OT: D1

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

I would put $2000 down that he signed with an agent. I have seen this played out a hundred times lately. I also say this based on what Huggins said in that 'he won't be back'. I don't think Huggins would shut the door on this kid if that kid had not been given bad advice somewhere.....like a handler. You can see the motivation of the kid was that he had his eyes down the road. It is sad because he got some bad advice somewhere. But like I said, I would put money he couldn't transfer right now to any college.

I'd say you're on the money. Sounds like he has "handlers" and that led to some major problems with things.

My thought is he should of just finished out the season and went into the NBA draft. He may have some major question marks around his name now.

[JDonAB92]

I like watching two particular college basketball teams in general.....WVU and Marshall. I used to really like watching Maryland, but their product no longer interests me.

I watched the Oklahoma game today. WVU just didn't come out properly to start the game like they should have. It really is on the players. The second half they played 50 times better, but you can't dig yourself a 18-point halftime deficit on the road. But I think Jalen Bridges now playing major minutes will benefit WVU in many ways over a lackadaisical Oscar Tshiebwe. And trust me, I am certainly no WVU kool-aid drinker. But a big Bob Huggins fan. I don't think WVU was as good defensively with both Culver and Tshiebwe on the floor at the same time. Most of the modern game has dwarfed into power forwards being more athletic and able to take the ball off the dribble at times or being able to shoot an occasional three. Bridges can defend multiple positions on the floor and defend it well. Bridges showed he can switch his man on D and not get beat off the dribble. You couldn't do that with Tshiebwe. I think Jalen Bridges has tremendous upside. WV kids never get the proper recruiting rating they deserve out of HS. On offense, he can also make the defense come outside more to defend. WVU will be able to open up the floor more now which should benefit Culver's game inside. Culver has to learn to play better when he is doubled....holds the ball too long in the post and does not make proper pivot angles to pass the ball when doubled. Huggs will fix that if Culver will listen. It is hard in two days to adjust to losing a starter. But over time, I think WVU does better with a kid that grew up right down the road and who seems to be a better fit for the overall talent of the team. I just like the versatility Bridges brings on defense.

I was impressed with Marshall's road victory tonight at LA Tech. D'Antoni recruits very local in the 3-state area and gives a lot of WV kids a chance to play a good brand of mid-major basketball. I am just stunned that Marshall made their men's basketball team bus 10.5 hours one-way to Ruston, LA for a game. The Taylor kid from KY almost had a triple-double tonight. Kid is a good fit....almost won KY state player of the year two seasons ago. I like the West kid from Clarksburg. He embraces defense. I like the two freshman from WV....kid from Chapmanville and the kid from Logan have tremendous upside. And the Kinsey kid is a freak athlete from over in the Columbus area.

[Columbuseer]

I like watching two particular college basketball teams in general.....WVU and Marshall. I used to really like watching Maryland, but their product no longer interests me.

I watched the Oklahoma game today. WVU just didn't come out properly to start the game like they should have. It really is on the players. The second half they played 50 times better, but you can't dig yourself a 18-point halftime deficit on the road. But I think Jalen Bridges now playing major minutes will benefit WVU in many ways over a lackadaisical Oscar Tshiebwe. And trust me, I am certainly no WVU kool-aid drinker. But a big Bob Huggins fan. I don't think WVU was as good defensively with both Culver and Tshiebwe on the floor at the same time. Most of the modern game has dwarfed into power forwards being more athletic and able to take the ball off the dribble at times or being able to shoot an occasional three. Bridges can defend multiple positions on the floor and defend it well. Bridges showed he can switch his man on D and not get beat off the dribble. You couldn't do that with Tshiebwe. I think Jalen Bridges has tremendous upside. WV kids never get the proper recruiting rating they deserve out of HS. On offense, he can also make the defense come outside more to defend. WVU will be able to open up the floor more now which should benefit Culver's game inside. Culver has to learn to play better when he is doubled....holds the ball too long in the post and does not make proper pivot angles to pass the ball when doubled. Huggs will fix that if Culver will listen. It is hard in two days to adjust to losing a starter. But over time, I think WVU does better with a kid that grew up right down the road and who seems to be a better fit for the overall talent of the team. I just like the versatility Bridges brings on defense.

