|
|
Post by ColumbiaHeightsHoya on Mar 7, 2005 17:07:35 GMT -5
I am sure many have thoughts on this. I want to start looking ahead to next season. Based on where we finished and who we have coming back (along with the departure of BC & the arrival of half of Conference USA), who do you see being the preseason top 8 (since it seems at least 8 will make the tourney).
My predictions are:
1) UConn (assuming Villanueva & Gay stay)
2) Villanova
3) Georgetown
4) Cincinnati (minus Maxiel & welcome to the big east)
5) Louisville (minus Garcia and Dean & welcome to the big east)
6) Syracuse (warrick, forth, pace gone)
7) Pitt (losing heart with troutman & taft may go)
8) ND (minus thomas, lattimore, & cornette)
|
|
|
|
Post by Fan Of The Game on Mar 7, 2005 17:32:58 GMT -5
1) UConn
2) Louisville
3) Pitt
4) Syracuse
5) Cincinnati
6) Villanova
7) Georgetown
8) West Virginia
Some of this is based on talent, some based on the fact that a lot of the pre-season polls are based on a) the success of the team the year before and b) the end of the season momentum of the team the year before.
|
|
FOTP
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,435
|
Post by FOTP on Mar 7, 2005 17:46:21 GMT -5
I'm with Fan of the Game on this one. I'd say middle of the pack. Maybe up to #6 depending on who stays or goes pro etc.
I think people will view us as returning everyone on a middle of the road team in the Big East.
This list would have made us #4 without the new teams coming in...that is pretty generous based on our finish.
|
|
|
|
Post by jerseyhoya34 on Mar 7, 2005 17:49:04 GMT -5
If I'm honest, I'm going to go with:
1) UCONN (good work by Calhoun... late run in Dance may cause movement here if NBA stocks rise)
2) Nova (don't see any early departures... good work, Jay Wright)
3) Louisville (excellent freshman class coming in, coaching makes up for a lot)
4) GU (still a young team, but enough to get over the hump)
5) Pitt (inconsistent year this year and those departures would be serious)
6) Cincy (don't follow them)
7) ND (even without Thomas, I wish we had their shooters)
8) SU (see below)
Best of the rest: WVU, DePaul, Marquette, and a nod to SJU
I think FOTG is on to something with the early season bias, so my list would look different if I took that into account. I see Marquette and DePaul as being close to cracking the top 8 as well. I also don't like SU much headed into next year. I see them losing Edelin in addition to the seniors, and I don't see how any of their bench guys have enough experience to come in and make a difference. They'll rely heavily on two of their recruits, so several question marks for them headed into next season.
|
|
FOTP
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,435
|
Post by FOTP on Mar 7, 2005 18:00:07 GMT -5
The more I look at this the more I can't believe how insane this league is going to be next year. Wow. From top to bottom this is going to be very tough. No easy games at all in the conference...
The really interesting thing is going to be the scheduling situation. ESPN is going to have a field day decreeing who plays who and where (drives me nuts).
So...has it been determined who the schedule will work? Do we just play every team once next year and then one team twice in a home and home?
|
|
FOTP
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,435
|
Post by FOTP on Mar 7, 2005 18:04:55 GMT -5
I apologize. I just found this on the big east website. This makes it even more insane. SO we don't play three teams at all? This is going to make the scheduling even more insane. Do we get stuck playing Rutgers, St. John's and XXX as our 2 game teams? Only 12 make the tournament which should be interesting.
So what I can determine is based on this new scheduling ESPN is going to determine teams relative SOS within the conference. I know they do this anyway to a degree this year, but this fact will be accentuated big time next year. Hopefully, we're viewed as a "hot" team...
"While the tournament format will be the same for the men and women, the formula for regular season scheduling will be different. The men's teams will play 13 opponents with three repeat matchups to reach 16 league games."
|
|
SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,780
Member is Online
|
Post by SFHoya99 on Mar 7, 2005 18:05:48 GMT -5
Isn't it an 18 game sked -- 12 teams with one game and 3 double duties?
|
|
FOTP
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,435
|
Post by FOTP on Mar 7, 2005 18:06:36 GMT -5
Nope. Still 16 games. 3 teams we won't even play a single time...
|
|
Jack
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,411
|
Post by Jack on Mar 7, 2005 18:18:54 GMT -5
Actually, it's only 2 teams you don't play at all- 10 teams once, 3 teams twice=13 opponents, 16 games. 16 teams in the league, but only 15 possible opponents (you don't play yourself).
