Around the A10 20-21 season

[HoosierPal]

Ok, this is getting really sad.  The survivors have to be matched up.

[wgstl]

8 minutes ago, HoosierPal said:

Ok, this is getting really sad.  The survivors have to be matched up.

Would love for us to scrap the Fordham game and get someone who is waiting around this weekend.

[mrjoelabs]

We need to get a game on the weekend of March 5/6/7 since A10 tourney doesn't start till the next Wednesday.

[Cowboy]

18 minutes ago, HoosierPal said:

Ok, this is getting really sad.  The survivors have to be matched up.

-speaking of match ups, the schedule on the A10 conf site has Duq in the tourney final, I guess we'll play them

[Taj79]

Mason embarrassing Fordham right now 70 to 37 just under 3 to play.  Fordham is just sooooooo bad.

[Billiken Rich]

1 hour ago, Taj79 said:

Mason embarrassing Fordham right now 70 to 37 just under 3 to play.  Fordham is just sooooooo bad.

Beat Dayton.....Just Sayin......

[RUBillsFan]

On 2/10/2021 at 1:03 PM, HoosierPal said:

https://www.a10talk.com/spiders-schedule-changes/

This is kind of weird, but in retrospect, maybe something the Bills should have considered coming off of the pause. 

But I'm equally not sure this is a proper game, D3, to schedule, when so many of the Spiders games have been postponed. Is the A10 trying to revive Richmond's season?

I get that you want to get up to speed after a COVID pause and avoid a couple of sloppy games like SLU had.  However, playing a meaningless game against a D-III opponent in February when you've already had 3 COVID pauses seems nutso to me.  It seems likely the D-III opponent does not have as good of COVID protocols / resources to prevent COVID spread as a D-I team.  Why take on the COVID risk for such a meaningless game?

Coupling this with the fact that Richmond was pushing to play their game vs SLU despite their issues, I think it speaks to a Mooney & Co. over at Richmond putting basketball ahead of player safety / avoiding COVID.  This was supposed to be Richmond's year - pre-season #1 in the A10 & projected NCAA team.  They lose nearly everyone next year & will be in rebuilding mode.  They've faltered and are a bubble team at best right now.  Mooney knows what the hot seat feels like and needs an NCAA appearance to cool it down.  I think the desperation is showing a little bit with them taking these types of risks to try to enhance / maintain their resume at potential cost of another COVID pause or them or someone else.

[cgeldmacher]

The CDC just put out a new guideline that says that folks who have completed the vaccination process do not need to be quarantined if they are exposed to someone who tests positive.  If the NCAA can get players vaccinated, it may end a lot of these cancelations and worry over the tournament.  I'm not saying that players should get vaccines before others who  are higher on the priority list.  Those rules should still be followed.  I'm just saying that if this could happen, a lot of these postponements would go away.

"Fully vaccinated" people need not quarantine if after they are exposed to COVID-19, the CDC said.

[wgstl]

18 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

The CDC just put out a new guideline that says that folks who have completed the vaccination process do not need to be quarantined if they are exposed to someone who tests positive.  If the NCAA can get players vaccinated, it may end a lot of these cancelations and worry over the tournament.  I'm not saying that players should get vaccines before others who  are higher on the priority list.  Those rules should still be followed.  I'm just saying that if this could happen, a lot of these postponements would go away.

"Fully vaccinated" people need not quarantine if after they are exposed to COVID-19, the CDC said.

They cannot afford to cancel this year.  So it will go on with out without vaccination.  That being said, that's a huge advantage for SLU. 

[wgstl]

Because its a big Friday night A10 game it'll likely get cancelled, but Bonnies @ VCU should be a good one.

At this point I decided to pull for the Bonnies.  Less to do with Net, more to do with standings. 

VCU still has @ Richmond, Home against SLU, @ Davidson, @ Dayton. If they lose today, I can easily see them losing once more. 

This could help SLU pass them up and help get a double bye.

 

[cgeldmacher]

22 hours ago, wgstl said:

They cannot afford to cancel this year.  So it will go on with out without vaccination.  That being said, that's a huge advantage for SLU. 

BTW, note to the committee, if you are worried about the tournament getting disrupted by COVID issues, I have a suggestion for you.  The Billikens team has already had 80% of its team infected with COVID.  They are the team all of NCAA Division 1 basketball with the least chance of causing a problem for you.  Please keep that in mind when deciding who is in and who is out.

