(03-10-2021 09:21 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  Per Mettlen's tweeter feed, he said it is unlikely the Dukes would accept an invitation to the CBI or College Insider. They are still practicing in case of an NIT invite or if the CAA rep has to pull out of the NCAA (doubt that will happen since Drexel's coaches should lock the kids in their rooms until the tourney starts).

Better yet, lock them in the gym. Throw some cots in the film room.

(03-10-2021 09:21 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  Per Mettlen's tweeter feed, he said it is unlikely the Dukes would accept an invitation to the CBI or College Insider. They are still practicing in case of an NIT invite or if the CAA rep has to pull out of the NCAA (doubt that will happen since Drexel's coaches should lock the kids in their rooms until the tourney starts).

Who would get the invite if the CAAT winner can't go? I would assume Elon as runner up? Is there even a rule in the CAA for that situation?

There are a million threads on basketball, so I'll put this here. I agree that JMU needs more talent. In a transition year for the CAA, I like Drexel's roster. Unbeknownst to me, Zach Spiker was on the verge of being fired prior to this tourney. Mettlen also talks about players being poached from NE (Walker and Telfort), especially if Coen moves on to another job. WAPO has Drexel as a 15 seed right now. Some nice young players on their roster, to include Xavier Bell, TJ Bickerstaff and Mate Okros. Elon also has some good young players (Hunter McIntosh, Hunter Woods, Darius Burford, Michael Graham and others). If the CAA can keep these guys, league will be much improved next season.

(03-10-2021 10:20 AM)Dukes84 Wrote:  There are a million threads on basketball, so I'll put this here. I agree that JMU needs more talent. In a transition year for the CAA, I like Drexel's roster. Unbeknownst to me, Zach Spiker was on the verge of being fired prior to this tourney. Mettlen also talks about players being poached from NE (Walker and Telfort), especially if Coen moves on to another job. WAPO has Drexel as a 15 seed right now. Some nice young players on their roster, to include Xavier Bell, TJ Bickerstaff and Mate Okros. Elon also has some good young players (Hunter McIntosh, Hunter Woods, Darius Burford, Michael Graham and others). If the CAA can keep these guys, league will be much improved next season.

Improved maybe, or perhaps probably.

But we are nothing more than a 1 bid conference for the near future (at best).

This league does little, if anything, to assist a school build a top 25 program. For JMU, the CAA does not even provide a rival. Close schools? yes, but is there one school "everyone" (not just Hyper) says I just want to see and win that game.

At one time we've had basketball rivalries with RU, GMU, ODU, and VCU a little. Now is there any one school that excites the JMU fanbase? None that excite me.

One thing that JMU could use that Drexel and Elon have - seems like they have more reliable step out 4s who can hit the 3. This team needs a rangy Semenov type - Jacobs had opportunities there but was never reliable from deep. Wooden can shot me from them as can Christmas but again not reliable enough out there and more valuable inside. Philosophically Coach By may play different faster with more guard play. I think defensively when JMU was healthy that speed all over from every position gives other teams trouble and teams like Drexel and Elon would turn the ball over if JMU pushed the issue.

(03-10-2021 10:04 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-10-2021 09:21 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  Per Mettlen's tweeter feed, he said it is unlikely the Dukes would accept an invitation to the CBI or College Insider. They are still practicing in case of an NIT invite or if the CAA rep has to pull out of the NCAA (doubt that will happen since Drexel's coaches should lock the kids in their rooms until the tourney starts).

Who would get the invite if the CAAT winner can't go? I would assume Elon as runner up? Is there even a rule in the CAA for that situation?

That's what I have been told from a JMU staffer. If Drexel pops positive, Elon would represent the CAA; if Elon pops then JMU as the regular season champ goes.

In the FWIW category, Rick Pitino took his school to the NCAAT this year, the first coach to take 5 different schools to the tournament.

(03-10-2021 10:37 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-10-2021 10:20 AM)Dukes84 Wrote:  There are a million threads on basketball, so I'll put this here. I agree that JMU needs more talent. In a transition year for the CAA, I like Drexel's roster. Unbeknownst to me, Zach Spiker was on the verge of being fired prior to this tourney. Mettlen also talks about players being poached from NE (Walker and Telfort), especially if Coen moves on to another job. WAPO has Drexel as a 15 seed right now. Some nice young players on their roster, to include Xavier Bell, TJ Bickerstaff and Mate Okros. Elon also has some good young players (Hunter McIntosh, Hunter Woods, Darius Burford, Michael Graham and others). If the CAA can keep these guys, league will be much improved next season.

