Honest Opinions

[yoteforever]

With USD coming into the Summit next year, I would like the opinions of those people that have watched the Jacks quite abit the past 2 years, and have some knowledge of USD basketball, both mens and womens, and honestly appraise where you think we fall in the rankings?

I am fairly confident we can't compete for the top spot, but those of you that know the league, tell me where you think we fall. Thanks

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Honest Opinions

The Great West Conference was REALLY bad this season so that makes for a tough comparison. USD played few decent (under 200 RPI) teams this year.

USD may be in that lowest group battling to get into the tourney. In mens UMKC, SUU, WIU should be the teams that you will have tight games with, and even win some. A conference record of 6-12.

In women's, there is getting to be a high group of top teams. SDSU, ORU, Oakland, IPFW all were good this year. SDSU and IPFW actually graduate the most of the top stars. USD should com in and battle NDSU, UMKC, maybe SUU for 4-8 seeds in the tourney. WIU and IUPUI have new coaches and new teams to grow. At this time these last two would be my bet to be at home come tourney time in 12, except USD won't yet be eligible. I would see USD at about a 9-9 to 6-12 league record next season.

[da_coach]

Re: Honest Opinions

Honestly, yoteforever,

I have no idea. I haven't paid enough attention to the U's teams the past few years to have any sort of opinion.

Going out on a limb here... I'd say bottom half of the Conference... but above the cellar dwellars? Like 6th-7th-8th place? At least the first year or two.

ORU and Oakland both return a ton of talent. So does SDSU. IUPUI is good, and IPFW was good against pretty much everyone but the jacks.

Boots is a good coach, you'll be competitive. You'll have a few "upset" wins, and you'll have a few "how did we lose that one" nights?

On the women's side, when we came in the Summit wasn't that good and we kind of rolled through it... however ORU is much better, Oakland is good, IPFW is much improved, NDSU played better this year, so you're walking into a much tougher conference than we did.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Honest Opinions

Seen a couple of USD's game this past year and obviously a lot of SDSU's games.

I know USD is returning a lot, only losing Cutler, I believe; I like both of the bigger guys (Gruis and the Brazilian) but they will both have to develop a lot over the off-season, and then they will still be undersized like this year. Louie will get exploited, but I guess that is why Boots plays zone.

I would put USD at around SUU, fighting for the last spot in the tournament if they were eligible. The two things they have going for them is returning most of the team and Boots always seems to bring in a transfer or two.

[Nidaros]

Re: Honest Opinions

With out having seen USD play, its hard to say where they will end up in the first year standings. I suspect they will win some big games along the way with most of the squad back. Getting Louie free will be a big part of the offense, and someone mentioned playing zone helps free him up.

Seems like USD has always played good defense and if that continues, they should do okay.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Honest Opinions

I'd say similar to what other people have posted.

Men will probably fall somewhere in the 7-8 range, I just don't see them being better than OU, ORU, IUPUI, IPFW, SDSU, NDSU in their first year. I think they will be fighting it out with UMKC, SUU, and WIU for the last two spots in the tourney (obviously USD isn't eligible first year but you know what I mean).

Women I think are a little closer to the middle but not much. I'd put SDSU, ORU, OU, IPFW, NDSU ahead of them for sure. So I'd say in the 6-7 range for the women.

[FargoBison]

Re: Honest Opinions

I watched USD's final game vs UND, I'll say if that game was anything like how they normally play they're in trouble. But I won't base anything on one game, so I'll say anywhere from sixth place to tenth.

[91jack]

Re: Honest Opinions

I haven't seen the USD teams play so I'm guessing like some of the other posters are.
I think the women will do better. SDSU's women came into the league and were a force right away. I don't think USD is as good as SDSU's teams was but they will still be in it. I'd say the ORU, Oakland, SDSU and IPFW should be at the top. I'd include NDSU but I don't know about them. They weren't very deep and they lost 2 starters. The plus for them is that they have their best 3 players back. I think USD will be better than IUPUI and Western Illinois. That puts them in the Southern Utah, UMKC and NDSU group. So you have the top 4, the bottom 2 and USD in the middle 4.
They men might be a different story. USD has most of their team back but this will be a big step up. If Oakland loses Hamilton, they will lose 3 starters, 4 players and their coach but they were dominate this year. IUPUI has a draft prospect but I think he will come back. That means Oral Roberts and IUPUI are the next rung. SDSU could join this rung but it depends on who comes in and what they add. I think IPFW will be next with NDSU in that range. I think USD will be in the group with UMKC(they lost a lot) and Southern Utah. Just a step ahead of Western Illinois.
Of course, this mean upsets both for and against when the teams get to feel each other out.

[leeshajo]

Re: Honest Opinions

On the women's side here is my opinion for what it is worth, which is probably not much I honestly didn't realize how young the league was this last year.

This is how I see next season breaking down.

Top of the Pack

Oral Roberts - Returns everyone on their team. They did not have a single senior. Depending on how Bigham recovers this off season, she could be the only X factor. Honestly, don't see anyway USD can match up with them. Just don't, sorry. Honestly, could run the league next year. They just about did it this year. — Two losses

2-3-4... honestly any order with these three. I give us the edge talent wise, but the point guard questions linger and make it a crap shoot between them... put in any order it is probably correct.

SDSU - Honestly, we have a HUGE question mark next year, who is going to run the court. Beyond that, I think we are very, very good and after this year, where we honestly struggled more than ever in D1, we have nothing but confidence, we can play and beat anyone. USD will not beat us at Frost, and honestly, don't see it in the dome either. — Two Losses

IPFW - Very well rounded team, they lose two starters who scored in double figures, but they had five that averaged doubles on the year. Plus they may get Haluska back with a medical redshirt. This is an up and coming tough team. I don't see you getting a win here. Two Losses.

