Sean lands a commitment from a 6-foot-10 big man from Serbia

[94GRAD]

https://twitter.com/RickBroering/status/1690023828787707904

Eligible this year!

[nuts4xu]

Awesome. You can never have enough competition for playing time.

[Xville]

Nice! Looks freeish but taller!

[94GRAD]

Nice! Looks freeish but taller!

Someone said a European Doellman, sign me up!

[bobbiemcgee]

Nicola jr.?

[X Matters]

I thought Xavier had given out all thirteen scholarships for 23/24. Does this mean Jerome Hunter is not coming back?

[D-West & PO-Z]

Yeah, I was under the understanding he we were full on schollys as well with the last signing.

[Xavgrad08]

Given the unknowns around the Hunter & Freemantle medical issues this piece addresses a roster need. I believe this does put X one above the Scholarship limit? I think the roster is going to be loaded. Hope Sean can keep everyone happy with PT.

[bobbiemcgee]

15ppg at world cup.

[D-West & PO-Z]

We are 1 over. Apparently someone will need to be a walk on.

[noteggs]

Yeah think we pulled a slick Rick trick.

[drudy23]

Hope Sean can keep everyone happy with PT.

That will be impossible with so many younger kid in the program.

My bigger hope is finding the the guys that can impact winning the most. That's the hard part with so many weapons.

[MHettel]

Do scholarship limits even matter at this point. We probably need a little more inside help, and certainly can use more shooting so a euro style 4 makes a ton of sense.

No scholarship? No problem. just have a booster chip in enough NIL to cover the costs.

[Final4]

We are 1 over. Apparently someone will need to be a walk on.

I've been curious how this may play out......not necessarily in this particular case but in general. You can call him/them walk ons but couldn't you simply take NIL monies and pay their tuition/fees/books/R&B/etc and essentially make them scholarship players?

[X Matters]

Do the Covid rules: players playing their extra Covid year do not count against the thirteen allowed scholarships still apply? If so we could add a couple of more players.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Do the Covid rules: players playing their extra Covid year do not count against the thirteen allowed scholarships still apply? If so we could add a couple of more players.

I could be wrong but I dont think the Covid waiver ever meant those players didn't count against the scholarship limit. They got the extra year but still counted against the limit.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I've been curious how this may play out......not necessarily in this particular case but in general. You can call him/them walk ons but couldn't you simply take NIL monies and pay their tuition/fees/books/R&B/etc and essentially make them scholarship players?

Yeah.

However, I think this is easier said than done in some cases. You need the player to be willing to have all their NIL money cover their school costs which means it isn't going into their pocket for whatever they want. Or you need to ensure they are getting the amount they could have + the additional money to cover school.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

Yeah.

However, I think this is easier said than done in some cases. You need the player to be willing to have all their NIL money cover their school costs which means it isn't going into their pocket for whatever they want. Or you need to ensure they are getting the amount they could have + the additional money to cover school.

Feels a bit dodgy to me. Like something UK would do.

I'm absolutely sure Miller knows what he is doing but, were I in his shoes, I'd be wondering how I'm going to keep all these players happy. And if they are not, it is going to be tough tough task to mold this group into a winning team.

[GoMuskies]

Coming this late...it could be because one of our guys isn't going to be able to play anymore. Hunter seems like the most logical candidate given his health issues, but who knows?

[Xville]

speculative but im guessing Free or Jerome or both aren't playing this year.

[xukeith]

speculative but im guessing Free or Jerome or both aren't playing this year.

That would be the worst news since Miller arrival.
Miller said pregame or postgame vs Bahama team that Freemantle is on pace for 100% recovery as was Craft.

[X Factor]

That would be the worst news since Miller arrival.
Miller said pregame or postgame vs Bahama team that Freemantle is on pace for 100% recovery as was Craft.

Yeah, I think Freemantle will be ready to go by the start of the season. Hunter, however, is a completely different story.

Even so, X is still 1 over the scholarship limit. I'm sure there's a plan in a place to make it work.

[xavierj]

The guy they landed today will be a freshman. Three of our bigs will exhaust eligibility after this year and no one knows if Jerome will be able to play this year. You need big men. Xavier also wants to get into the Euro market. This was a very smart move. Someone, one of the 5th year guys will go on NIL only I would imagine. Zach will be back as will Craft but you never know if they will stay healthy. Also I do not think the two bigs who transferred in are starter level big east guys. Sean wants to win and that is what he will do.

