Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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PC has their whole team back, plus a great recruiting class.

Reluctantly, I think they have the slight edge as of now.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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We need a big.......
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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It's going to come down to who plays the 4. You need that inside/outside guy like Kuran to open up the guards. I'm leery about that one spot. If we move to a 4 guard system, expect to play against the zone.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rodfromcranston »

PC has a top 15 recruiting class, and their entire team back.
We have major questions about the front court, not only with starters at the 4,
but depth behind 4-5.
Four guards is an absurdity.
Maybe you can beat the GMUs and Richmonds, but OOC and NCAAs present
problems with interior offense and defense.
Without an inside game, nobody goes anywhere.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by theblueram »

We have a 6'10 C in Tertsea and a 6'8 F in Layssard who are major question marks. But they have been in the program for a year and they both were 3* prospects. Guess we will see how they progressed?
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rambone 78 »

You would have thought, with all the positive publicity we got with our NCAAT appearance, and needing a big or two that would get some serious playing time next season.....

But so far, nothing. Kind of surprising, really. Like Rod said, unless there is a huge jump in development by Layssard, we are in trouble against big teams that can play a lick.

The staff to this point has given no indication they are confident that any of the bigs other than Cyril are good enough.

blueram, didn't Dan say that Tertsea still isn't ready?

Like it or not, these guys are going to have to play some....and we'll see if it costs us.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by reckless jake »

hrstrat57 wrote:We need a big.......
A big who can play, not keep a seat warm at the far end of the bench, we've already got a couple of those. Someday they're going to contribute to our team, I'm just not sure it's 2017/18.

The problem is that there's very few bigs available who can step right in and play. And the list keeps getting smaller every day.

Example: Jack Whitman, a 6-9 grad transfer forward from William & Mary who averaged 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game committed to Kansas today. KANSAS. And he recently took an official to North Carolina, and he was scheduled to visit Clemson this weekend.

That kind of sums up the current supply/demand situation for bigs.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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Hard to understand why a 5th year big would go to a school like Kansas to sit on the bench.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by theblueram »

Berry, Layssard and Tertsea are going to see some time this year. They have to. There are no other options. I hope those guys are at the gym all summer long getting in shape.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rambone 78 »

Some guys would rather sit on the bench but have a chance to win a national championship.

I think our recruiting got sidetracked a little with the Carr issue.......not saying we would have gotten Juiston anyway though....but I do think we would have at least gotten a visit.

Right now I would take a 4 year big who could help at least some right away...of course that most likely means a 4 star.....and we know that's not happening, at least for next season anyway. None of the guys who have visited so far ended up serious candidates. And we have no visits scheduled as of now.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by reckless jake »

Here's a big I hope we reach out to.... Akoy Agau, 6-9, 235 lbs grad transfer from Georgetown who has 1, maybe 2, years of eligibility remaining. He averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds a game and is athletic.

He announced that he's transferring out of Georgetown yesterday.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rhodylaw »

rodfromcranston wrote:PC has a top 15 recruiting class, and their entire team back.
We have major questions about the front court, not only with starters at the 4,
but depth behind 4-5.
Four guards is an absurdity.
Maybe you can beat the GMUs and Richmonds, but OOC and NCAAs present
problems with interior offense and defense.
Without an inside game, nobody goes anywhere.
Did you see the Celtics game last night Rod, had 4 guards with horford late in the game. Expect to see 4 guard line ups, expect to see fatts, Terrell, Garrett, EC and crew shoot over the top of the zones. We have 6 guards that would start on any A10 team, let's play to the strength of the team. If one of the bigs on the team steps up, great, but I don't think it is necessary to be a top 25 team next year.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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It would be ordinary for one of the big guys that didn't play last year to become a starter. And even another become a solid role guy.

Out of Tertsea, Laysard, Berry, and Akele they cant come up with a starter and a sub? The starter just has to compliment Langevine(who is the most accomplished freshman big in 20 years).

