williaza01 said:

Sure

I know a MAAC coach very well and an ACC coach VERY VERY well and have been in the company of Pitino..ACC head coaches and assistants from ACC, B1G, NEC, MAAC

None reference sha specifically because he/we are irrelevant…but they’ll give some opinions if I ask

And judging on how most of them talk..it is a fluke to take a low low conference team make the tournament and win (what they consider) 3 single random games 1 time..they have a “lack of respect” call it to anything that isn’t going through the grind of a full big conference season..making a tournament..and win games when people are paying attention with expectations. And than doing it again

That is what most of those guys consider to be real deal

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Yes most every coach will publicly say that winning a conference regular season, as an example, is a much greater achievement than winning a conference tournament. Though I'm not sure anyone disagrees with that.

williaza01 said:

I am not saying it’s fair to him..and I partly agree with you..but it is looked at as a fluke

Also to play devils advocate if he’s a proven tournament coach than whats the magic word? He is 1-3 in the BET with 2 ATROCIOUS losses

His first year he lost his first NIT game to a team that got their doors blown off by Utah Valley..so what’s the secret?

He’s like every other coach..he has good and bad but the problem is he is not making it now

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Honestly, the difference between a "good tournament coach" and "bad tournament coach" is often just luck. I'm sure some coaches are better than others at short turnarounds, but these single game elimination formats necessarily result in some coaches advancing farther than expected and some advancing shorter than expected.

Willard won the BET tournament because Isaiah Whitehead played out of his mind for a month+. He lost in the NCAAs that same year because Whitehead played the worst game of his life against an under seeded Gonzaga at elevation. Neither outcome says much about Willard.

hallwins said:

You have quite the connections. You must have mind melded with all D 1 coaches. Please enlighten us with your connections and tell us who you spoke to and what they said.

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Sure

I know a MAAC coach very well and an ACC coach VERY VERY well and have been in the company of Pitino..ACC head coaches and assistants from ACC, B1G, NEC, MAAC

None reference sha specifically because he/we are irrelevant…but they’ll give some opinions if I ask

And judging on how most of them talk..it is a fluke to take a low low conference team make the tournament and win (what they consider) 3 single random games 1 time..they have a “lack of respect” call it to anything that isn’t going through the grind of a full big conference season..making a tournament..and win games when people are paying attention with expectations. And than doing it again

That is what most of those guys consider to be real deal

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I really enjoyed Coach Willard at Seton Hall. The big thing for me was that I always felt our team had a chance to win every game we played. And we played some major talent at great venues which helped improve our brand.

I really like Coach Holloway as well. He has to improve our brand identity and the administration must provide significant support.

TheHall87 said:

Add in the presumption that Pitino receives Coach of the Year. Are you really giving COY to the guy who had three first-team All-Big East players?

Someone had to be left off and it was the player with (relatively speaking) the most pedestrian stats. Ironically, you could probably argue he should be BE Player of the Year.

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Agreed. I'm not sure how much of the COY fits into it given their preseason projection (5th in the league) and the historic nature of their season (18 conference wins, etc). I think you are spot on that "someone had to be left off" so go with the guy with a bit lower "counting stats" even if he frankly is a reason the other 2 are on the first team.

Last year Creighton had Baylor S. on the 1st team and Kalk/Alexander on the 2nd team. Both were potential worthy 1st team selections, but there are so many good players, I think coaches tend to spread this stuff out.

Likewise, Hurley won COY in his historic season (also 18 league wins, I think), and had 2 first teamers (Newton/Spencer). Some probably thought Clingan was the best player on that team, but he made all league honorable mention (which would have been 3rd team this year, I think, because I don't think we had that last year). And Castle was left off entirely, though he was the unanimous freshman of the year and I don't think Karaban got anything.

So, I think when choosing among 8 or so qualified players, the voters for this stuff tend to be diplomatic in spreading around the wealth so to speak.

These have Klatsky written all over them. Andy Toole also makes a lot of sense for Penn.

SHUSource said:

Fair enough. I'll confine my characterization of Willard as a bad NCAA Tournament coach. That's backed by his record. And Holloway will have to make some more of them before you can see a true pattern particular to them (though the NIT is the best comp), but his one time at it was a pretty good one.

I don't think anyone believes that his Saint Peter's team was a full-season equal with any of those teams he beat, but getting that far isn't a fluke, either. The first win was a surprise, but the second two opponents saw that team coming and still couldn't beat them.

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I am not saying it’s fair to him..and I partly agree with you..but it is looked at as a fluke

Also to play devils advocate if he’s a proven tournament coach than whats the magic word? He is 1-3 in the BET with 2 ATROCIOUS losses

His first year he lost his first NIT game to a team that got their doors blown off by Utah Valley..so what’s the secret?

He’s like every other coach..he has good and bad but the problem is he is not making it now

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williaza01 said:

Off the record? That would 99.9% of high d1 coaches

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You have quite the connections. You must have mind melded with all D 1 coaches. Please enlighten us with your connections and tell us who you spoke to and what they said.

ivyhillparkk1963 said:

Means nothing unless sweet 16 or better..
Big 10 is very suspect again this year as usual

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I don't think it means nothing. They had a great season on multiple levels. I'm sure Maryland fans appreciate that even if they get disappointed with an earlier round exit than expected. It isn't like they are sneaking into the dance as a 8/9 team.

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hallwins said:

A fluke run is perhaps the most confused term I have read on this board. A fluke would have been 1 win. Wins over KY, Purdue and a well regarding Murray State, was a tremendous run. Please tell me the coaches that think that run was anything short of tremendous.

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Off the record? That would 99.9% of high d1 coaches

catholicman said:

They also do not practice good basketball fundamentals, cannot shoot the trey, cannot defend it, and are easy to defend because their offensive play is so predictable.

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C-man, I follow another team like that lol

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ivyhillparkk1963 said:

Means nothing unless sweet 16 or better..
Big 10 is very suspect again this year as usual

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Your opinion. Willard is doing a great job at Maryland and many of the same people that are quitting on Sha, wanted Willard and Richmond for that matter, gone from Seton Hall.

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silkcitypirate said:

Doubt it . NOT 1 quad 1 win .

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That's not really an issue as only 57 Women's teams have a Q1 win this season (Creighton is winless against Q1 also). The Big East as a whole has six Q1 wins -- five by UConn and one by Georgetown. Finding a way to get one might have made a material difference.

Our NET dropped from 70 to 76 after Sunday's loss, further worsening a borderline case. Marquette, our best win, is now 63 in the NET and we are behind both Villanova and St. John's as well in the NET.

Making the tourney for most schools, LIKE SHU, is HUGE. If it wasnt we wouldnt talk about it so much.

UM hasnt made 2 n a row since 2017. Great job.

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