[xuwillie]

Pretty excited about this get. He has the potential to be our best player as a freshmen, don't think he stays more than 2 years

[MHettel]

Also I do not think the two bigs who transferred in are starter level big east guys. Sean wants to win and that is what he will do.

I tend to disagree here. Ousman was a defensive minded interior guy on a defensive minded team that was pretty dang good. That’s an anchor. We need that. Will that defense translate to BE success…maybe. But if he’s 85% as capable at this level, then he’s our best defensive big since Tyrique, and before that…..who? We aren’t exactly known for our rim protection / interior defense. I like this pickup. One less guy needing the ball on offense and one more guy in OREB position.

Duncolmb is also intriguing. Cincy native . Went to IU and was injured so he didn’t play much. What does that mean? Would he have played if he were not injured? Who knows. But Archie coached him and would know the upside. Sean grabbed him EARLY in the portal. If he wasn’t good, why make that move early. If he just a body you can grab him later in the portal or maybe not at all…who cares. I suspect that Duncolmb is B10 level talent that just wanted to come home. And XU made sense and miller had intel from Archie. I think this could be a low key big addition.

Who was excited about Nunge? Not many. Some similarities

[xavierj]

I tend to disagree here. Ousman was a defensive minded interior guy on a defensive minded team that was pretty dang good. That’s an anchor. We need that. Will that defense translate to BE success…maybe. But if he’s 85% as capable at this level, then he’s our best defensive big since Tyrique, and before that…..who? We aren’t exactly known for our rim protection / interior defense. I like this pickup. One less guy needing the ball on offense and one more guy in OREB position.

Duncolmb is also intriguing. Cincy native . Went to IU and was injured so he didn’t play much. What does that mean? Would he have played if he were not injured? Who knows. But Archie coached him and would know the upside. Sean grabbed him EARLY in the portal. If he wasn’t good, why make that move early. If he just a body you can grab him later in the portal or maybe not at all…who cares. I suspect that Duncolmb is B10 level talent that just wanted to come home. And XU made sense and miller had intel from Archie. I think this could be a low key big addition.

Who was excited about Nunge? Not many. Some similarities

Duncolmb does not have anything close to the same game as Nunge, they are different types of players. Ousmane was benched in North Texas NIT run. I watched him this week and I don’t see it. Hope I am wrong. He may be a capable guy off the bench but I would say at this point with a healthy Freemantle, the starting bigs will be Free and Nzeh and then they will start McKnight, Olivari and Des Claude. Could start one of the euro’s as well instead of Nzeh. Nzeh was clearly better than Duncolmb and Ousmane in the Bahama’s.

[MHettel]

Duncolmb does not have anything close to the same game as Nunge, they are different types of players. Ousmane was benched in North Texas NIT run. I watched him this week and I don’t see it. Hope I am wrong. He may be a capable guy off the bench but I would say at this point with a healthy Freemantle, the starting bigs will be Free and Nzeh and then they will start McKnight, Olivari and Des Claude. Could start one of the euro’s as well instead of Nzeh. Nzeh was clearly better than Duncolmb and Ousmane in the Bahama’s.

Well I don’t mind hearing Nzeh is promising.

Also, I wasn’t comparing Nunge to Duncolmb as players. I was comparing the circumstances. Nunge looked promising but was injury prone. Both guys played with an All-American forward.

Nunge looked like a “meh” transfer with some upside if he was healthy. He was, and he was really good.

I see much of the same in Duncolmb. I guess we will know soon enough

[xukeith]

Maybe but I doubt Ousman and Duncolmb came knowing they won't get minutes. Both have had experience vs top level talent. They know d1 speed, and defense.
Ousman knows how to play with foul trouble.

Hope Nzeh can add that first 20 pounds of muscle this year. His future does look bright.

Making a lot more free-throws, getting decent rebounds, and scoring between 12-15 combined from 2 big men is my hope.

European flavor at the 3/4 position looks promising vs a horrible Bahamas team.

[Muskie in dayton]

Feels a bit dodgy to me. Like something UK would do.
Welcome to NCAA Basketball 2023, where everything is like UK would do.

[xavierj]

Maybe but I doubt Ousman and Duncolmb came knowing they won't get minutes. Both have had experience vs top level talent. They know d1 speed, and defense.
Ousman knows how to play with foul trouble.

