How are you feeling right now about the team and program?

Ramdog said:
Every year is a rebuilding year…just watch …here comes the portal fun
Click to expand...
Randog, I think you are correct especially for teams like VCU. Elite MM’s that relay on player development. Every year is a rebuilding year.

We didn’t reach the dance and we got blown out last game. 24-13 not bad but I expected us to finish in the top 3 of the A10 and not lose to the Bonnies, GWU, and NSU at home.

I expected us to play tougher in games, and I expected Wheeler and Nelson to have a bigger impact.

KK, Shulga, and SB gave what they had and helped us out tremendously. Great transfer class. I dont expect Shulga back but man that would be a great get.

Zeb improved, Bam showed promise and took us home a few games. Fats demonstrated why he is such and enigma (gifted shooter but not much else).

I expect Tobi to transfer although I think he’d be better served staying a year. I see a bright future in Fermin, although he might have to visit the wizard to get his confidence back. Belle will also come back stronger and better.

I think Odom improved and he needs to hit the portal hard.

If things work out with a core of at least Zeb, Fats, Bam, Fermin, Belle, and Nelson returning. I think we will be great next year barring injury. If we can keep that a group with Tobi, and Wheeler we could dominate the A10 given we add two from the portal. Shooter and some beef in the middle. (Can someone call the RVA kid at T A&M?)

Happy how we finished all in all. Last game was a bummer but we went on the road and smacked a couple of good teams.

Portal please be gentle.

Go Rams!
 
Last edited:
vcusaint said:
People on here can make this season sound as good or as bad as they want, because candidly there was ample of both to go around depending on what point of the season you cherrypick.

Here's the simple fact folks. VCU has not won an NCAA Tournament game SINCE 2016...Every year that goes on, that stat becomes all the more disheartening to read and realize. Yes, we've had a tough hand dealt to us through coaching changes - but at some point or another, either we need to start delivering, or we need to accept that our program has sort of deteriorated before our eyes and we're not quite what we once were.

At this point, between nationally ranked Division 1 football and NCAA Tournament winning basketball, JMU is by far a hotter property than VCU athletically. Crazy stuff. Let's hope we put Humpty Dumpty back together again next year, but it's bad right now.
Click to expand...
I disagree with most of your post other than the fact that we do need to win a game any game in the dance.

Other than that nah dude you ain’t gotta clue.

VCU has one of the better all time winning percentages in college basketball and definitely amongts MM’s. We also have one of the longer consecutive 20 plus win season streak in college basketball, again definitely compared to MM’s. We’ve been to the dance 13 times out of the last 18 years. We’ve won a post season tournament. We’ve knocked over quite a few P5 teams and Va Tech is afraid to schedule us.
We’ve put 7 players in the NBA one who won a chip. We had a long sellout streak.

And well we just look good in Black.

So can’t agree that we aren’t a hot ticket. Can’t agree that our program has deteriorated because it hasn’t.

But. Yeah we need a win in the Dance.
 
Enjoyed watching extended basketball.

core of at least Zeb, Fats, Bam, Fermin, Belle, and Nelson As mentioned above? Whose are consist when games on the line?

Hot then Not is their story.

Zeb. Less 3’s and work on his right hand layup= will make him a bigger threat
Bam. Needs consistency. Too streaky.
Nelson. Good but we can find better in the portal

Rest are young and have potential
 
vcusaint said:
People on here can make this season sound as good or as bad as they want, because candidly there was ample of both to go around depending on what point of the season you cherrypick.

Here's the simple fact folks. VCU has not won an NCAA Tournament game SINCE 2016...Every year that goes on, that stat becomes all the more disheartening to read and realize. Yes, we've had a tough hand dealt to us through coaching changes - but at some point or another, either we need to start delivering, or we need to accept that our program has sort of deteriorated before our eyes and we're not quite what we once were.

At this point, between nationally ranked Division 1 football and NCAA Tournament winning basketball, JMU is by far a hotter property than VCU athletically. Crazy stuff. Let's hope we put Humpty Dumpty back together again next year, but it's bad right now.
Click to expand...
lol
 
vcusaint said:
People on here can make this season sound as good or as bad as they want, because candidly there was ample of both to go around depending on what point of the season you cherrypick.

Here's the simple fact folks. VCU has not won an NCAA Tournament game SINCE 2016...Every year that goes on, that stat becomes all the more disheartening to read and realize. Yes, we've had a tough hand dealt to us through coaching changes - but at some point or another, either we need to start delivering, or we need to accept that our program has sort of deteriorated before our eyes and we're not quite what we once were.

