(07-09-2021 09:00 PM)RiceOwls2019 Wrote:  We went 15-13 last year.

Included in the 15 are 7 wins over:

Incarnate Word
Our Lady of the Lake (2)
LeTourneau
Houston Baptist (2)
New Orleans

So we were 8-13 against real teams. And included in the 13 are 4 blowout losses (20+ points) to conference opponents.

I'm glad this is the first offseason in forever without a mass transfer exodus. But I've yet to see acceptable on-court results. Again, some of your expectations are embarrassingly low.

Massey Composite had New Orleans ranked ahead of Florida International and Middle Tennessee, neither of which Rice played last season.

(07-09-2021 09:00 PM)RiceOwls2019 Wrote:  We went 15-13 last year.

Included in the 15 are 7 wins over:

Incarnate Word
Our Lady of the Lake (2)
LeTourneau
Houston Baptist (2)
New Orleans

So we were 8-13 against real teams. And included in the 13 are 4 blowout losses (20+ points) to conference opponents.

I'm glad this is the first offseason in forever without a mass transfer exodus. But I've yet to see acceptable on-court results. Again, some of your expectations are embarrassingly low.

Rice finished 188 last year in Kenpom. The previous year was 199 and the year before that was 248. Rhoades' last year which was the best year we'd had in a decade was 155. If you can't see the continual improvement after we were left with no team at all when Rhoades left, I don't know what to tell you other than to watch the results this year.

At this point, of the big 3 men's sports, I'm probably most optimistic about baseball, just because I think Cheito knows what he's doing and has assembled an impressive staff.

Second most optimistic about basketball, because Pera has showed continual improvement.

Football third, and jury is still out there.

(07-09-2021 09:00 PM)RiceOwls2019 Wrote:  We went 15-13 last year.
Included in the 15 are 7 wins over:
Incarnate Word
Our Lady of the Lake (2)
LeTourneau
Houston Baptist (2)
New Orleans

We've had teams that couldn't beat those folks. So no matter how small, that's still an accomplisment.

(07-09-2021 10:44 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  At this point, of the big 3 men's sports, I'm probably most optimistic about baseball, just because I think Cheito knows what he's doing and has assembled an impressive staff.

Second most optimistic about basketball, because Pera has showed continual improvement.

Football third, and jury is still out there.

Long term I'd agree with you, but for the 2021-22 season I think basketball shapes up to be our best amongst the Big 3, though I do expect football to go bowling and for baseball to be at least .500. The problem for Cheito is that the current roster, particularly the pitching, is nowhere near post-season caliber. I have every confidence he'll get the most out of the talent, but unless he can land two or more truly impact transfers I just don't see us being a CUSA contender next year. We'll show improvement for sure, and we should be competitive, but I don't think we'll be ready to contend with USM, LaTech and ODU (who bring virtually everybody back).

The stated goal of larger athletic vision is top-25, not top 50 or even top-100.

When he inherited the job in 2017 (four years ago...not one or two years ago), Pera has took the team from 150 in RPI, KenPom or whatever you want to use to roughly the exact same spot today in 2021 of 150. Of course the unconventional wisdom would be to give him an extension for year 5. Another datapoint in a broader body of JK work of why many (including me) are on sidelines.

Like DB..he is a really nice guy. But let's not confuse likability w/ capabilty.

For what it's willing to pay, Rice isn't going to attract a better coach than Pera.I don't mind the extension. I hope for continued improvement.

Pera is an excellent recruiter and a good coach who will probably keep getting better. We are lucky to have him



quote='Ourland' pid='17494629' dateline='1625896257']
For what it's willing to pay, Rice isn't going to attract a better coach than Pera.I don't mind the extension. I hope for continued improvement.
[/quote]

We were picked last in CUSA entering last season after the latest defections (Trey Murphy and Drew Peterson, etc., plus the graduation of some seniors like Ako Adams and Rob Martin). Pera did a great job quickly rebuilding the roster with some key regular transfers who became immediately eligible due to Covid (Travis Evee and Riley Abercrombie), plus the development of some sophomores (Quincy Olivari and Max Fiedler) who I believe are better than Murphy and Peterson, even though they're slightly different players.

To finish 15-13 last year, including a competitive 6-10 in CUSA play with the league's hardest schedule, and then win 2 conference tournament games was a remarkable accomplishment. Granted, every team had to deal with it, but Covid also hurt Rice last year with some key starters missing games during the conference season (Evee and Mullins).

Then you add in the fact that all of the key guys from last year are finally back, and Pera's contract extension was very much deserved.

Pera isn't perfect, but he seems to be getting better as a game coach and toning down his on-court dramatics. The players seem to respond to him, and he certainly has their back. He certainly seems to be invested in Rice, which is a nice change of pace from many football and basketball coaches we've had (that would be one of the few things I'd say he had in common with Bailiff). He's a much better evaluator of talent than Bailiff ever was. How many other basketball coaches have we had who signed 1st round NBA draft picks out of high school - just one that I can think of in Willis Wilson (Morris Almond).

(07-09-2021 10:44 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  At this point, of the big 3 men's sports, I'm probably most optimistic about baseball, just because I think Cheito knows what he's doing and has assembled an impressive staff.

Second most optimistic about basketball, because Pera has showed continual improvement.

Football third, and jury is still out there.

pretty much matches my levels, as compared with each other. I am used to being disappointed though.



Time for some W's - in every sport.

Rice had the highest GPA among MBB teams in CUSA. Almost certainly another reason why Pera continues to receive support from the higher-ups.

(07-10-2021 06:58 AM)ranfin Wrote:  Pera is an excellent recruiter and a good coach who will probably keep getting better. We are lucky to have him



quote='Ourland' pid='17494629' dateline='1625896257']
For what it's willing to pay, Rice isn't going to attract a better coach than Pera.I don't mind the extension. I hope for continued improvement.

[/quote]

agree

(07-09-2021 10:46 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-09-2021 09:00 PM)RiceOwls2019 Wrote:  We went 15-13 last year.
Included in the 15 are 7 wins over:
Incarnate Word
Our Lady of the Lake (2)
LeTourneau
Houston Baptist (2)
New Orleans

We've had teams that couldn't beat those folks. So no matter how small, that's still an accomplisment.

I will never forget the loss to U of St Thomas. OMG.