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Pretty crazy but here's the schedule with who missed the game: Wichita State - Buggs Tulane, Temple, and ECU - Rubin and Buggs out 3 straight games SMU - Rubin and Buggs return but Rubin goes down again FAU - Rubin is out UAB - Rubin out then Noland goes down USF, Tulsa, SMU #2, Memphis, UAB #2 - Rubin and Noland out for each. First SMU game is all we got with a full team and we didn't make it out healthy. We've led big in almost every single game we've played, except Charlotte and UAB #2. This team, if healthy, would be a top 3 seed. Guarantee nobody wants to play this squad in March if healthy.

this is such great perspective on the season on a whole. figure in too that we were figuring out how to work in Edwards early and didn't have Walker until the UTA game...we've basically had 3-ish games with our best 8 players available...and we're 3-0 in those games. again...the core of this roster is legit and we've built a winning program and philosophy that isn't going to fall apart bc one season doesn't progress linear to the last few.

At this point, you don't ruin Cotton's redshirt.

I doubt everyone comes back even though I wish most would. These days in college sports everyone transfers. That said, if this team had been healthy the last month or so, I really think we'd have at least two more wins, which would put us in the mix for the #2 seed depending on who we beat..

1. how bout no more posts too? just to see if it fixes the jinx. 2. Gaines went 1-4 for 6pts. 3. neat. 4. the UAB defense was keying on Edwards and basically making anyone else on the floor beat them. they didn't. it's a pretty common strategy...maybe Tony Bennett has never utilized it though. I don't know. 5. Scott and Lendeborg got into it at the Denton game...lots of back and forth...Scott dropped 20, Lendeborg 16...but it was pretty clear that Lendeborg was motivated to have a game against Scott. Lendeborg is 6'9" 230, Scott is 6'7" 200...they're both very good players, but thinking Scott can just body up Lendeborg shows both a lack of knowledge of basketball and general physics. 6. damn..I'll take any dude who can just sleep-walk to 13-5-4. 7. Davis and Lendeborg are better basketball players than Sissoko and basically the exact same size. sometimes that's just how this game works. 8. you know that there's another team that plays the game too, right? 9. if you're wrong will you go away? what if you're right? "Finish out the season strong & let’s see what happens in the tournament." - or maybe I'm just teasing...with brilliant insight like this where would the board be without you?

if Rubin is back, the core is: - Rubin Jones (Sr.) - Aaron Scott (Sr.) - CJ Noland (Sr.) - John Buggs III (Sr.) - Rondel Walker (Sr.) - Moulaye Sissoko (Sr.) - Matt Stone (Sr.) - Jason Edwards (Jr.) that's plenty to compete (obv. with an Allen replacement). with all the experience returning, I'm really not that worried about Edwards bolting after one year here...he has two years eligibility after this season, so depending on what the reload looks like for '25-26 maybe then he takes a chance elsewhere for his senior season. Wildcards: - Christian Moore (Jr.) - Alex Cotton (Fr.-RS...I guess??) - Tyran Mason (Fr. incoming) - Layne Taylor (Fr. incoming) two big guards, two little guards. gotta feel like if this is all the chance Moore is being given...desperation 4-5 minutes a night mid-injury-crisis, and with the reins white-knuckled in Hodges hands while he's on the floor, that he's probably going to be asked to go find another home and Taylor is a straight in replacement. Oops: - Chris Morgan (Jr. 4th year) - Terrance Dixon (Soph.??) so the math puts this at 14 scholarships...so imma still go back to the idea that Dixon is a walk-on (he was never announced as a signing via Twitter/website like the other signees) or the staff 100% knows that Jones won't be granted a 5th year. if Dixon is on scholarship and the plan all along was to redshirt Cotton, we ostensibly negated a quarter of the roster considering clearly Hodge was never going to play Morgan. that's some suss management. either way, growth next year is firstly dependent on clearing out some players. Morgan has gotta go. this is already 3 years of dead money. I also think Moore is gone and Taylor is a straight swap. it feels less likely, but if it improves the roster, I won't lose sleep over Sissoko or Stone leaving either. to that core group, we desperately need a replacement for Allen...I think it almost has to be another P5 transfer big man, preferably one who will unquestionably move into the starting line-up day one. I'd also love a true point guard with some D1 experience...and since this is my wishlist, make him 6'3"-6'5"-ish. this should move Edwards entirely off-ball...Rubin and CJ can be primarily off-ball wings, while spelling '24-25 Ryan Woolridge on the ball for stretches...and Layne Taylor can develop slowly. beyond that, it all depends on who is leaving.

