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Kudos to UConn and Memphis for making moves. I expect those squads to be in the Top half of the conference.. possibly in the Top 3.
Memphis was going to be good if they had Tubby next year... those bigs matured nicely this year, and now that they got Lomax, et al (to go with Martin/Brewton) they'll contend for an NCAA bid.
I like UConn also. Talent was never their issue, and now UConn has a taskmaster to put those pieces in the right places.
UConn and Memphis had the same problem last year. It's the same problem the Shockers have this year. They had BIG classes that were adjusting to High Major basketball.
Under Hurley and Hardaway they've done a good job of saving the 2018 classes, with an eye on 2019 as their first real classes.
Hardaway has already gotten Dandridge for 2019... Significant because he's the domino that plays with Wiseman and Lawson...
Hurley is blanketing the northeast, with a staff that has a lot of cachet.
I don't think the AAC could have scripted it better. The struggles of those two bellcows ushered in Wichita State.
After finishing with 3 Top 25 programs (and 2,4,6 seeds), all of a sudden those regime changes (plus McKie and Dooley) ratchet up competition for the top half of the conference. I think the floor just got higher (probably a 4 bid floor once everything solidifies)
AAC baseball is a good model for AAC basketball.
Wichita State should be at, or near, the top of both sports each year. Marshall's recruiting this year has been impressive. A lot of wins over good High Majors for every guy. I expect that to get even better with UConn and Memphis landing 4&5 star talent.
Memphis was going to be good if they had Tubby next year... those bigs matured nicely this year, and now that they got Lomax, et al (to go with Martin/Brewton) they'll contend for an NCAA bid.
I like UConn also. Talent was never their issue, and now UConn has a taskmaster to put those pieces in the right places.
UConn and Memphis had the same problem last year. It's the same problem the Shockers have this year. They had BIG classes that were adjusting to High Major basketball.
Under Hurley and Hardaway they've done a good job of saving the 2018 classes, with an eye on 2019 as their first real classes.
Hardaway has already gotten Dandridge for 2019... Significant because he's the domino that plays with Wiseman and Lawson...
Hurley is blanketing the northeast, with a staff that has a lot of cachet.
I don't think the AAC could have scripted it better. The struggles of those two bellcows ushered in Wichita State.
After finishing with 3 Top 25 programs (and 2,4,6 seeds), all of a sudden those regime changes (plus McKie and Dooley) ratchet up competition for the top half of the conference. I think the floor just got higher (probably a 4 bid floor once everything solidifies)
AAC baseball is a good model for AAC basketball.
Wichita State should be at, or near, the top of both sports each year. Marshall's recruiting this year has been impressive. A lot of wins over good High Majors for every guy. I expect that to get even better with UConn and Memphis landing 4&5 star talent.
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