Hope Nzeh can add that first 20 pounds of muscle this year. His future does look bright.

Making a lot more free-throws, getting decent rebounds, and scoring between 12-15 combined from 2 big men is my hope.

European flavor at the 3/4 position looks promising vs a horrible Bahamas team.

I am sure the coaches were very honest with them. Duncomb didn’t play at all at Indiana and Ousmane is coming from a lower level where he lost minutes late in the year. I am sure they were told they could come in and compete for minutes but at the time with Zach and Jerome coming back, I can’t imagine either thought they would be starting. I think both can earn minutes but doubt either will start even if Jerome can’t get back to playing. Having depth in the post off the bench is a good thing.

[xuwillie]

Maybe but I doubt Ousman and Duncolmb came knowing they won't get minutes. Both have had experience vs top level talent. They know d1 speed, and defense.
Ousman knows how to play with foul trouble.

Hope Nzeh can add that first 20 pounds of muscle this year. His future does look bright.

Making a lot more free-throws, getting decent rebounds, and scoring between 12-15 combined from 2 big men is my hope.

European flavor at the 3/4 position looks promising vs a horrible Bahamas team.

I would be shocked if Duncolmb gets any meaningful minutes this year.

[xuwillie]

Feels a bit dodgy to me. Like something UK would do.

I'm absolutely sure Miller knows what he is doing but, were I in his shoes, I'd be wondering how I'm going to keep all these players happy. And if they are not, it is going to be tough tough task to mold this group into a winning team.

I think he took him knowing he could be our best big man especially not knowing if Free and Hunter are coming back 100% healthy. Nothing dodgy about it especially in this NIL world where most of these kids are getting paid

[D-West & PO-Z]

I am sure the coaches were very honest with them. Duncomb didn’t play at all at Indiana and Ousmane is coming from a lower level where he lost minutes late in the year. I am sure they were told they could come in and compete for minutes but at the time with Zach and Jerome coming back, I can’t imagine either thought they would be starting. I think both can earn minutes but doubt either will start even if Jerome can’t get back to playing. Having depth in the post off the bench is a good thing.

I think Ousamne will be starting regardless of Hunter's status.

I never saw Hunter as a starter on this team given it's makeup. Nothing to do with his ability at all.

Free and Claude were the obvious starters. Olivari and McKnight made a lot of sense.

That left one more big.

Free has shown he cannot defend at the 5 in the BE.

We brought in Ousmane, a known proven collegiate level defender. He will start at the 5, and I will be shocked if he doesnt.

The Serbian big guy who I don't know much about could be a wild card I guess. But again, not knowing much about him I think it will be Ousmane who started both games in the Bahamas.

I believed Nzeh started both as well but he's starting for Free's spot.

No matter what the starting lineup I feel better about of frontcourt than I did a few weeks ago with the addition of Gytis and the Serbian big man. We have options at the very least, which we did not last year. I think Free is a sure thing to be fine to play (staying healthy is the key) but Hunter is obviously anyone's guess.

I think you are off on Ousmane though and may be looking too much from an offensive perspective.

[xukeith]

If Duncomb has any strengths, it might be his high block shot numbers. He might be in lineup when Freemantle or Ousmane are in foul trouble/foul out.

[xavierj]

I think Ousamne will be starting regardless of Hunter's status.

I never saw Hunter as a starter on this team given it's makeup. Nothing to do with his ability at all.

Free and Claude were the obvious starters. Olivari and McKnight made a lot of sense.

That left one more big.

Free has shown he cannot defend at the 5 in the BE.

We brought in Ousmane, a known proven collegiate level defender. He will start at the 5, and I will be shocked if he doesnt.

The Serbian big guy who I don't know much about could be a wild card I guess. But again, not knowing much about him I think it will be Ousmane who started both games in the Bahamas.

I believed Nzeh started both as well but he's starting for Free's spot.

No matter what the starting lineup I feel better about of frontcourt than I did a few weeks ago with the addition of Gytis and the Serbian big man. We have options at the very least, which we did not last year. I think Free is a sure thing to be fine to play (staying healthy is the key) but Hunter is obviously anyone's guess.

I think you are off on Ousmane though and may be looking too much from an offensive perspective.

