Heading Into Conference Play

Censored by Laurie · December 10, 2009

Let's see how wrong I was!

I'm still pretty happy with my pre-season predictions...but after a month and a half of play here is how I'd reassess.

SBC East -

1. South Alabama

2. Troy

3. Western Kentucky

4. Florida Atlantic

5. Middle Tennessee

6. Florida International

SBC West -

1. Denver

2. North Texas

3. New Orleans

4. UL - Monroe

5. Arkansas State

6. UALR

7. UL - Lafayette

Player of the So Far - Nate Rohnert, UD

First Team -

Nate Rohnert, UD

Josh White, UNT

Tyren Johnson, ULL

Brandon Hazzard, Troy

Billy Humphrey, UNO

Second Team -

Tim Williams, USA

Raymond Taylor, FAU

George Odufuwa, UNT

Sergio Kerusch, WKU

Tony Hooper, ULM

Third Team -

Marvin Roberts, FIU

A.J. Slaughter, WKU

Montarrio Haddock, MTSU

Soloman Bozeman, UALR

Richard Delk, Troy

Newcomer of the So Far - Billy Humphrey, UNO

Newcomer Team -

Billy Humphrey, UNO

Tim Williams, USA

Soloman Bozeman, UALR

Marvin Roberts, FIU

James Washington, MTSU

Freshman of the So Far - Raymond Taylor, FAU

Freshman Team -

Raymond Taylor, FAU

Greg Gantt, FAU

Brandon Reed, ASU

Martino Brock, USA

Carl Blair, UNO

Three Positive Surprises:

1. Tyren Johnson - Johnson is fifth in the conference in scoring (15.3ppg) and second in rebounding (9.5rpg) after being little more than a role player in his first three seasons (4.1ppg, 3.5rpg career average).

2. South Alabama - Tasty had this one called...I thought there were too many newcomers and not enough interior size for the Jags, but Ronnie Arrow has USA at 7-2 including a convincing win over Arkansas.

3. New Orleans - The Privateers are 5-2...both quality losses...and while they haven't beaten anyone of note, their double digit comeback against Tulane showed a lot of heart and is the kind of win that can galvanize a team.

Three Negative Surprises:

1. UL - Lafayette's loss to NAIA Mobile University - throw in the loss to a horrible McNeese State and struggling for a half against D-III Louisiana College.

2. Donald Boone's Injury - ASU was on the verge of moving back into the top tier of the conference before Boone was lost for the season in the Red Wolves' opener.

3A. Florida International - I knew they'd be bad...but not this bad.

3B. Western Kentucky - They're still good...but poor perimeter shooting and a complete lack of depth have the Hilltoppers no where near expectations. With 3 difficult games ahead (@Vandy, @Louisville, vs. Murray State) WKU could very well enter conference play with a losing record.

There ya go...add to this, disagree with me...anything...lets just get some good basketball discussion going on here.

greenminer · December 10, 2009

Should I be surprised you did not put Eric on any of your teams?

Censored by Laurie · December 10, 2009

Should I be surprised you did not put Eric on any of your teams?

Who do I knock off?

greenminer · December 10, 2009

Who do I knock off?

Has he underperformed so much as a pre-season 1st teamer that he does not even make a 3 squad list?

Censored by Laurie · December 10, 2009

Has he underperformed so much as a pre-season 1st teamer that he does not even make a 3 squad list?

Maybe its more of a case of George over-performing to this point?

Eric's scoring numbers are right about the same, but his rebounding and percentages have dipped...I do think that the first team nod I gave him was based on expectations of continued improvement and I think so far you've seen about the same third team performer you had last season, while others like Tyren Johnson have significantly upped their production

I look at Eric as our third best player through 8 games...and I have a hard time justifying putting him ahead of the likes of Haddock, Roberts, Bozeman ect who are putting up comparable or better numbers while performing as the top players on their squads.

Also - I remember Eric having three point range last season...but according to ESPN he took only 10 last season, making 4 (I could've sworn it was more). This season he has already attempted 18.

Edited December 10, 2009 by Censored by Laurie

TheTastyGreek · December 10, 2009

Also - I remember Eric having three point range last season...but according to ESPN he took only 10 last season, making 4 (I could've sworn it was more). This season he has already attempted 18.

He certainly has.

Eric Tramiel (and, to a slightly lesser extent, Jacob Holmen) squaring up from the 3 point line is the basketball equivalent of Riley Dodge lined up in the shotgun on 3rd or 4th and inches.

Sure, it may work one time out of five, but it's agonizing to watch and worry about all five times.

I love them both, but my stomach hurts every time someone passes them the ball outside the arc.

Graddean · December 11, 2009

Don't get too excited about South Alabama's win over Arkansas. At this point, Arkansas has not been very impressive. They started the season with a number of players suspended.

Green P1 · December 11, 2009

If you love Denver so much why don't you just go to school there.

I hate Denver.

GrandGreen · December 11, 2009

Too much love for Denver. They may be 7-2 but are 6-1 in Denver and 1-1 on the road with a 3 point victory over S. Dakota St. Looks like Denver last year, hard to beat at home; not so much on the road.

I do agree with White being first team all conference. Tremial got off to a slow start, but he looked great against the best team NT has played, A&M. Odufuwa is off to a strong start and he and Tremial have the years they are capable of; NT could have the best team they have had in decades if not ever. NT needs to solidly the wing positions and get a stronger performance out of it's substitute front court players. A healthy Johnson is also essential to a championship team.

Edited December 11, 2009 by GrandGreen

CMJ · December 11, 2009

Well, heading into conference here are the RPI's

87 North Texas

119 WKU

126 Troy

128 Denver

136 USA

139 UALR

163 New Orleans

171 FAU

188 ASU

259 ULM

266 FIU

276 MTSU

282 ULL

bstnsportsfan3 · December 11, 2009

Too much love for Denver. They may be 7-2 but are 6-1 in Denver and 1-1 on the road with a 3 point victory over S. Dakota St. Look like Denver last year, hard to beat at home; not so much on the road.
I do agree with White being first team all conference. Tremial got off to a slow start, but he looked great against the best team NT has played, A&M. Odufuwa is off to a strong start and he and Tremial have the years they are capable of; NT could have the best team they have had in decades if not ever. NT needs to solidly the wing positions and get a stronger performance out of it's substitute front court players. A healthy Brown is also essential to a championship team.

Brown???

Green P1 · December 11, 2009

Brown???

I was appalled as well.

GrandGreen · December 11, 2009

Brown???

Johnson, I will correct thanks

foutsrouts · December 11, 2009

Johnson, I will correct thanks

Along with a healthy Brown , we need a healthy Mangrum and for TT to get out of his overall funk and play with the kind of potential he has showed in the past. We've got to play better (and smarter) three ball if we're going to get this offense really going IMO. Would be nice if Mangrum showed the same stuff this year that he showed against Middle last year before the injury when he looked like an All-American. I guess he's about the only one who knows for sure how well his body is holding up.

As far as the bigs go, I love the apparent improvement of Odufuwa and think that Tramiel will come along and show why he was projected all conference. Holmen is going to be special, but too bad we don't have Hogans to work him in a little more slowly. No doubt that we've got to keep the big guys healthy if we're going to be as good as many of us had hoped. Hope we get this thing going well and little more settled during this four game home stretch.

untwillrise · December 11, 2009

We are the best team in the belt. Denver is so over rated! WKY needs to find themselves because they look bad. I think this is the year when we stop saying what the to weird losses in belt play. But i hate talkin about predictions! "shoot more threes"!