https://thedailydragon.com/2016/12/16/c-...d-preview/

Fine work as always, and thanks for the nod (predicting Rice on the road Saturday Night.) As you hinted, should be a good'un to watch. I know we've got a contingent headed up there to Pittsburgh.

Saturday could be a great day for C-USA with four of our top 7 teams on the road against Top 100 KenPom teams, and a realistic chance to win at least three of those. Go C-USA!

(12-16-2016 02:14 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Fine work as always, and thanks for the nod (predicting Rice on the road Saturday Night.) As you hinted, should be a good'un to watch. I know we've got a contingent headed up there to Pittsburgh.

Saturday could be a great day for C-USA with four of our top 7 teams on the road against Top 100 KenPom teams, and a realistic chance to win at least three of those. Go C-USA!

C-USA is right on the cusp of breaking through in to the top 12. That's a great place to be. I'm excited for this slate of games. And thank you for the compliment.

Marshall should have Terrence Thompson back for the Akron game tomorrow. And CJ Burks should be ready to go on Monday when we play West Virginia Wesleyan (DII MEC Buckhannon, WV).

I hate playing DII schools during the regular season but Mike Hamrick and Dan D'Antoni said when WVU backed out of a new contract (Huggins has never wanted to play Marshall and the new nose picking AD Shayne Lyons backed him up) that there was literally no half way decent DI schools left with an opening this year.

I think they said Montana State (RPI 300), Drake (RPI 345), Lipscomb (RPI 346) and Longwood (RPI 350, last in IA) had openings but that was it. So its probably better playing WVW and just not getting credit one way or another than playing an RPI killer like that.

(12-16-2016 03:28 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  Marshall should have Terrence Thompson back for the Akron game tomorrow. And CJ Burks should be ready to go on Monday when we play West Virginia Wesleyan (DII MEC Buckhannon, WV).

I hate playing DII schools during the regular season but Mike Hamrick and Dan D'Antoni said when WVU backed out of a new contract (Huggins has never wanted to play Marshall and the new nose picking AD Shayne Lyons backed him up) that there was literally no half way decent DI schools left with an opening this year.

I think they said Montana State (RPI 300), Drake (RPI 345), Lipscomb (RPI 346) and Longwood (RPI 350, last in IA) had openings but that was it. So its probably better playing WVW and just not getting credit one way or another than playing an RPI killer like that.

We fortunately have just one non-D1 school this year. It's inevitable for quality mid-majors.

(12-16-2016 04:14 PM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  We fortunately have just one non-D1 school this year. It's inevitable for quality mid-majors.

This is Marshall's only one and had Huggins and Nose Picking Shayne Lyons not backed out of a new contract we wouldn't have even had this one.

Non DI schools were a staple for Donnie Jones while at Marshall:

07-08- Pikeville, Rio Grande, WV State
08-09- WV Tech, Cumberland College, Rio Grande
09-10- Salem International, Brescia, Rio Grande

I begin to think that Jones was trying to get a rivalry going with the Rio Grande Red Storm. While at Marshall Jones was 55-41 with 12 of his wins coming at the expense of DII or NAIA programs.

Pitt is going to be a tough task for the Owls although it might help a bit that their student section might be smaller than usual with classes over? In any regard, I think we'll struggle more this year against teams with talented big guys (that's one reason we were upset by TSU although we'd win again easily against them now I'm pretty sure). We're more set up athletically to compete against smaller, faster teams - teams with quality big guys will get offensive rebounds and easy put backs I'm afraid.

Hope your predictions are on the money overall. You seem to be more optimistic than I'd be about a bunch of quality road wins Saturday. UTSA at A&M-Corpus Christi is another one I'd be surprised to win.

(12-16-2016 02:14 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Fine work as always, and thanks for the nod (predicting Rice on the road Saturday Night.) As you hinted, should be a good'un to watch. I know we've got a contingent headed up there to Pittsburgh.

It was way too cold here yesterday for Houston preferences, but we still braved the weather for the Kennywood holiday lights. Interesting story in the Pittsburgh paper this morning about a big drop off in basketball attendance for Pitt this year. Looking forward to the game. Maybe the last time I was this excited about the program to follow them on the road was a WAC tournament in Las Vegas.

(12-17-2016 08:42 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(12-16-2016 02:14 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  Fine work as always, and thanks for the nod (predicting Rice on the road Saturday Night.) As you hinted, should be a good'un to watch. I know we've got a contingent headed up there to Pittsburgh.