You have a different opinion on Ousmane than from what many others feel. He started because Zach was not available. From everything I hear and see Nzeh is ahead of Ousmane and Sean loves him. Nzeh played in the Bahamas like Tryrique Jones with a jump shot. If Zach was healthy he would start at the 4 and Nzeh at center. I mean if Xavier has to start a guy that was playing less than 15 minutes a game late in the year for North Texas, Xavier is in trouble. Also the Serbian guy they just landed looks really good and seems to be a major get for Xavier and he is just going to be a freshman. You can watch his videos and see what you think.

https://twitter.com/musketeerreport/status/1690193238722789378

[sirthought]

Well he moves really well, which is very promising. I think Euro guys of all sizes tend to be better ball handlers and passers than the US players who only focus on dunking or shooting three pointers.

The transfer big men will still have a big advantage over this kid for at least his first year. D1 hoops can be a real adjustment, just getting used to watching the game while being so physical. And I think all of our transfers will be able to get in there and not be overwhelmed.

Yeah, none of these guys will be stars. But it's true none of us thought Jack Nunge was going to make any particular mark and he was able to elevate the whole program at a time we really needed the help.

This wasn't just because of Jack's skill set, but also because of the balance of who he played with. When our guards matched up well with the other team, Jack could do more. When our guards struggled to guard their man, Jack was much less effective.

This team is going to have a lot of talented guards. Maybe not the most experience at first, but a lot of skilled athletes. This will really help the bigs in their development to fit in the Big East.

I'm not exactly convinced this team won't need a year to get all the new guys worked into the system, but it's certainly more positive than negative because these guys have experience overall.

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

I think Ousamne will be starting regardless of Hunter's status.

I never saw Hunter as a starter on this team given it's makeup. Nothing to do with his ability at all.

Free and Claude were the obvious starters. Olivari and McKnight made a lot of sense.

That left one more big.

Free has shown he cannot defend at the 5 in the BE.

We brought in Ousmane, a known proven collegiate level defender. He will start at the 5, and I will be shocked if he doesnt.

The Serbian big guy who I don't know much about could be a wild card I guess. But again, not knowing much about him I think it will be Ousmane who started both games in the Bahamas.

I believed Nzeh started both as well but he's starting for Free's spot.

No matter what the starting lineup I feel better about of frontcourt than I did a few weeks ago with the addition of Gytis and the Serbian big man. We have options at the very least, which we did not last year. I think Free is a sure thing to be fine to play (staying healthy is the key) but Hunter is obviously anyone's guess.

I think you are off on Ousmane though and may be looking too much from an offensive perspective.

Agree with everything above. Miller brought in Ousmane, I believe, for his defensive and board strengths and he brought him in to start and play lots of minutes. This time of year, it is easy (and interesting) to speculate about future playing time for each member of the team. But we don't have much, other than press clippings, to evaluate.

While I was impressed with Nzeh and really all the freshman, playing well in the Bahamas (games which felt scrimmages with refs) their play isn't an indication of how well these guys will perform in the BE against much better players and coaches in sold out venues in Omaha, Milwaukee and Storrs in high pressure games. Defense in the Bahamas was conspicuous in its near complete absence. Nzeh, in particular, is strong and athletic but, from what I saw, not yet an offensive threat. I'm skeptical the new recruits will see much floor time once conference play starts although I see minutes for Trey Green. The new Serbian Big is just too new to rate. He may indeed be the Second Coming, but I suspect he too will need time to adjust.

I didn't follow Arizona basketball closely while Miller was there. There was a lot of discussion on this board last year that as the season progresses, Miller likes to settle in on an eight-man rotation. We all saw that last year. But last year's injuries and lack of depth had much to do with player rotations. To me, it is obvious that Miller has changed his view and intends to field a much deeper team this year. Marquette and UConn played ten very effectively last year and I think Miller will do so next year. We have a bunch of athletes, this year and it is going to be very interesting to watch how Miller manages this roster. There was an earlier comment from Drudy, I think, on another thread about recognizing the challenge Miller has in molding a winning team out of so many talented individuals. I'm watching Miller to see how he does that. Expectations on this board are high and they should be. But, Creighton, UConn, Marquette, Georgetown and yes, even St. Johns, have improved their rosters as well. Can't wait for the season to commence.