Oakland - Again, a very good team who gets everyone back. They'll lose three seniors who played but were not regular starters. Another young team. Lots of sophs and fresh playing a lot of minutes. Only see them getting stronger. Carnago back for her senior year... Just don't see you getting the wins. Two losses.

Standing alone at the 5

NDSU - This team is such a question mark to me, they have some amazing players, great story lines, fun team to watch, but for some reason they just can't make that jump. They are one or two players away from moving up into that next level of a very good consistent team but they can't seem to find that Consistency. They lose Trecker and Shea who played a lot of minutes for them, but were not true scoring threats. Bring back Plucker and Birkel and have a couple of good recruits. On paper I don't think you can beat them. But then that inconsistent factor roles back in. So I will give you the benefit of the doubt.. you will win at home. 1 Loss - 1 Win

At the 6

SUU - Last year in the Summit coming of a very good building year for them. But here is the key They lose Challis Pascucci. Also they are not very deep. I don't know if they have the player on their roster to step in and fill her shoes. They are losing 17 points and 9 rebounds a game. ????? I guess I could see a drop off here next year. However, they are VERY young also. Maybe they do have that player, I know nothing about their recruits either. Based on how young they will be and missing that go to player it is hard to predict. Based on this year I will go with the split. The road trip to SUU is brutal. 1 Loss - 1 Win (2-10)

7th heaven

USD - My gut says you will be in the seven spot next year. You bring back basically everybody, you will have one of the most veteran teams in the league (year in school wise) Yackly will be a player for you. Good guard play will go a long way to help. The teams who can keep the turnovers down do well in the Summit You only average 14 tos a game. I see you winning 5 of 6 from the bottom three... split with UMKC ... puts your season at 7-11 in the Summit. The Yotes might pick up a game or two and make it as high as 9-9 but I don't see you better than .500 and could see you drop to 5-13 pretty easily as well.

The Bottom three
UMKC -
IUPUI -
Western Ill. -

[filbert]

Re: Honest Opinions

USD's women should be able to compete for an upper division finish, I think. Their Sagarin rating this year was decent and would have landed them at #5 this year in the Summit. I think they'll be competitive. The problem is, as Leeshajo indicates, that it's starting to get crowded at the top of the Summit in women's basketball, so there will probably be a decent women's basketball team or two that won't crack the top five.

The men are a different question. I think success in the Summit in men's basketball is an awfully fast-moving target. This year according to Sagarin USD would have been the eighth strongest team in the Summit, behind Southern Utah but ahead of Western Illinois and Centenary.

So much will depend on who the league teams bring in over the off-season: junior college transfers and impact freshmen--that it's difficult to really say too much about how the Summit will look next year.

Oral Roberts, based on who they have coming back, should be really tough. Wolters alone puts SDSU in the mix--there's no substitute for all-conference point guard play (and possible All-American candidate-level point guard play, and I'm not joking--Wolters really could be that good--he could be Jimmer Fredette good by the time he's a senior, if Nagy can get the right supporting cast around him).

Kampe's reputation at Oakland indicates to me that the Grizzlies probably won't slip that much. IUPUI without Hunter will be a real wild card--they could be real good, or they could completely fall apart. It would be difficult for Western Illinois to be worse than they were this year--injuries decimated them. I think Fife is in the process of building a decent program at IPFW. UMKC is always a team that has potential, if they can put the pieces together. NDSU will be NDSU--a tough out for SDSU, at least, due to style of play, IMHO. I didn't see anything from Southern Utah this year to indicate that they'd be ready to compete for the top of the Summit next year.

The thing USD fans will have to get used to--something SDSU fans still IMHO haven't completely come to terms with--is that This Ain't The NCC Any More. Every single game will be a battle. You can have a 20 point lead on somebody and it can vanish in an instant and you'll lose a game you think you had won. Somebody will have a 20-point lead on you, and all of the sudden you'll be in the game again.

It's a wild roller-coaster ride totally unlike anything you've experienced before. Buckle up.

[2002jack]

Re: Honest Opinions

With USD coming into the Summit next year, I would like the opinions of those people that have watched the Jacks quite abit the past 2 years, and have some knowledge of USD basketball, both mens and womens, and honestly appraise where you think we fall in the rankings?

I am fairly confident we can't compete for the top spot, but those of you that know the league, tell me where you think we fall. Thanks

Quick answer. Neither of your teams will make the conference tournament next year.

I haven't watched them play, but your Saragin Rating (which i have full faith in, not an RPI kind of guy), would suggest as Filbert stated. The women will be in the middle and the men towards the bottom. Keep in mind the season doesn't start for another 6 months, so lots of things can change.

[SturgisJeff]

Re: Honest Opinions

and be ready to watch some of the most awful, confusing, frustrating, and anger causing refereeing in the world. as the new guys you will not catch a break from them, as both the Jacks teams know, especially on the other teams court.

[Madi V:)Mitchell]

Re: Honest Opinions

and be ready to watch some of the most awful, confusing, frustrating, and anger causing refereeing in the world. as the new guys you will not catch a break from them, as both the Jacks teams know, especially on the other teams court.

Yeah I am guessing that the calls will get even uglier

[filbert]

Re: Honest Opinions

and be ready to watch some of the most awful, confusing, frustrating, and anger causing refereeing in the world. as the new guys you will not catch a break from them, as both the Jacks teams know, especially on the other teams court.

Oh. Yeah. That, too. Especially in the women's games.

[Madi V:)Mitchell]

Re: Honest Opinions

Oh. Yeah. That, too. Especially in the women's games.

Yep! The men's are bad, but the women's are worse. That's when the crowd gets ugly 2.