What is this basketball that you speak of?

It seems like I have some fond memories of it, but have blocked it out of my mind for some reason.

1. La Tech- road win at Ohio St. and solid win against UT Arlington
2. UTEP- neutral site wins against So. Illinois and CSU, #4 according to CBS.com RPI
3. MTSU- Won the Great Alaska Shootout with win over Toledo
4. UAB- Close road loss to Auburn, beat the other teams they were expected to beat
5. ODU- Have struggled after losing Stith to injury
6. FIU- Lost to Oral Roberts in OT and a tougher schedule so far
7. WKU- bad loss to Drake and a softer schedule than FIU so far


sounds about right to me and I believe you could flip a coin on the top 3 as of 11-30 and 4-7 not one team has shown anything at this point...at this point we really don't know if a close loss is still a bad loss...or a good one.

at this point I would not move Western above #7

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

Winning the GAS is pretty impressive when you leave starting PG at home and one of your best players is playing on one leg(Perrin Buford) and he still makes the all tourney team.

Knock the accomplishment if you want, Toledo has a team good enough to compete for the MAC title and UNC-Ashville could beat several teams in this conference.

Rank the teams however you choose, it means nothing at this point.

(11-30-2015 01:49 PM)BigSkyGuy Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

Winning the GAS is pretty impressive when you leave starting PG at home and one of your best players is playing on one leg(Perrin Buford) and he still makes the all tourney team.

Knock the accomplishment if you want, Toledo has a team good enough to compete for the MAC title and UNC-Ashville could beat several teams in this conference.

Rank the teams however you choose, it means nothing at this point.

I will say it's a good start given they didn't play a single home game in November.

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

So you knock a team that went out and won games but made excuses for UAB...

loss to a decent team, Ill not awful so on..

There's nothing at this point to show any team UAB loss is anything at this point. Good or bad. The one thing we do know..UAB loss to those schools

(11-30-2015 01:58 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

So you knock a team that went out and won games but made excuses for UAB...

loss to a decent team, Ill not awful so on..

There's nothing at this point to show any team UAB loss is anything at this point. Good or bad. The one thing we do know..UAB loss to those schools

UAB played well against Auburn, and Bruce pearl is going to have that Auburn team competing in the SEC this year

(11-30-2015 09:54 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 09:17 AM)TribeNiner Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 09:11 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 02:11 AM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  I'm worried about the bottom third of the conference.

Some of those losses can do major damage.... to all.

Yep, the middle to bottom is dragging down the league faster than the top can help keep us afloat.

That isn't to call out any particular schools, but its clear the bottom is of the league is weighing heavily on our ability to form a mult-bid conference. Would like to know if the new commish is planning to address this or there are even any ideas out there to help get us all pulling the rope in the same direction?

Probably nothing beyond scheduling. Basketball at this level is cyclical. Schools will be down for a while and then cycle to the top and vice versa. That's just the way it is. If there is a prolonged period of being down, that's for the school to address (coaching change, etc.). UAB was down a few years ago and then won the tournament last year. Charlotte is down, now, after clearing house and everyone leaving, but looks to bounce back over the next year or two. Not much the conference can do to address the cyclical nature of basketball at this level. Only a select few programs can expect to reload and stay on top every year. The hope is that your down cycles aren't so low and are further apart.

How does the A10 and Missouri Valley avoid letting the cycle drag them down then?

When we were there, the A10 tried to get schools to schedule up, go on the road, get home and homes with quality opponent out of the big conferences (Belmont etc) , get home and homes with lower end big conference schools (Auburn) and win.

It took two to three years for it to work, but playing true road games in November made conference games tough in February. It made SOS RPI's go up throughout the conference and eventually the conference started winning some of these games which made improved RPI's. When you have 14 schools doing, this, you see results quickly.

Working against CUSA will be the fact that basketball in the A10 is the glory sport for most of these schools. They all have 100 years of history and old rich alums.

(11-30-2015 11:23 AM)Ole Blue Wrote:  I think MT has a chance to get 20-25 wins on the year. This Wednesday's game versus VCU will be telling.

