2019-20 schedule?

[WuShock Reaper]

West Virginia Men’s Basketball 2019-20 - WV Sports

By Matt Albright
October 8, 2019, 1:00pm cst

https://wvsportsnow.com/west-virginia-mens-basketball-2019-20-preview/

"Things can’t get much worse for head coach Bob Huggins and the West Virginia men’s basketball team than it did in 2018-19.

The Mountaineers reached the proverbial bottom last season after losing 21 games and enduring through a brow-raising amount of attrition. Entering year 38 as a head coach, Huggins will do well to bury last year’s dismal record as far back in his mind as he can by providing a successful campaign this year. And after welcoming in a host of talented new comers and reassuring fans that last year’s outcome won’t be duplicated, there’s a fair amount of palpable buzz surrounding the Mountaineers in 2019....

Season Preview and Prediction - Non-conference
Rhode Island, St. John’s, Ohio State, and Pitt headline what will be another challenging non-conference schedule for the Mountaineers. I expect West Virginia to split those four games with wins over Pitt and Rhode Island. Playing Ohio State and Cleveland and St. John’s in New York are as good as true away games in hostile environments for the Mountaineers, but valuable learning experiences. Huggins will also take his team abroad to participate in the Cancun Challenge where West Virginia will take on Wichita State or South Carolina on November 27th after contests against Northern Colorado, Boston and Northern Iowa. West Virginia will wrap-up non-conference play against Missouri in the SEC/BIG XII challenge. Non-conference record — 10-3...

Big XII Record — 10-8 ; 5th place finish
So, the big question is really whether or not West Virginia can return to the NCAA tournament. A 20-11 regular season record is probably good enough to be in the conversation. Even a .500 record in conference play will good enough for the Mountaineers to have a compelling argument. If the Mountaineers make it to the semi-finals of the Big XII tournament again AND boast a winning record in conference play like I predict, it won’t even be a question."

[WuShock Reaper]

Boone: OSU’s Five Best Nonconference Basketball Games to Watch This Season - OSU Fan Blog

By Kyle Boone
October 8, 2019, 3:45pm cst

https://pistolsfiringblog.com/boone-osus-five-best-nonconference-basketball-games-to-watch-this-season/

"A look at five games to circle on your calendar....

So to kick off part of our preview #content, I’m here to bring you some content you can inject directly into your calendar. Grab that iPhone, open up the calendar app, and take a ride with me as we go 1-5 marking the best nights of the nonconference season that deserve your attention.

1. Oklahoma State vs. Syracuse (NIT Season Tip Off)...
2. Oklahoma State vs. Georgetown...
3. Oklahoma State vs. Minnesota...
4. Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M...
5. Oklahoma State vs. Wichita State - Date: Dec. 8, 2019 (Venue: Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater)
What to know: This is one of the most underrated ongoing nonconference series. I love it. Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a resume-padder, either. Wichita State should be pretty solid this season. I like this as an early-season tilt to test the waters and see where OSU stands. With this game sandwiched between Georgetown and Houston (then Minnesota) on the schedule, it’s a chance to notch a quality win that would age really well as the season wears on."

[abdullah_sharif]

Maybe if you buy game by game. The non-conference package is basically half the cost of season tickets when factoring in the required SASO. So basically the same price if you intend to go to every game. I don't see single game prices up yet.

I was taking a very unscientific view of StubHub.

[WuShock Reaper]

http://www.thepacer.net/trips-to-bat...ball-schedule/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Lo...ge_of_Pharmacy

UT Martin at Wichita State (November 16th), part of the Cancun Challenge


The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) schedule for the men’s team has been released and features some interesting match-up. The first regular season game will be on Nov. 5 against a familiar opponent in St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP),

Fun Facts:

• STLCOP is located on an 9-acre (0.01 sq mi) campus,
• STLCOP athletes are known as the "Eutectics", which describes the scientific process of two solids being combined to form a liquid,
• STLCOP home basketball arena is called, "The Pillbox",
• STLCOP had a losing streak of over 100 games, lasting from November 2014 to November 29, 2018,
• UTM Skyhawks clobbered STLCOP 113-47 in 2018, and
• STLCOP's Mascot is Mortarmer "Morty" McPestle who has his own white lab coat, with a fierce expression ready for competition.

