2024-2025 College Basketball General Discussion

[leeraymond]

Not to rain on the parade but they have had some bad losses even a loss to NKU. 2024-25 Men's Basketball Schedule - South Carolina State University Athletics
They are currently up against Norfolk State.

Yeah, SCST eventually lost that game. It was a one-point loss. A bone-headed foul by a SCST player led to the foul shot that lost them the game. It was a good defensive game.

[Lobot]

Here's some fun things:

UNC loses to Duke on a lane violation of all things. X might sneak into the NCAAs because of this play.

Thursday night, Louisville beats Stanford after a Stanford secured what should have been a game ending rebound in the paint . Player got nervous and passed the ball out to the 3 pt but right to a UL player who hit touch shot three with no time left for the win.

Last night, Creighton defeats UConn on a game ending whirlwind dunk in garbage time with a massive rim hang that cleared the benches. Surprisingly Dan Hurley was civil about it or at least as civil as he can get under the circumstances.

[swilsonsp4]

What a finish in the SCSU-NSU game. SC State rallied late, forcing turnovers in the final :30, and tied it with a stick-back. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, one of their players apparently didn't understand that it was tied and fouled with :08. Norfolk State hit one free throw, with SC State missing a contested trey just before the horn. Tough way for Martin's team to go down.

[swilsonsp4]

Yeah, good for Martin. I am rooting for him. Besides, I live about an hour from the South Carolina State's Orangeburg campus. SCST is 20-12. SCST is an HBCU. It is extremely difficult to win at HBCU's because those guys are basically on the road for November and December. By the way, these schools do not have the chartered jets and travel resources of bigger schools. It is good to see that Martin is doing well in a tough coaching environment.

Are you in Columbia? I was stationed at Fort Jackson for two years in the 1970's. The city certainly has changed since then.

[swilsonsp4]

Not to rain on the parade but they have had some bad losses even a loss to NKU. 2024-25 Men's Basketball Schedule - South Carolina State University Athletics
They are currently up against Norfolk State.

MEAC schools have a very hard time attracting the level of coaches and talent that most other conferences can. They have very little financial support from any source. If you ever get to Tallahassee, take a drive around the FSU campus, then trek over a few miles to FAMU. Both are state universities. The facilities are light-years apart. The reasons are obvious, but I don't want to derail this thread.

If a MEAC coach has success enough that he attracts attention, some higher-level program will steal him. His replacement usually turns out to be some inexperienced young guy who has to cobble together a team with virtually (or completely) no NIL. Fortunately for SC State, they were able to attract Erik Martin, who is older. He can't solve the financial disparity, though.

A school such as SC State or Coppin State must play "buy games" to fund their department of athletics. Their athletes get beaten down in November and December, while their P4 opponents work out the kinks at their expense.

Only three MEAC schools ever have won an NCAA Tourney game that wasn't played in the First 4. Coppin State in 1997, Hampton (no longer a member) in 2001, and Norfolk State in 2012. All were #15 seeds who took down #2.

So, losing to NKU (or most any other team from a non-low major conference) shouldn't be much of a surprise.

[bearcatbret]

The Erik Martin led South Carolina State Bulldogs (20-12, 11-3) play Norfolk State (23-10, 11-3) today for the MEAC Championship. The game is on Espn2 at 1 PM.

Not to rain on the parade but they have had some bad losses even a loss to NKU. 2024-25 Men's Basketball Schedule - South Carolina State University Athletics
They are currently up against Norfolk State.

[leeraymond]

The Erik Martin led South Carolina State Bulldogs (20-12, 11-3) play Norfolk State (23-10, 11-3) today for the MEAC Championship. The game is on Espn2 at 1 PM.

Yeah, good for Martin. I am rooting for him. Besides, I live about an hour from the South Carolina State's Orangeburg campus. SCST is 20-12. SCST is an HBCU. It is extremely difficult to win at HBCU's because those guys are basically on the road for November and December. By the way, these schools do not have the chartered jets and travel resources of bigger schools. It is good to see that Martin is doing well in a tough coaching environment.

