New Conference so far not good for recruiting

[GGGG]

Though better than Marquette over the past 20 years

Disagree.

Marquette....one final four....two elite eights...four sweet sixteens....13 appearances
Gonzaga....no final fours...one elite eight...five sweet sixteens...16 appearances

I'll take Marquette's record every time.

[LAZER]

Man people are acting like MU is the only school out there that loses in state talent to blue chips schools.  It happens ALL the time even to some of the best programs.  I get that people will be bummed if MU doesn't land Looney or Stone, but there's no shame if those guys land at the likes of Duke and Kentucky.  Not to mention the instate talent of Wilson, Burton, Nowkowiak, and what appears to be a very solid lean from Cohen.  And you could even argue that commitments from 4 year players like Wilson and Burton will be more valuable than possible 1 and done talents like Stone and Looney.

[keefe]

Disagree.

Marquette....one final four....two elite eights...four sweet sixteens....13 appearances
Gonzaga....no final fours...one elite eight...five sweet sixteens...16 appearances

I'll take Marquette's record every time.

Awfully strange math you're using...must be a liberal arts major...

Using your own logic then, even with the double counting, then Marquette has done very little in the NCAA Tournament, too.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I guess I always assume that MU won't get any top 10 recruits - if it were to happen of course I'll be fine with it but it would hurt to see one go to UW over MU, until then I'm assuming neither gets commits from top 10 players

[GGGG]

Awfully strange math you're using...must be a liberal arts major...

Using your own logic then, even with the double counting, then Marquette has done very little in the NCAA Tournament, too.

First of all, while I am double counting, I am doing so consistently. 

Second, Marquette has done quite a bit in the NCAA tournament historically.  You are the one that threw up the 20 year timeframe.  Do you want me to compare Marquette v. Gonzaga all time?  Because Marquette will look decidedly better then.

[hoyasincebirth]

It's not hurting other schools:

Georgetown has landed 2 top 100 players in the 2014 class via scouts rankings 1 top 50

Villanova has landed a top 100 player in 2014

Xavier has a top 100 player for 2014 (Espn rankings)

[GGGG]

It's not hurting other schools:

Georgetown has landed 2 top 100 players in the 2014 class via scouts rankings 1 top 50

Villanova has landed a top 100 player in 2014

Xavier has a top 100 player for 2014 (Espn rankings)

And my guess is that MU will have at least one top 100 player when all is said and done...and wouldn't doubt we have more than that.

[bilsu]

The conference blew up in the fall of 2011 when Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia announced they'd be leaving.

Yes, but they still would of been playing in Big East this year. Also MU was still in a conference with Notre Dame, Louisville, Cincy, Uconn and Memphis when the players verbally committed.

[keefe]

First of all, while I am double counting, I am doing so consistently. 

Second, Marquette has done quite a bit in the NCAA tournament historically.  You are the one that threw up the 20 year timeframe.  Do you want me to compare Marquette v. Gonzaga all time?  Because Marquette will look decidedly better then.

But we are speaking of the past 20 years and by comparison then, applying your logic, Marquette has also done very little in the NCAA Tournament.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Though better than Marquette over the past 20 years

That's debatable.  What kind of seeds would we have gotten playing that layup conference schedule every year.  Before the season starts they are 16-0 which is a nice luxury to have...has led to some over seeding for them.

[LAZER]

And my guess is that MU will have at least one top 100 player when all is said and done...and wouldn't doubt we have more than that.

I'd be happy landing two top 100 guys on the rise like Cohen and Harris.

[Lennys Tap]

That's debatable.  What kind of seeds would we have gotten playing that layup conference schedule every year.  Before the season starts they are 16-0 which is a nice luxury to have...has led to some over seeding for them.

Hyperbolic.

[robertoc]

If you believe kids don't recognize what conference a school is in and what competition it will bring then you are just plain ignorant.  Of course they do.  You don't think it was a draw to say you will play Syracuse?  You will play SJU at MSG?  You will get to play UConn and Pitt and Georgetown...those are kids dreams..to play against teams they have grown up watching..come on meow.

AND..

Memphis has a track record of being a hotbed of talent that sends tons of players to the NBA.  Lots of kids go early to the NBA from Memphis as well...a big draw for a kid who is putting the NBA 1 and school 2

Gonzaga does not get a ton of highly sought after talent from the states.  They recruit well internationally, play a lot of high majors pre-conference, and again have been sending plenty of talent to the NBA.

