MullinMayhem wrote:stever20 wrote:MullinMayhem wrote:SMU is still benefiting from the Larry Brown era that recently ended. Same as UConn a couple years after Calhoun left. Just like UConn became mediocre to bad after Calhoun's fingerprints disappeared, SMU will become the same after Brown's are gone.
And other programs are on the rise. Houston, UCF to name just 2. Temple will be much improved this year. The AAC should get 3 in easily, and if things broke right could easily get 5. I mean just looking at SMU shows one reason why. They don't see Temple, UConn, Tulsa, or Memphis but once. So while they see Wichita, UCF, and Cincy 2x- they avoid playing some good teams 2x. Means their conference record could be a lot stronger than you would think. That helps getting in the tourney.
And wouldn't count out UConn yet. They had a ton of injuries last year. They're healthy this year- so lets see where they are now. Could easily get in the tourney.
What is funny is if the AAC does break off and seperate themselves from the A10- and closer to the p5+BE- I think for the big East that's a good thing. Much fewer other teams with a real shot at at large spots. I mean look at the projection this year. A10 has 2 teams in(with 1 being the 35th of 36 at larges). WCC has 2 teams in. Those 2 conferences are the only outside conferences from the top 7. MWC has teams at #50(Nevada automatic) and then #56 San Diego St. But then nothing until like #80. I think the closer the AAC gets to the top 6 conferences, the more the perception of a split makes it that much tougher for those other conferences like the A10, MWC, etc.
Stever, not only does the AAC suck, even if they got 4 teams in the tourney this year they simply don't move the needle. St. John's in a terrible year playing a terrible G'Town team at MSG still drew a huge crowd. UCF vs. Houston while both teams are awful would be empty...you could hear a pin drop. It's not just how many teams you get in the tourney, it's the prestige and the namesake. People know Big East. People know G'Town, Nova, St. John's, etc. No one cares about UCF or Houston or especially Tulane or Tulsa (even if they are solid). The Big East has schools in basketball hotbeds along the Eastern seaboard for the most part. The AAC is a football conference first and basketball second. There's another difference. We clearly put hoops first and have the tradition. You seem totally sold on UConn, a team that has completely fallen off and has Ollie on the hotseat especially if they miss the tourney again. Can they make it this year? Sure, but the odds are against them. It's not just injuries, look at their past 3 seasons. They have to tamper with borderline top 150 recruits now to land them. Under Calhoun they landed pretty much whatever they wanted. That is very telling. Once again their football is pathetic, but they are all-in. Will go down as one of the dumbest decisions in NCAA history.
Savannah Jay wrote:I guess nothing underscores the difference between the Big East and the AAAAC (I am contrasting here, Stever, not comparing) than the expectations of the new teams joining. When X, Butler and Creighton joined the Big East, we were not going to be the best teams in the league or expected to elevate the league merely by joining. The AAAAC, however, is expecting Wichita to come in and be its marquee team day 1 because, well, they need them to be...
That is all.
MullinMayhem wrote:Savannah Jay wrote:I guess nothing underscores the difference between the Big East and the AAAAC (I am contrasting here, Stever, not comparing) than the expectations of the new teams joining. When X, Butler and Creighton joined the Big East, we were not going to be the best teams in the league or expected to elevate the league merely by joining. The AAAAC, however, is expecting Wichita to come in and be its marquee team day 1 because, well, they need them to be...
That is all.
Good point. Yes the AAC is a step up in hoops for Wichita over the MVC. But that doesn't mean they will be this dominating force. Look at Creighton...for as great a program as they are they would win 30 games every year and completely manhandle the conference only getting contested by Wichita State usually in the MVC. Then they came to the Big East where they have been successful but now they are playing much better teams and they aren't going to win 30 games every year. They used to be ranked every year practically in the MVC, but with the increase in competition they haven't been ranked as much. Again, Creighton has been a fantastic add and they are a great program but it just goes to show that Wichita State is not going to steamroll the AAC like it did the MVC most likely. Stever makes it seem like they just added a top 5 team as if Villanova just joined the AAC. Even though the AAC isn't particularly good, they are a big step up from the MVC and Wichita is no savior...that's my point. They will be good but not great and it's just another team that will give UConn fits and make it that much harder for them to make the tourney.
