Umass?

[sirthought]

Did anyone expect them to be so good this season? Currently ranked 4 in RPI. SOS rank 5? Wow.
I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention. (A10 has been off my radar for months.)

The projections on RealTimeRPI.com have them losing five conference games, which is possible in the A10, but they've beaten so many solid teams I think they could possibly run the table. George Washington and Saint Louis will be the real games to watch.

[waggy]

They had 3 or 4 super athletic wings/forwards. Esho was one, can't remember the others. The one kid drilled two million 3's against X a season or two ago when they beat us in Amherst. So not surprising, and actually should've been expected, but I also stopped paying attention when X left the A10.

[vee4xu]

It's early. They'll probably fold like a cheap suit as the season goes on. One thing in their favor is that without the Flagship and Butler in the league anymore, they won't lose any games against either one of those teams.

[Xavgrad08]

Kellogg is a horrible in game coach, but he is a solid recruiter. Umass has a lot of seniors on the team so after this year Kellogg will bolt at the best offer.

[XUFan09]

Chaz Williams is a helluva player. The A10 is probably a three-team race between SLU, VCU, and them. Dayton could cause problems (or just pull a Dayton).

Kenpom rankings of top 5:

#24 SLU
#27 UMass
#29 VCU
#43 Dayton
#60 George Washington

It drops down to the 80s and 90s for the next four teams, then you really see the cliff for the next four. I don't think the winner of the league is going to manage 14-2 or even 13-3, though, because of how solid the top is.

[Masterofreality]

The A10 is what it always is 4 to 5 good teams at the top then 9-10 mediocre to crappy teams. In the past, at various times it was X, Temple, then some mix of St. Joes, GW, Rhodee, St. Louis and Richmond as NCAA potentials. Then you had the NIT potentials like UMESS, udump, and Charlotte, then the perennial bottom feeders like Fordham, LaSuck and Pukecane. Olean Welding Academy crossed parameters from tough to suck .

With X's tough year last year, LaSuck had their miracle season and they are back to Lossalle again. VCU picked up the slack for one year. This is UMess's year, but they have a bunch of Seniors like Williams and Putney and long term Kellogg is still their coach.

Rinse and repeat.

[xubrew]

UMass has a lot of good wins, but no great ones. They're solid. I think they're easily one of the 25 best teams in the country. I don't think they've played the 5th toughest schedule, though. I know what the numbers say, but that data is still a little incomplete at this time. What they did do is not play any crap teams, and a lot of good ones, but like I said, they really haven't played any great teams.

[Muskie]

Did the A10 make some sort of deal with Nbcsports? They have back to back games on today.

[Masterofreality]

Did the A10 make some sort of deal with Nbcsports? They have back to back games on today.

Yeah, that started last year. They get very little money for it though. McGlade is just trying to go for exposure and basically giving away content.

[XUFan09]

UMass has a lot of good wins, but no great ones. They're solid. I think they're easily one of the 25 best teams in the country. I don't think they've played the 5th toughest schedule, though. I know what the numbers say, but that data is still a little incomplete at this time. What they did do is not play any crap teams, and a lot of good ones, but like I said, they really haven't played any great teams.

You'r right, definitely not the 5th toughest schedule. They're projected to have an non-conference SOS ranked 41st and an overall SOS ranked 49th. There's definitely something to be said though about consistently winning while usually not playing really bad teams. Even the 90th best team in the country can give a team fits on an off-night.

[gladdenguy]

UMass and St. Louis are tough.

[coasterville95]

I noted that George mason sank to the bottom like a rock. I guess all the reservations expressed here when they were talking about adding them instead of VCU in our final year were valid.

[gladdenguy]

After I posted that UMass is going to lose to the Bonnies at home.
Ok St Louis is tough.

[The_Mack_Pack]

Looks like the Bonnies blew it. UMass has gotten lucky these past two games where St. Joes and the Bonnies had them beat then just gave it away.

[gladdenguy]

Yeah UMass good comeback. They are still tough after all.

[The_Mack_Pack]

George Mason up 3 with 20 seconds to go and they turn the ball over on 3 straight possessions and lose.. UMass is really escaping some bad losses. A road win is a road win however. Not really sold that this is a top 20 team though.

[X-band '01]

If all they do is win, then who's to say they're not a Top 20 team? I would not want to play them in a winner-take-all environment at this point.

[Muskie]

UMASS has played a ton of close games this season: Clemson, Nebraska, LSU, Providence, Miami (OH), St. Joseph’s, St. Bonaventure, George Mason, and Florida State.

I mean no disrespect. But I don't see much tournament ready teams in that group. Maybe FSU and Providence (if they can right the ship).

[BandAid]

Do they play to their competition? It's a dangerous way to live, especially in the tourney.

[xubrew]

UMass has mastered the art of doing just enough.

I actually watched most of the game last night. The best way to describe it is that George Mason "out-lost" UMass. Both teams were trying to lose it, and Mason succeeded.

[xufan02]

Umass down 4 at Richmond with 2:35 left. Richmond could beat Dayton and Umass back to back.

[X Factor]

Umass down 4 at Richmond with 2:35 left. Richmond could beat Dayton and Umass back to back.

Beating UD is nothing to brag about. They are down 19 points at home to VCU.

Poor Archie. He could be sitting on the bench next to Sean at UofA. I think he jumped too soon at the chance to be a HC.

[xufan02]

Richmond wins at storms the court, very mid major. Meanwhile the Flyers are getting taken to the woodshed down twenty at home against VCU.

[X-band '01]

And SLU escapes the Mighty Dukes in Pittsburgh.

But on the whole, 5-1 in the Big East is a lot better.

[Juice]

Umass down 4 at Richmond with 2:35 left. Richmond could beat Dayton and Umass back to back.

The A10 gon A10

[kyxu]

And SLU escapes the Mighty Dukes in Pittsburgh.

St. Louis has no business being in the top 25. It's a joke.

They have 3 RPI top 100 wins, and have not defeated a single team that is going to the Tournanment (their best win is against Dayton, and we all know where their season is headed). Yet because they are 17-2 against no one, they are ranked six spots ahead of Creighton, a real team with legit Final Four talent.