2024 Offseason

[PantherAlum09]

Yeah.. That whole Moser situation is a weird one. Seems like he's trying to get some things at Oklahoma and used DePaul to get them.

[PantherAlum09]

That's usually how it goes.

Guys who take a lot take tough ones, and guys who take a few are usually wide open, case being Duax and Hutson. Born and kind of Heise shot pretty disappointing from the arc this year, though. Campbell shot lights out.

I agree with this to a certain extent, but we missed a ton of open ones too. Bowen just wasn't right this year. If he shoots his normal 36-38% from 3 we probably win 3 more games. I genuinely think it made that big of a difference. It might even be more if you account for the fact that it would open up other guys too.

[PantherAlum09]

Kevin Lehman was on KXNO today. He felt UNI biggest weakness this year was lack of physical guard play. He basically said Born and Campbell don’t fit that mold, and it hurt us against a team like Indiana State since we had nobody to stop Julian Larry from getting downhill. He brought up Wes Washpun as an example of what he’s talking about.

He also praised Jake for gettting us this far, felt it was a good coaching job. He said he expects big things from UNI next year since everyone returns. Per this he also felt playing in a post season buy in tourney would help us next year.

I think the other huge difference maker for ISU is that Swope and Conwell can each go get their own shot and do it well. Conwell can also drive to the hoop with a lot of success because he's strong and athletic. I genuinely don't understand how a guy like Conwell was in D2. He's a really good shooter with excellent athleticism. We need to find our own version of him. That's the kind of player that would be a difference maker for us.

[SteinPizza]

I think the other huge difference maker for ISU is that Swope and Conwell can each go get their own shot and do it well. Conwell can also drive to the hoop with a lot of success because he's strong and athletic. I genuinely don't understand how a guy like Conwell was in D2. He's a really good shooter with excellent athleticism. We need to find our own version of him. That's the kind of player that would be a difference maker for us.

I agree. The good UNI teams have always had one of those guys. The problem is we’ve either been reluctant to recruit that kind of player, or not overly successful at it. UNI has had a handful of guys who were good at that, but you have to go back several years to get that handful. Kwazdo, Washpun, etc. Really good teams almost always have more than one of that type of player on their roster too.

We’re hitting on what Kevin Lehman was talking about in my post. Physical, athletic guards.

[BCPanther]

I think the other huge difference maker for ISU is that Swope and Conwell can each go get their own shot and do it well. Conwell can also drive to the hoop with a lot of success because he's strong and athletic. I genuinely don't understand how a guy like Conwell was in D2. He's a really good shooter with excellent athleticism. We need to find our own version of him. That's the kind of player that would be a difference maker for us.

Conwell transferred from USF after the coaching change last year.

Bledson was the only transfer that Schertz brought with him left.

[PantherAlum09]

So was he D2 before USF? I swear that's all I hear about him.

[clenz]

So was he D2 before USF? I swear that's all I hear about him.

Conwell didn't play D2.

He is a transfer from USF.

Ryan Conwell - Basketball - Indiana State University Athletics (gosycamores.com)
Prior to Indiana State

2022-23 (USF): Played in all 32 games and made 21 starts as a true freshman…averaged 18.5 minutes/game…averaged 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists…ranked third on the team with 60 total assists…shot 34% from the field (52-153), 30% from downtown (27-90) and 82% from the free throw line (31-38)…scored a season-high 20 points vs. Tulane (2/18/23) on 6-11 shooting and 4-8 from three-point range…also knocked down four triples at UCF (2/22/23)…pulled down a season-best seven rebounds as Cincinnati (2/11/23)…dished out eight assists vs. Charleston Southern (12/2/22)…scored in double digits four times…ranked second on the team with 28 steals…blocked two shots.

HIGH SCHOOL: Named the 2022 Marion County (Indiana) Player of the Year...averaged 22.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.0 steals his senior season at Pike High School...averaged 16.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a junior...named to the MIC All-Conference Team each of his last two seasons...finished his prep career with 1,083 points...participated in the Prep Ball Stars Midwest Challenge and was an Indiana State All-Star...also named to the IBCA/Franciscan Health Supreme 15 All-State Team.


The reason it's hard to imagine how he would have played D2 is because he didn't. His offer list out of HS was
USF
App State
Ball State
Eastern Illinois
Evansville
Indiana State
IUPUI
Miami (OH)
Middle Tennessee
Murray State
Northern Kentucky
Southern Illinois
Virginia Tech
UW-Milwaukee
Xavier


He was a mid-major/high mid-major to lower-high-major recruit. Offers from the ACC, Big East and nearly half the Valley and MAC,

[BCPanther]

So was he D2 before USF? I swear that's all I hear about him.

