No NBA Combine Invite For Rowsey

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Care to make a wager?

I don't think it's that crazy of a prediction. Nova and Marquette are the only two I would stake money on (and Creighton if KT stays). I think Butler, SJU,  Xavier and Providence all have the pieces but will likely be bubble teams all season. I think we get 5 but 4 or 6 isn't a crazy prediction

[Its DJOver]

I don't think it's that crazy of a prediction. Nova and Marquette are the only two I would stake money on (and Creighton if KT stays). I think Butler, SJU,  Xavier and Providence all have the pieces but will likely be bubble teams all season. I think we get 5 but 4 or 6 isn't a crazy prediction

I think you might be underselling Providence a little.  Diallo is a very good player,  Holt will be back as a serious post presence with Young, and this Duke kid is supposed to be the real deal, and if there's one thing you know will happen, it's that Cooley will get the most out of his PG.  They could still fall onto the bubble, but based on what's there and Cooley's coaching ability, I'd project them in right now. 

As for total number of bids, you still have to wait for Thomas and Ponds decisions.  Thomas would be the best two way player in the league, and it wouldn't be very close IMO, and Ponds could lead the conference in scoring.  Both 1st team Beast potential.

[Nukem2]

I think you might be underselling Providence a little.  Diallo is a very good player,  Holt will be back as a serious post presence with Young, and this Duke kid is supposed to be the real deal, and if there's one thing you know will happen, it's that Cooley will get the most out of his PG.  They could still fall onto the bubble, but based on what's there and Cooley's coaching ability, I'd project them in right now. 

As for total number of bids, you still have to wait for Thomas and Ponds decisions.  Thomas would be the best two way player in the league, and it wouldn't be very close IMO, and Ponds could lead the conference in scoring.  Both 1st team Beast potential.

The Friars also get Emmitt Holt back.  He was just recently cleared for activities.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think you might be underselling Providence a little.  Diallo is a very good player,  Holt will be back as a serious post presence with Young, and this Duke kid is supposed to be the real deal, and if there's one thing you know will happen, it's that Cooley will get the most out of his PG.  They could still fall onto the bubble, but based on what's there and Cooley's coaching ability, I'd project them in right now.

Could be. The way I look at it, Providence shouldn't have even made the tournament last season. Their KenPom of 63 was the second lowest for an at large last season and one of the lowest to ever make the tourney. I only found 5 in the last 6 years to earn an at large with a lower score.

From that team they are losing 3 of their 4 best players. They are replacing them with two really good freshman and Emmitt Holt. I don't know much about Holt's injury so I know he is cleared to play but will he be the same player? I honestly don't know.

There's also a question at the PG position. Makai Ashton Langford was supposed to be a stud recruit but he was very meh as a freshman. Rising junior Maliek White was just as bad though he dealt with injuries all season. Unless one of those two makes a major jump, or one of the two freshmen who are more SGs than PGs, can step up...I see them having some trouble at the most important position. That being said, Cooley has been a master of developing PGs so if anyone can find a lead guard in that group, Cooley can.

Finally, I'm curious about how well they will be able to shoot it next season. Providence was already a bad outside shooting team (33.2% on the season). Bullock, Lindsey, and Cartwright combined for 158/223 (70.8%) of Providence's three pointers last season. Holt brings some shooting but neither of the two incoming freshmen are known as knockdown outside shooters. If they don't have consistent threats from deep, defenses may be able to give them the Derrick Wilson treatment and clog the lane making it difficult for slashers like Diallo and posts like Young and Holt.

All that being said, I expect them to be better than their 63rd KenPom ranking from this past season. They look like a top 45 team to me. I think they teeter around the bubble all season and end up just on the right side of it.

[Trust The Process]

A couple of reasons.

1. Paschall and Booth are fantastic players. Booth is arguably the best returning defender in the Big East and Paschall is a nightmare matchup
2. They have a monster recruiting class coming in. Joey Hauser is our second highest rated Wojo recruit and they have two players coming in ranked higher than him....and another top 50 kid
3. The Gillsepie and Cosby-Roundtree kid both had absurd advance stats. They didn't play a lot because of the quality of players in front of them but I see them both doing very well next season
4. Jermaine Samuels was a top 50 kid coming out of high school but dealt with injuries all of last season. If he's fully healthy, I think he could make a big jump.
5. Jay Wright is a HOF coach.

Don't get me wrong. If they lose both DD and OS, we have a legitimate shot to take them next season. I personally think they edge us out by just a little bit.

Xavier is a hard one to place they lose a lot but bring in 1 stud and 2 quality grad transfers. If Steele can make all the pieces fit together, I think they make the tourney.

Completely agree with all of this. Their class has three top 50 recruits, including a 5-star PG in Jahvon Quinerly who will be a smooth transition from the Brunson era just as Brunson was from Arch. Gillespie and Samuels will be high impact players next year, with DCR and Dylan Painter as solid bigs. They are also on the final list for Joe Cremo, the most sought after grad transfer for this upcoming season. Something to keep an eye on.

One of Jay's best traits as a coach is player development which is evident each and every year. This time last year Spellman and Donte weren't on any NBA radars - now look at them... I don't think both (or maybe either for that matter) leave but if so we'd have to fight through them for the BE crown for sure. Having said this I could see us steal our home game against them and definitely contend for the 2 seed.

[Golden Avalanche]

Completely agree with all of this. Their class has three top 50 recruits, including a 5-star PG in Jahvon Quinerly who will be a smooth transition from the Brunson era just as Brunson was from Arch. Gillespie and Samuels will be high impact players next year, with DCR and Dylan Painter as solid bigs. They are also on the final list for Joe Cremo, the most sought after grad transfer for this upcoming season. Something to keep an eye on.

