A10 Early Entries & Transfer (Consolidated Listing)

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, Cowboy said:

-at some point did UMass have a dynasty?

It never happened according to recent history books, but UMass may have been pretty good in the early to mid 1990’s. 

[Cowboy]

-UMass certainly does not meet my definition of a dynasty, these last more than a few years, ok they made 7 tournies in a row and got to one Final Four and two Elite Eights, not enough for me to call them a dynasty but more than a flash in the pan or a one recruiting class success story

[johnbj14]

Please keep in mind,  UMass has made one (1) NCAA Tournament this century. This is the new A10 superpower though according to segments of A10 twitter though. 

[Taj79]

Save for a few runs (two years with Ford; about three with Kellogg) Umass has been inconsistent and relatively middle-of-the-road since 1997.  Meaning kids today at ages 17 and 18 know of no Umass power or dynasty.  But fans are fans ...... samecan be said bout us, Bonniefans, Richmond fans,VCU fans. We're all going to the Super Bowl.

Umass has a nice core group coming back in Weeks, Mitchell,Pierre and Santos.  Watching them last year, th3ey essentially emplyed a'matador' defense .....stepping out of the way instead of into the fray.  Their attempts to presstospeed up play resulted in opposition fast breaks about 70% of the time I saw them.  Maybe McCall plays it that way ----- outscore the other guy over 40 minutes.  They were 14 and 17 lastyear.

[slu72]

Can’t fathom why no one’s concerned about Crutcher’s return. I expect UD will be rising in the A10 projections. 

[gobillsgo]

8 minutes ago, slu72 said:

Can’t fathom why no one’s concerned about Crutcher’s return. I expect UD will be rising in the A10 projections. 

We are strong enough that we should not be worried about any other A10 teams. Any more than 2 conference losses will be a failure. 

[Reinert310]

53 minutes ago, slu72 said:

Can’t fathom why no one’s concerned about Crutcher’s return. I expect UD will be rising in the A10 projections. 

Crutcher is a great player, but without Toppin, every opposing team playing Dayton should have the philosophy of “we’re not gonna let Crutcher beat us.” We almost beat Dayton twice last year when they had Crutcher and the NPOY. I think we matchup well with them. Dayton will be good with Crutcher coming back, but still a step below SLU and Richmond in my opinion.

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, slu72 said:

Can’t fathom why no one’s concerned about Crutcher’s return. I expect UD will be rising in the A10 projections. 

I don’t see anyone taking a pass on Dayton. Yes Crutcher is a stud. I’d give him my preseason POY award if I had a vote. 

[billiken_roy]

it's hard to say who benefitted more from the presense of the other with crutcher and toppin.   they were quite a pair together.   i thought toppin was marvelous but honestly i think crutcher made them go and missing him last year would have been devastating.   

it will be interesting to see how he does without soon to be lottery pick toppin on the floor with him though.

 

 

[ACE]

1 hour ago, Reinert310 said:

Crutcher is a great player, but without Toppin, every opposing team playing Dayton should have the philosophy of “we’re not gonna let Crutcher beat us.” We almost beat Dayton twice last year when they had Crutcher and the NPOY. I think we matchup well with them. Dayton will be good with Crutcher coming back, but still a step below SLU and Richmond in my opinion.

This is where a healthy Fred could really be valuable - a defensive stopper to at least slow down or cool off a player who is getting hot.

[Reinert310]

3 minutes ago, ACE said:

This is where a healthy Fred could really be valuable - a defensive stopper to at least slow down or cool off a player who is getting hot.

Totally agree. Crutcher is too good of a player not to get his share of points, but you gotta limit it. Don’t give him any clean looks at the end of games.

[Taj79]

Crutcher back to Dayton certainly makes Dayton better, and it strengthens Dayton's strength --- it's back court.  Adding Crutcher to Watson, Chatman and Cohill can only be a plus.  But it does nothing to help Dayton's glaring weakness --- it's front court.  

Say what you want about Toppin, he was bottom line good.  But don't discount the positives fifth- and four-year seniors Mikesell and Landers brought to the front court in terms of knowledge and cohesiveness.  They are now gone too leaving Grant with a wishy-washy and unproven Jordy Tshimanga as the lone remaining veteran.  Yes, Chase Johnson, a former four-star receuit, returns but he left last year because of physical issues and he left Florida because of concussions.  He's one inadvertent elbow to the head away from permanent retirement.  That then leaves Grant with two redshirt freshmen from Africa to step into the void.  I know Toppin was a redshirt freshman but Obi played high school as a 6'1" guard before his growth spurt hit.  That's why he was so fluid as a 6'9" big man---- his guard upbringing.  Will this be the case with Zimife Nwokeji and Moulaye Sissokoi?  I doubt it.  

The rest of Grant'a recruiting class are two-star recruits and two of the three are guardsas well.  I'd expect Crutcher, Watson, Chatman, Tshimanga and Johnson as the starters but Chatman is no scorer and neither is Tshimanga.  Johnson is a medical unknown so that leaves the bulkfo the scoring to Crutcher and Watson.  

Dayton could be picked as high as fourth in my book, with a lot of residual left over from last year with returnees Crutcher and Watson.  There won't be any crowd-inspiring dunks at the Dayton Arena this year ---- unless it comes from the opposition.

