Men's basketball 2019-20

[mountainred]

Did not see that coming (also did not see the game).  11 for 17 from behind the arc will play, but where the heck has that been all season?

McBride found another gear after Jimmy's injury and Knapp found his shooting touch in the Ivy season.  If they can maintain that level next season, plus a healthy Boeheim, there's a senior core for a decent run.*  IMHO, the key will be whether Dickson and this year's freshmen (Dolan, Jones and Filien) keep improving.  They showed a few flashes.  If they don't, it's probably time to move on from Earl.



"Decent run" being defined as fighting for .500 and a plausible shot at the ILT.  Outside of Cornell, graduation hits the league hard this year.

[scoop85]

Did not see that coming (also did not see the game).  11 for 17 from behind the arc will play, but where the heck has that been all season?

McBride found another gear after Jimmy's injury and Knapp found his shooting touch in the Ivy season.  If they can maintain that level next season, plus a healthy Boeheim, there's a senior core for a decent run.*  IMHO, the key will be whether Dickson and this year's freshmen (Dolan, Jones and Filien) keep improving.  They showed a few flashes.  If they don't, it's probably time to move on from Earl.



"Decent run" being defined as fighting for .500 and a plausible shot at the ILT.  Outside of Cornell, graduation hits the league hard this year.

I'm thinking the team has to be at least above .500 and overall and at least .500 in the league to justify keeping Earl around.  But I think they'll be enough there to get that done.

[mountainred]

Terrance McBride was named Honorable Mention All-Ivy (meaning, I think, he was named on at least two ballots). He really had a nice season.

[Tcl123]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

[scoop85]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

He's very damaged goods. Cornell wouldn't hire him even if he could produce a national champion.

[ugarte]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

He's very damaged goods. Cornell wouldn't hire him even if he could produce a national champion.

Iona is also in New Rochelle and Pitino will live wherever he lived when he coached the Knicks. Iona is a better job for Pitino.

[Rita]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

He's very damaged goods. Cornell wouldn't hire him even if he could produce a national champion.

Iona is also in New Rochelle and Pitino will live wherever he lived when he coached the Knicks. Iona is a better job for Pitino.

Iona is a Catholic school, Pitino is a Catholic who has sinned. Pitino will do his penance and bring Iona to national prominence and all will be forgiven.

[Trotsky]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

He's very damaged goods. Cornell wouldn't hire him even if he could produce a national champion.

Iona is also in New Rochelle and Pitino will live wherever he lived when he coached the Knicks. Iona is a better job for Pitino.

Iona is a Catholic school, Pitino is a Catholic who has sinned. Pitino will do his penance and bring Iona to national prominence and all will be forgiven.

Well, he does keep moving around between parishes...

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

He's very damaged goods. Cornell wouldn't hire him even if he could produce a national champion.

Iona is also in New Rochelle and Pitino will live wherever he lived when he coached the Knicks. Iona is a better job for Pitino.

Iona is a Catholic school, Pitino is a Catholic who has sinned. Pitino will do his penance and bring Iona to national prominence and all will be forgiven.

Well, he does keep moving around between parishes...

Yeah, like an abusive priest.

[Trotsky]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

He's very damaged goods. Cornell wouldn't hire him even if he could produce a national champion.

Iona is also in New Rochelle and Pitino will live wherever he lived when he coached the Knicks. Iona is a better job for Pitino.

Iona is a Catholic school, Pitino is a Catholic who has sinned. Pitino will do his penance and bring Iona to national prominence and all will be forgiven.

Well, he does keep moving around between parishes...

Yeah, like an abusive priest.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Rick Pitino signs with Iona. Yes, Iona. We can't compete with Iona in regards to hiring a coach with Iona?!?

He's very damaged goods. Cornell wouldn't hire him even if he could produce a national champion.

Iona is also in New Rochelle and Pitino will live wherever he lived when he coached the Knicks. Iona is a better job for Pitino.

Iona is a Catholic school, Pitino is a Catholic who has sinned. Pitino will do his penance and bring Iona to national prominence and all will be forgiven.

Well, he does keep moving around between parishes...

Yeah, like an abusive priest.

Ah.  Never mind.

[mountainred]

While Coach Earl has no doubt been engaged in social distancing, he added one more recruit.  Evan Williams is 6-7 forward from Plano East HS with a handful of low mid-major D1 offers.  The list isn't great, mainly Southland schools, but it's probably the best of any of this year's recruits. He was first-team all-district and led his team in scoring (10.3 points per game), rebounds (6.9) and blocked shots (1.2).  The local papers say he battled mono early in the season, so that could have impacted his stats.  He at least has potential.

I apparently missed the commitment of another young man from Plano, Keller Boothby, who spent a post-grad year at Wilbraham and Monson Academy.  A short, sort of, scouting report is here, but his only other offer, according to Verbal Commits, was D2 UT Tyler.  If true, that doesn't bode terribly well, but here's to hoping for the best.

[scoop85]

While Coach Earl has no doubt been engaged in social distancing, he added one more recruit.  Evan Williams is 6-7 forward from Plano East HS with a handful of low mid-major D1 offers.  The list isn't great, mainly Southland schools, but it's probably the best of any of this year's recruits. He was first-team all-district and led his team in scoring (10.3 points per game), rebounds (6.9) and blocked shots (1.2).  The local papers say he battled mono early in the season, so that could have impacted his stats.  He at least has potential.

I apparently missed the commitment of another young man from Plano, Keller Boothby, who spent a post-grad year at Wilbraham and Monson Academy.  A short, sort of, scouting report is here, but his only other offer, according to Verbal Commits, was D2 UT Tyler.  If true, that doesn't bode terribly well, but here's to hoping for the best.

Looks like Boothby played well in a good league, so there's some hope there. And for comparisons sake, Josh Warren only had 1 other D1 offer to St. Francis PA, and he had a solid career.

As for the incoming guys, I assumed Gray might be our best "get" this year.

[scoop85]

Another fairly late recruit, Darius Ervin, a 5'8" PG from New England Prep power Northfield Mount Hermon. Sure he's short, but he's got a lot of skill and is an excellent shooter (over 50% from 3 and over 90% on his free throws. Ervin, along with incoming shooting guard Chris Manon, was a 2nd team all-NEPSAC player in the top division (for context, the 1st team has kids going to Kentucky and Minnesota).

Suddenly the incoming class is looking ok. We're not recruiting at the level of Harvard and Yale, but not bad.

[Trotsky]

I should never be taller than a basketball player not named Muggsy Bogues.