One of Jay's best traits as a coach is player development which is evident each and every year. This time last year Spellman and Donte weren't on any NBA radars - now look at them... I don't think both (or maybe either for that matter) leave but if so we'd have to fight through them for the BE crown for sure. Having said this I could see us steal our home game against them and definitely contend for the 2 seed.

This is misguided for two reasons:

1) Brunson played with Arch. Jah will not play with Brunson. That matters.

2) Brunson and Jah are not the same player. Especially not the Junior version of Brunson and the rookie version of Jah.

[Trust The Process]

This is misguided for two reasons:

1) Brunson played with Arch. Jah will not play with Brunson. That matters.

2) Brunson and Jah are not the same player. Especially not the Junior version of Brunson and the rookie version of Jah.

Never said they were the same player - they are not. Very different skill sets. Arch and Brunson are also different style players/types of PG's. I'm merely saying that Quinerly will be a very good player especially under the tutelage of Jay and the upperclassmen like Booth who is a really heady guard with a ton of experience. Anytime Jay can get a 5-star PG it can be dangerous for the rest of the country (e.g Brunson).

[Herman Cain]

I think you might be underselling Providence a little.  Diallo is a very good player,  Holt will be back as a serious post presence with Young, and this Duke kid is supposed to be the real deal, and if there's one thing you know will happen, it's that Cooley will get the most out of his PG.  They could still fall onto the bubble, but based on what's there and Cooley's coaching ability, I'd project them in right now. 

As for total number of bids, you still have to wait for Thomas and Ponds decisions.  Thomas would be the best two way player in the league, and it wouldn't be very close IMO, and Ponds could lead the conference in scoring.  Both 1st team Beast potential.

Cooley is an excellent coach and his teams always show up ready to play hard.

[Galway Eagle]

Cooley is an excellent coach and his teams always show up ready to play hard.

Except in the NCAA tournament

[Floorslapper]

Except in the NCAA tournament

Friars have struggled in NCAA tourney.  Yet considering Cooley has been on the job 7 years, and made the NCAA each of the last 5 years at a program - Providence - with no NCAA tourney appearances since 2004, is pretty solid.

People in glass homes shouldn't throw stones.

[theBabyDavid]

Here's my rough guess at Big East standings based on what we currently know:

1. Villanova (even if DD and OS go pro)
2. Marquette
3. Butler
4. Xavier
5. Providence
6. St. John's (assuming Ponds stays)
7. Creighton (assuming Thomas goes)
8. Georgetown (assuming Govan stays)
9. Seton Hall
10. DePaul (even if Strus comes back)

Back of the Big East could get really ugly if Ponds, Govan, and Strus all decide to leave. If Thomas came back to Creighton that could shoot them into the top 3...that's how good he is. I think 5 teams from the BEast get in, maybe six if Ponds stays....and maybe 7 if Ponds and Thomas stay.

theBabyDavid thinks that TAMU is drunk on the Blue and Gold Kool Aid. Slurper, anyone?

[barfolomew]

theBabyDavid thinks that TAMU is drunk on the Blue and Gold Kool Aid. Slurper, anyone?

Welcome back to Scoop, tBD.
Hopefully you can avoid whatever transgressions bought your last account the farm.

What about TAMU's predicted order of finish do you disagree with?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

theBabyDavid thinks that TAMU is drunk on the Blue and Gold Kool Aid. Slurper, anyone?

Nah, currently on a keto diet. Too much sugar in kool aid.

Where do you think we finish based on what we know now?

[Newsdreams]

Welcome back to Scoop, tBD.
Hopefully you can avoid whatever transgressions bought your last account the farm.

What about TAMU's predicted order of finish do you disagree with?

He has no idea he is a baby

[Golden Avalanche]

Never said they were the same player - they are not. Very different skill sets. Arch and Brunson are also different style players/types of PG's. I'm merely saying that Quinerly will be a very good player especially under the tutelage of Jay and the upperclassmen like Booth who is a really heady guard with a ton of experience. Anytime Jay can get a 5-star PG it can be dangerous for the rest of the country (e.g Brunson).

Actually, Arch and Brunson aren't all that different outside of Brunson's inside game which wasn't developed until his last season. Both are in the moment streak shooters with average athleticism who rely upon positioning to determine their success. Arch is a better passer.

You still misdirect on your original point. The transition will not be like Arch to Brunson because Jah will not be playing under or next to Brunson this coming season. And it's weird to say Booth will provide similar tutelage to either Arch and/or Brunson. He's not remotely a similar player.

[Lennys Tap]

theBabyDavid thinks that TAMU is drunk on the Blue and Gold Kool Aid. Slurper, anyone?

Welcome back, K - this place just became considerably more interesting!

[Trust The Process]

Actually, Arch and Brunson aren't all that different outside of Brunson's inside game which wasn't developed until his last season. Both are in the moment streak shooters with average athleticism who rely upon positioning to determine their success. Arch is a better passer.

You still misdirect on your original point. The transition will not be like Arch to Brunson because Jah will not be playing under or next to Brunson this coming season. And it's weird to say Booth will provide similar tutelage to either Arch and/or Brunson. He's not remotely a similar player.

Yeah I get it - but you are missing my point. Culture, coaching, attitude, and player development are severely underrated in college basketball. Nova is shedding light on this and bringing it to the forefront. This is the my primary reason for the easy transition. It's not at all weird to say this about Booth when considering this point. Seniors are a big part of the teaching aspect in the Villanova program, they treat them as coaches almost. On top of that, Booth's played a key role in TWO National Championships - I'd say that's a pretty great guy to learn from as a young guard in Jay's system.

You are pulling one line out of my original post and disputing it - look at it as a whole and tell me I'm wrong..