Do we overtake OM as the best basketball program in the state next year?

[msstate7]

They lose saiz and brooks, but return everyone else. Davis, Burnett, Neal, and tyree is a good core. No one has been able to stay in front of tyree lately. They add a nice 4* SG in recruiting. They look like they could be thin in the frontcourt, but they didn't add anyone in recruiting so they must feel pretty good there.

I'm looking to make our move in the sec next year, but i see a lot of the teams in the sec that are better than us already looking like they'll be improved too. I think auburn, aTm, and Bama take big steps forward with OM staying the same or maybe a little improved

[MarketingBully]

How do you get a graduate transfer junior? That to me is abusing the rule IMO. I see someone getting immediate eligibility for one year but two? Where does Ole Miss come up with these things regarding Neal. We still will be much more talented then them but I do agree with their fans. He will find a way to finish middle of the pack but won't make the NCAA tournament.

Like I said before, the class of the SEC next year will be U.K., us, Alabama, Auburn, and Florida. The other teams will take big steps back.

[MarketingBully]

They lose saiz and brooks, but return everyone else. Davis, Burnett, Neal, and tyree is a good core. No one has been able to stay in front of tyree lately. They add a nice 4* SG in recruiting. They look like they could be thin in the frontcourt, but they didn't add anyone in recruiting so they must feel pretty good there.

I'm looking to make our move in the sec next year, but i see a lot of the teams in the sec that are better than us already looking like they'll be improved too. I think auburn, aTm, and Bama take big steps forward with OM staying the same or maybe a little improved

They didn't add anyone in the front court because they missed out on most of their targets.

[msstate7]

They didn't add anyone in the front court because they missed out on most of their targets.

That's good to hear

[msstate7]

How do you get a graduate transfer junior? That to me is abusing the rule IMO. I see someone getting immediate eligibility for one year but two? Where does Ole Miss come up with these things regarding Neal. We still will be much more talented then them but I do agree with their fans. He will find a way to finish middle of the pack but won't make the NCAA tournament.

Like I said before, the class of the SEC next year will be U.K., us, Alabama, Auburn, and Florida. The other teams will take big steps back.

I think aTm could be a good team next season. aTm's class of '15 was better than our '16 class in rankings anyway. Hogg and Davis could be a great duo esp if the highly rated incoming PG works out

[MarketingBully]

I think aTm could be a good team next season. aTm's class of '15 was better than our '16 class in rankings anyway. Hogg and Davis could be a great duo esp if the highly rated incoming PG works out

Billy Kennedy isn't a good coach IMO. I think Stans helped quite a bit and the results back me up this year. Look at what they did this year and they had a bonafide ready made lottery pick in their front court. Also, it wouldn't surprise me if Hogg or Davis test the waters.

[parabrave]

Not unless Dampieer, Bowers and Varnado come back.

[MadDawg]

I'm looking to make our move in the sec next year, but i see a lot of the teams in the sec that are better than us already looking like they'll be improved too. I think auburn, aTm, and Bama take big steps forward with OM staying the same or maybe a little improved

Curious as to what most feel like the appropriate improvement would be next year for Howland.

Winning record?
Postseason of any kind?
.500 in the SEC?
NIT invite?
NCAA bubble?

What say you?

[msstate7]

Curious as to what most feel like the appropriate improvement would be next year for Howland.

Winning record?
Postseason of any kind?
.500 in the SEC?
NIT invite?
NCAA bubble?

What say you?
NIT/NCAA bubble

[MarketingBully]

What South Carolina did last year.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Losing Saiz is gonna hurt them bad in the front court. To answer your question, yes we are about to pass them and leave them in the dust.

[smootness]

Curious as to what most feel like the appropriate improvement would be next year for Howland.

Winning record?
Postseason of any kind?
.500 in the SEC?
NIT invite?
NCAA bubble?

What say you?

NIT is an absolute minimum. Being at least on the bubble is a reasonable expectation, IMO. That doesn't mean that if it doesn't happen it's definitely a bad result, but it does mean that if it doesn't happen, there should be a decent reason as to why.

As to the OP question, I would say that we still are the best basketball program in the state. We still have pulled any in-state talent we want for the most part. It's not as though they've gone out and done great things, it's just that we have sucked on the court. But it hasn't been a long enough period for us to have dropped below them as a program in stature.

And we will be better than them on the court next year, absolutely.

[smootness]

How do you get a graduate transfer junior? That to me is abusing the rule IMO. I see someone getting immediate eligibility for one year but two? Where does Ole Miss come up with these things regarding Neal. We still will be much more talented then them but I do agree with their fans. He will find a way to finish middle of the pack but won't make the NCAA tournament.

Like I said before, the class of the SEC next year will be U.K., us, Alabama, Auburn, and Florida. The other teams will take big steps back.

I mean, the rule is that you have to have graduated and be in graduate school. Neal has graduated and is in graduate school. There's nothing in the rule that says you can only have one year left.

I agree about the cream of the SEC next year, though. I do think A&M will probably be in that group as well, but those should be the best teams.

[biscuit]

Being the best basketball team in Mississippi is like the being the smartest kid with downs syndrome. We need to be in the top tier of the conference. Ole Mess shouldn't matter.JMO

[Ari Gold]

Everyone R.E.L.A.X.
This team will be very good next year..

[maroonmania]

I think there HAS to be post-season play next year and I personally won't feel like its been successful if we aren't at least on the NCAA bubble.

