Pre Season Basketball Notes

[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.

[ManAboutTown]

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.

Who will be better? Because the top 3 tops form last year will all not be as good as they were, from a talent and experience standpoint.

[Million$Mullet]

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.

GSU and who? UTA? Nah. GaSo? Nah. ULM? Lol

[CajunJeaux]

Interesting that we can’t get CUSA schools on the schedule (outside of LA Tech-Ruston)...but they’re willing to scrimmage...

[Cajunsmike]

Interesting that we can’t get CUSA schools on the schedule (outside of LA Tech-Ruston)...but they’re willing to scrimmage...

That's because if we handle them, no one can know about it. Last time we scrimmaged USM (think that was two to three years ago), we drilled them. I can say that now but could not back then. Still, you can't read too much into these even if you find out details. Last season, Tulane handled LSU in the pre season scrimmage. LSU went on to have a much better year. As far as projections on who will start, I expect Hayes will start in Bartley's spot as he is supposedly a better defender than Russell. Russell can provide quite a spark off the bench with his scoring ability. I do think he will play significantly more minutes than last season. I think a key to providing depth is Davis. He has talent and needs to use it more consistently this season.

[zephyr]

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.

We have a good core of last year's team back but our leadership and depth are nowhere close to what it was last year. While I am optimistic we can have a really good season if all things go well, we will not be a better team than last year.

[zephyr]

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

As I mentioned above, we have a solid core of playmaking guys coming back. If our depth can be filled out by our younger guys and everyone can improve a little bit personally from last year, that projection wouldn't surprise me at all.

[Cajunsmike]

As I mentioned above, we have a solid core of playmaking guys coming back. If our depth can be filled out by our younger guys and everyone can improve a little bit personally from last year, that projection wouldn't surprise me at all.

One other thing needs to happen, we need to be healthy at tournament time. Last year we saw that our depth was not nearly the strong point we thought it was. It was fine when we had all hands on deck since the bench guys could play their roles. When Stove and Gant went down, the other guys could not do enough to bring us over the finish line. I share Zephyr's concern about the depth at this point. However we have no way of knowing what that situation will be once March roles around.

[Policarp]

Interesting.......#144 was a team from Lincoln Parish.

[Hatch]

I listened to the interview with Marlin posted in the other thread. He said redshirting Julien would be evaluated after this semester. I really hope they can see enough production from Marquetti and Davis in the early non conference games to where they don't see the need to pull that redshirt going into conference play.

[CajunAmos]

I listened to the interview with Marlin posted in the other thread. He said redshirting Julien would be evaluated after this semester. I really hope they can see enough production from Marquetti and Davis in the early non conference games to where they don't see the need to pull that redshirt going into conference play.

I would think it would be more about his recovery than the play of his teammates.