College Basketball 2019-2020

[Revering4Blue]

Of course it's early but it's all we have to go on as of right now. No one has called his UCLA tenure an abject failure

No but others have suggested -- and this is NOT directed at you -- that Cronin is bad and will always be bad, which ignores a ton of context. Having said that, I believe that UC moving on from Cronin was a good move. John Brannen was a solid hire.

[Revering4Blue]

I never said that...I think it was a "bad" career move for Mick. Can't blame him for taking it though, no more than I could Alford.

Neither can I. But I don't believe that the marriage between Cronin and UC was working anymore.

IMHO, given intel at the time, where the UCLA coaching search brass dropped the ball was in the failure to land Eric Musselman, as I believe that Musselman will be wildly successful at Arkansas once he secures a balanced roster.

[adkindo]

Any of you guys have an opinion on the referees either being employed by the NCAA and assigned to conferences/regions? I know this has been a big talking point for Huggins in recent years. Currently they are just freelance contractors jumping from city to city daily. There is some limited data I have seen in the past that suggests that some refs will have a little different whistle in Game 1 compared to Game 5 when they have been traveling for 5 games in 7 days. From what I recall, it was far from an all inclusive type of study....more so a few examples. Also, a potential benefit is the consistency in conferences would allow the teams/players to adjust and play to a more consistent whistle. I am sure there are also downsides also.

[Assembly Hall]

Any of you guys have an opinion on the referees either being employed by the NCAA and assigned to conferences/regions? I know this has been a big talking point for Huggins in recent years. Currently they are just freelance contractors jumping from city to city daily. There is some limited data I have seen in the past that suggests that some refs will have a little different whistle in Game 1 compared to Game 5 when they have been traveling for 5 games in 7 days. From what I recall, it was far from an all inclusive type of study....more so a few examples. Also, a potential benefit is the consistency in conferences would allow the teams/players to adjust and play to a more consistent whistle. I am sure there are also downsides also.

Back in the day, officials were affiliated with conferences and people beached about that.

[Boston Red]

others have suggested -- and this is NOT directed at you -- that Cronin is bad and will always be bad

I was taking his personality into account. He's not nearly a good enough coach to have that personality.

[Reds Freak]

Back in the day, officials were affiliated with conferences and people beached about that.

I'm not a fan of conference-affiliated officials in hoops or football. It financially behooves conferences, especially mid-major and group of 5 leagues, for certain teams to win and that shouldn't play into officiating.

[Kingspoint]

Back in the day, officials were affiliated with conferences and people beached about that.

For good reason. Pac-12 officials would terrible and it made tye teams unprepared for the NCAA tournament.

[Chip R]

Any of you guys have an opinion on the referees either being employed by the NCAA and assigned to conferences/regions? I know this has been a big talking point for Huggins in recent years. Currently they are just freelance contractors jumping from city to city daily. There is some limited data I have seen in the past that suggests that some refs will have a little different whistle in Game 1 compared to Game 5 when they have been traveling for 5 games in 7 days. From what I recall, it was far from an all inclusive type of study....more so a few examples. Also, a potential benefit is the consistency in conferences would allow the teams/players to adjust and play to a more consistent whistle. I am sure there are also downsides also.

One would hope that officials call the game the same way whether it's the ACC or the SWAC. But the "best" refs don't call SWAC games. So the referees are de facto assigned to certain conferences.

[Boston Red]

One would hope that officials call the game the same way whether it's the ACC or the SWAC. But the "best" refs don't call SWAC games. So the referees are de facto assigned to certain conferences.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Not the SWAC, but I know that the MEAC (similar to SWAC) plays a lot of games on Monday nights. Most other conferences either have one game or nothing on Monday nights. You could very easily find a top official who's looking for a paycheck on a Monday night call a Big Ten game on Sunday, a MEAC game on Monday and an ACC game on Tuesday.

(BTW, just looked, and the SWAC plays on Mondays as well.)

[Boston Red]

Yesterday's titanic SWAC struggle between Arkansas Pine Bluff and Alabama State was refereed by Alfred Smith, Chris Ford and Mike Nance. Now, I don't know how to find stats on refs generally, but Kentucky fans are insane so naturally there's a UK fan that maintains a database on UK's record with every single official calling their games (http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Sta...officials.html).

Smith has only been to the "show" once, with a perfect 1-0 record for Kentucky (January 7, 2017 at Rupp against Arkansas).

Ford is clearly a no one, as UK has never played a game with him as a ref.

However, Nance has called UK games 63 times, with the Wildcats having a 47-16 record with him in stripes. Most recently he called Kentucky's 20 point win over Mt. St. Mary's on November 22 in Rupp, but he's done a bunch of UK's SEC games, including three last year.

[WVRed]

Yesterday's titanic SWAC struggle between Arkansas Pine Bluff and Alabama State was refereed by Alfred Smith, Chris Ford and Mike Nance. Now, I don't know how to find stats on refs generally, but Kentucky fans are insane so naturally there's a UK fan that maintains a database on UK's record with every single official calling their games (http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Sta...officials.html).

Smith has only been to the "show" once, with a perfect 1-0 record for Kentucky (January 7, 2017 at Rupp against Arkansas).

Ford is clearly a no one, as UK has never played a game with him as a ref.

However, Nance has called UK games 63 times, with the Wildcats having a 47-16 record with him in stripes. Most recently he called Kentucky's 20 point win over Mt. St. Mary's on November 22 in Rupp, but he's done a bunch of UK's SEC games, including three last year.

Yeah, we’re a rare breed.

[Sea Ray]

Great news for Tennessee Vols basketball. They've been in sore need of "play in the paint" and just a few minutes ago the NCAA cleared their 7 ft transfer from Arizona State to play:

https://utsports.com/news/2020/1/14/...mediately.aspx

There's still time to salvage this season although I think their best yrs are still to come

[Bob Sheed]

Sippin' Mick's gameplan is outdated.

In MLB, it would be like drafting based on batting average and ERA, and placing primary emphasis on bunting and sac flys.

In today's NCAA, once March Madness starts, you need guys that can rain 3's and run fast. Cronin prefers slow guys who can't shoot, but have long arms and play good D.

He'll fail at UCLA even worse than he failed here because he has no ties out there, so his recruiting will suffer. Small fish meet big pond.

[adkindo]

I am 99% sure I looked at Kenpom earlier and Baylor was #1....Duke loses tonight and goes to #1?

[adkindo]

Yeah, we’re a rare breed.

that is a great site...wish we (WVU) had a resource like that. I see you have faired fairly well with TV Teddy Valentine (who I have always thought was solid)....not so much with John Higgins (who is absolute garbage)....actually wasn't it Higgins that got death threats from UK fans after a Lexington radio station gave out his home phone or something after the 2017 elite 8?