Portal - 2025

[Taj79]

@WUH: Based on the above, I don't know if I'd say our schedule is better.  Their two wins over noted Power 4 teams were at neutral sites likely because of MTE schedules.  Included in the one MTE was Miami of Florida and Florida Atlantic, all were wins.  Other than those games, they played nobody but the Valley.

What I don't know is how the lower echelon of the Valley compares to the pits of the A10.  How does Missouri State and Valpo line up with Fordham and La Salle, for instance.  What kind of athleticism exists throughout the Valley?  I think Robbie and Schertz would both say the A10 was more athletic than thoguht.

[2010andBeyond]

19 hours ago, VeniceMenace said:

SLU is 106 in Pomeroy, Drake 52. Would SLU possibly have moved up to Drake territory had Thames remained healthy?

CJS & team deserve credit for the turnaround since the Grand Canyon game.

They’d get more credit if the turnaround wasn’t from terrible to slightly better than mediocre. 
 

I think Schertz can pan out long term, but in year one McCollum appears to have been a much better hire. 

[The Wiz]

16 minutes ago, 2010andBeyond said:

They’d get more credit if the turnaround wasn’t from terrible to slightly better than mediocre. 
 

I think Schertz can pan out long term, but in year one McCollum appears to have been a much better hire. 

Of the 3 first year starts in Schertz's career, this will be his best one.

As for long term vs short term...

Crews...short term...A+...Long term....F-....Long term is always more important.

[Old guy]

 

14 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Of the 3 first year starts in Schertz's career, this will be his best one.

As for long term vs short term...

Crews...short term...A+...Long term....F-....Long term is always more important.

Crews took over a team shaped by Majerus, but was not able to create a similarly effective team by himself. I think/hope  Schertz will be the opposite of Crews.

[The Wiz]

1 hour ago, Taj79 said:

@WUH: Based on the above, I don't know if I'd say our schedule is better.  Their two wins over noted Power 4 teams were at neutral sites likely because of MTE schedules.  Included in the one MTE was Miami of Florida and Florida Atlantic, all were wins.  Other than those games, they played nobody but the Valley.

What I don't know is how the lower echelon of the Valley compares to the pits of the A10.  How does Missouri State and Valpo line up with Fordham and La Salle, for instance.  What kind of athleticism exists throughout the Valley?  I think Robbie and Schertz would both say the A10 was more athletic than thoguht.

Per KenPom on Conf Rankings...A10...8th...MVC...11th

How the best and worst compare...

Best 4 MVC ...Drake...B+...Brad & No Ia...B...Bmont...B-

Best 4 A10...VCU...A-....GM,  Day & St. J...B+

Worst 2 MVC...Mo St...D+...Eville...D

Again A10 is better than MVC

Here is an interesting experiment...I ran simulations on Drake being in the A10 and SLU in the MVC...Here is what it showed....

In the A10 ...Drake finishes at 12-6...3-5th place

In the MVC...SLU finishes at 15-5...2nd or 3rd place.

 

 

[cgeldmacher]

20 hours ago, wgstl said:

What makes you think he is leaving Drake? 

Their NIL fund versus ours and those of power conference schools

[wgstl]

2 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

Their NIL fund versus ours and those of power conference schools

The guard is very lose with McCollum.  He wont leave him.  He came over with him from D2. 

[cgeldmacher]

13 minutes ago, wgstl said:

The guard is very lose with McCollum.  He wont leave him.  He came over with him from D2. 

Everyone says that about Avila, but I guess we shall see.  If Drake is paying this kid $150,000, and say Kansas offers him $800,000, I think his closeness with McCollum might be tested.  I also think a good coach would tell a kid to take the money in that situation.

[Pistol]

FWIW, Drake could not have had better luck with health this season. About 12 missed games for the top 9 combined, which is the entire rotation - and some of those may have been DNP-CDs (I'm not sure). The starters missed a combined total of 1 game.

Credit where credit is due. They made a home run hire, the guy I wanted if we didn't land Schertz. Just saying I would've loved to have their injury luck this season.

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, cgeldmacher said:

Everyone says that about Avila, but I guess we shall see.  If Drake is paying this kid $150,000, and say Kansas offers him $800,000, I think his closeness with McCollum might be tested.  I also think a good coach would tell a kid to take the money in that situation.

