College Bball Thread

[Demo]

7 minutes ago, str8baller said:

Duke adding Blackwell at the end on top of everything else is ridiculous. Bringing Boozer pt duex off the bench another year is equally ridiculous, imo, because I would’ve guessed he could’ve gotten a lot on the open market. 

The one that looks so wild to me is Rippey. That kid could have gone anywhere in the P4 that had an open PG slot and they would have just given him the keys to the car and there he might be no more than a 12 min player unless he makes himself impossible to sit, and he might.

[Demo]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7317682/2026/05/30/college-basketball-top-25-rankings-nba-portal/?source=emp_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.mVA._HrV.oLJ7aqOFXfBb
 

IU at 22 in this one and 6th in the B1G. This article lists all of the full rosters and in doing so makes, I think, pretty clear this writer’s concerns, no that’s the wrong word, let’s say reserved judgement on DDV. He’s got them ranked behind Iowa, Nebraska and Purdue and looking at the rosters I don’t think from a purely talent perspective most people would land there. I don’t. 

[str8baller]

On 5/30/2026 at 11:55 AM, Demo said:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7317682/2026/05/30/college-basketball-top-25-rankings-nba-portal/?source=emp_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.mVA._HrV.oLJ7aqOFXfBb
 

IU at 22 in this one and 6th in the B1G. This article lists all of the full rosters and in doing so makes, I think, pretty clear this writer’s concerns, no that’s the wrong word, let’s say reserved judgement on DDV. He’s got them ranked behind Iowa, Nebraska and Purdue and looking at the rosters I don’t think from a purely talent perspective most people would land there. I don’t. 

I don’t either and unless you actively dislike DDV it’s just recency bias because while Hoiberg and McCollum each both have a singular nice run at their current schools under their belts. There’s not much else to suggest they can consistently elevate inferior talent. Painter gets some more leeway, imo, but their roster is a pretty giant question-mark.

[Stuhoo]

15 hours ago, str8baller said:

I don’t either and unless you actively dislike DDV it’s just recency bias because while Hoiberg and McCollum each both have a singular nice run at their current schools under their belts. There’s not much else to suggest they can consistently elevate inferior talent. Painter gets some more leeway, imo, but their roster is a pretty giant question-mark.

I like Hoiberg’s roster for next year. The Prager kid is really good.

McCollum went 10-10 in conference last year; thinking he’ll do about the same. And maybe it’s wishful thinking, but for me Purdue lost more than anyone is estimating. 

[yogisballin]

On 5/29/2026 at 1:27 PM, Demo said:

The one that looks so wild to me is Rippey. That kid could have gone anywhere in the P4 that had an open PG slot and they would have just given him the keys to the car and there he might be no more than a 12 min player unless he makes himself impossible to sit, and he might.

Duke has x2-5 star freshman guards to be coming off of bench. Crazy!

[Demo]

Dude’s #1 returning player is comfortably the 3rd best PG on this list and depending on what you think of Demary he may be 4th. And no Bidunga is a straight hot take.  

[ebridges24]

5 hours ago, Demo said:

Dude’s #1 returning player is comfortably the 3rd best PG on this list and depending on what you think of Demary he may be 4th. And no Bidunga is a straight hot take.  

Agreed, he had that really good final game and that's what sticks in everbody's head. Not mine.

[Demo]

https://huangswhinings.com/2026/06/06/seven-million-dollars-have-we-completely-lost-our-minds/
 

Pretty nice read. A UK fan working through the idea of 7 mil for Momcilovic. With no salary cap I don’t begrudge the schools, and God knows I don’t begrudge the kids, but what needs to happen for them to justify that expenditure on a single player? Did you get the ROI you’re looking if you make a final 4 or does it have to be a Natty? Did BYU get what they wanted from Dybantsa? The lose and go home nature of CBB and the fact that it’s a 1 year deal makes it almost impossible for me to think that’s how you do it. I would much rather build the broadest and deepest roster I can rather than having to completely rely on a kid or two having to be great every night. 

