Over the weekend, KenPom released its initial ratings entering the 2023-24 men’s basketball season. These ratings can and will change over the course of the season, but the preseason ratings has the Flames listed at (#78.) Following Liberty in CUSA is (#116) Louisiana Tech. Behind the Bulldogs is (#140) Sam Houston, followed by Middle Tennessee (#151), UTEP (#154), Western Kentucky (#173), New Mexico State (#178), FIU (#183), and Jacksonville State (#204).

(10-16-2023 08:52 AM)3DogNight Wrote:  Over the weekend, KenPom released its initial ratings entering the 2023-24 men’s basketball season. These ratings can and will change over the course of the season, but the preseason ratings has the Flames listed at (#78.) Following Liberty in CUSA is (#116) Louisiana Tech. Behind the Bulldogs is (#140) Sam Houston, followed by Middle Tennessee (#151), UTEP (#154), Western Kentucky (#173), New Mexico State (#178), FIU (#183), and Jacksonville State (#204).

It doesn't mean anything, especially in this conference. It is taking past seasons into consideration. Last season the CUSA teams were playing against a final 4 team, the NIT champion, and the NIT runner up. With all due respect to the Atlantic Sun there was no comparison. These things are interesting to look and I have no doubt that Liberty will do well this year and in the future at but I doubt that is what the final standings will look like.

(10-16-2023 09:10 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 08:52 AM)3DogNight Wrote:  Over the weekend, KenPom released its initial ratings entering the 2023-24 men’s basketball season. These ratings can and will change over the course of the season, but the preseason ratings has the Flames listed at (#78.) Following Liberty in CUSA is (#116) Louisiana Tech. Behind the Bulldogs is (#140) Sam Houston, followed by Middle Tennessee (#151), UTEP (#154), Western Kentucky (#173), New Mexico State (#178), FIU (#183), and Jacksonville State (#204).

It doesn't mean anything, especially in this conference. It is taking past seasons into consideration. Last season the CUSA teams were playing against a final 4 team, the NIT champion, and the NIT runner up. With all due respect to the Atlantic Sun there was no comparison. These things are interesting to look and I have no doubt that Liberty will do well this year and in the future at but I doubt that is what the final standings will look like.

Just posted for info and for comparison with the coaches poll. Guarantee this isn’t how things will look at season’s end. It’s like any other list, it’s just a starting point. Personally I think Liberty will have a good season. I’m just not sure at this point if it will be good enough to win the conference. Time will tell. As the saying goes, that’s why we play the games.

(10-16-2023 05:05 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  While these stats are interesting there is no way for newcomers to fully grasp how good this league was last year.

I know this comment wasn't directed at Jax State (Lord knows... if I did, I'd have to have my head examined...) but for whatever it's worth, the Gamecock nation DOES fully grasp how good CUSA was last year.

We've made the NCAAs a couple times under Coach Harper, but we're under no illusions that either of those teams would've won CUSA, last year, this year, or any other recent year.

Our biggest disappointment this season is not, "Oh, darn. You caught us on a rebuilding year, or else we'd be taking you all to the woodshed," but is instead, "Forgive us, guys... it's a rebuilding year... normally we hope to be in the middle of the pack, not a drag on everyone else's SoS."

Don't get me wrong. We like winning. We expect to win. Losing makes us hivey. But we understand the reality of our current situation. We need to turn the amps to 11 to compete from now on.

(10-16-2023 09:52 AM)3DogNight Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 09:10 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 08:52 AM)3DogNight Wrote:  Over the weekend, KenPom released its initial ratings entering the 2023-24 men’s basketball season. These ratings can and will change over the course of the season, but the preseason ratings has the Flames listed at (#78.) Following Liberty in CUSA is (#116) Louisiana Tech. Behind the Bulldogs is (#140) Sam Houston, followed by Middle Tennessee (#151), UTEP (#154), Western Kentucky (#173), New Mexico State (#178), FIU (#183), and Jacksonville State (#204).

It doesn't mean anything, especially in this conference. It is taking past seasons into consideration. Last season the CUSA teams were playing against a final 4 team, the NIT champion, and the NIT runner up. With all due respect to the Atlantic Sun there was no comparison. These things are interesting to look and I have no doubt that Liberty will do well this year and in the future at but I doubt that is what the final standings will look like.

Just posted for info and for comparison with the coaches poll. Guarantee this isn’t how things will look at season’s end. It’s like any other list, it’s just a starting point. Personally I think Liberty will have a good season. I’m just not sure at this point if it will be good enough to win the conference. Time will tell. As the saying goes, that’s why we play the games.

Yep.

Media Days Live on ESPN+ right now.

Fun Fact : JAX STATE has one of the tallest Libraries in the South--13 stories-#1 in CUSA.

Huntsville is an excellent town. I politely ask anyone going to the Tourney to give it a chance. Do a little research on places and activities>> then have fun.

Unless you are one of those that think the tourney being held in any city under a million can't succeed.

(10-16-2023 04:47 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Huntsville is an excellent town. I politely ask anyone going to the Tourney to give it a chance. Do a little research on places and activities>> then have fun.

Unless you are one of those that think the tourney being held in any city under a million can't succeed.

I'm sure it's a wonderful town. It's not Las Vegas (nothing is). We were spoiled with the WAC.

