2024-25 Roster

[shempie]

42 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

That’s probably correct. Get the roster squared away and then see who you can get on the schedule. I would say we do owe a favor to SIUE for letting us use their court in the WNIT, so maybe they convert that into a game with them. The schedule appears to be wide open.

This is going to be interesting to watch. I think one of the biggest differences between the MVC/A10 and ISU/SLU has been our ability to schedule home and homes with P5 schools. Was that a Ford thing or league thing? Hoping the schedule remains robust and we get some good non-con home games.

[Lord Elrond]

6 minutes ago, shempie said:

This is going to be interesting to watch. I think one of the biggest differences between the MVC/A10 and ISU/SLU has been our ability to schedule home and homes with P5 schools. Was that a Ford thing or league thing? Hoping the schedule remains robust and we get some good non-con home games.

That may have been a Ford thing. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. ISU did have away games at Alabama and Michigan State last year, and at Purdue 2 years ago, but no,P5’s made it to Terre Haute. Looks like OVC, Summit and Horizon league teams were the only ones who wanted to go to Terre Haute.  Also, it would be nice to be in a tournament around Thanksgiving, there should still be time for something. Can we get any P5/Big East teams to come to Chaifetz? Guess we’ll see.

[kshoe]

2 hours ago, slu72 said:

I’m excited about Schertz. I think we hired Rick Jr. But right now there’s a lot of uncertainty in the college hoops world. Things will eventually come into focus especially in the A10. I do think if we land the 3-5 ISU players we’ll be a top 4 program. But as we’ve seen top 4 in the A10 guarantees only 1 bid. For a 2nd bid we’re gonna have to go like 15-3 and finish first or second. Then at least have to make the championship game in the tourney. My crystal ball can’t see that far out today. 

If we land the majority of the ISU players, why would we expect anything other than to have a NET similar to what they had last year? They had a NET of 28 last year, only Dayton would have been higher. Not sure why you'd sell SLU short by lumping us in with teams 2-4 in the A-10 that had NETs in the 70-90 range.

[Slu let the dogs out?]

17 minutes ago, kshoe said:

If we land the majority of the ISU players, why would we expect anything other than to have a NET similar to what they had last year? They had a NET of 28 last year, only Dayton would have been higher. Not sure why you'd sell SLU short by lumping us in with teams 2-4 in the A-10 that had NETs in the 70-90 range.

My guess is many are still suffering from Travisforditis. The only known cure for that is winning.

[brianstl]

13 minutes ago, kshoe said:

If we land the majority of the ISU players, why would we expect anything other than to have a NET similar to what they had last year? They had a NET of 28 last year, only Dayton would have been higher. Not sure why you'd sell SLU short by lumping us in with teams 2-4 in the A-10 that had NETs in the 70-90 range.

It is crazy.  The guys who evaluate talent for a living have us as top 25 team next season based on getting the majority of the ISU players, but people on here think only top 4 in the conference. If we end up with a roster similar to what the one suggested was possible, that team should be the conference favorite.

[HoosierPal]

15 minutes ago, brianstl said:

It is crazy.  The guys who evaluate talent for a living have us as top 25 team next season based on getting the majority of the ISU players, but people on here think only top 4 in the conference. If we end up with a roster similar to what the one suggested was possible, that team should be the conference favorite.

I would modify to "very competitive in the A10".  Why?  How many ISU players will we get?  2, 3, 4...?  My gut says the over/under is 2.5.  Let's say we get 3 with Hughes and Thames as carryovers.  That is five, so we can play games.  [Jaden Schertz will be busy as THE scout team.]  How much NIL $$ would be left in our pot?  Avila won't come cheap.  Conwell (if he is one of the newbies) could well have a bigger paycheck.  He is getting P5 (P6 is gone) feelers.

Schertz also said to Jim Hayes last night that it could be June before he finishes his roster. 

How with the other A10 teams reload?  Total unknowns.  Loyola went from dog meat to top sirloin in one season.  If Holmes comes back (which would surprise me but money talks) Dayton will go anywhere.  Until rosters are set, it is a total guess as to what the A10 will look like next season. 

Fun to discuss though.  All opinions are good at this stage of the recruiting season.

[Old guy]

I trust Schertz and think he will lead us much higher than Ford did, but that is really not much to say. I think with NIL money, a good number of the ISU 23-24 season's players, hopefully plus Jimerson, and whoever else the new staff recruits we will really have at least a chance to go to the Dance next season. This is what I want to believe, that we will have a chance to go to the Dance next season. It is too early to be sure of anything at this time except that we will do better than we did under Ford.

[David King]

5 hours ago, Brighton said:

Are you capable of being happy about anything for a brief moment ?

Brighton is correct. Pre-season top 25?!! The Bills are practically a lock for the Big Dance!

[NextYearBill]

Hot take: Hughes and Thames will not see the floor next year

 

stop planning around the failed boss’ employees 

[Dr. Holly Hills]

I admittedly didn’t watch ISU this year.  Just watched Avila highlights.  He looks terribly slow and unathletic.  

[willie]

21 minutes ago, Dr. Holly Hills said:

I admittedly didn’t watch ISU this year.  Just watched Avila highlights.  He looks terribly slow and unathletic.  

The first time I watched him I also thought he was kind of slow. After watching several games I became very impressed. He has game. Total all around player. 

[laker119]

31 minutes ago, Dr. Holly Hills said:

I admittedly didn’t watch ISU this year.  Just watched Avila highlights.  He looks terribly slow and unathletic.  

Do you think nikola jokic is extremely fast and athletic?

[gobillsgo]

1 hour ago, Dr. Holly Hills said:

I admittedly didn’t watch ISU this year.  Just watched Avila highlights.  He looks terribly slow and unathletic.  