[xuwillie]

[QUOTE=sirthought;766330]Well he moves really well, which is very promising. I think Euro guys of all sizes tend to be better ball handlers and passers than the US players who only focus on dunking or shooting three pointers.

The transfer big men will still have a big advantage over this kid for at least his first year. D1 hoops can be a real adjustment, just getting used to watching the game while being so physical. And I think all of our transfers will be able to get in there and not be overwhelmed.

Yeah, none of these guys will be stars. But it's true none of us thought Jack Nunge was going to make any particular mark and he was able to elevate the whole program at a time we really needed the help.

This wasn't just because of Jack's skill set, but also because of the balance of who he played with. When our guards matched up well with the other team, Jack could do more. When our guards struggled to guard their man, Jack was much less effective.

This team is going to have a lot of talented guards. Maybe not the most experience at first, but a lot of skilled athletes. This will really help the bigs in their development to fit in the Big East.


Disagree on none of these guys will be Stars. Djokovic looks like he could be a first round pick based on what some nba draft sites have said about him.

[XUBison]

You have a different opinion on Ousmane than from what many others feel. He started because Zach was not available. From everything I hear and see Nzeh is ahead of Ousmane and Sean loves him. Nzeh played in the Bahamas like Tryrique Jones with a jump shot. If Zach was healthy he would start at the 4 and Nzeh at center. I mean if Xavier has to start a guy that was playing less than 15 minutes a game late in the year for North Texas, Xavier is in trouble. Also the Serbian guy they just landed looks really good and seems to be a major get for Xavier and he is just going to be a freshman. You can watch his videos and see what you think.

https://twitter.com/musketeerreport/status/1690193238722789378

I agree with you on Ousmane. Assuming we stay healthy, I don’t see him being anything more than a rotation player. His defensive prowess may be solid, but it is not elite. His offense is… Ouch.

[sirthought]

[QUOTE=sirthought;766330]Well he moves really well, which is very promising. I think Euro guys of all sizes tend to be better ball handlers and passers than the US players who only focus on dunking or shooting three pointers.

The transfer big men will still have a big advantage over this kid for at least his first year. D1 hoops can be a real adjustment, just getting used to watching the game while being so physical. And I think all of our transfers will be able to get in there and not be overwhelmed.

Yeah, none of these guys will be stars. But it's true none of us thought Jack Nunge was going to make any particular mark and he was able to elevate the whole program at a time we really needed the help.

This wasn't just because of Jack's skill set, but also because of the balance of who he played with. When our guards matched up well with the other team, Jack could do more. When our guards struggled to guard their man, Jack was much less effective.

This team is going to have a lot of talented guards. Maybe not the most experience at first, but a lot of skilled athletes. This will really help the bigs in their development to fit in the Big East.


Disagree on none of these guys will be Stars. Djokovic looks like he could be a first round pick based on what some nba draft sites have said about him.

Well if you read my post again, you'll see I was referring to the transfers, and specifically the bigs.

[xavierj]

Read this from the Washington State site on Lazar. Pay attention to the part about him consistently outplaying the guy going to Arizona at the under 19 FIBA games. I think Xavier got a real steal. You need to scroll down a little.

https://www.cougcenter.com/platform/amp/2023/8/3/23818855/washington-state-basketball-roster-spot-fiba-international-ruben-prey-reynan-santos-zacharie-perrin

[xavierj]

And this from the BYU site from a week ago.

Lazar Djokovic — Serbia

I’ve got questions about the 6-foot-9 forward. Djokovic is a member of the 2023 class and is one of the few freshman I think could be a real difference maker. BYU is recruiting him, and Lazar told me BYU is one of the schools he is considering along with Kansas, Xavier, Utah, and a few others. He’s a versatile forward that can shoot outside and drive the rim. Don’t hold your breath, however. A source close to Lazar told me that BYU is unlikely. UCLA is making a big push as well, and he is likely to go elsewhere.

[Olsingledigit]

This thread started with the new guy at 6’10” and ended with him 6’8”. Somewhere in there I guess.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I mean if Xavier has to start a guy that was playing less than 15 minutes a game late in the year for North Texas, Xavier is in trouble.

Ousmane did not play in the NIT except for the 1st round due to personal family reasons.

"UNT coach Grant McCasland said Monday morning as the team prepared to leave for Stillwater that he was unsure if Ousmane will be available.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the big fella,” UNT guard Tylor Perry said. “We know he’s having some family issues. That’s the main priority, to make sure he’s OK.”

