Never put very much stock in these prognostications. Mostly they come from analyzing statistics and recruiting classes (what little I can learn about them). I see very few games in person.

The SBC should return 2.75 starters per team this season, which does not exactly project to a huge amount of strength. We do have three or four teams that look to be in a position to make some sort of post season and maybe even make a little noise there (not that making post season is that big of a deal any more).

Several of the marquee players of last year return. Kevin Hervey, Ike Smith, Tookie Brown, Erick Neal and Bryce Washington, to name a few of the more notable. And these are very good players. The performance at the top of the food chain in the Belt should be very good.

We moved up to the 13th ranked conference, which was a nice step in the right direction. Some good things seem to be happening in the SBC.

(09-03-2017 03:19 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Never put very much stock in these prognostications. Mostly they come from analyzing statistics and recruiting classes (what little I can learn about them). I see very few games in person.

The SBC should return 2.75 starters per team this season, which does not exactly project to a huge amount of strength. We do have three or four teams that look to be in a position to make some sort of post season and maybe even make a little noise there (not that making post season is that big of a deal any more).

Several of the marquee players of last year return. Kevin Hervey, Ike Smith, Tookie Brown, Erick Neal and Bryce Washington, to name a few of the more notable. And these are very good players. The performance at the top of the food chain in the Belt should be very good.

We moved up to the 13th ranked conference, which was a nice step in the right direction. Some good things seem to be happening in the SBC.

From your perspective making the post season may not be that big of a deal anymore, but to the teams that participate, and their fans, I can assure you it is a pretty big deal. Obviously every team wants to be in the NCAA field of 68, and then the NIT if they didn't make the NCAA cut.

But the CBI and CIT also provide value to teams who have had successful years but who are mid majors not included in one of the most favored Power 5 leagues. Those tournaments not only provide rewards to mid majors for a good season, but also are very beneficial in building for the following year. It is common for teams who have done well in one of the lesser post season tournaments to move up in post season class the next year.

Just ask fans of teams that go to some of the lesser bowls- "Would you rather have your team play in a bowl game or not play in a bowl game?" I guarantee you they would opt for the bowl game. And still the percentage of Division I basketball teams participating in post season is far less than football. The fact that a fan like you doesn't have a dog in the hunt and doesn't care about the game matters not to the teams and fans participating. And just ask any fan of Little Rock if we would have liked to participate in the CBI or CIT the year we blew a good year in the SBC Tourney under Coach Sheilds, and I promise you the answer of the vast majority of Trojan fans would have been yes!

(09-03-2017 03:51 PM)PTJR Wrote:  From your perspective making the post season may not be that big of a deal anymore, but to the teams that participate, and their fans, I can assure you it is a pretty big deal.

Perhaps I put that badly. I should have said that making post season is not the indicator of quality that it used to be because it has been so diluted.

(09-03-2017 07:54 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(09-03-2017 03:51 PM)PTJR Wrote:  From your perspective making the post season may not be that big of a deal anymore, but to the teams that participate, and their fans, I can assure you it is a pretty big deal.

Perhaps I put that badly. I should have said that making post season is not the indicator of quality that it used to be because it has been so diluted.

There is no doubt in my mind that most of the teams in the NIT would have a good chance, or at least even chance, of beating about half the field in the NCAA on a neutral floor. Quality seems to be all in the eye of the beholder, and the NCAA selection committee is the eye that beholds, but doesn't necessarily make them right in all choices!

Going to NIT final Four is a nice trip.

(09-05-2017 03:36 PM)Festiva Wrote:  Going to NIT final Four is a nice trip.

No kidding! Who doesn't like a trip to Manhattan!