FWIW, two of NE's starters didn't play against us. They only suited up 8 guys against us. My guess is that they just needed a half to get settled. Their defense was what killed us.

I expect a lot of roster changes for us over the next few months (not counting the incoming three frosh)

Given the wide range of teams that have won in the last 10 years, consistent performance is difficult. Both Northeastern and Hofstra have been in the top half of the league every year since VCU, ODU and Mason left. While UNCW likely had the best one year team during that time, they went down to the bottom and have yet to come back. With the new transfer rules, the question will be can the CAA teams keep their talent? The Tribe exceeded my expectations for this year, but they have a tall order to get back near the top, especially if Luke graduates and moves on. Even if he does, the Tribe seems short on talent compared to the top of the league. On a consistent basis, only Luke and Connor showed an ability to produce and stay on the floor this season. Admittedly though, everything this season was weird and hard to really judge. But, we might see more from Yuri and from Quinn next season. Quinn gave everything he had last night. Yuri still has potential to take a big step forward, especially if he can avoid foul trouble.

We beat one team (Drexel) with a winning record this year. I do think that 7-10 as a final record is very respectable given everything. My biggest win at year end was seeing how Milkreit can play. If he picks it up like Pierce did after his freshman year we have a pretty solid group next year to build around.

(03-08-2021 11:12 AM)Tribe32 Wrote:  My biggest win at year end was seeing how Milkreit can play.

This is key going forward. Remember coming in, it was Jake and not Connor who was thought of as having the scoring chops and creating athletic mismatches. If he starts to resemble the athlete he was pre-injury, he will be a nice scoring complement starting or coming off the bench.

This was the year that all of us knew was going to be a challenge, and would have been even if Tony had not been fired and the large group had not transferred out. If the coaching change had not taken place, we would still have been facing having to replace Nate and Andy, along with adding Pierce and Milan to the mix, leading to even greater culture shock.

Make no mistake, however, the timing of Tony's dismissal had an impact on this year's team, and perhaps next year's roster, that goes well beyond just accounting for the players missing on this and next year's roster who might have still been here otherwise.

Dane walked into @#@@# in March 2019 and faced a major crisis situation from the get go. Last year's (2019-20) roster was supposed to have 12 scholarship players on it. Brown asks to have his LOI voided, Pierce and Milan graduate and forgo their last year of eligibility, Audige and Owens fly the coup, Luke enters the portal, and Nate considers the NBA draft. Dane is looking at 5 players, and it was still at only 7 even when Nate and Luke decided to return. Knowing that he needed players, and having not a clue in the beginning whether he would be able to fill any roster spots with grad transfers, he had no choice but to go shopping for incoming freshmen just to give himself a roster. A stop gap measure that will probably have an impact on our roster for several more years.

Dane chose to play both tournament games with a tight 7 man rotation, and, quite frankly, it was the right decision, because I think that this year's roster really only included 7 players that could make a good contribution when they were on the floor. It's not just we did not have Audidge, Owens, and Brown, to extend the rotation to 10 players, it's that we desperately had to go out and find replacement players at the last moment when these three abruptly left.

I certainly wish Luke nothing but the best if he graduates and moves on with his life, but I would LOVE IT if he came back for another year so that we had the core group of 7 for another year. Adding the group of three incoming Freshman who look like they could contribute immediately to this core group of seven, and filling the potential open scholarship with the transfer from St Johns, would give us a very solid team next year. 10 certainly beats 7, and 11 would add a cherry to the top of the ice cream.

Great assessment and post, WMTRIBE75.

I expect that Dane will go get a couple of grad or immediately eligible transfers if/when some folks leave after this year. What we don't know is who else Shaver would have brought in here. Of course none of that matters.

(03-08-2021 02:47 PM)Tribe32 Wrote:  Great assessment and post, WMTRIBE75.

I expect that Dane will go get a couple of grad or immediately eligible transfers if/when some folks leave after this year. What we don't know is who else Shaver would have brought in here. Of course none of that matters.

I have watched W&M get beat up an pushed around all year.This team needs to spend all year in the weight room.This has been a problem for several years.until thiis is fixed,a bottom finish is likely every year.

I was going to start a separate thread on this but it seems like everyone is putting their thoughts here.

Two years into the Dane Fischer era and we can't really judge much yet. I don't know how much institutional support the program will be getting from the College (or attendance from the fans) or how effective Fischer will be as a coach once he gets some recruiting classes together.

We can ignore his prior recruiting class since, as has been been pointed out, he was under the gun simply to put together a roster. What does seem to be true is that he seems to have recruited over last year's class (excluding Wright).

