2018-19 Basketball Recruits
- Thread starter ColonialInsider
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He's never been shy about showcasing exactly what recruits should expect. Open practices, honest conversations.
There's always a likelihood of transfers at the bottom of the roster. The problem has just been exacerbated by up-transfers. Instead of losing 1-2 guys who want more playing time, RMU is also losing guys who led the team in scoring. Plus guys who graduate. That's tough.
I mean, Leondre Washington walked away from the team in the final few games over playing time. He averaged 24 minutes per game, got upset after playing just 10 in his first game back after missing two games, and walked out.
Can't blame that one on Toole.
Right...
Apparently Washington wanted to come back to the team but Toole told him no...
I guess when you leave the team right before the NEC playoffs...your dead to the program.
I can’t blame Toole for not wanting him back.
No matter how big we want to feel like this school is it’s still the runt of the litter trying to get in for it’s fair share. People in a 20 mile radius still think it’s a commuter college. The perception has to change there first. Then build it out. The good thing for basketball is you are already bringing in outside people because the local talent is slim pickings at best. So then retaining urban kids away from home and not happy at little Ol Bobby Mo isn’t easy. It’s not necessarily the coach it’s more the kids and their expectations today. Kids didn’t move as much 15yrs ago because it was tougher to know the landscape or status of other players and schools. In today’s social media and immediate gratification mindset kids move before they get their uniforms sweaty.
A follow up. Had heard this was going to happen for a few weeks, but I also heard that Koby Thomas will be staying. Nothing official, but I'm pretty confident that will be the case.
Why tho...why do all our leading scorers seem to be leaving.
And him & Washington were good friends...that’s why I said that.
Him & Josh Williams would have been a deadly backcourt.
It’s now up to Josh & Matty to lead this team.
This team only goes far with them playing good.
Simple. He believes he can play at a much higher level. Unlike Still, I expect Burke to get some major high level offers, a lot like Reed. I wasn't told this directly, but there is almost no doubt the facility, or lack there of next season, also has a lot to do with it.
Any other players likely to leave? I guess we never know for sure, Clive Allen looked as though he was coming back until late last summer. Burke is a big loss, but if he and Washington are the only players to leave we can have a strong team next season.
Koby Thomas needs to stay.
Adding a scoring transfer(JUCO possibly) would be nice to go along with Matty & Josh Williams.
Something needs to change with these up-transfers. The NCAA needs to step in or something. This is beyond ridiculous. How are you supposed to build a program anymore?
For RMU to help address this issue is to aggressively move to a new bigger conference.
I agree you really can't legislate that kids cannot transfer to what they feel is a better situation for them. It's up to the school to give them incentive to stay. The UPMC Event Center is a huge piece of the puzzle. A better conference would be the logical next step.
There just isn't an ideal fit. Maybe the Horizon or MAAC, but you'd have a sport or two missing out, and that's not including football. It's awkward. I feel like RMU is trying to be patient, but maybe they just need to bite the bullet and jump and figure out the rest of the pieces afterward.
I just can't believe that they are building the new arena with plans to stay in the NEC.
I'm sure they'd love to move up. I'm just concerned that they're building it to attract an offer rather than actively pursuing one. If I were Coleman, I'd be asking every league from the A-10 to the MAAC if there's interest.
They probably want to move within 3-10 years but first they gotta get the hoops program under control & winning again.
While this year wasn’t a complete fail, it wasn’t great either as it was the 3rd straight year under .500.
#GoRMU
Monmouth made the jump with no conference for football and it’s working out very nicely for them. RMU just has to be ready to invest into more scholarships for football (and other sports) if that is the same path RMU goes.
But IMO, if RMU leaves the NEC and they won’t kept RMU for football then that could spell the end of the NEC at least for football.
Other programs within the NEC are looking to jump to other conferences as well.
But IMO, if RMU leaves the NEC and they won’t kept RMU for football then that could spell the end of the NEC at least for football.
Other programs within the NEC are looking to jump to other conferences as well.
Right, for football RMU could definitely be in a position of power that the NEC would want to keep them in the league for f-ball.
I don't NEC would boot them in football, but you would think they would have a contingency plan of a D2 moving up. Not sure what the time frame for that would be.
They NEED to find another conference. I think the President relazies this and is hopefully doing everything they can to get in somewhere. Football can survive as an independent for a few years if they up the scholarships to FCS max.
Pipe dream would be CAA. Patriot Leauge would be a good fit for lax, football, bball, though academics would probably nullify that. A10 would also be incredible. Who knows, but you don't build that arena for the NEC.
Qunnipiac, Monmouth are good examples of similar cases of new arenas.
They NEED to find another conference. I think the President relazies this and is hopefully doing everything they can to get in somewhere. Football can survive as an independent for a few years if they up the scholarships to FCS max.
Pipe dream would be CAA. Patriot Leauge would be a good fit for lax, football, bball, though academics would probably nullify that. A10 would also be incredible. Who knows, but you don't build that arena for the NEC.
Qunnipiac, Monmouth are good examples of similar cases of new arenas.
Also, does anyone have any clue on the pulse of upgrading JW stadium? If CAA said they would take RMU but the had to get to 10-15k seats, is there a chance in heck that gets done.
