Can't hardly wait for the next game.

We have 3 big time scorers. Hard to hold us down. If the defense is anything like it was against JM, watch out! Marcus Jackson was supposed to be our star player a couple of seasons ago, he reminded me why. Evans is proven as a big time scorer and star player. And Egor is right there with him, a very difficult match up for most teams.

Then add the depth we seem to have- Cashaw is our best jump shooter, Letcher-Ellis was a bit wild but we know he's a key player for us with tons of upside, Lott was impressive defensively with 4 steals, Adams didn't have a great game but still showed flashes including a big 3-pointer after JM had cut into the lead, Drone gives us size and stretches of interior presence, Mency has experience and can defend (1 minute), and I like what I see from Douglas and the bigger freshmen who should only get better (will need them against bigger, better rebounding teams). This team is a good FT shooting team, which combines nicely with Rhodes' havoc defensive style, which can up the tempo of games and cause foul-fests both ways. Ball handling was a concern of mine coming in, and while I'm not crazy about Evans as the distributor, I never mind the ball in his hands. I can already tell that Adams can run the show, Jackson and Cashaw handle it well for being bigger guards. There is a lot of youth but plenty of experience too. Just one game, but it confirmed why I was so excited about our prospects even before this game.

Egor played some international ball this summer and it shows. I think his shooting will be better than last year. There are 3 players that could each get 20 any night. Having Quez, Ako, and Chad coming in as the second unit is impressive and I think they are all great defenders. Bishop will probably suffer the most minutes lost. Interestingly many teams that make the Big Dance ( yes premature here ) have essentially 3 guards and 2 bigs. The youngins have grown up fast.

Biggest improvement in Egor's game is his defense. If he plays defense at the level he did in the exhibition and the JMU game it will be a huge plus.

As exciting as Evans, Jackson, and Koulechov looked in game 1, I'm still plenty excited by Cashaw and MLE. This team has some depth in guys that can score (and in a variety of ways). That will be huge in allowing one of them to have an off-night without dragging the whole team down.

(11-14-2016 09:26 AM)Viejobuho Wrote:  

(11-13-2016 09:35 PM)gsloth Wrote:  

(11-13-2016 04:40 PM)billstudabaker Wrote:  JMU was 157 in Sagarin coming in, so we could move inside 200 from 244. I imagine there will be a lot of moving around early on.

I wouldn't put much stock in Sagarin right now. That ranking is a carryover from JMU as their 21-win (and CIT berth) season last year. However, they fired their coach after last season, so the team is dealing with that turnover.

But it was a pretty experienced roster - there's only 1 freshman on the entire roster, with 9 of the players being returning players. I'm guessing the rest were transfers.

Rice had the second best improvement in Massey rankings, 72 spots to #201. Curiously, JMU still ranked ahead of us at #177: I would change computer algorithms to put more weight on direct wins (by 24 points at their place!) ---no way they are better than us!!
BY THE WAY, only Wagner, who won at Connecticut , had a better jump (75 spots) than Rice .

http://www.masseyratings.com/team.php?t=6535&s=292154

Remember that this is just one game, and maybe the Owls just happened to play exceptionally well. Massey's ratings are still primarily based on last season, when we weren't very good. In about a month, that influence should be gone, and there will also be more interconnectivity with the rest of Division I (as well as more data from Rice having played more games), so we'll have a better idea of where this team is then.

Having said all of that, if I use the same method to calculate a performance rating for Rice in this game like I do for the football team, the number that results would make the Owls a Final Four contender....

(11-15-2016 02:18 AM)Jonathan Sadow Wrote:  

(11-14-2016 09:26 AM)Viejobuho Wrote:  

(11-13-2016 09:35 PM)gsloth Wrote:  

(11-13-2016 04:40 PM)billstudabaker Wrote:  JMU was 157 in Sagarin coming in, so we could move inside 200 from 244. I imagine there will be a lot of moving around early on.

I wouldn't put much stock in Sagarin right now. That ranking is a carryover from JMU as their 21-win (and CIT berth) season last year. However, they fired their coach after last season, so the team is dealing with that turnover.

But it was a pretty experienced roster - there's only 1 freshman on the entire roster, with 9 of the players being returning players. I'm guessing the rest were transfers.

Rice had the second best improvement in Massey rankings, 72 spots to #201. Curiously, JMU still ranked ahead of us at #177: I would change computer algorithms to put more weight on direct wins (by 24 points at their place!) ---no way they are better than us!!
BY THE WAY, only Wagner, who won at Connecticut , had a better jump (75 spots) than Rice .

http://www.masseyratings.com/team.php?t=6535&s=292154

Remember that this is just one game, and maybe the Owls just happened to play exceptionally well. Massey's ratings are still primarily based on last season, when we weren't very good. In about a month, that influence should be gone, and there will also be more interconnectivity with the rest of Division I (as well as more data from Rice having played more games), so we'll have a better idea of where this team is then.

Having said all of that, if I use the same method to calculate a performance rating for Rice in this game like I do for the football team, the number that results would make the Owls a Final Four contender....

