Preseason Predictions 2024: Part 3

This week on Check the Net, Impact89’s College Basketball Podcast, join Colin, Kylee, and Eli as they preview 8 more conferences and make predictions about who may be this year’s conference champions! This week’s episode features the ACC, MAC, A-10, C-USA, America East, MAAC, MEAC, and Patriot League conferences!

Creators & Guests

Host

Colin Pearson

Host of the Check The Net Podcast, featuring all things NCAA basketball

EF

Host

Eli Flikkema

Host

Kylee Tabler

msu jmc’26

What is Check the Net on Impact 89FM?

Are you a fan of college hoops? Check the Net is a podcast that covers everything about the world of college basketball. Whether it is discussions regarding top teams and weekly rankings, updates on transfer portal and coaching news, or commentary on the latest major stories from around the game, Check the Net has got you covered. The podcast covers both men’s and women’s basketball across all Division I conferences. Check the Net is available through Impact 89FM’s website, as well as via all major audio platforms.

Kylee: 00:00

Welcome back to Check the Net Impact 80 Nines men's and women's college basketball podcast. I am your host this week, Kylie Tabler, and I am joined today by my not chill cohost, Collin Pearson Hey. And my super chill cohost, Eli Flickama.

Eli: 00:12

So happy to be here.

Colin: 00:13

That that kinda hurt my feelings.

Kylee: 00:14

I staged a coup I'm hosting this week.

Colin: 00:17

I'm happy to

Eli: 00:17

have his right hand right hand man.

Kylee: 00:18

My right hand man. He supported my coup.

Eli: 00:20

And we're putting Colin in the dungeon.

Kylee: 00:22

Yeah. Basically, we overthrew, his tyranny, And, bleeding.

Colin: 00:26

Can I get out of my dungeon for my midterms later this week? No. Okay. Fine. I guess.

Colin: 00:33

I don't really have a

Kylee: 00:33

chance for you guys. You are there till the end of the it's on camp out on Friday, which time Woah. Woah.

Eli: 00:37

Woah. Woah. Woah. We can't wait.

Colin: 00:39

Yeah. Because I'm bringing your tent.

Eli: 00:41

Alright. Alright.

Kylee: 00:41

I don't need a tent.

Eli: 00:43

Dear dear listeners, today we are we are back and we've moved from the south to the east. We're Yay. About some mostly East Coast basketball today.

Colin: 00:53

Mostly. And we're

Eli: 00:53

kicking it off with, couldn't be a more appropriate conference name, the Atlantic 10, despite how many Midwestern schools they have. Farf.

Kylee: 01:02

Farf. Farf.

Colin: 01:02

The Atlantic 10 used to be all Atlantic, and then they expanded.

Kylee: 01:06

And then there's no longer 10 teams in this conference. We need to go back to making sure conferences have, like, in their name, they have to have that exact number of teams in their conference. So the a ten needs to have 10. The big ten needs to get rid of literally half their teams

Colin: 01:23

in the amount of very passionate

Eli: 01:25

But all also conferences named after a geographic feature can only have teams that are near that feature.

Kylee: 01:30

Yes.

Eli: 01:31

Why are there ACC teams on the West Coast?

Kylee: 01:33

Yes. Why are yeah. Like That's a deep conversation from later. Like insane.

Colin: 01:38

Conference 8 of this episode. Anyway, let's pause.

Eli: 01:42

Let's

Colin: 01:42

come back. A 10, women's side. Richmond ended up winning it last year in the conference. 62. They were 29 and 6 overall.

Colin: 01:50

They were a 10 seed in the tournament. Pretty strong team. VCU, Virginia Commonwealth took second and tied for 2nd actually last year. 15 and 3. Kindly does didn't know it was Virginia Commonwealth.

Kylee: 02:03

Why would I know that?

Colin: 02:04

I

Eli: 02:04

don't know. Kind of thought it was Virginia Christian. I'm not gonna

Kylee: 02:06

I Yeah.

Colin: 02:07

Just thought it was Commonwealth. They're a public school.

Kylee: 02:09

I thought it was just VCU.

Colin: 02:10

Yeah.

Kylee: 02:14

Their acronym is just the name. Sorry. Respectfully, I'm not picking them to attend the conference.

Colin: 02:20

The team they tied with with Saint Joseph's, they were 2nd place as well. 15 and 3. 28 and 6 overall record. And that's who I'm picking for this conference. I'm picking Saint Joseph.

