Regardless of who we hire

[starkvegasdawg]

What does a successful season look like next year?
Anything...free pass?
.500 conference record?
NIT?
Something else?

[engie]

What does a successful season look like next year?
Anything...free pass?
.500 conference record?
NIT?
Something else?

NIT... The cupboard is far from bare right now...

[Quaoarsking]

Assuming we don't have mass defections/transfers/decomits/etc., NCAA bubble is my expectation.

[Treemydawg]

The NIT would( Shickle me titless) after the last 3 years.

[msstate7]

What does a successful season look like next year?
Anything...free pass?
.500 conference record?
NIT?
Something else?

Without Malik... NCAA bubble good side or bad

With Malik... NCAA tourney for sure

[confucius say]

Well Howland's first year at UCLA sucked, so don't overreact if it is his him and we struggle next year. New system, blah blah blah. That said, Howland's teams are generally defensive oriented, so should not be a ideological transformation for our team, like say if we were to hire an up tempo run and gun type coach.

[War Machine Dawg]

NIT at a minimum, hopefully NCAA bubble - without Malik. With Malik - NCAAT minimum, hopefully Sweet 16 (Any further would be gravy).

[I seen it dawg]

We struggle to beat anyone with a pulse. Let's pump breaks on Ncaa in first yr. with or without Malik. We should have the pieces with Howland and if he can secure Malik to be NIT. Ncaa is a reach.

[Quaoarsking]

We struggle to beat anyone with a pulse. Let's pump breaks on Ncaa in first yr. with or without Malik. We should have the pieces with Howland and if he can secure Malik to be NIT. Ncaa is a reach.

Malik = NCAAs. How many major conference freshman 1-and-dones have played in the NIT?

[I seen it dawg]

Malik = NCAAs. How many major conference freshman 1-and-dones have played in the NIT?

So from the last 3 yrs if we get Howland, Malik, go 19-13 and host NIT is that not a successful season?

I agree if we get Howland,Malik, and maybe other players Malik could attract we should be in the running for a NCAA berth and in our conference should make it. I find it hard to believe though if we make the post season coming from where we have it will be a failure.

I'm reserving expectations until some balls are hitting the floor.

[Liverpooldawg]

I don't expect much next year. We don't have the talent to really compete.

[smootness]

It does matter who we hire. If it's someone without a clear, proven track record, them we need to see something good next year.

If it's Ben Howland, it doesn't matter.

[justwin]

all I care about in a new coach is that he takes a page from Mullen's recruiting book and owns the state of MS for recruiting. The new coach needs to get the top 3 from this state year in and year out which would result in annual appearances in the NCAAs

[Bully13]

So from the last 3 yrs if we get Howland, Malik, go 19-13 and host NIT is that not a successful season?

I agree if we get Howland,Malik, and maybe other players Malik could attract we should be in the running for a NCAA berth and in our conference should make it. I find it hard to believe though if we make the post season coming from where we have it will be a failure.

I'm reserving expectations until some balls are hitting the floor.

would landing Howland and Malik not give us a good shot at the tourney next year? I think it would, but would like the opinion of those who know hoops better'n me on that.

[MabenMaroon]

Elite Eight or Final Four with Malik, anything less, fire his ass!***

[War Machine Dawg]

would landing Howland and Malik not give us a good shot at the tourney next year? I think it would, but would like the opinion of those who know hoops better'n me on that.

It should. We return a team that should be an NIT lock without Malik, assuming we don't lose any of our current commits, particularly Tookie. Hell, we're getting better just by Bloodman graduating. Having Sword and Ready healthy for an entire year will be a big key. If we add Malik, I don't think it's a stretch to think that makes us an NCAA team. That said, I personally would consider a postseason of any type a success next year.

[Jacksondevildog]

Not sure if it gets us in the NCAAs, but getting Howland and Newman would get fan excitement at a high level and tickets would be hard to come by at the Hump once again. Fans would start to believe that the administration expects to win and has the right coach in place with the right recruiting strategy to do so.

[mic]

all I care about in a new coach is that he takes a page from Mullen's recruiting book and owns the state of MS for recruiting. The new coach needs to get the top 3 from this state year in and year out which would result in annual appearances in the NCAAs

The talent in the state isn't and hasn't been what it was 5-10 years ago.. It may be better in the next few years I don't know. Dunlap and Balck ( even tho he didn't play his Sr. year in Ms) were the 2 and 3 highest rated players in 2014. And we have the second best player this year in Weatherspoon.

If it is Howland I'm not worried about him getting players...

[I seen it dawg]

The talent in the state isn't and hasn't been what it was 5-10 years ago.. It may be better in the next few years I don't know. Dunlap and Balck ( even tho he didn't play his Sr. year in Ms) were the 2 and 3 highest rated players in 2014. And we have the second best player this year in Weatherspoon.

If it is Howland I'm not worried about him getting players...

Or where they come from

[archdog]

Since no one chose .500 winning percentage, I am going to say that. For the simple fact that it takes just a minute to get his guys in, his system installed, the right attitude about winning, etc. I would love for us to show sustained signs of life throughout next season, and start putting it together at the 3/4 mark of the season and get hot late. That would show me a couple of things. One, the guys are buying in, two the system will work long term at MSU, and three we have expectations that rise from season to season without it being a prayer like the last 5 years.

[Johnson85]

Since no one chose .500 winning percentage, I am going to say that. For the simple fact that it takes just a minute to get his guys in, his system installed, the right attitude about winning, etc.

I don't think you're giving our current guys enough credit. I don't think any of them are going to have trouble with attitude or buying in. We don't have a great team, but we do have some good pieces and if we schedule OOC like we have (I assume it's mostly set? Not sure how far in advance basketball schedules are done.) and the SEC doesn't get better, I expect to do well in the OOC and approach 500 in league. If Howland is a really good instructor and Ray is a bad one, we could see more improvement than that.

[Johnson85]

all I care about in a new coach is that he takes a page from Mullen's recruiting book and owns the state of MS for recruiting. The new coach needs to get the top 3 from this state year in and year out which would result in annual appearances in the NCAAs

I don't think the top 3 players from MS each year will get you in the NCAA every year. With the benefit of hindsight, yes, you can put 3 MS playesr from each class on a team and have a tournament team every year, but just taking 3 out of the top 4 rated prospects each year I think will leave you with some NIT years fairly regularly.

[smootness]

I don't think the top 3 players from MS each year will get you in the NCAA every year. With the benefit of hindsight, yes, you can put 3 MS playesr from each class on a team and have a tournament team every year, but just taking 3 out of the top 4 rated prospects each year I think will leave you with some NIT years fairly regularly.

Yeah, MS has talent but it isn't overall good enough, especially considering that some guys, like Kegler, leave, and others, like Booker, aren't really from MS.

You may ave a Newman or Ellis that comes along once every decade, but other than that, the state is full of solid, non-elite players.

[engie]

MS talent is too up and down to rely on for consistency. There is years where there are 3-4 elite guys -- and then you'll go 2 years without a single elite guy. That said, the cupboard seems full of borderline elite talent for the next couple of classes...