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Censored by Laurie · March 6, 2008

I'll be giving plenty of analasys of the 8 teams remaining in the SBC tournament over at TySports this weekend as Tasty and I head to Mobile...but heres a quick look back at the five losers and where they go from here.

ULL - Lost 70-60 vs. Troy - The only higher seed to get bounced in the first round...but this is a very young team and one with a tremendous upside. The Cajuns lose three seniors, 2 guard David Dees, back-up point Mo Barksdale and reserve post Abray Milson...but their top 3, and 7 of their top 8 scorers are all underclassmen. The returning backcourt core is very solid...sophomores Elijah Milsap, Randell Diagle, LaRyan Gary and Brandon Dison and true freshmen Chris Gradnigo and Travis Bureau all made incredible strides this season, especially considering Milsap was the only one of the group with any D-1 experience prior to this season (Diagle, Gary and Dison were all gray-shirts and I believe can regain a year of eligibility if they graduate on time). The frontcourt was a glaring weakness for ULL...and an area coach Robert Lee and former UNT assistant Jai Steadman have already addressed with 4 transfers...Jeremy Barr (6'9" 265 San Jacinto JC), Lester Ferguson (6'10" 220 Ft. Smith JC), Lamar Roberson (6'8" 220 UNLV) and Emmanuel Adeife (6'10" 220 UNLV). Assuming everyone who can be in Lafayette next season is...this has got to be considered the way too early favorite in the West.

UD - Lost 65-60 @ UNO - An amazing first year turn-around by head man Joe Scott. Inexperience and fatigue caught up to this team down the stretch, but the Pioneers are also a team on the rise in the West. Denver finished the season with 6 active scholarship players as senior wing David Kummer broke his leg in December and sophomore guard Tyler Bullock left the team five games in to the season. Kummer finished as the leading per game scorer, and joining him in graduation is post Adam Tanner, the teams second leading scorer. Scott, however, was thinking to the future at the beginning of the year...and the cupboard is far from bare. Scott redshirted his top recruit, 6'8" forward Andrew Hooper, as well as wing Anthony Porch...and three freshmen, point guard Kyle Lewis, power forward Rob Lewis and reserve combo Xander McNally should all return...along with wings Joe Jackson, a junior and sophomore Nate Rohnert. Scott has already adressed the loss of Tanner...sigining Justin Coughlin, a 6'8" 190 forward with range...perfect for Scott's Princeton system.

ASU - Lost 85-63 @ UNT - On the surface...the future in Jonesboro is no where near as bright as ULL or Denver. However...if former Arkansas and National Champion coach Nolan Richardson ends up as the Indians new head man...look out. By SEC standards, Richardson wasn't a remarkable recruiter...but the SBC is by no means the SEC...and even if the talent in Jonesboro doesn't significantly improve under Richardson, the play...and especially the defense should be exponentially better. The Indians will graduate just two players, star off guard Adrian Banks and starting post Kewain Gant. Three starters, swingman Shawn Morgan, power forward Yima Chia-Kur and all SBC guard Ryan Wedel return, as do a group of 5 or 6 role players who have all shown flashes of ability at times. Nutt's departure makes the status of lone recruit Trey Finn, a 6'1" point guard, uncertain. Richardson would make this team better immediatly...and all signs seem to be pointing that direction.

ULM - Lost 74-69 @ MTSU - The biggest turn around in style of play this next season may come in Monroe. Head coach Orlando Early has lived the past two seasons on 3 and 4 guard line-ups...successfully in 07...not so much in 08...however 3 of his top 4 guards, Jonas Brown, Lance Brasher and Jordan Payne are all out of eligibility...leaving leading scorer Tony Hooper to carry even more of the load in the backcourt. The best of his returning running mates should be Sei Paye. Paye played sparingly in 5 games this season, enought so where he may be able to earn a redshirt...Paye is a smooth 6'3" scoring guard very similar to Jordan Payne and Jonas Brown. The biggest improvement for the Warhwks will be up front. Miami transfer Lawrence Gilbert, a 6'7" combo forward, will make an immediate impact. Leading rebounder Afam Nweke returns, as do freshmen Raphelle Turner and Mitchell Hampton with a year of experience under their belts. The focus next season may be inside-out in Monroe with this group of athletic and talented forwards.

FIU - Lost 91-64 @ FAU - The two key pieces for the Panthers, wing Alex Galindo and center Russell Hicks both return...as do forward Nikola Gacesa and talented freshman combo guard Tremayne Russell. Joining them will be freshman post Freddy Aspirilla (6'9" 265), arguably the best incoming big man in the SBC thus far, and Florida State transfer point guard Josue Soto, a Florida all-state performer out of high school. These six players will make a dangerous and versitile core...however all of this is assuming head coach Sergio Rouco returns. Rouco has established himself as an outstanding recruiter. What he has yet to prove is an ability to coach the talent he's bringing in. Soto, Aspirilla and Galindo are all thought to be "Rouco-guys" and atleast Soto and Aspirlla would bolt should Rouco be let go. Interesting happenings in Miami this off-season

Arkstfan · March 6, 2008

ASU - Lost 85-63 @ UNT - On the surface...the future in Jonesboro is no where near as bright as ULL or Denver. However...if former Arkansas and National Champion coach Nolan Richardson ends up as the Indians new head man...look out. By SEC standards, Richardson wasn't a remarkable recruiter...but the SBC is by no means the SEC...and even if the talent in Jonesboro doesn't significantly improve under Richardson, the play...and especially the defense should be exponentially better. The Indians will graduate just two players, star off guard Adrian Banks and starting post Kewain Gant. Three starters, swingman Shawn Morgan, power forward Yima Chia-Kur and all SBC guard Ryan Wedel return, as do a group of 5 or 6 role players who have all shown flashes of ability at times. Nutt's departure makes the status of lone recruit Trey Finn, a 6'1" point guard, uncertain. Richardson would make this team better immediatly...and all signs seem to be pointing that direction.

