Tubby Smith reportedly out at Minnesota, Rich Pitino to replace

College Sports 75 replies 3,274 views
reclegend22's avatar
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Mar 31, 2013 3:35pm
Azubuike24;1417318 wrote:Wichita State returns 7 of their top 10 scorers. They also bring in a decent transfer and Freshman PG. They might not make the Final Four again, but they certainly will have a high quality team.

To think he would do anything but laugh at MINNESOTA, is insane.

I could see him ending up at Missouri after next year when Frank Haith's BS and terrible underachieving catches up to him. It would be a natural move.
John Groce had everyone back at Ohio from a Sweet 16 team that was an overtime session away from playing for a trip to the Final Four. And he bolted anyway for a generally underachieving Illinois program -- at least under Bruce Webber. Illinois is obviously a MUCH better job basketball-wise than Minnesota, but I don't think that Marshall returning everyone will factor into his decision as much as a big contract with a major conference team would, if the right deal comes along.

Examples of schools that I could see Marshall leaving for, if they were open, are Washington, Arkansas, Wake Forest, Missouri (as Azu pointed out), Baylor, etc. Not sure if any of those will open up this year, but all could be soon.
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 31, 2013 4:26pm
WSU is also in a MUCH better conference than the freaking MAC. Ohio might not have even been the best team with Akron and they had no shot at an at-large. WSU will be in the tourney no matter what unless its a complete fuck up season. With Creighton gone, who is even gonna touch them?
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Mar 31, 2013 4:30pm
Nobody. The MVC is no longer a great mid-major league. Some of the once proud programs are abysmal. Bradley and Southern Illinois. Nobody will challenge WSU next year...the teams who finished 2-5 in the league all lose a majority of their team.
ts1227's avatar
ts1227
Posts: 12,319
Mar 31, 2013 4:38pm
Laley23;1417550 wrote:WSU is also in a MUCH better conference than the freaking MAC. Ohio might not have even been the best team with Akron and they had no shot at an at-large. WSU will be in the tourney no matter what unless its a complete fuck up season. With Creighton gone, who is even gonna touch them?
Depends on the year. The MAC was horrid this year, but the MVC was horrid the year before that (2 good teams and a bunch of turds, like the MAC this year)

The difference is the MVC's 2 (soon to be 1) good teams are one level above the MAC's 2 good teams. But the rest of both conferences are horseshit.

MVC is definitely better, but it's not usually by leaps and bounds like this year.
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Mar 31, 2013 4:40pm
You also have to compare the venues and fan support in the MVC compared to the MAC. It's not close. The MVC actually has an incredibly rich basketball tradition, not only some of the programs but many of the geographical areas as well.

The MAC...not so much...
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Mar 31, 2013 4:46pm
ts1227;1417558 wrote:Depends on the year. The MAC was horrid this year, but the MVC was horrid the year before that (2 good teams and a bunch of turds, like the MAC this year)

The difference is the MVC's 2 (soon to be 1) good teams are one level above the MAC's 2 good teams. But the rest of both conferences are horseshit.

MVC is definitely better, but it's not usually by leaps and bounds like this year.
You dont have to go back too far for the year the MVC was pushing for 5 teams in the NCAAs and constantly getting multiple bids (without the best team losing...). MAC hasnt been on that level, probably ever, and certainly not recently. Though I agree, recently the MVC is trending down...but the MAC isnt really trending up, just kind of staying a 1 bid league.
ts1227's avatar
ts1227
Posts: 12,319
Mar 31, 2013 4:55pm
The MAC was looking like it may trend up in that 2010-12 time frame, at least the East, then they gave it all back and then some this year. It was horrible.
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Mar 31, 2013 5:02pm
2012-13 attendance figures. Missouri Valley 8 of 31. Average attendance 7,064. Mid American 16 of 31. Average attendance 2,970. The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament drew 62,283 while the MAC Tournament drew 30,549. The average venue size in the MVC is almost 2.2 times the size of that in the MAC. It's just not much of a comparison...
ts1227's avatar
ts1227
Posts: 12,319
Mar 31, 2013 5:10pm
Oh yeah, fans don't care in the MAC outside of basically Ohio, Toledo, and Kent. EMU drew 302 for their opening round MAC tourney game, and their average for the year was like 815.

Most MAC arenas can't hold 7,064.