Even Langevine just has to be the 4th best guy on the floor for URI. Rebound/Defense/Finish open lay ups.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rjsuperfly66 »

rhodylaw wrote:
rodfromcranston wrote:PC has a top 15 recruiting class, and their entire team back.
We have major questions about the front court, not only with starters at the 4,
but depth behind 4-5.
Four guards is an absurdity.
Maybe you can beat the GMUs and Richmonds, but OOC and NCAAs present
problems with interior offense and defense.
Without an inside game, nobody goes anywhere.
Did you see the Celtics game last night Rod, had 4 guards with horford late in the game. Expect to see 4 guard line ups, expect to see fatts, Terrell, Garrett, EC and crew shoot over the top of the zones. We have 6 guards that would start on any A10 team, let's play to the strength of the team. If one of the bigs on the team steps up, great, but I don't think it is necessary to be a top 25 team next year.
I think it's all match-up based.
For instance, I look at my own team.
Two years ago, PC had one of the best 1-2 punches in college basketball.
But their biggest hole was probably lack of frontcourt depth.
For a while, they could get away with it.
But when Bentil would get in foul trouble, they were in trouble.
PC had long wing players who could defend the perimeter, but eventually in the tournament you will run into teams with size in the post.
In 2016, it was UNC.
6'10 Bryce Johnson, 6'10 Kennedy Meeks, 6'9 Isaiah Hicks, 6'8 Justin Jackson all played significant roles in that game.
They could play through the post when they needed points, even more so when Bentil got in foul trouble.
When you are struggling in the post on defense, it will break your whole defense apart.
Double-team means leaving someone open.
So what do you do?
Against some of these programs, they may have height and size at every position.
You play a 6'5 guard as your #4, their matching up with a guy with maybe 3-4 inches and 40-50 pounds.
That's not to say it's impossible to win, like I said I feel it's matchup based.
But I think the development of URI's bigs will be the biggest determining factor of how high their ceiling can be next year.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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The Celtics beat the mighty Wizards in OT.
Poor example.
Let me know if they use 4 guards if they get to
LeBron, Love, and Thompson.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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66 knows his stuff.....agree

And same for Rod.....the Celtics will be playing golf after they play the Cavs.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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reckless jake wrote:Here's a big I hope we reach out to.... Akoy Agau, 6-9, 235 lbs grad transfer from Georgetown who has 1, maybe 2, years of eligibility remaining. He averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds a game and is athletic.

He announced that he's transferring out of Georgetown yesterday.

24 hours has gone by since the word came out that Agau is transferring out of Georgetown. I hope we've at least done our due diligence and checked out the possibilities.

Am I the only one who sometimes gets the feeling that our recruiting lacks a sense of urgency or aggressiveness?

Got to give Ed Cooley credit for showing up for his in-home visit at the Swider residence in the Friartown team bus. He copped the idea from Michigan's Jim Harbaugh but he was smart enough to recognize a great idea when he saw it.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rambone 78 »

If Swider continues to blow up, I doubt PC gets him. I mean he's already really good, but the longer time goes by, the longer the list of suitors will be, including some really big ones.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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reckless jake wrote:Am I the only one who sometimes gets the feeling that our recruiting lacks a sense of urgency or aggressiveness?
Just out of curiosity, what is it that gives you that feeling?
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rambone 78 »

We are offering......everybody. Never seen so many, even 20's......never ever seen that before here.

Hopefully some will stick....this staff is out there busting their ass establishing relationships.....they know the importance of landing SEVERAL top recruits.

The easiest part are the offers. The commitments are just a wee bit tougher to get.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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Can't get excited about offers to '19 and 20's.
That's an eternity in recruiting.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by reckless jake »

Just out of curiosity, what is it that gives you that feeling?[/quote]


I'm not really sure and hopefully I'm wrong (generally I'm wrong about most things). Lol.

I guess it's just a restlessness that since the end of the NCAA's not much has happened around the program, especially in recruiting.

Like so many others, now that I've had a taste of NCAA tournament play I want more of it and soon!

It seemed like filling that last open scholarship with a capable big man who could step in and play could've been very doable. We have an experienced tournament caliber team; they're going on a great summer trip; we're going to play a quality schedule next season. We're probably the conference favorite.

If you are a grad transfer big man looking for a shot at the tournament in your last year of play we have all the pieces.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rambone 78 »

I think the staff is doing all they can to recruit for 2018 and beyond.

The inability to fill that hole for next year is a head scratcher though. Maybe they thought they would get Juiston, and when that didn't work out, they were left with not enough options and/or not enough time.