Sagarin obviously listened to me : Rice at #142 vs JMU at #214



http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaab/sagarin/

When I click the link, I get the following message from USA Today.

"Sorry, the team data is not available."

I think USA Today needs to hire some proofreaders with basic grammar skills.

fyi, full game video:
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/jmu/p...Type=video

We're 3rd in the CUSA on Kenpom.com:

104 Old Dominion
105 UAB
108 Rice
120 Middle Tennessee
131 Marshall
158 Louisiana Tech
162 Western Kentucky
172 Charlotte
217 UTEP
242 North Texas
255 Florida Atlantic
275 Southern Miss
280 FIU
298 UTSA

Looks like our toughest non-conference games based on USA Today will be:
11/19: Nebraska -Omaha 121
12/3: Texas Tech 46
12/10: Stephen F Austin 127
12/17: Pittsburg 80

(11-15-2016 02:01 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  We're 3rd in the CUSA on Kenpom.com:

104 Old Dominion
105 UAB
108 Rice
120 Middle Tennessee
131 Marshall
158 Louisiana Tech
162 Western Kentucky
172 Charlotte
217 UTEP
242 North Texas
255 Florida Atlantic
275 Southern Miss
280 FIU
298 UTSA

(11-15-2016 02:36 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Looks like our toughest non-conference games based on USA Today will be:
11/19: Nebraska -Omaha 121
12/3: Texas Tech 46
12/10: Stephen F Austin 127
12/17: Pittsburg 80

(11-15-2016 02:01 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  We're 3rd in the CUSA on Kenpom.com:

104 Old Dominion
105 UAB
108 Rice
120 Middle Tennessee
131 Marshall
158 Louisiana Tech
162 Western Kentucky
172 Charlotte
217 UTEP
242 North Texas
255 Florida Atlantic
275 Southern Miss
280 FIU
298 UTSA

TSU is a talented team that likely will win the SWAC this season. The Tigers are dangerous, and it will take a solid effort to defeat them.

(11-15-2016 03:14 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  TSU is a talented team that likely will win the SWAC this season. The Tigers are dangerous, and it will take a solid effort to defeat them.

Yeah... I'm pretty excited, but you're absolutely right, it's just one game. We'll need a few more measuring sticks.

(11-15-2016 02:36 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Looks like our toughest non-conference games based on USA Today will be:
11/19: Nebraska -Omaha 121
12/3: Texas Tech 46
12/10: Stephen F Austin 127
12/17: Pittsburgh 80

FIFY

(The Pittsburg (no-h) State Gorillas compete in the Div II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

(11-15-2016 05:33 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-15-2016 02:36 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Looks like our toughest non-conference games based on USA Today will be:
11/19: Nebraska -Omaha 121
12/3: Texas Tech 46
12/10: Stephen F Austin 127
12/17: Pittsburgh 80

FIFY

(The Pittsburg (no-h) State Gorillas compete in the Div II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

Great chicken joints in Pittsburg. Chicken Annie's and Chicken Mary's, a rivalry as old as time itself.

Excellent. Just checking if anyone is paying attention :).

(11-15-2016 05:47 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(11-15-2016 05:33 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-15-2016 02:36 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Looks like our toughest non-conference games based on USA Today will be:
11/19: Nebraska -Omaha 121
12/3: Texas Tech 46
12/10: Stephen F Austin 127
12/17: Pittsburgh 80

FIFY

(The Pittsburg (no-h) State Gorillas compete in the Div II Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

Great chicken joints in Pittsburg. Chicken Annie's and Chicken Mary's, a rivalry as old as time itself.

Jonathan Sadow Wrote:  Having said all of that, if I use the same method to calculate a performance rating for Rice in this game like I do for the football team, the number that results would make the Owls a Final Four contender....

I suspect the additional data point from tonight will take Rice out of FF contention in your system...

(11-15-2016 03:14 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(11-15-2016 02:36 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Looks like our toughest non-conference games based on USA Today will be:
11/19: Nebraska -Omaha 121
12/3: Texas Tech 46
12/10: Stephen F Austin 127
12/17: Pittsburg 80

(11-15-2016 02:01 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  We're 3rd in the CUSA on Kenpom.com:

104 Old Dominion
105 UAB
108 Rice
120 Middle Tennessee
131 Marshall
158 Louisiana Tech
162 Western Kentucky
172 Charlotte
217 UTEP
242 North Texas
255 Florida Atlantic
275 Southern Miss
280 FIU
298 UTSA

TSU is a talented team that likely will win the SWAC this season. The Tigers are dangerous, and it will take a solid effort to defeat them.

Prescient

(11-16-2016 10:07 PM)DFW Owl Wrote:  

Jonathan Sadow Wrote:  Having said all of that, if I use the same method to calculate a performance rating for Rice in this game like I do for the football team, the number that results would make the Owls a Final Four contender....

I suspect the additional data point from tonight will take Rice out of FF contention in your system...

The performance rating translates to being ranked about 305th in NCAA Division I, about the same level as Lamar. Irrational exuberance....