https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17594

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17627

College Sports Madness ranks the top 144 men's basketball teams, starting at the bottom and adding a team each day. So far, with teams 106-144 listed, two MAC teams appear - Ball State at 131 and Buffalo at 109.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basket...e-in-duke/

Looks like you can get 2000-1 odds betting on the Rockets to win the NCAA tournament. Bowling Green and Ball State are also listed at 2000-1, with Buffalo at 1000-1. (Not saying that this means anything at all. It's just that I'm not a football fan, and there's not a whole lot of basketball news right now!)

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17661

And here's Bowling Green picked to finish 98th in the country and 2nd in the MAC by College Sports Madness. With Ball State and Buffalo already listed lower in CSM's top 144 and one more MAC team to go, it looks like the Rockets could be the top pick.

Buffalo is 109?? Where's the respect?

BASKETBALL!!!

Can we at least get through with Summer? They expect too much division of my attention span.

(07-31-2019 10:17 AM)inductchuck16 Wrote:  Buffalo is 109?? Where's the respect?

I agree. Their remaining staff did a great job reloading and maintaining stability in the program. Usually when a star coach leaves there's a big roster turnover but they kept everyone and then went out and signed the deepest class in the MAC. They return a couple of their top guys, a couple of highly recruited reserves entering their 2nd season looking to breakout, and a couple of solid 5th year D1 transfers. If they can blend in the recruits they could win the MAC again. I don't see as deep a roster or as much experience elsewhere. Issue will be chemistry and if talented guys can step up like their departed seniors were consistent in doing.

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

(08-18-2019 09:01 AM)Dwight Wrote:  https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

(08-18-2019 11:08 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 09:01 AM)Dwight Wrote:  https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

My thoughts as well.

(08-18-2019 11:52 AM)Dwight Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:08 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 09:01 AM)Dwight Wrote:  https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

My thoughts as well.

It may have been posted 8/18 but the rankings began in June. Most likely the entire ranking was previous to the first posting. So at that time, injury free it is a very balanced team front to back with an experienced and talented PG, workhorses in Littleton and Jackson, a center that can shoot 3's and a budding HOF in Edu. I think we're better defensively and solid offensively. #80 WAS solid.

(08-18-2019 12:50 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:52 AM)Dwight Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:08 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 09:01 AM)Dwight Wrote:  https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

My thoughts as well.

It may have been posted 8/18 but the rankings began in June. Most likely the entire ranking was previous to the first posting. So at that time, injury free it is a very balanced team front to back with an experienced and talented PG, workhorses in Littleton and Jackson, a center that can shoot 3's and a budding HOF in Edu. I think we're better defensively and solid offensively. #80 WAS solid.

Except we don’t have a budding HOFer in Edu. We have a skinny, inexperienced true freshman backing up a foul-prone, potentially All-Conference but maddeningly inconsistent Center and a dearth of proven shooters. If you rely on your center for 3s you’re in trouble. Best case, Littleson is the shooter he appeared to be at times last year, W Jackson finds an offensive game and M Jackson is at full strength. But the bench still looks desperately thin to me.

(08-18-2019 04:46 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 12:50 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:52 AM)Dwight Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:08 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 09:01 AM)Dwight Wrote:  https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

My thoughts as well.

It may have been posted 8/18 but the rankings began in June. Most likely the entire ranking was previous to the first posting. So at that time, injury free it is a very balanced team front to back with an experienced and talented PG, workhorses in Littleton and Jackson, a center that can shoot 3's and a budding HOF in Edu. I think we're better defensively and solid offensively. #80 WAS solid.

Except we don’t have a budding HOFer in Edu. We have a skinny, inexperienced true freshman backing up a foul-prone, potentially All-Conference but maddeningly inconsistent Center and a dearth of proven shooters. If you rely on your center for 3s you’re in trouble. Best case, Littleson is the shooter he appeared to be at times last year, W Jackson finds an offensive game and M Jackson is at full strength. But the bench still looks desperately thin to me.

But team speed should be better. In

(08-18-2019 04:46 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 12:50 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:52 AM)Dwight Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:08 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 09:01 AM)Dwight Wrote:  https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

My thoughts as well.

It may have been posted 8/18 but the rankings began in June. Most likely the entire ranking was previous to the first posting. So at that time, injury free it is a very balanced team front to back with an experienced and talented PG, workhorses in Littleton and Jackson, a center that can shoot 3's and a budding HOF in Edu. I think we're better defensively and solid offensively. #80 WAS solid.