A Cessna Citation left Jonesboro for Fayetteville this morning and was scheduled to have already returned but weather in Fayetteville has grounded the plane.

untgeorge · March 6, 2008

I'll be giving plenty of analasys of the 8 teams remaining in the SBC tournament over at TySports this weekend as Tasty and I head to Mobile...but heres a quick look back at the five losers and where they go from here.
ULL - Lost 70-60 vs. Troy - The only higher seed to get bounced in the first round...but this is a very young team and one with a tremendous upside. The Cajuns lose three seniors, 2 guard David Dees, back-up point Mo Barksdale and reserve post Abray Milson...but their top 3, and 7 of their top 8 scorers are all underclassmen. The returning backcourt core is very solid...sophomores Elijah Milsap, Randell Diagle, LaRyan Gary and Brandon Dison and true freshmen Chris Gradnigo and Travis Bureau all made incredible strides this season, especially considering Milsap was the only one of the group with any D-1 experience prior to this season (Diagle, Gary and Dison were all gray-shirts and I believe can regain a year of eligibility if they graduate on time). The frontcourt was a glaring weakness for ULL...and an area coach Robert Lee and former UNT assistant Jai Steadman have already addressed with 4 transfers...Jeremy Barr (6'9" 265 San Jacinto JC), Lester Ferguson (6'10" 220 Ft. Smith JC), Lamar Roberson (6'8" 220 UNLV) and Emmanuel Adeife (6'10" 220 UNLV). Assuming everyone who can be in Lafayette next season is...this has got to be considered the way too early favorite in the West.
UD - Lost 65-60 @ UNO - An amazing first year turn-around by head man Joe Scott. Inexperience and fatigue caught up to this team down the stretch, but the Pioneers are also a team on the rise in the West. Denver finished the season with 6 active scholarship players as senior wing David Kummer broke his leg in December and sophomore guard Tyler Bullock left the team five games in to the season. Kummer finished as the leading per game scorer, and joining him in graduation is post Adam Tanner, the teams second leading scorer. Scott, however, was thinking to the future at the beginning of the year...and the cupboard is far from bare. Scott redshirted his top recruit, 6'8" forward Andrew Hooper, as well as wing Anthony Porch...and three freshmen, point guard Kyle Lewis, power forward Rob Lewis and reserve combo Xander McNally should all return...along with wings Joe Jackson, a junior and sophomore Nate Rohnert. Scott has already adressed the loss of Tanner...sigining Justin Coughlin, a 6'8" 190 forward with range...perfect for Scott's Princeton system.
ASU - Lost 85-63 @ UNT - On the surface...the future in Jonesboro is no where near as bright as ULL or Denver. However...if former Arkansas and National Champion coach Nolan Richardson ends up as the Indians new head man...look out. By SEC standards, Richardson wasn't a remarkable recruiter...but the SBC is by no means the SEC...and even if the talent in Jonesboro doesn't significantly improve under Richardson, the play...and especially the defense should be exponentially better. The Indians will graduate just two players, star off guard Adrian Banks and starting post Kewain Gant. Three starters, swingman Shawn Morgan, power forward Yima Chia-Kur and all SBC guard Ryan Wedel return, as do a group of 5 or 6 role players who have all shown flashes of ability at times. Nutt's departure makes the status of lone recruit Trey Finn, a 6'1" point guard, uncertain. Richardson would make this team better immediatly...and all signs seem to be pointing that direction.
ULM - Lost 74-69 @ MTSU - The biggest turn around in style of play this next season may come in Monroe. Head coach Orlando Early has lived the past two seasons on 3 and 4 guard line-ups...successfully in 07...not so much in 08...however 3 of his top 4 guards, Jonas Brown, Lance Brasher and Jordan Payne are all out of eligibility...leaving leading scorer Tony Hooper to carry even more of the load in the backcourt. The best of his returning running mates should be Sei Paye. Paye played sparingly in 5 games this season, enought so where he may be able to earn a redshirt...Paye is a smooth 6'3" scoring guard very similar to Jordan Payne and Jonas Brown. The biggest improvement for the Warhwks will be up front. Miami transfer Lawrence Gilbert, a 6'7" combo forward, will make an immediate impact. Leading rebounder Afam Nweke returns, as do freshmen Raphelle Turner and Mitchell Hampton with a year of experience under their belts. The focus next season may be inside-out in Monroe with this group of athletic and talented forwards.
FIU - Lost 91-64 @ FAU - The two key pieces for the Panthers, wing Alex Galindo and center Russell Hicks both return...as do forward Nikola Gacesa and talented freshman combo guard Tremayne Russell. Joining them will be freshman post Freddy Aspirilla (6'9" 265), arguably the best incoming big man in the SBC thus far, and Florida State transfer point guard Josue Soto, a Florida all-state performer out of high school. These six players will make a dangerous and versitile core...however all of this is assuming head coach Sergio Rouco returns. Rouco has established himself as an outstanding recruiter. What he has yet to prove is an ability to coach the talent he's bringing in. Soto, Aspirilla and Galindo are all thought to be "Rouco-guys" and atleast Soto and Aspirlla would bolt should Rouco be let go. Interesting happenings in Miami this off-season

Good analysis; see you in Mobile, I am going Saturday.