I'm Back

[Mr.Hockey]

Auburn is a basketball school now. We should be pulling top freshmen and transfers.

Chuma Okeeke
Isaac Okoro
JT Thor
Sharife Cooper

All of them great players and all of them replaced.

Kessler will be the toughest (Smith only averages 15 a game so his production can be replaced) but I think Pearl's success with him and his willingness to allow the big guys to shoot the 3 is going to attract attention. Regardless Cardwell with a little more maturity can carry the load at center. I expect most everyone other than Smith and Kessler to be back and Kessler might come back.

Let me preferace by saying Auburn is great this year. And will probably continue to have really good top 15 rosters.

Now for the bold

"only average 15 per game and can be replaced". Not exactly how it works.

1. 15 ppg game is a good total
2. Hes gonna be a top 3 pick because of how good he is
3. Its not just about his scoring. Its how he spaces a D. How much he is a focus of the D. His size that impacts a D.

Auburn might still find the replacements and Pearl is a heck of a coach. But Smith will be a massive loss along with Kessler.

 

[rmilia1]

I honestly think that's probably a little high at this point. I'd have them closer to an #11 seed and just missing Dayton. I'd have teams like Iowa State, Rutgers, Memphis and Creighton ahead of Wake at this point. Wake has just one win against the projected field in UNC, and they are more likely to miss at this point IMO. Wake has good metrics, but they have a bad OOC SoS. That's typically not a good sign if you're near the cutline. They do have a good SoR, which out of all the analytics, I put the most weight on.

Iowa and Wake are very similar. Neither has any real good wins, neither has any real bad losses. I think both are on that 8/9 line in most brackets but i personally think theyre both closer to 10s or 11s

 

[Wild Turkey]

You're also a year removed from finishing under .500. No doubt Auburn is on a good trajectory, but a season like this shouldn't be the expectation given what Auburn has done under Pearl. Auburn is fortunate that Roy completely botched the Kessler situation. And then you guys enroll a top 3 pick. It's the perfect storm. Auburn will be a good program going forward, but I'd guess a top 20/25ish program.

Last year was always going to be a throwaway year and we self-imposed a post-season ban.

NCAA Tournaments:
Final Four
Self Imposed postseason ban
Probable at least a Sweet Sixteen

I think Bruce can keep the spicket on and he excels at designing the play around the talent and getting guys to gell. Who doesn't want to play for this guy and have a blast:

View attachment 61764

 

[ericd7633]

Iowa and Wake are very similar. Neither has any real good wins, neither has any real bad losses. I think both are on that 8/9 line in most brackets but i personally think theyre both closer to 10s or 11s

Yeah, I'd have Iowa on the 10/11 line too. I think teams like Creighton, ISU, and Rutgers are probably ahead of teams like Wake, Iowa and UNC. Even though the analytics are much higher on the latter 3 programs. Plus Wake and Iowa are both additionally hurt by a poor OOC SoS, and lack of a marquee win.

 

[ericd7633]

Last year was always going to be a throwaway year and we self-imposed a post-season ban.

NCAA Tournaments:
Final Four
Self Imposed postseason ban
Probable at least a Sweet Sixteen

I think Bruce can keep the spicket on and he excels at designing the play around the talent and getting guys to gell. Who doesn't want to play for this guy and have a blast:

View attachment 61764

He's definitely a great coach and program builder. He should be able to sustain success there. I'm all for it. I enjoy when there is new blood that rises up. Gives me hope the Gophers might be able to in my lifetime. Lmao.

 

[Wild Turkey]

He's definitely a great coach and program builder. He should be able to sustain success there. I'm all for it. I enjoy when there is new blood that rises up. Gives me hope the Gophers might be able to in my lifetime. Lmao.

The center you lost to Vandy is a really good player but I understand he hasn't played in many games this year because of injury. Evidently his uncle was an assistant at M but was hired at Vandy and the kid followed. Stackhouse figured out a way to get size but he only has so many assistant spots and Pippen will go pro this year so I think his time is limited.

 

[Deep Creek]

He's definitely a great coach and program builder. He should be able to sustain success there. I'm all for it. I enjoy when there is new blood that rises up. Gives me hope the Gophers might be able to in my lifetime. Lmao.

Me too. That can happen in CBB a hell of a lot more than CFB.

 

[ericd7633]

The center you lost to Vandy is a really good player but I understand he hasn't played in many games this year because of injury. Evidently his uncle was an assistant at M but was hired at Vandy and the kid followed. Stackhouse figured out a way to get size but he only has so many assistant spots and Pippen will go pro this year so I think his time is limited.

Yeah Conroy is Robbins' uncle. It's the reason he came to Minnesota and the reason he's at Vandy now. He's a solid player and would probably be our 2nd best player. He is injury prone though.

And yeah I think Stack might be gone before too long. They don't project to be all that better next year, unless they hit the portal hard.