(03-18-2013 02:17 PM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  According to UNT fans, their team was all-world in the preseason. Haven't heard a peep about them since, though. Don't even know how their season went. I imagine it went badly.

Seems like a coach who can recruit, but can't coach.

Those thoughts did not originate with our fan base. Several experts called us a potential Top 25 team.

Quote:Tony Mitchell’s return makes North Texas a potential top 25 team

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...p-25-team/

(03-17-2013 07:55 PM)Niner National Wrote:  Why do you think ECU will be good next year? They lose Kemp and Paul. That's a lot of scoring to make up for.

They may very well be fine, but it is difficult to lose two of your better players and improve.

C Armstrong: SR.......12ppg 7rpg 55% in Conf play
F Sampson: SR ....... 9ppg 9rpg 2bpg
F Straughn: SR.........medical redshirt returning 2 year starter
G Richmond: SR........20ppg the last 8 games after Bowden injury
G Robinson: JR.........Juco PG/MVP for a 29-1 team

6th PRC : JR.............starter this year/ 6ppg, 36% from 3


I don't know that we will be better but I really think having Richmond on the bench way to much this year we underachieved from what we could have been, and we do have a ton of experience returning. The chemistry might be better next year since most of these guys have been together a while, plus we add a solid class.

Ultimately I think we go as far as Richmond takes us next year. He's more than capable of being a 20ppg scorer and picking up most of the slack and carrying this team. If Armstrong plays like he did most of the conference season we have a solid inside outside combination.

We should be better next year defensively which isn't saying much.

(03-18-2013 12:20 PM)TribeNiner Wrote:  

(03-18-2013 12:08 PM)TIGERCITY Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 11:14 PM)TheEastisPurple Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 07:55 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 05:54 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Good times coming? I sure hope so.
My projected Top 100 candidates next year:
Southern Miss
Louisiana Tech
Charlotte
East Carolina
Tulane
UAB
Middle Tennessee
Tulsa
Who am I forgetting?

Why do you think ECU will be good next year? They lose Kemp and Paul. That's a lot of scoring to make up for.

They may very well be fine, but it is difficult to lose two of your better players and improve.

I think we finished 99 so all we have to do is maintain not improve. But yeah, like I said we are losing a lot. We may be alright but a couple players would really have to step up to stay at the same level.

Plus the conference is going to be tougher top to bottom next year than it was this year so we likely need to get better just to maintain about the same record.

Don't think ECU finished in the top 100 this season.

According to this: http://www.rpiforecast.com/live-rpi.html

They finished #100.

But not using the official NCAA ranking. I went to check *again* to be certain (I'd checked Memphis' top 100 wins before Selection Sunday). ECU finished 104 at the NCAA's official site.

(03-18-2013 06:04 PM)TIGERCITY Wrote:  But not using the official NCAA ranking. I went to check *again* to be certain (I'd checked Memphis' top 100 wins before Selection Sunday). ECU finished 104 at the NCAA's official site.

And Memphis finished #12. Should have been at least a 4 seed

Im glad Memphis is gone and we dont have to play them for a year or two.

In reality all Memphis being elite did was give everyone an excuse to say how much everyone else sucked.

The additions of La Tech, ODU, Charlotte, MTSU far outweighs losing Memphis in terms of overall conference strenght. No elite programs but good programs. If UAB, Tulsa, Southern, ECU, Tulane, Marshall and UTEP get it together in OOC we could have a really fun year next year.

Sounds like everyone is sleeping on FIU and Pitino. We should have an exciting upcomng season.

(03-18-2013 07:19 PM)fiuphan Wrote:  Sounds like everyone is sleeping on FIU and Pitino. We should have an exciting upcomng season.

I think FIU is just a relatively unknown brand. Nobody here knows anything about your team. Other than the fact that you played WKU in the SBC final and that Pitino is your coach, I don't know much. What does your team look like next year?

If D-Mac doesn't take us to a bowl game this year I'm not sure that Rick Villareal should remain as the athletic director. I wouldn't even call the guy "hit and miss" with his hires. How many AD's can have a Todd Dodge and Tony Benford hire on their resume and expect to keep their job? The football stadium is great, but the results on the field aren't there. We are currently seeking a new president, I hope it's a pro athletics president like Rawlins(who probably had a helped get a CUSA invite) who plans to be here for longer than a year or two this time.

