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Gopher+RamFan wrote:That would be interesting and odd. Not a scare, Shaka will leave one day. We have the university and athletic leadership to make a good coaching hire, as we have done in the past decade (Capel, Anthony Grant, Shaka). Not saying we wouldn't miss a beat, but I'm fairly confident that our program wouldn't drop (our worst RPI in the last decade was at 80).

Hard to understand how someone would know what would occur 2 years from now. If Shaka wanted to follow in his former coaches footstep (yes I know he coached under Purnell), wouldn't he be better suited to following Donovan at Florida? Similar coaching styles, and he's more familiar with the SEC/ACC area down there (coached at Florida, Clemson).

Also, when Illinois offered, there apparently was talk that Shaka did not want to deal with Chicagos AAU circuit and recruiting. He would obviously need to do that if he went to DePaul. Many VCU fans have heard from other fans that they had inside information that Shaka would leave for "x" school. MD, NC State, Illinois, UCLA, my Gophers and finally Marquette ("done deal"). From what I've heard, he's never been remotely close to leaving, using other schools interests as leverage to improve the program: private jet for recruiting, higher salary for assistants etc...

I'm sure if Purnell isn't extended, DePaul would make a push for Shaka. Any program replacing a coach will obviously at least feign interest. No offense, but I doubt that Shaka is planning two years in advance to take the job. He may one day, but it seems too far away to create buzz. He certainly has ties to the area, and loves the Cubs.

DudeAnon wrote:So what gives? Xavier is 28 in RPI and a 10 seed by Lunardi. Shouldn't a 28 put us at the 7 seed?

X-man wrote:

DudeAnon wrote:So what gives? Xavier is 28 in RPI and a 10 seed by Lunardi. Shouldn't a 28 put us at the 7 seed?

Lunardi has always dissed the A10 in his bracket seeding, and continues to do so with former A10 teams. Butler, seeded 6th in his Bracketology, should be 4 based on Butler's RPI. Both 'Nova and Seton Hall are seeded consistently with their RPI's, while Providence and Georgetown are also "under-seeded". But the largest "error" is for the two former A10 teams.

lquarles wrote:

Westbrook#36 wrote:Actually we don't, we use a 1-2-2 three quarter court trap often

I stand corrected on that.

lquarles wrote:VCU's half-court defense has improved tremendously since the 'Nova game (Against A-10 teams), and I think we'd beat Nova convincingly today.

Our half-court defense was also horrible against Toledo and ODU. It's not the quality of the opponents, it's VCU's execution. They've been swarming lately.

lquarles wrote:Nova went on that 16-0 run in the second half because VCU started taking and bricking bad shots (Because Nova was playing stifling D and VCU is slighty above St. John's level in disciplined offensive shot selection, not a good recipe)

Shot selection and ball movement is still much better today from watching them. It really started with the Cincinnati game.

Westbrook#36 wrote:VCU would probably compete for a top 4 place in the BE, yes, but let's not overstate the level of the A-10. That GW team you brag about crushing also got crushed by Penn State. The BE is a serious step up from the A-10.

GW also beat Wichita State.

From looking at the current Bracketology I'd love a rematch with UVA in the Sweet 16 and a rematch with 'Nova in the Elite 8. VCU has improved all around dramatically while 'Nova has stayed about the same, got crushed by a Georgetown team that just lost to Xavier, 'Nova made Georgetown look like a national title contender.

X Factor wrote:VCU is playing good ball right now, but they still only beat St. Louis (RPI - 207) by 2 points last week. If you don't bring your "A" game in the BE every night, you're gonna lose.

That's the biggest change from the A10 to the BE. Xavier could play poorly on some nights in the A10 and still win. That is not the case in the BE. Plus, the overall size in the BE is a lot greater than the A10. Every BE team has size, except Nova, but they are just so solid all over the court, it doesn't really matter.

Westbrook#36 wrote:

X Factor wrote:VCU is playing good ball right now, but they still only beat St. Louis (RPI - 207) by 2 points last week. If you don't bring your "A" game in the BE every night, you're gonna lose.

That's the biggest change from the A10 to the BE. Xavier could play poorly on some nights in the A10 and still win. That is not the case in the BE. Plus, the overall size in the BE is a lot greater than the A10. Every BE team has size, except Nova, but they are just so solid all over the court, it doesn't really matter.

Daniel Ochefu says hello.

Westbrook#36 wrote:

lquarles wrote:

Westbrook#36 wrote:Nova hasn't got better? LOL, Ochefu has shown big time improvement, Phil Booth is contributing to the rotation now, and everyone else has found their role on this team. That wasn't the case earlier in the season, when we played VCU we were sputtering and still crushed you by 24. Nova has played one poor game this season and you have a knee jerk overreaction, good for you hanging your hopes on that. I actually hope we do see VCU in the S16 or E8, if they're anywhere as overconfident as you, we'll roll again with an easy game to the E8 or F4. Hell they don't even have to be over confident, good chance we'd roll you anyway.