I thought the three 2020-21 frosh provide hope for the future. Kochera had an outstanding year (duh!). He has a high basketball IQ which somewhat reminds me of John Lowenhaupt. I am not at all sure he'll progress to that level but clearly he's off to a good start. I thought Milkereit had an outstanding tournament and finally seems to be overcoming that bad knee injury. He too seems to be a high basketball IQ player. I felt Covington played out of position this year. I am sure I am in the minority on this but I see his natural position as a two-guard. He is more of a scorer than a distributor and it is easier to get to the rim from the two-spot than from the point.

I would give the recruiting a B to B+ grade. Each of the three is CAA quality. They may not have top-tier athleticism but I can envision them as highly productive seniors IF we keep them, IF they work on developing themselves and IF they toughen up.

I can't help but mention at this point how gritty Loewe and Blair were in the CAAT (especially given Blair's shoulder woes) and can only hope the frosh learn from them in that regard.

If you believe that our staff was 3-for-3 with this year's class (I do) then maybe we can be 3-for-3 with this the 2021-22 class. That would mean in two years Fischer may have enough of "his" kids where we can start to see how he can coach.

In the meantime, let's hope for all quiet on the transfer portal front!

(03-08-2021 09:03 PM)tribeinexile Wrote:  I am sure I am in the minority on this but I see his natural position as a two-guard. He is more of a scorer than a distributor and it is easier to get to the rim from the two-spot than from the point.

Oh if you're in the minority then I am too. Yuri seems like an obvious 2 guard to me and I think he speed and quickness could cause real problems for defenses. I think that could be especially true if Rice is able to step in next year and play PG.

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(03-08-2021 09:10 PM)zablenoise Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 09:03 PM)tribeinexile Wrote:  I am sure I am in the minority on this but I see his natural position as a two-guard. He is more of a scorer than a distributor and it is easier to get to the rim from the two-spot than from the point.

Oh if you're in the minority then I am too. Yuri seems like an obvious 2 guard to me and I think he speed and quickness could cause real problems for defenses. I think that could be especially true if Rice is able to step in next year and play PG.

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I agree,. Hopefully Rice can.fill the void.

Wish Walker played this bad against us... Man, Telfort is the only reason they aren't down 20+. Scary that he is only a freshman

Elon would be a fun story, but pretty sure that the Dragons are goin’ dancing tomorrow night. Four games in four days is always a killer. Still blows my mind that we played them for a third time voluntarily...which ended up costing us the six seed and a first round bye. 25 years is a long time, but not as long as infinity for us. Sad.

(03-08-2021 09:03 PM)tribeinexile Wrote:  I was going to start a separate thread on this but it seems like everyone is putting their thoughts here.

Two years into the Dane Fischer era and we can't really judge much yet. I don't know how much institutional support the program will be getting from the College (or attendance from the fans) or how effective Fischer will be as a coach once he gets some recruiting classes together.

We can ignore his prior recruiting class since, as has been been pointed out, he was under the gun simply to put together a roster. What does seem to be true is that he seems to have recruited over last year's class (excluding Wright).

I thought the three 2020-21 frosh provide hope for the future. Kochera had an outstanding year (duh!). He has a high basketball IQ which somewhat reminds me of John Lowenhaupt. I am not at all sure he'll progress to that level but clearly he's off to a good start. I thought Milkereit had an outstanding tournament and finally seems to be overcoming that bad knee injury. He too seems to be a high basketball IQ player. I felt Covington played out of position this year. I am sure I am in the minority on this but I see his natural position as a two-guard. He is more of a scorer than a distributor and it is easier to get to the rim from the two-spot than from the point.

I would give the recruiting a B to B+ grade. Each of the three is CAA quality. They may not have top-tier athleticism but I can envision them as highly productive seniors IF we keep them, IF they work on developing themselves and IF they toughen up.

I can't help but mention at this point how gritty Loewe and Blair were in the CAAT (especially given Blair's shoulder woes) and can only hope the frosh learn from them in that regard.

If you believe that our staff was 3-for-3 with this year's class (I do) then maybe we can be 3-for-3 with this the 2021-22 class. That would mean in two years Fischer may have enough of "his" kids where we can start to see how he can coach.

In the meantime, let's hope for all quiet on the transfer portal front!

