January: Other NCAA Games

[Gurleyman]

Kentucky had 7 players score in double figures in a regulation game and lost. Bet that’s pretty rare.

 

[RuffRuff]

StJ mauling the Hall, Ruiz blossoming. Kids averaging 22/game over last 4 and on his way in this one. He also rebounds the heck out of it at 6 7, very active. Feels like the kinda kid you’d hope for Ross to blossom into as very similar archetype, it just doesn’t seem he’s even close offensively.

 

[jibsey]

Iowa State #2 loses to an unranked team.. It happens in conference all the time.

 

[aceboon]

Gonzaga lost at home to Santa Clara

 

[dvegas]

Lol hate them both but would have love to have seen the (few dozen) Benedict College "fans" melting down over this, Cameron North at Conte Forum

Maine fans flock to see Flagg, Duke beat BC

 

[RuffRuff]

Lol hate them both but would have love to have seen the (few dozen) Benedict College "fans" melting down over this, Cameron North at Conte Forum

Maine fans flock to see Flagg, Duke beat BC

Duke is a draw - they all went to the Celtics game to reunite the “brotherhood” with Paulo and Tatum on this trip. They have the it brand, which feeds itself over time. When you land the Flaggs of the world over and over, the flywheel keeps running. Would be great tap that well, but it would start with establishing a few big names in the NBA.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Gonzaga lost at home to Santa Clara

When it rains it pours. The great non-conf wins we had are looking just good

Baylor at home
Gonzaga at MSG
Texas on the road

All good but not enough to move the needle too far come selection Sunday. UConn may get some brand recognition advantage though.

 

[RuffRuff]

When it rains it pours. The great non-conf wins we had are looking just good

Baylor at home
Gonzaga at MSG
Texas on the road

All good but not enough to move the needle too far come selection Sunday. UConn may get some brand recognition advantage though.

Zags losing at home to Santa Clara after a loss to Oregon St.

Our KP is down to 30. It’s definitely not trending. Feb with Liam is going to be really important.

 

[HooperScooper]

Duke is a draw - they all went to the Celtics game to reunite the “brotherhood” with Paulo and Tatum on this trip. They have the it brand, which feeds itself over time. When you land the Flaggs of the world over and over, the flywheel keeps running. Would be great tap that well, but it would start with establishing a few big names in the NBA.

Eh, I like who we are. I don't want to be Duke.

 

[RuffRuff]

Eh, I like who we are. I don't want to be Duke.

I’m thinking more about sustainability over time, even when Hurley is gone. We are still a coach driven program, they are more of a brand driven program. You can probably slip any assortment of mid level coaches into that program and they’d still win based on the pedigree of talent the brand attracts.

 

[uconngb]

Eh, I like who we are. I don't want to be Duke.

NOBODY wants to be Dook except Dook

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Zags losing at home to Santa Clara after a loss to Oregon St.

Our KP is down to 30. It’s definitely not trending. Feb with Liam is going to be really important.

Zags are struggling with the non-tomato cans of the WCC. Addition of Washington St. & Oregon St. to their schedule may be exposing them for how they work the KenPom system. Their KenPom DRtg has plummeted from #19 to #60 since they had to play the stretch of Wash St (KP #87), Oregon St (KP #62), and Santa Clara (KP #64). They aren't getting a steady diet of KP#250-350 offensive teams to feast on during their WCC schedule to make their metrics look pretty.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I’m thinking more about sustainability over time, even when Hurley is gone. We are still a coach driven program, they are more of a brand driven program. You can probably slip any assortment of mid level coaches into that program and they’d still win based on the pedigree of talent the brand attracts.

What an odd take. How do you figure? Scheyer hasn't really proven anything. If they continue to flam out in the tournament, how long until his seat gets hot? What happens to the brand then? Also the ACC is getting worse.

Programs that have had success can suck right away with a bad coach. Look at Louisville post Pitino. Syracuse. UNC has teetered so far with Davis.

UConn has won titles with 3 different coaches in the last 26 years. Think about that.

 

[RuffRuff]

Zags are struggling with the non-tomato cans of the WCC. Addition of Washington St. & Oregon St. to their schedule may be exposing them for how they work the KenPom system. Their KenPom DRtg has plummeted from #19 to #60 since they had to play the stretch of Wash St (KP #87), Oregon St (KP #62), and Santa Clara (KP #64). They aren't getting a steady diet of KP#250-350 offensive teams to feast on during their WCC schedule to make their metrics look pretty.

What’s wild is they shot 55% in that Santa Clara game and lost. They have some of the same issues we do.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I’m thinking more about sustainability over time, even when Hurley is gone. We are still a coach driven program, they are more of a brand driven program. You can probably slip any assortment of mid level coaches into that program and they’d still win based on the pedigree of talent the brand attracts.

This is not an outrageous take. Kentucky under Cal is a similar example. Cal could never really coach but his recruiting classes made him look good. Duke can do that too. Doesn’t matter if it’s Scheyer or some rando

 

[BFieldHusky]

This is not an outrageous take. Kentucky under Cal is a similar example. Cal could never really coach but his recruiting classes made him look good. Duke can do that too. Doesn’t matter if it’s Scheyer or some rando

Cal sucked as a coach, I agree. But his main selling point was getting guys drafted high in the NBA. You could argue that others could have done the same, but Cal had good connections and knew how to promote his players.

My overall point is you can have a historic program, good facilities, play in a great league...but none of that matters if you don't have a great coach. Every program is coach driven. Look at Indiana as another prime example.

