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Post by 86grad on Mar 16, 2020 10:02:19 GMT -5
Looking ahead at the conference in 2020-21, I see WSU as the favorite, with YSU and CSU stepping up as contenders. In the next tier, I can see NKU, UWGB, and maybe even PFW as a surprise. With so much instability due to transfers and coaching situations at DET, IUPUI, Oakland, UIC, and UWM, I would be very surprised to see any of those 5 rising.
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Post by wsuraider09 on Mar 16, 2020 13:52:15 GMT -5
You really have to wait for the dust to settle on the transfer portal and see what everyone actually has I too think we're the favorite, but we all saw what that did for us this year. We also very quickly fall out of the "favorite" spot if we lose more than one contributor from this year's team. Without a tried and true PG, I think the distance from atop the league is drastically narrower than last year. YSU and Green Bay will be in the conversation, but will fall in the 2/3 range IMO.
NKU is probably in for a down year with two major players gone. They're looking at replacing major contributors in points, defense, and minutes. I think YSU will surprise everyone IF they don't have any unplanned departures and can stay healthy, some story for Green Bay. Amari Davis is a special player and could put that team on his back for the next three seasons, but that's another team that's susceptible to the transfers out.
UIC will be way down with a new TBA coach. Oakland is losing at least 3 players, and nobody else in your bottom list has the draw to get anything that I would consider scary. Not sure IPFW will do much either, they were a middle of the pack team in a bottom third MM league who didn't do anything impressive in the regular season. They lost a lot of game by big scores and lost to UIC, IUPUI, and Miami (OH) this season. They ended with an RPI of 294 just ahaed of Detroit and IUPUI. Not a team that should contend in the Horizon, at least not right out of the gates.
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Post by 86grad on Mar 17, 2020 8:31:41 GMT -5
If things stay as they are, PFW has a lot of their team returning, and although they were a mid to lower tier Summit League team, they may benefit from not having to travel as much as they did while in the Summit. They also have big guards. I don't think that they are contenders, but they seem to be more stable than many of the programs in the Horizon.
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Post by hhgreen on Mar 17, 2020 8:44:03 GMT -5
This conference is a one bid conference for the foreseeable future. All that matters is winning the conference championship. So schedule tough teams to play in non-conference play and take our lumps and learn to play tougher. Playing Southern University and the like will prepare us to lose at the end of the season.
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Post by Big D on Mar 17, 2020 9:32:30 GMT -5
I think this discussion is several months too early. No one knows what any of the HL rosters are going to look like next year. We are just starting to see guys enter the transfer portals. It won't be the end of that. HL teams are going to lose more players but they are also going to gain more players. UIC might sign a home run type coach that can bring in good players immediately or they can hire another garbage retread of a coach. We have no idea at this point. Honestly, my only concern is we keep the core of our team together and finish out our recruiting class strong. We have the potential to be very good again next year if that happens.
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Post by 86grad on Mar 17, 2020 10:02:28 GMT -5
I don't disagree that it is too early to post this thread. It was mostly done out of boredom.
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Post by Big D on Mar 17, 2020 10:07:33 GMT -5
I don't disagree that it is too early to post this thread. It was mostly done out of boredom. I'm not trying to stop or discourage this conversation. I just wanted to point out how quickly things can change in this conference based on 1-2 transfer to or from a program. |
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Post by raiderrunt on Mar 17, 2020 10:52:00 GMT -5
I would love to discuss anything but the Wuhan Virus, I just don't know enough about this topic to say anything other than what is in this post.
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Post by 86grad on Mar 17, 2020 11:35:16 GMT -5
Agreed, Big D.
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Post by freewind on Mar 17, 2020 14:13:27 GMT -5
Thoughts on who we get for the Summit League Challenge thing? Isn't it like 2 teams over the next 3 years, one home and one away?
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Post by Big D on Mar 17, 2020 14:20:43 GMT -5
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