[Taj79]

A big one last night, the Bonnies at VCU.  I was going to write "The Big One" but frankly neither team impresses me much.  I think both are drastically over rated and can be defensed/scouted quite easily.

BLUF:  VCU hung on to win 67 to 64.  It wasn't really that close but the Bonnies did have a chance with Welch launching a decent looking three at the end that I believe hit the rim.  For th emost of the second half, VCU was up six or seven and Bonaventure was shuffling along keeping pace.

The Bonnies were led by Adaway with 23.  The bench outperformed itself with Vasquez scoring 8.  The Bonnies played seven guys but their seventh Creal onyl came in late to foul.  Holmes reverted back to the English of last year, scoring 4 and Hyland held Lofton down ala Crutcher with 8.  Osunniyi looks and plays like a twig when the physicality of the opposition's front line matches or surpasses his.  Corey Douglas was back on the court for VCU so when added to Ward and Stockard, it wipes Osunniyi clean.  Osunniyi did have 11 with 8 rebounds and 5 blocks but offensively, he is th ehol ein the donut.  Passes to him are more perfunctory than strategic.  His only offense is to receive ball, set pick an dhand off to Lofton, roll to basket for lob or lay in.  He either can't utilize his size or doesn't really know how.  To their credit, the Bonnies did what they had to do in keeping VCU down in the 60s to have any chance to win.  But they did not.  Again, I think the Bonnies record is overinflated ---- they have now lost to us, Rhode island and VCU all on the road.  They only have GW, Dayton and Duquesne left on the current schedule.  They should finish 11 and 3 in the league ... because the Dayton game is in Olean.  And they have to because they have no record outside the A10 to present as evidence they belong in the Dance.  

VCU is also who we thoguht they were.  Vince Williams has stepped up to add a second scoring option to Bones Hyland.  Hyland had 22 with Williams scoring 11.  That's 33 of 67 for almost 50% of the scoring.  The rest just don't do much .... I think they can but maybe it's their youth holding them back.  Stockard had8, Baldwin 7 and Watkins and Ward 6 each.  I still don't thin they can shoot well ... Hyland and Williams went a combined 3 for 16 from deep with Williams missing all four of his attempts.  The only other guy to make a three was Baldwin and overall they were 4 of 20.  They had six steals and forced 15 turnovers to their own 11.  All in all, it just seemed whomever took the lead and built it to a two possession game could, would and did hold it.  We beat the Bonnies more than they did and we did it in a post-COVID haze.  VCU is just not that good IMHO.

But this league has not been the balanced bunch of teams we thought it would be, COVID or not.  The so-called experience of veteran leadership at Duquesne, Bonaventure, Richmond, Davidson and even Mason has not played out into excellent basketball.  The wonderful Seth Greenberg says the A10 is a four bid league ... even had Joe Lunardi agreeing with him despite Lunardi only have Bonaventure and VCU in the tournament right now.  Greenberg says its those two plus us and Richmond.  Then he also throws Davidson in there.  I just can't see it.

VCU has a tough closing kick.  Five games left with big ones at Richmond, Davidson and Dayton (third time).  Plus us at home.  VCU will be further tested down the stretch and if they do well, should be the favorite going into the A10 tournament (which is at their home court).

[3star_recruit]

12 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

A big one last night, the Bonnies at VCU.  I was going to write "The Big One" but frankly neither team impresses me much.  I think both are drastically over rated and can be defensed/scouted quite easily.

BLUF:  VCU hung on to win 67 to 54.  It wasn't really that close but the Bonnies did have a chance with Welch launching a decent looking three at the end that I believe hit the rim.  For th emost of the second half, VCU was up six or seven and Bonaventure was shuffling along keeping pace.