UNLV again has a storied history and also still sends a lot of kids to the NBA...and is 15 minutes from the strip.

"Excuse me sir, are you saying meow?"

[ChicosBailBonds]

Hyperbolic.

I don't think so.  At most, two teams in the WCC worth anything, and usually it's a pretty big divide between Gonzaga and team b.

They know every year they're going to win the conference or at worse finish second.  They know that the most losses they will have is 2 or 3, and often it is 0 or 1.  They are a very solid program, but helped out considerably by a weak league.

[keefe]

Oh, they know.  Very much so.

Chico is spot on. I can speak of College Football. When my son and his buddies were being recruited they were very aware of conference reputation, rivalries, travel locations, and coed quality. My son would have had more PT earlier had he signed with USAFA or Idaho but the opportunity to play UDub, USC, UCLA, et al in a BCS Conference was compelling enough to accept being practice and special teams meat for the first two years. And as much as I would like to believe his primary consideration was academics the reality is that it was secondary to football.

One of his friends was the #1 rated HS QB in the country. This kid had offers from FL State, Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU, Cal, Tennessee, UDub, and Wazzou but signed with BYU for personal reasons. His buddies razzed him mercilessly about the MWC and Weber State coeds vs those at Florida State. Interestingly, Jake ended up transferring to Chico's alma mater to play for Charlie Weiss.

Conference, location, rivalries, and coeds do matter to 17 year old males when selecting between offers. A lot.

[LAZER]

Hyperbolic.

Yes, but the point is valid given Few's 178-22 conference record over the last 14 seasons.

[keefe]

Hyperbolic.

Is that that really expensive chamber Crean bought where you float in water?

[keefe]

Yes, but the point is valid given Few's 178-22 conference record over the last 14 seasons.

Since Roy Williams and Bill Self have registered similar records in Big 12 play at KU one could argue thusly about the weakness of that conference too. 

[bilsu]

Assuming the conference perception makes a difference the question becomes whether we are better off staying at 10 teams or adding more teams that raise the conference's overall strength? The conference would be stronger if you added VCU, St. Louis, Wichita St and Gonzaga. However, I have no way of knowing if that would make recruits more open to playing in new conference. However, it would expand the conference foot print to 4 more states. Somewhere on these boards it was posted that Wichita St was interested in joining. We all know St. Louis would like to join. I am not sure it means anything, but I found it interesting that St. Louis and Wichita St. just agreed to play each other. My gut feeling is the conference will eventually go to 12 with the addition of St. Louis and Wichita St.

[GGGG]

But we are speaking of the past 20 years and by comparison then, applying your logic, Marquette has also done very little in the NCAA Tournament.

No because Marquette has a history to fall back on.

[Pakuni]

Assuming the conference perception makes a difference the question becomes whether we are better off staying at 10 teams or adding more teams that raise the conference's overall strength? The conference would be stronger if you added VCU, St. Louis, Wichita St and Gonzaga. However, I have no way of knowing if that would make recruits more open to playing in new conference. However, it would expand the conference foot print to 4 more states. Somewhere on these boards it was posted that Wichita St was interested in joining. We all know St. Louis would like to join. I am not sure it means anything, but I found it interesting that St. Louis and Wichita St. just agreed to play each other. My gut feeling is the conference will eventually go to 12 with the addition of St. Louis and Wichita St.

St. Louis, maybe.
Wichita St. and VCU don't fit the profile.

[Dawson Rental]

I'd be happy landing two top 100 guys on the rise like Cohen and Harris.

Harris is not yet top 100.

[LAZER]

Since Roy Williams and Bill Self have registered similar records in Big 12 play at KU one could argue thusly about the weakness of that conference too. 

One could argue it, but it wouldn't get them very far given the huge difference in success Kansas has had in the tournament relative to Gonzaga.

[LAZER]

Harris is not yet top 100.

He's in Scout's updated rankings and I think he'll move up in others as well.  What I think obviously mean nothing, but I'm just basing that off of the recent buzz around him.

[Pakuni]

Harris is not yet top 100.

#76 Scout
http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&c=4&pid=88&yr=2014&cfg=bb

Rivals hasn't updated since March.

ESPN's Reggie Rankin said Harris just missed their top 100 and could end up there in the final rankings.