General College Basketball Thread 2020-2021

[Billy Hoyle]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/gcu/2021/01/14/gcu-part-13-school-wac-expansion-mid-major/6646759002/

WAC expanding by 6 schools and kicking out Chicago State (maybe they are finally dropping out D1?). Article has a Marquette mention in the first sentence. Apparently, we are something to aspire to!

I'd always wondered why CSU would bolt the Summitt, go, Independent, join the Great West, then end up in the WAC. Well, it turns out the WAC had an eastern expansion plan where six schools were supposed to join the WAC - CSU and UMKC ended up being the only ones who did. KC joined the Summitt this past year. Denver also had joined the WAC then before they played a game a bunch of members bolted and they bailed for the Summitt.

[MU82]

Oh I'm pretty sure they were booted.

Excellent. Now they can join the Big East!

[The Sultan]

I'd always wondered why CSU would bolt the Summitt, go, Independent, join the Great West, then end up in the WAC. Well, it turns out the WAC had an eastern expansion plan where six schools were supposed to join the WAC - CSU and UMKC ended up being the only ones who did. KC joined the Summitt this past year. Denver also had joined the WAC then before they played a game a bunch of members bolted and they bailed for the Summitt.

And I doubt Chicago State will get another invite.

[tower912]

UCLA and OKSt are pretty good.

[rocky_warrior]

UCLA and OKSt are pretty good.

Yeah, those certainly weren't bad losses.  But they would have looked even better as Ws!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Was looking through some NET numbers. Was curious who the lowest ranked high major was. Turns out it is 1-10 Washington. Their one win is a home win over #247 Seattle. They have a home loss to #212 Montana and a road loss to #215 California. Only 2 of their 10 losses were by single digits, the rest were all blowouts.

Remember when some thought that Marquette should have hired Mike Hopkins? Others pointed out that Hopkins early success was with his predecessor's players.

[GooooMarquette]

Was looking through some NET numbers. Was curious who the lowest ranked high major was. Turns out it is 1-10 Washington. Their one win is a home win over #247 Seattle. They have a home loss to #212 Montana and a road loss to #215 California. Only 2 of their 10 losses were by single digits, the rest were all blowouts.

Remember when some thought that Marquette should have hired Mike Hopkins? Others pointed out that Hopkins early success was with his predecessor's players.

Speaking of Washington, it really is amazing how strong the program was for several years under Lorenzo Romar, then just fell off a cliff. They made the Sweet Sixteen twice in his first four seasons and had a few good years after that, then teetered around .500 for a while before his final 9-22 season.

His whole career at Pepperdine (twice) and SLU, he has basically been a .500 coach, so those few great seasons seem to be aberrations. Kinda makes you wonder how he did so well during that period.

[shoothoops]

Speaking of Washington, it really is amazing how strong the program was for several years under Lorenzo Romar, then just fell off a cliff. They made the Sweet Sixteen twice in his first four seasons and had a few good years after that, then teetered around .500 for a while before his final 9-22 season.

His whole career at Pepperdine (twice) and SLU, he has basically been a .500 coach, so those few great seasons seem to be aberrations. Kinda makes you wonder how he did so well during that period.

Lorenzo was good at Pepperdine the first time and in my opinion, he will turn them around again.. He will have some tough competition as several programs are much improved in the WCC right now. He took a bad situation and flipped it to 2 out of 3 WCC finishes. Some here would give ex MU players a parade for that. (kidding kind of).

He was only at SLU 3 seasons, similar to Pepperdine the first time. Two were winning records,.one an NCAA. One of his challenges was coming in 2nd place or so for 5 star type of recruits. He swung for the fences. He is a very good recruiter. If he had the facilities and resources that Travis Ford has, I believe he would have done well there over time. The alma mater job came open, so he left.

While at UW, Romar quickly again turned around a situation into 7 top 3 Pac 10/12 finishes in his first 10 seasons there. Things didn't work out for him as much there after that, but Romar is a good coach, and very good recruiter. And not that it matters as much, but he is one of those A+ type of people that some seek.

[wadesworld]

Was looking through some NET numbers. Was curious who the lowest ranked high major was. Turns out it is 1-10 Washington. Their one win is a home win over #247 Seattle. They have a home loss to #212 Montana and a road loss to #215 California. Only 2 of their 10 losses were by single digits, the rest were all blowouts.

Remember when some thought that Marquette should have hired Mike Hopkins? Others pointed out that Hopkins early success was with his predecessor's players.

Yeah. Keefer had a muscle measuring contest with anyone who questioned his praise for Mike Hopkins because he knew rich people who supported Washington and he was guaranteed to be a grand slam for that program.

