Manhattan's coach to USF

[nelsonmuntz]

If I had to guess about 2014-15

Cincy - NCAA
SMU - NCAA
UConn - NCAA
Memphis - NCAA
Tulsa - NIT, maybe NCAA
Houston - NIT or CBI
USF
Temple
UCF
ECU
Tulane

I was saying back in January, early February that the RPI of the schools at the bottom was going to make it tough to get 5 teams in the dance. Everyone blasted me at the time. Turns out I was right.

One of Houston, USF, Tulsa, UCF, ECU or Tulane is going to have to dramatically overachieve (like SMU did this year) to get the overall conference SOS to the point that it can support 5 bids. I don't see it happening. If UConn, Memphis, Cincinnati and SMU schedule well and pick up some quality non-conference wins, they can all go to the tournament.

 

[kobe]

OOC schedules need to step up for the top of the conference. Cincinnati has scheduled VCU, San Diego State, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Xavier, Ole Miss/Creighton, etc. I hope that will be enough to get a good OOC SOS.

 

[UofMemphis]

I was saying back in January, early February that the RPI of the schools at the bottom was going to make it tough to get 5 teams in the dance. Everyone blasted me at the time. Turns out I was right.

One of Houston, USF, Tulsa, UCF, ECU or Tulane is going to have to dramatically overachieve (like SMU did this year) to get the overall conference SOS to the point that it can support 5 bids. I don't see it happening. If UConn, Memphis, Cincinnati and SMU schedule well and pick up some quality non-conference wins, they can all go to the tournament.

That's what I said...4 NCAA, 2 NIT...USF might sneak in the CBI or CIT

At least the AAC will have a true "middle class" made of solid teams.

 

[tzznandrew]

I was saying back in January, early February that the RPI of the schools at the bottom was going to make it tough to get 5 teams in the dance. Everyone blasted me at the time. Turns out I was right.

The bottom 5 times really did hurt the top 5, and a number of people agreed with you on that.

But if SMU won any of their last 3 games, they were in, regardless of those weak 5 teams.

 

[tzznandrew]

That's what I said...4 NCAA, 2 NIT...USF might sneak in the CBI or CIT

At least the AAC will have a true "middle class" made of solid teams.

The middle class could really help, especially if some of them get themselves into the Top 100 (Temple and Houston seem quite possible, USF and Tulsa wouldn't shock me). Even if they don't make the NCAAs, their mere presence in the Top 100 would have given every AAC team at least a 1 seed-line boost, possibly 2...and gotten SMU in.

 

[UofMemphis]

The NIT could be a blessing for SMU...theyre winning games and look like a true force next season.

 

[metsfan2323]

But if SMU won any of their last 3 games, they were in, regardless of those weak 5 teams.

I agree, It was not the RPI of the bottom teams that cost SMU, it was 3 losses to the bottom teams in the last month of the season that cost SMU. They lost to USF, Temple and Houston and the Houston loss occurred at the worst possible time. SMU earned their NIT bid with bad performances.

 

[gtcam]

Masiello has beaten exactly 1 power conference opponent in 3 years at Manhattan, a win at South Carolina this year. Good for him.

He is a solid coach, a Pitino student and hung with Lville better than UConn
Admit it - you understated/underestimated USF.........................among other things

 

[7774]

I agree, It was not the RPI of the bottom teams that cost SMU, it was 3 losses to the bottom teams in the last month of the season that cost SMU. They lost to USF, Temple and Houston and the Houston loss occurred at the worst possible time. SMU earned their NIT bid with bad performances.

Don't disagree, but it's still frustrating because you know if the head of the selection committee was from an AAC school instead of an ACC school they would have gotten in.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

He is a solid coach, a Pitino student and hung with Lville better than UConn
Admit it - you understated/underestimated USF.....among other things

How many low/mid major coaches have played in the NCAA Tournament over the last 3 years and deserve a shot at a near-major job like USF? 25? I don't know. This is exactly the kind of coach I thought they would hire.

 

[nadav]

Selling the guy awfully short -- not at all surprised.

How many of these low/mid major coaches were top recruiters for national title teams? Masiello was at Louisville.

How many of those guys took over a 11-20 team and won 25 games 3 years later? Masiello did.

Purnell (9-57 in Big East play) and Willard (24-48) are big time and show their school is "trying", but not this guy.

 

[Adios]

I think it has the same potential as vintage CUSA. Cincy-Memphis-Louisville were good enough to help some older, traditional powers, and others in recruiting areas, pull in new blood. By the early 2000s, CUSA was really really good, and then it fell apart. UConn-Memphis-Cincy might be able to do the same thing.

But let's hope that all three of us get the heck out of here into P5 conferences.

This conference has a decent number of old D1-A schools that are very well backed (SMU, Tulane, Houston, Cincy, Memphis, Navy). It's not exactly horrible company.