Colin: 02:30

I don't have a lot of reason for it other than 28 wins and second place in their conference, and they are really pushing to be that 1st place. And then Richmond, that first place team lost their top player, Grace Townsend. And so I don't think Richmond is gonna win it this year. Saint Joseph's have has got it. Mhmm.

Kylee: 02:49

However Allen, how I love when you're wrong. So I have Richmond winning.

Colin: 02:57

Really?

Kylee: 02:57

I do. Really? Eli is gonna go into it a little bit more, but, strength of schedule definitely matters, especially in these, like, non it it matters a lot in Power 5 Conference, but it also matters a lot in non Power 5 Conference.

Colin: 03:09

That's true.

Kylee: 03:10

Even if they're like, when they're playing these Power 5 teams, even if they're not necessarily winning, they're still learning a lot. And their, their their game is gonna, like, continue to improve to help, like, reach those teams. So I think, playing an extremely strong schedule is gonna do nothing but benefit them, during their conference plans and make them exponentially better than everybody else.

Eli: 03:31

Yeah. I 100% agree. Colin is right, though. Richmond took a huge loss. Grace Townsend, North she's playing in North Carolina.

Eli: 03:39

She'll be in the ACC. We'll talk about them later. But they also pulled in Faith Olsen, who had 18 points per game last year for App State in a sun belt that was hard last year against an incredible Marshall team. But I she'll really help. They also have a sophomore inbound from Illinois who had a couple of minutes a game in a really tough big ten.

Kylee: 03:59

Yeah. Mhmm.

Colin: 04:00

I wanna make sure with their schedule, like Kylie was saying. Sorry, Eli. You can continue, in a second. But

Kylee: 04:08

Wow. Wow.

Colin: 04:09

Play at Fairfield this year, which we will come back to Fairfield, but an incredible team. They also play at Oklahoma State, and they host Georgetown, and they host Texas. And they host Clemson. You know

Eli: 04:22

Hosting Texas people.

Colin: 04:24

And Clemson.

Eli: 04:25

At their home arena in Richmond, Virginia.

Colin: 04:27

That's insane. So those are some huge, huge non conference games, that they get to host or I believe Georgetown and Clemson are both neutral sites, actually. But, Texas is a home game. And so

Kylee: 04:41

Upset. Upset. Upset.

Colin: 04:42

That is

Kylee: 04:42

That's what I'm

Colin: 04:43

hoping for. A big deal.

Eli: 04:44

I I think they're tough enough and talented enough to handle a time competition.

Colin: 04:48

Yeah. There's there's no question there. However Except

Eli: 04:51

you didn't pick them.

Colin: 04:52

I didn't pick them. I do think Saint Joseph is going to take them down in the conference. And, you know, there's no particular reason for that. I just wanna be a little different, and I don't think Richmond can go back to back.

Kylee: 05:05

Wow. He's a hater. Hear that, ladies and gentlemen? He is a hater.

Colin: 05:09

However okay. On the men's side, it gets more exciting, because we had 2 teams in the tournament. We had 2 teams in the 2nd round of the tournament.

Eli: 05:17

Love. And we had 2 teams tie for 1st.

Colin: 05:18

And we had 2 teams tie for 1st. And those are all different teams. All of them. Because Richmond and Loyola Chicago tied for 1st. Both had 15 and 3 conference records.

Colin: 05:28

Both had 23 and 10 overall records. They were about as even as you could get. Neither of them made the tournament.

Kylee: 05:36

Don't I'm

Colin: 05:37

They and made it as a 7 seed. They were 2nd place in their conference, 14 and 4 record, but 25 and 8 overall. And

Kylee: 05:43

so I was lock. Yeah.

Colin: 05:45

Because Some of those non conference wins were always there. Big enough.

Kylee: 05:48

Indeed it is.

Colin: 05:49

They beat Nevada in the 1st round and then lost to Arizona. And then the conference champion who was 6th in the conference, but they were tournament champs, Duquesne made it as 11th seed and be 6 seeded BYU in the 1st round.

Eli: 06:05

Pittsburgh basketball, baby.

Kylee: 06:07

Indeed. If only they you know, if only BYU would have stayed a 5.

Colin: 06:12

And so, you know, this conference is one that's always a lot of fun. I un ironically have watched some a ten basketball just for fun. I watched, like, Saint Bonaventure a few games last year. Oh, I

Kylee: 06:24

thought you were gonna say, like, Dan, and I will be like, yeah. That's fine.

Colin: 06:27

I will always cheer for Rhode Island, the Rams.

Kylee: 06:30

You you love them.

