How big is the UCLA game going to be for us next year!?!

The RPI handsomely rewards teams that win on the road.  UCLA should be a top 100 team next year, but will certainly be beatable.  We got a ton of mileage in the RPI beating Temple on a neutral court and ND on the road this past season. 

Whether we are inside or outside the bubble, it is going to only be a few wins that put us there next year.  This is one of those huge games that we absolutely need.  We HAVE to win this game.

They lose two of their top three scorers in Roll (14.1 ppg) and Dragovic (12.0 ppg).  They don't have any real deep threats returning--only two guys returning even shot in the 30's % wise, and both only averaged 1.0 attempt per game.  It looks like Malcolm Lee will return and play point for them.  He might be worse of a shooter than Boothe, but he is 6'5 and very athletic.

They are not a big team at all.  They return only a pair of freshman forwards:   6'7 178 and 6'8 238.  They do pick up a 6'10 center ranked #19 overall by Rivals.  He looks like he is pretty chubby and I doubt, as a freshman at least, he'd be any better than the Coker/Evans platoon.  They also get a pair of decently ranked wings, but no real stars.

I'd love to hear what the UCLA guys think of the team next year.  It should be a great matchup. Anytime you get to see two historic teams like UCLA-St. John's matchup in the battle of the coasts, it is special.  The Lavin addition certainly spices it up.  It could really help us with our Cali recruiting as well. 

Whoa!  Can't put the pressure on the team like that.  Howland's an excellent coach, and part of what happened with UCLA was a bad mix of non-impact talent and personality conflicts... I would expect them to be better.  St. John's may be better too, but on the road at Pauley - for me at least - a win would be nice but not expected.

I think I'll be making that a road trip for me

Didn't they lose to every mid major they played last year?
We should kill them.

Well....Josh Smith (6'10 300lb Center) had 10pts 6 rebs in 15 minutes in the McDonalds Game, then 12 pts 6 rebs in the Jordan Brand Classic.  I think he'll be better than "0kay".  He's ranked #11 in the RSCI.

JC All America Lazeric Jones has been signed (A 5'11 170lb teammate of Derrick Rose in HS, he's grown 3 inches and 20 lbs during his 2 yrs in JC)...he'll likely be the starting PG, backed by a hopefully much improved Jerime Anderson (He had over 100 assists, and shot over 50% from the floor and 38% on 3s last season).  Malcolm Lee will likely be the starting SG 12 pts, 4 1/2 rebs, 100 assists splitting time at PG and SG last year), and back up at the SF spot.   

Recruit Tyler Lamb, a 6'4-6'5 SG/SF who led HIS team to the California 4A State Championship, just won the 3pt contest at the Derby Classic (KY recruit Stacey Poole finished 2nd) - He's #45 in the RSCI rankings.  Combined with the JC Jones career 40% 3 pt shooting, they'll likely be "okay" there.

They actually return 3 freshman forwards.  Tyler Honeycutt got 7pts 7rebs as a true frosh last year, while Reeves Nelson got 11pts and 6 rebs on 64.7% shooting.   The third was 6'9 Brendan Lane, who played the season with an injured ankle (surgery post season).   

Out of high school, Tyler Honeycutts RSCI ranking was #32.  Brendan Lane was #65.  Before a football injury for his senior year shelved him, Reeves Nelson's RSCI had been #18.

Among the others, Malcom Lee was a McDonalds All American, RSCI Rank #20.  Jerime Anderson's RSCI rank put him #3 among PGs (Behind Brandon Jennings and Kemba Walker).

They also redshirted a 6'10 center named Anthony Stover, who (if you believe press clippings) led the US in blocked shots as a high school Sr (14 a game)...

UCLA also is till looking to sign 2-3 more players for next season.

As it stand right now, their roster is (Player/RSCI rank):

C: Josh Smith (RSCI #11), Anthony Stover
PF:  Reeves Nelson (#18), Brendan Lane (#65)
SF:  Tyler Honeycutt (#32), Malcolm Lee (#20)
SG:  Malcolm Lee (#20), Tyler Lamb (#45)
PG:  Lazeric Jones, Jerime Anderson (#41)

Senior laden team shouldnt have a problem. Lavin, get it done

Whoa!  Can't put the pressure on the team like that.  Howland's an excellent coach, and part of what happened with UCLA was a bad mix of non-impact talent and personality conflicts... I would expect them to be better.  St. John's may be better too, but on the road at Pauley - for me at least - a win would be nice but not expected.

If you want to be an NCAA team, you have to win certain games.  I think we need to win the Alaskan Shootout and this game.  It is very winnable for a team that starts five seniors with loads of experience.

 Over the last few seasons i've gone into almost every game with the expectation of losing, especially on ther road.  It's nice to have some optimism and promise moving forward.

