Meanwhile, Cajuns have the best basketball team in LA

[Hatch]

UTA is also the team in the conference best prepared to play a tough schedule. I do not think they will lose to anyone in the conference other than road games against the Georgia schools and UL, and I expect they will go no worse than 1-2 in those 3 games.

Warren Nolan is now projecting UTA, UL and GaSo to all be 15-3 and tied for first. I believe that UTA and both Georgia schools finish ahead of the Cajuns, even though the schedule favors UL over UTA. GaSo actually has the most favorable schedule, as they play us only at their place. Coastal will not be a factor.

Coastal isn't a championship contender but they will be a factor, as will Troy. Coastal beat UTA last year.

[ZoomZoom]

Warren Nolan is now projecting UTA, UL and GaSo to all be 15-3 and tied for first.

So if a fourth team wins the tournament, would all 3 get a NIT bid or does the NCAA screw the G5 again?

[CajunEXPRESS]

NIT would mean we were regular season champs. After yesterday we would all take that. That won't happen unless the coaches and players can "flush" yesterday and re-focus quickly. They were able to right the ship last year after a slump but it came so late in the campaign many fans had stopped caring or paying attention. Cannot afford to have that happen in order to meet the goal of being the regular season champion. In order to win the league we have to get off to a strong start.

That's why I said the NIT is the only tournament that says you're pretty good, because we'd be regular season champs.

What do you mean we might not be regular season champs. The drum beat on RaginPagin has been just wait until 2017/18, Bob's best talent yet.

[Cajunsmike]

The NIT would only pick the team that was the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament if a fourth team wins that affair. Seeding is determined by tiebreakers. The other two teams that tied for first would end up in the CIT or one of the other pay for play tournaments. That is assuming they choose to pay the entry fee or host. I can't see a situation where a team in the 3 way tie situation described earlier would decline to do so.

[CajunEXPRESS]

So if a fourth team wins the tournament, would all 3 get a NIT bid or does the NCAA screw the G5 again?

Only one team will be seeded one, and that’s our only NIT team. If they don’t falter we’ll have no NIT representation.

[Cajunsmike]

That's why I said the NIT is the only tournament that says you're pretty good, because we'd be regular season champs.

What do you mean we might not be regular season champs. The drum beat on RaginPagin has been just wait until 2017/18, Bob's best talent yet.

I think this is Coach Marlin's 2nd most talented team. The 2014 team was the most talented. This team may be the deepest however. That will not matter if they all play the way they did in the last few minutes of yesterday's game as that kind of effort will end up with lots of poor results regardless of the opposition. As far as winning the league goes, obviously the fact that there are some other strong teams at the top of the league makes it a crapshoot for all.

[Cajunsmike]

Only one team will be seeded one, and that’s our only NIT team. If they don’t falter we’ll have no NIT representation.

That is correct. Unfortunate that a team that ties for first in the scenario described will end up in a "pay to play".

[Hatch]

I think this is Coach Marlin's 2nd most talented team. The 2014 team was the most talented. This team may be the deepest however. That will not matter if they all play the way they did in the last few minutes of yesterday's game as that kind of effort will end up with lots of poor results regardless of the opposition. As far as winning the league goes, obviously the fact that there are some other strong teams at the top of the league makes it a crapshoot for all.

The 2014 team was lacking depth, especially losing Shepherd halfway through the season. Still it wasn't all Payton and Long, Mbamalu was as solid as they come and if not for a streaky role player like Rimmer getting incredibly hot at the right time that tournament run wouldn't have happened.
It's an interesting debate as to what is better, two big time guys and role players or the depth we have this year. If this years team is going to get it done they will have to overcome a few "Dynamic Duos" in this league like Hervey/Neal at UTA, Brown/Smith at GA Southern, and Person/Varnado at Troy.

[Cajunsmike]

The 2014 team was lacking depth, especially losing Shepherd halfway through the season. Still it wasn't all Payton and Long, Mbamalu was as solid as they come and if not for a streaky role play like Rimmer getting incredibly hot at the right time that tournament run wouldn't have happened.
It's an interesting debate as to what is better, two big time guys and role players or the depth we have this year. If this years team is going to get it done they will have to overcome a few "Dynamic Duos" in this league like Hervey/Neal at UTA, Brown/Smith at GA Southern, and Person/Varnado at Troy.

Good analysis there. Especially the part about Mbamalu being an integral part of the 2014 team. He is one of my favorite players due to how much he improved over four years. Something positive did occur this weekend. I just heard Kobe Julien of Madison Prep was named MVP of the LCA tournament which ended today. Kobe is the son of former Cajun Wayne Julien and is a Cajun signee. He is a 6'6" forward who has talent in many different areas. According to their facebook posts, former Cajuns Brad Boyd and Sydney Grider are impressed with him. Maybe we could have used him yesterday.

[cajundiehard]

Now Coach just needs to get Dion Brown's son to commit!

[Hatch]

Good analysis there. Especially the part about Mbamalu being an integral part of the 2014 team. He is one of my favorite players due to how much he improved over four years. Something positive did occur this weekend. I just heard Kobe Julien of Madison Prep was named MVP of the LCA tournament which ended today. Kobe is the son of former Cajun Wayne Julien and is a Cajun signee. He is a 6'6" forward who has talent in many different areas. According to their facebook posts, former Cajuns Brad Boyd and Sydney Grider are impressed with him. Maybe we could have used him yesterday.

I'm excited about Julien. Madison prep is supposed to play in the sugar bowl classic and I want to try to catch one of those games and see him in person.

[DaddyCajun]

Awesomeness, Kobe welcome to the Cajun Nation! More than happy that you have signed with the Cajuns! Best to you!