[Geaux Juan]

The Erik Martin led South Carolina State Bulldogs (20-12, 11-3) play Norfolk State (23-10, 11-3) today for the MEAC Championship. The game is on Espn2 at 1 PM.

[Rufus]

That's a very good point Leeraymond. Sampson modeled his Houston teams after the UC bearthugs that Huggins and Cronin built so Miller would do well to study Houston extensively

[leeraymond]

Did anyone see the Houston and BYU game last night; BIG XII Tournament? Roberts is hurt, so he did not play in the game. Houston decided to play with a four (4) guard lineup. Houston dominated BYU. Houston is pesky, disruptive, and takes a team out of what it wants to do offensively. Houston played a great game without Roberts. Houston really attacks you with its defense. Active hands, playing the passing lanes, and keeping somebody in the middle of the floor, around the free-throw line to get those long rebounds. Have you noticed that Houston seems to always get those long offensive rebounds right around the free-throw line? Houston never takes a defensive possession off. Always on the attack. They like to strip the ball in the paint. They double-team a lot. Houston keeps a team off balance on offense.

UC could learn a lot from watching Houston's videos.

[sedz]

Unlike Rick Barry, who shot them underhanded ("Granny style", as they were disparagingly called back then), the Wofford kid didn't flex his knees. It was all arms, which led him to leave one well short of the rim.

Yeah, I give him credit for trying, but it isn't working.

[swilsonsp4]

Caught the SoCon final. Wofford runs a beautiful offense. They're slow and methodical, but they look to get an open three or attack the rim every play. They made 14 of 28 threes, 12 of 17 at the rim, got to the free throw line 33 times, and only took 3 midrange shots all game! They ended up with 92 points in a 67 possession game. Their offense is better than ours despite having no high profile recruits and not much size. Their inside guy is even worse than Mitchell at FTs - he shoots them underhand and only makes 33%.

Unlike Rick Barry, who shot them underhanded ("Granny style", as they were disparagingly called back then), the Wofford kid didn't flex his knees. It was all arms, which led him to leave one well short of the rim.

[sedz]

Caught the SoCon final. Wofford runs a beautiful offense. They're slow and methodical, but they look to get an open three or attack the rim every play. They made 14 of 28 threes, 12 of 17 at the rim, got to the free throw line 33 times, and only took 3 midrange shots all game! They ended up with 92 points in a 67 possession game. Their offense is better than ours despite having no high profile recruits and not much size. Their inside guy is even worse than Mitchell at FTs - he shoots them underhand and only makes 33%.

[GoBearcats31]

Cronin's rant didn't work. UCLA only scored 61 against Maryland. They took twice as many shots from midrange than at the rim. How can you publicly humiliate your players as a coach when your offensive scheme is so terrible? I think many Bearcat fans have been conditioned to think midrange offense is normal, going from Huggins in the 90s when it actually was normal to Cronin and now Miller. There's a whole other world of modern basketball that we haven't seen. Dan Hurley, Bruce Pearl, Nate Oats, Mark Few, Dusty May, Porter Moser, Dennis Gates. Watching those guys coach is eye opening. They are so far ahead of us.

Mick also got tossed.

Don’t follow UCLA / him closely but I’m sure he hates the Big Ten travel. Perhaps he’s ready for a change (if UCLA isn’t ready themselves).

[sedz]

Cronin's rant didn't work. UCLA only scored 61 against Maryland. They took twice as many shots from midrange than at the rim. How can you publicly humiliate your players as a coach when your offensive scheme is so terrible? I think many Bearcat fans have been conditioned to think midrange offense is normal, going from Huggins in the 90s when it actually was normal to Cronin and now Miller. There's a whole other world of modern basketball that we haven't seen. Dan Hurley, Bruce Pearl, Nate Oats, Mark Few, Dusty May, Porter Moser, Dennis Gates. Watching those guys coach is eye opening. They are so far ahead of us.