There's still a chance we get somebody, but unless that somebody is good enough to be a contributor next season, might be better to wait.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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rambone 78 wrote:I think the staff is doing all they can to recruit for 2018 and beyond.

The inability to fill that hole for next year is a head scratcher though. Maybe they thought they would get Juiston, and when that didn't work out, they were left with not enough options and/or not enough time.

There's still a chance we get somebody, but unless that somebody is good enough to be a contributor next season, might be better to wait.

Hey, maybe Abu can take an accelerated, heavy course load and finish up on his degree by August. Lol.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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Maybe something will develop late and we get a contributor for next season if not the coaching staff is going to have to juggle based on matchups lots of 4 guard lineups vs small teams and some big to step up vs big teams
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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Dan said he has a very specific role he is looking to fill next year (big body who can defend and rebound) and is confident they will find that missing piece. I will continue to trust that. Recruiting, especially with 5th years or JCs can get done quietly. We are the only team in the country that brings back 5 guards who scored over 20 in a game...trust me, many many coaches wish they had our problems.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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reckless jake wrote:Here's a big I hope we reach out to.... Akoy Agau, 6-9, 235 lbs grad transfer from Georgetown who has 1, maybe 2, years of eligibility remaining. He averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds a game and is athletic.

He announced that he's transferring out of Georgetown yesterday.
He would be a great get is a lot better then his stats show. Thompson did not use him enough or correctly. He is a very athletic big who makes his foul shots.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by ace »

reckless jake wrote:
reckless jake wrote:Am I the only one who sometimes gets the feeling that our recruiting lacks a sense of urgency or aggressiveness?
Seeing as they got commitments from their four '16 recruits in September of 2015 and one from their primary '17 target in September of 2016, maybe you are? :) Hopefully this season's home game atmosphere is consistently good, so they can feel comfortable bringing in recruits. Grand gestures are fun in recruiting, but a program with limited resources needs to be smart. There are going to be misses (the bigs in '15 stand out), but they've won a championship and had all-conference and all-rookie players. They're doing something ok.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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ace wrote:
reckless jake wrote:
reckless jake wrote:Am I the only one who sometimes gets the feeling that our recruiting lacks a sense of urgency or aggressiveness?
Seeing as they got commitments from their four '16 recruits in September of 2015 and one from their primary '17 target in September of 2016, maybe you are? :) Hopefully this season's home game atmosphere is consistently good, so they can feel comfortable bringing in recruits. Grand gestures are fun in recruiting, but a program with limited resources needs to be smart. There are going to be misses (the bigs in '15 stand out), but they've won a championship and had all-conference and all-rookie players. They're doing something ok.

Rust never sleeps. Lol. And recruiting never stops.

I'm not sure what your comment about "grand gestures are fun" is specifically referring to. A program with limited resources not only has to be smart, it has to be creative. I'm not saying we're not, I'm just expanding on your point.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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The game atmospheres matched the team's play last year.

First season coming off of success in close to 20 years and first ever in the Ryan Center.
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

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Yeah 4 guards can't work in college. No one can possibly win in the NCAA tournament, or beat any of the big teams like Kansas or North Carolina with a 4 guard lineup. Can't happen. Game isn't trending towards up and down speed, and shooting.

You can't just have 1 forward playing in the middle and expect an offense to work around that.

Not possible.

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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rambone 78 »

I think it was pointed out that Villanova's lineup went 6'5" or better at every position....so while they were technically guards, they were forwards in size.

Our guards are all smaller than theirs were.

Depending on matchups we could get to the Sweet 16 with 4 guards....but against teams like Gonzaga and NC, seriously?
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Re: Kevin McNamara: Who do you like next season, the Friars or the Rams?

Unread post by rjsuperfly66 »

Yes, there is a huge illusion about that Villanova team.
They had a legit bigs, for one.
Daniel Ochefu, he was 6'11, 245lbs.
His backup, Darryl Reynolds, was 6'9, 240lbs.
So they had size and muscle to at least hold up against some bigger guys.
Also, their "PF" would have been Kris Jenkins, and while only 6'6, was a very solid 235 lbs.
Plus if you go up and down the roster, Bridges is 6'7, Hart is 6'6, so 58% of the team minutes went to guys 6'6 or taller in that Championship game.
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