I would not begrudge Avila at all if he doubled/tripled his SLU NIL at another school next season.   And I trust that Coach Schertz would give Robbie his blessings to leave.  No he won't play at the pivot at a P4 school, but show me a school that does not need a stretch 4 with his skillset.  His defensive shortcomings can be lessened with solid help defense and with zones.

[almaman]

worked last year

[brianstl]

On 3/12/2025 at 10:37 AM, The Wiz said:

Of the 3 first year starts in Schertz's career, this will be his best one.

As for long term vs short term...

Crews...short term...A+...Long term....F-....Long term is always more important.

McCollum will always be an A hire.  Short or long term.

[FatherB]

Ryan Conwell put up 38 for Xavier today. 
 

That would be a nice addition. 

[ACE]

34 minutes ago, FatherB said:

Ryan Conwell put up 38 for Xavier today. 
 

That would be a nice addition. 

That ship has probably sailed, but I was really hoping he was going to follow Schertz so we could have the big 3. I cared less about the 2 kids who landed at Texas. Conwell is a stud.

[wgstl]

12 hours ago, ACE said:

That ship has probably sailed, but I was really hoping he was going to follow Schertz so we could have the big 3. I cared less about the 2 kids who landed at Texas. Conwell is a stud.

Either one of those Texas kids, but especially Larry would have helped a ton. 

[ACE]

2 hours ago, wgstl said:

Either one of those Texas kids, but especially Larry would have helped a ton. 

Out of the 5, they were the least important. Conwell is a difference maker.

[gobillsgo]

Well, coach is going to have to have a big offseason in the portal if we don’t want to take a serious step backwards next year.  No Swope and Gibby to save us with their threes. Robbie, as fun as he is to watch at times, is too inconsistent and out of shape to be relied upon as THE main option-  that’s a hard truth we are going to have to learn to accept. 

[wgstl]

3 hours ago, ACE said:

Out of the 5, they were the least important. Conwell is a difference maker.

If we're going off of the ISU team last year Swope was the worst, and Kent was the 2nd best player behind Robbie.  Robbie was as good as he was last year because of the guy next him, as seen this year with Anya. Conwell was the best of the 5 this year, yes.  If I could go back in time and bring one of the 3 we didnt get for what we needed this year, it would be a tough choice.  We needed 3 things a PG, another scoring option, and a better 4.  Any of those help up a lot.

[BigMacSLU88]

Here's to CJS finding the right mix of Power 4 players that aren't getting the playing time they deserve, and lower level players that lit it up and want to move up!

[willie]

1 hour ago, gobillsgo said:

Well, coach is going to have to have a big offseason in the portal if we don’t want to take a serious step backwards next year.  No Swope and Gibby to save us with their threes. Robbie, as fun as he is to watch at times, is too inconsistent and out of shape to be relied upon as THE main option-  that’s a hard truth we are going to have to learn to accept. 

Must get a strong rim protector to cover up Robbie unless Max puts on 40 lbs of muscle. 

[FatherB]

Chaifetz stealing Conwell from Xavier would be a flex showing we are committed to move up from the A10 and have Big East level ambitions. 

[Dr. Holly Hills]

Assuming we retain the other guys we have (Avila has already committed to coming back), we have a solid stable of role players and that’s about it.  Schertz is going to have to hit some home runs in the portal.  Should be an interesting offseason…

[2010andBeyond]

4 hours ago, Dr. Holly Hills said:

Assuming we retain the other guys we have (Avila has already committed to coming back), we have a solid stable of role players and that’s about it.  Schertz is going to have to hit some home runs in the portal.  Should be an interesting offseason…

Yep. This is why I’m a bit confused when some on here say that this season is Schertz’s “floor”. Hope so, but it seems like we’re starting over again. 

[kmbilliken]

7 hours ago, 2010andBeyond said:

Yep. This is why I’m a bit confused when some on here say that this season is Schertz’s “floor”. Hope so, but it seems like we’re starting over again. 

I agree. Besides his two guys from Indiana State all he brought in were role players. If that is all he can bring in this cycle we will be a losing team next year. 

[gobillsgo]

8 hours ago, 2010andBeyond said:

Yep. This is why I’m a bit confused when some on here say that this season is Schertz’s “floor”. Hope so, but it seems like we’re starting over again. 

It’s a combo of wishful thinking/denial.  We are not in good shape for next season. We saw what lack of depth did to us this season. We need to bring in as many high level transfers at every position as we can. Need to build quality depth.  Avila couldn’t do it with two all conference players around him.  Why people automatically declare this is the floor for this program going forward is confounding.