Latest news with #BigEast
Dominion Post
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
COLUMN: Manipulating the RPI is the next step for WVU baseball coach Steve Sabins
MORGANTOWN — My first venture into studying the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) came in 2007, after a WVU men's basketball team that had gone 22-9 through the end of the Big East tournament with wins against UConn and UCLA had been left out of the NCAA tournament. And you thought the Mountaineers were snubbed last season. Anyway, in the years that have followed, two things truly stand out about the RPI: ** There really isn't a better tool to gauge a team's strength of schedule. ** It can also be manipulated like silly putty. WVU baseball coach Steve Sabins has got to find a way to become a master manipulator. It's not exactly an easy thing to do as a college baseball coach in the part of the country where the state of West Virginia resides. Still, if the WVU program is headed where it seems to be headed — a perennial Top 25 program and super-regional contender — Sabins' ability to schedule games is going to become just as critical as any recruit he signs out of high school or the transfer portal. Because talent wins games, true, but it's that strength of schedule that determines a team's ultimate fate between always being a regional host or always heading out on the road for the NCAA tournament. First, let's get into some basic numbers. WVU's nonconference RPI strength of schedule this season was 176th in the nation. That's out of 307 Division I teams, which doesn't exactly look great on the surface. OK, but here's where a little more research comes in. LSU, which just won the national title, had a nonconference strength of schedule of 124. Texas — the No. 2 overall seed heading into the NCAA tourney — was at 152. Tennessee, the 2024 national champ, was at 179. WVU took a beating from the so-called experts of college baseball, because the theme was the Mountaineers didn't play anybody in the nonconference. You didn't hear that about LSU, though. It wasn't a story told about Texas or Tennessee. Why? Because once SEC play began, the overall strength of schedules for those schools shot up like a rocket. All three schools finished with an overall strength of schedule no higher than 22nd in the nation. WVU finished with the 78th toughest overall schedule, which included the Clemson Regional games and the super regional against LSU. 'I think that's why I have a difficult time discussing the RPI and some of those factors,' Sabins said. 'There is really only so much you can do and it's an uneven system.' Meanwhile, the Big 12 season isn't exactly a stroll in the park, but WVU and Arizona were the only Big 12 schools to finish the season ranked in the Top 25. The SEC had seven of the top 15 and 11 of the top 30, so of course SEC coaches know they have the conference season to fall back on. They essentially don't have to schedule anyone other than cupcakes in the nonconference and then hope for the best once conference play begins. No one else — not even ACC coaches — have that luxury. So, is it an 'uneven' system, as Sabins suggested? You bet your baseballs it is. This is where Sabins' ability to manipulate the system is crucial. The problem: 'It comes down to you only having four weeks of nonconference games to start the season,' Sabins said. 'It's not like it's 10 weeks. And then, oh by the way, it's still snowing in West Virginia for three of those weeks, so you have to travel south. You can't play midweek games in West Virginia then, either, so you end up asking for a four-game series.' That is the unfortunate geography mismatch that exists in college baseball, where every school north of Nashville, Tenn. is at a disadvantage in an outdoor sport that begins play on Valentine's Day. 'You don't want to fill your schedule with cupcakes,' Sabins continued. 'But the truth of it is, everybody is playing then. It's not like there are a bunch of good teams searching for games. You kind of get stuck with playing who is willing to play.' Here is where the RPI can be easily manipulated, and we offer up Hawaii's nonconference schedule as the perfect example. Hawaii played the second-toughest nonconference schedule in the country this season, so you'd believe that schedule was filled with multiple Top 25 teams and maybe even a couple of series against teams from the American League East, right? Far from it. Hawaii played just one four-game series against a Top 25-ranked team (No. 4 Oregon State), while the rest of its nonconference schedule was Marshall, Wichita State, a mid-major darling in Northeastern and then one game against USC. Now, that doesn't exactly look like a gauntlet, but you don't need a gauntlet to manipulate the RPI. It's really not so much about which schools you can get to agree to play you more than understanding which schools to avoid playing. WVU played 13 nonconference games last season against schools ranked 201st or higher in the RPI. Hawaii played none, that's the difference. So, how can Sabins approach future scheduling? He believes playing true road games is a boost to an RPI rating, which is true to a point. To that end, WVU was a stellar 24-7 in true road games this season. But, if it becomes a question of playing a four-game road series against a team ranked 214th in the RPI or playing a neutral-site game against a team in the top 75, the neutral-site game is the way to go. This is where early-season college baseball tournaments come into play. To my surprise, there are literally two dozen of them to choose from. One of them is actually played in Surprise (Ariz.), the site of the 2026 Big 12 tournament. You don't hear much about them, because they are played at the height of the college basketball seasons and only a week, or so after the Super Bowl. But each one can offer three or four solid RPI matchups against other Power Conference schools who otherwise would never even consider playing the Mountaineers. WVU traditionally hasn't played in them and hasn't done so since J.J. Wetherholt was a freshman. 'Getting in some of those tournaments is something I think we have to look at for the future,' Sabins said. It would go a long way toward eliminating the theme of WVU not playing anyone. It could also be the next evolutionary step for Sabins' coaching career, because he's already proven to be ideal otherwise. Recruiting, developing players, winning — Sabins is right there. Learning to manipulate the RPI has got to be next on his list.
