College Basketball Thread 2015-16

[fondybrewfan]

Not much you can do when Purdue hits there outside shots like that. You have to try to make the guards beat you and not Hammons, those guys just happen to have career nights. It happens. If Purdue shoots like that I am not sure there are many teams period that could have beaten them.

 

They should beat Nebraska / Rutgers winner in Round 1 and then get to go against Purdue for the 3rd time on Friday. Win that first game I will say they are going to be no worse than a 7.

[tmwiese55]

The way I understand it they'll play Maryland on Friday. After last night I think I'd rather play MD than deal those bigs at Purdue again. Overall UW played great and would win most nights, Purdue just played better. Have to just tip your hat and accept it. They were fired up and hit shots, good game on their part.

[fondybrewfan]

Oops you are right it would be Maryland. UW matches up a lot better with Maryland than with Purdue.

[CheezWizHed]

After last night I think I'd rather play MD than deal those bigs at Purdue again.

 

I was watching Happ (#22) posting up #44 for Purdue and I thought, "The numbers are fitting. #44 is twice Happ's size." They certainly had a height disadvantage inside. Hopefully Van Vliet will put on some weight this year and help fix that problem next year.

[Vgmastr]

UWGB knocked off top seed Valparaiso in the Horizon League Tournament last night and face Wright State tonight on ESPN for the Championship. The last time GB made it to the NCAA Tournament was 1996.

[fondybrewfan]

It would be pretty cool to see UWGB make it. I would guess if they do they are probably a 15.

 

Couple possible bid thieves with Monmouth and Valpo losing. Monmouth probably doesn't make it but Valpo has a decent shot.

 

Bubble teams are definitely getting nervous; some surprises in the mid major tourneys so far.

[tmwiese55]

I think I saw last night that Monmouth is still expected to make it, apparently they've beaten several major conference teams. Just glad UW isn't on the bubble on anymore to worry about this anymore. Although things like this are made up for by Louisville and SMU freeing up two extra spots.

 

It would be cool to see UWGB make it as a surprise, they've had several good teams the last few years that could've easily made and were even favorites to do it but ended up blowing it in the conference tourney, so they're kind of due.

[Outlander]

I don't know, they are a 7 loss team in a pretty poor conference. They have a couple of decent wins but some really bad losses as well. Very much a bubble team.

[fondybrewfan]

Monmouth went out played a lot of good teams in non-conference but it just so happens some of those ended up not being all that good. Mounmouth should be commended for playing that schedule. Unfortunately their conference is atrocious which really kills the RPI.

 

I would rather see Valpo or Monmouth make that another middling big conference team like Michigan or Florida. Not likely to happen but it makes the tournament more enjoyable to most fans.

[MrTPlush]

Fairleigh-Dickinson at 17-14 just got an auto bid into the tournament...wow. Their most notable game of the season was when they played Villanova and lost 91-54.

[superfly]

Woohoo for UW Green Bay! #REPRESENT

[nodakfan17]

It would be cool to see UWGB make it as a surprise, they've had several good teams the last few years that could've easily made and were even favorites to do it but ended up blowing it in the conference tourney, so they're kind of due.

Agreed. I'm happy for them. Prior to this season, their best shot at the tourney came in 2014. They won the Horizon League regular season that year, but lost in the conference tournament semi-final to UW-Milwaukee in OT. Keifer Sykes (Horizon POY) was injured in the first half and did not return. I know UW-Milwaukee was playing well towards the end of that season, but I gotta believe that Sykes would have been good for an extra 2 points in regulation. I felt terrible for them and their fans.

[nodakfan17]

Woohoo for UW Green Bay! #REPRESENT

I guess the secret is out now, but UWGB has quietly had a good season.

 

Brian Wardle left for Bradley and took the recruiting class with him (as is common). Going from a top-tier Horizon League team to a low-tier MVC team is probably viewed as a lateral move, but he's originally from Illinois and received a substantial raise to coach the Braves. Plus, Keifer Sykes (2x Horizon POY) graduated along with 2 other starters from the previous season.

 

As a whole, it was a down year for the Horizon League. They are typically 10-15 in conference RPI (of the 32 D-I basketball conferences), but will finish around 20th this year. That said, I think Linc Darner is an incredible coach. He inherited 2 quality players in Jordan Fouse and Carrington Love, but otherwise got to the NCAA tourney with guys that weren't even in Wardle's rotation last year. After UWGB lost its entire recruiting class, he picked up two JC transfers who made an immediate impact.

 

Remember the name Linc Darner. He was the D-II National Champion last year and will be the coach of a major conference school within 5 years. For UWGB's sake, I hope it's not sooner.