I was impressed with Marshall's road victory tonight at LA Tech. D'Antoni recruits very local in the 3-state area and gives a lot of WV kids a chance to play a good brand of mid-major basketball. I am just stunned that Marshall made their men's basketball team bus 10.5 hours one-way to Ruston, LA for a game. The Taylor kid from KY almost had a triple-double tonight. Kid is a good fit....almost won KY state player of the year two seasons ago. I like the West kid from Clarksburg. He embraces defense. I like the two freshman from WV....kid from Chapmanville and the kid from Logan have tremendous upside. And the Kinsey kid is a freak athlete from over in the Columbus area.

Good analysis on wvu. Much better movement and passing in second half. Much better shot selection. Imho 4 with guard type skills plus derek will pay dividends long term. Might even see press virginia again.

re Marshall how is collins looking from chapmanville?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I would love to see Marshall hire Ben Howlett (West Liberty) as its next coach. That job will likely open in the next year or two. That would be a great D1 opportunity for him.

[Columbuseer]

I would love to see Marshall hire Ben Howlett (West Liberty) as its next coach. That job will likely open in the next year or two. That would be a great D1 opportunity for him.

I think the wlu style can be successful at d1, if and only if:
- you can find high major d1athletes who will accept 25 minutes a game and play unselfishly. Right now Gonzaga seems to be the only school but it took them a long time
- a big who can defend, can run and is a complete player and can shoot the three
- boosters who are patient and who buy in.

Also, coaches at d1 have so much off court stuff to do and a lot more hassles with players imho and an environment whose focus is on maintaining player eligibility rather than academic success. Wlu had 3.39 team GPA this semester and don't need to monitor class attendance. D1 Might not be very appealing

[JDonAB92]

I think Marshall made a big mistake hiring Tom Herrion over Jim Crutchfield. Herrion turned into a complete disaster at Marshall by the time he was escorted out. He did well at first with Donnie Jones' recruits, but it fell apart after that.

Honestly, Marshall will hire Corny Jackson as its' next coach once D'Antoni retires. I don't put myself out there on message boards but I was a head basketball coach in southern WV back in the 90s and early 2000s. I moved to MD and am a head boys coach here. The reason I say that is that Corny was a relentless recruiter back in the day. He was everywhere. He was the guy that brought in all the studs WV State had back in those days. When he left State, the talent went down. He was the Columbus connection. He also brought in Kinsey to Marshall who has a chance to be drafted in the 2nd round if he continues to develop. Jackson was a McDonald's All-American coming out of Oak Hill HS in southern WV. He started at Tennessee but transferred to Marshall and had a good career. His daughters go to Marshall and unless the bottom falls out (which it doesn't look like it will), he will likely succeed D'Antoni. My sources are pretty good on that. The funny thing is that when I was coaching in WV Jackson was a relentless recruiter for WV State. Around the same time, Jeff Boals was on staff at the University of Charleston. Boals would eventually land as an assistant at Marshall and later at Ohio State. He is now the head coach at Ohio University. But I have to say that I thought Jackson had the brighter future at the time. He seemed to really embrace recruiting and coaching. He was at every camp in that area that I ever worked. I know Danny D'Antoni thinks he should be the next coach. If not him, it is likely another former Marshall player in AW Hamilton that gets the job.

Howlett would actually be a good fit in the MAC. It isn't a knock on not getting the Marshall job. A lot of these things are about D1 connections. Ben may actually have to go as a D1 assistant at some point to get a head job. He really may be happy where he is at truthfully. I am not saying that as far as he can't coach at D1. But it just seems like if you have to have D1 connections, then you have a much better chance at a D1 job. Calhoun had connections as an assistant with Huggins and Rollie. Greg White left UC to be an assistant with Jim Hamrick at UCLA and almost immediately got the Marshall job back in the mid 90s. Jayson Gee left UC and went D1 assistant and later landed a D1 head job. Like I said though, nothing wrong with being big fish at the D2 level. Crutchfield is the one I never understand why no one really pushed for.