Morty.jpg

[WuShock Reaper]

Big 12 coaches make their 2019-20 predictions - 247 Sports

By KEVIN FLAHERTY
Posted: 10/17/19, 7:30pm cst

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Big-12-basketball-coaches-make-2019-20-predictions-poll-137101453/#137101453_8

"...There's no Big 12 preseason media poll, but see how league coaches projected this year's standings....

8. Oklahoma. With Lon Kruger coaching his Sooners to spread the court to take full advantage of his offensive talent — including touted freshman guard De’Vion Harmon — Oklahoma could be among the Big 12’s most exciting teams. He’ll team with Jamal Bieniemy and Wichita State shooter Austin Reaves in a backcourt that should get the Sooners up and down, while the frontcourt with Kristian Doolittle and Brady Manek should benefit from the Sooners’ spacing; Doolittle taking advantage of driving lanes and Manek knocking down jump shots. The biggest questions here are twofold: 1) how will a frontcourt packed with newcomers help the Sooners out and 2) will the Sooners be able to stop anybody?...

6. Oklahoma State: Let’s get this out of the way: Oklahoma State Mike Boynton has looked the part of a strong Xs and Os coach in Stillwater, though his first two Cowboy squads have been somewhat undermanned. But that might not be the case this season, as the Cowboys bring back all five starters from last year — guards Isaac Likekele, Thomas Dziagwa and Lindy Waters, bouncy forward Cameron McGriff and rim-protecting center Yor Anei. The Cowboys will rely on freshmen to help, including wings Marcus Watson and Avery Anderson III, while under-the-radar center Hidde Roessink could help stretch the floor as a 6-foot-10 player.

5. West Virginia: The Mountaineers appeared to find something late last season, shedding the year-long distractions to land two of their four Big 12 victories in the final four regular season games, then defeating two NCAA Tournament teams at the Big 12 Tournament. Four of the five starters from that mini-run are back, with Emmitt Matthews showing his potential with 28 points in the upset win over Texas Tech and Derek Culver looking like one of the Big 12’s top young big men. The Mountaineers have another one of those now, thanks to the addition of the league’s top-ranked recruit in Oscar Tshiebwe. Watch out for junior college transfer Tajzmel Sherman, who could provide scoring to a backcourt that needs it...."

[WuShock Reaper]

Ranking the Top 100 And 1 best players in college basketball entering the 2019-20 season - CBS Sports

by Kyle Boone, Matt Norlander, & Gary Parrish
posted: 10/24/19, 11:30am cst

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...019-20-season/

"After scouting the best players in the nation, we tell you who to watch and why.

The 2019-20 college basketball season will commence in a matter of weeks. Our All-America teams have been released, our preseason rankings -- all 353 of them, thanks to the diligent (and slightly crazy) Matt Norlander -- have been tallied. We've inundated you with plenty of goods to be armed with knowledge for the season. And we're not done yet. Next comes arguably our most daunting task yet: ranking the top players. With roughly 15 players per roster and 353 teams to account for, that's around 5,000 players who were under consideration. We managed to whittle it down to a top 100 And 1.

In our list you'll see we've rummaged the college basketball spectrum to make sure only the best players -- regardless of classification or conference -- were included. We've got graduate transfers, one-and-done hopefuls and mid-major stars all included. And after our strenuous ranking process, we're ready to release our results....

7. James Wiseman, Memphis: Wiseman rejected offers from blue bloods, most notably Kentucky, to play for his high school coach, Penny Hardaway, at Memphis. It was hardly a surprise but still something that qualified as a significant development, if only because a first-year college coach had never previously secured a commitment from the nation's No. 1 prospect. Whether Wiseman will be as awesome as recent elite bigs like Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley is up for debate. But there's little doubt he should lead Memphis back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. — GP

10. Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati: Bulky shooting guard who has soft touch and doesn't rattle. Could it be that Cincinnati is set up to be the best team in the AAC? Oh, it just might. But if that's to happen, Cumberland will need to jump from 18.8 points per game to north of 23. And he'll need to increase his efficiency, which we think will happen under new coach John Brannen, who's more offensively inclined than Mick Cronin. If UC wins 25-plus games, Cumberland's a dark horse player of the year candidate. — MN

41. A.J. Lawson, South Carolina: Fun-to-watch wing who put up 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season, his first in college basketball. You might need to work a bit find him this season because South Carolina is not expected to be an NCAA Tournament team. — MN

