HoosierPal

I just noticed something strange here. Click on the collegehoopstoday.net link. Note that this is NOT the official announcement. The first pod, Ole Miss/Iowa and GCU/Utah has games on Nov 25 with winners/losers on Nov 26. The second pod with San Jose State, Northern Iowa, Tulsa and Loyola has the same. Initial games Nov 25, winners and losers Nov 26. The third pod, same but initial games on Nov 27 and winners losers Nov 28. Then our pod lists our game with Santa Clara on Nov 27 and MN/Stanford on Nov 28. No winners/losers game is listed. The other three pods have two games on the first day and two on the second. Ours shows only one each day. Misinformation? Confusion? Let's hope collegehoopstoday screwed this up. Again, this is NOT the official release, which should be out 'soon'.

So we got pushed out of our original group we thought we were in by Grand Canyon? Interesting. So much for the H game against Santa Clara. Minnesota was mediocre last season in the Big10 (7-13) and Stanford was better in the Pac12-opps, the ACC-at 11-9. MN reportedly had solid portal activity, including signing Davidson's Bobby Durkin.

Just as I thought. You have no desire to talk to Dr. Chaifetz. He isn't worth your time? Here is a second chance for you to do something meaningful. You can request an appointment with Dr. Feser. Set yourself up with a meeting with Dr. Feser to tell him what he doesn't know. Tell him "the truth" as you see it. Make sure you tell him that Educating Student Athletes shouldn't be one of the cornerstones of the Athletic Department. Only winning counts. Building Community is a waste of time and the Athletic Department has no business sending athletes out to North STL to help with tornado recovery. Only winning and fancy facilities count. If you are SO upset with SLU athletics, do something productive. You apparently won't talk to Dr Chaifetz, so try Dr. Feser. Stop making excuses. Typing anonymous complaints on a message board isn't the way to change the world. Here is the link to use. Scroll down just a bit to "Request an Appointment. https://www.slu.edu/about/leadership/president/index.php I'm trying to help you out with your crusade.

Dr. Chaifetz will be at the Chaifetz Arena this weekend with his Pickleball tourney. If you had watched his Podcast with Chris May, you would know that he will be very available to talk to any Billiken or Pickleball Fans. He threw out an open invitation. Instead of your neverending repetitive, repetitive, repetitive posts that do nothing, do something that has meaning. Go talk to the Man. Yes, face to face with Dr. C. I am sure he will give you time to air your grievances about Chris May.

Dr. Pickleball! The Shock is hosting a Pickleball tourney this weekend at Chaifetz. Dr. C. will be there and will talk to anyone who wants to converse. Thames is having a great summer. Dr. Chaifetz appreciates how the Athletic Department and the boosters have helped getting SLU to where it needs to be financially to compete in the Revenue Sharing era. Dr. C lives in Florida but will try to make it to most of the Men's Basketball games.

BOOM! I'm sure you upset some MBMs with this true and correct post. Sure Thames came in under Ford, but Tate is the one who brought him in....Pattonville connection. Before his cramping issue hampered him, Schertz stated that Thames was the best player on the team. "It's not the Coach's job to keep the players happy. It's the players job to keep the Coach happy." Best guys play no matter how they got to SLU.

I think Thames fits more into Schertz’ system as a Swing than a Shooter. For me he and McCrotty are maybe more similar in that regard. Both can guard up or down and both can take the ball to the hoop in traffic. Both can handle the ball and bring it upcourt.

Another great interview with one our new players. Dunlap apparently not 100% back from his injuries. Interesting discussion on the difference between St John’s offense and defense systems and SLU’s systems. This guy knows his sleep needs.

They have last season's list linked, and the first A10 team ranked was UMass at 110 and #8 in the league. SLU was 59th and #3. By this publication, the A10 may be ranked slightly stronger than last season. Nine teams in the Top 144 v 8 teams last season. It doesn't really matter in July, does it. I'll let others attempt to figure out who had the best portal + best returning player combo. Reading what others have posted nationally, GW and Mason appear to have had strong retention and/or a strong portal. Never bet against VCU or Dayton being a lower half team either. I'll throw SLU in there as a top third tier A10 team and thus making the 144 list.

Stu talks scheduling last night. Not much new. Last half of 30 minute segment is on the roster. Iowa doesn't want to play SLU in the Acrisure and not for the reasons you might think, per Stu. Someone may have asked for that not to happen. MTE organizers are catering to the P5 schools wishes. These mega-MTE's (this one and the Player's Era Tourney) are starting to drain the pool of teams available for smaller MTE's. Four team events may be disappearing. Roster: Biggest thing that stands out so far is depth. How will this roster get the most out of Robbie's skills? Of the newcomers, which one could make the biggest difference. Stu's response is that Q Jones is probably top of the Coach's list, along with Green and Brown. Brown does a lot of things, is a hard worker on the floor and effects many aspects of the game. He isn't counting out the other three. Thames "cautiously optimistic". Practicing and hasn't had any issues. Stu not sure how his treatment is different than last year. How much he can play in a game remains to be seen. Stu guessing, he comes off the bench for maybe 15 min per game. Fun question, which Bill players are on top of your list for this quarter century. Love, Perry....Stu didn't cover the Majerus years....Jimerson, Goodwin, Collins. Mentioned Best, McCall, Jett, Mitchell, Evans in the Majerus years. Nice rotation! Brendan puts Goodwin as #1 Billiken on his quarter century list. Stu mentioned he will be picking up the pace of Stu on SLU in the near future after relaxing for a few weeks.

I am going to be interested in the competition between Sharma and Dunlap. Both appear to fit Schertz's role of Shooter. Both had small sample sizes last season, but Sharma was 36% long distance and Dunlap 37.5%. Neither of them had outstanding defensive stats last season. Neither are shot blockers and neither have registered a large number of steals or assists over their career. Sharma is listed at 6'6", 195 lb. Dunlap is 6'7" 190 lb, So for me, they are similar players, fitting Schertz roll of Shooters. And they are good at it. Will Schertz play two Shooters at a time? Sure, but how often. There are only 200 minutes to divide up.

Otenio was 3 of 5 from the arc against us, and 4 of 8 under the circle for 19 points. He had 10 boards and 2 blocks. Pretty good audition if you ask me. Perhaps he really likes the Chaifetz rims. His rim protection will be better than what we saw from any Billiken last season. I'd race to get him signed up too. Avila, Anya and Otenio will all get their minutes. It is fun to talk lineups and minutes, but anyone who thinks they have all the answers in July is day dreaming.

Wade agreed to it in May.

Thanks for the heads up on this @slu72. This site is always first out, and rosters aren't yet settled. But it is fun to read. With the portal highway wide open between last season and this season, the method of 'guessing' how well a team will do has to have been adjusted. I see our foe SEMO is on the list at #137, also rated as #1 in the OVC. Arkansas State, our NIT conqueror, is #130. Checking them out, they pretty much lost everyone. Might be time for a rematch? I'm adding the link for easy reference as we move through the next 117 days of their list. https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/mens-basketball/top-144-previews

VCU had a H & H with NC State, but that ties back to Coach Wade's stint at VCU.