Top 144 items of intetest

[thetorch]

This list and website has sucked for years. 

Much better cbb previews out right now.

[CenHudDude]

7 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

For me the issue isn't the number of teams in the A10.  Fourteen or 15 teams, whatever.  My issue is with playing 18 conference games.  I'm for playing two less, making a 16 game league schedule and adding two OOC games.  You can decide common A10 opponents with either a 16 game schedule.

Of course the issue is finding two more OOC opponents that don't turn out to be buy games, or otherwise resume killers.  With the Power conferences either at or going to 20 games, we can't look at them to fill the gap.  Perhaps aligning with the Mountain West, American, MVC, or WCC for Challenges could solve some of the scheduling issue.

I certainly don't want the A10 to go to a 20 game conference schedule.  (But would a 20 game schedule stop the Chicago State and Jackson State buy games?)  Nothing is easy.

BTW, Charleston's last three NET's were 97, 51 and 144.  Seems like they would be a decent add.

Charleston would be a nice place for A-10 fans to visit.  Beyond that, they would be just one more mouth to feed.

[CenHudDude]

7 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

For me the issue isn't the number of teams in the A10.  Fourteen or 15 teams, whatever.  My issue is with playing 18 conference games.  I'm for playing two less, making a 16 game league schedule and adding two OOC games.  You can decide common A10 opponents with either a 16 game schedule.

Of course the issue is finding two more OOC opponents that don't turn out to be buy games, or otherwise resume killers.  With the Power conferences either at or going to 20 games, we can't look at them to fill the gap.  Perhaps aligning with the Mountain West, American, MVC, or WCC for Challenges could solve some of the scheduling issue.

I certainly don't want the A10 to go to a 20 game conference schedule.  (But would a 20 game schedule stop the Chicago State and Jackson State buy games?)  Nothing is easy.

BTW, Charleston's last three NET's were 97, 51 and 144.  Seems like they would be a decent add.

Charleston would be a nice place for A-10 fans to visit.  Beyond that, they would be just one more mouth to feed.

[CenHudDude]

7 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

For me the issue isn't the number of teams in the A10.  Fourteen or 15 teams, whatever.  My issue is with playing 18 conference games.  I'm for playing two less, making a 16 game league schedule and adding two OOC games.  You can decide common A10 opponents with either a 16 game schedule.

Of course the issue is finding two more OOC opponents that don't turn out to be buy games, or otherwise resume killers.  With the Power conferences either at or going to 20 games, we can't look at them to fill the gap.  Perhaps aligning with the Mountain West, American, MVC, or WCC for Challenges could solve some of the scheduling issue.

I certainly don't want the A10 to go to a 20 game conference schedule.  (But would a 20 game schedule stop the Chicago State and Jackson State buy games?)  Nothing is easy.

BTW, Charleston's last three NET's were 97, 51 and 144.  Seems like they would be a decent add.

Charleston would be a nice place for A-10 fans to visit.  Beyond that, they would be just one more mouth to feed.

[CenHudDude]

7 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

For me the issue isn't the number of teams in the A10.  Fourteen or 15 teams, whatever.  My issue is with playing 18 conference games.  I'm for playing two less, making a 16 game league schedule and adding two OOC games.  You can decide common A10 opponents with either a 16 game schedule.

Of course the issue is finding two more OOC opponents that don't turn out to be buy games, or otherwise resume killers.  With the Power conferences either at or going to 20 games, we can't look at them to fill the gap.  Perhaps aligning with the Mountain West, American, MVC, or WCC for Challenges could solve some of the scheduling issue.

I certainly don't want the A10 to go to a 20 game conference schedule.  (But would a 20 game schedule stop the Chicago State and Jackson State buy games?)  Nothing is easy.

BTW, Charleston's last three NET's were 97, 51 and 144.  Seems like they would be a decent add.

Charleston would be a nice place for A-10 fans to visit.  Beyond that, they would be just one more mouth to feed.

[CenHudDude]

7 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

For me the issue isn't the number of teams in the A10.  Fourteen or 15 teams, whatever.  My issue is with playing 18 conference games.  I'm for playing two less, making a 16 game league schedule and adding two OOC games.  You can decide common A10 opponents with either a 16 game schedule.

Of course the issue is finding two more OOC opponents that don't turn out to be buy games, or otherwise resume killers.  With the Power conferences either at or going to 20 games, we can't look at them to fill the gap.  Perhaps aligning with the Mountain West, American, MVC, or WCC for Challenges could solve some of the scheduling issue.

I certainly don't want the A10 to go to a 20 game conference schedule.  (But would a 20 game schedule stop the Chicago State and Jackson State buy games?)  Nothing is easy.

BTW, Charleston's last three NET's were 97, 51 and 144.  Seems like they would be a decent add.

Charleston would be a nice place for A-10 fans to visit.  Beyond that, they would be just one more mouth to feed.