New York Post
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Three St. John's stars go pro after signing NBA contracts following draft
Access the St. John's beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Zach Braziller about the inside buzz on St. John's. TRY IT NOW St. John's best season in 25 years didn't result in a draft pick, but shortly after it was over, three of the Red Storm's former stars — Kadary Richmond, RJ Luis and Aaron Scott — agreed to pro contracts. Luis, the Big East Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Tournament, agreed to a two-way contract with the Jazz, according to a source. Richmond came to terms on a deal with the Wizards, while Scott agreed to attend summer league with the Celtics, according to sources. Deivon Smith still was waiting to decide on his next step. It was somewhat of a surprise that Luis, who was projected by some to be a mid-second-round pick, didn't get chosen in the two-day NBA Draft. 3 Kadary Richmond is going pro with the Wizards. Jason Szenes / New York Post He had a sensational junior year, averaging 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. Multiple scouts felt he would wind up with a two-way deal but told The Post there were questions about his 3-point shot and decision-making. 'It's a tough thing, but he's gotta go from a star on his team to a role player,' an NBA scout familiar with Luis said. 'Tough transition, so he's probably going to have to get some G-League reps and go from there. Be a consistent shooter.' 3 RJ Luis Jr. was the Big East Player of the Year. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post When Luis declared for the draft in March, he also entered the transfer portal. The Miami native opted to stay in the draft, although he could've really cashed in by transferring. Top transfers this spring were getting upward of, and in some cases above, $2 million. 3 Aaron Scott reacts after scoring during St. John's Big East semifinal win at Madison Square Garden JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST This past season, an NBA two-way contract paid just south of $560,000. Luis and coach Rick Pitino had agreed it was best for both sides to go their separate ways when the Johnnies' season ended with a loss to Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 'The money in the NBA is night and day compared to college. It wasn't a hard decision,' Luis, who had 18 NBA workouts, said prior to the draft. 'My goal was to do the same thing at St. John's my sophomore year, but injuries held me back. I think I had an amazing year this year. [This was] ultimately the end goal, to play in the NBA and stick there.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA Draft 2025: College stars dominate early picks in second round
College standouts took center stage as the 2025 NBA Draft resumed with the second round at Brooklyn's Barclays Center in New York on Thursday night. Rasheer Fleming , a versatile forward from Saint Joseph's, was the first selection at No. 31, going to the Phoenix Suns after a reported trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 36th pick and two future second-rounders. Several other NCAA stars quickly followed, underscoring the continued impact of college basketball talent on the league. Teams looked to bolster depth and potential with experienced, battle-tested players. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kulkas yang belum Terjual dengan Harga Termurah (Lihat harga) Cari Sekarang Undo ALSO READ - NBA Draft Round 2: Full list of second-round picks 'It was a long day now that I think about it,' Fleming said. 'But like everything has happened so fast — like, this was a great experience. Like, it's kind of a crazy feeling. Not even kind of. Crazy feeling.' Live Events — NBADraft (@NBADraft) Former college standouts Ryan Kalkbrenner and Johni Broome were among the early second-round selections in the draft. Kalkbrenner, a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year at Creighton, went No. 34 overall to the Charlotte Hornets , who had just selected Duke's Sion James at No. 33. Broome, a consensus first-team All-American and The Sporting News' National Player of the Year from Auburn, was picked at No. 35 by the Philadelphia 76ers after averaging 18.6 points and 10.8 rebounds last season. Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Lakers landed Arkansas forward Adou Thiero at No. 36. who changed hands from Minnesota to the Brooklyn Nets to the Lakers, while NCAA champion Will Richard of Florida was picked 56th by the Golden State Warriors via a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. — Lakers (@Lakers) The 2025 NBA Draft concluded with just 59 picks instead of the usual 60, as the New York Knicks forfeited their second-round selection. The penalty stemmed from a tampering violation related to their 2022 signing of Jalen Brunson , after the league determined the Knicks had engaged in premature negotiations with the guard before officially acquiring him from the Dallas Mavericks.
