I think that would be a major success to go 13-7 the rest of the way. I’d absolutely take that right now
At-large NCAA bid
- Thread starter mr.spider
- Start date
Double nickels, Baby. 55% That is what is considered success with over a $20 mil investment over nearly 18 years at Richmond.
Speaks for itself over how serious the school is about MBB success. Facts don't lie. Just inconvenient truths to some. Oh, but we did go 24-7 in 2020 so all is good.
Speaks for itself over how serious the school is about MBB success. Facts don't lie. Just inconvenient truths to some. Oh, but we did go 24-7 in 2020 so all is good.
Not sure how much NET is considered for NIT, I am sure its a factor. But remember also - NIT relies on League Champs. So if League Champs from lower leagues win their tourney - that frees up spots. And I think if you do well in your league, that means more to NIT as well.
What is scary right now with NET is that A10 only has two teams in top 100 and just barely. Fordham and St. Louis. This is not good for the league.
What is scary right now with NET is that A10 only has two teams in top 100 and just barely. Fordham and St. Louis. This is not good for the league.
mr. I am generally in agreement with your statement. I do think if we can get in the NIT, that would be good - to get hopefully a few more games of experience. Then do a Euro trip this summer and try to ramp up for next season. Learn to love the moon man, he is here for the long haul. Kind of like when they do the number on CHIEF in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest, you need to deaden the part of the brain that loves Spiders hoops so much, just be a casual observer and it will be OK.
I think the truth in what my wife points out is one of the hardest things. The joy of a victory, although great, does not have the same strength as the pain of a loss. This is, of course, because you need 4 or 5 victories for every loss to be relevant for an NCAA bid. This is a tough game to attach so much passion too.
And it's not basketball that I care about it. It's the passion for my school. It's literally part of me. I would be just as passionate if there was a National Division I championship for pickup sticks as long as it was nationally televised and noticed.
And it's not basketball that I care about it. It's the passion for my school. It's literally part of me. I would be just as passionate if there was a National Division I championship for pickup sticks as long as it was nationally televised and noticed.
Agreed - the NIT is not an accomplishment. But I think in years where you are "reloading" or "rebuilding" it is a good consolation and shows you are on the right track. I think the NIT also differs based on the makeup of the team. This year's team - if they were to make the NIT, I think would benefit from the extra games and practice and tourney like settings of playing games to advance and keep your season alive. Simply because we should have 4 key players returning next season (Roche, Bigelow, Quinn, Nelson). But if we had a senior laden team, say like last year, and we missed the NCAA and made the NIT, it would be a different feeling.
But I think this year - yes, the goal is always the NCAA. But my original expectation for this team this year, given everything we lost last year was an NIT team this year, and make NCAA run next year. And I still think that is possible.
We aren't going to the NCAA this year. It is clear that were naive to even think Mooney could put together a roster over the summer and compete for an at large bid. He had the exact same roster of better players the past 4 years and even with that he wasn't able to get them in position for an at large.
Even when Mooney has literally all of the cards in his favor (like the past 2 years), he still finds a way to f*ck things up and underperform.
I fell victim as well, thinking maybe Mooney had really capitalized from our miracle run last year, but this is the same old Mooney. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me 15 times out of the past 18 years, we should all know better by now.
Even when Mooney has literally all of the cards in his favor (like the past 2 years), he still finds a way to f*ck things up and underperform.
I fell victim as well, thinking maybe Mooney had really capitalized from our miracle run last year, but this is the same old Mooney. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me 15 times out of the past 18 years, we should all know better by now.
we'd have to improve dramatically in the 2nd half of this season to be an NIT team.
and not sure what you see that makes you think we can be an NCAA team next year.
we can play the "what if" game. like what if Nelson, Bailey or Smith become all A10 PGs next year. but that's not looking likely. we'll have holes to fill. we do have 2 spots to fill but I don't see the answers.
maybe we'll have them, but I don't see them yet.
LOL. 24-7 in 2020, but he wasn't able to get them in position for an at large??? I know, I know, 2020 never happened and we aren't allowed to talk about that year on here.
LOL again. A-10 tourney title and a win over Iowa in the dance means Mooney found a way to f things up and under perform???
Nelson, Smith, Roche, Randolph, Bigelow, and Quinn are good pieces. I'm not giving up on any of them. Noyes and Walz will likely be factors, plus we have room for transfers. Shoot, not only next year, but I still think we can do some damage IC this year and be a factor at the A-10 tourney. Time will tell, but I'm not counting us out of anything.
Ahh, the fantom 2020 tournament run that never happened. So we have been on the right side of the bubble 3 out of 17 years, including the bubble team of 2020. And 1 of the last 13 years counting the 2020 bubble team. What a great track record. What are you complaining about 97? Ha
I was responding to his comment about us not being in position for an at large the past 4 years. Why post this? It had nothing to do with his comment or my reply?
Surely even 4700 can admit that the Spiders rode an inspired Gilyard in A-10 tourney and vs. Iowa? Doesn't mean it wasn't nice, but what does an on-fire Gilyard have to do with Mooney? The team's mediocre pre-conference performance, and the mediocre conference finish included quite a few "not that greats" in 21-22.
If you want to argue that Mooney was the one who inspired Gilyard, then I would ask why Mooney didn't inspire him a lot sooner.
I counted 2020 as one of my 3 in 18 years. Because we were in consideration for at large that year. Didn't count last year because we were not. And yeah, we drastically underperformed last year. We were picked to win the league, finished 6th, were not even mentioned as an at large, it took a miracle run in the A-10 to get our bid. Same for 2021, picked 1st or 2nd, weren't in consideration for an at large.
If I want to be completely accurate, I would go back and count 2015, we were a number 1 seed for the NIT, so clearly in consideration that year.