It was way too cold here yesterday for Houston preferences, but we still braved the weather for the Kennywood holiday lights. Interesting story in the Pittsburgh paper this morning about a big drop off in basketball attendance for Pitt this year. Looking forward to the game. Maybe the last time I was this excited about the program to follow them on the road was a WAC tournament in Las Vegas.

Assuming everyone sticks around you'll have another great year next season too.

We NEED to eat VCU tonight and shut them up. I don't know if I can take any more being around their fans. ODU I hope we avenge your loss to them.

(12-17-2016 08:42 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  Interesting story in the Pittsburgh paper this morning about a big drop off in basketball attendance for Pitt this year.

Going from Jamie Dixon's run and gun, score as many points possible to watching Kevin Stallings "First to 50 wins" style will turn a lot of people off. Pitt has been avg 77 points a game this year, but these are Jamie Dixon recruits he is adapting to. When he gets his recruits in there the scoring total will be turned down. I think his 17 year avg at Vandy was somewhere in the 62-63 point range.

I always thought Stallings was an odd choice for them when hiring last year. I always thought they should have went after Ed Cooley at Providence, Dereck Kellogg at UMass or Dan Hurley at Rhode Island.

(12-17-2016 12:20 PM)Ole Blue Wrote:  We NEED to eat VCU tonight and shut them up. I don't know if I can take any more being around their fans. ODU I hope we avenge your loss to them.

ODU led all but about the last 6 minutes of the game and should have won it. Hard to lose one like that by 3 at home (67 - 64). Making just 13 of 28 at the foul line, including just 4 for 13 in the last few minutes handed VCU the game on a silver platter. I can't even say that they stole it as it was gift wrapped for them. No excuses for shooting that poorly at the foul line. Pretty much the same thing happened in ODU's loss to Louisville last month where they went something like 15 for 31 and lost by 6 in overtime. If they had hit just a paltry 60% from the line then they win the game in regulation.

I plan on watching the game tonight. The environment there will likely be a hostile one as their fans are loud and fairly organized about it. VCU isn't as good in my opinion as they have been in the past few years, but is still a very good team. If MTSU keeps its composure, limits its turnovers, and makes foul shots then I feel like they should come away with the win tonight. Good luck and I will be pulling for you to get a win in Richmond.

The main guys to look out for are Lewis, Allie-Cox, Tillman, and the bushy haired guard with the beard (forgot his name). Lewis, the point guard, is usually very accurate from deep and has a quick release. He's also crafty about getting into the lane with the ball for either shots or kick out passes. Allie-Cox (6'-7" & 250 LBS) is a bully down low that has quick post moves and a quick post shot. He's also a good defender in the post. Tillman is a tall lanky slasher that can also make an outside shot, and the other bushy haired guard is mostly a scorer that can slash or shoot the mid range shots. He is good at creating off the dribble and takes it hard to the basket so you have to stay in front of him. They also have a slim built freshman that I think is 6'-5" to 6'-7" tall that is very crafty about driving to the basket and finishing. He was impressive to me for a freshman and I think in another year or two he will be a handful.

WKU about to lose to an 0-9 Detroit team. Yikes.

Wow wkcc. Really?

I fear this is an omen to the start of this weekend. Have a hunch this is going to be our Black Saturday.

I sense a 2-7 type of day.

I'll be surprised if Charlotte keeps it within 20.

(12-17-2016 03:44 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  WKU about to lose to an 0-9 Detroit team. Yikes.

Wow! That new coach is really killing it... Great hire.

We are bad!

Pile on now, we deserve it. Looks like the slogan should be we got "Stansburied" once again. Detroit is terrible first win over a D1 team this season. Our RPI is spiraling down to the bottom of D1.

(12-17-2016 04:13 PM)Franko Wrote:  Pile on now, we deserve it. Looks like the slogan should be we got "Stansburied" once again. Detroit is terrible first win over a D1 team this season. Our RPI is spiraling down to the bottom of D1.

Whats worse is that Detroit looked better than some that we have played, then again when those 3's start falling any team looks good.

Don't worry WKU. UTEP will lose to Northern Arizona tonight by 10+ at home. Our coach is a dip$hit, and we only have 3-4 players that deserve a division 1 scholarship. What is worse? Losing at home to a team with an RPI of 337 or losing on the road to a team who's RPI is 338.