If roundball is your blood, this is the place to discuss the Flames as they move into the Ritchie McKay era for the 2nd time.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

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By LUOrange
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#632608
Figured I'd start this thread since the first practice was yesterday. I'm anxious, I got the seats that I wanted, and the upside to our freshmen with our veterans is exciting.

Oh, our game on 11/15 vs. LSU will be at 6pm on ESPNU. As a student in the mid-90's, I only dreamed of the day our football and MBB teams would regularly be on national TV.
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By stokesjokes
Registration Days Posts
#632619
I’m pumped for this season. I know football is more popular overall, but hoops are first for me. It seems like most of the social media clips I have seen in the off-season have featured either freshmen or players that didn’t get much run last year, so I’m excited to see what they can give us in-game.
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By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#633804
Throwing this question out to Manson and/or anyone else who may have more access than we do. Has there been any media access to practice? If so, how does the team look? If not, any word from "sources"?
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By A Sea of Red
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#633806
I've been working on a lengthy MBB preview in my down time around football. It won't be as detailed as the football magazine we did, but a smaller scale version. Hoping to have it ready to be published 11/1.

There hasn't been a ton of media access to practice yet, but the team looks good. There have been glowing reviews of Brody's offensive game and Venzant's defensive ability. Opening night starting lineup could feature 3 small guards in Dobbs, McGhee, and Brody. Not sure how that will be against some of our non-conference opponents. Also, hearing very good things about Shiloh Robinson.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#633808
Following the overwhelming popularity of the "4-game rule" for football redshirts, I have been thinking for quite a while that something similar should be done for basketball, and possibly other sports. Looks like it may be happening.

https://www.si.com/college/tmg/mark-bla ... l-redshirt

This could be really helpful to Ritchie in evaluating a player like DJ Moore, who is going to be a tough call on whether to redshirt or not. Getting to see him play in a few games early would be really helpful.
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By LUOrange
Posts
#634048
A Sea of Red wrote: October 23rd, 2021, 10:29 am I've been working on a lengthy MBB preview in my down time around football. It won't be as detailed as the football magazine we did, but a smaller scale version. Hoping to have it ready to be published 11/1.

There hasn't been a ton of media access to practice yet, but the team looks good. There have been glowing reviews of Brody's offensive game and Venzant's defensive ability. Opening night starting lineup could feature 3 small guards in Dobbs, McGhee, and Brody. Not sure how that will be against some of our non-conference opponents. Also, hearing very good things about Shiloh Robinson.
Any word on Bryson Spell?
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By LU 57
Posts
#634181
Non-con single game tix for Flames Club members went on sale today. We are a little too far away to justify season tix, but was excited to pick up tix for the Mizzou game. Looking forward to it. Hoping for a charged atmosphere. 🔥🔥🔥
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#634337
LUOrange wrote: October 26th, 2021, 12:54 pm
A Sea of Red wrote: October 23rd, 2021, 10:29 am I've been working on a lengthy MBB preview in my down time around football. It won't be as detailed as the football magazine we did, but a smaller scale version. Hoping to have it ready to be published 11/1.

There hasn't been a ton of media access to practice yet, but the team looks good. There have been glowing reviews of Brody's offensive game and Venzant's defensive ability. Opening night starting lineup could feature 3 small guards in Dobbs, McGhee, and Brody. Not sure how that will be against some of our non-conference opponents. Also, hearing very good things about Shiloh Robinson.
Any word on Bryson Spell?
Unique skillset. IMO probably crowded out this year due to experienced depth. But never say never. If he turns out to be clutch, it will be impossible to sit him....same goes for all
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By Geraldos Mustache
Posts
#634495
I’m pumped for this season. The player talent continues to increase. Recent recruits are very impressive and good character kids from good families. Can’t wait to see the new kids develop. The future is bright.

Wish we had some stiffer opponents for our out of conference games. It is what it is.

Liberty is the class of the ASUN and the overwhelming favorite. It’s tough to “get up” for weak opponents. Need to stay sharp. Opportunity for a gaudy record and hopefully a good seeding. Would love to be a #10 seed!
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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#634512
I am nowhere near as confident in you as to our clear path this season in the ASUN. I fully expect the additions of EKU & JSU along with last year's surprise Bellarmine to give us plenty of competition this year. The league is stocked with high major transfers with big upsides.
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By Racenut
Registration Days Posts
#634520
We have many reasons to be optimistic about this basketball season. Coach McKay is excellent at evaluating talent and putting players where they need to be and he is quite adept at evaluating other teams and exploiting their weaknesses offensively and defensively. The young team from last year has another year of experience and the new players are probably a step up in what we expect from freshmen. But the number one reason for great expectations is the return of Darius McGhee. He is the straw that stirs the drink! A great scorer, a great distributor and a player that can take over a game and make everyone else better. He has confidence but not cockiness and his leadership is invaluable. Except in rare cases, smart guard play is imperative for team success at the college level and if Preston and Robinson progress even a little on the interior (which I expect), I predict a great year.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#634533
Sly Fox wrote: October 31st, 2021, 10:13 pm I am nowhere near as confident in you as to our clear path this season in the ASUN. I fully expect the additions of EKU & JSU along with last year's surprise Bellarmine to give us plenty of competition this year. The league is stocked with high major transfers with big upsides.
I agree that the new members make the conference a bit stronger in MBB overall, but those teams will essentially be in the same position as the other ASUN teams were 3 years ago when it comes to playing against us (and our packline defense). I don't expect Bellarmine to repeat last year's success without Pedro Bradshaw, who was by far their best player. (He decided to turn pro with potentially 2 years of eligibility remaining). As far as high-major transfers are concerned, we won't know for a while if any will make a big impact. There are always reasons they didn't stay where they were, and they tend to be a mixed bag.

