Basketball News

[MSUDC11]

Matchups for the Puerto Rico Shootout are set.

We open against Miami and then play either Utah or Texas Tech.

I like it a lot. Quality opposition but also opposition that we can beat and might help our RPI when we need it in March.

Thoughts?

 

[57stratdawg]

We're going to need to grab some high RPI wins OOC, because the SEC is going to suck.

 

[MSUDC11]

Texas Tech isn't good, but Miami and Utah might be ranked teams at that point. Getting to play both of them would be big, and beating either or both of them could be massive for us down the stretch.

Then you've got teams like Butler, Minnesota and Temple that we also might end up playing.

 

[esplanade91]

They have Tubby Smith as coach, which means they have potential. Even if they finish below .500 again, they play in the Big 12... Which is good enough to have a better RPI than Jackson State.

 

[Seinfeld]

Nothing will ever come close to matching my excitement for the start of college football, but man... I had just about forgotten what it was like to have something to look forward to during basketball season. I'm completely pumped for both

 

[engie]

SEC is going to be the best it's been in a decade next year in terms of getting teams into the dance.

 

[hullabaloodog]

I think it'll be about the same as last year. 5 teams get in the dance. Kentucky, LSU, TAMU, Georgia, and State.

Vandy will be right there on the bubble because they return their top guys, but their best win last year was at Ole Miss so I'm not sure if they're really that good. Hell, they lost to us.
Arkansas lost a lot of firepower and will take a step back.
Ole Miss has Moody, but very little else.
Florida could be a tourney team, but they lost Billy D and didn't bring in a great class.

 

[engie]

To go with that number, you still have to overlook expected improvement from other top notch coaches at less than top notch programs that are in/completing rebuild processes. It's 50/50 or better that Pearl finds a way to get in next year IMO

 

[hullabaloodog]

Good catch. Pearl definitely has some good pieces coming back and recruited well, but will it be enough? Outside of their 3 game run in the SECT they were totally outclassed last year. Canty, Dunans, Spencer, and Harris were big pick-ups. If those guys are as good as advertised, they'll be right there.