B12 Tourney

[London 'Cat]

UC is in somewhat of a pickle. What UC owes Miller is just a part of it. Here is why. UC will more likely get an NIT bid. However, if it keeps Miller until April, it may miss its chance at the coach that it wants. Also, playing on TV in the NIT means money for UC. UC may not want to miss out on that NIT TV money and exposure. The way I see it, UC has some options: 1) it could fire Miller and have one of the assistants coach the team through the NIT while the school negotiates the contact with the new coach; 2) it could not accept the NIT bid and bring in the new coach and start over; and 3) UC could decide to keep Miller so that it keeps the team together, or as much of the team as it can keep together along with the new recruits. However, keeping Miller may upset much of the fan base and boosters.

Because of the portal system, playing in the BIG XII, and playing many games on national TV, UC is going to attract its share of good solid players. Also, new coaches will typically bring some players with them when they take the new job. Given this, the first option may be a good one. If a new coach comes in, who knows, he may be able to convince some guys to stay. Either way, UC probably will not have a problem getting some talent in although it may have to pay Miller money that it does not want to pay him.

Hopefully, next time UC will negotiate a better contract for itself.

Whether UC gets a bid to the NIT will depends it’s NET rating. If UC is one of the two highest ranked BigXII teams not in the NCAAs, the conference must send UC to the Crown tournament. UC should fire Miller as soon as possible, preventing the return of any players so it cannot participate in the Crown tournament and focus on hiring a new coach quickly so he can begin forming a team using transfers.

[swilsonsp4]

Once again in a tight game down the stretch, the back court of James and Thomas blows the game. Three (3) consecutive turnovers by James and Thomas when the game was on the line. Why not bring Tillery in the game?

In a close game, the weaker team will ALWAYS find a way to lose.

Man! What a way to lose a game. My guess is UC will get an NIT bid. I wonder if Miller will stay on until after the NIT.

UC will not be in the NIT. A friend of mine is an usher at 5th/3rd and he said that they were informed that there would be no more games at 5th/3rd after the regular season. Also, the B12 contract with the Collegiate Basketball Crown tourney (in Vegas), in which UC played last year, requires that the top two teams that don't make the Dance must participate. Any school who refuses is to be assessed a $750K fine. Last season, teams that lost/fired their coach were allowed out, largely since the bulk of the rosters had left.

Chad Brendel has stated that, if UC does terminate CWM, it almost certainly will do so before 4/1/26. Waiting for the buyout to drop from $9.9M to $4.6M would leave the department in a situation in which the best replacement options are already taken. If John Cunningham does pull the trigger, it most likely will involve trying to negotiate to a figure between those two amounts (by suggesting to CWM that, if he doesn't want to go that route, then UC will wait for the $4.6M to kick in on 4/1/26). Chad also said that he has checked with many of his contacts around D1 basketball who are knowledgeable of firings/hirings. None of them have heard a word as to what the plan is. Cunningham stays notoriously close-to-the-vest. Brendel said the team is staying in KC overnight and will fly home on Thursday. He suggested that the odds of CWM getting another year are, at best, 40%, but that's just his best guess.

[longtimefan]

Whatever happens, UC must be financially prepared to keep key parts of this year’s team. Ideally, Tillery, Thiam, Abaev, Jizzle, Haynes. If they can get that level of continuity they may be able to avoid the disastrous non league schedule results that ruined the season this year.

[London 'Cat]

I would do whatever I could to keep Tillery. He really improved throughout the year. Thiam is 50/50 for me. He had some great games but tended to fade when the games got physical. I have seen enough of James. The turnover - ten second violation - in yesterday’s game was completely unacceptable for a third year player. Abaev could stay. 6’7” with guard skills is hard to come by. And his defense improved throughout the season. But he is not a must keep for me. None of us has any idea what Haynes can bring. It will depend on whether UC releases CWM and who is hired to replace him.

[Gmann]

I would do whatever I could to keep Tillery. He really improved throughout the year. Thiam is 50/50 for me. He had some great games but tended to fade when the games got physical. I have seen enough of James. The turnover - ten second violation - in yesterday’s game was completely unacceptable for a third year player. Abaev could stay. 6’7” with guard skills is hard to come by. And his defense improved throughout the season. But he is not a must keep for me. None of us has any idea what Haynes can bring. It will depend on whether UC releases CWM and who is hired to replace him.

