A-10 Media Day/Preseason Awards
- Thread starter MDspider8
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Pretty shocking that UMass and Rhody, who both made splash big name hires last year and picked 13th and 14th.
On a broader level, I don't think the A-10 has even been so down and so wide open ever.
On a broader level, I don't think the A-10 has even been so down and so wide open ever.
Takeaways from the Mooney/Quinn interview on Field of 68. Nothing groundbreaking, but reiterated the same themes we've heard this offseason:
- Neal emphasized work with TJ & Grant this summer, expanded his offensive repertorie with emphasis on outside shooting
- More praise for Noyes and his ability to break out this year
- King and Hunt will combine to take Tyler's role of being the primary shot creators/playmakers
- Hunt is the best vocal leader they've ever had
Have to give it (not going to print what it is) to Mooney. 19-years, 55% winner, 3 NCAA trips, coming off a 15-18 year, pre-season prediction of 11th in conference. Progress is such that it is going to be really hard to keep other schools from coming after him, Hardt better get a 10-year extension in place quick. 
Even with the weakness of the A-10 & the pre-conference schedule, I think a game or two above .500 is about right for this year. 19-years, and this is the state of the program? It is not acceptable. The statistics don't lie, and the nearly 2-decade old eye tests back it up.
Even with the weakness of the A-10 & the pre-conference schedule, I think a game or two above .500 is about right for this year. 19-years, and this is the state of the program? It is not acceptable. The statistics don't lie, and the nearly 2-decade old eye tests back it up.
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It's low, u could argue we should be a few spots higher and I thought we would be, but it's not like we'd have some really stong argument either.
On the flip side 11th is a sweet spot for Moon. Owes JOC and his media or coaching buddies. Considering Mooney very rarely exceeds expectations from where Spiders r picked in A10, he can play up the overachievement angle.
Meanwhile Odom is getting a ton of respect for a team that basically had to turn over most of its roster. But that is not unexpected.
While there are always exceptions, retreads don't work majority of time. It's more shocking to me that majority of people seem to like those hires when they occur. Not speaking just to Miller/Martin but overall. Miller and Rhody have better long term odds to succeed imo. But for A10 sake it would be good for 1 of those programs to return to upper echelon.
At same time it's not like we r reaping the benefits of a 19 year coach with the longest current A10 coaching tenure either.
Right, vcu with an entire new roster and new coach is picked second. Meanwhile, in year 56, we are picked 11th.
I seem to recall a discussion here at some point about how we have done relative to the preseason picks but I don't exactly recall the most we've ever outperformed them. Maybe like 3 or 4 spots higher?
In the last 12 years we've exceeded our preseason pick spot only twice. The most was 4 spots higher in 19-20'. Picked 6th finished 2nd. The only other year we did better than preseason poll was in 16-17'.
The last 3 years we've finished 7, 4 and 5 spots lower in the standings than the preseason poll.
I feel confident we won't finish 7 spots lower than our poll position this year.
You see Mooney got a picture with the A10 Championship Trophy? Closest that he’ll ever get to it this year
If we finish lower than our prediction this season, I don’t even see a conversation.
Schmidt and SBU also completely revamped an entire roster the last 2 years.
Schmidt and SBU also completely revamped an entire roster the last 2 years.
Is this our lowest pre-season A10 ranking under Mooney? I can't remember ever being this low - I know its preseason and doesn't matter. But just curious - have we even been lower?
Mooney probably paid all the voters to rank us this low so that when we finish seventh, it looks like a great accomplishment. 🤣
It's the Atlantic10. Everything after 10 doesn't count.
maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I feel like we're a ton more talented than those early pre-KA Mooney teams.
Those first 2 teams finished 10th and 11th playing with no point guard and then featuring 5 skinny freshmen in the rotation.
Then KA showed up and Moon has eaten off his play ever since.
Then KA showed up and Moon has eaten off his play ever since.
Lately, anything after first or second hasn't counted
First year we finished tied for 11th with Dayton at 6–10. The only reason we did that well was because nobody could figure out how to score against crazy scrappy defense (and our molasses-speed offense). We finished ahead of only a terrible Bona team coming off the welding scandal and a horrific Duquesne squad.
Second year we fell to 4–12, tying for 12th with Bona still trying to dig itself out. Only team we managed to finish ahead of was La Salle.
I certainly don't think we're as bad as those teams, though Mooney had some unique wrinkles in those days that really helped him do more with less (apologies to Schmidt). Those wrinkles have long since been figured out by the rest of the league. Hence why we can once again find ourselves down around 11th despite better talent.
Yes excellent points. The matchup was still a mystery as were many aspects of the Moonmotion offense. But now every single fan can do a breakdown of schemes on their phone if they wish to. No one is surprised by anything UR runs.
To be fair, if you just go by raw talent, the 3rd Moon team had ROY KA, Geriot at his best, Gonzo emerging, Butler, Harper, Smith. Four of those guys had far better individual A10 seasons than anyone on the roster now has ever had. And even as young players, they still had the talent.
To be fair, if you just go by raw talent, the 3rd Moon team had ROY KA, Geriot at his best, Gonzo emerging, Butler, Harper, Smith. Four of those guys had far better individual A10 seasons than anyone on the roster now has ever had. And even as young players, they still had the talent.
Forget the importance of preseason ranking. Who knows how well this team will mesh but I have a good feeling about this group being better than we think
How long has it been since we haven't had a player not named first or 2nd pre-season all conference?
2022 - Burton (1)
2021 - Gilyard, Golden (1), Burton (2)
2020 - Gilyard (1), Golden, Francis (2)
2019 - Gilyard (1), Golden (2)
2018 - Golden (1)
2017 - Buckingham (2)
2016 - Cline (1)
So 2015 was the last time we hadn't had someone 1st or 2nd all A-10 preseason. Finished 9 out of 14.
