2021-22 Season

Dean Murdoch wrote:The new Kenpoms are out!

(Spoiler alert, it ain’t pretty)

Five total D1 wins and Zero WCC wins...the closest game an 8 point loss to USD at home!

No, it is not pretty, but it sure is good ammunition for the locker room wall!!  

I thought KenPom was based on statistical data. Is it looking at the stats of UP's players at their previous schools?

Plan to refer back to this from time-to-time...

up7587 wrote:I thought KenPom was based on statistical data.  Is it looking at the stats of UP's players at their previous schools?

Yes, it is statistical…and out of 32 conferences, here is how KenPom ranks the WCC before the season begins:

#1 Big Ten
#2 Big 12
#3 SEC
#4 Pac 12
#5 ACC
#6 Big East
#7 WCC
#8 AAC
#9 MWC
#10 A 10

#1 GU
#34 USF
#38 BYU
#42 SMC
#69 LMU
#124 SCU
#127 UOP
#147 PU
#180 USD
#330 UP

Just had a little rip through the Kenpom stuff. I am not sure I have ever seen Kenpom's computer predict a 40-point spread before! It's usually a little more conservative when it comes to blowouts, but I suppose it thinks Gonzaga is just that good and Portland is just that bad.

I would bet the farm that the Pilots will be higher than 330 by season's end, but I just have no clue what to expect from this squad. Does anyone, really?

Dean Murdoch wrote:Just had a little rip through the Kenpom stuff. I am not sure I have ever seen Kenpom's computer predict a 40-point spread before! It's usually a little more conservative when it comes to blowouts, but I suppose it thinks Gonzaga is just that good and Portland is just that bad.

I would bet the farm that the Pilots will be higher than 330 by season's end, but I just have no clue what to expect from this squad. Does anyone, really?

Hey, Pilots have a 0.01% chance!

Season preview from the Pilot's web site:
https://portlandpilots.com/news/2021/10/19/mens-basketball-shantay-legans-pilot-hoops-ready-for-a-fresh-start.aspx

The article has some doses of reality, recognizing the difficult challenge ahead. I appreciate that, since I think the UP twitter reports are often too rosy.

I see on twitter and in an athletics dept. email that the basketball programs have a Ballin' on the Bluff event on the 29th. Looks like it is geared to students, which is great. Is it open to anyone?

up7587 wrote:I see on twitter and in an athletics dept. email that the basketball programs have a Ballin' on the Bluff event on the 29th.  Looks like it is geared to students, which is great.  Is it open to anyone?

Yes, the event is designed as a student event but the public is welcome.
 
It is  very much a student pep rally with very loud music and prizes going to students, but it will also be an opportunity to meet the players from both the men's and women's teams and I think it will finally be the opportunity for Coach Meek and his staff and the team to be officially recognized for winning the 2020 WCC Tournament.

I am told the students will be seated on the side of the court opposite the team benches, the "public" will be seated on the opposite side, and all entertainment and introductions will be directed toward the students.  

All who are not part of the university will be required to show proof of vaccination with a picture ID or a negative PCR test in order to enter the Chiles Center, and once inside, masks will be required at all times.

The event is FREE!  

For "Pilot Fans"...

What time is the super secret Seattle scrimmage Saturday?

Dean Murdoch wrote:What time is the super secret Seattle scrimmage Saturday?

It is a secret and no one seems to know...but 4 o'clock would seem a good time   , just after the place clears out from the volleyball game at noon between the Pilots and nationally ranked Pepperdine.

Dean Murdoch wrote:What time is the super secret Seattle scrimmage Saturday?

Scores and scorers from the secret scrimmages are beginning to filter in from around the country for many of the top teams...

Today's scrimmage against Seattle U. is of interest to many as we look for some ray of hope from this brand new team and staff. Granted, this is just a scrimmage, but as Seattle is rated #167 and UP #330 by KenPom, it will at least give some indication of how well all the new UP players are meshing after 3 weeks of practice.

Hearing the first half of the scrimmage has gone VERY well for the Pilots.

Second half favored Seattle, but still...

@JonRothstein wrote:Source: Portland over Seattle 75-71 in a Secret Scrimmage. Chris Austin led Portland with 22.

The biggest surprise of this Pilots team may be how big of a role that walk-on Chika Nduka plays.

Dean Murdoch wrote:Second half favored Seattle, but still...

@JonRothstein wrote:Source: Portland over Seattle 75-71 in a Secret Scrimmage. Chris Austin led Portland with 22.

The biggest surprise of this Pilots team may be how big of a role that walk-on Chika Nduka plays.

Tell us more about Chika!

Snus Junction wrote:Tell us more about Chika!

I am told he played more minutes (9) than any of the four freshmen who played (Harvey, Vucinic, and Svetozarevic) and scored 9 points with 2 turnovers.

Dean Murdoch wrote:Just had a little rip through the Kenpom stuff. I am not sure I have ever seen Kenpom's computer predict a 40-point spread before!

Really? Not even last year?

Geezaldinho wrote:

Dean Murdoch wrote:Just had a little rip through the Kenpom stuff. I am not sure I have ever seen Kenpom's computer predict a 40-point spread before!

Really? Not even last year?

Yup, really!

Last season UP was #287 when they played #1 GU in Portland, but this season the game is in Spokane, and while GU is still #1, UP has dropped to #330...so, it seems reasonable there is a larger point spread.

DoubleDipper wrote:

Snus Junction wrote:Tell us more about Chika!

I am told he played more minutes (9) than any of the four freshmen who played (Harvey, Vucinic, and Svetozarevic) and scored 9 points with 2 turnovers.

That nine minutes may have just been one half for Chika. Sounds like he was around 15/16 minutes over the entire scrimmage!

It's nice to have some actual basketball to chat about!

Dean Murdoch wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:

Snus Junction wrote:Tell us more about Chika!

I am told he played more minutes (9) than any of the four freshmen who played (Harvey, Vucinic, and Svetozarevic) and scored 9 points with 2 turnovers.

That nine minutes may have just been one half for Chika. Sounds like he was around 15/16 minutes over the entire scrimmage!

It's nice to have some actual basketball to chat about!

You are correct, I was just about to update my post after discovering this in the trash this morning:

Amazing what you can find in the garbage bins at Chiles, eh?

Snus Junction wrote:Tell us more about Chika!

I am told that if he were just a couple of inches taller he could be a starter because of the way he can create mismatches in the post with his agility while playing in the power forward position.  

Not sure, but I think Chika was second off the bench last night.

I have only seen him in a couple of practices, but among the youngsters, Chika and Matija impressed me the most.

Lots of interesting stats. The free throw discrepancy was big. Seattle had twice as many fouls, and put up 70 field goal attempts to UP's 49. Perhaps SU was jacking up 3's while UP was driving the lane and getting fouls? Any analysis reports in that trash can?

From looking at that stat sheet, both staffs appeared to treat the scrimmage like a real game as far as minutes distribution and rotation goes. That makes the Pilot “victory” all the more impressive. It’s silly to draw any conclusions from a single box score, but here I go anyway:
1. Where is Moses Wood? Did I miss an injury? Hopefully nothing serious.
2. It would appear Robertson, Perry, Austin and Meadows are locked in at 30ish minutes a game.
3. Austin might be the leading scorer on this team. He has a proven track record of it at the D1 level.
4. The most interesting minutes up for grabs would be the big man rotation (Woods probably gets most of those) and the backup PG (does Harvey play?).
I’m excited to have some basketball to talk about with you guys in here! Rebuilds suck because of all the losing, but it will be fun to watch this team come together and hopefully surprise some teams this year.