Some of that comes from the MAC brass hedging their bets on football, whereas the MVC is 1-AA there so it's basketball through and through,
Pick6's avatar
Pick6
Posts: 14,946
Mar 31, 2013 6:22pm
Akron averaged more than 1000 more than Kent a game this year.3782 to 2652.
G
gyea36
Posts: 165
Apr 1, 2013 10:10am
For debate's sake, I tend to think this year's Minnesota team would beat Wichita St in a 7 game series...and Minnesota can certainly pay significantly more than Wichita St. Plus the twin cities are very desirable to live in, not to mention being in the best bball league in college. I can see him taking the job if offered.
gorocks99's avatar
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Apr 1, 2013 10:16am
It would come down to how much the university has secured in terms of funding for a new practice facility/private jet for the team. The new AD has been apparently hitting the donors up hard for cash for those two things - both of which the Gophs need to compete in the B1G. A coach - especially a proven commodity like Marshall - isn't going to up and leave a good gig without assurances that the things they need to compete in the conference are going to be in place soon.
ts1227's avatar
ts1227
Posts: 12,319
Apr 1, 2013 11:11am
Pick6;1417629 wrote:Akron averaged more than 1000 more than Kent a game this year.3782 to 2652.

Dambrot has been pushing hard to get asses in seats there, glad to see its starting to work
M
Manhattan Buckeye
Posts: 7,566
Apr 3, 2013 7:44am
grocks have you heard anything about Tony Bennett?
gorocks99's avatar
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Apr 3, 2013 8:06am
Manhattan Buckeye;1418921 wrote:grocks have you heard anything about Tony Bennett?
A little bit of chatter. I think he's an OK coach but his style is borrrrriinnngg. Gophers vs Badgers with Bennett and Ryan would be a 32-30 affair.

Still, they could do worse.

One name that's getting a lot of buzz in recent days is MSU assistant Dwayne Stephens. Izzo said he had been contacted for a head coaching position recently.
reclegend22's avatar
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Apr 3, 2013 10:16am
I imagine Tony Bennett, if were going to take any Big Ten job, would hold out for Wisconsin. Bo Ryan isn't going to be around more than five or six more years, in my view, and if Bennett is able to get Virginia back to the tournament level year in, year out, he would be a fairly seamless transition in terms of style of play that is pretty much required for success at Wisconsin. Bennett is from Green Bay and coached for several years under his father's regime with the Badgers and later under Bo Ryan. He's deeply-rooted within the state.

No way he leaves the ACC for Minnesota.
gorocks99's avatar
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Apr 3, 2013 1:05pm
New name is Rich Pitino, FIU's coach.

Not sure if gusta.
wildcats20's avatar
wildcats20
Posts: 27,794
Apr 3, 2013 2:58pm
gorocks99;1419073 wrote:New name is Rich Pitino, FIU's coach.

Not sure if gusta.

Looks like it is all but official...
gorocks99's avatar
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Apr 3, 2013 3:02pm
wildcats20;1419145 wrote:Looks like it is all but official...
Yep, Andy Katz saying it's close to finalized.

Still not sure if gusta.
reclegend22's avatar
reclegend22
Posts: 8,772
Apr 3, 2013 4:29pm
Would Rutgers have been a better fit for Little Pitino? Like his dad, he has heavy ties in the northeast and it would still be a Big Ten job. He might also be given a bit of a longer leash to really build a program there since there is practically no modern success there.

Minnesota obviously has a better foundation to build upon, though, as a longtime Big Ten program and I assume there will be some quality players left from Tubby's tenure.
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Apr 3, 2013 4:37pm
What will Minnesota's new floor design look like?
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Apr 4, 2013 10:09am
Minnesota has 3 studs in the state in 2015. Pitino needs to land them.
gorocks99's avatar
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Apr 4, 2013 10:14am
Laley23;1419535 wrote:Minnesota has 3 studs in the state in 2015. Pitino needs to land them.
Those are 2014 guys (Tyus Jones, Rashad Vaughn are both top-10 guys, Reid Travis a top-50 guy).

It'd be great if he could land them, but I have absolutely zero expectation that Tyus Jones is coming to the U. Apparently none of them was too high on Tubby and Pitino is going to have to work some miracles to land even 1 out of the 3.
Laley23's avatar
Laley23
Posts: 29,506
Apr 4, 2013 1:36pm
I meant 2014. But yeah, he is late to the game, so it will be tough. But Minny doesn't produce studs often, and to go 0/3 would be a major disappointment for the school
gorocks99's avatar
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Apr 4, 2013 1:39pm
Laley23;1419688 wrote:to go 0/3 would be par for the course for the school
FIFY



:cry: