2018-19 Media Truth

[WuShock Reaper]

"These six NCAA basketball tournament staples might have a March without madness" - The Washington Post

By Patrick Stevens
Posted: January 11 at 11:52 AM

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...=.e113389dbca4

"With more than two months of basketball remaining between now and Selection Sunday, it’s darn-near impossible to answer questions about what a team needs to do to reach the NCAA tournament. (Other than “win the conference tournament,” smart aleck.)

It isn’t too early, though, to identify some postseason regulars that might not take their usual spots in the field. Injuries and inexperience have played a role for some of these teams, but there’s also the matter of opportunities for high-end victories in the months to come.

This isn’t to say all six of these teams are doomed; Arizona, for example, looks like it will be a factor in the Pac-12, and most of those head coaches on this list have well-earned reputations. But each of these programs faces a heavier lift than usual at this point to get back to the NCAA tournament...

WICHITA STATE
No. 131 NET, No. 127 KenPom, NCAA streak: 7

The Shockers started four seniors and sophomore Landry Shamet last season when they went 25-8 during their debut season in the American Athletic Conference. But Shamet turned pro, and Wichita State (7-7, 0-2) has scuffled since an opening night loss to Louisiana Tech.

The story isn’t surprising. The Shockers are leaning on plenty of young players, and a typically ambitious nonconference schedule produced some good moments (victories over Baylor and Providence) but also five losses.

Things aren’t getting easier. Wichita State dropped an overtime decision to Temple on Sunday. The next three games: at Houston, followed by home dates with Central Florida and Cincinnati. The Shockers haven’t dropped 10 games in a season since 2009-10. They might get there by mid-January this year...."

[OregonShocker]

Ouch. Sometimes the truth hurts. Do you think this team would respond to locker room bulletin board posts?

[SHOXAAC]

Ouch. Sometimes the truth hurts. Do you think this team would respond to locker room bulletin board posts?

You said it in your first full sentence, so why would it be locker room bulletin board worthy?

[BOBB]

Bulletin board material is overrated. These guys know where they stack up.

[Aargh]

Well, I'll chime in with an opinion that is totally worthless, but isn't that the point of a board like this?

I don't think this group would respond well to negative bulletin board material. I think it would make things worse.

The new players are likely to be struggling with confidence. They are experiencing losses stacking up for the first time in their lives. There's something I'll call the "Sr/Fr divide" that probably isn't helping. The Sr's aren't used to losing either, and they probably see the Fr as the reason the team is losing.

This team needs something they can look at to build their confidence. Bulletin board material that would have inspired players like Hall and VanVleet might not be the best way to approach a huge group of new players who seem to be struggling with confidence already.

[OregonShocker]

I tend to agree with you. In that regard, the tougher NC schedule wasn't helpful, but who could've predicted this group as the roster when the schedule was being completed? I suspect they were counting on a) LS remaining b) MM returning to form and c) Teddy being eligible.

[WuDrWu]

OregonShocker what exactly do you or do you think the coaching staff is expecting from Duff when you say rounding into form? Markis is averaging 19.1 ppg, shooting, best 3 point shooter that matters, best FT shooter, shoot the most FT, 2nd in rebounding, first in steals and is arguably our best defender as well. Does rounding into form mean being better than Zion Williamson? (That's hyperbole mostly because I think we're getting close to all we could hope for out of Markis)

[WuShock Reaper]

"10 things to know about college basketball’s craziest weekend so far “Blood Weekend”..." - SB Nation

By Mike Rutherford
Jan 21, 2019, 7:15am EST

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2019/1/21/18191208/10-things-to-know-about-college-basketballs-craziest-weekend-so-far

10. No League Has More Drama Than the AAC, Not the good type of drama either

Outside of Houston’s feel-good 18-1 start, the American is a bit down this year. Wichita State is down significantly, UConn has been a disappointment after a promising start, Cincinnati is very good, but not great like a season ago, and preseason favorite UCF was handed disappointing non-con losses by Missouri and Florida Atlantic.

The most notable thing about the American in 2018-19 thus far has been the behavior of its head coaches and officials.

First, there was Penny Hardaway getting into it With Rick Barnes (and anyone associated with Tennessee basketball) back in December. The, there was this past week, where four different AAC head coaches were ejected from games.

