Give me your SEC power rankings for 2024-2025 season...

[Hogs1988]

To be honest, Cal's best days as a college coach are over. The last four years have a been a joke, especially for UK standards.

Will a change of scenery help become a better in game coach, help him diagram out of bounds plays, help him draw up end of half/end of game lays, prevent him from playing his favorites over other guys who should be playing? I doubt it, honestly. The guy is almost 70, he is what he is, and he ain't changing.

And I know you aren't predicting a 35-3 opening campaign for Cal, but his first yr at UK he had John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, and Patrick Patterson. Don't see anyone on Arky's roster that is close to those four. And yet Cal still managed to lose in the Elite 8 because he had no idea how to attack WVAs zone, so he let his guys shoot 4-32 from deep without coming up with any sort of adjustment to attack the zone.

I think this will be the best defensive team he's had in a long time, at least from a skillset perspective. If he can get the defense back to being respectable, I think this is an S16+ type team. It's always hard to predict the future, but I'd say not making it to the second weekend would be a failure with this roster.

 

[Hogs1988]

Do you have Arkies OOC schedule?

- Troy: Nov. 13
- Little Rock: Nov. 22
- Illinois (Thanksgiving Games/Kansas City): Nov. 28
- @ Miami (SEC/ACC Challenge): Dec. 3
- Michigan (Jimmy V Classic/Madison Square Garden): Dec. 10/11
- UCA (North Little Rock): Dec. 14
- North Carolina A&T: Dec. 21
- Oakland: Dec. 30
- Maryland Eastern Shore: TBA

- Baylor is rumored, but not set in stone

Think they still are looking for like 3 other teams.

 

[boilerzz]

What's the goal of an offense? To score baskets efficiently, correct?

OEf

2010: 22
2011: 8
2012: 2
2013: 38
2014: 14
2015: 6
2016: 5
2017: 12
2018: 24
2019: 14
2020: 24
2021: 84
2022: 5
2023: 17
2024: 7

So, in your opinion, having a top-25 offense in terms of efficiency in 13/15 seasons - with 6 being top 10 - is bad and an indication that the game has passed him by offensively?

I think the goal of an offense is to give the team the best chance to win. And in my opinion (key phrase there), a very limited reliance on the 3P shot is not the best way to do that in 2024.

And having top 5 talent masks a lot of coaching deficiencies IMO.

 

[Hogs1988]

I think the goal of an offense is to give the team the best chance to win. And in my opinion (key phrase there), a very limited reliance on the 3P shot is not the best way to do that in 2024.

And having top 5 talent masks a lot of coaching deficiencies IMO.

Final Four last three years

'24 - Bama, Purdue, UCONN, NC State
'23 - FAU, SDS, UCONN, Miami Fl
'22 - Kansas, Villanova, UNC, Duke

3PA/FGA
Villanova - 17th
Bama - 19th
FAU - 35th
UCONN - 67th
UCONN - 103rd ('24)
UNC - 168th
Duke - 230th
Purdue - 252nd
Miami Fl - 275th
SD State - 281st
NC State - 285th
Kansas - 287th

Average - 168.25
Champion - 152.3

Shooting threes doesn't correlate to winning. Being efficient does.

OEf

UCONN - 1st
Duke - 1st
Alabama - 2nd
UCONN - 3rd
Purdue - 4th
Kansas - 6th
Miami (FL) - 6th
Villanova - 9th
UNC - 18th
FAU - 22nd
NC State - 48th
SDState - 75th

Average - 16.25
Champion - 3.3

 

[boilerzz]

Final Four last three years

'24 - Bama, Purdue, UCONN, NC State
'23 - FAU, SDS, UCONN, Miami Fl
'22 - Kansas, Villanova, UNC, Duke

3PA/FGA
Villanova - 17th
Bama - 19th
FAU - 35th
UCONN - 67th
UCONN - 103rd ('24)
UNC - 168th
Duke - 230th
Purdue - 252nd
Miami Fl - 275th
SD State - 281st
NC State - 285th
Kansas - 287th

Average - 168.25
Champion - 152.3

Shooting threes doesn't correlate to winning. Being efficient does.

OEf

UCONN - 1st
Duke - 1st
Alabama - 2nd
UCONN - 3rd
Purdue - 4th
Kansas - 6th
Miami (FL) - 6th
Villanova - 9th
UNC - 18th
FAU - 22nd
NC State - 48th
SDState - 75th

Average - 16.25
Champion - 3.3

IMO both matter. And the results of a one and done tournament does very little to dissuade that opinion. We can't look at things ceteris paribus so we can go back and forth forever. Defense is part of the equation. Talent is part of the equation. Luck is part of the equation. Experience is part of the equation. And there are a multitude of other factors.

By and large, Cal has underperformed his talent level while at UK much more often than not and in my opinion (there's that phrase again), his refusal to embrace the shift to 3P integration into the offense is a large contributing factor in that underperformance.

 

[Hogs1988]

his refusal to embrace the shift to 3P integration into the offense is a large contributing factor in that underperformance.

Just baffling to see this from a Purdue fan. A team that finally saw post-season success by almost completely ignoring the three.

But, your opinion.

 

[boilerzz]

Just baffling to see this from a Purdue fan. A team that finally saw post-season success by almost completely ignoring the three.

But, your opinion.

Hence the ceteris paribus notion. Having the first two time NPOY since Ralph Sampson matters.

Additionally, you say Purdue saw postseason success by "almost completely ignoring the three". Did you know that Purdue still shot 20.2 threes per game even with the aforementioned dominant big man? Prior to this past season, Cal didn't have a single UK team attempt that many per game.

And since you referenced Purdue, here's a little FYI about Purdue and 3PA rate under Matt Painter.

