Pre Season Basketball Notes

[BeauCajun]

On a positive note. We are ranked in the top 100 according to http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/...reviews?page=2

#75 out of the 144 teams they have ranked.

Nice write up and projection on the team. They have more confidence in the team than a lot of us have.

[Hatch]

Just a preseason thought:

Starting 5

PG Stroman
G Marquetti
G Russell
F Gant
F Miller

Bench will be very young with the exception of Davis and Hardy who have been very inconsistent in their young careers.

Hayes
Hardy
Davis
Gladney
Wesley

Others

Aucoin
Lafayette

The following will probably or will sit out:

Julien Injury
Mouton Redshirt to improve
Johnson sit out due to NCAA rules

I'm interested in seeing Hayes, Gladney and Wesley, we will need 1 if not more of these guys to step up with the loss of Julien. I think this team will struggle early with so much youth off the bench, but once the youngsters figure it out, we could move 1 of them into the starting lineup and have Miller or Russell off the bench as a spark. I hate having very little consistent scorers on the bench.

We shall see, that was the luxury that we had with Russell, Miller and Stove on the bench last season. The ability to have scorers on the bench. I am sure we will figure it out

I wouldn't be surprised to see Hayes starting over Russell. Going by his JUCO stats he has the ability to score both inside and outside of the 3 point line as well as get to the free throw line. I'm not sure how well Hayes game will transfer to D1 ball or if Russell has been able to develop more of his game beyond outside shooting but as of now that's just my guess, leave Russell as that spark off the bench.
I also think Lafayette could be a diamond in the rough. I think his size will be needed this year, I hope somehow he managed to find the 20 pounds that Miller lost.

[CajunRebel]

I think the cynics here are going to be pleasantly surprised with our teams for the next 2-3 years. If we’re not better than last year’s team, we’re very close.

[Million$Mullet]

I think the cynics here are going to be pleasantly surprised with our teams for the next 2-3 years. If we’re not better than last year’s team, we’re very close.

Pretty confident. We lost a lot of leadership and consistency. I wouldn’t be surprised if we finished top 2 in the league but only cause the sun belt is a terrible basketball conference

[CajunStrong]

I think the cynics here are going to be pleasantly surprised with our teams for the next 2-3 years. If we’re not better than last year’s team, we’re very close.

I really hope so. With the Sunbelt so weak, we should dominate every year like last year. PS: and go DANCING!

[BeauCajun]

I really hope so. With the Sunbelt so weak, we should dominate every year like last year. PS: and go DANCING!

The link you provided is projecting us to win the conference and make the NCAA. Surprising for me.

[Hatch]

The link you provided is projecting us to win the conference and make the NCAA. Surprising for me.

I think you have to take that projection with a grain of salt, just an outsider looking at what the team did last year and seeing 3 of 5 starters back. I think that same publication last year picked us 5th in the Sun Belt.

Edit Sorry I must have been thinking of another preseason ranking, college sports madness had us 2nd to UTA #112 overall last year.

[ManAboutTown]

I think the cynics here are going to be pleasantly surprised with our teams for the next 2-3 years. If we’re not better than last year’s team, we’re very close.

What constitutes "better"?

[ULvictory]

What constitutes "better"?

30 wins instead of 27 and HOSTING a NIT game

If we are lucky, we might even make the conference tournament championship game

[CajunRebel]

Pretty confident. We lost a lot of leadership and consistency. I wouldn’t be surprised if we finished top 2 in the league but only cause the sun belt is a terrible basketball conference

The Sun Belt should be much better this year... at least at the top. Obviously there will still be plenty of garbage at the bottom.