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Post by ptctitan on Sept 1, 2024 21:23:29 GMT -5
Alcorn State has done well since it hired Landon Bussie as its coach. Two years ago, they were SWAC co-champs with 15-3 record and did beat Wichita State and SFA. Last year, they were 13-5 in the SWAC.
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Post by Commissioner on Sept 1, 2024 22:08:17 GMT -5
Alcorn State has done well since it hired Landon Bussie as its coach. Two years ago, they were SWAC co-champs with 15-3 record and did beat Wichita State and SFA. Last year, they were 13-5 in the SWAC. That is true, and they are much more likely to make the NCAAs this year than we are. But the SWAC is still a significantly inferior league to the Horizon (despite all the latter's problems). Marcus could put up some really nice numbers there and should definitely help them in their NCAA tournament quest, but this is not a step up for him in competition and I can't imagine Alcorn has some great NIL package. Of course, there are other factors--hopefully he'll be happy.
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Post by upbasketballfan on Sept 1, 2024 22:58:19 GMT -5
I think Tank Tank thought he was going to get a big NIL deal from a P5 school. He should've remained at UofD, he probably would've been our primary option, he would've had a great season and he could've parlayed that into a P5 offer similar to what Jason Calliste did many years ago when he transferred to Oregon. From what I can see he probably will not be the #1 option there. It looks like they have their 4 top scorers back from last year and 3 of them are guards and seniors. One is a forward and he was their top scorer and rebounder.
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Post by motorcitysam on Sept 2, 2024 0:15:48 GMT -5
I can't imagine that Alcorn State was the destination that Tank had in mind when he hit the portal. Unfortunately for him, everyone can't be Wendell Green. I would have bet money that he would have ended up at a Conference USA or American Conference school at the minimum, but you never know what factors determine that final destination. Speaking from a strictly basketball perspective, I'd probably rather play at a good SWAC team rather than a bad HL team, but I'm surprised he didn't have other viable options. Hope he didn't leave the Titans program because he was sick of playing so many buy games.
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Post by motorcitysam on Sept 2, 2024 0:27:27 GMT -5
I can’t figure this one out! Looks like a real step down athletically and academically! Some really bad advice given to this young man! Or he got good advice and just didn't listen to it. Lot of that going around, too.
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Post by ptctitan on Sept 2, 2024 5:22:20 GMT -5
Mark came here to play for Davis. His academy coach played for Davis at IU. Once Davis left, it was likely that Mark would also leave. He did not want to play for Monty. Under those circumstances, it's best for us that he took his 16 ppg elsewhere. His transfer may be a case study on how, in the modern game, a player's scoring average is a much less important metric for coaches than it is for fans.
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Post by Commissioner on Sept 2, 2024 10:14:18 GMT -5
Mark came here to play for Davis. His academy coach played for Davis at IU. Once Davis left, it was likely that Mark would also leave. He did not want to play for Monty. Under those circumstances, it's best for us that he took his 16 ppg elsewhere. His transfer may be a case study on how, in the modern game, a player's scoring average is a much less important metric for coaches than it is for fans. I get the "came to play for Davis." I don't get the "did not want to play for Monty." Like, how would he know? And remember, Tank entered the portal almost 2 weeks before Monty was hired. I have to assume it's more like, "did not want to play at UD for Monty (or probably anyone else)." Anyway, Ptc makes a good point. I like Tank as a player. He is a very good free throw shooter and a very good finisher when he gets to the hoop. Those skills alone make him a valuable player. But he is a so-so defensive player, and not a good three-point shooter in an age when the three keeps growing in importance. He can play the point in a pinch but he's not really an effective point guard. I wish he had stayed, but it's not gonna make or break this team or the program.
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Post by Commissioner on Sept 2, 2024 10:22:05 GMT -5
I think Tank Tank thought he was going to get a big NIL deal from a P5 school. He should've remained at UofD, he probably would've been our primary option, he would've had a great season and he could've parlayed that into a P5 offer similar to what Jason Calliste did many years ago when he transferred to Oregon. From what I can see he probably will not be the #1 option there. It looks like they have their 4 top scorers back from last year and 3 of them are guards and seniors. One is a forward and he was their top scorer and rebounder. FWIW, Alcorn actually loses its top 2 scorers.