 Going to UCLA will be an exciting game.  I would bet that it gets national TV treatment as well.  The Lavin storyline is too good for the networks not to pick it up.

Over the last few seasons i've gone into almost every game with the expectation of losing, especially on ther road.  It's nice to have some optimism and promise moving forward.

 Going to UCLA will be an exciting game.  I would bet that it gets national TV treatment as well.  The Lavin storyline is too good for the networks not to pick it up.

Exactly.  This might be our biggest opportunity to make a statement.  ESPN would have to all over this. 

Quote from: peter on April 24, 2010, 10:27:53 AM

Whoa!  Can't put the pressure on the team like that.  Howland's an excellent coach, and part of what happened with UCLA was a bad mix of non-impact talent and personality conflicts... I would expect them to be better.  St. John's may be better too, but on the road at Pauley - for me at least - a win would be nice but not expected.

If you want to be an NCAA team, you have to win certain games.  I think we need to win the Alaskan Shootout and this game.  It is very winnable for a team that starts five seniors with loads of experience.

We better win the alaska thing. the tournament will feature Arizona State (Pac 10), St. John's (Big East), Ball State (Mid-American), Drake (Missouri Valley), Houston Baptist (Great West Conference), Southeast Louisiana (Southland Conference) and Southern Utah (Summit League) and alaska anchorage(host). A loss to anyone but ASU would be a disaster.


anyone know the format of this tournament by the way?

Thank you for the very informative post, crgreen.  I'm glad you've joined our boards, as you offer a tremendous amout of basketball insight.

Don't get me wrong about Smith, though, I'd be doing backflips if Lavin landed him for us.  He will be a good one if he stays (and keep his weight down).  It just seems like it takes big men much longer to start dominating in college.  We have two seniors that have manned the five spot for us for four straight years.  I wonder how much more effective a freshman would be than our two physical beasts.  Our 6'10 center, Dele Coker, is one of the most physical specimans in the country...he's ripped and he really blocks shots very well.  Our other center is only 6'7, but he's a former D-1 caliber TE/DE. Both kids run extremely well which would be tough for Smith to keep up with.

Interesting that Lee would slide over to the two for the JUCO.  I would have thought that he would want to do everything possible to play point because that is where his future in the NBA will be.  I think that would work out better for us, because our starting PG is uner 5'10 and our best defender, Paris Horne, is a 6'3 SG that can take guys out of the game. 

You guys certainly have a ton of talent at the wing positions.  I think that is our biggest strength as well.  We have a projected second round draft pick and do-it-all type SF, DJ Kennedy.  I'd put him up against just about anyone in the country at the position.  Duke could not contain him.  I think he went for something 18 pts and 9 assists in the second half of our close loss to Duke.  He was literally getting into the lane at will and Singler had no shot at stopping him, nor did anyone else they tried on him.

 Too bad in the 1st half, when the outcome of the game was decided(against Duke)  DJ was invisible.   I love Kennedy as well,  but i think some of us over -rate him quite a bit.  He's a great 3rd option on a great team. 

Too bad in the 1st half, when the outcome of the game was decided(against Duke)  DJ was invisible.   I love Kennedy as well,  but i think some of us over -rate him quite a bit.  He's a great 3rd option on a great team.

We were down three with five minutes left.  Norm pulled DJ despite the fact that Duke couldn't keep him out of the lane.  The lead immediately swelled to double-digits.  DJ was inserted and we got it down to 5-6 and ended up losing by single-digits. 

I agree that DJ was invisible the first half.  I put a lot of blame on the coach--same deal with letting JB1 disappear.  When you have a guy that can be as dominant as DJ and he's not getting looks, you have to call plays for him and constantly stay on top of him to stay involved.

DJ is not a dominant player int he sense that he'll hang 35 on you, but he is great at getting in th lane and creating for others or finishing himself.   He's also our best rebounder. 

Quote from: boo3 on April 24, 2010, 04:47:34 PM

Too bad in the 1st half, when the outcome of the game was decided(against Duke)  DJ was invisible.   I love Kennedy as well,  but i think some of us over -rate him quite a bit.  He's a great 3rd option on a great team.

We were down three with five minutes left.  Norm pulled DJ despite the fact that Duke couldn't keep him out of the lane.  The lead immediately swelled to double-digits.  DJ was inserted and we got it down to 5-6 and ended up losing by single-digits. 

I agree that DJ was invisible the first half.  I put a lot of blame on the coach--same deal with letting JB1 disappear.  When you have a guy that can be as dominant as DJ and he's not getting looks, you have to call plays for him and constantly stay on top of him to stay involved.

DJ is not a dominant player int he sense that he'll hang 35 on you, but he is great at getting in th lane and creating for others or finishing himself.   He's also our best rebounder.

no argument here.