The Bonnies were led by Adaway with 23.  The bench outperformed itself with Vasquez scoring 8.  The Bonnies played seven guys but their seventh Creal onyl came in late to foul.  Holmes reverted back to the English of last year, scoring 4 and Hyland held Lofton down ala Crutcher with 8.  Osunniyi looks and plays like a twig when the physicality of the opposition's front line matches or surpasses his.  Corey Douglas was back on the court for VCU so when added to Ward and Stockard, it wipes Osunniyi clean.  Osunniyi did have 11 with 8 rebounds and 5 blocks but offensively, he is th ehol ein the donut.  Passes to him are more perfunctory than strategic.  His only offense is to receive ball, set pick an dhand off to Lofton, roll to basket for lob or lay in.  He either can't utilize his size or doesn't really know how.  To their credit, the Bonnies did what they had to do in keeping VCU down in the 60s to have any chance to win.  But they did not.  Again, I think the Bonnies record is overinflated ---- they have now lost to us, Rhode island and VCU all on the road.  They only have GW, Dayton and Duquesne left on the current schedule.  They should finish 11 and 3 in the league ... because the Dayton game is in Olean.  And they have to because they have no record outside the A10 to present as evidence they belong in the Dance.  

VCU is also who we thoguht they were.  Vince Williams has stepped up to add a second scoring option to Bones Hyland.  Hyland had 22 with Williams scoring 11.  That's 33 of 67 for almost 50% of the scoring.  The rest just don't do much .... I think they can but maybe it's their youth holding them back.  Stockard had8, Baldwin 7 and Watkins and Ward 6 each.  I still don't thin they can shoot well ... Hyland and Williams went a combined 3 for 16 from deep with Williams missing all four of his attempts.  The only other guy to make a three was Baldwin and overall they were 4 of 20.  They had six steals and forced 15 turnovers to their own 11.  All in all, it just seemed whomever took the lead and built it to a two possession game could, would and did hold it.  We beat the Bonnies more than they did and we did it in a post-COVID haze.  VCU is just not that good IMHO.

But this league has not been the balanced bunch of teams we thought it would be, COVID or not.  The so-called experience of veteran leadership at Duquesne, Bonaventure, Richmond, Davidson and even Mason has not played out into excellent basketball.  The wonderful Seth Greenberg says the A10 is a four bid league ... even had Joe Lunardi agreeing with him despite Lunardi only have Bonaventure and VCU in the tournament right now.  Greenberg says its those two plus us and Richmond.  Then he also throws Davidson in there.  I just can't see it.

VCU has a tough closing kick.  Five games left with big ones at Richmond, Davidson and Dayton (third time).  Plus us at home.  VCU will be further tested down the stretch and if they do well, should be the favorite going into the A10 tournament (which is at their home court).

Four bids is magical thinking but all it takes to get three bids is three teams in the top 40 or two teams in the top 40 and a third team winning the A10 tournament.   

[slu72]

VCU is kind of a surprise this year. I though their coach, Holman?, had lost control of his team last year. Looks like he got it back. 

[RUBillsFan]

15 minutes ago, slu72 said:

VCU is kind of a surprise this year. I though their coach, Holman?, had lost control of his team last year. Looks like he got it back. 

VCU's coach is Mike Rhoades.

They've definitely exceeded expectations this season.  Nearly everyone on the team is playing better than they did last season or just as good in an bigger role (Bones Hyland).  New players they brought in (Levi Stockard) are exceeding expectation as well.

Their players taking a step forward on offense probably has to do with having a true PG in Adrian Baldwin.  His assist rate is over 30%.  Last year Marcus Evans (23.4%) was the only guy on the team who played meaningful minutes that was above 20% and when he was injured at the end of the year they sort of imploded.  Sometimes all it takes is one key piece to make all of the parts better.

[3star_recruit]

53 minutes ago, RUBillsFan said:

VCU's coach is Mike Rhoades.

They've definitely exceeded expectations this season.  Nearly everyone on the team is playing better than they did last season or just as good in an bigger role (Bones Hyland).  New players they brought in (Levi Stockard) are exceeding expectation as well.

Their players taking a step forward on offense probably has to do with having a true PG in Adrian Baldwin.  His assist rate is over 30%.  Last year Marcus Evans (23.4%) was the only guy on the team who played meaningful minutes that was above 20% and when he was injured at the end of the year they sort of imploded.  Sometimes all it takes is one key piece to make all of the parts better.

Amazing how much your better your offense works when you have a Yuri/Ace Baldwin on your team.  Classic point guards are always in style.  They're just not enough to go around.

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, RUBillsFan said:

VCU's coach is Mike Rhoades.

