Austin Reaves Leaving Wichita State

[Drew]

They’re going to be an entirely new team next year

 

[UConnDan97]

I agree with you about Wichita, which both makes me happy and concerned at the same time. Happy because I want to have an easier time beating conference mates. Concerned because I really wonder about their long-term quality and the fact that we may have added them to our conference for nothing...

 

[UconnU]

Something is going on at Whichita state. Why would their best returning player transfer after losing 4 starters? Not good for the conference.

 

[gampelcrazies]

We could use someone like him

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

Something is going on at Whichita state. Why would their best returning player transfer after losing 4 starters? Not good for the conference.

The guy was purely a 3 point shooter and not much of a scorer besides that. My guess is that he knows without talent around him, his skills wouldn't be best utilized as he's not the type of scorer/shot creator to carry a team.

 

[AdamaNation]

The guy was purely a 3 point shooter and not much of a scorer besides that. My guess is that he knows without talent around him, his skills wouldn't be best utilized as he's not the type of scorer/shot creator to carry a team.

That says duke or the like all over it.

 

[CTGoonie]

Good thing Aresco only brought Wichita St. to the AAC for one season.

 

[Yardigan]

Something is going on at Whichita state. Why would their best returning player transfer after losing 4 starters? Not good for the conference.

Coach on the way out...no way he's there beyond this year.

 

[gtcam]

I am not concerned at all about WSU
Coach Marshall is one of the best out there and the school has enough notoriety that will attract the players he's has been accustomed to on his squad. The conference affiliation won't hurt him like UConn - they stepped up, not down
Reeves is a really good chucker but that was about it - he will be a perfect fit for someone who needs a shooter for some spark.
Reeves might not fit into future plans due to the loss of his supporting cast - just a guess on my part

 

[Austin316]

Gregg Marshall is a good coach. It’s a huge hit this season but I don’t think it will hurt WSU longevity.

 

[gtcam]

Coach on the way out...no way he's there beyond this year.

only way he leaves is on his decision

 

[UconnU]

OT: I wonder if Gonzaga would join the American given the chance. I would love to have 1 more powerhouse; scoop up like Zaga and SDSU/Nevada Split the conference into 2 divisions east and west. That would make our conference just as good from a basketball perspective as the “Big East”. We’re already a national conference. Flights to Spokane aren’t that much longer than flights to Dallas.

 

[kobe]

wish we could just rotate the 12th member every year. think nevada returns everyone next year, they should be top 15 good (trust me on this one). let's boot wichita and add them.

 

[Yardigan]

only way he leaves is on his decision

Correct...just like Hurley...

 

[AZHuskiePop]

The guy was purely a 3 point shooter and not much of a scorer besides that. My guess is that he knows without talent around him, his skills wouldn't be best utilized as he's not the type of scorer/shot creator to carry a team.

That’s exactly the advise I gave Larrier as a Post Grad
His NBA stock would have increased if surrounded by a bunch of real good shooters.
I suspect his alleged bad handle magically becomes a lot better with spacing..

 

[gioff23]

wish we could just rotate the 12th member every year. think nevada returns everyone next year, they should be top 15 good (trust me on this one). let's boot wichita and add them.

Be careful what you wish for ... they may adopt your idea but boot the team that shows no heart rather than the newest addition

 

[Mokum]

I am not concerned at all about WSU
Coach Marshall is one of the best out there and the school has enough notoriety that will attract the players he's has been accustomed to on his squad. The conference affiliation won't hurt him like UConn - they stepped up, not down
Reeves is a really good chucker but that was about it - he will be a perfect fit for someone who needs a shooter for some spark.
Reeves might not fit into future plans due to the loss of his supporting cast - just a guess on my part

Step up or down makes no difference. Still the AAC. I have some doubts about Wichita, but we'll see. Maybe they can keep it going.

 

[kobe]

Be careful what you wish for ... they may adopt your idea but boot the team that shows no heart rather than the newest addition

if the answer to that question is ecu or tulsa, im good.

 

[Burnsbros23]

Keyser most likely transferred for other reasons. He had off the court issues in the past.

 

[gtcam]

OT: I wonder if Gonzaga would join the American given the chance. I would love to have 1 more powerhouse; scoop up like Zaga and SDSU/Nevada Split the conference into 2 divisions east and west. That would make our conference just as good from a basketball perspective as the “Big East”. We’re already a national conference. Flights to Spokane aren’t that much longer than flights to Dallas.

I don't think adding another opponent more than 500 miles away makes sense anymore
These long road trips are killers on the players plus it's bad in rivalry creation
I'm not for Gonzaga (while I do admire the program) joining at all
Would rather poach someone from A10

 

[gtcam]

Correct...just like Hurley...

unless it's "just cause" and not just because

 

[UconnU]

I don't think adding another opponent more than 500 miles away makes sense anymore
These long road trips are killers on the players plus it's bad in rivalry creation
I'm not for Gonzaga (while I do admire the program) joining at all
Would rather poach someone from A10

VCU or URI?

