1981 grad

It will be interesting to see if a year in the Big East has made Ali into a better player. I also wonder if the coach at Butler told Ali to leave or if he decided to leave on his own volition.

It is pretty simple that his production was down because he was playing against better competition in the Big East than he had in the MAC. I expect his stats will improve as he has another year against lesser competition.

My take on things and song for today: Enjoy (LOL)

Who can afford to burn a scholarship for a player who has to sit a year to become eligible when there are plenty of transfers who are immediately eligible?

Who would you rather have if both are immediately eligible, Bandaogo or Ali?

And you would have said the same thing about Freeman 5 years ago. I am glad the young man chose Akron and hope he develops into a player that will play some meaningful minutes during his career. The article indicates he is a bright guy with a great work ethic that would be an asset to any program.

And the last offensive foul on Freeman for an illegal screen was also horrible. I still think that foul cost us that game.

The MAC, not good enough, the Big East, too good, maybe KD can find him a roster spot and he can play in the A 10, just right? (LOL)

I have absolutely no clue if he wants to come back here.

I am on the fence on this one. I still remember the one Butler game I watched where he punched a guy on a break away and was called for a flagrant foul. I also recall a couple of techs he had when he played for Akron. I would only take him if he could play immediately, no other recruits have his talent and he really want to come here.

He is athletic enough to develop small forward skills but he will need to learn to shoot and to attack the basket from the perimeter. He has developed more than any other Zip player in 3 years so it is possible but the odds are against him.

I still remember listening to the radio and they called off the tournament. I recall all of the above and my favorite is somebody on this board posted some computer generated formula that we had a 97% chance of beating UCLA with a few minutes left in the game. I knew we would lose as soon as I saw that post.

With everyone loading up with transfers, I just wonder if "true freshman" are the big losers in this new system of college basketball. Why recruit a high school player that may take a couple of years to mature and become a division one player. None of our frosh were major contributors and when it came down to crunch time in Cleveland in our final game they did not see the floor except for some terrible minutes by Nate. If you do hit it big with a frosh, he will be gone the following year in the transfer pool.

Does anyone remember a time when this board used to be dead after the season. I think I have seen more posts the last few weeks then I have during some games. Times are changing.

I remember reading this story how Buffalo had signed Hurley and then next thing I knew he was at Arizona State. Here is an interesting story how the AD screwed up the contract extension. https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/heat-index/2015/04/10/report-bobby-hurley-left-buffalo-after-ad-mishandling/25584229/

I checked the dukes 2022-2023 roster and he was not listed. I saw an article where he entered the portal and it was dated 2021. However, as a guy in his sixties and looking back, if I had a chance to spend 2 more years in college, sign me up. (LOL)

Looking at our out of conference schedule, Miss. State, a big loss was the only team to make the big dance and Bradley, another big loss made the NIT. Both teams lost in the first round.

Sincere, driving to the hoop, missing, laying on the court complaining to the ref he was fouled, leads to a 5 on 4 at the other end and an open 3 for Indiana.

You recruit a kid to play basketball. He never sets a foot on the court. And at the end of the season you tell him he as no future and tell him to transfer. How does that meet the definition of student athlete? How do we know if this kid might be a late bloomer and be an all conference his junior or senior team? I know this is the current situation in college basketball with the transfer portal but it is almost like we are exploiting some of these players if they do not produce their first year.

Glad to see so many people posting on this topic but can anyone tell me whether the players did not want to play, or the coach did not want to play, or the administration did not want to pay to play or were we not invited?

Everyone on this board can now breathe and look forward to next year. (LOL)

Pure garbage? Are you telling me that nobody on this board would have any interest in an Akron Dukes matchup?

Shaka Smart, who is now the coach of a top seed with with Marquette, had a different view when he took over VCU. Shaka Smart has done many things since he took over at Virginia Commonwealth University. It didn’t take him very long to get far as a head coach either. In his first year at VCU, the Rams won the CBI Tournament, a lesser tournament than the NCAA and NIT tournaments, directed at mid-majors who should be rewarded for having solid seasons but not getting into the bigger tournaments through selection. In his second year at VCU, Smart took the Rams all the way to the 2011 Final Four before falling to Butler in a tough contest.

Really bad way to end a season: Losing to Kent two times in the last week of the season. Not getting to the MAC championship game. Not going to a tourney when we certainly had the season to qualify for the CBI. Not knowing if any of your players are going into the transfer pool.

If the players did not want to play. I am fine with it. I am sure that is what we will hear but I wonder if it is because the school did not want to pay the entry fee and the travel.