Improved maybe, or perhaps probably.

But we are nothing more than a 1 bid conference for the near future (at best).

This league does little, if anything, to assist a school build a top 25 program. For JMU, the CAA does not even provide a rival. Close schools? yes, but is there one school "everyone" (not just Hyper) says I just want to see and win that game.

At one time we've had basketball rivalries with RU, GMU, ODU, and VCU a little. Now is there any one school that excites the JMU fanbase? None that excite me.

MBB programs are on their own islands in the CAA, the same with softball. The only way to better the chances of dancing in the CAA is to schedule OCC to build your own resume. To schedule quality OCC teams you can't be what we used to call...an "RPI Killer". Hopefully Coach Byington can keep the train moving full steam ahead, continue raising the recruiting bar and selling JMU as a place kids want to play and get their education. (just like football and softball athletes)

If we look at the teams that left the CAA in the past 10 years, most left simply because the majority of the programs didn't want to invest in their own programs that would also strengthen the conference. I get the sense we may be seeing the same thing happen with CAA football. I could be my imagination but it seems to me the investment of some of the top CAA programs aren't investing they way they did 5 or 10 years ago. It's like they a looking at the return on investment.

Keeping it real; a great season with the future looking pretty bright.

Many schools investing more into basketball. The NCAA tournament payout is too large to ignore. The lack of income from FCS football also too small to ignore. At JMU, the crowds each Saturday for football still make it a good investment.

(03-15-2021 10:51 AM)RamDawg Wrote:  

(03-10-2021 10:37 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-10-2021 10:20 AM)Dukes84 Wrote:  There are a million threads on basketball, so I'll put this here. I agree that JMU needs more talent. In a transition year for the CAA, I like Drexel's roster. Unbeknownst to me, Zach Spiker was on the verge of being fired prior to this tourney. Mettlen also talks about players being poached from NE (Walker and Telfort), especially if Coen moves on to another job. WAPO has Drexel as a 15 seed right now. Some nice young players on their roster, to include Xavier Bell, TJ Bickerstaff and Mate Okros. Elon also has some good young players (Hunter McIntosh, Hunter Woods, Darius Burford, Michael Graham and others). If the CAA can keep these guys, league will be much improved next season.

Improved maybe, or perhaps probably.

But we are nothing more than a 1 bid conference for the near future (at best).

This league does little, if anything, to assist a school build a top 25 program. For JMU, the CAA does not even provide a rival. Close schools? yes, but is there one school "everyone" (not just Hyper) says I just want to see and win that game.

At one time we've had basketball rivalries with RU, GMU, ODU, and VCU a little. Now is there any one school that excites the JMU fanbase? None that excite me.

MBB programs are on their own islands in the CAA, the same with softball. The only way to better the chances of dancing in the CAA is to schedule OCC to build your own resume. To schedule quality OCC teams you can't be what we used to call...an "RPI Killer". Hopefully Coach Byington can keep the train moving full steam ahead, continue raising the recruiting bar and selling JMU as a place kids want to play and get their education. (just like football and softball athletes)

If we look at the teams that left the CAA in the past 10 years, most left simply because the majority of the programs didn't want to invest in their own programs that would also strengthen the conference. I get the sense we may be seeing the same thing happen with CAA football. I could be my imagination but it seems to me the investment of some of the top CAA programs aren't investing they way they did 5 or 10 years ago. It's like they a looking at the return on investment.

Keeping it real; a great season with the future looking pretty bright.

Fwiw JMUs original OOC schedule had what would have been I believe 4 NCAA tourney teams ( Ga Tech, Florida, UVA and Mount St Mary’s). Their revised schedule I believe had 2 (VCU, Norfolk State). In between there was a planned game vs Maryland (another tourney team) that had to be postponed due to COVID. A game at Kentucky was discussed as well. Next season we have confirmed games vs Virginia and at Florida along with the Odu and Mason games.

I think Coach By has shown a willingness to play bigger teams more so than his predecessors.