Arizona is going through financial hell right now. That’s not a place we want to put our athletic department in

I hate debt, but if you want to have this discussion, then let’s ask the obvious: what is in place in the future that guarantees we would be able to pay it back?

We should do a AAC-MWC challenge like the other conferences do. Use regular season standings from last year to pick the pairs.

The additions of Cal, Stanford and SMU was about preventing ESPN from triggering a clause to renegotiate its TV deal if the ACC fell below 15 schools. FSU's lawsuit against the ACC is hammering the conference for adding these schools, calling it another self-serving decision that helps the conference at the expense of its existing members. SMU, Cal and Stanford are bringing down the average TV viewership of ACC games, which isn't helping anyone in the ACC get closer to financial parity with the SEC and Big 10.

Usually but in today’s NIL/transfer landscape, does it matter?

In most years, the 5+7 format will assure the conference champions from the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC a spot in the playoff, along with the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion. The CFP intentionally won't refer to the Group of 5 in its description of the format, though, because there is a chance that a champion from one of the Power 4 conferences finishes ranked below the top champion from the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mountain West, Sun Belt or Mid-American Conference. CFP unanimously approves 5+7 model for new 12-team playoff - ESPN

I would have thought that if he is following his dad, he would have done so by now.

Thanks for all the good recruiting work that you do. It's all good! Carry on.

Ah, okay! I can make that work: https://thevarsitynetwork.com/feed/source/oas-1337?audioPlayer=uabirm%3Aallaccess-Archive-4780 Game ends, they take a commercial break, and the postgame discussion starts @ 2:39:02 mark EDIT: The Lindeborg interview begins at 2:46:45

Rank the Top 7 players on the team. Now see how often they played together in a single game. Was there even 1 game? Certainly wasn't the 12 or 13 games you mentioned for the records. The point being perhaps our best basketball is yet to come with a healthy roster for the Tournament?

Here to provide "insight" as requested by you and I will ignore what I disagree with and move on with my life. You can place a strikethrough a name or two on your "core". I know Robert Allen. I know Aaron Scott. I know John Buggs. I know Matthew Stone. I know Jason Edwards. Insight - I live in the same apartment complex. I see these guys daily. I have had real live student to student conversations with them. Now I won't say that we are sitting down reviewing game film or I accompany them to practices, but I have sat down at Zaxbys and shared a meal. Armed with that "insight", you must know that I've asked how they are enjoying their UNT experience. I have no more knowledge as anyone as to Hoo is likely to return. However, I do know Hoo is 100% not returning. Insight - Message Boards are the poor man's social media. If I found my way onto this message board, what makes you think Christian Moore (just chose a random name) hasn't found it as well. It's not up to me to decide if enough disparaging remarks have been made about a player to equate to the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Personally, I wouldn't want to work for any company that openly didn't appreciate my efforts. This season is coming to a close and all will be back to the way many want it in a few months.

"The number likely will land somewhere near the middle of that $150 million floor and that $572 ceiling. Then Florida State will pay. And while neither the Big Ten nor the SEC have expressed any public interest in the Seminoles, it seems highly likely one or both leagues would then try to scoop up Florida State as well as the other desirable properties that choose to buy their way out once Florida State breaks the seal. Given the seeming inevitability of a negotiation, it almost doesn’t matter if the Big Ten or SEC are interested now. If several potentially additive programs buy their way into free agency at once, the competitiveness of the true Power 2 could take over. The Big Ten would see an opportunity to plant its flag in the South. The SEC might feel a need to defend its borders or expand its footprint."

I was expecting the ACC-Florida State dueling lawsuits to become haggling over price. Didn't think it would be so soon. The original grant of rights that was supposed to be an ironclad lock against schools leaving the ACC is only four pages long: https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2022/07/01185531/ACC-Grant-of-Rights-1.pdf I've signed longer contracts to write a book.