Colin: 06:31

You know I do. However, I think this year, my pick is gonna be Loyola Chicago.

Kylee: 06:36

You're not picking Rhode Island?

Colin: 06:38

No. No. Loyola Chicago. They took 1st in the conference this past year. They've been pushing to build back.

Colin: 06:43

They are back, and it's going to be really difficult to beat beat Dayton. Oh, I can't talk. But I am going to pick loyal to Chicago as long as sister Jean's alive. I can't pick against them.

Kylee: 06:56

Okay. So, like, what happens when she's not? Are you then gonna pick against them?

Eli: 07:01

They're they're getting demoted back to the Missouri Valley.

Colin: 07:03

Rhode Island.

Kylee: 07:04

Oh my goodness. Well, you know, I am agreeing with Colin, not by that messed up logic here. I've always I've like, ever since, you know, watching their run, like, you know, call me a bandwagon, whatever. But, you know, we love inspirational March Madness runs.

Colin: 07:18

And that's what we grew up on. That was our, like, top inspirational March Madness run.

Kylee: 07:23

And so, you know, after that, just kind of I've always, you know, wanted the best for them. They're they're a seasoned team for the most part, and they have a lot of, like, graduate students coming back, graduate players. They have 2 Power 5 transfers from Washington State and Georgia, and then a couple other transfers coming in from Valparaiso, Davidson, Drexel, and then UC San Diego.

Colin: 07:46

Okay.

Kylee: 07:46

So yeah. So I think, a lot of new faces, high risk, high reward. I talk about that a little bit later, in the episode, but I think, like, this could be definitely that kind of scenario.

Eli: 07:56

Yeah. I I do think Loyola Chicago's gonna they're gonna be gunning for that back to back. But I I picked VCU, which I know stands for Commonwealth now.

Colin: 08:05

Yeah.

Eli: 08:06

They they returned a great portion of their minutes, top 2 or 3 in the conference for attention. But above all, they're returning talented minutes. They're returning players who played for them last year, who went through that a 10 schedule and who know these opponents. They're they're bolstered by a couple of really decent transfers, but I just think they have the resilience. And I I think they have I think they have that little that little lucky spark that's gonna get them by some of those flute games that Really?

Eli: 08:33

Maybe maybe Dayton's gonna drop a game at Saint Joe's in Philadelphia. Deal. But but VCU does drop a few. Gonna squeeze it out on the road at St. Louis or something.

Eli: 08:44

But I I think VCU has what it takes to win the regular season.

Colin: 08:48

Yeah. I mean, I can see it. They weren't bad last year, but I really don't think they're top in Loyola, Chicago, Dayton, and the likes. You know? I don't think they'll have enough wins over those kind of teams to beat them in the conference race.

Colin: 09:03

But who knows? But

Kylee: 09:05

who knows? They are

Colin: 09:06

a Commonwealth. So

Eli: 09:07

Alright. We're gonna we're gonna shuffle a little a little northeast here.

Colin: 09:11

Had a little northeast.

Eli: 09:12

And and we're gonna look at the America East, which is one of our conferences that had a little realignment this year.

Colin: 09:18

Yeah. So it started last year, but this is kind of an untraditional conference realignment. We had Hart Ford who has been a d one team for a little while now. They officially dropped from d one to d three this year, and so they are no longer in the America's conference. They've been pretty irrelevant in college basketball for the past few years because they've been preparing for this drop.

Colin: 09:42

And no d one player wants to go play for a team that's dropping immediately to d 3. That's just hard to recruit for. Yeah. And so, you know, it's tough to see him go. It's always weird to lose a conference in d or lose a team in d one.

Colin: 09:58

But, yeah. So that's just the news there. Let's hop over to the women's side where we had a undisputed first place team. Maine was 1st in the conference 14 and 2 over or conference record 24 and 10 overall. They made the 15 seed in the tournament.

Colin: 10:16

And realistically they lost a lot of players and I don't think they're coming back. However, the 2nd place team from last year was UAlbany, a 25 and 7 record. And they, I think we all saw a lot of crazy stuff come out of UAlbany with their recruiting, both transfers and recruits. The ones I wanna focus on are 3 international players, 2 FIBA U 18 stars. Eli is better at pronouncing these names than I am, but one from Iceland and Martina Boreas from Spain.

Colin: 10:50

Who is the Icelandic player, Eli?

Eli: 10:52

Ama Hakan OrdoTer. And then their ice their Australian player is, I assume, Manuela Pajevic.