Having said that, for us the conference as a whole is always going to present a bigger challenge than the sum of it's parts. They have the advantage of familiarity playing against a system that is still not all that common nationally.
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By Geraldos Mustache
Posts
#634534
Racenut wrote: October 31st, 2021, 11:51 pm We have many reasons to be optimistic about this basketball season. Coach McKay is excellent at evaluating talent and putting players where they need to be and he is quite adept at evaluating other teams and exploiting their weaknesses offensively and defensively. The young team from last year has another year of experience and the new players are probably a step up in what we expect from freshmen. But the number one reason for great expectations is the return of Darius McGhee. He is the straw that stirs the drink! A great scorer, a great distributor and a player that can take over a game and make everyone else better. He has confidence but not cockiness and his leadership is invaluable. Except in rare cases, smart guard play is imperative for team success at the college level and if Preston and Robinson progress even a little on the interior (which I expect), I predict a great year.
I’m excited to see the development of big man Abii (did I spell that right?) Kid has size and a ton of raw talent. Looking for him to become the instrument Ritchie needs him to be in the Liberty system and truly become a weapon.
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By Kricket
Registration Days Posts
#635111
I feel like I'm ready for the Regent Game Thread after all the conference realignment dust settled and the Ole Miss game behind us.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#635117
Kricket wrote: November 7th, 2021, 9:28 am I feel like I'm ready for the Regent Game Thread after all the conference realignment dust settled and the Ole Miss game behind us.
Me too. I am embarassed to say that about the only thing I knew about Regent was that Pat Robertson is Founder/Chancellor. Did a little Googling to find out what level they play at (NCCAA). Most interesting other factoid I discovered is that my new favorite politician, Virginia Lieutenant Gov.-elect Winsome Sears, earned her Master's degree there.
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By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#635119
Back when I was at LU in the Late '80s, Regent was just a grad school. Tons of LU folks went their after picking up their LU undergrad degrees. It definitely surprised me to see them pop up on our schedule.
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#635250
McGhee playing more in the lead-guard role seems likely. That's where he'll have to play at the next level as a pro. It will be advantageous to set him up as an off-guard as well. The only reason that we didn't see him mixing it up more last year was due to Parker, who was pretty much a point exclusively. We'll have more versatility and more pieces in place this year.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#635309
Has anyone heard how the 2 scrimmages against VT and UNCG went? Ritchie addressed it cryptically in his presser, saying there were "moments of brilliance and moments where it looked like we had never been coached".
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By Ill flame
Posts
#635398
Maybe I've missed this conversation in the past but why do we struggle so much to schedule halfway decent ooc games? It seems like we should be stacking our schedule with sunbelt, a10 and other decent regional schools with the occasional p5. Instead we end up with non d1 or the weakest d1 teams in the country.
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By jbock13
Registration Days Posts
#635399
Few teams want to play us.

Lose to us and it looks bad.

Beat us and nobody cares.

That’s the way they see it anyway. We’re very lucky to get the games with LSU and Missouri. That’s also why we play in in-season tournaments. Few teams want a buy game with a team that can beat them.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#635402
jbock13 wrote: November 13th, 2021, 8:09 am Few teams want to play us.

Lose to us and it looks bad.

Beat us and nobody cares.

That’s the way they see it anyway. We’re very lucky to get the games with LSU and Missouri. That’s also why we play in in-season tournaments. Few teams want a buy game with a team that can beat them.
This is spot on, except for the part about "lucky". The Missouri game is part of a package with the tournament where we played them at their place last year, and is a result of Ritchie's strategy to schedule as many in-season tournaments as possible to fill the schedule. I think the games we have gotten with LSU may be at least partially a result of the relationship both Wade and McKay have with Kyle Getter as well as our playing VCU when Wade was there. While those are the only 2 high major games that show on the schedule, there is a possibility of picking up one or more in the Daimond Head tournament, where Stanford would be our likely opponent if we get bye N. Iowa, and BYU and Vandy are also in the field.

It certainly looks like we will have more quality opponents in conference once we begin C-USA play. I think we are also getting close to the "tipping point" in terms of how our program is perceived. I believe we are already considered a "good win", and are not far from no longer being a "bad loss".
By paradox
Registration Days Posts
#635408
Big conference teams are notorious for avoiding potentially competitive out of conference road games. Teams will play us as long as it's in their gym. We could schedule 5 or 6 of these and potentially put 5 loses on our schedule. Plus We'll never get a home date in return. Ian and McKay are smart to get these bigger programs on a neutral court......whenever we can.
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