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
St. John's Coach Rick Pitino On NIL, Transfer Portal: 'Complaining is of No Value'
Rick Pitino took St. John's from being a team that was nowhere to be found in the NCAA Tournament conversation to a No. 2 seed in just two seasons. How did Pitino get the Red Storm to rise to prominence so quickly? Living in the reality of NIL and the transfer portal, rather than fighting it. "I felt the change was here and quitting, resigning, complaining is of no value," Pitino said about NIL on Wednesday's edition of "The Herd." "You have to win the day. You have to get the job done, and I just felt that 'Okay, we're going to use it to the best of our abilities at St. John's.' "So, we're an urban school; we're a computer school; we play in Madison Square Garden as our home court: How can we maximize our potential by embracing the NIL and the transfer portal? We went away from high school basketball players, although we have taken one or two to develop, but by and large we've gone after older players." Pitino also expressed that parents have never been more involved in the recruiting process than now. On the basketball front, Pitino explained what his practices look like. "We have player development sessions every morning, Monday through Friday, where we go three-to-four different sessions with four players, and we try to take players like a Donovan Mitchell, a Terry Rozier who maybe's not ranked top-20 or 25 in high school, and they've got a little bit of a weakness. Donovan Mitchell had a weakness with the arc on his jump shot. Everybody's got a weakness coming out that's not top 10, so we try to take those player development sessions and make the players better," Pitino said. "Our practices, yes, are very difficult, but I will say this: They're not long. We don't go more than two hours, but we go hard for two hours. We're up and down for two hours. If I make a comment or a correction, it's going to be within 12 seconds, and then we're moving on because conditioning is a gigantic part of our style of play." After going 20-13 in the 2023-24 season, Pitino and the Red Storm put together a 31-5 campaign highlighted by winning the Big East regular-season title with an 18-2 conference record, winning the Big East Tournament and claiming a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. While St. John's was upset in the second round by No. 10 seed Arkansas, the 2024-25 season marked the first time in six years that the program had made the NCAA Tournament and the first time in 10 years that it had done so without having to play in the First Four round. On the personal front, Pitino won the 2024-25 Naismith, AP and Big East Coach of the Year awards. St. John's is Pitino's sixth full-time men's college basketball head-coaching gig, with the Hall of Famer previously coaching three seasons at Iona before leaving for Queens in March 2023. St. John's had a gargantuan transfer portal class this offseason, reeling in former five-star recruits and now sophomores Ian Jackson (previously of North Carolina) and Joson Sanon (previously of Arizona State), former Providence forward Bryce Hopkins, former Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell and former Stanford wing Oziyah Sellers, among others. 247Sports ranks St. John's transfer class as the best in men's college basketball. While the Red Storm have minimal returning players, they have big man and 2024-25 All-Big East honoree Zuby Ejiofor back for his senior season. Next season, St. John's will square off against SEC powerhouses Alabama and Kentucky, among other notable out-of-conference matchups. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Basketball Big East St. John's Red Storm recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
LINKS: Sorber & Peavy Draft Rumors, Rothstein Rankings for Georgetown
Soon-to-be Lottery Pick Thomas Sorber and likely NBA Summer League standout-slash-MVP Micah Peavy are going to make some fans of the Georgetown Hoyas pretty excited this week with the NBA Draft coming Wednesday at 8PM. There has been quite a bit of buzz for each player, with news of Sorber attracting interest from the Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs, as well as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets. Peavy, during a press conference at Golden State, spoke about his love for Ed Cooley and Georgetown as a whole. Meanwhile, your Georgetown Hoyas have held steady in the Rothstein 45 rankings, even without Sorber in the projected starting lineup. They are currently at #43 from