Largely agree with you. Tillery is a must keep. He has strength, confidence and shoots it well enough. You can build around him. Thiam will leave if Miller does or likely will price himself out of us. I like McKinley's upside if we can keep him healthy and even Dzellat is a good role player. Abaev seemed to finally understand that the offense does not revolve around his 3 point shots and did show improvement by being willing to rebound and defend a little. James is not much more than a role player as a 2 guard who is a sporadic scorer. He does nothing to create offense for anyone else. I would like to see what Haynes has but feel his fate is tied to Milller as well.

[Corporateballa]

Everything I’m hearing says it’s going to be sooner than later. The NIL budget for the basketball team is $10 million a year. UCF has a $3 million budget. The folks who are investing that money are tired of not receiving a return on their investment.

[leeraymond372@gmail.com]

UC will not be in the NIT. A friend of mine is an usher at 5th/3rd and he said that they were informed that there would be no more games at 5th/3rd after the regular season. Also, the B12 contract with the Collegiate Basketball Crown tourney (in Vegas), in which UC played last year, requires that the top two teams that don't make the Dance must participate. Any school who refuses is to be assessed a $750K fine. Last season, teams that lost/fired their coach were allowed out, largely since the bulk of the rosters had left.

Chad Brendel has stated that, if UC does terminate CWM, it almost certainly will do so before 4/1/26. Waiting for the buyout to drop from $9.9M to $4.6M would leave the department in a situation in which the best replacement options are already taken. If John Cunningham does pull the trigger, it most likely will involve trying to negotiate to a figure between those two amounts (by suggesting to CWM that, if he doesn't want to go that route, then UC will wait for the $4.6M to kick in on 4/1/26). Chad also said that he has checked with many of his contacts around D1 basketball who are knowledgeable of firings/hirings. None of them have heard a word as to what the plan is. Cunningham stays notoriously close-to-the-vest. Brendel said the team is staying in KC overnight and will fly home on Thursday. He suggested that the odds of CWM getting another year are, at best, 40%, but that's just his best guess.

Yeah. That makes sense. As of now the top two teams from the BIG XII not likely to make the NCAAs are WV and UC. The contract with the Crown handcuffs teams in the BIG 10, BIG XII, and the BIG East. The NIT is a more interesting tournament because it is held at campus venues for the first 2 rounds. The Crown was kind of boring last year to be truthful.

I guess that is what happens when a team under achieves.

[swilsonsp4]

Yeah. That makes sense. As of now the top two teams from the BIG XII not likely to make the NCAAs are WV and UC. The contract with the Crown handcuffs teams in the BIG 10, BIG XII, and the BIG East. The NIT is a more interesting tournament because it is held at campus venues for the first 2 rounds. The Crown was kind of boring last year to be truthful.

I guess that is what happens when a team under achieves.

The Crown cut the field from 16 teams to 8 this season.

[Corporateballa]

The AD is negotiating the terms of the coach’s buyout as we speak.

[Oldtimer_UC_fan]

Everything I’m hearing says it’s going to be sooner than later. The NIL budget for the basketball team is $10 million a year. UCF has a $3 million budget. The folks who are investing that money are tired of not receiving a return on their investment.

Good to see you back. I've missed your insightful comments.

[bearcatbret]

Arizona crushes UCF. Houston beats BYU. ISU crushes TT. Side Notes: X got crushed. Duke won by one point against FSU. Kansas defeats TCU.

[GoBearcats31]

They are ditching the LED court the rest of the tourney

[London 'Cat]

They are ditching the LED court the rest of the tourney

In the Houston BYU game, I saw several players slip on the court. Not sure whether that was a factor, but I noticed it.

[longtimefan]

They are ditching the LED court the rest of the tourney

Good. Even on TV it was very distracting.

[D.A.H.]

Arizona crushes UCF. Houston beats BYU. ISU crushes TT. Side Notes: X got crushed. Duke won by one point against FSU. Kansas defeats TCU.

pretty much chalk in the B12 tourny - should be some good games there