Don't disagree with any of your comments about the team. I do have one comment about this line, though: "Two years into the Dane Fischer era and we can't really judge much yet." My comment is that Elon is also only two years into Mike Schrage's era and all he has done is go to the CAAT semis (beating Nathan Knight and W&M along the way) and now the finals this year (and, who knows, he might win it). He was hired at the same time as Fischer but he was able to recruit All-CAA rookies McIntosh and Woods last year (and Fischer gets credit for Kochera this year). So, while I agree that there have been many extenuating circumstances (including Covid) surrounding Fischer's two years, it must be pointed out that Schrage has faced similar circumstances but done much better. (Fischer's regular season record may be better but, first, he inherited Nathan Knight, and second, rightly or wrongly, in a one-bid league like the CAA it is apparently the conference tournament results that spell success (just ask Huge and Shaver)).

I think we can judge Fischer after 2 years, he has a 28-23 winning record, well above average at W&M. He has exceeded expectations both seasons and you can see a solid unit under construction. I’m optimistic on the near future.

That freshman on Elon was very impressive last night, Burrows? He plays hard the entire game.

Both Elon and Drexel carry a similar characteristic. They play solid fundamental basketball and they keep the energy steady. Both show a lot of passion on the floor.

On the flip side, I was disappointed in Hofstra. It looked like they threw in the towel with still over 6 minutes to play.

Either way, the CAA gets another 1st time champ tonight.

If by some chance, Dane can get one more solid player, we should have a decent core for next season. I like all 3 of Connor, Jake and Yuri. If all 3 of the next season ones work out, then you at least have more depth. Throw in a healthy Quinn, some more development from Harvey and a returning Luke and the Tribe would be decent. But, the other teams will be improving as well(at least some of them). One possible advantage would be the ability to pack the arena(s) next season with support, including the tourney. Let's just hope that things can continue to go forward.

Both Drexel and Elon are playing well. Should be a good game tonight.

It's pretty insane that on top of our eternity-long lack of NCAAs streak, we're about to be one of only three teams in the conference NOT to go to the NCAA tourney over the last decade ALONE, despite having spent most of that span near the top of the conference.

https://twitter.com/D1scourse/status/136...5498401806
Patrick Stevens
@D1scourse

18m
2. The CAA will have its ninth different tourney champion in 11 years. ODU (11), VCU (12), JMU (13), Delaware (14), N'eastern (15, 19), UNCW (16-17), Charleston (18) and Hofstra (20).

That's the most in D-I. Eight Big West schools have won since '11. Horizon gets to 8 tonight.

The elephant in the room is our desperate need for a productive center. Not surprising the staff has reopened the 2021 class to find another big!

The stats for the NE game are:

W&M centers (40 min) was 1-4 FG 0-2FT 7 Reb 3 Blocks and 7 fouls
NE backup center (32 min) 4-8 FG 1-2FT 18 Reb 2 blocks and 1 foul

With Blair playing only 23 minutes due to injury, we played almost half the game with 4 guards and were outrebounded 40-30.

Combine this with us shooting 5-21 from 3 point land and we were cooked.

(03-08-2021 11:47 PM)Tribester Wrote:  Elon would be a fun story, but pretty sure that the Dragons are goin’ dancing tomorrow night. Four games in four days is always a killer. Still blows my mind that we played them for a third time voluntarily...which ended up costing us the six seed and a first round bye. 25 years is a long time, but not as long as infinity for us. Sad.

Whoever wins will probably be rewarded with the infamous 16-16 playin game at NCAA

(03-09-2021 04:21 PM)wmmii Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 11:47 PM)Tribester Wrote:  Elon would be a fun story, but pretty sure that the Dragons are goin’ dancing tomorrow night. Four games in four days is always a killer. Still blows my mind that we played them for a third time voluntarily...which ended up costing us the six seed and a first round bye. 25 years is a long time, but not as long as infinity for us. Sad.

Whoever wins will probably be rewarded with the infamous 16-16 playin game at NCAA

I would be surprised if Drexel weren't a 15. Some of the teams who were ahead of them on the line faltered and now I think there are already five near-locks to be below them, with perhaps more to come.

(03-10-2021 09:16 AM)FauqDawg10 Wrote:  

(03-09-2021 04:21 PM)wmmii Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 11:47 PM)Tribester Wrote:  Elon would be a fun story, but pretty sure that the Dragons are goin’ dancing tomorrow night. Four games in four days is always a killer. Still blows my mind that we played them for a third time voluntarily...which ended up costing us the six seed and a first round bye. 25 years is a long time, but not as long as infinity for us. Sad.

Whoever wins will probably be rewarded with the infamous 16-16 playin game at NCAA

I would be surprised if Drexel weren't a 15. Some of the teams who were ahead of them on the line faltered and now I think there are already five near-locks to be below them, with perhaps more to come.

Yeah Torvik has them as 14.9 right now so it seems like a 15 is most likely.