PSAC WEST

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Pitt-Johnstown plays at Pitt tonight (exhibition).


Mercyhurst opens its season this weekend in Lakeland, FL.

The Lakers play Central Oklahoma on Saturday and Colorado School of Mines on Sunday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Agree with you on Slip. They could win the conference and they can also finish as an also-ran. Grady has his work cut out for him.

They are very interesting. On paper, they look like a very good team. However, they have some 'personalities' to manage before they cut down any nets.

I do like what Grady did this off-season. He brought in his two potential stars in Maceo Auston and Ike Herster, but he also signed several quality complimentary pieces. Luke Howes (Walsh) is a very good PG. Ja'Mier Fletcher (Wagner) is a huge (6'7", 245 lb) physical presence to go alongside Lashon Lindsey (who is one of the more underrated forwards in the league).

Austin has enormous upside at the D2 level. Herster is very dynamic, but is known to have some issues on the court. Both are 6'5" and strong slashers/shooters.

They also return Jomo Goings, who has the potential to be an elite shut-down guard. He is an annoyance for offensive players. Nik Cazacu and Bobby Clifford have both been there forever and are quality depth guys. Off the bench they have the massive Enire Bowens (6'10", 250 lbs.), along with a cast of guards.


I have no doubt there will be nights this team looks incredible. I'd also be willing to bet there will be nights the wheels fall off the wagon. They can't all be stars. Grady's biggest challenge this year is going to be keeping things calm. But, unlike many transfer-heavy teams, they do have a good mix of parts -- skill, massive size, shooters/slashers, defenders, PG, etc.

They will be a handful to play.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

UPJ lost at Pitt last night, 96-60.

That is the only D1 exhibition I'm aware of in the PSAC this season.

[Ship69]

Pitt-Johnstown plays at Pitt tonight (exhibition).


Mercyhurst opens its season this weekend in Lakeland, FL.

The Lakers play Central Oklahoma on Saturday and Colorado School of Mines on Sunday.

They always seem to play a ton of games.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Mercyhurst is 0-2 (and got blown out of the building in the first game).

[Ship69]

Mercyhurst is 0-2 (and got blown out of the building in the first game).

Looks like Central Oklahoma is coming off a 26-6 season, has a top 10 ranking, and has two 6-10 guys on the front line — probably too much for Mercyhurst to handle. The Mines game was apparently a lot closer.

[IUPalum]

Gary is going to have a long year.

[Ship69]

Gary is going to have a long year.

Perhaps so, but that Central Oklahoma team might be a pretty good ball club.

[IUPHawks24]

Gary is going to have a long year.

Define long… didn’t see them play, but I’d be very surprised if they had a losing record.

[IUPalum]

Define long… didn’t see them play, but I’d be very surprised if they had a losing record.

He's got a very new team this year to learn his system and they started 0-2. They are in a hole already. Yes, Central Okla is a very good team. 0-2 is tough to dis out of for ny team. Could happen to IUP this year. They have a lot of new bodies too.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

He's got a very new team this year to learn his system and they started 0-2. They are in a hole already. Yes, Central Okla is a very good team. 0-2 is tough to dis out of for ny team. Could happen to IUP this year. They have a lot of new bodies too.

Recall the year Joe played in that early tournament with a very young team and started 0-2. They eventually got better but those two losses haunted them at selection time.

[Ship69]

He's got a very new team this year to learn his system and they started 0-2. They are in a hole already. Yes, Central Okla is a very good team. 0-2 is tough to dis out of for ny team. Could happen to IUP this year. They have a lot of new bodies too.

A lot of PSAC teams have new bodies this year or ones who haven't played a lot. Ship has one starter back from last year and none of the returnees averaged double digits in scoring. There are a couple of transfers. I believe East Stroud has eight freshmen. Millersville lost several guys, and West Chester has some people transferring in. From reading posts here, it looks as if Slippery Rock and Gannon have brought people in, and that Pitt-Johnstown lost a lot. I think this is going to be a constant theme with transfers the way they are now. If you can field a veteran team (providing, of course, that you have kids who can play), it's going to be an even bigger advantage than in the past.

[IUPalum]

A lot going into these new teams this year. The Covid eligibility is now ending for most so the guys on rosters that seemed to be there forever are now gone. The days of the Vet teams will now be few and far between with the transfer portal rules. Guys can bounce all over the place now. Could be an entertaining year.

[IUPalum]

So looking at Hurst's next 5 games, they should roll to 5-2 before a clash with East Stroud. Gary isn't ducking the road either. Only 3 home games in the first 11.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

So looking at Hurst's next 5 games, they should roll to 5-2 before a clash with East Stroud. Gary isn't ducking the road either. Only 3 home games in the first 11.

He eluded quite directly in his media day interview that they would likely be in trouble down in Florida. Historically every year he has a big reloading/rebuilding the best time to play them is early. It seems to take a month worth of games for his new players to start catching on to that defense he runs. I'm sure they'll be fine a month from now.

This may not be a powerhouse Lakers' team this year but they'll be a pain to play come January (as always).

Like you said, I hope not many are buying in to these preseason polls. Joe's going to have similar growing pains.