After what happened last year I can't stand MT... However I loathe VCU with a burning passion so I hope you guys pummel the Rams.

(11-30-2015 02:21 PM)MonGNARch Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 11:23 AM)Ole Blue Wrote:  I think MT has a chance to get 20-25 wins on the year. This Wednesday's game versus VCU will be telling.

After what happened last year I can't stand MT... However I loathe VCU with a burning passion so I hope you guys pummel the Rams.

Not even close, Go Raiders!

(11-30-2015 01:58 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

So you knock a team that went out and won games but made excuses for UAB...

loss to a decent team, Ill not awful so on..

There's nothing at this point to show any team UAB loss is anything at this point. Good or bad. The one thing we do know..UAB loss to those schools

Other than the fact they were teams from the SEC, B10, and ACC. You can't argue that the level of competition we've faced is well above what MTSU has faced. All I was saying is MTSU has done nothing to prove they belong in the top 4 best teams in the conference.

You guys are putting out the same players we beat 3 times last year so I suppose it'll all settle itself out in the spring.

(11-30-2015 02:30 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:58 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

So you knock a team that went out and won games but made excuses for UAB...

loss to a decent team, Ill not awful so on..

There's nothing at this point to show any team UAB loss is anything at this point. Good or bad. The one thing we do know..UAB loss to those schools

Other than the fact they were teams from the SEC, B10, and ACC. You can't argue that the level of competition we've faced is well above what MTSU has faced. All I was saying is MTSU has done nothing to prove they belong in the top 4 best teams in the conference.

You guys are putting out the same players we beat 3 times last year so I suppose it'll all settle itself out in the spring.

Again I will point out the obvious to you...

muts won
uab loss

anyone team can do what uab did.....LOSE

so let me repeat something I said often...SCHEDULE TO YOUR TALENT. If you play a ACC, BIG10 and SEC school and lose all 3....

muts went out and won their games..uab didn't end of story. No buts..end of the story

The below schools beat Ill
North Florida
Chattanooga

Chicago State...played Ill to a 3 point game ...lot closer than UAB

Alabama State beat V. Tech

Sorry but VT isn't very good. Auburn is a mediocre sec team and Illinois is mediocre Big 10 at best. I have no issues with ranking UAB low right now. We earned it. We were out played and out coached. We could just as easily be 1-5 right now. UAB has underperformed and looked abysmal at times. No way to sugar coat it. If Haase does not show improvement he Shiism feel some heat.

So far UTEP and La Tech have been most impressive. Followed by USB ODU MT WKU

Tough to compare this early

UTEP received 3 votes in the AP Top 25 while Tech got 1 vote

https://twitter.com/LaTechReport/status/...wsrc%5Etfw

(11-30-2015 10:15 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  I'm not being the slightest bit hyperbolic when I say that we are likely the worst team in the country.

Have you seen UTSA.. does So Miss play in a High School Gym like UTSA does? Until UTSA puts money into a new BBall arena they are going to be really bad.

(11-30-2015 04:30 PM)Greenroom Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 10:15 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  I'm not being the slightest bit hyperbolic when I say that we are likely the worst team in the country.

Have you seen UTSA.. does So Miss play in a High School Gym like UTSA does? Until UTSA puts money into a new BBall arena they are going to be really bad.

does the Alamodome charge UTSA for using it for football?

(11-30-2015 02:39 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 02:30 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:58 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:03 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Ken Pom has:

LT
ODU
MTSU
UAB
UTEP
Western Kentucky

huge drop off

Its such a tough thing to rank at this point with several of these teams playing no one or in some cases 1 decent team. I think this week will tell more. LT vs. Memphis, MT vs. VCU, UAB has a couple big games, etc.

At this point, I would go UAB, ODU, MTSU, LT, UTEP, Western Kentucky

We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

So you knock a team that went out and won games but made excuses for UAB...

loss to a decent team, Ill not awful so on..