They've definitely exceeded expectations this season.  Nearly everyone on the team is playing better than they did last season or just as good in an bigger role (Bones Hyland).  New players they brought in (Levi Stockard) are exceeding expectation as well.

Their players taking a step forward on offense probably has to do with having a true PG in Adrian Baldwin.  His assist rate is over 30%.  Last year Marcus Evans (23.4%) was the only guy on the team who played meaningful minutes that was above 20% and when he was injured at the end of the year they sort of imploded.  Sometimes all it takes is one key piece to make all of the parts better.

Yes VCU has played much better than the pundits thought they would. That was an entertaining game last night. StB could have tied it at the buzzer.  

Both of those teams are worthy of an NCAA bid. I didn’t look it up but earlier this week Rammer said the A10 has been a multiple bid league all but once in the past 25 years. 

These two plus our Bills are leading the pack but there is a month left in the season. If breaks fall their way RIchmond could enter this conversation. 
 

Did you hear on the broadcast that Stockard told Coach Rhodes he wants to come back next year?

[lquarles]

VCU is a surprise to some, but not me.

During last season's meltdown (due to mostly chemistry issues, but also injury), I was already posting that we would be fine, because of the recruits coming in, and because Coach Rhoades would finally have his first team full of his own players. Coach Smart leaving, and then Wade leaving after only two seasons, created a domino effect for Rhoades to deal with.

Smart's entire recruiting class de-committed when he left, but we were still in a good place as a program. When Wade left after two seasons, along with some players, Rhoades only had a couple of months to scramble a makeshift roster together, and convince Wade's leftover players to stay, which included Santos-Silva and Mobley. Of course, both of those players have now left over the last two seasons, mostly due to crazy family members convincing them the grass was greener elsewhere, and making a big stink on social media. Them leaving turned out to be addition by subtraction.

So those issues behind the scenes created a small hit to the program, which led to what happened last season. Some fans blamed Rhoades's coaching ability, but I knew that was not the case, because he had a lot of drama to deal with. He has helped recruit some of our best players over the years as Smart's assistant. Smart even said during the game last night that Rhoades is the best assistant he's ever worked with. He truly has an eye for talent, and we are finally back to recruiting at the level Smart was, and this is the result.

I haven't been so excited about a VCU team since the FF run, especially the team chemistry, and the DEFENSE. It's currently ranked #13 on KenPom for a reason, and it doesn't get enough praise. Folks can say the team isn't that good, but they are usually the folks who don't pay attention to how stout their defense is, and it'll keep them in any game against anyone, as long as the chemistry stays at this level. And with such a young group, it's fun to see who steps up on any given day. Jamir Watkins is still my favorite player in the 2020 class, and I was calling Ace Baldwin a day-1 starter after watching some of his high school games. I posted before this season that we'd win 23+ games, as long as we get to play enough of them, just because I could see how hard Rhoades's recruits play for him. I can see his second A10 Coach of the Year award coming. Getting picked 9th in the A10 was reasonable, but I knew it would turn out to be a joke. And with Jalen DeLoach and Nick Kern coming next season, along with Stockard saying he wants to return, it'll be a special, special group, especially if Bones stays. 

 

[HoosierPal]

1 minute ago, lquarles said:

VCU is a surprise to some, but not me.

During last season's meltdown (due to mostly chemistry issues, but also injury), I was already posting that we would be fine, because of the recruits coming in, and because Coach Rhoades would finally have his first team full of his own players. Coach Smart leaving, and then Wade leaving after only two seasons, created a domino effect for Rhoades to deal with.

Smart's entire recruiting class de-committed when he left, but we were still in a good place as a program. When Wade left after two seasons, along with some players, Rhoades only had a couple of months to scramble a makeshift roster together, and convince Wade's leftover players to stay, which included Santos-Silva and Mobley. Of course, both of those players have now left over the last two seasons, mostly due to crazy family members convincing them the grass was greener elsewhere, and making a big stink on social media. Them leaving turned out to be addition by subtraction.

So those issues behind the scenes created a small hit to the program, which led to what happened last season. Some fans blamed Rhoades's coaching ability, but I knew that was not the case, because he had a lot of drama to deal with. He has helped recruit some of our best players over the years as Smart's assistant. Smart even said during the game last night that Rhoades is the best assistant he's ever worked with. He truly has an eye for talent, and we are finally back to recruiting at the level Smart was, and this is the result.

