Long Season Ahead

I am looking to be positive today so.... we add 4 wins in the next 9 games which would put us at 11-20 (9-20 in D1 games) and headed into WCC playing on day 1 in Vegas.

In the next 6 we get Pepperdine 2x, San Diego again and Pacific again along with Gonzaga and St Marys. Can we go 4-2 in the next 6?

brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:Legs was fine at EWU. And in year 1 at UP a lot of familiar pieces (T Rob, Mike, Jack) were complemented by guys like Wood, K Sho, etc. our issue is two-fold (recruiting and strategy) but the real issue is Legs is stuck in the wrong era. Take away the 6 D3 wins from last 3 years and what’s the record? Even worse…

He was a blue collar hire who has lost his way. At EW he prides himself on walkons so let’s talk about them… Chika - gone. Jarrett - gone. Lemke, Stack, Younan, J harris.. don’t see the floor.

Let’s talk transfers.. Joey, Wyatt, Ali, Noah, Thomas are the last 5.

Stay loyal to blue collar, high character approach OR adapt to NIL era . Maybe take less salary ? Maybe get some NIL from Blazers who have their G League team here?

Coach Brock quit. Coach O getting in fights in the stands with parents. 2.3 team GPA. 1-9 since we went to 8 man rotation.

Let’s beat Pepperdine! And then beat Pacific so I can shut up !

I know Coach Legs likes to embellish things...I'll admit I kind of already wave off any of his "[X] is the best player at [doing something/some position] he's ever coached" media bites...but I personally chalk a lot of what he says publicly to just trying to stay positive. If staying toe to toe with UNC until the end, beating Villanova, and almost beating Michigan State last year (regardless of how all ""bad"" the 3 teams were in their fanbases' eyes at that time) is being "stuck in the wrong era," I don't know what is. Heck the biggest moment we ever got in the last regime (outside of coach name recognition) was beating a bottom-tier Pac-12 team a future (temporary) conference member twice in separate seasons...the second time they made an insane magical run in to the Elite 8 during COVID and we were always the butt of the joke every time it was mentioned that we'd beat them because we eventually went winless in conference play.

I think J-Mo summed up my feelings best in the last game in that they're a young squad showing signs of brilliance, but can't seem to stop shooting themselves in the foot and/or last the full 40 minutes. Personally I don't think throwing any more new bodies is going to make the situation better at this point.

The G-League team only started this season, and judging from the highlights I don't see attendance any better than a regular non-BYU non-Gonzaga MBB game. Dame is gone, Blazers are tanking at the bottom, maybe we could sneak a bit from Erik Spoelstra's new contract?

I understand that Noah has been voted back on the island by his teammates and will begin playing again this coming Thursday against UOP.

Anyone watch the UOP vs. GU game last Saturday?  The Tigers led at the half stuck with the Zags until the final minutes.  Just a few different calls and UOP could have gotten the win.

up7587 wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:Anyone watch the UOP vs. GU game last Saturday?  The Tigers led at the half stuck with the Zags until the final minutes.  Just a few different calls and UOP could have gotten the win.

I have not watched GU this year.  Will they really have to win the WCC tournament to get into the NCAA tourney?

I think Santa Clara was the nail in the coffin. They don't have any Q1 wins IIRC (their Feb. 10 game at Kentucky might be their last shot) and Saint Mary's slipping up in non-conference didn't help matters.

What happened with Harris?

mikemac65 wrote:What happened with Harris?

» The Pilots were without leading rebounder and third leading scorer Tyler Harris due to injury.

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2024/2/1/mens-basketball-masic-gorosito-lead-portland-past-pacific-65-60.aspx

From that same UP game story:
“Up Next
The Pilots continue WCC play with a Wednesday game at Gonzaga with a 5 p.m. tip-off on CBS Sports Network.”

I guess they’re not interested in having fans attend the home game  tomorrow?

Harris has had some nagging injuries but there are also rumors he is leaving... I hear that schools are reaching out to him and Vuk and Juan. We better find some NIL!

brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:Harris has had some nagging injuries but there are also rumors he is leaving... I hear that schools are reaching out to him and Vuk and Juan. We better find some NIL!

What is your source for this?

Institutions/coaches reaching out to any student-athlete when they are not in the portal is a clear violation of NCAA bylaws and is subject to enforcement according to a former UP staffer who is now part of the enforcement arm of the NCAA.

I would love to see these tampering "schools" punished in some way.

brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:We better find some NIL!

By "we" you mean you, correct?

According to NCAA rules, institutions/coaches are not allowed to get involved with raising NIL money.  It can only be done by people like you and me, usually through a collective that is totally outside the purview of the institution.

If any of us want to step up and keep UP's best players, we need to do it now!

https://www.pilotnation.net/t6403-up-s-first-donor-led-nil-collective-launches

StudentPilot wrote:

According to NCAA rules, institutions/coaches are not allowed to get involved with raising NIL money.  It can only be done by people like you and me, usually through a collective that is totally outside the purview of the institution.