Football program has a LONG way to go to warrant a 10-15k seat stadium.
The A-10 would be really nice for all sports but football. Some similar sized schools, some larger ones to try to emulate. If football could stay in NEC, that'd be awesome.
But either the A-10 will have to expand to 16 teams or lose a few to other leagues for that to happen.
MAAC makes a lot of sense, though there'd be more travel. At least you'd jump up about 10 spots in conference RPI.
The A-10 would be really nice for all sports but football. Some similar sized schools, some larger ones to try to emulate. If football could stay in NEC, that'd be awesome.
But either the A-10 will have to expand to 16 teams or lose a few to other leagues for that to happen.
MAAC makes a lot of sense, though there'd be more travel. At least you'd jump up about 10 spots in conference RPI.
Only problem with some of these conferences (MAAC included) is ur playing a lot of good teams (12 or more) for 1 NCAA bid. The NEC at least it’s just 9 other teams. I’m just saying that finding a league with less teams would be good...
Football plays 6 home games with an average attendance of 2,020 last year per game. That’s 12,000 in 6 games. The basketball team doesn’t get that in a season. They aren’t jumping anywhere soon to let the football team hung out to dry to drive basketball. Football as bad as it has been in the past still draws in more attendance
Attendance was low this season with the arena isssue. Two years ago, a mediocre team had 15,008 over 14 home games. In 2014-15, the NCAA year, it was 17,693. It was even higher in the years prior to that.
But the issue isn't really attendance. Football is more expensive and would need to add 20-25 scholarships to be consistently competitive with CAA quality teams. That's a huge financial outlay for one sport. With the new events center, the cost isn't just for basketball. It's multiple sports, plus the addition of a convention center that will draw in outside revenue.
That said, better attendance would help increase revenue, too. Winning helps. But more attractive opponents would, too. There's theoretical room to make that move in basketball. Not in football.
Good points...
No one on here (recently anyway) wants to get rid of the football team. Basketball still has been the best sport (of the 2) & is the focus of the University rn.
Don’t forget about the women’s basketball team who has also had a ton of recent success as well. They will get to play in UPMC. Volleyball as well...So 3 teams will use it plus events (that can bring rev $$$).
All of these made upgrading the outdated Sewell necessary to improve the University & the teams that play in a gym.
If the men play...say 12 games & the women play 12. That’s 24 alone not to mention how many volleyball matches are played a season.
All in all, to try to keep more hoops players & take RMU b-ball to the next level, a new conference is neccesary. Hopefully the NEC would keep us in Football but IDk...
Beating higher profile schools and making the tournament brings the school incredible notoriety and publicity. Game attendance is a great thing but secondary IMO.
Attendance can get to around 2,000 (per game) maybe even higher in the new arena with* a NEC title contending team.
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This is the point it’s about notarity and marketing with this administration, but also with the players as well. Hell RMU has a commercial now and the President is dancing. There are reasons why UPMC was chosen as the key sponsor, good partner (sure), money (yep) and the largest employer in the tri-state area (bingo). They bring name recognition as soon as you drive on campus.
All that being said and enrollment increasing yr over yr it still hasn’t put an overwhelming improvement in attendance. Yes these kids will like a new home, but they won’t stay. This is a generation that scans their social media to see how many likes and recognition they can get. Building a “Program” and being part of something special just doesn’t sell anymore.
The entire tournament this year we saw a ton of schools with “one and dones” upset by some higher level mid-majors that could build and stabilize, but this trend will continue because it’s built around money and fame. First we aren’t a higher level mid major even when we are good for a short while (which results in a farm team for higher level schools), second the pieces are greater than the whole in this situation and sadly they want to play where they can get something for them and that doesn’t involve playing in front of the lowest attended conference year after year. Any move I see mentioned on here would be nice but we are who we are and we as a fan base, donors and supporters need to figure out how to deal with the transient and self gratification behaviors that exist today... and some will say that’s not every kid. However it’s been our existence for a few years now and will continue to someone changes the rules
I think what league the basketball team plays in is irrelevant as far as the football team is concerned. You only have to look at Duquesne to see the football team will not be effected by the basketball team. Their basketball team is in a higher league, i.e. the Atlantic Ten Conference, and I have not heard anyone suggesting the NEC kick the football team out. With only seven teams, RMU leaving the NEC could be the start of the disintegration of the league. There are not many leagues with only six teams.
RMU men's and women's hockey teams are highly successful programs that are not part of the NEC since the NEC is not involved in hockey. I suppose there may be something nice and comfy about having all of your sports compete in the same league, but in the constantly changing college sports landscape of today, you just have to do whats practical.
While ur points are fair, RMU’s goal is to take Bobby Mo Hoops to another (a new) level. The new arena wasn’t built to stay in our current state. Becoming more of a true “mid major” rather than low major is our AD’s & hopefully president’s goal as well.
A conference move up is the only way not to be classified as a low major any more.
People consider teams in the CAA/Patriot League/MAC/Horizon League mid majors since they can get 12-14 seeds in the Tourney where you have a legit shot at pulling an upset & making a run.
That’s our goal currently. When we get to that (if it happens), they might dream to go even higher who knows...but ya gotta get there first. And I respect the goal big time.
#GoRMU