Except we don’t have a budding HOFer in Edu. We have a skinny, inexperienced true freshman backing up a foul-prone, potentially All-Conference but maddeningly inconsistent Center and a dearth of proven shooters. If you rely on your center for 3s you’re in trouble. Best case, Littleson is the shooter he appeared to be at times last year, W Jackson finds an offensive game and M Jackson is at full strength. But the bench still looks desperately thin to me.

yes, this is the sober analysis of the 2019-20 men's basketball Rockets. H2O has been around rocket basketball well long enough, in a seasoned cellar stored good old wine kind of way, to know that this has all the makings of a pretty good team with a couple holes that will likely be it's undoing when it comes to championships. there are 6 players the staff can count on. the top recruit who would have made that 7 had to have his foot re-broken on purpose to reset it properly and is likely in a boot till sometime in october. our backup big was supposed to redshirt because he's a home schooled kid who was used to 10 months of the year dominated 5-10 autistic and praise jesus kids in the home schooler league. he has great potential but was average in the 2 months a year he played high level AAU ball. our most important player, marreon, is apparently healthy but coming off major injury and surgery. and even he was inconsistent shooting the 3 last year. this year who makes outside shots? and the line went back a step. littleson? alderson? saunders? marreon? Luke?

there is a scenario where you say. in a middle heavy MAC. where 12-6 or 11-7 could get a you a share of the title. we should have the top pg and top big in the league. Luke improves every year. if he continues that growth and has a better year than last season's good, but at times inconsistent, one. if marreon as a 3 year starter now takes greater advantage of mostly less experienced competition and controls the games even better at the point. if those 2 things happen and you look at the roster and see a lot of scrappy rangy role players who are eager to make their mark coming up in the league's 2nd/3rd best program. there's no reason to think by MAC season. if no one goes down. we'll have 11 healthy guys worked into a pretty comfortable 8 man rotation. the staff will be ahead of the curve on channelling more of the 3s to the corner (which is basically the same distance). Luke should be a great high post player initiating offense. he's a good ballhandler and passer when he pivots or uses a single dribble. with the longer 3 line he can settle into the mid range post and take comfortable 16-18 foot jumpers or pass to our mid sized guys posting up or cutting. we got some good ballhandlers that are comfortable playing together. saunders was on the team last year and is ready to show up. has comparable versatility and talent to jaelen. and just needs to play a role to help us. the italian kid emerges late with a now pristine foot and gives us a navigato sized perimeter ballhandler who can pass, dribble, shoot and likes to attack. willie doesn't need to be a star. he improves a bit in what he now does well and is more aggressive as a backdoor and alley-oop threat on offensive sets. that's it. littleson is a pesky defender and rebounder with enough size who usually shoots it well. alderson can defend and rebound and run the floor. if he's finally owned his talents and become a starter as the staff says he should be an asset. maranka or smith or the suddenly fat kid from indiana gradually becomes a decent 3 minute a half sub. we're all set. 12-6 Co-MAC champs I declare us. I miss AJ

(08-18-2019 04:46 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 12:50 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:52 AM)Dwight Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:08 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 09:01 AM)Dwight Wrote:  https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17718

College Sports Madness picks the Rockets #80 in the country and 1st in the MAC. For a point of reference, last year's Buffalo team was ranked #74 preseason by the same publication.

Other MAC teams among the 144 ranked teams were Bowling Green (98), Buffalo (109), and Ball State (131).

I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

My thoughts as well.

It may have been posted 8/18 but the rankings began in June. Most likely the entire ranking was previous to the first posting. So at that time, injury free it is a very balanced team front to back with an experienced and talented PG, workhorses in Littleton and Jackson, a center that can shoot 3's and a budding HOF in Edu. I think we're better defensively and solid offensively. #80 WAS solid.

Except we don’t have a budding HOFer in Edu.

We'll see. I think most could see the trajectory last year. If the recovery is solid, he'll be in UT's HOF. Probably the MACs also (do they have one?)

(08-18-2019 06:30 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 04:46 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 12:50 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:52 AM)Dwight Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:08 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

My thoughts as well.