There's nothing at this point to show any team UAB loss is anything at this point. Good or bad. The one thing we do know..UAB loss to those schools

Other than the fact they were teams from the SEC, B10, and ACC. You can't argue that the level of competition we've faced is well above what MTSU has faced. All I was saying is MTSU has done nothing to prove they belong in the top 4 best teams in the conference.

You guys are putting out the same players we beat 3 times last year so I suppose it'll all settle itself out in the spring.

Again I will point out the obvious to you...

muts won
uab loss

anyone team can do what uab did.....LOSE

so let me repeat something I said often...SCHEDULE TO YOUR TALENT. If you play a ACC, BIG10 and SEC school and lose all 3....

muts went out and won their games..uab didn't end of story. No buts..end of the story

The below schools beat Ill
North Florida
Chattanooga

Chicago State...played Ill to a 3 point game ...lot closer than UAB

Alabama State beat V. Tech

Lol, please don't start the scheduling garbage again. We may have lost, but we should have won 2 of 3. Wasn't because of our talent. Illinois was down 2 players earlier this year before our game (you know that Nunn guy who scored nearly 20 points a game against UAB and Iowa State?) and Chattanooga would be a top 2 team in this league.

Regardless, as of right now UAB is maybe the 5th or 6th best team in this league based on current games.

(11-30-2015 04:58 PM)Shrack Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 02:39 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 02:30 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:58 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(11-30-2015 01:29 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  We've under-performed by our standards. However, a 1 point loss at Auburn and neutral site losses to decent Va Tech and Illinois teams isn't terrible. We're frustrated because we feel like we should be 5-1. We don't have another opportunity to beat a P5 for the rest of OOC. If we can finish out OOC 7-0 it'll put us at 10-3 with wins over Illinois St (road), Stephen F Austin, and Georgia St. Not great but not terrible.

I don't want to start an argument but MTSU winning the GAS is not that impressive. Wins against a D2 team, UNCA, and Toledo is noting to write home about. However, they are winning. That's more than what we can say we've done. I'd say at this point UTEP's win over CSU is the best win of the conference. La Tech's win over OSU would be 2nd and their win over UT-Arlington 3rd.

My current Top 4

UTEP
UAB
La Tech
ODU

So you knock a team that went out and won games but made excuses for UAB...

loss to a decent team, Ill not awful so on..

There's nothing at this point to show any team UAB loss is anything at this point. Good or bad. The one thing we do know..UAB loss to those schools

Other than the fact they were teams from the SEC, B10, and ACC. You can't argue that the level of competition we've faced is well above what MTSU has faced. All I was saying is MTSU has done nothing to prove they belong in the top 4 best teams in the conference.

You guys are putting out the same players we beat 3 times last year so I suppose it'll all settle itself out in the spring.

Again I will point out the obvious to you...

muts won
uab loss

anyone team can do what uab did.....LOSE

so let me repeat something I said often...SCHEDULE TO YOUR TALENT. If you play a ACC, BIG10 and SEC school and lose all 3....

muts went out and won their games..uab didn't end of story. No buts..end of the story

The below schools beat Ill
North Florida
Chattanooga

Chicago State...played Ill to a 3 point game ...lot closer than UAB

Alabama State beat V. Tech

Lol, please don't start the scheduling garbage again. We may have lost, but we should have won 2 of 3. Wasn't because of our talent. Illinois was down 2 players earlier this year before our game (you know that Nunn guy who scored nearly 20 points a game against UAB and Iowa State?) and Chattanooga would be a top 2 team in this league.

Regardless, as of right now UAB is maybe the 5th or 6th best team in this league based on current games.

My point that I didn't make very well because I went off on something else..

don't put a team down that won (positive )and try to bump your team up on losses (negative) like the UAB was doing.

It's week 2 or 3 hell I forget...lot of basketball to be played and to move up the power ranking. 2 or 3 weeks from now UAB could be undefeated in that period and one of the top teams lose a few....

But always argue a point from a positive..it's petty putting a team down that did nothing but win.

Tech
UTEP


ODU

MT
UAB
WKU
FIU

A pile of crap

The rest of the league


Rice's injuries are such a letdown.
Conference is running out of chances for big wins.