Ostensibly Hoops

[Tree]

Duke will be vulnerable with their mediocre backcourt.

The ACC is dead. RIP.

[hedge]

Duke is great at winning the ACC tourny, but I don't see them advancing too far in the NCAA tourny. Further than UNC, though...

[hedge]

UNC deserves a courtesy bid...

[Jungle Rat]

1st 4 out. Ouch.

UCLA #2 in the West is fine. They're still in the West. Although these days that doesn't mean shit. Who else I would care about? X is nice. Damn this is a bad year for Goatpen Basketball.

[Dave23]

As expected, they screwed Memphis…

[Jungle Rat]

Oh yeah. Memphis.

[eCat]

reading UNC declines their NIT bid?

That's not a good look

[Jungle Rat]

Butthurt

[hedge]

Yeah, I don't agree with that. Maybe they were scared they'd lose in the first round..

[hedge]

Two years in a row the selection committee fucked up. Last year it was Texas A&M, this year UNC. Equally egregious...

[Tree]

reading UNC declines their NIT bid?

That's not a good look

Probably the star players who made that call. Wouldn't be surprised if all 3 are out to make some money next year.

[Jungle Rat]

Hubie should be fired.

[Jungle Rat]

Forgot NKU got in. 2 Cincy teams. Not bad.

[DooKSucks]

reading UNC declines their NIT bid?

That's not a good look

Probably the star players who made that call. Wouldn't be surprised if all 3 are out to make some money next year.

Where? They wouldn't make shit, except Bacot could possibly catch on with a decent European side.

Bacot might be decent enough for Europe as discussed above, but he wouldn't make an NBA roster or stay long on a developmental contract much less get drafted. He's not that athletic and has gimpy ankles already I have read his vertical was measured at only 24" and even when healthy he wasn't exactly quick off of the floor. There are rumors/rumblings from posters with decent track records at IC that Bacot will return. I could see that happening. However, I have mixed feelings. I think he can be a very good college player who has a great season if he maxes out his ability and stays healthy an entire season, but when Nance tried to play as a low post 4 this year, it was obvious that Bacot didn't do well. Bacot shined when we had a stretch 4 in Manek who was a consistent outside threat. Washington has shown lots of potential, but he hasn't shown that he's capable of being healthy, playing long stretches or being a consistent outside threat. If Washington is healthy next season, Hubert will be forced to play Washington, and I don't know how well he would mesh with Bacot in such a situation.

Love? 6'2"/6'3" athletic shooting guards who have high usage rates and low shooting percentages along with shitty decision making ability like Love aren't exactly prized commodities here or abroad in any league that pays decent. He can make more in NIL than he could in the G-League, and I don't even know if he is good enough to play in the G-League. There have been some rumblings about him transferring to an SEC team / Mizzou. Despite how much he pissed me off and hurt the team at times -- especially this season -- I have no ill will towards him. He played some really inspired basketball down the stretch for Carolina last year. I will forever be thankful he did his part -- hell more than his part -- to send that Rat bastard out on a loss with 22 second half points and that three over Williams then three made free throw's late, and he had that 27 point second half against UCLA with those two big three's and two key free throws in the final two minutes. Carolina doesn't win those two games with Love.

Davis might be back, but if we have a decent point guard, the true PG needs to run the 1. That might cause major chemistry issues because Davis isn't big enough or a consistent enough shooter to play much at the 2. Like Love, he played a huge part in the late season run last year. He might not have had the heroic moments like Love, but he maximized his effort and output during that stretch run.

If Manek doesn't get a damn concussion (I will always maintain that blow in the first half concussed him against Kansas, and his father has stated as much) against KU -- to say nothing of Bacot's injury down the stretch at a key moment that would have been a rather makable basket at the least -- Carolina wins its seventh banner and breaks it KU curse. However, the second half of the KU game ended up being a look into Carolina's next season sadly. The team did the best it could, but the inherent flaws and Bacot's gimpy ankles -- along with KU figuring out how not to commit stupid fouls and miss easy baskets -- showed the team needed a lot of luck to get things done.

