Jump to content

Conference Schedule


Recommended Posts

When the A10 added Davidson they said they'd go to an 18 game schedule for this season. So looks like we'll play 5 teams twice (home and away) and then the other 8 teams once (4 at home. 4 away.)

I wonder if we'll just play the same 4 teams twice again (VCU, Dayton, Duquesne, Mason) and then add another or if it'll be completely revamped. VCU and Dayton seem like definite teams we'd play twice either way.

So which teams would you all want to play twice?

Also any other thoughts on the 18 game schedule? Kind of seems like we won't be adding anyone significant to the non conference schedule considering the 18 game conference schedule.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd expect to see Dayton and Duquesne since they are geographically closest.

SLU/VCU has been intense and will probably continue

The other two will be "random," who knows.

For conference, especially next year, the quality of competition isn't probably as important. I mostly want to see the biggest draws with our 9 home games (VCU, Dayton, probably GMU and Davidson, etc)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As long as they are not bottom teams in the A10 (with the exception of George Mason which plays real well but somehow lost frequently this past season), I would be happy with any combination of teams.

I hope I am wrong but we may be watching a "bottom team in the A10" every game. We will be very young and inexperienced so I kind of expect a bumpy ride next year and I would consider it to be a major accomplishment to get back to the NCAA tournament. We may relish games against the bottom teams as a chance for a win.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope I am wrong but we may be watching a "bottom team in the A10" every game. We will be very young and inexperienced so I kind of expect a bumpy ride next year and I would consider it to be a major accomplishment to get back to the NCAA tournament. We may relish games against the bottom teams as a chance for a win.

resized_creepy-willy-wonka-meme-generato

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope I am wrong but we may be watching a "bottom team in the A10" every game. We will be very young and inexperienced so I kind of expect a bumpy ride next year and I would consider it to be a major accomplishment to get back to the NCAA tournament. We may relish games against the bottom teams as a chance for a win.

Mark my words we will be back in at least the NIT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

C'mon guys, the Big Dance/NIT?

Who on next years team has a division one track record of taking over a game, double-doubles, or even scoring in double figures?

Way too much uncertainty to reliably predict anything at this point.

Mark my words, Grandy and Manning will have a pair of Conklin summers. The two seniors will lead this team to its 4th straight ncaa appearance.

We can only hope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2011-2012 Wichita St had 5 senior starters. Lost in the 1st round of the NCAA as a 5 seed.

2012-2013 Wichita St goes to the Final Four

2013-2014 Wichita St wins their first 35 games before falling to eventual NCAA Runner Up Kentucky

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am going to continue to say it ......

Embrace the experience.

Next year has the makings of a "situation"-type year. The year was when the current crop of seniors were freshmen. Majerus' ONLY losing season ever. I think it's going to be a developmental year complete with unexpected highs and unexpected lows. We'll win some games we should not,and we will lose some games we expected to win. Two reasons:

1) Five or six freshmen (with two or three of those being big men "projects" in Gillmann, Jolley and maybe Welmer) coupled with three relatively unknown sophomores (Lancona, Agbeko and Crawford), one kid coming off a sit-out year (Yacoubou),and two seniors (Manning and Glaze) with questionable (at best) productivity records to date,and

2) if you believe the pundits and accept that college is a guards' game, a large lack of experience and depth in our backcourt.

I embrace the experience because it will be fun just watching the kids develop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@smith --- you don't know yet who we are playing so making a prediction/projection on wins right now is absurd. The real question is why set expectations? I am looking at a season's measurement of success by individual and team growth. Whatever that win number is is immaterial to me. UInfortunately, measures will always include wins and losses, ppg, rpg and so on.

Case in point: when the first "savior" of the program arrived, Grawer would yank Monroe Douglass after every mistake he made. Probably used it as a teaching moment in the learning process. Good move? Some sai dyes but I said no because the kid was more focused on not making mistakes as opposed to playing in his natural flow. About halfway through the season, Grawer stopped it and Douglass started to deliver.

I don't care what the number of wins was during the "situation" year and it's not a benchmark for the coming season by any means.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sooo many unknowns next season makes it almost impossible to predict. I think the best we can hope for is an NIT bid to continue our development. I'm just hoping the trend line points upward from the opening tip to the last tourney game. Guys I think will surprise us are TL and JM. Still think next year will be a learning year for MC and RA. Neither logged enough MPG this year to be considered even semi experienced. AY and McB will have to bear a lot of the burden in the early going. GG is who he is, however, that could change if he undergoes the now legendary Conklin summer. Frosh? Don't have the foggiest notion of what to expect, but a couple of them are sure to get minutes just out of necessity. My guess would be Reynolds is the most accomplished given his experience of playing w/ D1 talents his HS years. Heck, he may think he's taken a step backward from the talent level surrounding him at Whitney Young. Jolly may be force fed minutes as well to back up JM. This is why I'm praying we land a JUCO big with the last scholie. A Kenny Brown type would be manna from Heaven.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any post season bid attained by this team next year should be considered gravy and looked at as a continuation of the overall learning experience. More games ---- ala an extended run in an NIT or CBI --- might be a better opportunity for more games and more learning than a proud one-and-done in the Big Dance. I guess it all depends on what you individual goal will be.