Colin: 10:58

Yeah. Who played semi pro for New South Wales All Stars, this past year. And they also have 4 other, college transfers, Monmouth, New Hampshire, Saint Mary Mount Saint Mary's, and, UMBC, Baltimore County. So, Eli, what you got?

Eli: 11:16

I I agree. I Albany Albany did lose Deja Evans this year, this offseason, and that's gonna hurt. But genuinely stunning offseason from the Great Danes with all these incredible recruits. And Casey Donovan, their transfer in from Monmouth, really stood out to me. I think she is gonna be great in AE conference play.

Eli: 11:36

And something that did stick out to me about Maine, though, was a lot of that roster turnover that they had was graduation, not the transfer portal. Mhmm. So what that tells me is that that winning culture is very much still firmly in place. So I think Albany and Maine is gonna be a great race for the conference title this year.

Kylee: 11:56

Yeah. Albany's taking it though.

Colin: 11:58

Yeah. I mean, it's hard to hard to argue with all of those recruits.

Kylee: 12:02

Oh, yeah.

Colin: 12:03

On the men's side, we all agreed again to, the top The top team last year was Vermont. They were 13 seed. They had a tough draw against Duke in the tournament, but they were the conference champion. They were 15 and 1 in the conference. They'll have the upset

Kylee: 12:18

eventually. I swear.

Eli: 12:19

No catamounts.

Colin: 12:20

I mean, they've just been investing so much in their men's basketball program for years now.

Eli: 12:24

They're consistently a step above the rest of the America East in men's basketball investment and recruiting and activity in the transfer portal. They've they have that national media attention because they win the conference every year, and they're in the tournament, and everybody's talking about Vermont again. And you know what? This is the year they're gonna pull off the upset for sure this time.

Colin: 12:43

There's been some very, very quiet rumblings about them even potentially, being about the a ten being interested in Vermont joining when UMass leaves. Very, very quiet rumblings.

Eli: 12:55

But I mean, I don't I don't see why Vermont would turn them down. They're routinely bashing everybody they're playing.

Colin: 13:01

Yeah. Right? I mean, they're just a good program with they're building a new arena right now.

Eli: 13:06

They dropped one conference game last year.

Colin: 13:09

Yeah. I mean, they're just a strong strong team.

Eli: 13:11

Luke, that happens.

Colin: 13:13

And so, you know, I think it's easily Vermont.

Eli: 13:15

No one's catching that team. Nope.

Colin: 13:17

Yeah. Should we move to Conference USA?

Eli: 13:19

Yes. We're we're gonna hop on a flight to, like, the Southwest out of nowhere because Conference USA stretches from the Atlantic to the Rockies.

Colin: 13:27

It it stretches from Philly all the way to UTEP for now.

Eli: 13:30

To New Mexico for now.

Kylee: 13:32

So the notable women's team, was 11 seed middle tennis middle oh, gosh. Middle Tennessee.

Colin: 13:41

You good, Kylie?

Kylee: 13:42

No. They were, 60 to o in conference, 30 and 5 overall. 30 win team. 30

Eli: 13:47

win team.

Kylee: 13:48

They pulled off the only 1st round upset in the women's tournament. They beat Louisville 71, 69, and then they went on to lose to LSU, in a hard fought battle in the next round. They're not losing. They're they're winning their conference again. I think, especially being the only team to us upset 1 in the tournament is is huge.

Kylee: 14:11

That is huge

Colin: 14:11

for morale. The momentum is just

Kylee: 14:13

It's just insane. All there.

Eli: 14:15

And and I was done the work in the off season too. They pulled in some great role player transfers from big 12 schools, Texas Tech and Arizona. Those are big 12 players who want to come play in CUSA. They got a freshman from Purdue. I mean, fear the Blue Raiders, really.

Kylee: 14:32

So true. And yeah.

Colin: 14:34

They're gonna be a crazy team to play.

Eli: 14:37

They've they've got a banner nonconference game, November 12th, like week 2 of the season at Tennessee. And I Tennessee, had that coaching turnover that we talked about in our carousel episode. They they've got their head coach with coaching d 2 2 years ago.

Colin: 14:51

That is a major trap game for Tennessee.

Eli: 14:54

I don't know if that's a game UTK wants at home because I that crowd has a very decent chance of coming away disappointed.

Kylee: 15:00

It's gonna be a banger, and it's not gonna be a banger for Tennessee.

Colin: 15:04

It could be a very, very interesting game.

Eli: 15:06

Yeah. Check back in in early November to hear us talk about that one.