I haven't been so excited about a VCU team since the FF run, especially the team chemistry, and the DEFENSE. It's currently ranked #13 on KenPom for a reason, and it doesn't get enough praise. Folks can say the team isn't that good, but they are usually the folks who don't pay attention to how stout their defense is, and it'll keep them in any game against anyone, as long as the chemistry stays at this level. And with such a young group, it's fun to see who steps up on any given day. Jamir Watkins is still my favorite player in the 2020 class, and I was calling Ace Baldwin a day-1 starter after watching some of his high school games. I posted before this season that we'd win 23+ games, as long as we get to play enough of them, just because I could see how hard Rhoades's recruits play for him. I can see his second A10 Coach of the Year award coming. Getting picked 9th in the A10 was reasonable, but I knew it would turn out to be a joke. And with Jalen DeLoach and Nick Kern coming next season, it'll be a special, special group, especially if Bones stays. 

 

You underlined a big key, will Bones stay. Who knows but he is the motor that drives the Rams. I heard Stockard wants to return. 

[RUBillsFan]

3 minutes ago, HoosierPal said:

Did you hear on the broadcast that Stockard told Coach Rhodes he wants to come back next year?

I didn't get a chance to watch much of the game, so I missed that.  It makes a lot of sense though.  Stockard wasn't a grad transfer, so he was planning on sitting one year and then playing one at VCU.  Only thing that changed in his plans is to actually play the 1st year as well.

Seniors who come back for their extra COVID year will have a huge impact on the A-10 standings next and and how strong the A-10 is overall.  We've heard that Goodwin & French plan on moving on.  I haven't heard anything about seniors at other schools (aside from your comment on Stockard).

[lquarles]

Yes, Stockard says he wants to return. He has become a big time pickup for us. He's also former SBU player Courtney Stockard's cousin. 

[billiken_roy]

58 minutes ago, lquarles said:

VCU is a surprise to some, but not me.

During last season's meltdown (due to mostly chemistry issues, but also injury), I was already posting that we would be fine, because of the recruits coming in, and because Coach Rhoades would finally have his first team full of his own players. Coach Smart leaving, and then Wade leaving after only two seasons, created a domino effect for Rhoades to deal with.

Smart's entire recruiting class de-committed when he left, but we were still in a good place as a program. When Wade left after two seasons, along with some players, Rhoades only had a couple of months to scramble a makeshift roster together, and convince Wade's leftover players to stay, which included Santos-Silva and Mobley. Of course, both of those players have now left over the last two seasons, mostly due to crazy family members convincing them the grass was greener elsewhere, and making a big stink on social media. Them leaving turned out to be addition by subtraction.

So those issues behind the scenes created a small hit to the program, which led to what happened last season. Some fans blamed Rhoades's coaching ability, but I knew that was not the case, because he had a lot of drama to deal with. He has helped recruit some of our best players over the years as Smart's assistant. Smart even said during the game last night that Rhoades is the best assistant he's ever worked with. He truly has an eye for talent, and we are finally back to recruiting at the level Smart was, and this is the result.

I haven't been so excited about a VCU team since the FF run, especially the team chemistry, and the DEFENSE. It's currently ranked #13 on KenPom for a reason, and it doesn't get enough praise. Folks can say the team isn't that good, but they are usually the folks who don't pay attention to how stout their defense is, and it'll keep them in any game against anyone, as long as the chemistry stays at this level. And with such a young group, it's fun to see who steps up on any given day. Jamir Watkins is still my favorite player in the 2020 class, and I was calling Ace Baldwin a day-1 starter after watching some of his high school games. I posted before this season that we'd win 23+ games, as long as we get to play enough of them, just because I could see how hard Rhoades's recruits play for him. I can see his second A10 Coach of the Year award coming. Getting picked 9th in the A10 was reasonable, but I knew it would turn out to be a joke. And with Jalen DeLoach and Nick Kern coming next season, along with Stockard saying he wants to return, it'll be a special, special group, especially if Bones stays. 

 

quarly, you're still here?

[lquarles]

Roy, you're still a 12 year old?

Don't ruin a good discussion again. 

[billiken_roy]

Nothing you bring can be considered "a good discussion". 

[RUBillsFan]

Just put him on ignore @billiken_roy.