NCAA College Basketball Talk

[bbtds]

Interesting thing about the other famous player in that 1998 NCAA tournament game at Oklahoma City, Ansu Sesay.

21 years after playing in this upset game against Valpo Sesay returned to Ole Miss to finish his education and helped on the coaching staff for the Rebels.

https://www.redcuprebellion.com/2019/9/27/20886908/ole-miss-basketball-2019-2020-ansu-sesay-kermit-davis-rebels-nba-supersonics-mavericks-warriors

Sesay played for the Supersonics (Thunder), Mavericks and Warriors in the NBA and then played in Europe.

This is great for the program, Sesay, and for those who remember just how special Ansu was as a Rebel. He is unfairly remembered for being a part of the 1997-1998 Ole Miss team that went 22-6, made the NCAA Tournament, then lost to Valparaiso on an improbable last-second shot by unemployed bum Bryce Drew.

You think that 1998 loss still stings in Oxford, MS?

Btw, Ole Miss finished 15-17 overall and 6-12 in conference, two spots in front of last place Vanderbilt.

[VUGrad1314]

Yes yes it does. Their fans still mention that game on Twitter. I can't wait until the day that we win more tournament games and make other big school fanbases feel that way and remember the name of Valparaiso University. Florida State probably doesn't like very much that we are 2-0 all time against them either. That NIT game was fun. Next to the SMC game a few days later it was one of the best atmospheres I've ever been a part of.

[VUGrad1314]

I thought the Boise State-Mountain West drama was over... It's not... This is much more impactful for football but the wider implications of what this could mean bear watching. If Boise State leaves the MWC for the AAC (I don't think they would do independence):

1. Where do their Olympic Sports go? (WAC? Big Sky? WCC?)

2. Are they the only team? Or will they be part of a greater western expansion strategy by the AAC that could include the likes of Air Force BYU and San Diego State?

3. Would the AAC then allow the Olympic sports of these schools to come aboard if there are multiple western teams? If not, where do they go?

3a. If the AAC does not allow the Olympic sports of these schools to come aboard, preferring a tighter footprint, would\can they court A10 schools and would the A10 schools listen considering the leagues are essentially on par with one another and that's BEFORE UConn leaves?

3b. Does the loss of Boise State (and potentially others) cause the MWC to take a more basketball centric turn in order to maintain its strength and attractiveness to media outlets by courting basketball strength and soliciting Gonzaga and St Mary's for membership and\or courting BYU as an Olympics-only member?

3c. Since the WCC can already get to 3 bids on its own (and that's more than the MWC got this year) would any of the WCC schools mentioned be interested in separating themselves from their brethren and making what would probably be a 4-5 bid league?

4. Will this further stabilize or destabilize the WAC? If an opening exists in the MWC, you know WAC flagship New Mexico State is going to push very hard to get in. At the same time, adding one (or more) decent members would allow it to remain as a viable conference if everyone pulls together. 

5. Boise State is by no means a basketball power; but they are a consistent top 150 team that provides a Q2 game for whoever plays them most years. That in itself is not an easy loss to stomach. Would the loss of (at least) Boise State:

5a. Impact its upcoming challenge with the A10?

5b. Move the conference behind the MVC in terms of basketball strength?

6. Would a loss of members by the MWC--especially if they lose multiple members or San Diego State specifically--motivate the Missouri Valley presidents to strike while the iron is hot and bring in some basketball power (Murray State? Belmont? Northern Kentucky?) for themselves to put the MVC ahead of the Mountain West

7. How does this impact Gonzaga? If the WCC loses BYU do they look elsewhere? Would a potentially reconstructed Mountain West be good enough for them or do they stay in the WCC which could take a hit if it loses BYU?