I hate the schedule and I hate the size of the New Big East. Sigh.
|
|
FOTP
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,435
|
Post by FOTP on Mar 7, 2005 18:22:00 GMT -5
Absolutely correct...my bad.
I just hate the fact that we don't play someone in our league....just seems odd.
Someone is going to have to explain to me what South Florida is doing in the league...I know people say football, but it's not like they're any good at that either.
Just an odd addition IMO.
The one thing I like is no one will be able to say they have a tougher confernece than the BE. My worry is that teams will be so terrified of it that they won't schedule tough games to start the season to help the overall RPI and SOS.
|
|
|
|
Post by AustinHoya03 on Mar 7, 2005 18:27:29 GMT -5
I also don't like SU much headed into next year. I see them losing Edelin in addition to the seniors... Lose him to the league or the law? |
|
|
|
Post by AllyI on Mar 7, 2005 19:44:01 GMT -5
This is not taking in account incoming freshman and assuming no early departutes. Spaces in the list indicate the "mini-conferences."
1. Uconn
2. Nova
3. Louisville
4. Georgetown
5. West Virginia (4 of 5 best players return -- all seniors)
6. Cincy
7. Pitt
8. Cuse
9. ND
10-16: everybody else
|
|
|
|
Post by jerseyhoya34 on Mar 7, 2005 20:04:28 GMT -5
Lose him to the league or the law? I have heard that Boeheim wants to explore options with Edelin, which probably amount to looking overseas. He hasn't exactly performed at a high level this season for them. |
|
lichoya68
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
OK YOUNGINS ARE HERE AND ARE VERY VERY GOOD cant wait GO HOYAS
Posts: 17,440
|
Post by lichoya68 on Mar 7, 2005 20:17:37 GMT -5
georgetown third in the league ...yup thats third in the league... go hoyas beat them all... the troops are coming... and the boys will be a year older ...yup THIRD  |
|
SirSaxa
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
Posts: 747
|
Post by SirSaxa on Mar 7, 2005 22:32:53 GMT -5
Don't underestimate the 'Cuse next year.
Somehow or other, they are always very competitive.
Even in years past when all the experts said they would have a down year.
According to Rivals, these are the commitments for Cuse next year:
Eric Devendorf -- 5 STARS
SG, 6-3/180
Tiki Mayben - 4 Stars
PG, 6-1/180
Arinze Onuaku - 3 Stars
PF 6-8/245
|
|
RBHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,134
|
Post by RBHoya on Mar 8, 2005 1:12:34 GMT -5
Its a tad bit early to have this conversation. I figure well have the same basic thread but with much more insight sometime during the summer, after we can assess the tournament also after we know who has gone into the draft.
Charlie V's as good as gone, but I think Boone, Gay, and Williams all stay one more year. Wouldnt be surprised to see them in the final 4 or even to win it all again this year though, so its hard to say how that will affect things. Nova also has a shot to go deep into the tournament this year too, and since theyre returning all of their contributors, I wouldnt be at all surprised to see them give UConn a run for their money next year. I've heard ND's having a pretty good recruiting year, 'Cuse and UConn as well, so be ready for all that. I think we'll be in the mix next year, somewhere between 5 and 8 most likely, but hopefully higher. A lot depends on whether Brandon starts taking over games, how much use Roy and Jeff make of the offseason, how ready Sapp (or maybe Thornton?) is to contribute next to Ashanti, and whether Spann, Guibunda, Amadou, or someone else can give us some serious, Big East Caliber frontcourt depth.
A lot remains to be seen. Its fun to look toward next year, but too early to accurately guess IMO until after the tournaments and after we see who goes pro.
|
|
|
|
Post by Fan Of The Game on Mar 8, 2005 9:49:45 GMT -5
As for scheduling...it wouldn't be the first time we've had a schedule that didn't pit us against everybody in the league.
Judging by this season, I wonder if we'll benefit from playing fewer teams twice.
|
|
hoyainspirit
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
When life puts that voodoo on me, music is my gris-gris.
Posts: 8,394 
|
Post by hoyainspirit on Mar 8, 2005 10:06:22 GMT -5
Someone is going to have to explain to me what South Florida is doing in the league...I know people say football, but it's not like they're any good at that either. The BE wants to maintain a presence in the FL market. That, and football. |
|
1803
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
Posts: 381
|
Post by 1803 on Mar 8, 2005 10:46:38 GMT -5
I would be very surprised if Villanueva stays. He almost went straight to the pros, and was lost in the shuffle with Okafor, Gordon, and Boone getting all the touches his freshman year. He has played great down the stretch, and would most likely go in the lottery in June. With that being said, Calhoun always has good players, and next year should be no different.
|
|