2022 - Burton (1)
2021 - Gilyard, Golden (1), Burton (2)
2020 - Gilyard (1), Golden, Francis (2)
2019 - Gilyard (1), Golden (2)
2018 - Golden (1)
2017 - Buckingham (2)
2016 - Cline (1)
So 2015 was the last time we hadn't had someone 1st or 2nd all A-10 preseason. Finished 9 out of 14.
I think in most eyes - those early Mooney years don't count because they were the "cupboard is bare" years. So in reality - never had a team ranked this low in preseason?
For the record - I think we are better than where we are picked, but not sure we could crack the top 5-6 in the A10. Its possible if guys really step up and we have some big years from guys. Talking about Quinn dominates and is a 2nd team or better all A10 player. Roche becomes the best shooter in the A10. We get great guard play which is always the main ingredient to the Mooney recipe for success. And we have to shoot well as a team from deep.
For the record - I think we are better than where we are picked, but not sure we could crack the top 5-6 in the A10. Its possible if guys really step up and we have some big years from guys. Talking about Quinn dominates and is a 2nd team or better all A10 player. Roche becomes the best shooter in the A10. We get great guard play which is always the main ingredient to the Mooney recipe for success. And we have to shoot well as a team from deep.
And Mooney needs to avoid late game slow down brain farts.
If we make the NCAA with this roster AND win a game - Mooney gets a raise and lifetime contract. Book it now.
We did - and we can talk about it. UR did make the tourney in 2022 (and NIT in 2021) and won an NCAA game. Those are the results I think this board and fans are looking for and willing to congratulate the team and coaches on doing so.
I think everyone agrees last year was a disappointment. With the transfers we had come in - who I think most felt good about, and a POY candidate in Burton - the team limped to a losing record. But - its just one year removed from NCAA, so all is well. I think some fans, myself included are just a little concerned we might have similar results this year. Lets say UR finishes right around .500 - the pressure will be on the next year I think to make an NIT or NCAA. But we know we will have a big hole to fill with Quinn out - but will have other key pieces returning. I think this year is all about improvement and expectations. If this team finishes around .500 - I would be worried. If this team can finish with 19-20 wins - even though that is not NIT or NCAA worthy - I think that shows improvement and likely means the team has matured and gotten better throughout the year. That gives some positive energy going into next year - which I think is the key NCAA/NIT postseason year.
I think everyone agrees last year was a disappointment. With the transfers we had come in - who I think most felt good about, and a POY candidate in Burton - the team limped to a losing record. But - its just one year removed from NCAA, so all is well. I think some fans, myself included are just a little concerned we might have similar results this year. Lets say UR finishes right around .500 - the pressure will be on the next year I think to make an NIT or NCAA. But we know we will have a big hole to fill with Quinn out - but will have other key pieces returning. I think this year is all about improvement and expectations. If this team finishes around .500 - I would be worried. If this team can finish with 19-20 wins - even though that is not NIT or NCAA worthy - I think that shows improvement and likely means the team has matured and gotten better throughout the year. That gives some positive energy going into next year - which I think is the key NCAA/NIT postseason year.
I don't want to start looking at 2024-25 yet, but my view on the state of the program will be formed from what I see from the guys who are the future at the 5 (Walz & Soulis), and at the point (Tyne & Smith).
I think we have a lot of long term talent at the 2-4 spots. need to be solid at the 5. and need to be GREAT at the point. we're never good unless we're great at the point.
I think we have a lot of long term talent at the 2-4 spots. need to be solid at the 5. and need to be GREAT at the point. we're never good unless we're great at the point.
Here the problem if we finish with 19-20 wins, which isn't great, but certainly would be "exceeding expectations". We are starting 4 seniors this year, so it's not like Mooney can say this was a rebuilding year with youth, cause that is not the case and most of our better players will be gone next year.
I don't think whatever our results are this year is really going to say anything about our trend for next year. Sure hopefully some of our young guys might step up and play well, but Mooney is gonna have to defend them if they do in the portal as they will become attractive targets for programs with winning records.
Why do we have to accept that the program is cyclic? Why can’t it be a sustained run of 23+ win seasons? A 19 win season is like a .610 winning % - this is the frustration of a lot here I think. The coach has been entrenched long enough to have established a consistently great winning program but every 5 years it’s like an entirely new cycle starts from scratch as if it is year 1.
In a decaying A10 conference being mid pack or worse half the time just seems unacceptable to me.
In a decaying A10 conference being mid pack or worse half the time just seems unacceptable to me.
Because:
• other teams have lower academic standards than we do
• it's too hard
• we're a small, leafy school
• did I mention it's too hard?
• our coach doesn't feel like learning and implementing new things
• our good players are going to leave for better schools now
• recruiting is hard
• no good teams want to play us
• other teams have lower academic standards than we do
• it's too hard
• we're a small, leafy school
• did I mention it's too hard?
• our coach doesn't feel like learning and implementing new things
• our good players are going to leave for better schools now
• recruiting is hard
• no good teams want to play us
I agree - I wish we were a perennial top team and looking for bids every year, kinda like our neighbor down the street in VCU.
But that is not the reality, it has not happened, and I don't think it bothers the administration at all that it doesn't happen. They seem happy with the cyclic nature of our NCAA appearances and top of the league standings - so I think unfortunately we as fans have to accept that.
But that is not the reality, it has not happened, and I don't think it bothers the administration at all that it doesn't happen. They seem happy with the cyclic nature of our NCAA appearances and top of the league standings - so I think unfortunately we as fans have to accept that.
