Welcome to The Holy Land of Hoops

My rankings and expectations:

Creighton: Give this man his flowers. McDermott's squad effectively was the second best team in this first year of the conference. Kalkbrenner, Nembhard and Kaluma is very nice core.

Nova: If any program could sustain a sudden coaching change it is Nova. I will say, I don't see a whole lot coming back on their roster. Archidiacano and Caleb Daniels are the only names that pop out to me. That being said, they do have by the highest rated recruit in the conference with 5* Cam Whitmore.

UConn: Best bigs with Sanogo and Diarra. Athletic guards with Andre Jackson Jr. and Jordan Hawkins. Question will be replacing RJ Cole and Hurley end game adjustments. That being said, I am a Hurley fan. He may not be the best X's and O's. But his teams fight as hard as any team in the conference.

Xavier: The villain re-ups. Only Nova was a better program for the first half of the New Big East. Sean Miller + the best big man in the league with Jack Nunge. Colby Jones, Zack Freemantle and Adam Kunkel returning has some potential. Question will be guard play with transfer Souley Boum likely getting the reigns at point guard. X-Factor - 50th ranked Cam Kraft (6'6" SG) getting minutes from the onset and Colby Jones being a leader. XX-Factor - Zach Freemantle and KyKy Tandy having resurgences.

Providence: Loses some, keeps some. Cooley has earned the benefit of the doubt.

St. John's: St. John's actually annoys me because every year there is hype and every year it is somewhat achieved but just missing the tourney. Get good or bad please, stop being a tease.

Butler: What's that sound? By lord, that's Thad Matta's theme music. What a wild story, trying to one up the return of Sean Miller with the return of Thad Matta. I put odds at 36% of him being a great hire and pushing Butler back towards the top of the conference.

DePaul & Georgetown: Use your rich alums for NIL and get local recruits, I don't see anyway else out for these programs.

The “villain”?

Xudash wrote:The “villain”?

Xavier was easily the most hated team prior to Travis Steele taking over.

DudeAnon wrote:

Xudash wrote:The “villain”?

Xavier was easily the most hated team prior to Travis Steele taking over.

Well, I think you did a pretty good job on your assessment of the standings.

However, we see things through a different lens. I suppose you have baked in a lot of “JP Macura“ effect in your idea that Xavier has been a villain. I flat out do not see Xavier as a program “villain”.

Xudash wrote:

DudeAnon wrote:

Xudash wrote:The “villain”?

Xavier was easily the most hated team prior to Travis Steele taking over.

Well, I think you did a pretty good job on your assessment of the standings.

However, we see things through a different lens. I suppose you have baked in a lot of “JP Macura“ effect in your idea that Xavier has been a villain. I flat out do not see Xavier as a program “villain”.

It's possible, the other fanbases opinions would be what matters. But I am sure the first person when they think Xavier is JP lol

DudeAnon wrote:My rankings and expectations:

Creighton: Give this man his flowers. McDermott's squad effectively was the second best team in this first year of the conference. Kalkbrenner, Nembhard and Kaluma is very nice core.

Nova: If any program could sustain a sudden coaching change it is Nova. I will say, I don't see a whole lot coming back on their roster. Archidiacano and Caleb Daniels are the only names that pop out to me. That being said, they do have by the highest rated recruit in the conference with 5* Cam Whitmore.

UConn: Best bigs with Sanogo and Diarra. Athletic guards with Andre Jackson Jr. and Jordan Hawkins. Question will be replacing RJ Cole and Hurley end game adjustments. That being said, I am a Hurley fan. He may not be the best X's and O's. But his teams fight as hard as any team in the conference.

Xavier: The villain re-ups. Only Nova was a better program for the first half of the New Big East. Sean Miller + the best big man in the league with Jack Nunge. Colby Jones, Zack Freemantle and Adam Kunkel returning has some potential. Question will be guard play with transfer Souley Boum likely getting the reigns at point guard. X-Factor - 50th ranked Cam Kraft (6'6" SG) getting minutes from the onset and Colby Jones being a leader. XX-Factor - Zach Freemantle and KyKy Tandy having resurgences.

Providence: Loses some, keeps some. Cooley has earned the benefit of the doubt.