 

[gtcam]

VCU or URI?

If it came down to adding a new member with football it has to be URI
If basketball only - maybe VCU or Davidson or even St Joes

Found this on Gonzaga, dated 04/02:

AD Mike Roth: Maintaining status in WCC 'right thing for Gonzaga'

• Gonzaga will not join the Mountain West Conference and instead will remain in the West Coast Conference, its longtime home, athletic director Mike Roth confirmed Monday.

"Our decision is to remain in the WCC, where we've had a great relationship for 39 years going on 40," Roth said, according to The Spokesman-Review. "We appreciate the Mountain West pursuing us. However, for a number of reasons, maintaining our status in the WCC is the right thing for Gonzaga University."

According to the newspaper, Roth met with university president Thayne McCulloh on Monday and finalized the decision.

The MWC had been looking to add Gonzaga in all sports, but men's basketball would have been the marquee addition.

The Bulldogs' men's basketball team has become one of the nation's most consistent. It has won six straight WCC tournament titles and has won at least a share of 18 of the past 19 regular-season titles overall.

Over the weekend, MWC commissioner Craig Thompson told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the conference did not expect the Bulldogs to become its newest member, citing changes the WCC made to its scheduling and revenue distribution.

"You look at what the West Coast Conference did to accommodate them," Thompson told the newspaper. "Congratulations, that's a good deal for them. There are just some things in there that I don't think our membership would have accepted.

"They're offering some things that probably don't make sense for our league. Most conferences are adding games. They're going to fewer games [18 to 16]. We've increased our [NCAA tournament] unit bonus, but what I'm hearing they're doing, we're not going to do that."

 

[StunningSteve]

Step up or down makes no difference. Still the AAC. I have some doubts about Wichita, but we'll see. Maybe they can keep it going.

The AAC is a good conference and will only shine more favorably on the Shockers with the regime changes at UConn, Memphis, and Temple.
It's very likely they'll be playing against the #1 recruit in the country next year in James Wiseman. That would be a good get for the conference next year (or maybe this year, depending..)

Not worried one bit about the Shockers. They have a good class coming in. It's likely they'll beat Butler on the recruiting trail for the 3rd time tomorrow.

 

[Bulldog]

Here’s what makes sense. Set up two true divisions. East that would include UCF and USF; ECU, Temple, Uconn & Cinci. West would include SMU & Houston, Tulsa, WS, Memphis & Tulane. East would blanket the East coast. Navy is the tricky one as football only. They are a good draw. Again they naturally belong in the East. It would be a great east coast footprint

While the West are also geographically favorable for each other ideally a fourteenth Football program (Boise State) would work well. Each would play the other five or six in their division for football plus three (or four) from the other division. This would result in no more than two long football trips. You could also consider a designated rival from the other such as the SEC does. Eg Ga plays Auburn every year Football schedules and rivalries would fall into place IF teams get better.

Basketball is a different beast. But I think this works. Ten division games, Six or seven from the other division, seven if you designate a rival such as Uconn/SMU. Plus the conference tournament. You could do this with only two trips out West if you combine two games in one trip. Eg SMU/Houston.

Now all that needs to be accomplished is to get a BState or someone else, Brigham Young? to join the conference. Teams not to develop their intradivision rivalrys and play better. Uconn can’t continue to be the 127th ranked team, football,as I just read from one source. By themselves they are an RPI killer!

 

[don356]

wish we could just rotate the 12th member every year. think nevada returns everyone next year, they should be top 15 good (trust me on this one). let's boot wichita and add them.

Nevada could lose most of their team, Stephens was a senior and 3 of the juniors have thrown in for the draft but haven't hired an agent.

 

[intlzncster]

Nevada could lose most of their team, Stephens was a senior and 3 of the juniors have thrown in for the draft but haven't hired an agent.

And Mussleman's not likely to stay around either.

 

[UconnFanDC]

I agree with you about Wichita, which both makes me happy and concerned at the same time. Happy because I want to have an easier time beating conference mates. Concerned because I really wonder about their long-term quality and the fact that we may have added them to our conference for nothing...

I told someone from day 1. They were a bad addition and may not have continued success. I still hope that i am wrong.

 

[don356]

They'll be fine. They have a very loyal supportive fan base, and big, big ,big money behind them.

 

[AdamaNation]

OT: I wonder if Gonzaga would join the American given the chance. I would love to have 1 more powerhouse; scoop up like Zaga and SDSU/Nevada Split the conference into 2 divisions east and west. That would make our conference just as good from a basketball perspective as the “Big East”. We’re already a national conference. Flights to Spokane aren’t that much longer than flights to Dallas.

We would long for the travel of the good old days of theAAC