Around the A10, 2024-2025

[bobolink]

Since we're closer to the start of 2025 than the start of 2024, seems time for what might be our last "Around the A10" new topic.

Jon Rothstein podcasted (listen at College Hoops Today) with Saint Louis' new coach Josh Schertz and included an Atlantic 10 offseason preview. Lots said about the difficulty of getting in the NCAAT when P6 teams won't play A10 teams. Jon predicts UMass will finish 6th. No UMass players on his all-conference or impact transfer lists. Jaylen Curry was the only UMass player mentioned, getting on what I think he called the breakout improvement list. Criteria required a player who averaged <10 pts/game last season that he expects to do much better. His "sleeper" team is URI, saying they did well in the portal.

[tdmass]

^They don't speak very highly of our transfers, we'll see!

[umasscollective]

^They don't speak very highly of our transfers, we'll see!

UMass was picked 13th last year in the preseason poll.

There was not a mention of a soul on any preseason watch list.

How’d that work out?

[tdmass]

^ Exactly why I said "we'll see"!

[Quann]

In the non P5 basketball conferences, I’d say conference affiliation has less and impact each year in this NIL era. It’s all about the quality of the coach and how much the affiliated Collective can fork over in NIL money.

[Juice Stand]

George Mason just missed out on their international trip because the company they used to book it flaked. Massively disappointing for those players, and that company is going to get cooked.

Kevin Sweeney
@CBB_Central
A full statement from @ViiGroup is online on the cancellation of George Mason MBB’s foreign tour to the Bahamas. The team was supposed to fly yesterday and play its first game this afternoon, neither of which happened.

George Mason has scrubbed all mentions of the tour from its official website. The VII Group, founded by Chris Williams, has operated tours in recent years for Georgia and Tulane and also operates the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta.

https://twitter.com/CBB_Central/status/ ... 3420810593

[Quann]

It'll be another year where we don't come close to sniffing a tournament appearance. MAC can't come soon enough.

[JoleonLescottsHair]

It'll be another year where we don't come close to sniffing a tournament appearance. MAC can't come soon enough.

Noble strategy, step down to succeed! Let’s play in the little waves. Honor in that.

[69MG]

Anyone have a subscription to "Field of 68"? Just curious who they are talking about.

Michigan State wasn't sharp to start its foreign trip, but did get good signs from Booker and Fears. Plus, Duke's impressive non-con schedule, A-10 sophomore ready to break out and much more.

[69MG]

Dickie V loves the A10 this year:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... ch-2024-25

[Quann]

It'll be another year where we don't come close to sniffing a tournament appearance. MAC can't come soon enough.

Noble strategy, step down to succeed! Let’s play in the little waves. Honor in that.

You betcha, I'll take getting to the tournament any way we can.

[Juice Stand]

I'm trying to think of the last time our squad won an A10 championship, no scratch that, even made it to the A10 championship game. I honestly can't remember, but this site tells me we haven't been in the champ game since 2001, and we were a regular season co-champ in 2007.https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id=atlantic_10

Maybe I have low expectations, maybe I'm a total loser, I don't know, but I would happily be a big fish in a little pond at this point. Oh to be the Vermont Catamounts, winning 25 games a year and making the dance constantly. Sounds dreadful. We're not a national title contender and probably never will be, why not win a ton of games and have fun every year?*

*I'm not saying the MAC will be a cakewalk. Just using the Catamounts as an example of lower level success.

[Quann]

I'm trying to think of the last time our squad won an A10 championship, no scratch that, even made it to the A10 championship game. I honestly can't remember, but this site tells me we haven't been in the champ game since 2001, and we were a regular season co-champ in 2007.https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id=atlantic_10

Maybe I have low expectations, maybe I'm a total loser, I don't know, but I would happily be a big fish in a little pond at this point. Oh to be the Vermont Catamounts, winning 25 games a year and making the dance constantly. Sounds dreadful. We're not a national title contender and probably never will be, why not win a ton of games and have fun every year?*

*I'm not saying the MAC will be a cakewalk. Just using the Catamounts as an example of lower level success.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about! And yes, the A10 championship in Philly at the Spectrum in 2001 is the last UMass appearance. A missed Jonathan DePina 3 point attempt deprived us of an NCAA tourney appearance. I was there as a UMass sophmore, it was heartbreaking.

[bobolink]

Analysis of A10 teams' schedules from A10Stats, based on Bart Torvik's projections. UMass non-conference schedule is the 4th toughest, not counting MTE tournament games, which I'm guessing would make UMass's tougher still. UMass in-conference schedule is the 14th toughest, i.e., thought of as pretty easy (if any conference games are easy). Quote to end his write-up:
"Some pundits are also predicting that both George Mason and UMass will carry the ever-fluid label of “feisty” this season."
https://a10stats.wordpress.com/2024/09/ ... -analysis/

On schedule treatment of during our guy's last A10 season: number of the Friday Showcase nationally televised ESPN games for UMass: zero. 11 Friday games for the conference, that's 22 slots available, but zero.

[Berkman]

Unfortunately neither the men or women will be playing at Davidson so I will not get to any games in person.