Florida Atlantic (2/27/25)

GMG_Dallas · February 28

1 hour ago, Censored by Laurie said:

could bring back Floyd and Newell well.

I wonder if the big step forward for Lorient will be him playing meaningful minutes at the 3...doing some poor-man's Kevin Durant impression. he has a soft stroke...not just from 3 (where he's still north of 50%), but he's hit a number of really nice turnaround 17 footers throughout the year.

He really does have a soft touch. I can see him developing into an NBA prospect as a 3 and D guy with his size, athleticism, and wingspan. Think Dorian Finney-Smith.

GMG_Dallas · February 28

26 minutes ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Dude I respect your postings but JC mane -- have you lost your mind. Ross has won what 40 games in two seasons? Jarod better get him locked up b4 he wins this tourney and blows up out of our reach. This dude can flat out coach!

If only it were as simple as looking at straight wins and losses.

Censored by Laurie · February 28

5 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

He really does have a soft touch. I can see him developing into an NBA prospect as a 3 and D guy with his size, athleticism, and wingspan. Think Dorian Finney-Smith.

all the praise aside, I still have concerns about building next season's roster around him...hopefully he's still in a #2 role next year and we can bring in a big time scoring guard.

this likely deserves it's own thread soon enough, but let's just say everyone who can come back does next season and our two commits make it to campus (all things up in the air):

1. Brennan Lorient, 6'9" Sr
2. Grant Newell, 6'9" Sr
3. Jasper Floyd, 6'3" Sr.
4. Tyran Mason, 6'6" Fr./Soph
5. Alex Cotton, 6'5" Fr./Soph
6. Brock Vice, 6'10" Soph
7. Baron Smith, 6'9" Fr
8. DJ Thomas, 6'8" Fr.
9. Cahmai Crosby, 6'3" Jr

this would leave four more spots. give me this template of player

- Tristan Thompson (D1 transfer)
- Ryan Woolridge (D1 Transfer...and I'm specifically thinking of Rowan Brumbaugh of Tulane here)
- some kinda Eric Tramiel/George Odufuwa hybrid (D1 transfer)
- best available JUCO/freshman

the likelihood of only needing 4 more recruits is pretty low, but this is more or less the blueprint I'd like to see our roster follow next season

Green Lantern · February 28

Great Florida road swing! Pumped we got both of these games, capped by our most complete AAC game of the season.

NorthTexasWeLove · February 28

W.

#basketballschool

Coming in from cali to catch this Wichita game on Monday.

BigWillie · February 28

6 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

If only it were as simple as looking at straight wins and losses.

Yeah....they don't really matter that much. We can get into the tournament with more loses than wins. But, hey, our scoring defense is #2 in the nation!

I think you have been watching too much of the football team. Cant bring that mentality over here. I am the first to say the exact same thing about them.

I'll just leave this here also.

GMG_Dallas · February 28

3 hours ago, BigWillie said:

Yeah....they don't really matter that much. We can get into the tournament with more loses than wins. But, hey, our scoring defense is #2 in the nation!

I think you have been watching too much of the football team. Cant bring that mentality over here. I am the first to say the exact same thing about them.

I'll just leave this here also.

Let me put it this way as a Mavs fan.

Luka Doncic is one of the best offensive threats in the world. You should never trade him. That doesn't mean you can't see his flaws and want him to work on them. He gets hurt too often and is average at best on defense.

Hodge is a very good coach. I don't want him gone. That doesn't mean you can't see the flaws and want him to work on them. The offense is inconsistent and there's questions about the ability to develop talent (consider most contributors have been transfers or developed under Grant).

It's really not that hard to understand a coach can be good and yet have things to work on.

NorthTexasWeLove · February 28

1 hour ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Let me put it this way as a Mavs fan.

Luka Doncic is one of the best offensive threats in the world. You should never trade him. That doesn't mean you can't see his flaws and want him to work on them. He gets hurt too often and is average at best on defense.

Hodge is a very good coach. I don't want him gone. That doesn't mean you can't see the flaws and want him to work on them. The offense is inconsistent and there's questions about the ability to develop talent (consider most contributors have been transfers or developed under Grant).

It's really not that hard to understand a coach can be good and yet have things to work on.

I think it's pretty blind to state that about development. Ross was HERE with GM developing players. Has done a great job with Sissoko. Turned Lorient into a bench guy at FAU into a stud for us.

I agree about his lacking offensive creativity, sets, or just his inability to trust players to go play offensive basketball because of his defensive mind and that negating the pace he wants.

BUT: We are 21-6 and 2nd in league. I ain't that mad.