[fondybrewfan]

I have already heard some rumors that Central Florida was interested in darner. I don't think he would leave after one year but if he strings together a couple more solid seasons he will be moving on up.

 

Bubble is going to be really tight. Monmouth, Valpo, St Mary's, and Wichita State are already sweating it out and its only Wednesday with many more potential bid thieves possible.

[Outlander]

Remember the name Linc Darner. He was the D-II National Champion last year and will be the coach of a major conference school within 5 years. For UWGB's sake, I hope it's not sooner.

I have a feeling he is gone, strike while the iron is hot. Who knows when/if he makes the tournament again with UWGB. Good job by UWGB in finding him though.

[nodakfan17]

Remember the name Linc Darner. He was the D-II National Champion last year and will be the coach of a major conference school within 5 years. For UWGB's sake, I hope it's not sooner.

I have a feeling he is gone, strike while the iron is hot. Who knows when/if he makes the tournament again with UWGB. Good job by UWGB in finding him though.

My opinion of Linc Darner is extremely high, but if I were an AD of a major conference program, I'd have some concerns. It's obvious that he can coach, but can he recruit? He only has 3 years of coaching experience at the DI level (2 as an assistant at Murray State). Can his Midwestern every-man persona drive sponsors / donors? It seems that 1/2 of all head coaching hires in college football / basketball are young assistants who put a fresh face on the program and can "win the interview." His team has played excellent as of late, but they are only 23-12 and finished 4th in the Horizon League. Is that a sufficient sample for an AD to make a hire, bearing in mind that their livelihood may be tied to that hire?

 

He was hand selected by the AD for the Green Bay job. They've run in the same circles before and he might stay out of loyalty. She gave him his first DI head coaching opportunity over strong candidates like Greg Gard and alum Gary Grzesk. He may also like Green Bay. A guy can live pretty well there on $230,000 (plus bonus). He probably doesn't mind the cold since he was born in Indiana and played at Purdue. I think he'll hold out for a Power 5 (+ Big East) job, but I wouldn't be shocked if UCF / USF came calling and he decided to move back to Florida. Such are opportunities are rare and his star has never shined brighter.

[FVBrewerFan]

My opinion of Linc Darner is extremely high, but if I were an AD of a major conference program, I'd have some concerns. It's obvious that he can coach, but can he recruit?

 

Well, we're not talking about Duke or Kansas here. UCF or someone in that sphere would still be a better opportunity and a bigger paycheck. I imagine he would be as good as anyone else recruiting at a school at that level.

[bjkrautk]

My opinion of Linc Darner is extremely high, but if I were an AD of a major conference program, I'd have some concerns. It's obvious that he can coach, but can he recruit?

 

Well, we're not talking about Duke or Kansas here. UCF or someone in that sphere would still be a better opportunity and a bigger paycheck. I imagine he would be as good as anyone else recruiting at a school at that level.

 

He's a guy with 1 year of D1 head coaching experience. Barring a Sweet 16 run (or better), he's not going anywhere this off-season.

[MrTPlush]

Wisconsin is lucky they played Iowa when they did. It goes down as a good win against a Top 10 opponent, but in reality they played a team just as they were starting to fly off the rails. Will probably be good a for a 1 or 2 seed bump in the end.

[young guns]

Not gonna matter what seed they are if they play like they did tonight.

[pacopete4]

That was just bad basketball tonight. Not only that but they were out worked, out hustled, all game long. Deserved to get their butts kicked and they did. Hopefully they can flip the switch in a week or they will be 1st round exits no matter what seed they get. Might be the first time Gard didn't have his team ready to play.

[MrTPlush]

Yah from a neutral perspective that was a pretty awful game on both sides of the court. The looked uncomfortable on offense and totally lost on defense. Nebraska was constantly sprinting to the basket with little to stop them.

[RobDeer 45]

Yes that was a complete joke last night. Nebraska was relentless and we looked bad. Hopefully it's a wake up call for the tournament. They need max effort and better mental focus to win a few games.

[Outlander]

It is just one game, they are who they are which is a 7/8 seed .Probably will win their first game and lose to the 1/2 seed. I don't think many ever thought of them as a top 16 team so winning one game in the tournament is meeting their expectations.

[fondybrewfan]

This did probably drop them to an 8; maybe a low 7. Obviously their 2nd round matchup if they manage to win their 1st game is going to be hougher.

 

If they are hitting there 3's they can beat most teams; but then you get into games like last night where they weren't hitting them right away and as a result their offense looks completely dysfunctional. The entire starting 5 minus Vitto played like utter crap last night. I know Happ had a decent line by the end of thegame but he seemed really timid around the basket. Just go up strong.