2016-17 Season

[natwam2547]

^ I hope the plan is to play very few, if any, good teams until conference play. Next year is going to be as close to a complete overhaul as you can get. As it stands right now there could be up to 7 new guys who all might play meaningful minutes.

Agreed here. I could see them with a bloated W/L record next year with a lower RPI and an NIT berth (not saying that's all we can hope for, just what I can see happening). Their sophomore years are where they should load up the non con and use that as a boost to get in to the tournament a la 2014.

[NilesGold]

^ Yep, agreed on all counts.

[Floyd]

^ I hope the plan is to play very few, if any, good teams until conference play. Next year is going to be as close to a complete overhaul as you can get. As it stands right now there could be up to 7 new guys who all might play meaningful minutes.

Not a fan of that approach at all. These guys are supposed to be what people say is the best recruiting class in UMASS history so they should be better than this year's team already. Playing shit teams is a false sense of confidence. Play some good teams so they get a feel for what it takes before conference rolls around. Plus nobody wants to see bad teams on the schedule
Just sounds like a built-in excuse already for another subpar season

[NilesGold]

^ 7 new guys, 6 of them freshmen. Possibly a new starting PG (unless Anderson wins the job). Add in Hines coming back from injury, Pipkins not playing organized ball this year and that's a lot of guys to integrate and ask to play together as a team from the get go.

Ideally start them off with a few real cupcakes, let them work out the kinks, gain some confidence, figure out which combinations work the best and how best to play together. Then gradually start ramping up the difficulty, maybe throw a tough game in the middle of OOC play to really test them and push them.

False confidence is better than no confidence.

[Floyd]

Hear what you're saying Niles, but honestly, I'd be SHOCKED if everyone is eligible next year, or if everyone comes back. So there's fewer new guys to work in.
Playing cupcakes gives you the W, but I want these new guys to see early on, how hard it is to be a top of the league team, and how much work it takes so that in their Jr & Sr yrs, we ARE at the top.
If guys don't qualify next year, then it's "work off the rust" etc in year 2
I guess my point is, in all likelyhood, everyone won't be eligible, injury free, or rust free at the same time so let's get back to playing games that push them to make them better. If these kids are as talented as advertised, any tough losses should motivate them more because usually these type of players just hate to lose
Nothing I'd love more than to see these kids succeed, and I just don't see a soft schedule doing that. Just my opinion, doesn't mean I'm right

[LS71]

Regardless of eligibility, injuries etc., Floyd's right: If the talent is what it's supposed to be and they really are competitors, ...they'll only improve if they're challenged.

Too many cupcakes just makes people fat!

[uz2b-len]

The cupcakes don't prepare the players for the conference schedule, which doesn't contain cupcakes. Maybe a couple of muffins.

[NilesGold]

Hear what you're saying Niles, but honestly, I'd be SHOCKED if everyone is eligible next year, or if everyone comes back. So there's fewer new guys to work in.
Playing cupcakes gives you the W, but I want these new guys to see early on, how hard it is to be a top of the league team, and how much work it takes so that in their Jr & Sr yrs, we ARE at the top.

Fair point about the benefits of being tested early. I'm on board with a couple of OOC games vs difficult opponents. Preferably 3-4 cupcakes, then a tough team, 3-4 lesser teams, another tough team, then finish up the OOC with a couple of lesser teams again before the A10 slate rolls around. For clarification, when I say lesser teams I don't team total cupcakes, I mean RPI 100-200 type teams.

Instead of looking at who's going to be new, lets look at who's coming back. At most we'll have Clark, Berger, Anderson, Coleman and Holloway as guys who are healthy and playing games right now. Hines and Lewis aren't playing games but have been practicing with the team. That's a max of 7 holdovers, if anyone transfers out then we'd have even less. That leaves a lot of minutes and production that will have to be filled by newcomers.

[Not Trigger]

And, let the excuses for next season commence.

[NilesGold]

^ The talent should definitely be better, but I expect it to take a little time for them to gel together as a team.

So anytime we're going to look at things objectively and point out things that might present a challenge it's going to be labeled as making excuses?

[JoleonLescottsHair]

And, let the excuses for next season commence.

Yep!

Last year was a rebuilding season as we were replacing Chaz, Putney and Carter. This year is a struggle because we lack depth. Next year we will be replacing our leading scorer, Davis, and three other starters in Hinds, Space and Bergatino (that's 43 points and 16 rebounds per game) and we will be integrating up to 7 new players. On top of that Hines and Coleman will be coming off of injuries. But I say no more excuses if DK doesn't get it done in 2017-2018...or maybe 2018-2019. Many major college programs have the occasional rebuilding year. But at UMass we like to take our time. Why take a year to do what you can do in 3? You know, take your time. Do it right. Some teams reload, we rebuild.

[uz2b-len]

Now that's what I call a rant!

[JoleonLescottsHair]

So anytime we're going to look at things objectively and point out things that might present a challenge it's going to be labeled as making excuses?

After 8 years, probably yes.
Best,
2008-2009 Man

[Floyd]

So anytime we're going to look at things objectively and point out things that might present a challenge it's going to be labeled as making excuses?

No, but not taking on those challenges leads to excuses for not succeeding. This class is supposed to be top 25 or so, so I don't see any reason to play a soft schedule because I don't think it helps them. Only way they get better is play better competition. If the talent is there, they'll win, people will go to games to see good teams, and the program grows.

[69MG]

Notre Dame played at a tourney in RI today against a good team from NJ. They won, but only 10 points between Gresham and Baldwin. Did anyone watch it on line (Cox Hub) or go? It would be nice to get a report on their defense and rebounding.