2022-23 Preaseason C-USA Predictions (UNT #4)

Jonnyeagle · August 9, 2022

MeanGreenTexan · August 9, 2022

This is a knock on perceived recruiting to backfill the loss of TBIII & Drez.
Thing is, people were saying the same exact thing after Javion graduated last season, and NT still finished atop C-USA. McCasland is finding the right guys to fit into his system and coaching them up. I have no doubt NT battles for the Championship again this season.

Jonnyeagle · August 9, 2022

When will these jokers learn? The only thing I would agree with is UAB in the #1 slot. They deserve that.

GrandGreen · August 9, 2022

Really poor analysis, where will NT scoring come from: when you hold the other teams to a national low average; you don't have to score a lot.

MeanGreenTexan · August 9, 2022

13 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

Really poor analysis, where will NT scoring come from: when you hold the other teams to a national low average; you don't have to score a lot.

Not only that, but all you need to do is simply look at the scoring averages of our returners, and the guys we brought in:
Tylor - 13.5
Abou - 10.2
Rubin - 8.2
Then, the guys we added:
Tyree Eady - 10.3 @ NDSU
Jayden Martinez - 14.9 @ New Hampsire
Kai Huntsberry - 19.6 @ DII University of Mary

The scoring is there.

MrAlien · August 9, 2022

UNT had one of the top defenses in the country last season, I dont think that changes much going into the 22/23 season, so I dont see them loosing 7 games in conference.

GMG_Dallas · August 10, 2022

6 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Not only that, but all you need to do is simply look at the scoring averages of our returners, and the guys we brought in:
Tylor - 13.5
Abou - 10.2
Rubin - 8.2
Then, the guys we added:
Tyree Eady - 10.3 @ NDSU
Jayden Martinez - 14.9 @ New Hampsire
Kai Huntsberry - 19.6 @ DII University of Mary

The scoring is there.

This. I actually think the pace will speed up next year, although that wouldn't be hard to do. We got two transfers from D1 schools who averaged double digits. Eady has good experience going deep in the conference tourney every season at NDSU. He's got NCAA tournament experience and actually won the conference tournament twice then lost in the conference tournament final twice. Martinez who's shown he can stretch the floor. Then Huntsberry who's a proven scorer albeit at a lower level. Regardless, I think we may catch many off-guard with the pace next year. The roster is now filled with scorers.

NT80 · August 10, 2022

Gee, what a shock! A UAB fan makes up his own predictions and puts UAB on top.

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outoftown · August 11, 2022

Would I wish coach Mc would recruit system guys with a higher ceiling than the ones he got in the past. Sure. Does him not doing that have me thinking his team will be anything other than a top contender for the conference? No, since he has performed with his teams every season whether or not there was recruiting fanfare, until proven otherwise recruiting rankings don't matter much when assessing his team.

GrandGreen · September 13, 2022

On 8/11/2022 at 1:27 AM, outoftown said:

Would I wish coach Mc would recruit system guys with a higher ceiling than the ones he got in the past. Sure. Does him not doing that have me thinking his team will be anything other than a top contender for the conference? No, since he has performed with his teams every season whether or not there was recruiting fanfare, until proven otherwise recruiting rankings don't matter much when assessing his team.

Higher ceiling on what basis?

Players that don't or can't play defense are not going to be recruited to NT by Mc.

UAB won the regular season crown last year and returns the POY in Walker and the good 7" Jimerson and have added a lauded bunch of transfers. So they definitely should be the overwhelming favorites.

I agree with you however, NT will primary based on the coach be a real contender to win again. NT's recruiting doesn't look like much compared to UAB and some others, but they return the best player in the league (sorry Jelly Walker) in Perry and Mc always find some underrecruited valuable team pieces.

MeanGreenTexan · September 14, 2022

17 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Higher ceiling on what basis?

Players that don't or can't play defense are not going to be recruited to NT by Mc.

UAB won the regular season crown last year and returns the POY in Walker and the good 7" Jimerson and have added a lauded bunch of transfers. So they definitely should be the overwhelming favorites.

I agree with you however, NT will primary based on the coach be a real contender to win again. NT's recruiting doesn't look like much compared to UAB and some others, but they return the best player in the league (sorry Jelly Walker) in Perry and Mc always find some underrecruited valuable team pieces.

I don't know that we're sure of what we're getting in some of our transfers (Sissoko didn't have many minutes at Cincy & Huntsberry came from D2), but I believe Eady and Martinez are going to be instant-impact players based on what they were doing at their previous schools and what we do here.

Eady started every game for NDSU last season, averaging over 10pts & was all-conference DEFENSE team (you know McCasland loves that!).

