2015 General Recruiting

[jacobkdoyle]

Fresh start.

 

[Bulldog01]

Serious question? If we played in ACC, B10, B12 would you still say this team with current recruits could win the league and make final four run?

 

[Bearcat22]

Serious question? If we played in ACC, B10, B12 would you still say this team with current recruits could win the league and make final four run?

I would say no. I think they would grind out enough quality wins to get to the tournament making the 2nd round or Sweet 16 range. I think Pitt (of recent history) is similar to the Cats. Tough to play, gritty, team oriented, but lacks (lacked) a true difference maker for the final 4 run.

Last season around the tournament I read on the Nate Silver's 538 blog that one of the best predictors of post season success is actually preseason rankings. The theory being the rankings are based on talent since there isn't a sample of games and talent over the solid teams wins titles. Just a theory, but it's pretty interesting.

 

[#BearcatNation]

Serious question? If we played in ACC, B10, B12 would you still say this team with current recruits could win the league and make final four run?

If we played in one of those conferences, I believe you'd see a renovated arena and a spike in recruiting, so I'm not sure that's a very fair question.

 

[Bearcat22]

If we played in one of those conferences, I believe you'd see a renovated arena and a spike in recruiting, so I'm not sure that's a very fair question.

I think the question is more hypothetical asking if the Cats happen to land in one of those conferences in current state, how would they fair? There's no right answer. It's all just debate fodder.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

If we played in one of those conferences, I believe you'd see a renovated arena and a spike in recruiting, so I'm not sure that's a very fair question.

I can see how the recruiting spike would happen in football, but imo it is overstated for basketball. We play a very good national schedule and make the tournament, so I don't think that matters all that much. I'm just not sure that the elite prospects would start to flock to the 340th ranked team in possessions per game just bc it's in a different conference. I mean, we didn't have any 1st round picks in the Big East either. Conference didn't matter when we were in C-USA bc the players came for the coach, not the amenities. And it doesn't seem to matter today for the UNLV, SDSU, Gonzaga, VCU, UConn, Memphis and SMU programs.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

In the 2015 football class rankings, there are 0 schools in the Top 50 outside of the B10, B12, SEC, Pac12 and ACC.

In the 2015 basketball class rankings, there are 10 schools in the Top 50 outside of the B10, B12, SEC, Pac12 and ACC.

 

[waterhead]

Serious question? If we played in ACC, B10, B12 would you still say this team with current recruits could win the league and make final four run?

Not really but I think we might have the potential to be a top 15 team this year (give or take). I would also add you don't have to win the league to be a contender (in stronger leagues). Finishing 2nd or 3rd can be a VERY strong team.

Also, I am not sure what playing in another conference has to do with our ability to make a final 4??

 

[Bulldog01]

If we played in one of those conferences, I believe you'd see a renovated arena and a spike in recruiting, so I'm not sure that's a very fair question.

Alot of them schools stadiums and arenas have been around since 1910. Its part of their tradions. Mick got same recruiting classes in Big East.

 

[Bulldog01]

Also, I am not sure what playing in another conference has to do with our ability to make a final 4??

I think we struggle to finish above 4th in every big 5 except SEC. I still don't see why fans expect final four or bust like we really have talent. We only have 1 top 25 player at his position in country with no proven depth. We needed to land a homerun or two this spring. unless you have multiple lottery picks your not winning nothing with only 9-10 mediocre players on scholarships. Mormon and Lawrence would've put us in top 10 for this season with their talent.

 

[TheLongHaul]

I think we struggle to finish above 4th in every big 5 except SEC. I still don't see why fans expect final four or bust like we really have talent. We only have 1 top 25 player at his position in country with no proven depth. We needed to land a homerun or two this spring. unless you have multiple lottery picks your not winning nothing with only 9-10 mediocre players on scholarships. Mormon and Lawrence would've put us in top 10 for this season with their talent.

You immensely overstate Mormon's talent. He does very little very well, which is probably why he ended up where he is now. Lawrence had talent but still hasn't put it together and who knows if he ever will.

 

[Bulldog01]

You immensely overstate Mormon's talent. He does very little very well, which is probably why he ended up where he is now. Lawrence had talent but still hasn't put it together and who knows if he ever will.

Mormon provided something team missing every championship has. His toughness, motor, and defense is an asset this team is currently lacking. Not to memention he was team best passer and slasher. Lawrence is a top 25 talent with right coaching is match up nightmare. Two long athletic players gone with basically no replacement.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

Recruiting in the Big East with a ton of playing time available early on, Mick landed one top 25 class and that was 2007. Not sure you'd see a huge increase in recruiting if we were in the ACC or Big 12. The staff seems pretty committed to their philosophy regardless of conference. Pretty disheartening if you ask me. We need new recruiting techniques which will come with some fresh blood (a former player like Van Exel would be a home run, IMO).

 

[TheLongHaul]

Mormon provided something team missing every championship has. His toughness, motor, and defense is an asset this team is currently lacking. Not to memention he was team best passer and slasher. Lawrence is a top 25 talent with right coaching is match up nightmare. Two long athletic players gone with basically no replacement.

He on-ball defense was good, his team defense was terrible. Also, couldn't shoot worth a lick and had a terrible mid-range even though he thought he was Jordan. Mick has no problem recruiting tough players that have motors. That isn't this teams problem. They need scorers.

I wish Lawrence would have stayed. Though I think Ellis was a pretty good replacement.

 

[#BearcatNation]

In the 2015 football class rankings, there are 0 schools in the Top 50 outside of the B10, B12, SEC, Pac12 and ACC.

In the 2015 basketball class rankings, there are 10 schools in the Top 50 outside of the B10, B12, SEC, Pac12 and ACC.

You don't think 80% of top 50 teams in 5 conferences is high? There are 32 D-1 conferences.

All I'm saying is recruits think about playing in empty gyms that Tulane, East Carolina, and Houston house. Those games are on ESPNews if they're lucky. There's a reason that often mediocre programs in power conferences out-recruit great programs outside it. They want to be on a national stage. The AAC generally does not provide that.

The fact that we were recruiting well in the late-2000s in the Big East while our program was falling apart is telling to me. Conference affiliation used to not matter to us because we were always top 15 and sold out every game. Not the case anymore, sadly.

 

[cincrulz11]

I'm just not sure that the elite prospects would start to flock to the 340th ranked team in possessions per game just bc it's in a different conference..

Yeah Virginia and Wisconsin have never got a top 100 recruit in their history. We better hurry up and get that tempo up so all the recruits will run here cause that's totally the reason they don't!!!!!

 

[jacobkdoyle]

You don't think 80% of top 50 teams in 5 conferences is high? There are 32 D-1 conferences.

All I'm saying is recruits think about playing in empty gyms that Tulane, East Carolina, and Houston house. Those games are on ESPNews if they're lucky. There's a reason that often mediocre programs in power conferences out-recruit great programs outside it. They want to be on a national stage. The AAC generally does not provide that.

The fact that we were recruiting well in the late-2000s in the Big East while our program was falling apart is telling to me. Conference affiliation used to not matter to us because we were always top 15 and sold out every game. Not the case anymore, sadly.

I don't think 80% is that high compared the 100% in football. It just seems like we should always be in the Top 10 in basketball recruiting for non-P5 schools.

You make a fair point about the empty gyms. I'm not sure that would be THE deciding factor for a recruit, but our bottom feeders are embarrassing. That game @Houston last year was just awful.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Yeah Virginia and Wisconsin have never got a top 100 recruit in their history. We better hurry up and get that tempo up so all the recruits will run here cause that's totally the reason they don't!!!!!

Scoring 49 at home against Tulane definitely wouldn't turn off any recruits...lol. Especially not the ones who will play in the NBA someday. Seriously though, Wisconsin scored 10+ more ppg than us this year. So if you wanna keep the pace and shoot 20 3s per game like them, we can talk about that.

 

[cincrulz11]

Scoring 49 at home against Tulane definitely wouldn't turn off any recruits...lol. Especially not the ones who will play in the NBA someday. Seriously though, Wisconsin scored 10+ more ppg than us this year. So if you wanna keep the pace and shoot 20 3s per game like them, we can talk about that.

I'm not sure what any of what you just wrote has anything to do with my response to you. You said recruits won't want to go to a school ranked 340th in possessions. Yet they go to schools that play even slower. What you said just simply isn't true.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I'm not sure what any of what you just wrote has anything to do with my response to you. You said recruits won't want to go to a school ranked 340th in possessions. Yet they go to schools that play even slower. What you said just simply isn't true.

Our slow pace = 62 ppg
Wisconsin slow pace = 72 ppg

What Top 100 recruits has Virginia been bringing in?