I have little interest in being a 15th or 16th seed and just being happy we get into the NCAAT.

That's what happened in Brady's appearance - some loved it, and me not so much.

This year I would of been happy, because I felt it would be a building block for Mark. With Matt I felt it was the end of the journey.

15th & 16th seeds do sometimes win in the NCAAT, but they are pretty much just cute they are there.

I don't care what conference we are in, I would want to be seeded no worse than 14, and really 12-13. That is my goal for the program, and why I think we should shoot to be an attainable top 75 program. The CAA used to have 3-4 top 75 programs.

Go to the tournament with a shot of doing something.....

The CAA is bad for JMU

(03-19-2021 02:49 PM)Dukeman2 Wrote:  The CAA is bad for JMU

Agreed!

Illinois is that good.

JMU has needed to get out of the CAA for the better part of a decade. The league isn't going to get any better with how divided the members are.

In 2015 and in 2019 NU was a 14 seed in the tourney (almost beat Notre Dame, got slammed by Kansas).

If you play a good OOC schedule, finish at or near the top of the league and win 20+ games it's attainable.

Not saying this league is good in any stretch, but it is not the reason why Drexel is a 16 seed.

Mvc is an interesting study as a mid major league- they have had defections over the years most recently Wichita State but they replenish and keep going. They get multiple bids and higher seeds that lend themselves to deeper runs. CAA needs to study how they do it.

Let's not fool ourselves, we were one of the reasons the CAA MBB conference has been garbage. To say the CAA is unworthy of us is ridiculous. We were unworthy of the MEAC, let alone the CAA.
A few things happen if we continue to improve:
1. The JMU program gets more credibility
2. The CAA becomes a better conference (hate the CAA all you want, but the more teams improve, the better the conference becomes)
3. We become much more appealing to other conferences

#3 is HUGE. I've said it before, but FCS football isn't holding us back from a new conference as much as MBB. Regardless of being FCS, at least our football program has an argument to make about being competitive.
MBB has been a huge wart on our athletics program. It's a big reason we aren't in consideration in the conferences JMU would actually like to be in (AAC for instance).
The CAA needs us far more than we need them in the long term. The problem for the CAA is that they are not making decisions that are in JMU's best interest. Ever think that the CAA is doing what they are because they know JMU isn't CAA for life? If we were, wouldn't the CAA be making decisions in our best interest, like the media deal?
Silence does not mean agreement. As soon as we get a conference invite that makes sense and puts us in a better position then we will kick the CAA to the curb.

Two quick points to mimic what others have said: I watched the first half...Drexel missed a ton of close-in shots. They're not that bad and have some good young players. Illinois is one of the best teams in the country and could easily win the whole thing. They're that good. JMU has no right to complain about the CAA in men's basketball when they haven't gotten out of the quarterfinals since 2013 and have largely been irrelevant for a long period of time. CAA does have two Final Four teams in recent memory...can't forget that.

(03-19-2021 04:56 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  Two quick points to mimic what others have said: I watched the first half...Drexel missed a ton of close-in shots. They're not that bad and have some good young players. Illinois is one of the best teams in the country and could easily win the whole thing. They're that good. JMU has no right to complain about the CAA in men's basketball when they haven't gotten out of the quarterfinals since 2013 and have largely been irrelevant for a long period of time. CAA does have two Final Four teams in recent memory...can't forget that.

Sorry '84 - "In name only" is this the same league that has two final four teams. The at-large caliber teams that made us great - GMU, VCU, ODU are long gone.

My complaint is about JMU's program the prior 2 decades. We've done nothing to pump help the CAA.

I'll stand by a reasonable goal for JMU is a top 75 program, and in no situation be worse than a top 130 team on any give year.

And yes guys - my point exactly - when you are a 16 seed - you are playing the top 4 colleges that "are that good" in combination of being "that bad" as a #16 seed.

(03-19-2021 04:56 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  Two quick points to mimic what others have said: I watched the first half...Drexel missed a ton of close-in shots. They're not that bad and have some good young players. Illinois is one of the best teams in the country and could easily win the whole thing. They're that good. JMU has no right to complain about the CAA in men's basketball when they haven't gotten out of the quarterfinals since 2013 and have largely been irrelevant for a long period of time. CAA does have two Final Four teams in recent memory...can't forget that.