(03-18-2013 07:22 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-18-2013 07:19 PM)fiuphan Wrote:  Sounds like everyone is sleeping on FIU and Pitino. We should have an exciting upcomng season.

I think FIU is just a relatively unknown brand. Nobody here knows anything about your team. Other than the fact that you played WKU in the SBC final and that Pitino is your coach, I don't know much. What does your team look like next year?

FIU is loaded with athletes in both basketball and football.

(03-18-2013 05:17 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 07:55 PM)Niner National Wrote:  Why do you think ECU will be good next year? They lose Kemp and Paul. That's a lot of scoring to make up for.

They may very well be fine, but it is difficult to lose two of your better players and improve.

C Armstrong: SR.......12ppg 7rpg 55% in Conf play
F Sampson: SR ....... 9ppg 9rpg 2bpg
F Straughn: SR.........medical redshirt returning 2 year starter
G Richmond: SR........20ppg the last 8 games after Bowden injury
G Robinson: JR.........Juco PG/MVP for a 29-1 team

6th PRC : JR.............starter this year/ 6ppg, 36% from 3


I don't know that we will be better but I really think having Richmond on the bench way to much this year we underachieved from what we could have been, and we do have a ton of experience returning. The chemistry might be better next year since most of these guys have been together a while, plus we add a solid class.

Ultimately I think we go as far as Richmond takes us next year. He's more than capable of being a 20ppg scorer and picking up most of the slack and carrying this team. If Armstrong plays like he did most of the conference season we have a solid inside outside combination.

note: juco transfer guard is 6' 4'' and told is the real deal plus with 4 other starters back plus Coach Lebo and staff plus new $18 million practice facility.......ECU could be a dark horse for title. USM and UTEP should be the favorites. (Opinion)

Feel that Tulsa could crack the top 100 this next season, somewhere around the 90's possibly the 80's. Anything below that would be gravy.

(03-18-2013 09:00 PM)AirRaid Wrote:  I feel most people here are farting rainbows. Suit yourself!

Priceless coming from a Houston fan. I am still rolling on the floor from the "next coming of Phi Slamma Jamma" comment Houston fans were telling us about their recruiting classes two years ago. Stlll waiting...lol

(03-18-2013 07:19 PM)fiuphan Wrote:  Sounds like everyone is sleeping on FIU and Pitino. We should have an exciting upcomng season.

I actually praised FIU's improvement to someone yesterday. Hope you guys can keep it up and build on what you started this year.

(03-18-2013 07:22 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(03-18-2013 07:19 PM)fiuphan Wrote:  Sounds like everyone is sleeping on FIU and Pitino. We should have an exciting upcomng season.

I think FIU is just a relatively unknown brand. Nobody here knows anything about your team. Other than the fact that you played WKU in the SBC final and that Pitino is your coach, I don't know much. What does your team look like next year?

I also want to hear about FIU basketball. Who's coming back and who are your best recruits. I hope FIU has a very good team next year.

With an improving FIU, Charlotte, USM very good now, Tulsa, UAB, MTSU, UTEP... I expect this to be an exciting basketball league and could eventually become the A-10 of the south/southwest. In time this conference can become a multi-bid league.

Didn't mention ECU or Tulane since they are short timers here but both are building/rebuilding good programs too.

My thoughts, although I admittedly don't know what each team has returning:
Top 50: La. Tech, Charlotte, Southern Miss
51-100: MTSU (not a slight...just appear to be losing a lot), UTEP, Tulsa, FIU
101-150: UAB (could see them slide up to top 100), Marshall (really depends on whic team shows up next season), ECU
151-200: Tulane (could slide to categor above), ODU (I predict improvement from this year with a return to the top 100 within 3 years)
201-300: FAU, Rice, UNT, UTSA

I can definitely see us with 6/7 teams in the rpi Top 100 with a few more just outside of that. With the right scheduling this league could see 2-4 teams in the NCAA tourney next year.