[CenHudDude]

Sorry for the quintuple post.  I guess I made my point.  Unfortunately, I don’t know how to delete four of them.

[Taj79]

@slu72:  As I've said, the conference is so jumbled and populated by transfers that making sense out of it is hard right now.  If Umass is 8th, that's a pretty high ranking considering they lost Cohen and Cross.  Rothstein had them at sixth so what do I know?  The middle of the pack of the A10 is always a crap shoot.  You just never know.  I can't see Rhode Island being Rothstein's 8th but I guess someone has to be.  Thery were awful last year and lost key pieces in Weston, Montgomery and Kortright.  Mason, Rothstein's seventh, has like two decent returnees; all three of these teams are chemistry projects right now.  At #9, he had Duquesne and I guess the question is did they learn how to win as a program last year?  Doubt it.

Which leaves the Top Five.  Looking at VCU on paper, I'd put them at the top.  With Loyola winning last year, and getting a guy like Jalen DeLoach, I'd put them at two.  Those two I'm okay with.  Which leaves us, Dayton and St. Joes.  Personally, I believe in Coach Schertz so I think we'll battle well.  Dayton lost its entire interior game in Holmes and its external shooting in Brea and Elvis.  Will Alexander and Key replace that?  I kind of doubt it.  And St. Joe's always has the great Billy Lange on the bench in the best of a Martelli continuation.  He has two guards in Reynolds and Brown but the rest is again a chemistry experiment.  

All in all, I think Rothstein has the top pretty well sorted out.

[Old guy]

The 144 list has never been accurate. Now with the massive changes to every team's roster it is likely to be even more inaccurate than before. We are not basing our hopes in fantasy as last year. This year we have Schertz and a solid, or apparently solid team. We will find out in time but I expect a good year for us, possibly a conference win.

[slu72]

It seems to me Loyola restocked above their status. But that’s just a hunch based on minimal research. It’s why I count on the Grand Poo Bah, TajMahali, for all things A10. VCU seems a bit of a stretch for #1 though. Have they even filled out their roster? And didn’t they lose ACE B to a P5 team? 

[VeniceMenace]

1 hour ago, slu72 said:

It seems to me Loyola restocked above their status. But that’s just a hunch based on minimal research. It’s why I count on the Grand Poo Bah, TajMahali, for all things A10. VCU seems a bit of a stretch for #1 though. Have they even filled out their roster? And didn’t they lose ACE B to a P5 team? 

Could be a bit of a stretch but perhaps not with Ryan Odom's track record the past three years ... 

[Taj79]

@slu72: VCU lost Ace Baldwin two years ago when Rhoades went to Penn State.  I believe Ace is using his COVID year at State College this coming year.  

VCU returns its entire starting lineup minus Sean Bairstow.  That puts Zeb Jackson at the point, Joe Bamisile at SG; Max Shulga at SF and Christian Fermin at center.  That's a lot of seniors.  Plus they added former SLU walk-on Phil Russell.  They retain Billups and Belle off the bench but lost promising big Toby Lawal to Virginia Tech.  Given the losses and chemistry projects elsewhere in the A10, this has to be the preseason front runner for the league.

Loyola lost alot of continuity and senior leadership in Braden Norris, Tom Welch, Phil Alston (per Rothstein) and Dame Adelekun.  DeLoach didn't do too well at Georgia, playing in all 32 games with 12.8 mpg, 3.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg.  But he was pretty decent in his two years prior at VCU.  He will make for an interesting front line presence with Miles Rubin.  Dawson and Quinn return at the point and Edwards and Watson return at the shooting guard.  

Dayton has traded in Holmes for Zed Key from Ohio State and the Kobe twins for Posh Alexander of Butler/St. Johns.  Is that enough?  I am guessing Nick Santos becomes the offensive focal point to start.  If Malachi Smith can't recover fully from two years of knee issues, Javon Bennett will again run the point.  Neither Smith nor Bennett are big scorers to date.  

St. Joes does indeed have Billy Lange and he has an NBA pedigree.  They have no interior right now as Christ Essankando left but with the rage of the NBA being 5-out, I can see Lange employing such as offense.  Basically, he has four experienced guards with Rasheer Fleming as a shooting big.  Once again, I have no clue who he has on the bench, if anyone.

 

[slu72]

My bad. A Biden moment on Ace Baldwin. Probably due to the memories of him tearing us a new one every game is still fresh in my addled old brain. 

[slu72]

Duquesne is the 2nd A10 team to make the list at 105 and picked 7th in conference. Any guesses on next 6? I’ll go with Richmond, St. Joes, Loyola, SLU, UD, VCU. 

[Taj79]

I doubt Richmond; they lost too much from last year.  Seems like a lot of love out there for Mason.  Don't know why.