Ousmane has been a force for UNT throughout the season. He’s averaging 11.1 points and 6 rebounds per game, a total that is all the more impressive considering the Mean Green average 64.7 points per game and play at the slowest pace in the country."

In his last 10 games he avg 25 mins per game and clearly from the foul count you can see some of those were played with some foul trouble which may have limited mins (he fouled out in 2 of the last 10 games. His last game before leaving the team with personal family issues was 11 mins, but not knowing the family issue, maybe his head wasn't in the right place? Or a matchup issue?

His last 10 game mins avg was higher than his season total mins avg.

His last 5 games mins avg was 19.5. Again, had some foul trouble, even fouling out of one game. But another of those games he played 32 mins and he had 19 pts 9 rebs 3 assts and 5 blocks.

Not sure where you're getting your narrative from?

[MHettel]

Yeah, Miller had a starting Center job available and went to the portal to fill that. He’s not looking for a rotation player, and wouldn’t have settled for one. In fact, I’m sure we had a number of target guys that would have committed and Ousmane was the one.

I’m looking forward to a defensive stopper inside

[IM4X]

Someone said a European Doellman, sign me up!

Doellman’s skills with even more height. Sign me up too. That would be spectacular.

[xavierj]

Yeah, Miller had a starting Center job available and went to the portal to fill that. He’s not looking for a rotation player, and wouldn’t have settled for one. In fact, I’m sure we had a number of target guys that would have committed and Ousmane was the one.

I’m looking forward to a defensive stopper inside

I hope you are right. We will see. He seems like a great teammate but I didn’t see from the two games last week that he was a Big East level starter. Hopefully Zach and Jerome will be healthy this year. The guards we picked up look fantastic, both offensively and defensively. I think McKnight and Olivari will be really good.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Looking back on this thread it is clear very little can be taken from these pre season trips in terms of who will be contributors. Nzeh can't sniff the floor.

[xavierj]

Looking back on this thread it is clear very little can be taken from these pre season trips in terms of who will be contributors. Nzeh can't sniff the floor.

I agree. He is clearly not ready but I think he has potential. He has only been playing basketball for a few years and he is athletic. A year in the weight room and having a better understanding of the game will do him well. Xavier will need bigs to develop quickly.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I agree. He is clearly not ready but I think he has potential. He has only been playing basketball for a few years and he is athletic. A year in the weight room and having a better understanding of the game will do him well. Xavier will need bigs to develop quickly.

Yeah, the potential is definitely there.

[drudy23]

What worries me a little is the fact that these guys probably aren't going to stick around for 4 years. Most of them don't now.

So we can talk about development and the future all we want, but them being around is not a guarantee anymore.

[xavierj]

What worries me a little is the fact that these guys probably aren't going to stick around for 4 years. Most of them don't now.

So we can talk about development and the future all we want, but them being around is not a guarantee anymore.

No doubt but guys who don’t play as freshman will usually be a coaches decision if they stay or go. For guys like Des who don’t go pro will get some really enticing offers. Hope Xavier is ready to pony up if it comes to something like that. I am all for guys making money but Today’s college sports is not in a good spot.

[DexterBailey84]

So it turns out that returning only one player from the previous year is hard, huh?

Who woulda thunk it?

[XfansinKy]

It would be nice if X could make guys sign a contract saying after Miller develops them into good players they can’t run off for more money ������*♂️

[D-West & PO-Z]

It would be nice if X could make guys sign a contract saying after Miller develops them into good players they can’t run off for more money ������*♂️

Who are you worried about?

X has not had a single player transfer somewhere better in recent memory. The last person I can think to do so was Lyons to go play for Miller at Arizona but him and Mack had issues. Seemed mutual.

Since NIL none of our players have left for somewhere else bc they were offered more money.

[GoMuskies]

Churchill Odia transferred to Oregon a long time ago. Still can't figure that one out. He was bad for us and bad for them.

[JTG]

Let's say hypothetically we take UCONN, Marq, Nova, or Creighton's 2 best players off their team and have 1, yes one returning player, and see how good they are. Especially using 3 Euros, who have been in the US for 90 days or less. Had all this happened in June we'd be much farther along. Learning to play together on the fly would be tall order for any coach. Hopefully we get this figured out by Christmas.