Dannymacfan · February 28

1 hour ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

I think it's pretty blind to state that about development. Ross was HERE with GM developing players. Has done a great job with Sissoko. Turned Lorient into a bench guy at FAU into a stud for us.

I agree about his lacking offensive creativity, sets, or just his inability to trust players to go play offensive basketball because of his defensive mind and that negating the pace he wants.

BUT: We are 21-6 and 2nd in league. I ain't that mad.

Totally and most of the games we lost was close! Highpoint perhaps being the exception as they owned us but taht was on the road.

MeanGreenTexan · February 28

2 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Let me put it this way as a Mavs fan.

Luka Doncic is one of the best offensive threats in the world. You should never trade him. That doesn't mean you can't see his flaws and want him to work on them. He gets hurt too often and is average at best on defense.

Hodge is a very good coach. I don't want him gone. That doesn't mean you can't see the flaws and want him to work on them. The offense is inconsistent and there's questions about the ability to develop talent (consider most contributors have been transfers or developed under Grant).

It's really not that hard to understand a coach can be good and yet have things to work on.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, and in today's NIL/unlimited transfer-driven landscape, the way you must do it is through the portal.

Looking through that lens, I would say Coach Hodge is VERY-GOOD-to-EXCELLENT in that area:
Consider having your top 5 return-eligible performers all transfer out: Rubin, AScott, Noland, Edwards, & Buggs (Allen was out of eligibility).
Your top 3 returning players are Moulaye, Dello, & Stone. None of us would consider those 3 as critical to the team's success in 23-24 (maybe Moulaye, since he was a starter, but Allen made a much bigger impact when he was in).
Yet here we are, with 6 new faces in our top 7 producers. Being able to get that kind of roster turnover to gel this quickly, and succeed even more than last season (at the time of this post) is huge.
I would argue this type of talent development is more important then getting HS freshmen in & having them develop, in the traditional sense.
And, when looking at the traditional idea of player development, are you seeing what I'm seeing out of Moulaye (5 more ppg, 2 more rpg)?

Green Otaku · February 28

That windmill dunk by Lorient had my jaw on the floor. Holy smokes!

UNTLifer · February 28

4 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Let me put it this way as a Mavs fan.

Luka Doncic is one of the best offensive threats in the world. You should never trade him. That doesn't mean you can't see his flaws and want him to work on them. He gets hurt too often and is average at best on defense.

Hodge is a very good coach. I don't want him gone. That doesn't mean you can't see the flaws and want him to work on them. The offense is inconsistent and there's questions about the ability to develop talent (consider most contributors have been transfers or developed under Grant).

It's really not that hard to understand a coach can be good and yet have things to work on.

Does Hodge like beer and hookah?

NT80 · February 28

9 hours ago, BigWillie said:

I'll just leave this here also.

Considering we have only been in the AAC 2 seasons...

Ross would have the most wins anyway, lol.

Shark84 · Friday at 08:24 PM

19 hours ago, Andrew said:

Must keep Lorient and build the team around him this season. Got many tracking our basketball program and he is the one bright spot everyone notices. Sissoko has done exceptional as well.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Shark84 · Friday at 08:31 PM

3 hours ago, Green Otaku said:

That windmill dunk by Lorient had my jaw on the floor. Holy smokes!

Best dunk in a game by one of our guys since...........?

Matt from A700 · Friday at 10:07 PM

1 hour ago, Shark84 said:

Best dunk in a game by one of our guys since...........?

the same guy performed a baptism in Minnesota!

BigWillie · Saturday at 02:42 PM

19 hours ago, NT80 said:

Considering we have only been in the AAC 2 seasons...

Ross would have the most wins anyway, lol.

Hahaha, you're right. Didnt think about that. Unless they meant in any conference, but not sure.

wardly · Saturday at 11:52 PM

On 2/26/2025 at 7:18 PM, Big Z said:

and now it’s FAU +1

Wichita favored over UAB

wardly · Sunday at 12:10 AM

Just now, wardly said:

Wichita favored over UAB

So I just returned from Ft. Lauderdale after a brief visit with my son. We went to the UNT/FAU game and here are my observations about the Owl's basketball venue. It is a glorified high school gym. Granted they did put lipstick on a pig by installing a scoreboard at one end that gives you continuous updated statistics and about 5 bare bones" suites" at the other. By bare bones I mean a scorers table with about 6 chairs behind it in each one.The student section and band is on one side of the gym and non students on the other. Our tickets were 3 flights up on about the 20 yard line and cost $50.00 each[ that's not a misprint]. The announced attendance was 3,100 which is max but the student section was only half full. If you loved the original Snake Pitt of the 60's, which I did, then you will feel at home at The Burrow. Otherwise it's pretty much a joke.