Mine is development for the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any post season bid attained by this team next year should be considered gravy and looked at as a continuation of the overall learning experience. More games ---- ala an extended run in an NIT or CBI --- might be a better opportunity for more games and more learning than a proud one-and-done in the Big Dance. I guess it all depends on what you individual goal will be.

Mine is development for the future.

Whoaa, Taj Mahal 79! If by some miracle we make the dance next year that is so much a preferred route than playing a few extra games in the NIT. Furthermore, a game in the dance will expose the team to the big time atmosphere of the NCAA, as opposed to the rejected feel of playing in another tourney. A trip to the dance, even with a quick exit, will give this young group a confidence boost and make them hungrier for the next season to make it back and go further than one game. That said, I think the only way we make it is by winning the A10 tourney. If we don't make the dance, it won't be a big letdown to make the NIT, since I think that's where most of us think we're headed and even that's not a stone cold lock at this point. I think we're going to get a flashback to the UB years next year, but with the hope it won't be an extended relapse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Making the Tournament for a 4th straight year would do far more for the future of the program than making a run in the NIT or CBI.

I think we're going to be pretty decent next year actually. Lancona looked decent down the stretch. He'll only improve. Let's not forget that the coaching staff was high enough on Agbeko to start him against Wichita St. Get healthy and another year in the system and he's good. Manning improved as the season went on. He won't be Rob Loe but he can affect shots down low and get points in the paint. Lancona can stretch the D. Agbeko can rebound and score in the paint. Glaze will have his games. I think Jolly actually has a chance to contribute. I always like the guys who had a year of prep school.

The backcourt is a bigger question for me. McBroom can't run the point by himself. He struggled as the season went on. He's going to need to establish himself as a very strong ball handler and defender. He can't just be a 3 point threat anymore. Teams took that away as the season went on this past season and it hurt the team, but he had enough pieces to make up for it. I hope Yacoubou is as good as advertised. Having a solid shooter with size at the 2/3 would be huge. I'm a big Mike Crawford fan and I think he's going to be a great Billiken. Either Reynolds or Bartley need to seize the job as the backup PG. In my opinion, either one of them could actually take over McBroom's spot as the primary ball handler and have McBroom in more of a role like this year. Plenty of minutes played but other guys take care of the ball. I think Reynolds is more college ready. He's played with the top talent and he's played against the top talent. If Bartley puts on a lot of weight and strength, he could be the guy though. Roby is the wild card for me. Everything I read says he's not really a PG but is that because he played with a top 100 player who was a PG? Either way I see him more as a 2/3 who is my pick to contribute a lot next season backing up Yacoubou and Crawford.

It's going to be a frustrating season. Probably especially in the beginning. But I think this team can make a run in the 2nd of A10 play. Dayton is not the model. But I think we could have a Dayton like year. No I don't think we'll go to the Elite 8, but I do think we could go out and win like 8 of our last 9 and sneak into the Tourney. Once you're in the Tourney, it's all about matchups and how you've been playing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am glad you all have your opinions, many like 13 here. One fo the key items in the "Dayton model" is that short of Price and Pollard, all their guys were upperclassmen. And Price and Pollard contributed nothing (despite Pollard's one game) in essence to their run other than blows for the bigger contributors.

I like some of 13s assessments, but most are speculative based on nothing factual. And my opinion disagrees ....

Lancona did not look "decent down the stretch" to me. I believe if there was another option, Crews would have used it. Maybe Agbeko's start against Wichita was not so much a "high" from the coaching staff but an exasperation that the upperclassmen on the bench were failing. If another year in the system is assured to "make him good," please critique how that worked for Justin Johnson, Bryce Husak and many others. And Manning "improved as the season went on" is again subjective; in what areas, defense? I'll give that but its not complete and we need a full player in John's shoes. A trained seal can stretch the "D" but that doesn't mean the shots will fall -- hell, I can stretch the D by launching shots --- making them is the issue and making them at a consistent 40% rate with the game on the line is the complicating factor. I have seen no such consistency demonstrated for any sustained amount of time by Lancona, Crawford and McBroom. And who thinks McBroom is a three-point "threat?" Again, I'd zone us and dare any of these guys to beat me. And it might happen or it might not but I'd rather take my chances on betting inexperience will trump on most nights than not.

I'm going to root liek hell but my expectations will be lower -- certainly lower than these past years.

I'm kind of torn with larry72's comeback on me because, yes, the ultimate successful season for me has to end in a dance card visit. But as a teacher, I believe the future might be better served by playing more games next year, then taking another preseason overseas trip the year following. I think that would bode well fro a re-emergence for Lancona/Agbeko/Crawford's junior years. Add to that teh two seniors and five/six sophomores, and that look sgreat to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...