It may have been posted 8/18 but the rankings began in June. Most likely the entire ranking was previous to the first posting. So at that time, injury free it is a very balanced team front to back with an experienced and talented PG, workhorses in Littleton and Jackson, a center that can shoot 3's and a budding HOF in Edu. I think we're better defensively and solid offensively. #80 WAS solid.

Except we don’t have a budding HOFer in Edu.

We'll see. I think most could see the trajectory last year. If the recovery is solid, he'll be in UT's HOF. Probably the MACs also (do they have one?)

The issue isn’t whether he’ll be in the HOF. The issue is we don’t have him. Losing a guy of his caliber inside limits Knapke’s opportunities to step outside and leaves us without a rim protector when Knapke sits. With Edu I could see us winning it all.

(08-18-2019 07:20 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 06:30 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 04:46 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 12:50 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 11:52 AM)Dwight Wrote:  My thoughts as well.

It may have been posted 8/18 but the rankings began in June. Most likely the entire ranking was previous to the first posting. So at that time, injury free it is a very balanced team front to back with an experienced and talented PG, workhorses in Littleton and Jackson, a center that can shoot 3's and a budding HOF in Edu. I think we're better defensively and solid offensively. #80 WAS solid.

Except we don’t have a budding HOFer in Edu.

We'll see. I think most could see the trajectory last year. If the recovery is solid, he'll be in UT's HOF. Probably the MACs also (do they have one?)

The issue isn’t whether he’ll be in the HOF.

The issue is. I said we have a budding HOF and you said we don't. :shrug: Time will tell. The issue is, you posted

Quote:I hope these guys know more than I (for lots of reasons) but I think our losses leave us as a middle of the pack team.

and I posed the thought that might not have been considered, the reviews look to have been written before his injury so no, unless they were fortune tellers they didn't know more than you.

Not to say there aren't other issues but those are the ones I posted to. I would imagine by time season starts there will be many false assumptions in a review dated June.

(08-18-2019 06:18 PM)pono Wrote:  our backup big was supposed to redshirt because he's a home schooled kid who was used to 10 months of the year dominated 5-10 autistic and praise jesus kids in the home schooler league. he has great potential but was average in the 2 months a year he played high level AAU ball... I miss AJ

I think this is a bit unfair of an assessment of kid we have never seen play. Remember AJ was a suspect recruit who we thought played against a bunch of 5' 7" soccer rejects. Also, AJ looked tentative and often times a little lost until he found his grove around the second week of conference play. Big men take longer to develop than guards. Be patient with the new bigs.

(08-20-2019 08:49 PM)San Giuseppe Jato Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 06:18 PM)pono Wrote:  our backup big was supposed to redshirt because he's a home schooled kid who was used to 10 months of the year dominated 5-10 autistic and praise jesus kids in the home schooler league. he has great potential but was average in the 2 months a year he played high level AAU ball... I miss AJ

I think this is a bit unfair of an assessment of kid we have never seen play. Remember AJ was a suspect recruit who we thought played against a bunch of 5' 7" soccer rejects. Also, AJ looked tentative and often times a little lost until he found his grove around the second week of conference play. Big men take longer to develop than guards. Be patient with the new bigs.

I remember differently the reaction to Edu. I recall people thinking he would be a superstar from the minute we signed him.

(08-20-2019 09:27 PM)Dwight Wrote:  

(08-20-2019 08:49 PM)San Giuseppe Jato Rocket Wrote:  

(08-18-2019 06:18 PM)pono Wrote:  our backup big was supposed to redshirt because he's a home schooled kid who was used to 10 months of the year dominated 5-10 autistic and praise jesus kids in the home schooler league. he has great potential but was average in the 2 months a year he played high level AAU ball... I miss AJ

I think this is a bit unfair of an assessment of kid we have never seen play. Remember AJ was a suspect recruit who we thought played against a bunch of 5' 7" soccer rejects. Also, AJ looked tentative and often times a little lost until he found his grove around the second week of conference play. Big men take longer to develop than guards. Be patient with the new bigs.

I remember differently the reaction to Edu. I recall people thinking he would be a superstar from the minute we signed him.

yeah, Edu grew up playing in all ages leagues in cyprus. he was playing with grown men at 14. his british highlight-reel competition was questionable, but, his success with the philippine jr national team showed he could play on big stages. and his talent really popped on tape. the silver lining of the injury could be this allows him a year to watch the game and feel its speed without moving and come back to play with more anticipation and understanding.