Being there today, let me just say this: Illinois is no joke. Their defensive speed is insane, which naturally makes everything difficult. They hit some shots that even their own fans were in awe of. We missed some easy ones, which you just cant do and stay in a game. We shot 21% in the first half. That will lose a game against anyone. 4 minutes left it was still a 7 point game. It was 18 at half. A few mistakes paired with still not hitting shots (and taking bad ones) and a team like Illinois makes you pay in the worst way. Game literally went from a tight competitive game to game over in minutes. Bad draw against a buzz saw. Drexel really held their own on the defensive side. However, there is only so much you can do with you are badly out athleted and cant hit a shot. Illinois will be tough to take down. They likely wont win the title because of their poor free throw shooting, but they will go very far.

Our freshman showed well today, which is promising for our future. Cam struggled against their speed. Hopefully that makes him really consider whether he can succeed at that higher level. I think his performance increases his chances of returning next year. Thats good for us and the league

(03-19-2021 07:59 PM)dan10 Wrote:  

(03-19-2021 04:56 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  Two quick points to mimic what others have said: I watched the first half...Drexel missed a ton of close-in shots. They're not that bad and have some good young players. Illinois is one of the best teams in the country and could easily win the whole thing. They're that good. JMU has no right to complain about the CAA in men's basketball when they haven't gotten out of the quarterfinals since 2013 and have largely been irrelevant for a long period of time. CAA does have two Final Four teams in recent memory...can't forget that.

Being there today, let me just say this: Illinois is no joke. Their defensive speed is insane, which naturally makes everything difficult. They hit some shots that even their own fans were in awe of. We missed some easy ones, which you just cant do and stay in a game. We shot 21% in the first half. That will lose a game against anyone. 4 minutes left it was still a 7 point game. It was 18 at half. A few mistakes paired with still not hitting shots (and taking bad ones) and a team like Illinois makes you pay in the worst way. Game literally went from a tight competitive game to game over in minutes. Bad draw against a buzz saw. Drexel really held their own on the defensive side. However, there is only so much you can do with you are badly out athleted and cant hit a shot. Illinois will be tough to take down. They likely wont win the title because of their poor free throw shooting, but they will go very far.

Our freshman showed well today, which is promising for our future. Cam struggled against their speed. Hopefully that makes him really consider whether he can succeed at that higher level. I think his performance increases his chances of returning next year. Thats good for us and the league

This post did not age well... at all.

Can try to dress it up all you want as fans will do but that was an embarrassingly bad performance by Drexel in the NCAA tourney. You have to be more competitive than they were. Playing the way they did they would have gotten run out of the gym by a lot more teams than just Illinois.

(03-21-2021 07:03 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Can try to dress it up all you want as fans will do but that was an embarrassingly bad performance by Drexel in the NCAA tourney. You have to be more competitive than they were. Playing the way they did they would have gotten run out of the gym by a lot more teams than just Illinois.

Drexel should not have been a 16 seed based on their NET and was not put in any kind of place to succeed in the NCAA Tournament. The other 16 seeds also performed poorly. They were still the #6 seed in the conference and the #6 seed in a 16th ranked conference will usually get you the 16 seed. Had the CAA not screwed up their Covid game rescheduling play, things may have turned out differently. But my ultimate point in making all these excuses, is that the CAA is not a #16 seed conference under normal circumstances.

(03-22-2021 08:16 AM)J.B. Wrote:  

(03-21-2021 07:03 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Can try to dress it up all you want as fans will do but that was an embarrassingly bad performance by Drexel in the NCAA tourney. You have to be more competitive than they were. Playing the way they did they would have gotten run out of the gym by a lot more teams than just Illinois.

Drexel should not have been a 16 seed based on their NET and was not put in any kind of place to succeed in the NCAA Tournament. The other 16 seeds also performed poorly. They were still the #6 seed in the conference and the #6 seed in a 16th ranked conference will usually get you the 16 seed. Had the CAA not screwed up their Covid game rescheduling play, things may have turned out differently. But my ultimate point in making all these excuses, is that the CAA is not a #16 seed conference under normal circumstances.

Nobody in the CAA had a top 100 team. Drexel did not ever finish in the top of the CAA. Enjoy your victory lap. Drexel was the best of a poor conference for a few days. They deserved a 16 seed, and they played & got beaten like a 16 seed.

My point was that based on their performance is there any doubt they would have lost to the 2 seeds by a wide margin even the 2 who lost to a 15 (Ohio State). They didn’t even crack 50 points while almost allowing 80. Illinois’s best guys only played 20 minutes.

(03-22-2021 08:24 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 08:16 AM)J.B. Wrote:  

(03-21-2021 07:03 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Can try to dress it up all you want as fans will do but that was an embarrassingly bad performance by Drexel in the NCAA tourney. You have to be more competitive than they were. Playing the way they did they would have gotten run out of the gym by a lot more teams than just Illinois.

Drexel should not have been a 16 seed based on their NET and was not put in any kind of place to succeed in the NCAA Tournament. The other 16 seeds also performed poorly. They were still the #6 seed in the conference and the #6 seed in a 16th ranked conference will usually get you the 16 seed. Had the CAA not screwed up their Covid game rescheduling play, things may have turned out differently. But my ultimate point in making all these excuses, is that the CAA is not a #16 seed conference under normal circumstances.

Nobody in the CAA had a top 100 team. Drexel did not ever finish in the top of the CAA. Enjoy your victory lap. Drexel was the best of a poor conference for a few days. They deserved a 16 seed, and they played & got beaten like a 16 seed.

Someone sounds bitter.

Side note to the NCAAT, Loyola has an oddity in play...

...they have defeated the ACC Tournament Champ, the Big 10 Tournament Champ, and now in the Sweet 16 they'll face the Pac 12 Tournament Champ.

(03-22-2021 10:26 AM)J.B. Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 08:24 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 08:16 AM)J.B. Wrote:  

(03-21-2021 07:03 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Can try to dress it up all you want as fans will do but that was an embarrassingly bad performance by Drexel in the NCAA tourney. You have to be more competitive than they were. Playing the way they did they would have gotten run out of the gym by a lot more teams than just Illinois.

Drexel should not have been a 16 seed based on their NET and was not put in any kind of place to succeed in the NCAA Tournament. The other 16 seeds also performed poorly. They were still the #6 seed in the conference and the #6 seed in a 16th ranked conference will usually get you the 16 seed. Had the CAA not screwed up their Covid game rescheduling play, things may have turned out differently. But my ultimate point in making all these excuses, is that the CAA is not a #16 seed conference under normal circumstances.

Nobody in the CAA had a top 100 team. Drexel did not ever finish in the top of the CAA. Enjoy your victory lap. Drexel was the best of a poor conference for a few days. They deserved a 16 seed, and they played & got beaten like a 16 seed.

Someone sounds bitter.

Not bitter at all - just honest.

You were likely around 15 years ago when we were a multiple bid league. Even had top 25 teams at times.

Today's caa is something we laughed about 15 years ago. On a good year the one bid CAA would get a 13 seed, and likely lose their coach. Richmond, VCU, GMU, & ODU are gone. You could argue to all of their detriments.

That said we are now in a 1 bid league that will occasionally snag a top 13-14 seed.

Joey D needs to study the MVC for hoops and FCS football they are getting it done and a higher level than the CAA. What’s their secret- is it geography and fan support driven relative to lack of interest with the CAA schools- are media rights deals better, are there incentives to schedule better OOC? It’s a fair comp that lines up with the CAA and one I think Joey D should pursue a formal alliance with for hoops and football if that would even be on the table from the MVCs perspective.

(03-22-2021 10:50 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 10:26 AM)J.B. Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 08:24 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-22-2021 08:16 AM)J.B. Wrote:  

(03-21-2021 07:03 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Can try to dress it up all you want as fans will do but that was an embarrassingly bad performance by Drexel in the NCAA tourney. You have to be more competitive than they were. Playing the way they did they would have gotten run out of the gym by a lot more teams than just Illinois.

Drexel should not have been a 16 seed based on their NET and was not put in any kind of place to succeed in the NCAA Tournament. The other 16 seeds also performed poorly. They were still the #6 seed in the conference and the #6 seed in a 16th ranked conference will usually get you the 16 seed. Had the CAA not screwed up their Covid game rescheduling play, things may have turned out differently. But my ultimate point in making all these excuses, is that the CAA is not a #16 seed conference under normal circumstances.

Nobody in the CAA had a top 100 team. Drexel did not ever finish in the top of the CAA. Enjoy your victory lap. Drexel was the best of a poor conference for a few days. They deserved a 16 seed, and they played & got beaten like a 16 seed.

Someone sounds bitter.

Not bitter at all - just honest.

You were likely around 15 years ago when we were a multiple bid league. Even had top 25 teams at times.

Today's caa is something we laughed about 15 years ago. On a good year the one bid CAA would get a 13 seed, and likely lose their coach. Richmond, VCU, GMU, & ODU are gone. You could argue to all of their detriments.

That said we are now in a 1 bid league that will occasionally snag a top 13-14 seed.

My point about Drexel not being a 16 seed was based purely on NET ratings.