Mr. We-sleep-in-May. Advertisement Is this the right spot for the Hoyas? Too high? Too low? What about other Big East teams? Is this the right starting lineup (see roster below)? It's better to be ranked on this list than not. One might argue that building momentum—especially as we learn the nonconference schedule—relies on a couple people in the press keeping an eye on Ed Cooley's squad. Here are the links: Georgetown star drawing interest from several lottery teams ahead of NBA Draft | Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber is drawing the interest of several teams in the lottery and also just outside the lottery ahead of Wednesday's NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 Trenton, N.J. native has attracted interest from the Atlanta Hawks (which pick at Nos. 13 and 22) and San Antonio Spurs (No. 14) — the last two picks in the lottery. Sorber is also drawing attention from the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 17) and Brooklyn Nets (Nos. 8, 19, 26 and 27), NJ Advance Media has learned. Jeff Green says he'd like to retire with Houston Rockets, but wants to play at least two more years | Houston Chronicle 'I want to play as long as I can,' Green told Lowe. 'The goal is to get to 20 years, so two shy. Houston has been home for me for the last couple of years, and I want to keep it that way. Hopefully, we can make something work where I can retire there, whether it be 20 or 21 years. My wife says 20 and that's it. So, I think I know what that is. So, two more years it is.' Green has played for 11 different teams, including two stints with the Rockets, finishing up the 2020 season with Houston in the bubble, then returning for the past two seasons after winning the 2023 NBA title with the Denver Nuggets. He's moved around so much and played for so long, he holds the NBA record for having the most teammates over his career. 'I can't help it that a lot of guys want to be my teammate,' Green joked. Thomas Sorber Is the Developmental Center the Wolves Need | Zone Coverage Thomas Sorber is a 19-year-old center from Trenton, NJ. At the NBA Combine, he measured 6'9.25' without shoes, 262.8 lbs, with an impressive 7'6' wingspan. Out of high school, Sorber was a consensus four-star prospect per the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI). He elected to become the next great Georgetown big over offers from Maryland, Miami, Penn State, Villanova, Providence, and Syracuse. Sorber did not have much draft buzz coming into the season, but quickly gained attention with his impressive start. He continued his form into Big East conference play before a foot injury ended his season in mid-February. Advertisement Thomas Sorber Getting Draft Lottery Buzz | Yardbarker Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber hasn't been a secret for some time. While his 2024-25 campaign went under the radar in medias res, he started to generate buzz around the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. The most skilled big man the Hoyas have had since 2010 No. 7 pick Greg Monroe, Sorber's tape is even better sight than his numbers. As he averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game last season, that's saying something. Considering that, Sorber 'is drawing the interest of several teams in the lottery and also just outside the lottery' reports NJ Advance Media's Adam Zagoria. Specifically, he's 'attracted interest from the Atlanta Hawks (which pick at Nos. 13 and 22) and San Antonio Spurs (No. 14) – the last two picks in the lottery. Sorber is also drawing attention from the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 17) and Brooklyn Nets (Nos. 19, 26 and 27),' Duke's Khaman Maluach, Maryland's Derik Queen headline list of big men in upcoming NBA draft | Beaumont Enterprise STRENGTHS: The freshman [Sorber] has the frame to tussle amid bumps in the post (6-9, 263) and in traffic. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 53.2% overall, including 57.1% in post-up chances, according to Synergy. The first-round prospect has defensive potential with a 7-6 wingspan (tied for second-longest at the combine) that helped him average 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals. CONCERNS: The 19-year-old must improve his 3-point shot (6 of 37, 16.2%). There was a limited sample size of 24 games before a foot injury ended his season, though the Hoyas lost seven of 10 without him to illustrate his value. Hawks linked to 'throwback' talent with offseason on horizon | Soaring Down South 'Various sources have indicated that they do believe the Hawks will fall right in line with Oklahoma City, Orlando and Brooklyn as teams with multiple picks in the mid-to-late first round exploring various avenues to move up the draft board,' Fischer wrote on June 12. 