[xu82]

The only thing I expected from this team was gradual improvement from November to March.

[MHettel]

The only thing I expected from this team was gradual improvement from November to March.

I expect our $4M a year coach to get us to the sweet 16 every year.

I get that Miller is playing with a whole new hand. But, he could have cut some dead weight LAST YEAR (Tandy, Miles, Edwards) and set himself up with a little more continuity on the roster. We knew that Boum and Kunkel were done. Jones was likely headed to the NBA. Hunge, Free and Hunter had all played 4 years and frankly 2 of them returning was a surprise to me.

I just dont want the excuses about too many new players. Not ever playing together didnt cause Abou to foul out twice this year in 10 minutes or less. Not playing together didnt casue us to go 18-31 (58%) at the line in a 3 point loss to Washington.

We're middle of the road on a lot of team stats, but 16th in the country in assists per game. We're holding teams to 38.8% shooting overall (ranked 40), 27% from 3 (ranked 32). Our defensive rebounding is 39th, and opponents offensive rebounding is 288th.

In what way will the passage of time allow us to get better that will show up in the team stats?

I'm not seeing the "killer" yet on this roster. If one emerges, we can get this back on track. Need an uptick in 3pt shooting percentgage and less interior fouls.

[94GRAD]

I expect our $4M a year coach to get us to the sweet 16 every year.

I get that Miller is playing with a whole new hand. But, he could have cut some dead weight LAST YEAR (Tandy, Miles, Edwards) and set himself up with a little more continuity on the roster. We knew that Boum and Kunkel were done. Jones was likely headed to the NBA. Hunge, Free and Hunter had all played 4 years and frankly 2 of them returning was a surprise to me.

I just dont want the excuses about too many new players. Not ever playing together didnt cause Abou to foul out twice this year in 10 minutes or less. Not playing together didnt casue us to go 18-31 (58%) at the line in a 3 point loss to Washington.

We're middle of the road on a lot of team stats, but 16th in the country in assists per game. We're holding teams to 38.8% shooting overall (ranked 40), 27% from 3 (ranked 32). Our defensive rebounding is 39th, and opponents offensive rebounding is 288th.

In what way will the passage of time allow us to get better that will show up in the team stats?

I'm not seeing the "killer" yet on this roster. If one emerges, we can get this back on track. Need an uptick in 3pt shooting percentgage and less interior fouls.

Here is some context of your expectations of getting to the Sweet Sixteen every year.

CURRENT STREAKS
Gonzaga 8 years - 2015..2023
Houston 4 years - 2019..2023
Arkansas 3 years - 2021..2023
UCLA 3 years - 2021..2023
Miami (FL) 2 years - 2022..2023
Alabama 1 year - 2023
Connecticut 1 year - 2023
Creighton 1 year - 2023
Florida Atlantic 1 year - 2023
Kansas State 1 year - 2023
Michigan State 1 year - 2023
Princeton 1 year - 2023
San Diego State 1 year - 2023
Tennessee 1 year - 2023
Texas 1 year - 2023
Xavier 1 year - 2023

Here's a link to all-time streaks

https://mcubed.net/ncaab/strkr16c.shtml?expand_article=1

[drudy23]

My expectations over a 10 year span, which I think are realistic:

Making the tournament - 90% (every program has an off year every so often, even though it completely sucks when your team doesn't make it. It's why I'm still bitter with Steele, completely unacceptable)
Sweet 16 - 50%
Elite 8 - 20-30%
Final Four - I'll take once, just once in my lifetime
Champ - again, I just need 1 before I die

[bjf123]

My expectations over a 10 year span, which I think are realistic:

Making the tournament - 90% (every program has an off year every so often, even though it completely sucks when your team doesn't make it. It's why I'm still bitter with Steele, completely unacceptable)
Sweet 16 - 50%
Elite 8 - 20-30%
Final Four - I'll take once, just once in my lifetime
Champ - again, I just need 1 before I die

Seems reasonable to me, though I might bump Sweet 16 to 66.7%.


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[MHettel]

The way I see it, is if you had a coach that made the Sweet 16 every year, he could reasonably argue that he's worth 4M a year.

So the inverse of that is that if I have a coach that makes 4M a year, that I could reasonably expect to make the sweet 16 annually.

[Xville]

First are you sure of that number you are attaching to miller?

[MHettel]

First are you sure of that number you are attaching to miller?

