Big East Conference Expansion Ideas and Discussion

[gosports1]

interesting that a good run in the tourny has suddenly changed so many's view of Dayton

[Bill Marsh]

Depends on how you define dreadful...They won't be as highly ranked as this year's team, but I don't see them being the anchor Bill Marsh sees. Fair comp I think would be Lasalle's rating out of the A-10 this year.

I admittedly don't know a lot about the St Louis program, so I'll defer to your knowledge. Please explain your optimism for next year.

My reasons are simple. They graduate the entire starting 5.

That is by definition a rebuilding year next season. When I look at what they have to rebuild with, they have some good recruits, but no one who is projected to be an impact player in their first year. I'm not saying that 3-star or even 2-star recruits can't surprise, but we have to admit that when they do, it is in fact a surprise. I can't compare the St Louis recruits to all the other recruits in the country, so I have to rely on the people who make it their business to do so.

When I look at the programs they'll be competing against who have also had success this year and they bring back more pieces from this year's successful teams, I have to figure they're a few steps ahead of where the Billikens are going into the season. I have nothing against St Louis. I'm just trying to be objective with admittedly limited knowledge. If you have more, please share.

When you say U've described them as an anchor (not my word), I'm simply looking at the fact that the Big East would be a step up in class, a step up in the level of competition, and a step up in the level of athletes. 2014-15 is just bad timing for the Billikens. They couldn't be less prepared for this kind of a step up in level.

BTW, what is a Billiken? Serious question. A friend of mine recently contacted me and wants to know. I appreciate your answer.

http://www.billikens.com/billiken is the answer to your last question.

This class (for those who value recruiting rankings) is higher ranked than the senior class that just left.

I think SLU is more prepared than Butler was last year (not that being more prepared than a team that finished 2nd to last is a huge deal).

Thanks for the info on the Billiken. Greatly appreciate it.

[HoosierPal]

Excellent point.

St Louis - loses all 5 starters, no big recruits coming in. Will be rebuilding
St. Joe's - loses 3 starters, top 2 scorers + rebounding & assists leader& #4 scorer. No big recruits. Rebuilding.
GW - loses 3 of top 7 players, leading scorer and #2 scorer/leading rebounder. No big recruits. Rebuilding.
UMass - loses 3 starters, leading scorer/assists leader + #3 scorer + #2 rebounder. No big recruits. Rebuilding.
Dayton - loses 3 of their top 7 players including 2 starters, 1 of whom is leading rebounder/#2 scorer. No big recruits.
VCU - loses 2 starters, one of whom was leading rebounder/#2 scorer. Bring in two 4-star recruits.

VCU is the only team in really good shape with 3 starters, almost their entire bench, and 2 impact recruits. Dayton is next best with 3 starters returning and last years top recruit, 4-star Kyle Davis ready to step up from the bench. The other 4 who went to the tournament are clearly in rebuilding mode.

In other words, if the Big East expanded right now with VCU and Dayton, the A10 would be expected to be a 1-bid league.

Do you just make this stuff up? You are seriously undervaluing the A-10.

[augkash]

interesting that a good run in the tourny has suddenly changed so many's view of Dayton

I think a lot of people saw how good the freshman and sophomores are. And they saw the Passion the fans have for their team. Dayton does have a pretty good player coming in next year.( Darrell Davis) he pick dayton over Mich st. And they have a 6'11 290 pound center coming in. So his size should help and I think they have spots left

[PMThor]

interesting that a good run in the tourny has suddenly changed so many's view of dayton

Honestly, it's pretty ridiculous. One run and people start considering them? They weren't considered in the expansion last year, what changed? One season of being called a Cinderella? Would the Big East be considering Detroit if they made the Sweet Sixteen? Or wait, how about Case Western?

The Big East hasn't rumbled about expansion. They haven't put out feelers. Take that for what it's worth.

[augkash]

interesting that a good run in the tourny has suddenly changed so many's view of dayton

Honestly, it's pretty ridiculous. One run and people start considering them? They weren't considered in the expansion last year, what changed? One season of being called a Cinderella? Would the Big East be considering Detroit if they made the Sweet Sixteen? Or wait, how about Case Western?

The Big East hasn't rumbled about expansion. They haven't put out feelers. Take that for what it's worth.

No matter what Dayton does its not good enough for u. Alls you do is trash talk them like a jealous high school girl

[lolhoya]

interesting that a good run in the tourny has suddenly changed so many's view of dayton

Honestly, it's pretty ridiculous. One run and people start considering them? They weren't considered in the expansion last year, what changed? One season of being called a Cinderella? Would the Big East be considering Detroit if they made the Sweet Sixteen? Or wait, how about Case Western?

The Big East hasn't rumbled about expansion. They haven't put out feelers. Take that for what it's worth.

Dayton was being talked about plenty before this run. See the comments from Xavier's AD last summer. Dayton has been better than SLU and Richmond in RPI/KenPom/etc over the last decade. It's not fair at all to compare them to Detroit or Case Western, come on.

[Bill Marsh]

Excellent point.

St Louis - loses all 5 starters, no big recruits coming in. Will be rebuilding
St. Joe's - loses 3 starters, top 2 scorers + rebounding & assists leader& #4 scorer. No big recruits. Rebuilding.
GW - loses 3 of top 7 players, leading scorer and #2 scorer/leading rebounder. No big recruits. Rebuilding.
UMass - loses 3 starters, leading scorer/assists leader + #3 scorer + #2 rebounder. No big recruits. Rebuilding.
Dayton - loses 3 of their top 7 players including 2 starters, 1 of whom is leading rebounder/#2 scorer. No big recruits.
VCU - loses 2 starters, one of whom was leading rebounder/#2 scorer. Bring in two 4-star recruits.

VCU is the only team in really good shape with 3 starters, almost their entire bench, and 2 impact recruits. Dayton is next best with 3 starters returning and last years top recruit, 4-star Kyle Davis ready to step up from the bench. The other 4 who went to the tournament are clearly in rebuilding mode.

In other words, if the Big East expanded right now with VCU and Dayton, the A10 would be expected to be a 1-bid league.

Do you just make this stuff up? You are seriously undervaluing the A-10.

Do you think I made up the post that you just quoted? That's what I drew my conclusions from. Does it look like I was making anything up?

Feel free to disagree with my conclusions, but when I list what each team is losing, what makes you think I'm making anything up? Just post your points of disagreements. I'm dealing in facts

Remember that I said that the A10 MINUS VCU and Dayton would be a 1-bid league next year. After them, what's left?

[BillikensWin]

I think the team you're really off on for next year is GW. They will make the tournament.

[billyjack]

A little off topic...

Lola in "Damn Yankees", before making a deal with the devil, was known as "the ugliest girl in Providence"... nothing worse apparently than being homely, except if you're unattractive AND have to live in Rhode Island...

Tonight, I watched the last 15 minutes of "Sunset Boulevard"... William Holden is leaving the old actress, giving up his dream of being a Hollywood screen writer, and is resigned to going back home to his old boring job and old boring life "as a copy editor in Dayton Ohio". Apparently nothing worse than giving up on your life's dream, except if you have to return to Dayton while doing it...

Providence and Dayton... we're connected, as places in the 50's where crushing life failures are made worse by living in our cities.