First up was Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin, who was none-too-pleased about getting the boot in the middle of his team’s eventual 82-74 win over South Florida.

“His tough guy buddy threw me out,” Cronin said of the official in question. “What they did, they almost penalized a group of kids and they should be suspended. Instead, the league office is monitoring my press conference right now to see if I say anything wrong. That’s the problem with our sport.”

Cronin lamented that nothing would change as the referees are independent contractors.

”Nothing will happen,” Cronin said. “They just go about their business and they do what they do.”

One night later, UConn’s Dan Hurley and Tulsa’s Frank Haith both got the axe under unusual circumstances. After both head coaches were assessed a technical for arguing with one another, they appeared to approach each other to shake hands and bury the hatchet. That’s when each was hit with a second technical and forced to watch the remainder of the action from the locker room.

Afterwards, both coaches were befuddled.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Hurley said after Tulsa’s 89-83 win. “It was surreal, I would say. ... Watch what happened on TV. It’s very clear. I was talking to the official, and then I was engaged by someone on the other sideline. They said my name, in my direction, so I turned and looked (with) kind of a look of surprise.

”I’ve known Frank for a very long time — probably 15, 18, 20 years, back to when I was a high school coach and he recruited my players. I feel as though that situation escalated because of the officials and the way they handled the situation.”

Haith concurred that the ejections were not warranted and said he considered Hurley a friend.

This leads us to Saturday, where Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall didn’t make it through all 40 minutes of the Shockers’ home loss to Cincinnati.

“I felt like the road team today,” WSU coach Gregg Marshall said.

Whatever Stevenson said, referee Olandis Poole deemed it worthy of a technical. After Stevenson relayed to Marshall what he said, Marshall ripped into Poole, then Poole’s colleague Marques Pettigrew and finally crew chief Pat Adams before earning a technical foul himself from Adams.

The snap-second decision by Marshall resulted in another technical and another two points for Cincinnati, but he felt like it was justified after the game.

“I felt like at that point, I had to back my player,” Marshall said. “If that’s a technical foul in that type of game with all the chit-chat going on ...

“I hope the whistle was better than I thought it was during the game. When I look at it, I certainly hope it was better than I think it is right now.”

“You can write about, you can talk about it,” Marshall answered at the podium when asked about the officiating. “Unfortunately, I can’t. I’d like to.”

It should be noted that two of the officials involved in the ejections of Haith and Hurley — Marques Pettigrew and Pat Adams — were the two who assessed the technicals to Marshall on Saturday.

Hey, if your league’s going to be a bit down in terms of overall strength, I’m not going to hate on you for finding other ways to make it interesting as hell. Kudos to the American."

[Stickboy46]

"where Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall didn’t make it through all 40 minutes of the Shockers’ home loss to Cincinnati."

Interesting ..

[WuShock Reaper]

"AAC Basketball Power Rankings: Temple, UCF, Houston in top tier" - FanSided Sports

by Brian Rauf
Posted: 01/24/19, 8:45am cst

https://bustingbrackets.com/2019/01/24/aac-basketball-power-rankings-temple-ucf-houston-top-tier/

"Houston and Cincinnati are the clear-cut two best teams in AAC Basketball, but a few other teams are fighting for the title before all is said and done.
The American has been as balanced as any conference in the country this season. Five teams are tied at the top of the conference with only one loss while, on the flip side, six teams have already suffered four losses or more in AAC Basketball play.

Houston has been the top team all season long and is the only team from the American that is now ranked in the top 25, but Cincinnati is having another quality season right behind them. UCF and Temple have also delivered on their preseason promise, and they’re joined by a surprisingly good Memphis team in a tie at the top of the standings.

However, it hasn’t all been roses for the conference’s banner programs. UConn has been a major disappointment following their stellar start to the season, posting a lowly 2-4 mark to this point.

The top half of the conference has separated themselves from the bottom in such a way that the AAC title race is going to be one of the most fun races to watch in the coming month and a half. It’s still early and no team has been eliminated yet (though we can pretty much count out Tulane, Wichita State, and ECU) but five teams all tied at the top means there will be several meaningful games every week.

