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

By FlameFan11
Posts
#523794
Next 3 games are big to see how far we really have improved from a season ago. Currently, we are ranked 239 out of 351 D1 teams in the KenPom rankings.

We play UNCG #156 on the road, Furman #196 at home and Princeton #51 at home. Opportunity to beat teams we should if we want to be a NCAA tourney team.

Furman just lost at Winthrop on a made Winthrop shot at the buzzer in overtime.

After those games we have Clark's Summit and then a road test at Lamar #289 and at Houston #65. Should be a good six game stretch to get us ready for conference play.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#523800
Surprised Furman played Winthrop that tough As always, our only path to the tournament will be winning the BSC tourney, so I don't really agree that winning or losing these games is crucial Obviously, it would be disappointing to get swept, and I don't expect that The Liberty team that hung with W&M and VCU can certainly beat UNCG and Furman Princeton will be more of a challenge The Liberty team that allowed Central Penn to stay in the game for over 30 minutes could get swept
By FlameFan11
Posts
#523818
I realize our only NCAA chance is to win the conference tourney. I'm looking bigger picture not that they are crucial for this season only where RMK and our program is striving to be. This stretch of games will be a measuring stick to show improvement overall, how close we are to being the type of team that competes for a BSC title every year. It also could play a role in other postseason opportunities if we don't win the BSC tourney now that nearly half of D1 participates in NIT, CBI, etc....

On a side note, I'm really happy with the non-conference schedule. Four Top 100 games in the non-conference sandwiched with some middle of the road teams and a couple softer teams. Like this recipe for future years including a good holiday tournament which we are in for next year.
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By thepostman
Registration Days Posts
#523819
I agree that our only shot to make the tourney is through winning the conference but winning these kind of games that are winnable do wonders for confidence in my opinion.
By flamehunter
Registration Days Posts
#523820
thepostman wrote:I agree that our only shot to make the tourney is through winning the conference but winning these kind of games that are winnable do wonders for confidence in my opinion.
Especially for the fans.
By olldflame
Registration Days Posts
#523822
flamehunter wrote:
thepostman wrote:I agree that our only shot to make the tourney is through winning the conference but winning these kind of games that are winnable do wonders for confidence in my opinion.
Especially for the fans.
I agree with that Probably means more to the fans than the team Ritchie was able to keep his troops positive last year with zero early success, and it paid off in conference This year they should have a lot more to build on
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By jinxy
Registration Days Posts
#523832
Its def. important for the program. While making the tourney is great were not ready to do damage in the ncaas yet even if we get in. Ive waited 13 years to see us competitive in non conference games. The one year we were it was a whole lot of fun.
By TDDance234
Registration Days Posts
#523963
The reality is we're never going to be in a position to do any damage if we get in to the NCAA. The absolute best we're ever going to see in our current setup is a 14-seed.

The conference championship is our banner... and we can only tie for those.
By TIMSCAR20
Registration Days Posts
#524067
I agree that the only path to the NCAA's is the conference championship. But that is true for almost every mid major program with a few exceptions. The CAA was the 9th or 10th best conference in America and they got 1 bid! There have been years when that conference got at-large bids (see George Mason and VCU in their Final 4 runs) but those teams are now in the Atlantic 10. Other mid majors that routinely received at large bids are now in major conferences (see Creighton, Butler, Xavier to the Big East). The At-Large mid majors are usually out of the Missouri Valley or Horizon leagues or the WCC like Northern Iowa, Wichita St, St. Mary's, Gonzaga and teams like that. Now I would say that if any team in the Big South would have received an at-Large it would have been Winthrop during the Gregg Marshall era. My point is that even in the Big South it is POSSIBLE to put yourself in a position to get an at-large bid but it has never happened and doing so would mean winning just about EVERY game on your schedule and do so convincingly most nights. That would include a Money-Game upset or two as well.

I will say that it is also possible to make noise in the tournament once there. 15-2 is always a story. Just last year Middle Tennessee over Michigan State happened. Norfolk State has done it twice. 2 years ago 14-3 happened twice with Georgia State and UAB beating Big 12 schools. So even getting a 15 you have a chance to make noise in the tournament. Having said that, this Liberty team would have to become a LOT more athletic and long or shoot the living daylights out of the basketball on a given weekend for that to happen.
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By thepostman
Registration Days Posts
#524068
The 3 ball seems to always be the equalizer at this level. If you can get hot behind the 3 point line and compete on defensive end you will stay in games come tournament time.
By TIMSCAR20
Registration Days Posts
#524071
It is a equalizer when you are at least close in other categories. The mid majors beat the bigs so often these days and really for the past 20 years or so because the talent disparity isn't as big as it used to be. All the power teams seemed to be loaded like Kentucky and the mid majors were closer to Big South caliber teams. Now the bigs like Kentucky are rare. I think Baylor, UCLA, UNC, Duke and Kentucky are superior to all this year in terms of talent and athleticism. EVERYONE else including Kansas, Michigan State, Michigan, Syracuse etc. are not much bigger, stronger, faster or more talented than the really good mid majors. Creighton, Xavier, Gonzaga, Villanova, Kansas are all REALLY GOOD teams but they aren't as athletic as the 5 teams above and no where near as big (although each one has 1 or 2 bigs that can play).

My point is that you STILL have to have some athleticism and talent and at least some size to be competitive. Shooting 3's can get you but so far in terms of winning the games. VMI was able to do it and win 20 plus games a couple of times and lead the country in scoring about 6 years in a row. They pulled off a win at Rupp Arena and a couple of competitive games against the bigs but they didn't even make the NCAA's playing that style. The 3 can only get you so far.
By Wvflame2013
Posts
#524072
Bob Huggins (WVU) was speaking about college basketball a few weeks back. He was talking about that there really is not that many truly great basketball players anymore. That's why he switched his system to tall and very athletic players that can guard and press. There has been a change in the past 20 years with players losing the fundamentals with all this AND1 stuff and just wanting to shoot the three. His idea to combating this was press Virginia. Force the other team to turnover the ball, get easy layups, and shoot more shots than the other team. Shows why he is a hall of fame coach and 3 wins away from 800.
By FlameFan11
Posts
#524074
There is no doubt the game has developed offensively away from traditional post play and more skilled bigs that can play the perimeter but the game is fundamentally the same. As a perimeter driven offensive team, you still have to be able to defend and rebound. Points in paint and getting to the FT line increases your chances of winning.

That is why I was so excited about this Liberty freshman class because we added taller, stronger guys to our roster that were skilled enough to play the perimeter and the post on both ends of the floor. Like SCAR said, these are the types of guys you need to compete and was especially what our roster was missing last season. That's why I was shocked at the lack of playing time for Gardner, Baxter-Bell and Josiah early on. Myo and Gardner are starting to get more time and producing in their minutes. I feel their development is key to our success later in this season and the next 4 years. Due to lack of available scholarships, we won't be able to bring in more size for 2 years so we need to give these guys time. Let's get them ready to compete/matchup against Winthrop/UNCA so we have a chance to win the conference tourney and be one of those 15 seeds you are talking about.
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By jinxy
Registration Days Posts
#526704
Looking back at non conference. We played a pretty difficult schedule. Off memory i believe princeton and furman were conference leaders, vcu 2nd, uncg and lamar top 3 and then indiana and houston as p5 schools. William and mary is middle of the pack in the caa.
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