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Post by motorcitysam on Sept 2, 2024 14:19:58 GMT -5
This isn't a disagreement with the people how have brought up Tank's relatively poor three point shooting and average defensive ability as factors in his lack of recruitment, but the old man in me has to say this. Tank's a 6-4, 190 guy who increased his scoring average almost 8x from his freshman to sophomore years. Almost 17 points per game on a bad team, and he didn't get those points the way we saw a guy like Rashad Williams at OU did a few years ago, jacking up shots and hitting less than 34% from the floor overall, while cranking up 10 threes per game with little accuracy. Williams parlayed that into move to St. Louis.
Tank hit over 80% from the free throw line, while hitting 50% of hit two point shots. Yeah, he only made 27% from three, but he only took four per game, so it's not like he was monopolizing the ball while shooting so poorly. On the road against an SEC opponent that ended up winning 20 games, Tank put up 19 points, 4 boards, 5 assists, and only had 2 turnovers in 38 minutes of action. I have to believe that if I'm an assistant coach at an A10, Conference USA, AAC, Mountain West, WCC, or similar conference, I can take that resume and film to my head coach and sell him on getting an offer and roster spot to Tank.
Tyson Acuff's numbers this past season were 21.7 ppg, 3.6 boards, 2.8 assists (on a team with much better offensive talent than the Titans), 1.1 steals, 0.1 blocks, 2.0 turnovers, shooting splits of 41/83/29.
We've gone over Tank's shooting stats, but for the rest, he put up 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists (passing to a group of players that were, let's say "less accomplished" than the Eagles), 0.8 steals, 0.1 blocks, 2.1 turnovers.
Pretty close, except for the five point differential in scoring average. Yet, Acuff lands at Big Ten Rutgers, while Tank ends up at Alcorn State. Doesn't make sense from a numbers perspective, or the eye test. Heck, Noah Farrakhan was worse in all stats in 2022-23 than Tank was at U-D this season, and Noah landed at West Virginia the following year. There has to be something going on behind the scenes, be it off the court questions, Tank passing on early offers and holding out for something great that never came, etc. Because if the Robot from Lost in Space was looking at this situaion, he would say, "Will Robinson, this does not compute."
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Post by Commissioner on Sept 2, 2024 15:39:51 GMT -5
The fact that Tank commits as school is starting suggests he was holding out for better offers. I'm also quite surprised he didn't end up at a P5 or high mid-major. Marcus is from Chattanooga. At a minimum you'd expect him to have offers from places like Middle Tennessee, Georgia State, or hey, Chattanooga. It could be he kept thinking he could get a better NIL deal, and suddenly, the music stopped and the only chair available was Alcorn State.
I'll repeat: He's valuable. I wish he'd stayed. It won't make or break our program.
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Post by ptctitan on Sept 2, 2024 16:30:55 GMT -5
Pretty close, except for the five point differential in scoring average. Yet, Acuff lands at Big Ten Rutgers, while Tank ends up at Alcorn State. Doesn't make sense from a numbers perspective, or the eye test. Heck, Noah Farrakhan was worse in all stats in 2022-23 than Tank was at U-D this season, and Noah landed at West Virginia the following year. There has to be something going on behind the scenes, be it off the court questions, Tank passing on early offers and holding out for something great that never came, etc. Because if the Robot from Lost in Space was looking at this situaion, he would say, "Will Robinson, this does not compute." Coincidentally, Farrakhan transferred to Hampton for this season. However, Hampton has moved up to the CAA from the MEAC. hamptonpirates.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/
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Post by motorcitysam on Sept 2, 2024 16:47:44 GMT -5
Pretty close, except for the five point differential in scoring average. Yet, Acuff lands at Big Ten Rutgers, while Tank ends up at Alcorn State. Doesn't make sense from a numbers perspective, or the eye test. Heck, Noah Farrakhan was worse in all stats in 2022-23 than Tank was at U-D this season, and Noah landed at West Virginia the following year. There has to be something going on behind the scenes, be it off the court questions, Tank passing on early offers and holding out for something great that never came, etc. Because if the Robot from Lost in Space was looking at this situaion, he would say, "Will Robinson, this does not compute." Coincidentally, Farrakhan transferred to Hampton for this season. However, Hampton has moved up to the CAA from the MEAC. hamptonpirates.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/Thanks, I remember you reporting on that earlier this summer. It's hard to keep all that information straight.
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Post by nctitan on Sept 2, 2024 17:52:09 GMT -5
There's the eyeball test, so maybe coaches didn't like something they saw. And there's the interview, and maybe he didn't make the right impression with the coaches.
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