Martinez filled it up at New Hampshire (averaging over 15pts/gm, including a .424 3pt%), and was 2-time All-conference.

These transfers are no slouches.

southsideguy · September 17, 2022

off subject but an interesting game on the schedule is Fresno State. They play like us, expect 54-50 game.

2020 Sucks · September 21, 2022

It’s apparent y’all haven’t been paying attention to Grant as he’s been getting out promoting the upcoming season. Grant stated that he took what he had and made it work by using guys like JJ to keep the tempo down. He has repeatedly told people that this year will look a lot different and he will definitely have more kids in the rotation and they will significantly increase the pace!

Ross is not going to have a team that doesn’t play fundamental defense, but I don’t think we will have many shot clock violations this year!

glick1980 · September 21, 2022

57 minutes ago, 2020 Sucks said:

It’s apparent y’all haven’t been paying attention to Grant as he’s been getting out promoting the upcoming season. Grant stated that he took what he had and made it work by using guys like JJ to keep the tempo down. He has repeatedly told people that this year will look a lot different and he will definitely have more kids in the rotation and they will significantly increase the pace!

Ross is not going to have a team that doesn’t play fundamental defense, but I don’t think we will have many shot clock violations this year!

I think we underestimate the quality of the guys Mac is bringing in this year. Jayden Martinez is a stud and a lights out shooter. That will open things up in the middle. Nobody was guarding TBIII on the perimeter last year. Eady is a long, athletic guard than can shoot the three too. Adding another legit big man to backup Abou will serve us well. Overall, this team is bigger, longer and has better shooters.

Shark 64 · September 21, 2022

Can someone start a countdown clock for the first basketball game? Can't get here soon enough.

UNTLifer · September 21, 2022

47 Days

GrandGreen · September 21, 2022

5 hours ago, 2020 Sucks said:

It’s apparent y’all haven’t been paying attention to Grant as he’s been getting out promoting the upcoming season. Grant stated that he took what he had and made it work by using guys like JJ to keep the tempo down. He has repeatedly told people that this year will look a lot different and he will definitely have more kids in the rotation and they will significantly increase the pace!

Ross is not going to have a team that doesn’t play fundamental defense, but I don’t think we will have many shot clock violations this year!

All that remains to be seen, I have my doubts that Mc is going to significantly change a winning formula.

He probably will play more players, but I doubt he speeds up the game much.

emmitt01 · September 21, 2022

58 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

All that remains to be seen, I have my doubts that Mc is going to significantly change a winning formula.

He probably will play more players, but I doubt he speeds up the game much.

Why would you doubt that? Last season was the exception and not the rule since Mac has been here. The two seasons prior we played at a much faster pace…last year we just had a roster that didn’t lend itself to getting up and down.

Green Otaku · September 22, 2022

From the BB social pages the guys are looking good and fit. I'm very excited to what the additions can bring. Imo Sissoko will be a huge key to this season. If he can make an impact and give Ousmane some rest it's going to be huge having 2 viable big men.

MeanGreenTexan · September 22, 2022

2 hours ago, emmitt01 said:

Why would you doubt that? Last season was the exception and not the rule since Mac has been here. The two seasons prior we played at a much faster pace…last year we just had a roster that didn’t lend itself to getting up and down.

That 2020-21 team was ranked 312th out of 347 D1 team in FGA. We were milking the shot clock that season as well. It’s definitely been a McCasland calling card since Wooly left.

I doubt we see a significant departure from what’s been working so well, but McCasland is smart enough to work with his roster’s strengths rather than smash the square peg into the round hole.

GrandGreen · September 22, 2022

3 hours ago, emmitt01 said:

Why would you doubt that? Last season was the exception and not the rule since Mac has been here. The two seasons prior we played at a much faster pace…last year we just had a roster that didn’t lend itself to getting up and down.

Much faster pace, the 20-21 team averaged 69.8 a game against last year 65.1

The defense of 20-21 held teams to 62.3 a game, a lot I guess compared to last year's 55.7

Your definition of a much faster pace is just different from mine.

The stats from Mc's first year were offense 71.1 and defense 63.3, hardy a run and shoot offense

As long as NT continues to win I don't care what they score, I just don't see Mc changing a winning formula just to score more points

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · September 22, 2022

This team is gonna speed up the pace maybe 10 spots compared to last year, but I’d argue to say it doesn’t matter how fast we go. As long as we have the key guys healthy, Rubin Jones especially because if he plays against La Tech and UVA we win, we are fine.

Every year I have some speculation on how the season ends since 2019, and this year I’m strongly confident in how this team will be top of the conference, no doubt. Really tough conference schedule layout, but no games in OOC that are as challenging as last year.

IN MAC WE TRUST!!!!