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Post by Commissioner on Jun 22, 2013 22:21:19 GMT -5
I don't know that it ever ends up being all that accurate, but at least it's something to talk about in the off-season - and it let's us know the season is coming. College Sports Madness has started its annual preseason countdown of the top 144 teams. Titan opponents are "dominating" the board, so far: #144: North Carolina State. www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/6843#141: Oakland. www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/6849
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 24, 2013 18:11:52 GMT -5
Interesting. Thanks for posting this.
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Post by Commissioner on Jun 26, 2013 8:14:27 GMT -5
How much would you pay to watch a 4-team tournament of Elon, South Carolina-Upstate, Texas Southern, and Sam Houston State? Sports Madness ranks all 4 above North Carolina State as it begins its countdown.
Something tells me the Titans, without Ray, won't be ranked in their preseason top 144 this year (we weren't last year with Ray).
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Post by rockcity on Jun 26, 2013 9:32:38 GMT -5
Is everything surrounded by Ray Jr. I'm going to be positive and say we will do very well. I see this season, with 20 or more wins. The team doesn't revolve around Ray. It is a team of talented players.
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 26, 2013 10:04:02 GMT -5
I think we have a potentially successful team. I have high expectations, but they are tempered by the fact that we'll have at least three new starters, and will be counting on major improvements from guys who had little impact last year. Also, will be depending a lot on two guys who have very little D1 experience in CB and Patrick O.
I will not be surprised if we are not ranked in this year's top 144. I am surprised we weren't ranked there last year with Ray, Jason, and Doug all returning, along with getting Nick back and JH2 being eligible.
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 26, 2013 10:10:07 GMT -5
How much would you pay to watch a 4-team tournament of Elon, South Carolina-Upstate, Texas Southern, and Sam Houston State? Sports Madness ranks all 4 above North Carolina State as it begins its countdown. Something tells me the Titans, without Ray, won't be ranked in their preseason top 144 this year (we weren't last year with Ray). Madness might be the right name for this countdown, if those teams are ranked above NC State. State is losing some guys, but the bring in a monster recruiting class: three ESPN Top 100 players, an additional HS recruit who is a 3 star, and a top JUCO kid.
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Post by Commissioner on Jun 26, 2013 10:21:40 GMT -5
How much would you pay to watch a 4-team tournament of Elon, South Carolina-Upstate, Texas Southern, and Sam Houston State? Sports Madness ranks all 4 above North Carolina State as it begins its countdown. Something tells me the Titans, without Ray, won't be ranked in their preseason top 144 this year (we weren't last year with Ray). Madness might be the right name for this countdown, if those teams are ranked above NC State. State is losing some guys, but the bring in a monster recruiting class: three ESPN Top 100 players, an additional HS recruit who is a 3 star, and a top JUCO kid. Of course, that's the diff - in some respects, Sports Madness (and any other publication) wants to get readers and discussion. They need to be right enough to have some credibility but not much more. If you want really good predictions, you go to Vegas oddsmakers and places like Intrade, where people have money on the line in being right, regardless of readership. There are good teams all through the NCAA, and any of those teams could beat NC State, and would win a couple games in a long enough series. But does anyone doubt that NC State would be favored playing any of those teams, even on the road?
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 26, 2013 12:39:15 GMT -5
Good point, Commish, particularly about the role of a publication like Sports Madness.
I think NC State is going to be tough next year, particularly later in the season after they have played together for a while. I am glad we are getting them early, so hopefully we can catch them before they gel.
You know, I'm now sure what they are doing down there to attract recruits, but they are really putting together an impressive run. I looked at their 2014 class and already they have two commitments, two four star small forwards, including one ESPN 100 recruit. They are doing something right down there (or something wrong).
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Post by jimmychitwood on Jun 26, 2013 12:57:47 GMT -5
USC Upstate?!? Never heard of them. Ever. And I don't recall its former name, USC Spartanburg either. If we finish behind them or Elon (isn't that a brand of make-up or purses?) I will cry.
OU is picked 3rd in the HL. If they do not do any research they may just put us and Valpo at 2 and 1. If they do some research, its really up the air.
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Post by Commissioner on Jun 26, 2013 13:37:16 GMT -5
USC Upstate?!? Never heard of them. Ever. And I don't recall its former name, USC Spartanburg either. If we finish behind them or Elon (isn't that a brand of make-up or purses?) I will cry. OU is picked 3rd in the HL. If they do not do any research they may just put us and Valpo at 2 and 1. If they do some research, its really up the air. My guess is they'll rank Wright State and Green Bay.
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Post by Commissioner on Jun 26, 2013 13:48:43 GMT -5
USC-Upstate was 16-17 last year. They return all their players except Adrian Rogers, who averaged 8.7 points and 2.4 assists and started 12 games, and Rob Elam, a backup forward who averaged 10 minutes per game. They did not beat a single team with a winning record. Their best RPI win was a 73-71 victory at #219 UNC-Asheville (13-16).
Don't know what they're smoking at Sports Madness, but I think I want some.
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Post by Commissioner on Jun 26, 2013 14:51:47 GMT -5
Then you got Sam Houston, 17-17 last year, everybody back except one player, their #2 scorer and leading assist man. Lots of seniors. SHState was 5-8 down the stretch, so they didn't end the season building momentum. Their only wins over +.500 teams were a 65-63 OT win at home against Cal-Irvine, and a 3 point win over Oral Roberts in their conference tournament. They were 2-11 against top 200 RPI teams. Sports Madness notes that they lost a lot of close games, but I'm not sure losing at home to #247 McNeese State is impressive, even if it was 59-58. A 5 point loss at #319 Eastern Washington in the Bracketbusters doesn't make me think they were on the verge of big things either, nor does a 3 point loss at 9-21 Nichols State. But it wasn't all close losses for the Bearkats - they lost to Indiana by 44 and to Texas by 28.
Well, as they say, past returns are not a guarantee of future performance - but I wouldn't expect great things from Sam Houston this year.
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 26, 2013 19:13:30 GMT -5
That list is just weird. :-)
I'll still pay attention to it, though, since there is so little basketball news.
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Post by motorcitysam on Jul 10, 2013 14:10:52 GMT -5
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Post by Commissioner on Jul 10, 2013 15:06:02 GMT -5
They also rank Bill and Mar 5th in the Colonial. I'd love to know what 4 teams in the Colonial are up there. That conference was decimated with the loss of GMU, VCU, and Old Dominion.
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