Dayton has added two foreign players now to complete their roster.  Seven-foot-one-inch Amael L'Etang from France and six-foot-seven-inch guard Hamad Mousa from Qatar.  In pictures, both look to be in need of much nourishment.

[HoosierPal]

On 7/27/2024 at 9:07 AM, slu72 said:

Duquesne is the 2nd A10 team to make the list at 105 and picked 7th in conference. Any guesses on next 6? I’ll go with Richmond, St. Joes, Loyola, SLU, UD, VCU. 

Mason has some decent transfers (4 double digit scorers) plus Maddox returns (14 ppg) and Haynes (15 ppg in 22-23 season at ETSU) comes off his red shirt. Chemistry, like on many teams including the Bills, might be their issue. 

[slu72]

Mason comes in at 92 and 6th in A10. Looks like they return 5 and their adds are mostly FR plus 3 from the portal. Again, Taj Mahal 79 is the go to source  for whether this is a realistic assessment or pure unadulterated BS filler.

Are there any other sites forecasting the top 100 to 150 programs for 24-25? 

[slu72]

Somewhat of interest, CofC picked 91 and 1st in CAA. Interest due to 2 former Bills, Curcic and Van B, might go dancing. This team was decimated by the portal so Mack’s gravitas must be given a lot of sway. 

[Old guy]

This does not mean that I dislike our current team roster in any way, I think we have an excellent team that will do very well next season. However I also wish we had been able to retain Curcic and Van B,

[slu72]

Loyola comes in lukewarm at 87 and 5th in conference.  I figure the top 4 spots are down to 4) -St Joes, 3) SLU, 2) VCU, and 1) Dayton.  But as always, I’ll await the prophecies of our grand and exalted poobah for all things A10, Taj Mahal ‘79. 

[Taj79]

@slu72 those will be the A10 'final four' but I think VCU will be #1.  As previously noted, they return a boatload of seniors including Shulga, Jackson, Bamisile and experienced players in Bell and Fermin.  I could see SLU at #2 with the return of Jimerson added to the #1 portal transfer in Avila.  Plus Swope and the other transfers with Schertz' D1 rep and it could be so.  I would guess Dayton at #3 given the loss of Holmes, Elvis and Brea.  Little discernable outside shooting returns and Zed Key as Holmes replacement just doesn't seem to give the Flyers enough.  Nick Santos is not the guy you build a team around.  They are excited in Dayton about these two new European kids but as noted elsewhere, both look like they could use a meal or two.  St. Joe's has Erick Reynolds and Brown and Fleming but their interior once again is suspect.  So expect Lange to run the guard-oriented offense again.  

[slu72]

7 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@slu72 those will be the A10 'final four' but I think VCU will be #1.  As previously noted, they return a boatload of seniors including Shulga, Jackson, Bamisile and experienced players in Bell and Fermin.  I could see SLU at #2 with the return of Jimerson added to the #1 portal transfer in Avila.  Plus Swope and the other transfers with Schertz' D1 rep and it could be so.  I would guess Dayton at #3 given the loss of Holmes, Elvis and Brea.  Little discernable outside shooting returns and Zed Key as Holmes replacement just doesn't seem to give the Flyers enough.  Nick Santos is not the guy you build a team around.  They are excited in Dayton about these two new European kids but as noted elsewhere, both look like they could use a meal or two.  St. Joe's has Erick Reynolds and Brown and Fleming but their interior once again is suspect.  So expect Lange to run the guard-oriented offense again.  

This is why I took a caveat to your infinite wisdom re all things A10. Now we wait for the all knowing and all powerful WIz to turn on his magic twanger and add his prognostications. 

[wgstl]

1 hour ago, slu72 said:

Loyola comes in lukewarm at 87 and 5th in conference.  I figure the top 4 spots are down to 4) -St Joes, 3) SLU, 2) VCU, and 1) Dayton.  But as always, I’ll await the prophecies of our grand and exalted poobah for all things A10, Taj Mahal ‘79. 

Dayton should no way be #1

[MusicCityBilliken]

1 hour ago, wgstl said:

Dayton should no way be #1

I realize pre-season polls mean squat. Who do you believe will be #1?

Dayton's OOC schedule alone gives them a added boost in the NET rankings. All they have to do is be .500.

We are going to get killed with all the junk we are playing in OOC. It just comes down to the league with us.

[slu72]

1 hour ago, MusicCityBilliken said:

I realize pre-season polls mean squat. Who do you believe will be #1?

Dayton's OOC schedule alone gives them a added boost in the NET rankings. All they have to do is be .500.

We are going to get killed with all the junk we are playing in OOC. It just comes down to the league with us.

I agree. We are going to have to steamroll our way through the OOC and then go like 16-2, ie win the reg season title, to get at large consideration. Or it will come down to winning it all in DC. Can’t believe we couldn’t get at least 2 P5’s plus an MTE invite.