Let’s maybe hold off on these types of posts, at least before the man has even committed here.  His game is not based on speed and athleticism, it’s strength, skill, playmaking, basketball IQ. 

[billikenfan05]

16 minutes ago, gobillsgo said:

Let’s maybe hold off on these types of posts, at least before the man has even committed here.  His game is not based on speed and athleticism, it’s strength, skill, playmaking, basketball IQ. 

6’10 Cody Ellis + . He’s very very good. 

[757billiken]

I also admittedly did not watch much other than his transfer highlights on youtube....might be a stupid question, but can he dunk? High IQ for sure. Great passer. Decent shooter, but getting Adam Knollmeyer athleticism vibe. <insert trashcan vid> 

Also does the MVC lack athletic big men?  His competition looked suspect. The A10 has athletes.

[NextYearBill]

And extremely marketable 

[billikenfan05]

2 minutes ago, 757billiken said:

I also admittedly did not watch much other than his transfer highlights on youtube....might be a stupid question, but can he dunk? High IQ for sure. Great passer. Decent shooter, but getting Adam Knollmeyer athleticism vibe. <insert trashcan vid> 

Also does the MVC lack athletic big men?  His competition looked suspect. The A10 has athletes.

He’s 6’10

[Aquinas]

2 minutes ago, 757billiken said:

I also admittedly did not watch much other than his transfer highlights on youtube....might be a stupid question, but can he dunk? High IQ for sure. Great passer. Decent shooter, but getting Adam Knollmeyer athleticism vibe. <insert trashcan vid> 

Also does the MVC lack athletic big men?  His competition looked suspect. The A10 has athletes.

Watch the NIT games.

[RUBillsFan]

19 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

6’10 Cody Ellis + . He’s very very good. 

I get where you are coming from, but that + is doing a LOT of work.  Avila is much much better than Ellis & honestly the only things similar about their games are that both are bigs who could stretch the floor & aren't super athletic.  Ellis was a career 42.7% from 2 and 33.4% from 3.  Avila is at 63.4%/37.2%  Ellis averaged 6.3 rebs, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blks per 40 mins.  Avila's are 8.1 rebs, 4.4 ast, 1.0 stls, 0.8 blks.

[billikenfan05]

37 minutes ago, RUBillsFan said:

I get where you are coming from, but that + is doing a LOT of work.  Avila is much much better than Ellis & honestly the only things similar about their games are that both are bigs who could stretch the floor & aren't super athletic.  Ellis was a career 42.7% from 2 and 33.4% from 3.  Avila is at 63.4%/37.2%  Ellis averaged 6.3 rebs, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blks per 40 mins.  Avila's are 8.1 rebs, 4.4 ast, 1.0 stls, 0.8 blks.

Agreed. I was illustrating that body type and quickness aren’t a certain indicator of overall playing ability. They definitely play into it. 

[Old guy]

When you first watch Avila play, he looks like a chubby kid, not very fast wearing coke bottle bottom glasses, most certainly he does not look like a great player. When you see him playing and beating power teams, as ISU did in the NIT, you realize that he is good even if he does not look like it.

[JohnnyJumpUp]

4 hours ago, NextYearBill said:

Hot take: Hughes and Thames will not see the floor next year

 

stop planning around the failed boss’ employees 

 

[The Wiz]

17 hours ago, kshoe said:

If we land the majority of the ISU players, why would we expect anything other than to have a NET similar to what they had last year? They had a NET of 28 last year, only Dayton would have been higher. Not sure why you'd sell SLU short by lumping us in with teams 2-4 in the A-10 that had NETs in the 70-90 range.

I agree.  A few weeks back , I responded to the question ...How would ISU do in the A-10? (and conversely , how would SLU do in the MVC). In the simulations, it showed SLU finishing 2nd to Day.  In those simulations where we played Day twice, we split with Day and tied for the conference championship. (and SLU finished 2nd from the bottom in the MVC)

To the uncertainty question, there is always uncertainty BUT there are 2 things that are clear...Successful coaches have 2 qualities...they win games and they have a system.  That is Schertz.  Will we get 1 ISU player or 5? It doesn't matter.  This was the guy that recruited and put "the five" together.  Whatever he brings over, he will be able to fill in the pieces and make it work.   With better facilities , more NIL money and a higher profile, he should be able to make it work even better.

And yes... there are no guarantees. In Schertz's first season, where he truly started from scratch, he was 11-20.  For the fans, that didn't throw in the towel, he rallied the next year with a 23-13 record. And finally for the ..."yeah but" fans he finished this year at 32-7.  

Of course, to those who say this is different...this is SLU....all we have to do is look back a decade and remember the hiring of  HOF Coach Majerus...a coach who had never had a losing season. First season...12-19.  Of course the naysayers were there with the..."I told you so".  I remember early in the next season the computer started flashing red(as in big change) and I posted the highly controversial statement...we are a top 20 team.  The naysayers said that I was way off...80 or 90 at best. And as the season went on the doubters would bend a little and say 60 or maybe 50 and when we finally made it 20 and below those posters disappeared (as they always do).  I am sure that if we hired UConn Coach Hurley,  there would be posters that would say....so he has back to back National Championships... "yeah but" can he win in the A-10.

Bottom line...Doubters gonna doubt. Winners gonna win. Schertz is a winner....and he is gonna win.

 

[thunderdan]

16 hours ago, willie said:

The first time I watched him I also thought he was kind of slow. After watching several games I became very impressed. He has game. Total all around player. 

When you've got a 6'10" guy who can pass well, and hit 40% of his 3s, I'm all in. 

[TheChosenOne]

3 minutes ago, thunderdan said:

When you've got a 6'10" guy who can pass well, and hit 40% of his 3s, I'm all in. 

No doubt, I love big men with skill that you can run the offense through.