Savannah Jay wrote:I guess nothing underscores the difference between the Big East and the AAAAC (I am contrasting here, Stever, not comparing) than the expectations of the new teams joining. When X, Butler and Creighton joined the Big East, we were not going to be the best teams in the league or expected to elevate the league merely by joining. The AAAAC, however, is expecting Wichita to come in and be its marquee team day 1 because, well, they need them to be...
That is all.
MullinMayhem wrote:Savannah Jay wrote:I guess nothing underscores the difference between the Big East and the AAAAC (I am contrasting here, Stever, not comparing) than the expectations of the new teams joining. When X, Butler and Creighton joined the Big East, we were not going to be the best teams in the league or expected to elevate the league merely by joining. The AAAAC, however, is expecting Wichita to come in and be its marquee team day 1 because, well, they need them to be...
That is all.
Good point. Yes the AAC is a step up in hoops for Wichita over the MVC. But that doesn't mean they will be this dominating force. Look at Creighton...for as great a program as they are they would win 30 games every year and completely manhandle the conference only getting contested by Wichita State usually in the MVC. Then they came to the Big East where they have been successful but now they are playing much better teams and they aren't going to win 30 games every year. They used to be ranked every year practically in the MVC, but with the increase in competition they haven't been ranked as much. Again, Creighton has been a fantastic add and they are a great program but it just goes to show that Wichita State is not going to steamroll the AAC like it did the MVC most likely. Stever makes it seem like they just added a top 5 team as if Villanova just joined the AAC. Even though the AAC isn't particularly good, they are a big step up from the MVC and Wichita is no savior...that's my point. They will be good but not great and it's just another team that will give UConn fits and make it that much harder for them to make the tourney.
mel ott wrote:MullinMayhem wrote:Savannah Jay wrote:I guess nothing underscores the difference between the Big East and the AAAAC (I am contrasting here, Stever, not comparing) than the expectations of the new teams joining. When X, Butler and Creighton joined the Big East, we were not going to be the best teams in the league or expected to elevate the league merely by joining. The AAAAC, however, is expecting Wichita to come in and be its marquee team day 1 because, well, they need them to be...
That is all.
Good point. Yes the AAC is a step up in hoops for Wichita over the MVC. But that doesn't mean they will be this dominating force. Look at Creighton...for as great a program as they are they would win 30 games every year and completely manhandle the conference only getting contested by Wichita State usually in the MVC. Then they came to the Big East where they have been successful but now they are playing much better teams and they aren't going to win 30 games every year. They used to be ranked every year practically in the MVC, but with the increase in competition they haven't been ranked as much. Again, Creighton has been a fantastic add and they are a great program but it just goes to show that Wichita State is not going to steamroll the AAC like it did the MVC most likely. Stever makes it seem like they just added a top 5 team as if Villanova just joined the AAC. Even though the AAC isn't particularly good, they are a big step up from the MVC and Wichita is no savior...that's my point. They will be good but not great and it's just another team that will give UConn fits and make it that much harder for them to make the tourney.
I don't disagree with your main point. However, there are some key points to address about the MVC in the past 10-15 years. First, Creighton did not win 30 games a year in the MVC and the competition was tough. Seocndly,, when the Valley was in its prime in the 90-2010 there were quality teams and the Valley would get multiple bids (2-4 2-3 normal) during this time. So Illinois, Ill, State, WSU, UNI, CU were quality teams.
The key ingredient for Creighton is moving to the Big East ( and along with X and Butler) being able to recruit at a much higher level.
This is still a major move by WSU since the Valley is really a one and done league. Not so back 10 years ago.
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