St. John's: St. John's actually annoys me because every year there is hype and every year it is somewhat achieved but just missing the tourney. Get good or bad please, stop being a tease.

Butler: What's that sound? By lord, that's Thad Matta's theme music. What a wild story, trying to one up the return of Sean Miller with the return of Thad Matta. I put odds at 36% of him being a great hire and pushing Butler back towards the top of the conference.

DePaul & Georgetown: Use your rich alums for NIL and get local recruits, I don't see anyway else out for these programs.

I probably would have kicked out Depaul & Georgetown before Hall & Marquette, but to each their own!

Otherwise, pretty good. Couldn't agree more re the Johnnies.

Darn. We got booted from the Big East.

Husky_U wrote:

DudeAnon wrote:My rankings and expectations:

Creighton: Give this man his flowers. McDermott's squad effectively was the second best team in this first year of the conference. Kalkbrenner, Nembhard and Kaluma is very nice core.

Nova: If any program could sustain a sudden coaching change it is Nova. I will say, I don't see a whole lot coming back on their roster. Archidiacano and Caleb Daniels are the only names that pop out to me. That being said, they do have by the highest rated recruit in the conference with 5* Cam Whitmore.

UConn: Best bigs with Sanogo and Diarra. Athletic guards with Andre Jackson Jr. and Jordan Hawkins. Question will be replacing RJ Cole and Hurley end game adjustments. That being said, I am a Hurley fan. He may not be the best X's and O's. But his teams fight as hard as any team in the conference.

Xavier: The villain re-ups. Only Nova was a better program for the first half of the New Big East. Sean Miller + the best big man in the league with Jack Nunge. Colby Jones, Zack Freemantle and Adam Kunkel returning has some potential. Question will be guard play with transfer Souley Boum likely getting the reigns at point guard. X-Factor - 50th ranked Cam Kraft (6'6" SG) getting minutes from the onset and Colby Jones being a leader. XX-Factor - Zach Freemantle and KyKy Tandy having resurgences.

Providence: Loses some, keeps some. Cooley has earned the benefit of the doubt.

St. John's: St. John's actually annoys me because every year there is hype and every year it is somewhat achieved but just missing the tourney. Get good or bad please, stop being a tease.

Butler: What's that sound? By lord, that's Thad Matta's theme music. What a wild story, trying to one up the return of Sean Miller with the return of Thad Matta. I put odds at 36% of him being a great hire and pushing Butler back towards the top of the conference.

DePaul & Georgetown: Use your rich alums for NIL and get local recruits, I don't see anyway else out for these programs.

I probably would have kicked out Depaul & Georgetown before Hall & Marquette, but to each their own!

Otherwise, pretty good. Couldn't agree more re the Johnnies.

He was probably just sick of losing to them lol

Damn Dude A... Kicked out the Warriors and the Pirates? Wow.

Agree with Dash that X is not seen as a villain??? Xavier Univ, formerly one of the greatest MM programs, then definitely NOT A MM Program, is a model of consistency for many programs
around the country. X set the tone for winning with class and gritty play and I dare say is one of the most respected programs in the country (outside of Cincy fans). When I think of X I think of West, then Romain Sato.
More recent guys come to mind are Sumner and my guy Tyrique Jones...

Xavier will finish 2nd this season...and could eclipse the all-everything Bluejays if they should falter. Thanks to the late season run and the NIT, we should see the Muskie team I thought we'd see last season. Better
late than never. Souley BOOOOM as the newcomer/Transfer of the Year. The boys' a player...sure was hoping we'd (Jays) get him...oh well.

Prov 3rd.
-gtmo

XUDash - Hey Dash...wass up? Looks as though Cole will be joining us again on the previews shows. Thanks.

I'd pick X second behind lil Cr8tn.
Freemantle's going to bounce back, and Miller's a giant coaching upgrade. Some concern with depth at guard, but there are enough options that somebody will step up.

I don't think Nova will repeat unless Justin Moore is ready to go by the beginning of BE play or Cam Whitmore is a NPOY candidate. A new coach and a new point guard is tough to overcome.

I don't see anybody for UConn who can score late in the shot clock, like Cole did. Hurley's going to have to draw a lot of plays.