[jermhoosierfan]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/49021471/letter-nc-state-eyeing-legal-claims-vs-lsu-wade-exit

It looks like NC State is looking to get more from LSU from the Will Wade poaching.  They got $4 million from the buyout but says they violated state law and should get more.  

[Demo]

https://www.basketunderreview.com/inn/
 

Nice article on Josh Shertz.

[Hoosierfan1901]

Rumors on the street, but USI-UE will finally play a game at the Ford Center.

[jermhoosierfan]

2 minutes ago, Hoosierfan1901 said:

Rumors on the street, but USI-UE will finally play a game at the Ford Center.

This would be interesting.  UE has been kinda trash since the Walter McCarty got canned for his "indiscretions".

[Hoosierfan1901]

5 minutes ago, jermhoosierfan said:

This would be interesting.  UE has been kinda trash since the Walter McCarty got canned for his "indiscretions".

It was supposed to happen about 4 years ago when USI went D1, but both Universities couldn’t agree on either home/home or 2-1 series. USI wanted a home/home series and UE wanted the 2-1 series (2 games at the Ford Center and then 1 game at Liberty Arena). I have no idea how they agreed to a game/deal, but it sounds like it is happening this year.

[jermhoosierfan]

14 minutes ago, Hoosierfan1901 said:

It was supposed to happen about 4 years ago when USI went D1, but both Universities couldn’t agree on either home/home or 2-1 series. USI wanted a home/home series and UE wanted the 2-1 series (2 games at the Ford Center and then 1 game at Liberty Arena). I have no idea how they agreed to a game/deal, but it sounds like it is happening this year.

Ford Center is technically UE's court, but I would think it could have more USI fans there than UE.  I know UE has a longer and more cherished history, but a lot of people don't like to go to the far west side to their on campus arena especially with all the road construction going on with the Lloyd right now.  To me Ford Center would be kinda 50/50.

[Hoosierfan1901]

29 minutes ago, jermhoosierfan said:

Ford Center is technically UE's court, but I would think it could have more USI fans there than UE.  I know UE has a longer and more cherished history, but a lot of people don't like to go to the far west side to their on campus arena especially with all the road construction going on with the Lloyd right now.  To me Ford Center would be kinda 50/50.

There was a lot of different talking points over the years why it hasn’t happened yet. But USI wasn’t a fan of the 2-1 deal UE was offering and I’ve heard UE didn’t want to play at Liberty Arena. But if the rumors are true, it should be an interesting game, since men’s basketball is the only sport UE-USI do not play each other. And of course the 2 coaching situations too…

[Demo]

Sucks a bit because he would have made such a nice add here. But after the season he had last year he was going to get a big check and starter minutes. 

[Demo]

When you’re an Izzo you get to do this. MSU’s had more President’s than Spinal Tap’s had drummers and now they’ve lost their AD to boot.

[Stuhoo]

28 minutes ago, Demo said:

https://x.com/chrissolari/status/2066559924025356731/mediaViewer?currentTweet=2066559924025356731&currentTweetUser=chrissolari
 

When you’re an Izzo you get to do this. MSU’s had more President’s than Spinal Tap’s had drummers and now they’ve lost their AD to boot.

Cig has it written into his contract that for him to stay, Whitten and Dolson must stay. Sounds like Izzo is trying to rally the most influential among the alumni base to force the Board of Trustees into undoing their current mess. If they can't I wonder if Izzo will call it a career.

[jermhoosierfan]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

Cig has it written into his contract that for him to stay, Whitten and Dolson must stay. Sounds like Izzo is trying to rally the most influential among the alumni base to force the Board of Trustees into undoing their current mess. If they can't I wonder if Izzo will call it a career.

And they lost the AD after just a year, so I get why Izzo would push his weight around.  The AD who was around for the Larry Nassar fiasco said he is interested in going back.  MSU has some problems.

[Demo]

I’m sure this won’t impact their player rankings going forward in any way, shape or form.