[valpo84]

Here's an article from a few years ago (my how time flies) with some personal reflections on the Shot from various viewpoints, including Ole Miss players and fans.  By the way, the author is now Editor of Uproxx.com's Sports sites, including Dime an NBA focused subsite.

https://www.sbnation.com/longform/2013/3/19/4119040/march-madness-valparaiso-ole-miss-buzzer-beater-history

[VUGrad1314]

Florida A&M Major announcement tomorrow

Not sure what it is but it could be anything from a facilities upgrade to an athletic gear affiliation switch or possibly a conference move. Maybe they're going to the Atlantic Sun?

https://twitter.com/FAMUAthletics/status/1242813310434709504

[valpotx]

The better HBCUs have seen the writing on the wall over the last few years, that they can't stick to crappy conferences like the SWAC and MEAC.  I believe that Hampton was the first to make the move, and it won't be the last.

[VUGrad1314]

Or are they going to the relatively more stable SWAC? Who would you say is next to jump? NC Central? That would be who my money is on. As sad as it is that realignment is going to result in instability and the possible end of lower tier conferences like the WAC and MEAC and possibly the SWAC and therefore the cessation of longstanding and important annual rivalries, if it does happen it does open extra at large spots for conferences to battle for. It makes me wonder if maybe some of the upper tier mid majors will start to look at the smaller conferences for strength to battle for those spots.

[usc4valpo]

It looks like Dave Leiteo of DePaul is going to get a contract extension. Leiteo has led DePaul to the cellar or next to the cellar of the Big East conference in the past 5 years. The basketball program is an embarrassment to Chicago.

[vu84v2]

i have seen a fair amount of DePaul in the last few years. They are an odd team in that they are talented and competitive and play with all teams in one of the best conferences top to bottom in the country...and they lose almost all of the time. Part of this is that they don't seem to have good end-of-game strategies and part of this is that their players just don't make plays down the stretch. I am surprised that they kept Leitao, but they do have a lot of talent that may leave if he were to leave.

[usc4valpo]

A big problem is the athletic director and their "family run operation." For a city with such basketball talent (although overhyped at times), this is an embarrassment.

[VUGrad1314]

The Big East needs to boot DePaul and get a real midwestern program in there with a real fanbase that actually wants to move its program forward. Dayton would be nice. SLU would be an improvement. Heck I'd venture to say even Loyola despite its lower budget would be a better more impactful addition to the Big East than DePaul has been.


As for the Florida A&M announcement, it turned out to be nothing. Just some stuff about "virtual Friday" events. Hardly qualifies as a "Major Announcement." The fact that they called it one is insulting and embarrassing to that school's fans and alumni. I feel bad for them.

[VUGrad1314]

Good I hope the small conferences win! Immediate eligibility for transfers will kill all but the top 6 conferences viability to fight for anything more than whatever crumbs we are given.... Which means it'll probably pass anyway...

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1243593701143822338

[vu84v2]

The Big East needs to boot DePaul and get a real midwestern program in there with a real fanbase that actually wants to move its program forward. Dayton would be nice. SLU would be an improvement. Heck I'd venture to say even Loyola despite its lower budget would be a better more impactful addition to the Big East than DePaul has been.

I do not see DePaul getting booted. They are actually really strong in other sports (they are the dominant power in women's basketball). As for additions, Xavier will never allow Dayton to join the Big East (though it would be a great move). SLU has some financial problems (at least as far as I understand), though other schools in the Big East have some financial issues.

[IrishDawg]

The Big East needs to boot DePaul and get a real midwestern program in there with a real fanbase that actually wants to move its program forward. Dayton would be nice. SLU would be an improvement. Heck I'd venture to say even Loyola despite its lower budget would be a better more impactful addition to the Big East than DePaul has been.

I do not see DePaul getting booted. They are actually really strong in other sports (they are the dominant power in women's basketball). As for additions, Xavier will never allow Dayton to join the Big East (though it would be a great move). SLU has some financial problems (at least as far as I understand), though other schools in the Big East have some financial issues.

Outside of UConn (which isn't the same as they can simply take money from the state), who has financial issues?  Big East isn't going to add schools in the near future.  They've moved to a 20 game conference schedule while maintaining a round robin, and none of the other possible adds would bring a bump in revenue.

It's pretty much impossible to kick a school out of a conference.