[Columbuseer]

I think Marshall made a big mistake hiring Tom Herrion over Jim Crutchfield. Herrion turned into a complete disaster at Marshall by the time he was escorted out. He did well at first with Donnie Jones' recruits, but it fell apart after that.

Honestly, Marshall will hire Corny Jackson as its' next coach once D'Antoni retires
....


Howlett would actually be a good fit in the MAC. It isn't a knock on not getting the Marshall job. A lot of these things are about D1 connections. Ben may actually have to go as a D1 assistant at some point to get a head job. He really may be happy where he is at truthfully. I am not saying that as far as he can't coach at D1. But it just seems like if you have to have D1 connections, then you have a much better chance at a D1 job. Calhoun had connections as an assistant with Huggins and Rollie. Greg White left UC to be an assistant with Jim Hamrick at UCLA and almost immediately got the Marshall job back in the mid 90s. Jayson Gee left UC and went D1 assistant and later landed a D1 head job. Like I said though, nothing wrong with being big fish at the D2 level. Crutchfield is the one I never understand why no one really pushed for.

Great info.

Very early in Crutchfield years wlu took Marshall to the wire in exhibition. Last time a d1 school played them.
At d2 one doesn't have to deal with the slime and corruption of the shoe companies and aau who are churning out elite 1-on-1 athletes who don't understand the game.
Good fit for wlu style might be the Ivy League. Academic focus, no handlers or prima donnas, etc. They would rule that league and scare the pants off their opponent in March Madness, just like Princeton did.
Or perhaps the military academies. Many of wlu recruits also had offers from them, which typically ensures that character is not an issue.


Then they hire Kevin Kelley from pulaski academy (they never punt and always onside kicks) and they would have must see data analytics driven football too. Lol

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Apparently Pitt will be at Syracuse on Wednesday on January 6 with a 4:30 PM tip. Game to be aired on ACC Network. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Covid scheduling.

[IUPalum]

Looks like WVU's Oscar T is transferring to Miami "The U" Hurricanes!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Looks like WVU's Oscar T is transferring to Miami "The U" Hurricanes!

All about the U

Morgantown to Coral Gables. Slight upgrade.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Looks like WVU's Oscar T is transferring to Miami "The U" Hurricanes!

That is a nice get for the Canes there. If they can get Timberlake and some of their other good players back they could be a tough out in the future.

[Columbuseer]

All about the U

Morgantown to Coral Gables. Slight upgrade.

Only in weather, most certainly not in basketball. Right now He is one dimensional whose motor is running at 50%.
the hard work and effort that Huggins requires is also a prerequisite to being drafted.
Can't escape that fact.

Wish him well.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Nice win for Pitt over Syracuse (63-60). The Panthers were without half their rotation -- Hughley, Sibande and Collier didn't travel due to Covid and are likely also out for the Florida State game this Saturday. Obviously, Champagnie is still out, too.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Nice win for Pitt over Syracuse (63-60). The Panthers were without half their rotation -- Hughley, Sibande and Collier didn't travel due to Covid and are likely also out for the Florida State game this Saturday. Obviously, Champagnie is still out, too.

Indeed a very nice win for Pitt and probably a most unexpected win. I watched much of the first half and turned it off when they were down like 17 or 18 to go eat dinner. Got back to it in the second half and was amazed that they at least had the Orange lead trimmed to about nine points. I was impressed with that considering they were missing four key rotational pieces. I was certainly in complete shock as they continued their run and eventually took the lead in the final seconds and held on to win.

It has to be among one of Jeff Capel's best and most satisfying wins during his tenure at Pitt thus far. This victory should really encourage the team that they are indeed on the right path.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Pitt's game with Florida State is PPD. The Seminoles are ravaged with Covid right now.

The only positive to all these PPD's is each week Champagnie gets closer to returning.