[CadaverDawg]

We'll dance next year. We'll be like a 5 seed

[RIdog]

They didn't add anyone in the front court because they missed out on most of their targets.

Actually , they have a 7'1 European transfer who will be eligible next season .

[MarketingBully]

I still say with as young as we were as a team this year we should have used that open schollie on a graduate transfer. Alabama had two grad transfers on their team this year. Both contributed heavily to their wins the last two days. I think a low post grad transfer would have been huge. The kid that we were close to getting and almost got a visit from was Andrew White. He would have started where Kegler was and would have given us another big scoring threat to match Q and could have led this team. I think that was Howland's biggest error so far in his tenure. That and he refuses to play zone. But then again that is just me. He told Strick give him three years and he will get this thing rolling in year three. Well, next year is year three. I think he does it.

[MarketingBully]

Actually , they have a 7'1 European transfer who will be eligible next season .

I could care less of a shit.

[Maroons]

NIT/NCAA bubble

NIT is a huge disappointment.

[Dawg61]

We'll dance next year. We'll be like a 5 seed

I like your optimism but a 5 seed is damn good, current projected 5 seeds are SMU 28-4, Cincinnati 27-4, Notre Dame 24-8, Virginia 22-10. We'd have to have a similar record to SMU to get a 5 seed outta the SEC.

[msstate7]

NIT is a huge disappointment.

I think we're gonna be really, really improved. Unfortunately, I think several sec teams will be improved also.

[MarketingBully]

I think we're gonna be really, really improved. Unfortunately, I think several sec teams will be improved also.

So what if other teams are improved. As Dawg61 stated yesterday very succinctly regarding our game against Alabama, we have a higher ceiling then them but a lower floor (mostly due to inexperience). Next to Auburn, I don't think there will be a team that has a bigger jump then us. We will be bigger, stronger have a healthy Q, have a top 5 PG coming in in Nick Weatherspoon, and 60% of our team will be making that big jump from freshmen to sophomores. As stated, next to Auburn, you won't see a bigger jump in the SEC then us.

[MarketingBully]

I like your optimism but a 5 seed is damn good, current projected 5 seeds are SMU 28-4, Cincinnati 27-4, Notre Dame 24-8, Virginia 22-10. We'd have to have a similar record to SMU to get a 5 seed outta the SEC.

We reallly need the league to get better. I really really hope we become a 7-bid league. It benefits everyone in the league for everyone to be improved. Basketball is a unique sport that way due to the NCAA tournament.

[Ari Gold]

My last take on the hoops team ... 2 names from last year both Naismith Finalist and the winner
Buddy Heild averaged less than 8 a game as a frosh
Denzel valentine averaged under 5 points as a frosh and played in every game

This year finalist Josh Hart also averaged less than 8 points a game as a frosh

Our guys are talented
Our coach is talented
The frosh coming In are talented

Again everyone RELAX.. it's coming !!!!!

[Liverpooldawg]

We will still be depending on unproven guys in the paint. I wouldn't even begin to make a prediction.

[msstate7]

My last take on the hoops team ... 2 names from last year both Naismith Finalist and the winner
Buddy Heild averaged less than 8 a game as a frosh
Denzel valentine averaged under 5 points as a frosh and played in every game

This year finalist Josh Hart also averaged less than 8 points a game as a frosh

Our guys are talented
Our coach is talented
The frosh coming In are talented

Again everyone RELAX.. it's coming !!!!!

I definetely think we're talented, but I don't see us as more talented than bama, auburn, or aTm. That's just the west schools.

[smootness]

We'll be more talented than A&M and Bama for sure. Auburn will have better guys at the top but less depth.

[msstate7]

Bama has a higher rated class this year than ours in '16. Key is the best player on either team imo. The pg they're adding is a top 10 player... higher rated than nick.

aTm's '15 class was higher rated than ours in '16. Davis is the best big on either team. Between starks and Caldwell, I think they have the PG they've been missing.

We may be the more talented team, but it's hardly definitive and both teams are more experienced than us

ETA... I still think we have the best coach of the group, but Avery Johnson is really impressing me

[MarketingBully]

Bama has a higher rated class this year than ours in '16. Key is the best player on either team imo. The pg they're adding is a top 10 player... higher rated than nick.

aTm's '15 class was higher rated than ours in '16. Davis is the best big on either team. Between starks and Caldwell, I think they have the PG they've been missing.

We may be the more talented team, but it's hardly definitive and both teams are more experienced than us

ETA... I still think we have the best coach of the group, but Avery Johnson is really impressing me

Collin Sexton isn't a point guard. He is a SG or at best a combo guard. Think Malik Newman. Head to head Herard out played Davis in the post this year. I think you forget that. I think Nick Weatherspoon is probably the most under rated player in the class. He is a legit top 5 point guard and should be a McDonald's All American. Kegler disappointed me this year as I thought he could have been a much bigger piece then he was and could have been a huge scorer for us. If players like Herard and Kegler make the biggest jumps next year watch out. This team could go from an NIT to a Sweet 16 team if Kegler and Herard make the biggest jumps in the offseason because then you could have a starting five of the two Weatherspoons, Peters, Kegler, and Herard. I'd love to see Nick driving to the basket scoring it, dumping it for Herard dunks or dishing it for Peters, Q, and Kegler wide open 3s. We could be the best offensive team in the conference and have the depth to be a great pushing transition team.

[MarketingBully]

Arkansas was 16-16 last year and this year 23-8 (12-6). I think a jump of that magnitude is reasonable. We have more talent then they do and it will be just as seasoned next year.