 

[RuffRuff]

What an odd take. How do you figure? Scheyer hasn't really proven anything. If they continue to flam out in the tournament, how long until his seat gets hot? What happens to the brand then? Also the ACC is getting worse.

Programs that have had success can suck right away with a bad coach. Look at Louisville post Pitino. Syracuse. UNC has teetered so far with Davis.

UConn has won titles with 3 different coaches in the last 26 years. Think about that.

Is it odd?? Let’s put it this way, if we don’t get out of the BE, and if Hurley moves on, where does that leave us in terms of attracting talent? Where were we when Hurley took over? It took awhile to get the type of player that could win. Brand helps you sustain that beyond coaches. Scheyer walked in the door unproven and was pulling 5 Stars not because he’s full of charisma but because he had the Duke brand/experience behind him. Pope quickly did the same. That’s where you want to be.

Duke has hit a type of critical mass that makes it almost immune to coaches because of brand. While you want a great coach it’s nice to know you can still keep the train moving even if your guy is a B-.

 

[RuffRuff]

Cal sucked as a coach, I agree. But his main selling point was getting guys drafted high in the NBA. You could argue that others could have done the same, but Cal had good connections and knew how to promote his players.

My overall point is you can have a historic program, good facilities, play in a great league...but none of that matters if you don't have a great coach. Every program is coach driven. Look at Indiana as another prime example.

Getting guys to the NBA is selling point numero uno, not sure how that isn’t realized. Top kids want to go play in a program that gives them the best experience and gets them to the NBA, and you can’t win titles without talent no matter how good your coach is.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Is it odd?? Let’s put it this way, if we don’t get out of the BE, and if Hurley moves on, where does that leave us in terms of attracting talent? Where were we when Hurley took over? It took awhile to get the type of player that could win. Brand helps you sustain that beyond coaches. Scheyer walked in the door unproven and was pulling 5 Stars not because he’s full of charisma but because he had the Duke brand/experience behind him. Pope quickly did the same. That’s where you want to be.

Duke has hit a type of critical mass that makes it almost immune to coaches because of brand. While you want a great coach it’s nice to know you can still keep the train moving even if your guy is a B-.

Yes, it was and still is odd. Do you think UConn has a brand? What brought Hurley here? Why did he turn the Lakers down?

Pope built this year through the portal. He had to. Did a great job. That's available and obviously a big part of the game now.

Stop acting like UConn is some nice mid major school.

This is Dukes 3rd year post Coach K. Let's see how they do in the next 10 years or so.

 

[RuffRuff]

Pope built this year through the portal. He had to. Did a great job. That's available and obviously a big part of the game now.

Stop acting like UConn is some nice mid major school.

This is Dukes 3rd year post Coach K. Let's see how they do in the next 10 years or so.

Uconn has a great brand, still not top of the house on how we attract because we have zero NBA stars, back to my original point and the one you are clearly missing. We need some of our current lot of NBA players to hit, some of those that will be drafted to hit.

Duke will be fine. They can bring in the Flaggs and Boozers, push out the 5 stars that don’t work and bring in the new bushel. Thats where they are. With our whole 3peat narrative dead in the national media, what is the biggest storyline? Cooper Flagg. 8th graders will grow up watching him star at Duke and then in the NBA and want to go to Duke. It’s why he went there.

Never did called I call us mid major. We are up there. Right now we have Hurley and a strong brand, I just don’t think given conference circumstances it’s at a level of critical mass beyond Hurley.

Pope has a top 5 incoming recruiting class coming in his first cycle. That wasn’t happening without the UK name. End of day what I’m talking about is fodder for the spoiled, simply conversational.

 

[controlfade]

Uconn has a great brand, still not top of the house on how we attract because we have zero NBA stars, back to my original point and the one you are clearly missing. We need some of our current lot of NBA players to hit, some of those that will be drafted to hit.

Duke will be fine. They can bring in the Flaggs and Boozers, push out the 5 stars that don’t work and bring in the new bushel. Thats where they are. With our whole 3peat narrative dead in the national media, what is the biggest storyline? Cooper Flagg. 8th graders will grow up watching him star at Duke and then in the NBA and want to go to Duke. It’s why he went there.

Never did called I call us mid major. We are up there. Right now we have Hurley and a strong brand, I just don’t think given conference circumstances it’s at a level of critical mass beyond Hurley.

Pope has a top 5 incoming recruiting class coming in his first cycle. That wasn’t happening without the UK name. End of day what I’m talking about is fodder for the spoiled, simply conversational.

You’re high if you think Duke just recruits because of their name. They recruit like they do currently because of their coach and it’s the reason he got the job. He was directly responsible/credited for getting Zion, Tatum etc.. when Coach K was still at Duke.
The brand matters some but the coach, playing time and NIL are the driving force in todays game.

 

[jibsey]

UConn has always won these championships for the most part with rosters of 4 star players and less and the occasional 5 star here and there. Granted our recruiting is very good but in no way compares to the 5 star parade of Duke. We have always done more with less and depended on great coaching and staffs to do it.
Hurley is turning that corner for us, right?

 

[RuffRuff]

UConn has always won these championships for the most part with rosters of 4 star players and less and the occasional 5 star here and there. Granted our recruiting is very good but in no way compares to the 5 star parade of Duke. We have always done more with less and depended on great coaching and staffs to do it.
Hurley is turning that corner for us, right?

Def. B2B into a historic class into guys like Steph and Cling looking like impact rookies has got the wheels on motion.

And if you don’t think the Duke brand, coach K is the reason Scheyer can recruit, the ganja you’re smoking is much stronger than mine. If he went to Illinois he’d be just another guy.