Nope. Do you know it? I really dont. You can substitute $4M for "one of the highest paid coaches in the country"

I'm not complaining either. Good for him. And good for us. But expectation are commensurate.

[94GRAD]

Nope. Do you know it? I really dont. You can substitute $4M for "one of the highest paid coaches in the country"

I'm not complaining either. Good for him. And good for us. But expectation are commensurate.

Top 25 highest paid Coaches

https://frontofficesports.com/highest-paid-mens-college-basketball-coaches/

[GoMuskies]

That should probably say top 25 highest paid coaches at public universities. One would assume that at least Mark Few and Jon Scheyer are in the top 10 from private universities.

Kenny Payne on the list amuses. He did finally beat Bellarmine (by 5), so things are really looking up!

[94GRAD]

Salaries for last year's Sweet Sixteen Coaches.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/salary-sweet-16-head-coaches-college-basketball-17855838.php

[drudy23]

Top 25 highest paid Coaches

https://frontofficesports.com/highest-paid-mens-college-basketball-coaches/

Laughable:

Brad Underwood
Dana Altman
Ed Cooley at 3
Buzz Williams
Jeff Cappel
Jamie Dixon

Should be higher:
Matt Painter

[Xavier]

My expectations over a 10 year span, which I think are realistic:

Making the tournament - 90% (every program has an off year every so often, even though it completely sucks when your team doesn't make it. It's why I'm still bitter with Steele, completely unacceptable)
Sweet 16 - 50%
Elite 8 - 20-30%
Final Four - I'll take once, just once in my lifetime
Champ - again, I just need 1 before I die

Yeah, these seem pretty realistic. If Miller takes us to a final four does he get the court named after him, or is that only if he were to bring us a NC?

[Xavier]

The way I see it, is if you had a coach that made the Sweet 16 every year, he could reasonably argue that he's worth 4M a year.

So the inverse of that is that if I have a coach that makes 4M a year, that I could reasonably expect to make the sweet 16 annually.

I think most of coaches salary should be tied to regular season/Big East success. I’m not saying it’s not important, if you lose in the first two rounds all the time eventually you move on (think Mick at UC). I know a lot think Mack failed us strictly on the post season melt downs. But give me a 1 seed, a 2 seed, a Big East Championship and one elite 8 run in a three year stretch I’d say it’s damn good and worth top 20 paid coach material.

I’m not sure mack was paid that, just illustrating how I think regular season is more tied to salary than anything.

[Xville]

Nope. Do you know it? I really dont. You can substitute $4M for "one of the highest paid coaches in the country"

I'm not complaining either. Good for him. And good for us. But expectation are commensurate.

That 2.4 mil sounds way more realistic. I’m sure there are bonuses so let’s say he makes 3 or lower 3s. That puts his comp lower than the top 16 of coaches. In fact, it puts him not even in the top 25. And with private u included, probably not even top 30.

As 94 pointed out earlier in his illustration it’s extremely hard to go back to back sweet 16s, let alone every year. I mean expect whatever you want but imo it’s just not realistic, not even close.

[X-band '01]

Churchill Odia transferred to Oregon a long time ago. Still can't figure that one out. He was bad for us and bad for them.

Okay, we've now referenced Odia and the Human Foul Machine within a span of 24 hours. Who's next, Bitter Beer Face?

[bobbiemcgee]

How about the Midwestern kid who got homesick lol

[GoMuskies]

How about the Midwestern kid who got homesick lol

Richie Sutherland? That's going into the way back machine! But you're probably talking Jarred Ridder.

[GoMuskies]

Speaking of transfers, good on Kyky Tandy finding his spot. He's averaging 18.5 for Jacksonville State, shooting 36% from three. Scored 29 against South Alabama last night.

[bjf123]

Speaking of transfers, good on Kyky Tandy finding his spot. He's averaging 18.5 for Jacksonville State, shooting 36% from three. Scored 29 against South Alabama last night.

That’s great to hear!


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[D-West & PO-Z]

Speaking of transfers, good on Kyky Tandy finding his spot. He's averaging 18.5 for Jacksonville State, shooting 36% from three. Scored 29 against South Alabama last night.

Was just wondering about Kyky and Odom, thanks for the update.

[drudy23]

Lazar played 4 minutes against probably the most athletic team we will play all year. Not good Clark.