Still even counting that year, nearly 80% of the years we are not in consideration for an at large.
they're all good solid pieces. but there's no star power there at least at this point. maybe someone will rise to that level. but right now there's no Burton. there's no Gilyard or Golden. and it's tough to win enough for an at-large without a go-to guy.
maybe I'm just being negative off a blowout loss that I didn't even see. maybe I'll feel better after a win over (...checks notes...) Bucknell? Coppin State?
I think Nelson could be a star. Time will tell. But yes, concerning that we don't have an heir apparent for a Burton level player. Mooney underperforms when we have star players, I hate to see what he will do without a true star player.
I keep hearing how we won only because Jacob bailed out Mooney and his bad coaching, and this is such a silly point to try to make. How are you supposed to win a conference tourney and a game in the dance if your star or stars don't play great? Isn't that the whole idea? Recruit good players and if they play great you have chance to win. Who recruited Jacob? Did Jacob transfer or stay here? Did he come back for a 5th year or go elsewhere? Did he ever practice anything while here, or was it just a rec league pick up game here everyday?
Teams win titles because their stars play great, many times carrying them. Power teams, non power teams like us, or at any level in basketball, you need your main guys to play well. We heard the same stupid stuff with football, how we only won because of Udinski. Well, duh, last time I checked a QB, like a PG in basketball, is a pretty important position.
I was just responding to your "he had the same exact roster of better players the past 4 years and even with that wasn't able to get them in position for an at large" comment. That's not accurate.
Very fair points. You do need and want a star or stars, that all conference player. But, we really didn't know how good Jacob, Grant, and Tyler would be. We hoped, like you always do with recruits, but you never know. I guess most of the board will say we just got lucky with them because it can't be coaching that helps turn a 2 star recruit like Grant into a 2,000 point scorer, right? But, no question we need all our guys to improve, and we need to add a solid piece or two to them. Time will tell, but I think the program is in a spot where it could happen.they're all good solid pieces. but there's no star power there at least at this point. maybe someone will rise to that level. but right now there's no Burton. there's no Gilyard or Golden. and it's tough to win enough for an at-large without a go-to guy.
maybe I'm just being negative off a blowout loss that I didn't even see. maybe I'll feel better after a win over (...checks notes...) Bucknell? Coppin State?
Agree with this. I've been in the "time to move on from Mooney" camp for years. But we can't blame all the losses on him and then not give him credit in the years when his guys do pull through. We can call it a miracle run or whatever but if we are going to blame him for the lack of tourney appearances (which I do) it's disingenuous to not credit him for the successes.
I'm not saying the future roster is in bad shape. I think it's solid. we see flashes from Nelson. there are moments of greatness from Bigelow. we know Roche can shoot when he can get a shot up. but I do worry about scoring, just like I worried about this year's team.
TSmith looks like an exciting offensive player coming in next year, but I don't like putting much on a freshman. that ususally doesn't go well.
it's really tough to get an at-large. you have to have a special team. I just don't look at next year's roster and see a "should make it" team.
It is all What ifs at this point - but here is what I think needs to happen for next year to work out to NCAA year.
Nelson needs to be an A10 player. Mooney's teams can't be successful unless we have a top PG and Nelson is it for the next few years. Will he make that improvement and jump to that level - who knows, but it starts with him.
Quinn - needs to be a consistent 10+ point a night guy. Doesn't need to be all league, but he needs to be a reliable piece that we can count on the low block for 10 points a night and he needs to continue to improve at the high post. I have seen improvement from him this year, and think he can do this, but time will tell.
Roche/Bigelow - they need to be our 1-2 punch next to Nelson. Think a poor man's Gonzo to KA for Roche, and Harper to KA for Bigelow. I am not saying they are as good as Gonzo or Harper, but they need to fill similar roles. Roche - keep shooting lights out, but learn how to drive and get fouled. As a good shooter, teams will run him off the 3 point line, so we need him driving and kicking or getting fouled and making free throws. Bigelow - need him to be a jack of all trades and set the tone for our team. He has the attitude and size to do it - but needs to continue to get better and adjusted to our style.
DJI - will likely need him to start. And we might need him to be our defensive stopper. He has the size and athleticism to guard multiple positions and we will need that for a team that will likely weakest on defense. He just has not played enough to show it - but I think he can do this.
Bench - we need 2-3 solid guys off the bench. It can't be like a bench we had a few years ago where we got ZERO production out of it. We need 15 points a night, and we can't have a dropoff when they come in. Not sure who will fill this role, but between transfers, frosh, returning players looking for bigger roles - there has to be 3 guys out there to do it.
I think we have a solid start in Nelson, Quinn, Bigelow, and Roche. But do they improve enough from this year to next to make that jump.
Of course your better players need to play well to win, "duh" that seems a "pretty silly point" you make.
In your learned opinion, in which part of last season was Mooney most influential? The underperforming (12-losses & 6th in the A-10) going nowhere part, or the great run in the tourney? And, If we give Mooney credit for that miracle run, what is your take on his responsibility for the 15-seasons that a miracle didn't happen?
You have every right to like and respect Mooney's career .560 record, and his 3-18 NCAA success mark. Doesn't mean that other's see it the same way.
Yep. Just like Kevin Anderson in 2010. Mooney owes the man at least half his salary.
Hey, the knee pad guy is back. What’s your take on the season so far knee pad guy? Mooney is awesome isn’t he!! Whoop whoop
All opinions are welcome. Doesn't mean other posters have to agree with them. When they don't slipping into the martyr role is never a good look.
What about Harper? Gonzalvez? Geriot? And several others. Shocker alert...we had good players when we went to back to back dances. Imagine that.
When you stop caring the pain just melts away.