53. Breein Tyree, Ole Miss: The only First Team All-SEC player who returned to school, the 6-2 senior averaged 17.9 points while making 37.5% of the 5.6 3-pointers he attempted per game last season. He has a chance to lead Ole Miss to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since the Rebels made it 2001 and 2002. — GP

62. Precious Achiuwa, Memphis: Recognized as the second best player on Memphis' seriously talented roster. Achiuwa was the 15th-ranked player in the Class of 2019, per 247 Sports' Composite. The power wing should benefit from James Wiseman facing double teams, not to mention the Tigers' backcourt being shifty enough to free up his talents for big-play opportunities. — MN

79. Derek Culver, West Virginia: A borderline top-85 prospect in high school, Culver averaged 11.5 points and 9.9 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per game as a freshman to earn Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors. The 6-10 forward had an offensive-rebound rate and defensive-rebound rate that both ranked in the top 50 nationally. He had eight double-doubles in league games. That's more than any other returning player in the Big 12. — GP..."

[WuShock Reaper]

Last season's NCAA Tournament teams from power conferences who won't make it back to the Big Dance in 2020 - CBS Sports

by Matt Norlander
posted 10/25/19, 11:30am cst

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/last-seasons-ncaa-tournament-teams-from-power-conferences-who-wont-make-it-back-to-the-big-dance-in-2020/

"Here are 12 teams who made the NCAA Tournament in 2019 but are likely headed to the NIT this season.

Well, it's about that time, I suppose. Every NCAA Tournament field is unique. We've never had the same group of 64, 65 or 68 teams -- ever -- and it will be decades before that ever happens. Year over year, there's always significant change. Earlier this offseason, we scanned the sport and determined these five teams would very likely crack back into the Big Dance in 2020 after missing the party in 2019.

So now comes the balance. It would be the coward's way out to only supply teams heading back and not acknowledge those who are likely to miss out. I've gotta Thanos-snap some teams out of existence for the 2020 tourney. Fortunately, I make no assurances; I could well be wrong on a couple of these squads. But with the season now just a week and a half away, here's a dozen teams from Major Seven conferences (ACC, the American, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) I think will have an NIT-at-best ceiling for 2019-20.

You'll notice I reference my 1-353 rankings in each team capsule. You're going to want to read through that, I promise.

1. Virginia Tech...
2. Kansas State...
3. Mississippi State...
4. Marquette...
5. Syracuse...
6. Ole Miss: Last season's seed: No. 8, 1-353 rank: 62
Key nonconference opponents: at Memphis (Nov. 23), vs. Penn State (Nov. 27), at Wichita State (Jan. 4)
Kermit Davis has built a 30-plus-year resume that's totaled more than 420 wins off the cynics and skeptics of his past teams. I might set up to be another victim of dismissal. The Rebels were one of the major-conference surprises last season, winning 20 games in Davis' first season. Breein Tyree returns, which is a major help, but Ole Miss did go 10-8 in the SEC last season. The league will be a bit better overall in 2019-20, and there are some tricky noncon games. I think the Rebels wind up being in the first four out and get an NIT No. 1 seed. I don't see the defense being as good as Davis will demand it to be.
7. Oklahoma: Last season's seed: No. 9, 1-353 rank: 71
Key nonconference opponents: at Wichita State (Dec. 14), at Creighton (Dec. 17), vs. Mississippi State (Jan. 25)
I won't run from admitting that picking against Big 12 teams makes me slightly queasy. The conference has rated as No. 1 in the sport at KenPom six years running. It's put seven teams into the Big Dance four of the past six seasons. So claiming that two Big 12 teams (K-State, Oklahoma) won't be dancing, in addition to reasonable assumptions like Oklahoma State and TCU, is going against the odds. I think Oklahoma's going to have the schedule to merit strong consideration but will come up just short in wins.
8. UCF: Last season's seed: No. 9, 1-353 rank: 100
Key nonconference opponents: at Illinois State (Nov. 17), at Oklahoma (Dec. 21)
Unfortunately an easy call. Only 22% of the roster returns, according to barttorvik.com, and the losses are critical: Tacko Fall, Aubrey Dawkins and B.J. Taylor. There's not much to add here. UCF is now the sixth-best team at best in the AAC, which is probably a four-bid league in 2019-20, and the nonconference schedule is destined to rank in the bottom 25% among Major Seven programs.
9. Iowa...
10. Minnesota...
11. Temple: Last season's seed: No. 11, 1-353 rank: 99
Key nonconference opponents: at USC (Nov. 22), vs. Maryland (Nov. 28), Villanova (Feb. 16)
A few teams on this list are obvious selections due to a combo of roster and coaching turnover. Temple was one of the final teams into the field last season. Now it starts anew with Aaron McKie replacing Philly coaching legend Fran Dunphy. The Owls will try to keep it above .500, and if so, will log a good first campaign under McKie.
12. St. John's..."

