ACE

Actually - it was all downhill a little later, he added Perk, Yuri and Gibby to go along with HG and Hasahn. That was his best roster, a good mix of bullyball and skill. That group cracked the Top 25 and was destined for an at-large, then.... he hosted the COVID birthday party for his son - that really was the beginning of the end. He had a chance to make some noise the next season, but Perk blew it out his knee. I actually think Ford did a solid job with that team. Then last year, he really had one more shot at it - Perk did not return fully healthy, but also Ford did a poor job of adding pieces to that roster.

A very active official day 1 of free agency yesterday. Cohen left Frank Martin. He'll be a nice addition for some team. Also, Polite from GMason in the portal. About half of Methdale has departed which is not surprising considering the coaching change.

You are correct. There is a bit of rewriting of history by some of the board's more emotional people.

An A-10 team probably wouldn't get snubbed, but I don't think they'd get a 4-6 seed either. It's a tougher environment since the committee switched from the RPI to the NET. All mid-majors should be pissed about the ISU snub.

Right now, the job belongs to Ahearn (that's not what I want) but it came directly from an insider.

In the future Dayton will probably continue to be a contender for the A-10 conference auto bid, but will they be able to consistently compete in the current landscape for at-large bids on a regular basis after Holmes moves on? I'm not so sure.

America's Team!

The dream is still alive for Temple!! And just about 10 days after getting destroyed by UAB in a game that raised point shaving suspicions - they play UAB for a spot in the Dance!! And more bad news for Indiana State as another at-large bid will be gobbled up.

An article about the impact of switching from RPI to NET a few years ago. The A-10 is specifically mentioned. Not surprising the timing of the downturn in at-large bids began around this time. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2877965-many-college-basketball-teams-wish-the-selection-committee-still-used-rpi

True, but again, you’re talking about the environment 5 years ago. Things have changed radically in the last 2/3 years. I don’t think a Loyola story happens any more in the NIL/free agency era. There has been a great deal of change in the landscape so quickly that I think a lot of fans and even many schools have been slow to fully grasp it. Look closely at the makeup what this year’s field will be. I think what Majerus did building a team getting a 4 seed followed by a 5 seed at a school like SLU will be a thing of the past unless some things change.

Temple again! I’m loving them right now. Do you believe in miracles?

I'm fascinated by Temple. Accused of potential point shaving after getting destroyed by UAB at home. Since the accusations they have miraculously gone on a 3-game win streak!

Yep, also a one at-large bid last year too. The college landscape has changed a great deal in just a few years, and it hasn't been good for basketball only conferences. This outlines some of the challenges. https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/college/2023/10/18/last-season-only-vcu-reached-the-ncaa-tournament-from-the-atlantic-10/71227690007/

Yep, until we become like Indiana State - winning 28 games and having to sweat it out on selection Sunday. Then this issue will become much bigger on our little SLU centric community.

Yeah, that was FIVE years ago. A lot has changed in the college basketball landscape. See my other thread about the Mountain West. It's no longer a "mid-major." Big public universities are doing just fine in the NIL era, and will slide right in as one of the P6 as the Pac 12 dissolves. Gonzaga, St. Mary's and Dayton figure to be the only three at-large schools from leagues that don't have football. Let that sink in. This is where it has been trending in the NIL/free agency era. The A-10 is ONLY getting in two teams because Dayton lost in the conference tournament. It's a one at-large bid league.

IF all things are equal among offers, he may want his best chance of landing at-large bids... and if that's the case, it would be with a P6 job. That's the unfortunate reality. He just put up a 28-6 record in essentially a 1-2 bid league and is sweating out whether or not he gets in the Dance - why would he go to another (A-10), if he had a chance to go to a 4-6 team bid league? IF there are no P6 offers, then this opportunity looks a lot better.

But what if another employer got into the bidding war for roy and they had even more to offer? Not just money, but opportunities for professional advancement. I bet you would carefully consider that option as well. That's the challenge if a P6 team gets in the mix. Better hope ISU does not get in the Tourney - and if they win a game or two... you can probably forget about it. An NIT bid and early exit from the NIT would play greatly to SLU's advantage.

Don't think that's realistic, but doesn't hurt to start there and take your shot. Maybe if he gets passed over for some other jobs, he comes around.

Okay, I saw Trilly say that Schertz was "the favorite," but that could be from the SLU perspective - he could be at the top of SLU's list, but that doesn't necessarily mean the feeling is mutual. Was there something indicating his interest in the job?

I'm not doubting you - just curious where you saw this...

Sounds like a Porter Moser thing.

Regardless of who our coach is, going forward there are big picture challenges facing programs like SLU if something doesn't change. With the Pac 12 dissolving, the Mountain West is poised to slot in as part of the P6 of college basketball. Public schools with big alumni bases and largely second tier football programs, which comprises much of the MWC, have done well in basketball in this new NIL/free agency era. And they figure to remain strong with the former Pac-12 schools being gobbled up by the other P6 conferences. According to Lunardi's latest projections, outside of what I call the new P6, there are only three conferences with two bids each - the AAC, the WCC and the A-10... and the only reason the A-10 would get two bids is because Dayton got bounced. If they had won the conference tourney, the A-10 only gets one bid. So only 3 non-P6 schools that don't play football (Gonzaga, St. Mary's and Dayton) earned at large bids. *MAYBE Indiana State is able to scrape their way in with a 28-6 record and add one more to the list * There just aren't many at large spot for teams outside of the P6 - the way the NET is calculating is not helping mid majors. And as these super conferences grow and the number of conference games they play grows - there is very little incentive for P6 schools to play schedule non-conference games against good good mid-majors. Momentum is growing to expand the field to 96 teams in the future. This is an opportunity of course for the non-P6 schools to secure some of those extra at-large bids, but my concern is that these discussions are being driven the likes of the SEC. ACC and Big 10 Commissioners. Do you think these guys have the best interests of mid-majors in mind? If these guys could find a way to get 0-18 Mizzou an at-large bid they would. The true "mid majors" need to have a seat at the table as to how those extra at-large bids are doled out. Who is lobbying on behalf of the mid-majors? The big boys will be just fine, and low D1 schools will remain fine with their opportunities at the bottom of the bracket to get in by winning their conference tournaments, but what about the middle class of college basketball? They should be represented. An Indiana State at 28-6 should not have to sweat out getting in.

I never underestimate the Committee's ability to screw a mid-major team on the bubble in favor of a P6 team that has a .500 conference record.

FWIW - Indiana State has now moved to the wrong side of the bubble by both CBS and Lunardi...

Also, there could be another pool of candidates emerge soon - P6 coaches getting fired. I know the Ford experience is going to sour some folks, but I would keep an open mind - you never know who might become available over the next few days as team's have their season come to an end.