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Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
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Fort Bend Owl Offline
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Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
https://riceowls.com/news/2018/11/5/mens...-T284Bu9Ps

This is a tougher test than you might think (they have a bunch of transfers and won their exhibition game by 60 points), but this is a game Rice has to win if it wants to be an improved team in 2018-19. I actually think our NC schedule is a bit tougher than past years with games at UH (ESPN BPI of 22), BYU (41), Penn (94) and Wichita State (90), and then three conference teams are in various top-125 RPI lists too in Western Kentucky, Marshall and Old Dominion.

Based on what I saw in the exhibition game, we'll probably start the same line-up as the other night (Adams, Parrish, Peterson, Williams and Harrison), but I wouldn't be surprised if Rob Martin replaces either Williams or Harrison in the line-up down the road, and I think Payton Moore and Chris Mullins will be off the bench early and get lots of playing time as true freshmen (there will be times where we need to go with 3 guards).

This game, Alabama A&M, Northwestern State and St. Edwards are the four home games we have to win. We've got about five toss-up NC games (at Texas State, Lamar, UCSB, at UTRGV, Omaha) in non-conference play, and then we'll likely be decent underdogs in the rest of the NC games. Conference play will probably be dictated by how we do in the non-conference games but starting off the conference season with probably the three easiest home games we have for now could help. I wish we didn't have to play at Charlotte and the two Florida schools but it is what it is.

Go ahead and vote if you haven't done so but afterwards, come out and watch the Owls.
(This post was last modified: 11-05-2018 04:27 PM by Fort Bend Owl.)
11-05-2018 04:26 PM
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cr11owl Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
There was an article the other day with D1 teams ranked by state. We were 23rd out of 24 in Texas with Incarnate Word the only school below us. We play 7 Texas teams this season so hopefully we move up that list a ways.

Also... wow our athletic program is in a bad place.

Worst team in the country in football (behind several programs that didn’t exist 5 years ago)
Expected to be worse in basketball than PVA&M. Lamar. UT-Arlington. TSU. HBU. A&MCC and UTRGV. And picked to finish last in a watered down CUSA.
11-05-2018 04:33 PM
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ExcitedOwl18 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Karlgaard needs to be fired... No matter how you cut it, he's mismanaged our athletic program into oblivion.

1) Football is horrible. Either because he didn't fire Bailiff soon enough, doesn't know how to properly resource a football program in 2018, or because he made a bad hire with Bloomgren. Or a little bit of all of them. I personally think its more the first two than the latter. Bloomgren, while he has his flaws (what coach doesn't), seems like a competent guy.

2) Basketball is worse than ever. No explanation needed as the reasons have been discussed ad nauseam. It's Karlgaard's job to create an atmosphere that student-athletes and coaches want to be a part of... If they don't like that nobody is in the stands, it's JK's job to market to potential fans and get them in the stands. If Rhoades wanted more money, it's JK's job to raise money and make him an offer impossible to refuse. Etc, etc...

3) The baseball debacle. Karlgaard accomplished the rare feat of both pissing off the fans that wanted the OG fired and pissing off the fans that wanted him retained. All while we fall behind in facilities. Thank God Leebron threw the program a bone with the Rice Investment. We appear to be recruiting well ever since.
11-05-2018 05:00 PM
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Fort Bend Owl Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
(11-05-2018 04:33 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  There was an article the other day with D1 teams ranked by state. We were 23rd out of 24 in Texas with Incarnate Word the only school below us. We play 7 Texas teams this season so hopefully we move up that list a ways.

Also... wow our athletic program is in a bad place.

Worst team in the country in football (behind several programs that didn’t exist 5 years ago)
Expected to be worse in basketball than PVA&M. Lamar. UT-Arlington. TSU. HBU. A&MCC and UTRGV. And picked to finish last in a watered down CUSA.

I don't think anyone has an idea of how our basketball program is going to be other than to base it on the returnees. But this group of newcomers is way better than last year's group (Lapray, Osborne, Hunter, Lester, Jones), and even though last year had a little more returning firepower (Cashaw, Adams, Mency, Martin, Meyer, Harrison vs. Adams, Jones, Harrison, Martin pretty much), I'd rate this year's overall unit with a bit more talent than last year. We aren't going to be as bad as those pundits think - as long as we continue to stay healthy.

Put it this way - our basketball program is not at the level our football team is currently.
(This post was last modified: 11-05-2018 05:35 PM by Fort Bend Owl.)
11-05-2018 05:35 PM
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RiceFootball2K5 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
(11-05-2018 05:00 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Karlgaard needs to be fired... No matter how you cut it, he's mismanaged our athletic program into oblivion.

1) Football is horrible. Either because he didn't fire Bailiff soon enough, doesn't know how to properly resource a football program in 2018, or because he made a bad hire with Bloomgren. Or a little bit of all of them. I personally think its more the first two than the latter. Bloomgren, while he has his flaws (what coach doesn't), seems like a competent guy.

2) Basketball is worse than ever. No explanation needed as the reasons have been discussed ad nauseam. It's Karlgaard's job to create an atmosphere that student-athletes and coaches want to be a part of... If they don't like that nobody is in the stands, it's JK's job to market to potential fans and get them in the stands. If Rhoades wanted more money, it's JK's job to raise money and make him an offer impossible to refuse. Etc, etc...