Apparently this separation is no longer enforced.

Here for example, is from the bio of Chris Ducar, UNC’ long time goalkeeper coach, who is listed as an assistant coach and general manager of the North Carolina women’s soccer program.

 In his role as GM, Ducar oversees recruiting; fundraising; the team's name, image and likeness program; coordinates promotional activities with UNC's marketing department, campus and friends groups to enhance attendance; and other duties to grow the game on the local and national level. He also coordinates alumni engagement and academic oversight for the 22-time national champions.

https://goheels.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/coaches/chris-ducar/4278

So apparently employees, in this case a coach, can be directly involved in a team’s NIL program.  I fail to see how Ducar could be so openly involved in NIL efforts if it were against NCAA  bylaws.

brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:Harris has had some nagging injuries but there are also rumors he is leaving... I hear that schools are reaching out to him and Vuk and Juan. We better find some NIL!

This would be interesting. According to ncaa rules on NIL, international players are not eligible for NIL money from US sources, though they can earn NIL money in their own countries.

Loophole… they just wire the $ to a family member…

wrv wrote:Given that the portal is now wide open and that we have no NIL money, the challenges to the program and to Coach Legans are greater.

We may be witnessing a time when mid-majors are less competitive.  They are becoming organ donors for the rich, (Brad Pitt Moneyball) well endowed. Losing Moses Wood hurt though in in an earlier era maybe we retain him, maybe.

You are probably aware that obtaining quality players out of the portal without NIL money must be difficult. Legans sales abilities are evident. Let's hope he excels this spring in obtaining transfers who can play and do some coursework.

Maybe legans need to focus on Australian / international even more with the NIL impacts, given internationals cannot legally earn NIL. Like get strategic with local partners, trips to recruit, etc

Other colleges like St Marys have very strong ties into the Aussie Centre of Excellence and Basketball Australia Pathways people etc. Maybe he does already, but thats where to focus with NIL making things tough

The wiring to a family member would of course be a violation. The NIL contract needs to stand up. The loophole requires all NIL actovity to be done in the home country too.

up7587 wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:I understand that Noah has been voted back on the island by his teammates and will begin playing again this coming Thursday against UOP.

I assume Noah is suited up and sitting on the bench?  

And did I miss news about Oosterbroek?  He was playing 20 min/game in Hawaii, but his last appearance was 01/11 for 5 mins against SMC.

Yes, Noah is suited up an practicing...coaches decision on playing time.

Thomas is nursing a hip injury and is playing limited minutes.

Tyler H. has an ankle/Achilles thing going on.

After the past few games, T-Rob is black and blue and definitely beat up, but he keeps on ticking.

T Rob is the man. Hardest working in NCAA. Juanse and Vuk getting hot. Bol and Yuto contributing valuable minutes though I would like to see more hustle from Yuto. Legs must read our posts ... Lemke getting minutes! Let's go!

I think Thomas' issues are grades. I heard he is ineligible based on fall. but dont know for sure. Big V and Austin and Noah are going to have to be ready.

Congrats to Bol Dengdit for being honored with this week’s freshman of the week award.

CREDIT UNION 1 WCC MEN'S BASKETBALL FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK – BOL DENGDIT, FR., F – PORTLAND
Dengdit came up big during a pair of Pilot victories last week. He recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in the team's 65-60 road win at Pacific on Thursday, including hitting a clutch three-pointer late and grabbing numerous important rebounds down the stretch in the tight contest. He collected 12 points and seven rebounds in Portland's 93-89 home win against Pepperdine on Saturday. Overall, Dengdit averaged 11.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the field and making 7-of-8 free throws. Portland has now captured the Conference's freshman of the week accolade four times this season.

Bol's defense is getting so much better. First few games feeling out his new role and now he's getting comfortable. Such a great dude, too.

Forget any restrictions on NIL
See Patino- We are all minor league sports to Pros

https://nypost.com/2024/02/03/sports/rick-pitino-concerned-for-ncaa-st-johns-in-nil-era/

You see this today?

A National Labor Relations Board regional official has decided that Dartmouth basketball players are employees of the school, clearing the way for an election that would create the first labor union for NCAA athletes.

Tough one to watch. We always let someone get their season high. It's driving me crazy. This time it was Huff. But, we were simply outmatched and outcoached tonight and we seemed out of sorts. 26% from 3 (9 for 34). We just don't have any offensive game plan. No one cuts to the hoop. 5 out with barely any movement and back to single digit assists as we attempt to go 1:1 or one pass and shoot. Defense and leaving the shooters still plague us.

T Rob will need an ice bath for 2 days. Ouch.

Anyone have any real info on Harris? He was a full practice participant all week. I am starting to wonder....