2015 College Basketball Offseason

[SouthSideRyan]

Illini need to land Marcus LoVett

He'd be the most important recruit since Dee.

 

Is there still concern that he may not qualify?

 

It's really the only justifiable reason for him to not be at Illinois.

[SouthSideRyan]

Holy hell. Apparently after looking at all the good candidates and not a lot of competition for coaches, DePaul dug deep and it looks like they are going to rehire....Dave Leitao?

 

Let's recap...Leitao starts building somewhat of a decent program, getting them to the NCAA tournament and having them competing in their conference. He ditches them to head to Virginia, where he falls flat on his face and is fired after 4 bad years. He resurfaced 2 years later to coach a freaking NBADL team in Maine before heading back as an assistant at Missouri. He is now an assistant at freaking Tulsa and is putting his tail between his legs to come back to DePaul.

 

He's older (54), he has had basically one season of success since leaving UConn, has no ties to Chicago other than his time at DePaul and this is the hire DePaul feels it needs to make?

 

The scary thing is the possibility that none of the other names talked about have expressed interest in DePaul.

 

DePaul's hiring process is akin to some of the perpetually bad BIG football programs. Aim low with your hire, guarantee really results. Rinse and repeat

 

Process was actually fine until the end. Both Hurley and Drew were on campus and would have been GREAT hires. They said no, so they panicked. It's a [expletive] disaster.

 

Somebody reported that both really wanted the job, but I'd bet a hell of a lot of money that was spin, especially for Hurley.

[UK1679666180]

This is a horrible hire for Depaul, this is why they are as bad as they are. No commitment towards utilizing resources to build up the program, content with stagnation.

[Smack]

The spring Creaning has begun, ahhhh yes.

 

I'd make jokes but I'm pretty sure Bryson Scott is leaving.

 

Scott announces he's leaving... shocker. Kind of sucks, he just never developed beyond lowering his head and driving into the trees. At least he had one great game against IU.

[Andy]

Multiple reports saying Tennessee is about to hire Rick Barnes.

[shnsajax]

Multiple reports saying Tennessee is about to hire Rick Barnes.

 

UT to UT. Should be an easy transition. More so I think Tennessee just wants someone who can stay off the NCAA radar for several years.

[UK1679666180]

If Barnes can duplicate what he did at Texas, he'll finish his career in Knoxville

 

 

Good move for Tennessee. .

[Smack]

Who thought this was a good idea?

 

http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=%2FproductImages%2F_2049000%2Fff_2049280_xl.jpg&w=600

[Exile on Waveland]

Oh, and another Creaning.

 

I'm disappointed in Hoetzel's departure. He showed a significant amount of promise this year, I thought.

 

Stanford Robinson should have been kicked off the team in the off-season.

[Smack]

Shaka Smart to Texas? Wow.

[UMFan83]

Shaka Smart to Texas? Wow.

 

It was going to happen at some point. Praise to those mid-major coaches that want to stay and build something special with their programs but over time it becomes clear that they just don't have the resources to become a power on the level of a major conference team. Shaka Smart made a final 4 run but since then they havent gotten out of the round of 32. He is still extremely highly regarded in coaching circles, but his start might fall a bit if the program doesn't make another long run. So he finally had to get out to take the next step. Brad Stevens did the same thing, albeit to the NBA, and Gregg Marshall will eventually.

 

I guess the best hope for a mid major coach like Smart is that the school does so well, they get picked up by a major conference and become a power.

[shnsajax]

Marshall wanted Texas and used Bama for a raise. He's gone for the right offer.

[Guest]

Illini need to land Marcus LoVett

He'd be the most important recruit since Dee.

 

Is there still concern that he may not qualify?

 

yes there is, but his game is worth whatever we have to do to get him in.

[fiver]

Thomas Bryant seems like a pretty big deal for 15/16 IU basketball. That team could be good if Yogi and Troy Williams stay. Any chance in hell Thon Maker also joins this class? I've been a critic of Crean, but the Bryant commitment does offer hope for a tournament run.

[Smack]

Thomas Bryant seems like a pretty big deal for 15/16 IU basketball. That team could be good if Yogi and Troy Williams stay. Any chance in hell Thon Maker also joins this class? I've been a critic of Crean, but the Bryant commitment does offer hope for a tournament run.

 

It really is amazing how Crean keeps recruiting despite the turmoil.

[rawaction]

Thomas Bryant seems like a pretty big deal for 15/16 IU basketball. That team could be good if Yogi and Troy Williams stay. Any chance in hell Thon Maker also joins this class? I've been a critic of Crean, but the Bryant commitment does offer hope for a tournament run.

 

Wow. Is that official? Great get. I don't know why Yogi would go. He's not likely a 1st round pick. Troy also needs to develop a jumpshot and a little better handle before he comes out. But yeah, if those 2 stay....potentially really good team. Yogi will be a conference POTY contender. Williams, Johnson, and Blackmon there. Some good shooters. And finally size inside.

[Guest]

Thomas Bryant seems like a pretty big deal for 15/16 IU basketball. That team could be good if Yogi and Troy Williams stay. Any chance in hell Thon Maker also joins this class? I've been a critic of Crean, but the Bryant commitment does offer hope for a tournament run.

 

It really is amazing how Crean keeps recruiting despite the turmoil.

 

Bryant's other finalists were Syracuse(just hit with sanctions) and Mizzou(a literal dumpster fire), if that helps to provide some context for this specific case.

[Guest]

If LoVett commits to Illinois and is eligible, he will be conference poy.

[hawkeyecub]

If LoVett commits to Illinois and is eligible, he will be conference poy.

 

Nope

[abuck1220]

If LoVett commits to Illinois and is eligible, he will be conference poy.

 

I think you've said that about every illini recruit the last six years.

[ceres]

If LoVett commits to Illinois and is eligible, he will be conference poy.

Hahahahahahaha

 

Hahahahahahaha

[illiniguy]

If LoVett commits to Illinois and is eligible, he will be conference poy.

 

I think you've said that about every illini recruit the last six years.

I doubt it, we haven't recruited for crap since the Richmond and Leonard class. Good players, but nothing elite.

[CubInOK]

Pathological liar Dave Bliss got another job at a Christian school.

 

How did he avoid jail time again?

[loukycub]

trey lewis from cleveland state is transferring as a grad student to the university of louisville. we get the one missing piece we didn't really have last year- a shooter.

[sneakypower]

2015-16 college basketball top 25: An extremely early look

http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/4/6/8356739/2015-2016-college-basketball-early-ranking-top-25-north-carolina-kentucky-virginia

 

B1G well-represented