So, how do all the teams in the conference stack up against each other? Here are our latest power rankings:

12) Tulane Green Wave (4-14, 0-6 in ACC) LW: 12

11) Wichita State Shockers (8-10, 1-5) LW: 9
It has been strange to see a Wichita State team struggle as much as the Shockers have this year, yet that’s the reality for a program that is replacing more production than virtually everyone else in the country. Senior Markis McDuffie has held onto his place as one of the best players in the conference. However, the rest of this young roster is still looking to find its way. Looking for a reason to believe the Shockers can turn their season around? Four of their five AAC losses have come to teams that have one conference loss. And, as such, they have a long stretch against the bottom half of the conference coming up. We’ll find out exactly where Wichita stands in the American picture in the next few weeks.

10) ECU Pirates (8-10, 1-5) LW: 11
9) SMU Mustangs (11-7, 3-3) LW: 8
8) UConn Huskies (11-8, 2-4) LW: 7
7) South Florida Bulls (13-6, 3-4) LW: 6
6) Tulsa Golden Hurricane (12-7, 2-4) LW: 5
5) Memphis Tigers (12-6, 4-1) LW: 10
4) Temple Owls (14-4, 4-1) LW: 4
3) UCF Knights (15-3, 5-1) LW: 3
2) Cincinnati Bearcats (16-3, 5-1) LW: 2
1) Houston Cougars (19-1, 6-1) LW: 1..."

[FadedCrown]

I was going to say that we have a high conference SOS and therefore should be above ECU, but ECU has played a more difficult stretch (#1 in Conf. SOS) and they have played teams closer.

[TheShocktocles]

"AAC Basketball Power Rankings: Temple, UCF, Houston in top tier" - FanSided Sports

by Brian Rauf
Posted: 01/24/19, 8:45am cst

https://bustingbrackets.com/2019/01/24/aac-basketball-power-rankings-temple-ucf-houston-top-tier/

"Houston and Cincinnati are the clear-cut two best teams in AAC Basketball, but a few other teams are fighting for the title before all is said and done.
The American has been as balanced as any conference in the country this season. Five teams are tied at the top of the conference with only one loss while, on the flip side, six teams have already suffered four losses or more in AAC Basketball play.

Houston has been the top team all season long and is the only team from the American that is now ranked in the top 25, but Cincinnati is having another quality season right behind them. UCF and Temple have also delivered on their preseason promise, and they’re joined by a surprisingly good Memphis team in a tie at the top of the standings.

However, it hasn’t all been roses for the conference’s banner programs. UConn has been a major disappointment following their stellar start to the season, posting a lowly 2-4 mark to this point.

The top half of the conference has separated themselves from the bottom in such a way that the AAC title race is going to be one of the most fun races to watch in the coming month and a half. It’s still early and no team has been eliminated yet (though we can pretty much count out Tulane, Wichita State, and ECU) but five teams all tied at the top means there will be several meaningful games every week.

So, how do all the teams in the conference stack up against each other? Here are our latest power rankings:

12) Tulane Green Wave (4-14, 0-6 in ACC) LW: 12

11) Wichita State Shockers (8-10, 1-5) LW: 9
It has been strange to see a Wichita State team struggle as much as the Shockers have this year, yet that’s the reality for a program that is replacing more production than virtually everyone else in the country. Senior Markis McDuffie has held onto his place as one of the best players in the conference. However, the rest of this young roster is still looking to find its way. Looking for a reason to believe the Shockers can turn their season around? Four of their five AAC losses have come to teams that have one conference loss. And, as such, they have a long stretch against the bottom half of the conference coming up. We’ll find out exactly where Wichita stands in the American picture in the next few weeks.

10) ECU Pirates (8-10, 1-5) LW: 11
9) SMU Mustangs (11-7, 3-3) LW: 8
8) UConn Huskies (11-8, 2-4) LW: 7
7) South Florida Bulls (13-6, 3-4) LW: 6
6) Tulsa Golden Hurricane (12-7, 2-4) LW: 5
5) Memphis Tigers (12-6, 4-1) LW: 10
4) Temple Owls (14-4, 4-1) LW: 4
3) UCF Knights (15-3, 5-1) LW: 3
2) Cincinnati Bearcats (16-3, 5-1) LW: 2
1) Houston Cougars (19-1, 6-1) LW: 1..."

I am struck by these words " yet that's the reality for a program that is replacing more production than virtually everyone else in the country" And to top it off by playing the 11 toughest schedule in the country. However, we are the shockers and the Colts must learn to become Stallions. Failure is not an option. Keep grinding.