When Noland and Rubin come back, we have a solid 8-9 man rotation depending on how much Stone plays and what he can get you. If Moore plays 4-5 minutes like he has lately, that's 10 guys in your rotation. Don't know what else you'd want. Yeah the start of the season is yet again another set of obstacles this team faced. When I look at the adversity this team had faced, I'm reminded that many championship teams across all sports can point to a series of road bumps they had to get over and that made them better along the way. This team will be fine. We just need to be patient.

I give our SMU pal here a hard time, but I am starting to enjoy the idea of the Mustang faithful swimming in the cold Atlantic, trying desperately to convince Rose there's room on the floating door after the sinking of the TitanACC. We, like the rest of the G5, are the poor bastards in steerage.

We take a deep breath and relax. We've played one single game with everybody healthy since conference play started and we didn't even finish that game healthy. Every team is built differently and will have some mismatches. UAB has been tough for us for years. This team, if healthy, will contend for the conference tournament championship.

Wow, the delusion is worse than I thought. Unfortunately this isn’t about students or academics at all. It is about how much a media distribution outlet win pay to air your games. For SMU since the death penalty that has been G5 level. Otherwise SMU wouldn’t been the last G5 team to find P4 lifeboat they had to pay an entrance fee to get into. ESPN isn’t happy they are getting SMU games as a part of their package. And if and when any of those teams you listed leave the ACC they will NOT consider SMU an on par replacement.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/98719795?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

We already have his commitment. There has been no actual evidence that would tell us otherwise. Just a lot of people speculating since his dad got hired at a school that needs a QB. Until we hear that UNT is actively seeking another QB or Chandler announces he’s going somewhere else, then I’m going to believe he’s still coming here.

It's the Portal and NIL era now, no commitment from anybody.

What would you like to see, weekly affirmations? Everything from him will be verbal, since there is no NLI/signature involved here. This Tweet is still at the top of his profile page.

I think Frank Harris was still in college when the last NCAA game came out in 2014

Love GTA too. Although once I'm driving I'm the real world after playing for a few hours I'm always confused on if I should run over a pedestrian or not..

15-0 #WeWantBama

Interest/desire is too strong to care about Congress. Lots of "let's get it done and we will figure this out later" movement going on. We'll find out, one way or the other.

Exactly. He didn't go to Clemson when his dad was there.

CFP unanimously approves 5+7 model for new 12-team playoff "In most years, the 5+7 format will assure the conference champions from the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC a spot in the playoff, along with the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion. The CFP intentionally won't refer to the Group of 5 in its description of the format, though, because there is a chance that a champion from one of the Power 4 conferences finishes ranked below the top champion from the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mountain West, Sun Belt or Mid-American Conference." https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39563282/cfp-unanimously-approves-5+7-model-new-12-team-playoff

Pitino turned over damn near the entire SJU roster and he has over 40 years of experience in the NIL-recruiting landscape. maybe a bit of personal responsibility, dude.

Agree with this, but we also didn't develop the rest of the bench to help. We can't be a 6 player team going into the Tourney and expect to win much.

Hey, I was throwing spitballs on the wall and that's what it hit.

Which left them without 3 of their top 4 quarterbacks from last season and also without their top incoming quarterback.

It just seems strange that Jayden de Laura withdraws from TSU-SM on Jan 24 and 2 days later Chad Morris becomes the passing game coordinator. A guy that just happens to have a P5 experienced quarterback in his family that is only verbally committed to this point.

The squad definitely needs the break.

No, it has always said TCU.

Their bigs killed is in both games.

I just wish the NIT Final hadn't of moved from Madison Square Garden. I feel like we could have gotten a lot general basketball fans walk up just because of the tradition of the NIT being there, and we'd be exposed to more people than we were in Vegas.