Swope's first year at Southern Indiana was in D2 and his second year there was their first year of DI transition.

Bledson (Lincoln Memorial with Schertz) and Masen Miller (Truman State and doesn't play) are their only D2 transfers.

[PantherAlum09]

Conwell didn't play D2.

He is a transfer from USF.

Ryan Conwell - Basketball - Indiana State University Athletics (gosycamores.com)
Prior to Indiana State

2022-23 (USF): Played in all 32 games and made 21 starts as a true freshman…averaged 18.5 minutes/game…averaged 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists…ranked third on the team with 60 total assists…shot 34% from the field (52-153), 30% from downtown (27-90) and 82% from the free throw line (31-38)…scored a season-high 20 points vs. Tulane (2/18/23) on 6-11 shooting and 4-8 from three-point range…also knocked down four triples at UCF (2/22/23)…pulled down a season-best seven rebounds as Cincinnati (2/11/23)…dished out eight assists vs. Charleston Southern (12/2/22)…scored in double digits four times…ranked second on the team with 28 steals…blocked two shots.

HIGH SCHOOL: Named the 2022 Marion County (Indiana) Player of the Year...averaged 22.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.0 steals his senior season at Pike High School...averaged 16.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a junior...named to the MIC All-Conference Team each of his last two seasons...finished his prep career with 1,083 points...participated in the Prep Ball Stars Midwest Challenge and was an Indiana State All-Star...also named to the IBCA/Franciscan Health Supreme 15 All-State Team.


The reason it's hard to imagine how he would have played D2 is because he didn't. His offer list out of HS was
USF
App State
Ball State
Eastern Illinois
Evansville
Indiana State
IUPUI
Miami (OH)
Middle Tennessee
Murray State
Northern Kentucky
Southern Illinois
Virginia Tech
UW-Milwaukee
Xavier


He was a mid-major/high mid-major to lower-high-major recruit.

My bad. I must be thinking of someone else. Definitely makes more sense. Thanks.

[UNI MadCat]

Did Jake say anything in his weekly presser about entertaining the idea of the CBI? (The CIT no longer exists.)

I agree with others saying the competition doesn’t likely merit us considering it, especially when you’re paying to play. (Though Indiana State went last year.) It’s basically the equivalent of being matched up with lower half of the MVC conference. With potential at best to draw a Belmont-like opponent in the final. Probably not worth it unless it’s viewed a) as a chance for more practice and b) a nice reward for an ok season since the tourney is now held entirely in Orlando.

[clenz]

The CIT exists.

The schedule and bracket for the 2024 CIT will be announced on Sunday, March 17.

Four schools will host four 4-team pods with two semifinals and finale the next day. The 4 winners will advance to the CIT national semifinals to be played on campus sites with the championship game to also be played at the site of the highest remaining seed. The entire field will be seeded 1-16.

The concept behind the 4 Classics is to give players the opportunity to compete for a trophy and advance to the national semifinals. It is also an opportunity to pay homage to some of the legends of coaching. A trophy and MVP award will be presented to the winner of each classic. These were first introduced in 2016.

CIT | CollegeInsider.com | Postseason Tournament

[BCPanther]

Jake didn't mention it, nobody asked about it. We haven't in over a decade so I can't imagine we start now.

Season is over.

[clenz]

Jake didn't mention it, nobody asked about it. We haven't in over a decade so I can't imagine we start now.

Season is over.

There might be 1...maybe...lower tournament since this but the last time I remember playing a lower tournament was 2013 and it was the CIT. I remember hosting UND in the first round of it and then losing to Weber in the semis by 3. IIRC we beat UND, UIC, Bradley to get tot he Semis and Evansville made the semis on the other side before losing to ECU who beat Weber in the title game.

The only reason that one sticks out like it does is I remember watching that UND game on a ****ty TV in an Allen Hospital room that Saturday night before Easter waiting on my first child to be born.

[CyCarp]

It would be fun, but I don't really see the benefit. We did the Brazil trip last summer, which I really thought would be better than a low level postseason tourney.

[UNI MadCat]

Not sure where I got the idea that the CIT was done. Regardless, I love that no one asked him about it. It’s the literal end of the season and a very logical question. Unless it was simply implied there was no way we’d do it.