'Rival teams have projected the Hawks as targeting big men with whatever draft slots they ultimately operate from. After years of dangling Clint Capela on the trade block, Capela is finally expected to depart Atlanta via free agency this season, sources say. So the Hawks appear poised to have an opening for a center.' That does not mean Sorber is whom the Hawks are planning to move up for, but he would provide a sound replacement for presumed outgoing veteran Clint Capela. 2025 NBA Draft scouting report: Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown | Yahoo Sports Interior defense: He's a classic drop big man who uses his tree-trunk frame and long arms to alter shots around the rim. He does a good job of using the rule of verticality, and perhaps most importantly: He tries. It shows the way he makes second efforts with rotations and chases boards when crashing the glass. And perhaps most notably, how he gets his long arms in the passing lanes to intercept passes... Perimeter quickness: Sorber gets burned when he's pulled out to the perimeter by stretch bigs or is forced to switch. Even though he hustles, he's a bit lumbering when he needs to change directions. Unless he makes dramatic progress in this category, he might end up matchup-dependent. Ahead of NBA Draft, Georgetown's Micah Peavy credits Ed Cooley for offensive development | WJLA 'I just really appreciate [Cooley],' Peavy told reporters Tuesday in San Francisco after a pre-draft workout with the Warriors. 'He helped me open up my game and he helped me show everybody what I've always thought about myself — that I can play offense and score the ball.' Peavy also thanked the Hoya program and fan base for enabling him to have a career year and become a target for NBA evaluators. 'Georgetown, it means everything to me. Not just coach Cooley — the whole coaching staff, my teammates, the fan base — they welcomed me with open arms,' he said. Surge add NBA-experienced swingman Pickett | TSN The Calgary Surge have added a dynamic wing guard to their roster, signing University of Michigan standout Jamorko Pickett for the 2025 CEBL season. Pickett, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound Detroit, MI product, brings a rare two-way skillset—capable of creating his own shot, hitting from deep, and locking down opposing wings. During his four-year career at Georgetown (2017–2021), he averaged 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, earning Big East All-Freshman Team honors in 2018 and capping his senior season at 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. He also has 13 NBA regular-season appearances with the Detroit Pistons (2021-22), giving him valuable pro experience... 'Jamorko gives us explosive scoring, size on the perimeter, and the length to disrupt passing lanes,' said Surge General Manager Shane James. 'He fills a key need in our roster, can shoot off the dribble or spot up, and brings elite pedigree from top-level college basketball, the NBA, and international FIBA leagues.' 'I'm thrilled to join a team that's already proven it can win,' said Pickett. 'Calgary has such passionate fans and a real commitment to the community—can't wait to get on the floor, make an impact, and help bring a title here.' Projected 2025-26 Georgetown Roster (class years from last season) 0 Jayden Fort, 6-9, 200F, Fr., Washington, D.C. / Jackson-Reed 2 Malik Mack, 6-2, 175G, So., Oxon Hill, Md. / St. John's College High School [D.C.], Previously at Harvard 4 Caleb Williams, 6-7, 225F, Fr., Upper Marlboro, Md. / Sidwell Friends 14 Austin Montgomery, 6-6, 205F, So., New Orleans, La. / Newman (not pictured) 15 Hashem Asadallah, 6-2, 189G, So., Jabriya, Kuwait / American School of Kuwait 22 Mason Moses, 6-6, 202G, Fr., New York, N.Y. / Brewster Academy [N.H.] 25 Julius Halaifonua, 7-0, 270C, Fr., Auckland, New Zealand / NBA Global Academy [Australia] 30 Michael Van Raaphorst, 6-2, 210G, Fr., Chatham, N.J. / Delbarton 34 Seal Diouf, 6-9, 255C, Fr., Gouda, Netherlands / The Dunn School [Calif.] 45 Kayvaun Mulready, 6-4, 220G, Fr., Worcester, Mass. / Worcester Academy 24 Jeremiah Williams 6'4 RS-Sr. via Rutgers 1 DeShawn Harris-Smith 6'5' Soph. via Maryland 12 Isaiah Abraham 6'7' Fr. via UConn 3 Vince Iwuchukwu 7'1' Jr. via St. John's Langston Love 6'5' (maybe 13) RS-Jr. via Baylor KJ Lewis 6'5' (moved in) Soph. via Arizona More from