Notwithstanding the KenPom ratings; this Raiders fan is Ready to turn the page and move on to Basketball in the Glass House!

(10-16-2023 06:09 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  Notwithstanding the KenPom ratings; this Raiders fan is Ready to turn the page and move on to Basketball in the Glass House!

Too bad T-Lenard not coming back. But maybe it'll be an addition by subtraction with his sometimes poor attitude.

Last I heard he was trying to get into the G-League.

(10-17-2023 10:37 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 06:09 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  Notwithstanding the KenPom ratings; this Raiders fan is Ready to turn the page and move on to Basketball in the Glass House!

Too bad T-Lenard not coming back. But maybe it'll be an addition by subtraction with his sometimes poor attitude.

Last I heard he was trying to get into the G-League.

I’m glad he isn’t, he had some talent but was a major distraction in the locker room. We should be better off without him. We’ve got a good team that should create some buzz.

(10-17-2023 12:05 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 10:37 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 06:09 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  Notwithstanding the KenPom ratings; this Raiders fan is Ready to turn the page and move on to Basketball in the Glass House!

Too bad T-Lenard not coming back. But maybe it'll be an addition by subtraction with his sometimes poor attitude.

Last I heard he was trying to get into the G-League.

I’m glad he isn’t, he had some talent but was a major distraction in the locker room. We should be better off without him. We’ve got a good team that should create some buzz.

Hope so. Wondering how the big kid from London is doing. Worried about his weight and being able to get up and down the court.

MT is starving for a winner. Been too long since Kermit left.

Speaking of.......... I wonder if Kermit (a Boots Donnelly hire) has any interest in an AD opening at MT in the near future ?

(10-17-2023 12:07 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 12:05 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 10:37 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 06:09 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  Notwithstanding the KenPom ratings; this Raiders fan is Ready to turn the page and move on to Basketball in the Glass House!

Too bad T-Lenard not coming back. But maybe it'll be an addition by subtraction with his sometimes poor attitude.

Last I heard he was trying to get into the G-League.

I’m glad he isn’t, he had some talent but was a major distraction in the locker room. We should be better off without him. We’ve got a good team that should create some buzz.

Hope so. Wondering how the big kid from London is doing. Worried about his weight and being able to get up and down the court.

MT is starving for a winner. Been too long since Kermit left.

Speaking of.......... I wonder if Kermit (a Boots Donnelly hire) has any interest in an AD opening at MT in the near future ?

Wasn’t Kermit pretty introverted? If so, hard pass for me. We’ve got our future AD in Lee if they would just go ahead and do it.

WKU gets a plus 30 spots for having a real HC now.

(10-17-2023 01:28 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 12:07 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 12:05 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 10:37 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 06:09 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  Notwithstanding the KenPom ratings; this Raiders fan is Ready to turn the page and move on to Basketball in the Glass House!

Too bad T-Lenard not coming back. But maybe it'll be an addition by subtraction with his sometimes poor attitude.

Last I heard he was trying to get into the G-League.

I’m glad he isn’t, he had some talent but was a major distraction in the locker room. We should be better off without him. We’ve got a good team that should create some buzz.

Hope so. Wondering how the big kid from London is doing. Worried about his weight and being able to get up and down the court.

MT is starving for a winner. Been too long since Kermit left.

Speaking of.......... I wonder if Kermit (a Boots Donnelly hire) has any interest in an AD opening at MT in the near future ?

Wasn’t Kermit pretty introverted? If so, hard pass for me. We’ve got our future AD in Lee if they would just go ahead and do it.

Here's Kermit

1. Supreme X's and O's tactician (BB IQ off the charts)
2. Average recruiter (but excellent at personnel usage)
3. Very good in the media
4. Good fundraiser - definitely personable so wouldn't call him introverted

His retirement jobs fits TV better than AD but he would be a good hire. We could definitely do worse. Like keeping the current guy.

(10-17-2023 01:28 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 12:07 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 12:05 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(10-17-2023 10:37 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(10-16-2023 06:09 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  Notwithstanding the KenPom ratings; this Raiders fan is Ready to turn the page and move on to Basketball in the Glass House!

Too bad T-Lenard not coming back. But maybe it'll be an addition by subtraction with his sometimes poor attitude.

Last I heard he was trying to get into the G-League.

I’m glad he isn’t, he had some talent but was a major distraction in the locker room. We should be better off without him. We’ve got a good team that should create some buzz.

Hope so. Wondering how the big kid from London is doing. Worried about his weight and being able to get up and down the court.

MT is starving for a winner. Been too long since Kermit left.

Speaking of.......... I wonder if Kermit (a Boots Donnelly hire) has any interest in an AD opening at MT in the near future ?

Wasn’t Kermit pretty introverted? If so, hard pass for me. We’ve got our future AD in Lee if they would just go ahead and do it.

Lee definitely beats the guy that McPhee was wanting to bring in. Guy stole money from MT and was going to be fired, but filed a discrimination lawsuit against MT, so we let him leave to another U unscathed.

Worried that McPhee/Smith will bring in a "yes man". Kermit is not that, and very personable, especially among the country club folks.

(10-16-2023 03:53 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Fun Fact : JAX STATE has one of the tallest Libraries in the South--13 stories-#1 in CUSA.

Actually I think the Wylie Tower of Learning on the Louisiana Tech campus is 16 floors. It may not all be library though. It is scheduled to be destroyed soon..