http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-baskbl/...16aab.html

Very solid class for Rice - adding to the two good recruits we got in the fall. We went big this spring with 6-6, 6-8 and 6-9 signees (and two walk-on guards). The even better news is we haven't lost any of our studs. If any of the new bigs can play right away, I honestly think we have the potential to be an NCAA tournament team next year. We're potentially returning something like more than 80 points a game of offense (counting Marcus Jackson's 14.5 points per game from 2014-15 with the 2015-16 scoring output).

Nice...

Let's hope that Rice gets to show their stuff with a strong OOC schedule.

(04-14-2016 09:36 AM)ODUBB35 Wrote:  Nice...

Let's hope that Rice gets to show their stuff with a strong OOC schedule.

Yea, I haven't seen anything yet. We should get a return trip from New Mexico. Our AD said they had all but a couple spots locked down and were waiting on the conference schedule to release it all together (early May?).

He also said we would be participating in an exempt tournament. I'm thinking it will be a pretty low profile one given that we haven't heard which one it is..

(04-13-2016 08:14 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-baskbl/...16aab.html

Very solid class for Rice - adding to the two good recruits we got in the fall. We went big this spring with 6-6, 6-8 and 6-9 signees (and two walk-on guards). The even better news is we haven't lost any of our studs. If any of the new bigs can play right away, I honestly think we have the potential to be an NCAA tournament team next year.

UAB returns everyone but departed senior Robert Brown, with 3 new contributors being added to the fold. We didn't make the NCAA tournament last season. I hope Rice makes the tournament because that will mean that UAB is in as well.

Sounds good! Now go out and win most of you OOC games(no pressure).

It all comes down to scheduling. If UAB and Middle have strong OOC schedules, both have the potential to be in the bubble conversation at the end of the year (assuming they play up to their potential). I'm as high as anybody on Rice next year, but realistically I think they'll have to run the gauntlet in the CUSA tournament to get in. But there's a ton of room for growth for a lot of teams in the conference next year, it's just a matter of if the growth is actually realized. There should be no reason why we can't become a better conference than the Ivy, Summit, Sun Belt, etc.

(04-14-2016 06:31 PM)elw4796 Wrote:  It all comes down to scheduling. If UAB and Middle have strong OOC schedules, both have the potential to be in the bubble conversation at the end of the year (assuming they play up to their potential). I'm as high as anybody on Rice next year, but realistically I think they'll have to run the gauntlet in the CUSA tournament to get in. But there's a ton of room for growth for a lot of teams in the conference next year, it's just a matter of if the growth is actually realized. There should be no reason why we can't become a better conference than the Ivy, Summit, Sun Belt, etc.

I agree. Teams don't generally jump up from as bad as we were to a Tournament team in a year. I look for us to massively improve (there will still be a learning curve working Marcus Jackson back in and the new players) and compete with the top teams in the conference, but I would be surprised if we made the Tourney next season. The good news is that with our current core, if everyone stays, we'll still have the same group in 2 years (we have 2 impact players who will be juniors but none really as seniors).

I just hope we can qualify for any postseason tournament. We'll be improved, but not so good that we make the NCAA tournament. That's probably a couple years away, if we're lucky. I do have a lot of optimism for the future. Rice has a very good coach and he's signing some very good high school players.