At this point, between nationally ranked Division 1 football and NCAA Tournament winning basketball, JMU is by far a hotter property than VCU athletically. Crazy stuff. Let's hope we put Humpty Dumpty back together again next year, but it's bad right now.
Click to expand...
Well…. VCU is doing a lot better than your post is. Bad ? A first season coach with an almost brand new roster ? That they even sniffed 20 games, and were playing for a semi final NIT appearance is way beyond what anyone could have hoped for. They make movies out of scenarios like that.

JMU a hotter basketball commodity than VCU ? Nah they have a lot of wins to catch up on before that’s even a remote reality.
 
We have to give Odom, the staff, and the team credit for making it this far in a transition year. 24 wins, the A-10 finals, and 2 NIT wins on the road are all impressive given the inconsistent play throughout the season. Odom did a great job in putting a team together in a short amount of time. Looking forward to a better season in '24-'25.

Let's Go VCU!
 
What keeps me from being more positive about 24 wins is how inconsistent we were on the winding way to that record. It seemed that it was possible that we could have a realistic chance to win any game we played, but it also seemed very possible that no game was a sure thing either. The good games... or even just the good stretches within games... showed a potential that could never be consistently sustained, and that's frustrating.
 
artRAMinMN said:
What keeps me from being more positive about 24 wins is how inconsistent we were on the winding way to that record. It seemed that it was possible that we could have a realistic chance to win any game we played, but it also seemed very possible that no game was a sure thing either. The good games... or even just the good stretches within games... showed a potential that could never be consistently sustained, and that's frustrating.
Click to expand...
Yup.... pretty much every game/team we played.... we were capable of beating, had a chance to beat... etc. But every team we played pretty much (with the exception of maybe Alcorn State & UMES).... we also had a chance of losing to.

And it's absolutely frustrating when we work so hard to get back into the games (Duquesne & Utah) after starting off soo bad.... only to have the wheels fall off.
 
northernvatiger said:
We have to give Odom, the staff, and the team credit for making it this far in a transition year. 24 wins, the A-10 finals, and 2 NIT wins on the road are all impressive given the inconsistent play throughout the season. Odom did a great job in putting a team together in a short amount of time. Looking forward to a better season in '24-'25.

Let's Go VCU!
Click to expand...

The team exceeded their limitations imo. I'm excited to see what Odom builds for next year. Hopefully we don't lose Fats or Tobi to the portal.
 
Random stat: end of year A-10 kenpom rankings...

With all A-10 teams being done, here's where the (current) kenpom standings sit. These I think could change slightly depending on the Sweet 16 results, but I doubt much at all.

31 - Dayton
75 - VCU
88 - Duquesne
90 - Richmond
92- UMass
94 - Loyola Chicago
97 - Mason
99 - St. Joe's
102 - Bona
125 - Davidson
188 - Fordham
194 - La Salle
197 - SLU
203 - GW
207 - Rhody

I think that's a pretty darn solid start considering we lost our entire roster and sixth man to graduation and the portal. Only Zeb (11 minutes) and Tobi (2 minutes) played in last year's A-10 Championship. Getting Max to follow him was obviously a HUGE help and getting Joe Bam (even if he's streaky) active added to that, but overall, I think to finish that high with a roster that had a lot of question marks coming into the season, is pretty solid and makes me fairly optimistic. Recruiting this offseason will likely look very different as well because if you remember last offseason the immediate eligibility no matter what did not exist, so I'm interested to see how Odom & Co. retain talent and how they build on what we've got.
 
Natty said:
Random stat: end of year A-10 kenpom rankings...

With all A-10 teams being done, here's where the (current) kenpom standings sit. These I think could change slightly depending on the Sweet 16 results, but I doubt much at all.

31 - Dayton
75 - VCU
88 - Duquesne
90 - Richmond
92- UMass
94 - Loyola Chicago
97 - Mason
99 - St. Joe's
102 - Bona
125 - Davidson
188 - Fordham
194 - La Salle
197 - SLU
203 - GW
207 - Rhody

I think that's a pretty darn solid start considering we lost our entire roster and sixth man to graduation and the portal. Only Zeb (11 minutes) and Tobi (2 minutes) played in last year's A-10 Championship. Getting Max to follow him was obviously a HUGE help and getting Joe Bam (even if he's streaky) active added to that, but overall, I think to finish that high with a roster that had a lot of question marks coming into the season, is pretty solid and makes me fairly optimistic. Recruiting this offseason will likely look very different as well because if you remember last offseason the immediate eligibility no matter what did not exist, so I'm interested to see how Odom & Co. retain talent and how they build on what we've got.
Click to expand...
8 in the top 100-good

1 in the top 50-not good
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top