[WuShock Reaper]

Loaded VCU looks like the best team in the Atlantic 10, but the Rams will be challenged by Davidson, Dayton - CBS SPorts

by Gary Parrish
Oct 26, 2019 at 10:55 am ET

"Under coach Mike Rhoades VCU is back in a familiar spot as the team to beat in the A-10.

The morning after Kyrie Irving dropped 50 points in his wild debut with the Nets here inside Brooklyn's Barclays Center, the Atlantic 10's basketball head coaches, all 14 of them, made their way to this same building on Atlantic Avenue for the league's annual Media Day.

VCU was named the preseason favorite.

And for good reason.

When you're the only college basketball program in the country to return the top six scorers from a team that won its conference by multiple games, the idea that anybody else would be picked to add a trophy wouldn't make much sense. So of course VCU is the preseason favorite. But what's most interesting about the Atlantic 10 in general, with the start of the regular season now less than two weeks away, is that despite all of VCU's success from last season, and despite everything it brings back from that team, the Rams are still expected to be pushed at the top of the conference by multiple programs, specifically Davidson and Dayton, because both of those schools also return most of the best pieces from rosters that won a lot. Davidson, coached by Bob McKillop, who should reach the 600-win mark this season, is returning the top six scorers from a team that went 14-4 in the A-10. Dayton, coached by Anthony Grant, who should take a third different school to the NCAA Tournament this season, is returning three of the top four scorers from a team that went 13-5 in the A-10. And when you consider that VCU, Davidson and Dayton featured four of the five players who were First Team All-Atlantic 10 last season, and that each of those players is back this season, it's undeniable that there's some real strength at the top of the league -- evidence being that the Atlantic 10 has three schools getting votes in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 2014...."

[WuShock Reaper]

The most overrated and underrated college basketball teams in the preseason AP Top 25 rankings - CBS Sports

by Kyle Boone
posted 10/28/10, 5:25pm cst

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/the-most-overrated-and-underrated-college-basketball-teams-in-the-preseason-ap-top-25-rankings/

"The first major polls of the 2019-20 season are out, and we've identified some teams who are too high or too low

The annual preseason AP Top 25 college basketball rankings were released last week, serving as a gentle reminder, like speed bumps before a stop sign, that the season is just around the corner.

Rankings provide great fodder, but let's face it: often times they are meaningless. You can rank teams on paper, but alas, games aren't played on paper. And in college basketball, the combination of culture, fit, experience, motivations -- all the intangibles you typically don't factor in to projections -- matter more than any other sport when projecting success (or failure) of a team.

Over the years, however, preseason rankings have forecasted outcomes quite accurately for the No. 1 preseason team. Since the NCAA Tournament's expansion to 64 teams, which includes 35 season's worth of data, six preseason No. 1 teams have gone on to win the championship, according to the NCAA. Seven lost in the title game. 17 reached the Final Four.

Going down the rankings, however, the likelihood of success -- and of accuracy with preseason rankings -- decreases drastically. Eight teams ranked in the preseason Coaches Poll last year finished the season unranked. The year before, 13 began the season ranked and ended it unranked. And the year before that, there were 10. There will inevitably be a handful once again this season.

Predicting which teams fall into that category is a dart throw, so I'll go easy on myself. I won't try and predict which ranked teams will end the season unranked. Rather, I'll tag the teams I've found in the preseason AP Top 25 poll that are either too high or too low, teams I feel are being overrated or underrated. Let's do this.

Overrated
No. 4 Duke:...
No. 13 Texas Tech:...
No. 22 LSU:...

