How many get in tourney? Memphis, Cincy, Louisville & Temple. UCONN maybe. I think it'll be a couple more years before Larry Brown gets the mustangs in. That being said we'll have a possible 8 to 10 conference games against NCAA tourney teams. Maybe another 3 or 4 in non conference schedule. If we go .500 in those games I believe it'll be a success. Here's my preseason top 6 in conference assuming all teams keep what they have coming back & all in coming recruits:
1. Memphis, who's gonna have more talent?
2. Louisville, they have some horses coming in.
3. Temple, should keep building on momentum from late run & A-10 has them tuned up well for new conference.
4. Cincinatti, see comments on Temple.
5. Houston, a lot of talent, under achieved this season.
6. UCONN, just cause it's UCONN.
Preseason player of year, Joe Jackson
Actual player of year, Geron Johnson.
Temple has a lot of talent gone from this past season. Young guys will need to step it up. They will have to find a scorer. Should be interesting.
UConn would have made it this year, but they were banned from post-season play.
(03-30-2013 11:26 AM)BIGDTiger Wrote: [ -> ]How many get in tourney? Memphis, Cincy, Louisville & Temple. UCONN maybe. I think it'll be a couple more years before Larry Brown gets the mustangs in. That being said we'll have a possible 8 to 10 conference games against NCAA tourney teams. Maybe another 3 or 4 in non conference schedule. If we go .500 in those games I believe it'll be a success. Here's my preseason top 6 in conference assuming all teams keep what they have coming back & all in coming recruits:
1. Memphis, who's gonna have more talent?
2. Louisville, they have some horses coming in.
3. Temple, should keep building on momentum from late run & A-10 has them tuned up well for new conference.
4. Cincinatti, see comments on Temple.
5. Houston, a lot of talent, under achieved this season.
6. UCONN, just cause it's UCONN.
Preseason player of year, Joe Jackson
Actual player of year, Geron Johnson.
I don't think we (Tiger Fans) should start hyping expectations. It hasn't served us well doing so lately...
I think Temple is a real x factor- just because they've never faced any of these schools.
(03-30-2013 01:20 PM)stever20 Wrote: [ -> ]I think Temple is a real x factor- just because they've never faced any of these schools.
What? USF beat them ast year in NCAA
(03-30-2013 11:40 AM)panicstricken Wrote: [ -> ]Lulz at houston
I'd normally agree.
But when we changed PGs with 11 games to go, we improved by 8 points a game. We scored more & gave up less against a tougher part of the schedule mostly away from home.
Everyone returns except 1 senior. 3 of the returning starters were Top 100 recruits out of HS who each had nice year this season. Thomas was 1st team All-Conference, Young led the league in scoring, and House was C-USA Frosh of the Year. We'll add National Top 75 recruit Chicken Knowles to the mix next year.
So, if we can build on the late season improvement, we have a chance.
We really need to step it up on defense. If we go something like 5-15 in the new league next year, it won't be for a lack of offensive talent.
Cincinnati is going to have BIG problems if Jermaine Lawrence and Jamaree Strickland don't come in and contribute immediately. We have a massive hole in the post that can't be filled with our currently rostered INCREDIBLY low IQ 4's (Titus Rubles and Justin Jackson) and we NEED someone to come in and have an impact inside for this "offense" Coach Cronin runs to work at all.
Far and away though, I think we are really going to hurt with the loss of Cash Wright. We have no pure point, and our only returning options are a super low-IQ, high intensity guy who is in no way confident in his shot and who fouls WAY too often to be a full time floor man and someone coming off of wrist surgery on his shooting side who was never planning on playing the point for us. We have two combo guards who are great scorers coming in this year in what can be considered a pretty stellar all-around recruiting class, but relying on freshman has usually never worked in Clifton.
I see us more than likely 4th in this conference by default behind Memphis, Louisville, and UConn, but I'm not entirely confident in that projection honestly.
UCF needs a couple of seasons at this next level to compete I believe. Till then, I think UCF's program struggles with depth.
(03-30-2013 01:25 PM)Cubanbull Wrote: [ -> ] (03-30-2013 01:20 PM)stever20 Wrote: [ -> ]I think Temple is a real x factor- just because they've never faced any of these schools.
What? USF beat them ast year in NCAA
that's the only team they've faced recently and it's only once.
(03-30-2013 11:26 AM)BIGDTiger Wrote: [ -> ]How many get in tourney? Memphis, Cincy, Louisville & Temple. UCONN maybe. I think it'll be a couple more years before Larry Brown gets the mustangs in. That being said we'll have a possible 8 to 10 conference games against NCAA tourney teams. Maybe another 3 or 4 in non conference schedule. If we go .500 in those games I believe it'll be a success. Here's my preseason top 6 in conference assuming all teams keep what they have coming back & all in coming recruits:
1. Memphis, who's gonna have more talent?
2. Louisville, they have some horses coming in.
3. Temple, should keep building on momentum from late run & A-10 has them tuned up well for new conference.
4. Cincinatti, see comments on Temple.
5. Houston, a lot of talent, under achieved this season.
6. UCONN, just cause it's UCONN.
Preseason player of year, Joe Jackson
Actual player of year, Geron Johnson.
I would bet Russ Smith will be preseason POY.
UConn would finish higher than 6th with one arm tied behind its back.
I agree Uconn will be in the top 3 to 5. UCF still is dealing with schollie losses, so it will be a couple of years of not enough depth for us.
Houston needs a new coach to move to the next level of a tourney berth.
(03-30-2013 10:10 PM)UHCougar Wrote: [ -> ]Houston needs a new coach to move to the next level of a tourney berth.
Absolutely this ^^^... but who will Houston main target be???
(03-30-2013 10:41 PM)BigHouston Wrote: [ -> ] (03-30-2013 10:10 PM)UHCougar Wrote: [ -> ]Houston needs a new coach to move to the next level of a tourney berth.
Absolutely this ^^^... but who will Houston main target be???
I thought your Houston's coach could recruit. What about those five stars you guys signed last year? How is recruiting this year looking like for Houston Basketball?
Actually memphis might be hurting some. There is talk about 5 of our players testing the draft. Hopefully we don't lose them to the draft, overseas, or transfers due to the recruiting class coming in.
(03-30-2013 10:50 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote: [ -> ] (03-30-2013 10:41 PM)BigHouston Wrote: [ -> ] (03-30-2013 10:10 PM)UHCougar Wrote: [ -> ]Houston needs a new coach to move to the next level of a tourney berth.
Absolutely this ^^^... but who will Houston main target be???
I thought your Houston's coach could recruit. What about those five stars you guys signed last year? How is recruiting this year looking like for Houston Basketball?
SMU hired the assistant coach that landed those guys for Houston.
As a poster said Temple is losing a LOT. I think we'll be OK next year as the 2012 class gets comfortable but tournament's definitely not a lock.
I hope SMU and Houston live up to their potential when the conference gets settled