If pay to play becomes the norm and is truly free market, there are no more 28-35 schools who can truly compete. Anyone else is hoping to be a successful MLB small market team. Problem is there are another 30 or so who will feel obligated to try to keep up and all or close to it will fail because they will overspend vs their capacity, or they overspend for a few critical players, they make the playoff as champions and get blasted by the second place Big 10 or third place SEC in the first round. The big investment in Joe Stud comes to an end because he can get same money or close to it from a team that can make it to the finals or semis. Basically until the 1950's a scholarship was whatever the school or conference said it was. The NCAA's only input for decades was that players had to be enrolled. Eventually NCAA was drug into the mess and a scholarship was capped at tuition, books, fees, housing, and meals with a small cash stipend called "laundry money" that was capped at $15 a month. Until 1973 football scholarships had no cap, some top programs awarded as many as 150 just to warehouse talent. 1973 brought the 105 limit which became 95 then 85. Until around 2005 or so there was no minimum number of scholarships. 1969 Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and not long after the University Division schools opened fall camp for the centennial season of college football. Schools had anywhere from 150 to zero on scholarship. You had conferences with no limit, 105 limit, 85, 75, 70 limits. Conferences generally didn't even make out the conference schedule, the ADs did it. In the SEC team with the best winning percentage was the champion as long as you played at least five conference games. That year you had SEC teams playing 5, 6, or 7 league games. Tennessee went 5-1 winning the championship over LSU who went 4-1. We CAN survive and thrive in a college football universe where the starting QB at Ohio State makes a million a year and the starting QB at San Jose State makes $40,000 over the scholarship, a universe where the 85th guy on scholarship at Georgia makes $30,000 and the 85th guy at FAU gets a scholarship and glad to have it. What we can't survive is if Memphis starts roster spending like Iowa State or Colorado State spends like Kansas or Oklahoma State tries to keep pace with OU. Everyone has been spending like crazy to get facilities to keep up with the P5 boys, that's possible. It's a capital expense with a long life and debt can finance it. Annual spending is a whole nuther beast and keeping pace will be out of reach. Collective bargaining can keep things in check. SEC might negotiate a five million cap with a $20,000 minimum. Big 12 might negotiate a $3 million cap and $6000 minimum per player and AAC might go with $1 million and no player minimum but have to spend at least 75% of the cap. Personally I think best outcome is SEC and Big Ten pick off what they want from ACC, likely some mix of Virginia Tech, UVA, UNC, maybe Duke or NC State to plug a couple holes and Florida State and Clemson based on TV value. They secede and to maximize TV money go to a 10 or even 12 game conference schedule. Sun comes up and suddenly the Big 12 and ACC remnant understand they are out of the club and they can dial back the spending. Now the folks like San Diego State and Memphis are no longer looking for that last golden ticket they thought was out there. If you look at where Big 10 and SEC are now they just don't need much to become untouchable, not saying all their current members can keep up but they could be a real beast and I'm not sure its a bad thing if they leave. It's if the Houston's and SMU's and Memphis' are in some semblance of the club that the fecal matter is randomly distributed by the air movement device.

Just playing catch up the past few days. It is tough to wait until a specific recruiting cycle and then trying to post 50+ offers all at once.

You are speculating on these points as well. Don't call out someone for doing the same thing you are doing.

This is a completely delusional position. 😂 The message is that small schools, that don’t win big once in a while and don’t have large fan bases aren’t revenue generators. Having your large donors essentially pay the other schools in the conference for right to be in the conference established a precedent that SMU doesn’t have value to the elite athletic brand schools.

Why? SMU doesn't. You even put the name of some other town on your jerseys.

I assume you mean "whose revisionist history"? The sentence (phrase) still doesn't make sense. Yes, Florida State already had its eyes on the exit, which already says something about the recent desirability of the conference. But the 3 best athletic schools in the conference voted against adding the 3 new schools, because they see the additions as downgrading their conference even further. And now they clearly want out more than ever. Again, all 3 schools wanted into the Big 12 before they ever turned toward the ACC. Now you want to brag up the ACC because that's where you are headed; that's understandable. But you know that if the Big 12 had been willing to take SMU, you never would have bothered writing your last paragraph above.

Revisionist history. Obviously, their first choice was the Big 10, but after they got an unequivocal "Get lost" from them, the next option they tried was the Big 12. Who also told them no. Trying the ACC came after the other options failed. And now the entrance of those 3 bottom feeder schools is causing the better ACC schools to try to find any loophole they can they might get them out of that conference.

I mean, the ACC just accepted 3 teams who wanted into, but were rejected by, the Big 12.