[BuiltFordBills]

 

[Cowboy]

7 minutes ago, BuiltFordBills said:

 

-ah, the NCAA following their very precise, very detailed and unwavering guide to who gets to play and who has to sit

-all kidding aside, this is good for the A10, hope Rhodey gets some P5 scalps in the non-con and then we wax them

[wgstl]

good news. 

Where does this put URI, top 5?

[HoosierPal]

Waiting for the Taj B & M post.  Did the NCAA answer your email Taj?
I hope Stockard and Medley-Bacon get similar good news. 

[slu72]

All of a sudden the A10 is looking much stronger. 

[bauman]

5 minutes ago, slu72 said:

All of a sudden the A10 is looking much stronger. 

but in a year when it might not matter with regard to NCAA bids.  If many of the OOC  games and/or tournaments are cancelled (remember the Pac 12 has already shut down games before 1/1/2021) then the NCAA Selection Committee might find itself looking primarily at  Conference games;  then trying to figure out how to judge non-P6 schools versus teams from the P6 leagues -  I think we have a pretty good idea of how that will work out for the A 10.  Hopefully we get some of our key OOC games in, especially the Orlando Tournament, BC @ the Fetz and @ MN.  I guess the home game against SD St also falls into that category.

[gobillsgo]

3 minutes ago, bauman said:

but in a year when it might not matter with regard to NCAA bids.  If many of the OOC  games and/or tournaments are cancelled (remember the Pac 12 has already shut down games before 1/1/2021) then the NCAA Selection Committee might find itself looking primarily at  Conference games;  then trying to figure out how to judge non-P6 schools versus teams from the P6 leagues -  I think we have a pretty good idea of how that will work out for the A 10.  Hopefully we get some of our key OOC games in, especially the Orlando Tournament, BC @ the Fetz and @ MN.  I guess the home game against SD St also falls into that category.

If there's no OOC this year, A10 gets max 2 teams in the tournament.  No way in hell the committee would give more than that based on solely conference play.

[slu72]

4 hours ago, gobillsgo said:

If there's no OOC this year, A10 gets max 2 teams in the tournament.  No way in hell the committee would give more than that based on solely conference play.

My point was our road thru the A10 has become tougher. Had nothing to do with bids. I agree I’d like to see our OOC stay in place, but it’s doubtful. So, we’ll have to make our case in conference play. 

[Taj79]

Thanks for always thinking of me whoseyerdouche.

I think Cowboy's statement says it all.... I don't expect the NCAA to answer me as I never asked but in today's world of bullshite calls for transparency, the NCAA is a joke.  I am sure there was some logical reason to waive the two kids in from Maryland ... I mean, they quit school middle of the semester on their UMd teammates, when out for bid for no reason at all, and didn't enroll at URI until middle of COVID so I'm sure it's all legit somewhere.

And I don't think it makes URI that much better other than having nine guys on the roster eligible.  They still only have one experienced guard in Fatts.  Unless they whole waiver process is a sham and they also get to enroll the transfer from Syracuse as well as Towson.  Their front court of Walker and Harris is underachieving and the one Mitchell twin is much better than the other.  

URI goes up my ladder if Cary and Bertrand become eligible but not so much so ........ it's only a team in the sense they all wear the same colors.  Much work to improve on.

[HoosierPal]

More good news for Rhody. Carey started in Syracuse first two games last season, then hurt his thumb and was out for the rest of the year. He likely has a medical waiver and three years of eligibility left. Rhode Island now has 11 of its 13 scholarship players eligible for the 2020-21 season. Junior transfer Malik Martin (Charlotte) is awaiting word on his waiver from the NCAA.  Junior Allen Betrand, (Towson), will sit out this season and have two seasons of eligibility.  The Rams backcourt of Russell, Sheppard and Carey will be decent. Add Martin to this group, and they will be dangerous.

I’m expecting more personal name calling from Taj.

[Taj79]

No ....I find you useless and boring on the attack front.  Have a nice day  and rest of your life.

[HoosierPal]

More good news for Rhody and the A10.  Malik Martin from Charlotte gains his waiver.

https://www.zagsblog.com/2020/08/25/rhode-island-transfers-malik-martin-jalen-carey-mitchell-twins-all-get-waivers/

And I assume more personal insults from Taj are forthcoming.

[Taj79]

Nice reporting of the facts.  No need to shoot the lowly messenger.  Cox needs to double the salary of whomever his compliance or eligibility officer is.  That person must know hoe to play the system.  

The situation at Rhode Island obviously got better.  The players in question all have diverse situations:  Carey could be argued as just a plain redshirt transfer as he all but sat out all last year.  But did he really?  Not in the common,usual sense. Martin is a straight up  transfer, having played in all of Charlotte's 29 games last year.  Francis Okoro is sitting out the year in his transfer situation (injured sure). The Mitchell twins were problematic at Maryland because their mom/entourage knew more than Mark Turgeon. They left Maryland at Christmas, shopped themselves around, and then chose Rhodey in March/April.  Three distinct cases, all eligible.  Yeah, nothing to see here, move along.  And none of them are going "home" to play in front of grandma, so the family excuse isn't really an option.  Carey and martin are from NYC; the Mitchells from DC.

I am surprised ----- not that it happened given the NCAA's track record, I am more surprised it happened at Rhode Island, a non-power team in a non-power conference.