(02-21-2024 10:57 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 10:13 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 10:02 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Last night, Creighton beat #1 UConn.
If Creighton can do that, why can't Rice?

You failed to mention that Creighton was ranked #15, I believe.

So why can't Rice be ranked #15?

Hell, I'd settle for top 75 at this point.

(02-21-2024 02:19 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 10:57 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 10:13 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 10:02 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Last night, Creighton beat #1 UConn.
If Creighton can do that, why can't Rice?

You failed to mention that Creighton was ranked #15, I believe.

So why can't Rice be ranked #15?

Hell, I'd settle for top 75 at this point.

What I want to see is Rice in the Dance

Doesn’t Creighton draw like 18,000 a game? At least for the big games. We can’t draw 1/10th of that.

Here are some intriguing possibilities for head basketball coach. All of these guys have Texas ties to some degree, and it sounds like they know how to recruit at an elite level...

Duane Broussard is entering his fourth season with the Horned Frogs. This past season, TCU reached back to ‘The Dance’ into the round of 32 ending their 2021-2022 season with a 21-13 record. Prior to his time in Fort Worth, Broussard spent six seasons as an assistant coach at UCLA. While at UCLA, the Bruins secured a top-5 recruiting rank nearly every season. The Bruins 2016-2017 squad proved to be one of the most accomplished UCLA teams in recent decades. During Broussard’s career at Westwood, he helped send 13 UCLA players to the NBA. Before Broussard’s experience at UCLA, he served for 10 seasons at New Mexico where he helped the Lobos register an impressive .655 winning percentage and four Mountain West regular season championships.

Alvin Brooks III enters his seventh season as an assistant coach at Baylor. During Brooks tenure in Waco, the Bears have compiled a 147-50 (.746) record including a 72-32 record in Big 12 Conference play, 10-3 in NCAA Tournament games and 17-9 against top-10 ranked opponents. A large part of the success on the court for the Bears has been due to their success on the recruiting trail. The Bears 2021 recruiting class proved to be the highest-rated class in program history, signing Kendall Brown, Langston Love, and Jeremy Sochan who was ranked No. 4 in the ESPN 100. Brooks has over 17 years of experience as an assistant coach at numerous collegiate levels. Prior to Baylor, Brooks was an Assistant for four seasons at K-State.

Entering his first season with the Blue Devils, Jai Lucas has spent the past five seasons as an accomplished assistant at powerhouse programs, Kentucky and Texas. Lucas is already well-regarded as a high-level player developer and a strong recruiter. During his two seasons at Kentucky, Lucas managed Kentucky’s recruitment strategy. At Kentucky, Lucas has helped the Wildcats haul five McDonald’s All-Americans. Prior to Kentucky, Lucas served for seven seasons at his alma mater, the University of Texas-Austin. A homegrown Texan, Lucas started his coaching career as a special assistant for Rick Barnes and eventually was elevated to assistant coach under Shaka Smart for the 2016-2017 season. During his career coaching at Texas, Lucas assisted the development of future NBA players. During his tenures at Kentucky and Texas, he has contributed to 5 top-20 recruiting classes. Prior to his coaching career, Lucas played three seasons of professional ball. Jai Lucas was a McDonald’s All-American and played collegiate basketball for the Florida Gators and Texas Longhorns.

Kellen Sampson is entering his ninth season as an Assistant Coach for the Houston Cougars. During his time at Houston, the Cougars have achieved immense success. The Cougars have won a program record, seven straight 20+ win seasons. The Cougars also currently have finished in the top 25 for the past five seasons. Sampson was an integral part in the development of future NBA players. Prior to joining the Cougars, Sampson served for three seasons at Appalachian State and one season at Stephen F. Austin where the program finished with 18 wins and the best scoring defense in the country.

Ulric Maligi is entering his first season with the Wildcats. Prior to K-State, Maligi served under Chris Beard for three seasons at both Texas Texas and Texas. In his two seasons at T-Tech, the Red Raiders posted a 36-24 record and consistent Top 25 AP poll ranking. In the 2020-2021 season, the Red Raiders led the Big 12 in scoring defense (63.2 points per game) and held 13 of its 29 opponents below 60 points. Maligi was a massive contributor to T-Tech’s top-10 2020 recruiting class. The class included Micah Peavy, Mac McClung (transfer), and Marcus Santos-Silva (transfer). In Maligi’s lone season at UT (2021-2022), the Longhorns registered a 22-12 overall record and 16-3 home record. Prior to his time at Texas Tech and Texas, Maligi spent three seasons as an assistant at Texas A&M. The Aggies registered an overall 22-13 record and reached the Sweet 16 in the 2017-2018 season. Maligi also served under Larry Brown at SMU for several seasons. During the 2014-2015 season, the Mustangs achieved a 27-7 record. Maligi was hired by UT Arlington in 2006 making him the youngest D1 assistant coach in the country at the time (21).

