Top 5 teams poised to make the tournament next season, article header ran "La Tech hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 1991. That could change next year."
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/ncbr...st%3fid%3d1729
Top 5 teams poised to make the tournament next season, article header ran "La Tech hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 1991. That could change next year."
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/ncbr...st%3fid%3d1729
It's been a long time since our men's basketball team got attention like that. I like it.
Good old Memorial Gym
Mike LaPlante has given us some nice plugs. He and Coach White are good friends. As the head coach at Jacksonville State, LaPlante gave Coach White his first coaching gig. He eventually promoted Coach White to associate head coach before White left for Ole Miss. At one time, I believe it was rumored he would be one of our assistant coaches under White.
Do Massey and Kyser give us enough of an inside presence to warrant this kind of attention?!?! I certainly hope so!!
Looking at returning players, Dwayne is right that USU is the team to beat among the left behinds. However, all the newcomers should be competitive with UTA probably being the best of them.
NMSU lost Rahman, McKines, and LaRoche from this year's team and no one currently on the squad is as good as these 3. They still have some bigs along with Watson and Mullings but they will need to recruit some good guards to compete against us and USU. Idaho may also be in the mix.
As always, recruiting to fill holes is critical. Transfers, jucos, and freshmen might make an impact by the time conference play begins so any team could win the new WAC.
I really hope we are ready for a big move. I know we spend most of our time and money on football, but when teams like Murray State have a great season, you got to wonder why we don't every now and then. Having solid progams in all the key sports will make us even more attractive to a good conference. There is no reason that our men's and women's bb programs shouldn't be respectable to good each year, with really good teams occasionally. Not that we are alone, the whole state of Louisiana has stunk in basketball the last several years, but we should never be an also ran.
And we beat Murray State 69 - 60 in a February 09 bracket buster game at Murray, then again the next season beat them 87 - 81 in Ruston in Dec 09 as the return game for the 09 - 10 season, we just didn't sustain ourselves and they did. I believe the program under Coach White and staff will become really good each year.
They would be only team to beat in what will be left by then in remaining WAC. We can be average to above average and have chance to win tournament and bid next year. USU not as athletic as NMSU. Some variations of zone by NMSU opponent in NCAA regional with a little size reduced NMSU strengths somewhat.
Don't forget about UTA though. Granted they beat us earlier in the season when we were still jelling, but they are developing a nice program to go along with that nice new facility. They may do well in their first year in the WAC. Denver isn't a push over either.