He's still tweeting out his promotions. I think he's fine.

https://riceowls.com/images/2021/9/28/_A...format=jpg

From the look of this picture, Poteat has lost a lot of weight since last year. I'm pretty sure that's him on the far right in this photo.

(09-28-2021 04:42 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  He's still tweeting out his promotions. I think he's fine.

https://riceowls.com/images/2021/9/28/_A...format=jpg

From the look of this picture, Poteat has lost a lot of weight since last year. I'm pretty sure that's him on the far right in this photo.

Yeah, Poteat looks like he really worked on his body over the offseason. Hutchins also looks like he lost a few pounds (not necessarily surprising considering he was injured last year).

Big year for Poteat. We know Fiedler is the focal point of the offense, but I think he was considerably less effective when he had to play big consecutive minutes. Would be huge if Poteat could give us 10-15 effective minutes off the bench.

(09-28-2021 04:54 PM)elw4796 Wrote:  

(09-28-2021 04:42 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  He's still tweeting out his promotions. I think he's fine.

https://riceowls.com/images/2021/9/28/_A...format=jpg

From the look of this picture, Poteat has lost a lot of weight since last year. I'm pretty sure that's him on the far right in this photo.

Yeah, Poteat looks like he really worked on his body over the offseason. Hutchins also looks like he lost a few pounds (not necessarily surprising considering he was injured last year).

Big year for Poteat. We know Fiedler is the focal point of the offense, but I think he was considerably less effective when he had to play big consecutive minutes. Would be huge if Poteat could give us 10-15 effective minutes off the bench.

If he makes the 1st to 2nd year jump our last couple of bigs have made I think he can be dominant in CUSA.

I doubt we'll have any answers until our first exhibition, but on the topic of Poteat, the things I'm looking for in the next 40 days (in no particular order):

> Has Fiedler been working on his outside shot? Is he more consistent in the midrange?
> What does the defense look like? Can we build off of our defensive performances against UAB and Marshall in the CUSA tournament? Will it be another year of scoring 85+ maybe not being enough?
> Has Olivari become a better all around guard? Is he more effective off the dribble and in the midrange?
> Who's the PG? Do we go with Mullins, who knows Pera's system the most but doesn't quite have a PG's handle? Is it McBride, who's new to Pera's offense but is perhaps the best attacker of the bunch? Hutchins, who's kind of a mystery man but had a year to learn the system?
> Who among Geron, McDowell, Abercrombie, and Sheffield shows out and stakes a claim for more playing time?
> How is Pierre going to shoot the ball? Is his 3PT% downward trend going to continue or is he going to find his early year mechanics?

Regardless of the answers, it feels good to be excited about basketball again. 16 players means that the competition is going to be pretty fierce from the first day of practice to the last. Ideally means there shouldn't be any excuses when the first games come around.

Olivari tweeted out a photo today of himself at practice with the caption 'it's good to be back'. So whatever kept him out of practice the first week or so has been resolved.

(10-08-2021 02:45 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Olivari tweeted out a photo today of himself at practice with the caption 'it's good to be back'. So whatever kept him out of practice the first week or so has been resolved.

Good news! Thanks for posting.

Another in-depth CUSA preview, and another one with which I don't really disagree. Think UTEP is maybe ranked a bit high, Charlotte a bit low, but I mostly agree with the rest. Reality is that with no evidence that we're able to improve defensively, the proper projection for us is in the 6-10 range.

https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/conf...22-preview

Ran across this attempt at ranking all Div. 1 MBB programs for the upcoming year. First article is for programs 201 and worse, and at least Rice is not on that list.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basket...22-season/

So Rice is at least top 200, in Matt Norlander's view, which isn't always the case in prior years. More rankings will come soon.

(10-12-2021 11:04 AM)elw4796 Wrote:  Another in-depth CUSA preview, and another one with which I don't really disagree. Think UTEP is maybe ranked a bit high, Charlotte a bit low, but I mostly agree with the rest. Reality is that with no evidence that we're able to improve defensively, the proper projection for us is in the 6-10 range.

https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/conf...22-preview

Very in-depth preview. I'm really hoping Pierre can play defense. To me, he's our X factor.

The preview is about right, but I don't understand the love for Marshall. We beat them in the CUSA tournament last year, and they lost two starters to transfer (and really didn't bring in any older players of note). I get that Kinsey is a good player, but they don't seem to have the offense around him like they've had in the past.

(10-12-2021 06:07 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2021 11:04 AM)elw4796 Wrote:  Another in-depth CUSA preview, and another one with which I don't really disagree. Think UTEP is maybe ranked a bit high, Charlotte a bit low, but I mostly agree with the rest. Reality is that with no evidence that we're able to improve defensively, the proper projection for us is in the 6-10 range.

https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/conf...22-preview

Very in-depth preview. I'm really hoping Pierre can play defense. To me, he's our X factor.

The preview is about right, but I don't understand the love for Marshall. We beat them in the CUSA tournament last year, and they lost two starters to transfer (and really didn't bring in any older players of note). I get that Kinsey is a good player, but they don't seem to have the offense around him like they've had in the past.

Marshall is always decent, regardless of players it seems. Haven't been worse than 160 in KenPom for at least the past 5 years, so it makes sense to keep them top half of CUSA considering their talent level isn't terrible. I agree with you, but I also get why they're ranked where they are.

Rice MBB with a "secret scrimmage" against SFA on 10/30 according to Jeff Goodman. Should be a good test - they'll be near the top of what should be a very competitive WAC this year.

https://watchstadium.com/not-so-secret-l...0-15-2021/

Rice is ranked #7 in CUSA in KenPom's initial 2022 rankings. He always cautions against putting too much stock in his rankings until there are enough data because (I think) they give undue weight to returning production. But the date of his rankings release is always fun because it signifies that the season really is around the corner.

And the rankings (KenPom / CBS) of our non-conference opponents:

Pepperdine - 147/140
Houston - 11/11
Southern - 319/302
New Orleans - 321/149 (I think UNO is probably closer to the 175-200 range)
Evansville - 171/219
*Oakland - 193/225
*Vermont - 105/104
Texas St - 152/154
Jarvis Ch. - 359/359
HBU - 346/335
Incarnate - 352/270
St. Thomas - 359/359
Texas - 14/10

(10-17-2021 10:50 AM)elw4796 Wrote:  And the rankings (KenPom / CBS) of our non-conference opponents:

Pepperdine - 147/140
Houston - 11/11
Southern - 319/302
New Orleans - 321/149
Evansville - 171/219
*Oakland - 193/225
*Vermont - 105/104
Texas St - 152/154
Jarvis Ch. - 359/359
HBU - 346/335
Incarnate - 352/270
St. Thomas - 359/359
Texas - 14/10

That's a pretty good mix for an OOC slate: 2 elite teams, 5 good to middling teams, and 5 teams we should beat easily.

Basketball season (men's more than women's this year at least) can't get here soon enough. 2 1/2 weeks.

We really need a good season to lift everyone's spirits.

(10-17-2021 11:41 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Basketball season (men's more than women's this year at least) can't get here soon enough. 2 1/2 weeks.

We really need a good season to lift everyone's spirits.

Agreed. As I've said previously, despite the upbeat words coming out of Edmonds and the coaching staff, I just don't see the women winning more than 10 games this year, and even that may be a stretch. Really disappointed in the lack of effort in bringing in immediate reinforcements through the portal. We not only lack proven returning talent, but we are once again undermanned with a short bench. Rather, it appears the coaching staff has focused all it's recruiting efforts on the classes of 2022 and '23.

I hope they prove me wrong. We'll get our first glimpse on Wednesday, when the team is hosting a practice and dinner for their SIG (Assist Club).

Never too early for some game notes. Here's Jordan Majewski on our opening game against Pepperdine. Nothing crazy but a good summation:

PEPPERDINE @ RICE

"Rice is a tough first game prep with their shooter laden offense orbiting around hyper skilled and gifted passing big man Fiedler. The Owls’ defense however is a sieve, and thus, decidedly not a tough prep. The good news is that they’re catching a Pepperdine team welcoming in a lot of new faces in the post Ross/Edwards era under Romar. Romar also doesn’t have anyone in this wave (pun intended) of newcomers capable of defending Fiedler, the fulcrum of the constantly screening/cutting Rice offense. Pretty decent matchup for the Owls here in terms of facing an offense trying to find their identity sans two key players and a defense largely incapable of defending them."

For reference, the departures he's referring to are one-time Rice target Colbey Ross (17.5 points, 7.7 assists, 44/34/85) and current Nets player and one-time Rice target Kessler Edwards (17.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 49/38/88).

https://staringatthefloorboards.wordpres...1-9-notes/

Rice men picked 8th in the preseason men's poll. Not sure how La Tech wasn't voted preseason #1. Olivari voted preseason all-conference.

Women were also picked 8th with no preseason all-conference players.

Women's broadcast schedule was also released. ESPN+ for games against Oklahoma St, UT Arlington, MTSU, ODU, Charlotte, La Tech, and UTEP. Texas A&M game is on SEC+. So that's 8 out of 28 games on ESPN/SEC+, meaning 20 games on CUSA TV.

The best thing (for me) about the American is that every game will be available on an ESPN platform. No more paying $100 a year for CUSA TV just to see the arena's live feed. Everything else about the move can be a failure, but as long as I can watch every Rice sporting event on ESPN (which we should be able to), I'll be a happy man.

UAB is ahead of La Tech in my book. I think UAB's incoming transfers are much better than La Tech's - yes La Tech has the preseason player of the year but that alone isn't enough to make them #1 in my eyes.

The men's TV schedule has been released, but it's all crappy networks so it's not even worth repeating. But you can see it at this link.

https://conferenceusa.com/news/2021/10/2...edule.aspx

https://twitter.com/RiceMBB/status/1452718242036862977

Men's team photo. Normally you can make one or two observations about misleading heights on the official roster, but everybody looks roughly what they're listed at. Hopefully some news about practices and intrasquads begins to trickle in.