[Billy Hoyle]

Speaking of Washington, it really is amazing how strong the program was for several years under Lorenzo Romar, then just fell off a cliff. They made the Sweet Sixteen twice in his first four seasons and had a few good years after that, then teetered around .500 for a while before his final 9-22 season.

His whole career at Pepperdine (twice) and SLU, he has basically been a .500 coach, so those few great seasons seem to be aberrations. Kinda makes you wonder how he did so well during that period.

Local kids. Brandon Roy, Nate Robinson, Spencer Hawes, John Brockman, Isaiah Thomas, and Tony Wroten. He had close ties to Justin Holiday's family as well as Quincy Pondexter's. They were the core of Romar's success during that time. He started losing the local kids, the Seattle talent pool wasn't as deep, and getting Caliparied by a Terrance Jones hurt him. 

He wasn't a cheater. He came along a the right time.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Kinda makes you wonder how he did so well during that period.

Lazar didn't know where the end line was...

[Billy Hoyle]

Lazar didn't know where the end line was...

That was Missouri. Washington was a Buzz choke job.

[Dr. Blackheart]

That was Missouri. Washington was a Buzz choke job.

That's right. Repressed memory of Buzz blowing that 15 point 2nd half lead vs. UW. The heartaches all run together.

[tower912]

Buzz teams blew big leads?!?!?     I thought sepia tinted memories had obliterated that.   

[The Sultan]

Local kids. Brandon Roy, Nate Robinson, Spencer Hawes, John Brockman, Isaiah Thomas, and Tony Wroten. He had close ties to Justin Holiday's family as well as Quincy Pondexter's. They were the core of Romar's success during that time. He started losing the local kids, the Seattle talent pool wasn't as deep, and getting Caliparied by a Terrance Jones hurt him. 

He wasn't a cheater. He came along a the right time.

Yeah I think UW has to be a tough place to coach.  Seattle doesn't churn out a bunch of talent and its hard to get kids there.  Not on TV much.  They have had very little success as a program.  That being said, it looks like the bottom is falling out for Hopkins.

[Galway Eagle]

That's right. Repressed memory of Buzz blowing that 15 point 2nd half lead vs. UW. The heartaches all run together.

It hurts more because there was no really competition in the next round New Mexico wasn't going to beat us or Washington so it was essentially playing for the sweet 16.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

On cue, Washington up 10 on UCLA at the half. 

[wadesworld]

Baylor wins at Texas Tech with Jared Butler shooting just 2-11. Baylor is the one team, barring injuries or covid to either team, that can play with Gonzaga.

[JWags85]

On cue, Washington up 10 on UCLA at the half. 

Aannnnnddd blew that lead with quickness in the second half and lost by 5

[GooooMarquette]

American U's first two games were scheduled for January 2 & 3 against Loyola Maryland, but got postponed. Their next two were January 9 & 10 against Lehigh, but got postponed. They finally played their first game of the season yesterday, against Navy. They lost on OT, and now stand at 0-1...in mid-January.

https://www.ncaa.com/game/5762913

[MuggsyB]

Krutwig turned into a heck of a player at Loyola-Chi.  You look at the guy and think really?  Excellent footwork.  I wonder if Moser will be there much longer?

[GooooMarquette]

Krutwig turned into a heck of a player at Loyola-Chi.  You look at the guy and think really?  Excellent footwork.  I wonder if Moser will be there much longer?

Not so sure I see a high major wanting him.

He obviously had that great FF run, but that was his only NCAA appearance in 16 seasons. And his overall record is only slightly better than .500 against mostly mid-major competition.

IMO his best shot was coming off the Final Four. At this point, I think he'll need to add at least a couple of conference championships/NCAA appearances before he gets a better job.

[MuggsyB]

That's a pretty good team Goooo but your point is well taken.  I think he's a good coach overall but hasn't gotten enough talent since the F4 run.  Sister Jeam may alsi be slowing down?  I dunno.

[shoothoops]

Not so sure I see a high major wanting him.

He obviously had that great FF run, but that was his only NCAA appearance in 16 seasons. And his overall record is only slightly better than .500 against mostly mid-major competition.

IMO his best shot was coming off the Final Four. At this point, I think he'll need to add at least a couple of conference championships/NCAA appearances before he gets a better job.

Moser learned quite a bit about player development working with Majerus. He's won the Valley 2 out of the past 3 seasons, and he finished 2nd the third season. He's been there 10 years, 8 in the Valley after a successful assistant stint prior to that.

He turned down St. John's and UNLV after the 2019 season.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-porter-moser-loyola-st-johns-20190416-story.html%3foutputType=amp

[MuggsyB]

How good is Drake?  Haven't gotten a chance to see them play.