• Purdue has been a 5 seed or better 11 times in Matt Painter's 19 seasons. Only twice in those 11 seasons (2024 and 2015) was Purdue outside the top 50% in 3PA/FGA.
• In the 8 seasons his teams weren't top 5 seeds (including the 4 where his team's missed the tournament), his teams were outside the top 50% in 3PA/FGA 7 times.

 

[Hogs1988]

Hence the ceteris paribus notion. Having the first two time NPOY since Ralph Sampson matters.

Additionally, you say Purdue saw postseason success by "almost completely ignoring the three". Did you know that Purdue still shot 20.2 threes per game even with the aforementioned dominant big man? Prior to this past season, Cal didn't have a single UK team attempt that many per game.

And since you referenced Purdue, here's a little FYI about Purdue and 3PA rate under Matt Painter.

• Purdue has been a 5 seed or better 11 times in Matt Painter's 19 seasons. Only twice in those 11 seasons (2024 and 2015) was Purdue outside the top 50% in 3PA/FGA.
• In the 8 seasons his teams weren't top 5 seeds (including the 4 where his team's missed the tournament), his teams were outside the top 50% in 3PA/FGA 7 times.

Purdue was 258th in the country in 3PA per FGA and 205th in points from three in the country . I feel like you’re trying to sound smart, but you’re ignoring point blank facts and obfuscating them with random shit. “Top 50%” means 180 or better as there are approximately 360 teams. Again, distortion to rationalize. You used rankings in the 180s just a few posts ago to talk about how shit Kentuckys offense was.

Let’s use “Top 100”. I mean, that’s only 60 spots, right?

Twice. 2011 & 2019. So in those “11 seasons” you referenced they were between 101-180 nine times. It’s almost like “top 50%” was used because you knew it would fit your agenda.

Again, it’s your opinion. Have a ball. But your opinion doesn’t live in reality. Shooting the three is great, but it doesn’t correlate to success. It’s just something some teams do well and additionally have success.

Gonzaga has had a top 5 offense each of the last 6 seasons, their best 3PA/3FG was 240th.

But, we’re not getting anywhere.

 

[della]

Purdue was 258th in the country in 3PA per FGA and 205th in points from three in the country . I feel like you’re trying to sound smart, but you’re ignoring point blank facts and obfuscating them with random shit. “Top 50%” means 180 or better as there are approximately 360 teams. Again, distortion to rationalize. You used rankings in the 180s just a few posts ago to talk about how shit Kentuckys offense was.

Let’s use “Top 100”. I mean, that’s only 60 spots, right?

Twice. 2011 & 2019. So in those “11 seasons” you referenced they were between 101-180 nine times. It’s almost like “top 50%” was used because you knew it would fit your agenda.

Again, it’s your opinion. Have a ball. But your opinion doesn’t live in reality. Shooting the three is great, but it doesn’t correlate to success. It’s just something some teams do well and additionally have success.

Gonzaga has had a top 5 offense each of the last 6 seasons, their best 3PA/3FG was 240th.

But, we’re not getting anywhere.

Arky is going some where y’all got a steal on Cal. HOF recruiting savant, it will just be a matter of expanding the trophy case. Those guys are just jealous.

 

[Hogs1988]

Arky is going some where y’all got a steal on Cal. HOF recruiting savant, it will just be a matter of expanding the trophy case. Those guys are just jealous.

It’s hard to prognosticate based upon variables. Just because Cal has been good in the past, his players do appear to be good, doesn’t mean success is imminent.

In contrast, retrospective reviews of succes and saying “in order to get four you need to add two plus three” is easy to demonstratively say, “no.”

Excited about the hogs, think they could be good. Worried about PG and that’s about it. Wagner need to become a D Harris type drive/kick/spot up three shooter. With his size, he could make himself a lot of money by not forcing inefficient midrange js.

Fun conversation.

 

[della]

It’s hard to prognosticate based upon variables. Just because Cal has been good in the past, his players do appear to be good, doesn’t mean success is imminent.

In contrast, retrospective reviews of succes and saying “in order to get four you need to add two plus three” is easy to demonstratively say, “no.”

Excited about the hogs, think they could be good. Worried about PG and that’s about it. Wagner need to become a D Harris type drive/kick/spot up three shooter. With his size, he could make himself a lot of money by not forcing inefficient midrange js.

Fun conversation.

Arky is not a natural enemy to Tennessee, so I'll be pulling for y'all to have a good year.

 

[Hogs1988]

Arky is not a natural enemy to Tennessee, so I'll be pulling for y'all to have a good year.

I’ve enjoyed it. Always fun to debate.

 

[della]

I’ve enjoyed it. Always fun to debate.

I would preferred it if you stated you would reciprocate, but whatevs.

 

[Hogs1988]

I would preferred it if you stated you would reciprocate, but whatevs.

Honestly, I don’t give a shit about “rivalries,” I just like good basketball. Tennessee usually plays good basketball….while not emphasizing the three, haha.

 

[della]

Honestly, I don’t give a shit about “rivalries,” I just like good basketball. Tennessee usually plays good basketball….while not emphasizing the three, haha.

Tennessee should be in good shape for this season.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Honestly, I don’t give a shit about “rivalries,” I just like good basketball. Tennessee usually plays good basketball….while not emphasizing the three, haha.

Arkansas won't be taking many threes. That's for sure. Expect packed-in zones.

You have the players to make it work.

Watch games from the past 10 years on what coaches did to UK, and expect a whole lot of that.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

Calipari has taken all three teams to a final four. It's hard to imagine he won't eventually do it again at Arkansas.

I bet he could even take Tennessee to new heights.


Big question for UK fans, can Pope become the 6th title winner.

There's a lot of young coaches taking over the game.