Black and Nance have no more eligibility. There's no need to discuss them.

There are rumblings about transfers out and a mid-major player and P5 player transferring into the program already circulating. Who knows, but if there are transfers into the program, that means there will be a major exodus beyond the starters. I don't think that's a bad thing IF the team can get quality transfers, but of the three transfers Hubert has brought in so far, only one -- Manek -- moved the needle.

In addition, although the optics would be bad, but one of the assistants need to go. Personally, I think Brad Frederick may be a very good assistant, but if they could replace him with an older, successful former coach who is good with game planning, X's and O's / in-game adjustments, that coach needs to be on staff. The optics might not be the best because it would definitely look like the staff is being changed to make up for Davis' deficiencies, but I think that optic hit would disappear in short order if things work and not affect recruiting. If not, it's game over.

I recall seeing something on IC stating that the NCAA is going to allow "consultants" for basketball like football -- or something similar -- and if you can shut George Karl up, that would be who I think would be someone to target. He is as good of a basketball mind as there is out there in retirement, but he has more mouth than a mule has ass. He loves Carolina though, and he would have been the coach after Roy turned Carolina down in 2000 if Herb Kohl would have relented on Karl's contract's buyout clause and non-interview provisions (contract stipulated no interviews unless allowed by ownership). It's my understanding -- and backed up by media reports that Karl wanted to interview but couldn't because Kohl wouldn't allow it -- that Karl would have been terminated for cause for interviewing and that Carolina could have faced litigation for contractual interference from Kohl/Bucks had Carolina hired Karl in that situation. In addition, even if the interview could have gone ahead, it's my understanding the buyout could have been an issue. Some of the old heads at IC like TAK here could give a better history on this, but I digress back to the main point: Karl loves UNC. He still seems extremely interested in the game, and a consultant role (basically back room planning and advising from behind the bench) might be something he would want, especially since the college season is 1/2 the games of the NBA regular season at most (and Chapel Hill isn't a bad place to spend the fall, winter and early spring).

[DooKSucks]

If Stackhouse can show that he can recruit and keep improving Vandy into a consistent 20+ win team each year while showing maturity (i.e. keeping his notorious temper and mouth in check), he might be Carolina's next coach. There are those in the administration who supposedly feel that Stackhouse would be a horrible fit, but he did come back to finish his degree, has shown that he is a very good X's and O's coach (G-League COTY and SEC COTY) and if he can show he can recruit/develop and manage players on and the off the court, I think Carolina would have no choice but to give him a serious look at the very least, especially if Miller can't get it going at Cinci. If Miller gets it going at Cinci consistently, he's the obvious choice because of the Roy ties and lack of baggage (Stackhouse has had some issues with folks over the years besides the incidents that made the news).

[DooKSucks]

Also, the team voted against playing in the NIT in 2010 and told Roy as such only for Roy to force the team to play.

[innocentbystander]

Just got back from Las Vegas. Saw both the Utah State and the Arizona games. Loved them both even though the outcome wasn't great for both.

Wife and I just booked tickets for Sacamento. We are going to see all six games since we have emotional and financial connections to one team playing in each of the 4 games there in Sacramento. If you guys are watching those games on Thursday (and definitely Saturday), maybe you will see me in the stands.

DS I certainly hope you are feeling better. I think this will be an awesome March Madness.

[eCat]

so not only are players now getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in NIL as a University representative, they also have a say in whether they want to play or not.

If that was a player driven decision, that was a huge mistake on Davis' part, IMO

[eCat]

Two years in a row the selection committee fucked up. Last year it was Texas A&M, this year UNC. Equally egregious...

they fucked A&M again this year too

I love Kentucky's draw in the tourney, too bad we suck and will probably lose to Providence.

[sardis]

Looking forward to the Furman - UNC Asheville final