Underrated
No. 6 Florida:...
No. 16 Baylor:...
No. 25 VCU: The Rams have a blistering schedule with LSU, Purdue, Wichita State and Charleston all on deck before league play. We'll find out just how good VCU is by then, but the secret's already out: the Rams look like the best team in the Atlantic 10. Again. Here's what Gary Parrish said of VCU after talking with coaches at the league's annual Media Day earlier last week:..."

[WuShock Reaper]

Athlon Sports 2019-20 Big 12 Basketball Preview and Predictions - Athlon Sports

By Mitch Light,
10/29/19, 9:00 AM EDT

https://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/athlon-sports-2019-20-big-12-basketball-preview-and-predictions-2019

"1. KANSAS
2. BAYLOR
3. TEXAS TECH
4. TEXAS
5. OKLAHOMA STATE - All of the key pieces return from a young squad that won at Baylor and nearly defeated Texas Tech at the end of last season. An NCAA berth should be the expectation for a team that plays as hard as anyone in the league.
6. IOWA STATE
7. WEST VIRGINIA - The Mountaineers could boast one of the Big 12’s most imposing frontcourts if freshman Oscar Tshiebwe adapts quickly alongside sophomore Derek Culver. But much like last season, perimeter depth and shooting could be an issue.
8. KANSAS STATE
9. OKLAHOMA - A plethora of new faces makes Oklahoma one of the league’s biggest question marks, but Lon Kruger could have one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the league with Brady Manek and Wichita State transfer Austin Reaves leading the way.
10. TCU

FIRST TEAM
Derek Culver, So., F, West Virginia

SECOND TEAM

THIRD TEAM
Kristian Doolittle, Sr., F, Oklahoma
Isaac Likekele, So., G, Oklahoma State..."

[WuShock Reaper]

Oklahoma Sooners: Three story lines for the college basketball season - Clutch Sports

by Wendell Barnhouse
October 29, 2019

https://clutchpoints.com/oklahoma-sooners-three-story-lines-for-the-college-basketball-season/

"...Since hiring Lon Kruger in the spring of 2011, Oklahoma has reached the NCAA Tournament six out of eight seasons, including a Final Four in 2016. The Sooners should again be in the March Madness mix if Kruger can blend three veterans with seven freshmen and two transfers now eligible. It’s the biggest roster makeover Kruger has had in his career.

Top 3 story lines:

Front court duo. Kruger has two reliable starters on his front line. Brady Manek, a 6-foot-9 junior who has started since his freshman season, is capable of playing in the paint or being a stretch four on the perimeter. Kristian Doolittle, who was voted as most improved in the Big 12 last season, is a 6-foot-7, 230-pound senior who is more comfortable operating around the basket.

Another star freshman guard. Two years ago, Trae Young brought a national spotlight on OU thanks to his incredible production (that decreased as the season wore on). De’Vion Harmon isn’t Trae Young, but the four-star recruit is the top player in the Sooners’ class. He has the ability to score and distribute and could be a perfect fit in what figures to be a three-guard lineup.

Former Shocker to starter. Another new face figures to be in that three-guard attack. Austin Reaves, a 6-foot-5 junior, sat out last season after transferring from Wichita State, where he started 11 games in 2017-18. Reaves is a solid 3-point shooter who, like Harmon, appears to be a good fit for what this team needs...."

[WuShock Reaper]

Sit-Out Transfers Who Could Make Their Mark in 2019-20 - Sports Illustrated

BY MOLLY GEARY
posted: 10/30/19, 3:30pm cst

https://www.si.com/college/2019/10/30/ncaa-basketball-transfers-impact

"These players have been off the radar for a year, but don't overlook the influence they could have on this college basketball season....

Austin Reaves (Wichita State to Oklahoma)
A sharpshooter in spot minutes as a freshman at Wichita State, Reaves grew nicely into a larger supporting role as a sophomore before transferring out. He’s made 45.2% of his career 182 three-point attempts and was among the very best in the country on spot-up attempts in 2017-18, which should be an immediate boost for an Oklahoma team that was one of the Big 12’s worst from behind the arc last season. Reaves will now be expected to take the next step in an even bigger role in Norman, and the guard says he’s added 20 pounds of muscle while sitting out....

