Pappy has started his annual basketball picks over on the UALR board.

I know other Sunbelt fans look forward to them as I do each year:

Overview


6th place East

5th Place East

#4 East

#3 East

2nd East - MTSU

WHAT I LIKE: 1. Three starters returning from a 16 win team, who were three of their top four scorers. 2. Outstanding recruiting class coming in. 3. Good FT shooting team (71%). 4. Good team rebounding.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE: 1. Overall shooting is not impressive. 2. James Washington was their perimeter offensive spark. He will have to be replaced. 3. Kermit's teams tend to give you that feel of "almost, but not quite."

Here is my promised logic for my ranking of 2-3-4 in the East. The three were very close together, and could have been in any order. WKU has an outstanding class coming in, but their coach has not yet proven he can get it done. USA has a strong returning core, and a proven coach, so they get the nod over WKU. MTSU has a strong returning group, plus an outstanding class coming in, so they get the nod over USA. Plus, Kermit is due.

(08-15-2011 06:09 PM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  #3 East

I was surprised to see USA picked here. Not that I don't think they can finish third or even higher, just surprised that non-USA fans do too. Good job, Pappy, of not just going by last year's results. USA is going to benefit with some addition by subtraction and have added a bevy of JC guards. Trey Anderson put up huge numbers at Neosho CC after playing at St. Mary's as a redshirt freshman.The kid also has a 4.0 and is a for-real pre-med student. Xavier Roberson is probably and even better shooter than Jones-Goldstein, averaging over 40% on 3's when he was a freshman at Texas Tech. Lack of size inside is an issue, but the improvement in guard play we anticipate should help Rubit improve on his FOY year from last season.

So it seems that most people are in agreeance that FAU is the team to beat in the East.

I am worried about the absence of Royster. We REALLY dont have a big man right now unless Kore White can pull his head out of his dairy aire and play like he did against UALR on that televised game.

(08-16-2011 12:31 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  So it seems that most people are in agreeance that FAU is the team to beat in the East.

I am worried about the absence of Royster. We REALLY dont have a big man right now unless Kore White can pull his head out of his dairy aire and play like he did against UALR on that televised game.

Absolutely. No one can match FAU in the backcourt and that is the biggest difference-maker in basketball.

(08-16-2011 12:31 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  So it seems that most people are in agreeance that FAU is the team to beat in the East.

I am worried about the absence of Royster. We REALLY dont have a big man right now unless Kore White can pull his head out of his dairy aire and play like he did against UALR on that televised game.

hope we can get it done this year... bracketology time yet?


GO OWLS!

(08-16-2011 11:11 AM)NCowl Wrote:  2nd East - MTSU
...Kermit is due.

#1 East

#6 West

This is good stuff. Thanks for keeping us up to date Hilltopper2K.

#5 West

ULL 5th, really? Hmm.

I guess the west is gonna be TOUGH this year . . .

(08-23-2011 08:14 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  ULL 5th, really? Hmm.

I guess the west is gonna be TOUGH this year . . .

We lost three seniors with Daigle, Gary and Bureau. However, we are returning a really talented Freshman, and our second leading scorer.

Plus we were co-champions of the Division last year. You can make an argument for us finishing 5th, but not a very good one. IMO.

A little late on some of these but here are the rest:

#4 West

#3 West

#2 West

#1 West

(08-24-2011 02:06 PM)slappycajun Wrote:  

(08-23-2011 08:14 AM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  ULL 5th, really? Hmm.

I guess the west is gonna be TOUGH this year . . .

We lost three seniors with Daigle, Gary and Bureau. However, we are returning a really talented Freshman, and our second leading scorer.

Plus we were co-champions of the Division last year. You can make an argument for us finishing 5th, but not a very good one. IMO.

WOW!! Pappy needs to back off the 'shine. LOL!!

Is he writing for Bleacher Report, too?

Z

Pappy forgets UL has one of the top 3 coaches in the League, his aint one of em'.

Wow. He picked Denver first in the West. Denver will have a good team, maybe consider the fact that Joe Scott has won like 7-8 conference road games in his entire career as a head coach at Denver.