All these NCAA games today have just depressed me about basketball

[Irondawg]

I haven't watched near the amount of college basketball I used to with two toddlers running around, but today was a slap in the face at how truly talent deficient we are in basketball right now.

We have some serious work to do over the next few years.

[TheRef]

In happy news, the Lady Dawgs beat Tulane in the first round of the WNIT. Martha Alwal also celebrated her 21st birthday tonight as the stadium sang her "Happy Birthday".

[Dawg61]

Louisville has me depressed right now

[bully99]

Play Usm Monday night in the Hump.

[Political Hack]

everything is fine. non worries.***

[thf24]

Some of them have more talent. Others just don't lack depth in key roles. No doubt we have a lot of work to do.

[engie]

I haven't watched near the amount of college basketball I used to with two toddlers running around, but today was a slap in the face at how truly talent deficient we are in basketball right now.

How many 5*s for Dayton, North Dakota St, St. Louis, Harvard? It's all about the stars and age doesn't matter. At least, that's what I've been told here by some, presumably based on the single real outlier that is Kentucky...

The guys those teams are carried by:
NDState - 3 Sr, 1 JR, 1 Soph starter, backed by 2 SR, 1 SO, 1 FR. No 4* likely.
Dayton - 2 SR, 1 JR, 2 Soph starters, backed by 1 SR, 2 SO, 2 FR. No 4* likely.
St Louis - 5 SR starters, backed by 2 JR, 1 So, 1 Fr. No 4* likely.
Harvard - 2 SR, 2JR, 1SO starters, backed by 1 SR, 2 JR, 2 SO. No 4* likely.

So, no star recruits at those 4 schools that I'm aware of. Not a single player that projects to the NBA either that I'm aware of. So, how do they win?

Upperclassman cohesion and experience along with player development. Not a single freshman starter on all 4 teams. Only an average of 1/team seeing time in a backup role. Seems strange -- if basketball teams are always just one year and one hotshot player away...

[EMDawg]

If you don't have star talent, you damn sure better have good coaching. Hmmm.... See what I did there

[Dawg61]

How many 5*s for Dayton, North Dakota St, St. Louis, Harvard? It's all about the stars and age doesn't matter. At least, that's what I've been told here by some, presumably based on the single real outlier that is Kentucky...

The guys those teams are carried by:
NDState - 3 Sr, 1 JR, 1 Soph starter, backed by 2 SR, 1 SO, 1 FR. No 4* likely.
Dayton - 2 SR, 1 JR, 2 Soph starters, backed by 1 SR, 2 SO, 2 FR. No 4* likely.
St Louis - 5 SR starters, backed by 2 JR, 1 So, 1 Fr. No 4* likely.
Harvard - 2 SR, 2JR, 1SO starters, backed by 1 SR, 2 JR, 2 SO. No 4* likely.

So, no star recruits at those 4 schools that I'm aware of. Not a single player that projects to the NBA either that I'm aware of. So, how do they win?

Upperclassman cohesion and experience along with player development. Not a single freshman starter on all 4 teams. Only an average of 1/team seeing time in a backup role. Seems strange -- if basketball teams are always just one year and one hotshot player away...

Great so by the time Sword, Ware & Thomas are about to graduate we'll be just good enough to go 7-11 in the SEC and then have to replace almost an entire starting 5 with shittier players cause Ray didn't recruit Sword, Ware or Fred. Can't wait.

[whosyourdawgy]

Most times when teams like this make a run they are made up of primarily senior players that have experience and maturity to lead them. In basketball it seems more than other sports, older does mean wiser! Unless you are like UK and can put 5 5 star players on the court with 5 stars coming off the bench, having experience is key to having a successful season in college basketball. So, I guess that means next year we will suck, then in 2015 we are going to the final 4!!!

[engie]

If you don't have star talent, you damn sure better have good coaching. Hmmm.... See what I did there

If it's just "star" coaching, why were none of these same teams there with a roster composed of 80% sophs and freshmen?

[engie]

Most times when teams like this make a run they are made up of primarily senior players that have experience and maturity to lead them. In basketball it seems more than other sports, older does mean wiser! Unless you are like UK and can put 5 5 star players on the court with 5 stars coming off the bench, having experience is key to having a successful season in college basketball.
Exactly.


So, I guess that means next year we will suck, then in 2015 we are going to the final 4!!!
Why go there?

And, yes -- I think 2 years from now we can be very good. We've got 3/5th if not 4/5ths of the puzzle already on campus and maturing.

[whosyourdawgy]

Ha, final 4 is a bit much. I was just trying to be funny. I do think when we have the 3 seniors, we should have a pretty decent basketball team. Especially if we can add some big time talent in that class when they are seniors. By then Sword will be more under control, Ware will have much better presence in the paint, and Fred will hopefully be more like a senior at Jim Hill

[engie]

Ha, final 4 is a bit much. I was just trying to be funny. I do think when we have the 3 seniors, we should have a pretty decent basketball team. Especially if we can add some big time talent in that class when they are seniors. By then Sword will be more under control, Ware will have much better presence in the paint, and Fred will hopefully be more like a senior at Jim Hill

Agreed...

Daniels will also be a SR, Ready will be a JR, and we have a chance at a great class of freshmen.

[thedawg]

I agree to an extent.. I havent watched a game... We suck, SEC sucks, changing priorities in my life I guess... I havent even looked at a score or bracket... I used to watch 40 tournament games a year... I hope we get rolling again soon.. Ive been in baseball mode for a month

[mic]

If you don't have star talent, you damn sure better have good coaching. Hmmm.... See what I did there

Or you can have talent and no coaching... see what I did there..

[EMDawg]

Or you can have talent and no coaching... see what I did there..

Or you can have neither but have 5 star hustling ***