Carlin Hartman is entering his first season as Associate Head Coach for the Florida Gators. Hartman carries 22 years of experience at the collegiate level. Hartman has a proven track record of magnificent coaching and elite recruiting. In 2021-2022, Hartman assisted at UNLV and led the Runnin Rebels to an 18-win season, including double-digit Mountain West Conference victories. At Oklahoma, Hartman carved his way into an established recruiter leading the Sooners to their best recruiting class in the Lon Kruger Era in 2019. Hartman recruited and mentored Oklahoma legends, Trae Young, Isaiah Cousins, and Austin Reaves while in Norman. Prior to Oklahoma, Hartman served on staff at Rice, Columbia, and Richmond. Hartman played four year at Tulane and is celebrated as a part of Tulane’s 1990s All-Decade Team.

My guess is that the salary would have to be increased to at least $2 million annually to lure one of these guys to Rice.

The problem with Broussard, Brooks, Lucas, and Maligi is that Rice would likely be a stepping stone for all of them. So setting aside how good they might be, almost guaranteed that all would be multiyear rentals. Hartman is a weird one. He's been on my list to replace Pera for a while but for some reason it doesn't seem like he's in any rush to take a head coaching job - his name has come up in multiple cycles. While he's respected in the industry and beloved by his players (including at Rice), we'd also likely be a stop and not a destination. Sampson is interesting because my bet is that his dad wants him to eventually take over the HC job at Houston. From everything I've seen, he has an elite defensive mind. But who knows how realistic he is.

A lot is going to come down to the philosophy of our AD. Is he willing to bet on a high-major assistant, who might come in, give us a quick injection, and then leave in three years? Does he want to go off the beaten path in a direction with more potential for stability, but that carries with it more risk?

Sampson already has been named the head coach in waiting at UH. He’s not coming to Rice in the interim. Maybe their associate head coach but not Sampson.

Look up the head coach at Cornell. He would be a good fit. Maybe. We haven’t done great with Ivy League coaches.

(02-21-2024 04:39 PM)elw4796 Wrote:  The problem with Broussard, Brooks, Lucas, and Maligi is that Rice would likely be a stepping stone for all of them. So setting aside how good they might be, almost guaranteed that all would be multiyear rentals. Hartman is a weird one. He's been on my list to replace Pera for a while but for some reason it doesn't seem like he's in any rush to take a head coaching job - his name has come up in multiple cycles. While he's respected in the industry and beloved by his players (including at Rice), we'd also likely be a stop and not a destination. Sampson is interesting because my bet is that his dad wants him to eventually take over the HC job at Houston. From everything I've seen, he has an elite defensive mind. But who knows how realistic he is.

A lot is going to come down to the philosophy of our AD. Is he willing to bet on a high-major assistant, who might come in, give us a quick injection, and then leave in three years? Does he want to go off the beaten path in a direction with more potential for stability, but that carries with it more risk?

Agree with you on the shortened tenure for any coach who comes in and improves the program dramatically, but unfortunately, that will be the case with anyone who has success at Rice. We are a stepping stone, not a destination.

The most intriguing names to me are JaiLucas, Ulric Maligi, and Carlin Hartman, with Hartman being at the top. All of them have strong recruiting ties to Texas, and Rice desperately needs athleticism. Hartman played for Tulane and already coached at Rice, so he knows the challenges better then the others.

It’s time for Deroche, McClelland, and the BOT to put up or shut up. It will cost money to attract the best candidates.

Don't look now, but Rice is blowing our UAB (winners of 8 straight at home) 49-24 at half time. Doubling up a good UAB team on the road? Seriously? Rice shooting 64% from the floor. It's really going to take one heck of an effort for them to blow this one.

Shh. Rice fans only want to complain. But keep an eye on certain posters. If they start posting, it means Rice is blowing its biggest lead yet this season.

There's a thread for the UAB game by the way.