behind Chattanooga at #8. I think the mid major ranking is still a bit high on them as last year's SoCon champions. I know it only counts as one loss, but that 40 point loss to North Carolina is still fresh in my memory. Interesting enough, realtimerpi.com has ETSU (5-1) at 78, ahead of Chattanooga at 85, and both behind Mercer at 67. Then there's the SoCon power rankings showing ETSU at top of conference, Chattanooga next, and Mercer down fourth. All subject to bias and the deficiencies of early season metrics. :)

Also Kenpom has us at #90 and Chattanooga at #93. We never broke 100 in Kenpom last year, Kenpom is looked at heavily during NCAA seedings.

Actually the NCAA does their own RPI ranking which the committee uses. Kenpom includes metric elements not in the NCAA formula and is not used by the committee. NCAA has not started this years ranking yet as not enough games played to be meaningful.