Lance Thomas (Louisville to Memphis)
All eyes in Memphis are on the Tigers’ star-studded, seven-man freshman class, which ranked No. 1 in the nation, but Penny Hardaway’s team is going to need some experience to go along with all that youth. A former four-star prospect himself, Thomas has only 12 career appearances to his name, but spending a year at a Power 5 school like Louisville and then another on the sidelines learning Hardaway’s system surely was beneficial. A versatile forward, the 6’8” Thomas could provide some perimeter touch as well for the Tigers. And with three years of eligibility remaining, he figures to be a building block for Memphis well beyond 2019–20...."

[Shocker1976]

AR listed at 202 lbs; all weight added reported to be solid muscle

[WuShock Reaper]

ORU basketball preview: Golden Eagles men are senior heavy..., - Tulsa World

By Dekota Gregory
Oct 30, 2019

https://www.tulsaworld.com/oru-basketball-preview-golden-eagles-men-are-senior-heavy-women/article_61c330d8-9401-52f0-b367-888a3269459c.html

"Men’s basketball - Three storylines

Plenty of experience
This season’s ORU men’s basketball team does not lack experience, returning eight letter winners, including last year’s leading scorer, redshirt-senior forward Emmanuel Nzekwesi. After last season’s roster had five freshmen listed, the Golden Eagles have only one frosh this season. That’s compared to five seniors on the roster.

Competing for conference title
With a plethora of experience and returning their leading scorer from last season, more people outside of the ORU locker room are noticing the Golden Eagles’ chances to compete for a Summit League title. ORU was picked to finish third in the Summit League preseason poll, behind North Dakota State and South Dakota. The Golden Eagles also received three first-place votes.

Tip off with biggest game
The Golden Eagles’ biggest game of the season could be their first. ORU will start the season Wednesday with a trip to Stillwater to play Oklahoma State. Six days later, the Golden Eagles get city rival Tulsa at the Reynolds Center. Other notable opponents on ORU’s schedule include Iowa, Wichita State and BYU. ORU plays all those teams on the road and all but BYU in November...."

[WuShock Reaper]

The Other Top 25 Preseason Rankings: No. 2 VCU Rams - Mid-Major Madness

By Russell Steinberg
Nov 1, 2019, 9:50am PDT

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2019/11/1/20941721/the-other-top-25-preseason-rankings-vcu-rams-atlantic-10-marcus-evans-deriante-jenkins

"You don’t want to go to war with the Rams.

The VCU Rams have spent the last decade evolving from a solid mid-major team into a bonafide college basketball program. It has survived coaching changes, bringing on top-tier talent like Jeff Capel, Anthony Grant, Shaka Smart, Will Wade, and now Mike Rhoades. It used the conference realignment wave of 2012 to upgrade conferences and join the Atlantic 10. Most importantly, it has been a consistent winner and a consistent presence in the NCAA Tournament. Despite all of their success over the past decade — the Final Four appearance, three conference tournament championships, and nine trips to the Big Dance — this might be the Rams’ best team ever....

Key non-conference games:
This is the schedule of a team that expects to play in the NCAA Tournament. After two warmups, the Rams get LSU at home (the Will Wade Bowl), then a few weeks later head to the Emerald Coast Classic where they play Purdue and then either Florida State or Tennessee. That kicks off a stretch of six straight tough games that ends with a trip to Koch Arena to play Wichita State.


Three things to watch:

Experience
As mentioned above, VCU returns almost every important player from last year’s team. The Rams also rank 18th in the nation in returning possession minutes, according to Bart Torvik’s calculations. That means Rhoades didn’t have to do much teaching in the preseason. He didn’t have to explain how VCU’s trademarked press and in-your-face on-ball defense worked....

Navigating the Atlantic 10
Regardless, VCU will face its share of challenges. After that grueling non-conference schedule, the Rams will compete in the best iteration of the Atlantic 10 that members of this team have seen. Davidson joins VCU as the other true Top 25-caliber team with Dayton and Rhode Island not far behind...

An elite defense
That’s what the Rams do. It’s what they’ve always done. They press. They force turnovers. They make you beat yourself. They ranked third in the nation last year in effective field goal percentage defense and eighth in opponent turnover percentage. They were also the second-best team in defending the three-point line and 22nd in steal percentage. That’s all amazing on its own. Add to it that VCU didn’t have a single player chosen to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team and it just underscores how much of a team game VCU’s defensive philosophy really is...."