[vu84v2]

Prior to the coronavirus conference, there was at least one Big East member (Xavier) whose discount rate was well over 50%. They were having trouble getting students without deep discounts, as was SLU (who I believe had a similarly high discount rate).

[valpotx]

Moving the vote from April to June would essentially kill many transfers that would only leave their school to be immediately eligible elsewhere.  The folks that select to be in the transfer portal from April to June, would take up a lot of spots. 

[VUGrad1314]

This news is not going to be taken well by the Daytons VCUs and URIs of the world that try to schedule up in the non-conference. This would be a bad move by the A10 and could lead to their bellwether programs jumping ship to a league like the AAC. I questioned whether any programs would consider leaving the A10 for the AAC as Olympics only members but if this happens, the AAC will have their pick of the top of the A10. This sounds like the conference commissioner shortchanging the top of the conference to help out the bottom and it is a strategy that will surely backfire if it is implemented.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1243940232468344832

Further as an MVC fan I'm with PO on this. Why couldn't we just have a tripartite challenge betweeen the A10 MVC and MWC where each school plays one home and one away game? It would be awesome for the fans and would engage fans throughout the whole country for a solid week while allowing good games for all to help their metrics as we all fight for at large bids. You don't think a couple of Q1 or Q2 games couldn't have helped everybody involved? It's ridiculous. Thompson Elgin and McGlade need to make this happen!

[vu84v2]

The reason it would not happen is that the A10 would want it to be A10, MWC and the American conference. I would like to be wrong, as your idea is a very good one.

[VUGrad1314]

The issue here is that the A10 has the same problem with the AAC as we in the MVC have with the A10. They want to be seen as a peer of the AAC; but even though it would be reasonable for the A10 to be considered a peer of the AAC, the AAC doesn't view the A10 that way. They would consider it a step beneath them to agree to a challenge with the A10. Sort of like how SLU snubbed us when we asked for a home and home. But I think that had more to do with our recent struggles in the MVC than anything else. If we start performing better, I think SLU would come around and give us that one for one.

[VALPO LI]

The MWC dropped the MVC Challenge to play a better Conference Challege in their eyes.  Let's be realistic the A-10, AAC will not start a challenge with the MVC.  So time to look elsewhere like the Mid American or the Southern Conference.  The MVC has a lot of similarities to the SoCon.
10 team conference.
3 teams with 20+ wins.
6 out of 10 teams with winning records
1 went 0-18 in conference.
The MVC ranked 11th this season while the SoCon finished 13th. In 2018-19 season the SoCon finished 11th while the MVC finished 14th.  The conference is home to the "Wofford Effect" A school that was nationally ranked #20 and took a 7th seed in the NCAA tournament beating Seton Hall in the first round last year.  Not to mention they beat #17 University of North Carolina this season.  Not a bad conference to consider starting a challenge or at least schedule some games with.

[VUGrad1314]

If we can't get one of the conferences slightly above us to agree then I am all for the SOCON. No need to do anything with the MAC because we can play them in Home and Homes anytime we want. I would see if the WCC would be interested but I'm willing to bet that the answer to that is no. But as I said the SOCON would be an excellent get and maybe the best we could hope for. We both have a lot of bubble teams come Selection Sunday time so the benefit to both conferences could potentially be great in stealing one (or even a few) at large bids.

[usc4valpo]

USC gets their all-time best recruit.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28981830/usc-signee-evan-mobley-named-morgan-wootten-national-player-year

[usc4valpo]

MLB is looking like a genius compared to athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto  at DePaul.  How you give a coach whose team has finish consistently last in the conference a contract extension is pathetic. They play in a beautiful new arena and reside in a recruiting hotbed, but they are laughing  stock of college basketball. This program needs a Roto Rooter enema.

[valpo64]

Ouch!

[bbtds]

MLB is looking like a genius compared to athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto  at DePaul.  How you give a coach whose team has finish consistently last in the conference a contract extension is pathetic. They play in a beautiful new arena and reside in a recruiting hotbed, but they are laughing  stock of college basketball. This program needs a Roto Rooter enema.

Ouch!

A Roto Rooter enema? Ouch! that would really hurt!!