3) The baseball debacle. Karlgaard accomplished the rare feat of both pissing off the fans that wanted the OG fired and pissing off the fans that wanted him retained. All while we fall behind in facilities. Thank God Leebron threw the program a bone with the Rice Investment. We appear to be recruiting well ever since.

I've been banging this drum for a while now but nobody seems to want to listen. Leebron certainly doesn't.
11-05-2018 06:24 PM
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Antarius Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
(11-05-2018 05:00 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  1) Football is horrible. Either because he didn't fire Bailiff soon enough, doesn't know how to properly resource a football program in 2018, or because he made a bad hire with Bloomgren. Or a little bit of all of them. I personally think its more the first two than the latter. Bloomgren, while he has his flaws (what coach doesn't), seems like a competent guy.

Its pretty clear that he couldn't fire Bailiff in 2016. Between the statements, the body language and the absolute cockup that retaining him was, I'm confident that the decision was well over his head. Just look at the 25(0) and their involvement too. As for baseball, its also pretty clear Karlgaard wanted a change sooner. But for whatever reason, it devolved into a cluster with all sides pissed of.

A lot of this is piecing together stuff I hear and reading between the lines, but I really do not think Karlgaard has much control.

My fear of replacing him is we get another crony like Greenspan. And then we're truly ******.
(This post was last modified: 11-05-2018 06:57 PM by Antarius.)
11-05-2018 06:53 PM
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elw4796 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
A) Can we keep this thread clean of any Karlgaard and co. conversation. There's plenty of that in the football threads.

B) This will be a legitimately tough test. They will pretty easily be able to match our size which should be a good and different test than Thursday. 10 out of 14 of their rostered players are 6-4 or taller (including 5 guys 6-7 or taller). We won't be able to just treat them like a HS team. They have three transfers who have seen 9+ minutes in a D1 season. Not star transfers by any means, but they'll be able to play. A couple decent JuCos.

C) Athletic department is running a really cool promo where 750 people receive a free Blue Tooth speaker. I'm sure that'll draw a decent student crowd. Still wished we opened the season against a D1 team.
11-05-2018 06:55 PM
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cr11owl Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
The crowd at the home opener for Trevecca where Omar Mance went looked bigger than what I’m expecting tomorrow.
11-05-2018 08:32 PM
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Antarius Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
(11-05-2018 06:55 PM)elw4796 Wrote:  A) Can we keep this thread clean of any Karlgaard and co. conversation. There's plenty of that in the football threads.

And now a Karlgaard thread too.

Will move my posts there. Sorry.
11-05-2018 08:36 PM
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elw4796 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Looks like Harden is expected at the game so I'd expect a decent student turnout.
11-06-2018 07:57 PM
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cr11owl Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Pretty much nonexistent community and alumni support. Giving away 750 free Bluetooth speakers and probably 500 were left.

Student section about half full.
11-06-2018 07:59 PM
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texowl2 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
can't make it and I am one of the real diehards. Out of town on business. Too bad
11-06-2018 08:03 PM
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elw4796 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
(11-06-2018 07:59 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  Pretty much nonexistent community and alumni support. Giving away 750 free Bluetooth speakers and probably 500 were left.

Student section about half full.

Saw something on Twitter that said by % of student body, Rice actually has well above average student attendance numbers. Obviously still could be so much better, but there really is so little support in the Houston community as a whole.
11-06-2018 08:04 PM
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cr11owl Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Wish we ran some kind of offense with cuts off screens like they’ve done twice now. Lots of passing around the perimeter then we jack it up.

As I type that Ako missed Williams on a cut.
11-06-2018 08:13 PM
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elw4796 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Not real sharp analysis here, but feel like we should be beating teams like this by more than 8. But looks like a better defensive effort.
11-06-2018 08:50 PM
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cr11owl Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
(11-06-2018 08:50 PM)elw4796 Wrote:  Not real sharp analysis here, but feel like we should be beating teams like this by more than 8. But looks like a better defensive effort.

Mullins is probably the best defender we’ve had in a few years. They’ve missed some shots but I’d say we’re leaving them a lot less wide open than last year. We usually have a guy there with his hands up.

Martin looks way more comfortable than the last couple seasons. Could be big for this team. Amazing what happens when guys stick with a program for more than 1 season...

Williams and his shot continues to amaze me. Don’t think I’ll get used to it so this is my last comment on it.

FT shooting has been a positive so far.
11-06-2018 09:05 PM
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elw4796 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
The inability to string stops and scores together is hurting us. Just no ability to go on extended runs yet. Hopefully a couple games under our belt helps in that department.
11-06-2018 09:24 PM
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elw4796 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Live and die by the three. No way to dress this up, though. Pretty poor performance. We'd probably be losing by double digits if it weren't for Rob.
11-06-2018 09:34 PM
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ExcitedOwl18 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Rice ends up winning by a comfortable margin. I’ll take it.
11-06-2018 09:59 PM
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elw4796 Offline
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RE: Men's basketball opens season against St. Leo
Very happy with how the team finished. It didn't feel like a good performance, but this team should be much better than last year's.

Positives:

-What felt like a spotty defensive performance ended up with St. Leo's scoring just 64 on 41/32/69. 22 forced turnovers is refreshing after last year's woes
-Peterson and Murphy combined to go 3-12, which I can't imagine will happen too many times
-Rob is turning into a legitimate leader
(This post was last modified: 11-06-2018 10:00 PM by elw4796.)
11-06-2018 09:59 PM
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