Warren Nolan and the SBC Basketball Conference

[RaginDave]

A really nice prediction and step up for the SBC if the warrennolan.com prediction comes to fruition. According to their website the SBC will have 4 teams with top 100 RPI when the season is completed.

44--JMU
65--ODU
66--Marshall
73--Louisiana

Also USM is predicted to finish 125.

The problem is still with the bottom of the conference. According to this the SBC will also have 3 schools with RPI's between 250-327. Those schools are:

259--Arkansas State
289--Georgia Southern
327--ULM

There are 363 D1 basketball teams, so being in the top 75 teams basically puts you in the top 20% of all D1 basketball teams. That 44 could put JMU on the cusp of an at large bid. They won't get it, but it is good news for the conference as a whole. The bad news is 3 of the 4 of these teams are the new ones to the conference meaning the regulars are not doing anything to help the conference basketball perception.

[BeauCajun]

So, without the newbies we would be conference champs? Looking forward to conference games.

[Turbine]

Looks to me like the Sunbelt schedule will keep JMU from an at large bid.

[CajunNation]

Looks to me like the Sunbelt schedule will keep JMU from an at large bid.

Now would be a good time to enforce some tougher non-conference scheduling requirements. With the addition of these great basketball programs to the league combined with tougher requirements, we just might game the system to make this a multi bid league down the road.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Well GSU probably won’t be down long, and neither will TxSt. ULM is a drag in almost every sport every year. At some point the Eastern members will ask them to leave. We have to provide support but hopefully we lose them and pick up WKU or maybe Missouri State.

[RaginDave]

Troy lost a close one to a really good #24 ranked San Diego State team last night. 60-55

[RaginDave]

Well GSU probably won’t be down long, and neither will TxSt. ULM is a drag in almost every sport every year. At some point the Eastern members will ask them to leave. We have to provide support but hopefully we lose them and pick up WKU or maybe Missouri State.

The same could be said about Arkansas State as far as the big 5 sports go. I know they had their run in football a few years ago but look at the other 4.

They don’t sponsor softball.

Their baseball team is consistently the worst in the conference.

Men’s basketball has never been relevant.

Women’s basketball is middle of the road at best.

Football has not been relevant since Blake Anderson left and seems to be getting worse over time. If you take out the malzan, freeze, Harsin and early Andersen seasons they just haven’t been very good.

[RaginScotsman]

We have to provide support but hopefully we lose them and pick up WKU

Let me be very frank and very direct, there is no conversation in the Sun Belt nor is there any interest. If I were in WKUs position, I'd be trying to figure out a way to move up to a level like the Sun Belt. And so, congratulations on that conversation.

[RaginDave]

Let me be very frank and very direct, there is no conversation in the Sun Belt nor is there any interest. If I were in WKUs position, I'd be trying to figure out a way to move up to a level like the Sun Belt. And so, congratulations on that conversation.

That is funny. Love it

[CajunEXPRESS]

Let me be very frank and very direct, there is no conversation in the Sun Belt nor is there any interest. If I were in WKUs position, I'd be trying to figure out a way to move up to a level like the Sun Belt. And so, congratulations on that conversation.

Okay, ???? (:-)

[ZoomZoom]

Looks to me like the Sunbelt schedule will keep JMU from an at large bid.

Inevitably one or more of the bottom 3 will catch one or more of the top tier on a bad night. That’s basketball.

[CajunNation]

Well GSU probably won’t be down long, and neither will TxSt. ULM is a drag in almost every sport every year. At some point the Eastern members will ask them to leave. We have to provide support but hopefully we lose them and pick up WKU or maybe Missouri State.

If I had the power, I would add Missouri State and East Carolina and call it a day.