Colin: 15:09

Indeed. On the men's side, we have, Sam Houston State winning their conference regular season, 13 and 3 record, and 21 and 12 overall. And then in the conference tournament, we had Western Kentucky, an 8 and 8 conference record, pretty pretty mediocre, but they were 3rd in their conference and made the 15th seed in the tournament. In my opinion, I think even though they were 8 and 8 in the conference last year, I think they are gonna come back. They had a strong second half of the season last year.

Colin: 15:40

Western Kentucky is just gonna keep building on that. Their tournament experience is there. They didn't have much turnover compared to every other team in their conference. And it's not like they were, like, 8th in their conference. They were 3rd.

Kylee: 15:52

It's embarrassing that you can be 3rd and then, like, have, like, an 8 and 8 record. That just speaks to the conference, and that's terrible. But I think that's

Colin: 16:00

It was just a very even conference.

Kylee: 16:02

Yeah. But

Colin: 16:02

8 a lot of 7 and they were they were not the only 8 and 8 team.

Kylee: 16:07

I know, which is insane.

Colin: 16:08

There were other 7 to 9 teams as well. Quite a few.

Kylee: 16:10

That's crazy.

Colin: 16:11

And so Conference USA is just a very close conference, and Western Kentucky's got as good a shot as anyone, but I think a better shot. Mhmm.

Eli: 16:20

Overall, they're returning they're the only squad in the conference to return more than 2 thirds of their production from last year. They got a sophomore transfer in from Nebraska and a standout from last year's Texas A&M Corpus Christi team.

Colin: 16:33

That's pretty big.

Eli: 16:34

I I think they have what it takes to separate themselves from the pack just enough to come away with the title. I I think Sam Houston State is gonna experience kind of a rude awakening this year. They've lost a couple of key players. I I hate to say it, but I could totally see, like, Western Kentucky 10 and 6 conference champions.

Kylee: 16:55

So gross.

Colin: 16:56

That is that is terrible. However, I can also see that.

Eli: 17:00

We'll we'll know if they can do it early. They've got their first two games are home games against Wichita State and UAB, so some American conference competition. It'll be fun.

Colin: 17:11

Alright.

Eli: 17:11

Well, I don't know if it would have been fun. It'll be basketball.

Kylee: 17:14

Will it?

Colin: 17:16

You know, if you tune in, I'll be proud of you. But I will be watching other games that night. I'm sure.

Kylee: 17:22

Oh, yeah.

Colin: 17:26

So let's move on to the m double a c.

Eli: 17:29

Fleeing back to the eastern seaboard.

Colin: 17:31

The mehack. No. Just 2 A's.

Eli: 17:36

Mac. Mac. Don't overdo it. Call

Kylee: 17:38

it. The 3 too many.

Colin: 17:39

Atlantic. Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Some conference realignment on this one, with 2 teams leaving the Northeastern Conference for the m double a c, Merrimack and Sacred Heart, which makes some very interesting conference dynamics, being that both of them won at least one of the 2 conference tournaments or conference tournaments and conferences last year. So Merrick Mack won on the men's side. Sacred Heart won the NEC on the women's side, which means we

Eli: 18:10

have sure they both are.

Colin: 18:11

We have 4 teams in the m double a c that were in the tournament last year.

Kylee: 18:16

Love.

Colin: 18:17

It's gonna be a wild ride.

Kylee: 18:19

Not for the women, though, because you know who's gonna win their conference again?

Eli: 18:23

Fairfield. Fairfield. Fairfield. Preseason rank them. They're winning it all.

Eli: 18:27

Look.

Kylee: 18:28

Funny you know in conference, 31 and 1 overall.

Eli: 18:32

30 win team. 30 win team.

Kylee: 18:34

Team. And guys keep saying that. Power 5 victories?

Colin: 18:38

Yeah. Power 5 victories, they were the 13th seed in the tournament. They should have been higher in my opinion. Yeah. They were ranked.

Colin: 18:46

And, obviously, they just dominated everyone they played.

Eli: 18:49

They they beat Rutgers last year and then pulled in one of their players in the transfer portal. We we had a big ten women's basketball player who looked across the court at the Fairfield bench and said, I wanna be sitting over there.

Colin: 19:01

Yeah. I mean, that's that's huge.

Eli: 19:03

That's huge.

Colin: 19:05

Sacred Heart, 15 and 1 in the Northeastern Conference last year, 24 and 10 overall. They were 16 seed in the tournament because the NEC is just really not great at women's basketball. However,

Kylee: 19:17

frankly, they are

Colin: 19:19

going to be their biggest challenge because Fairfield has no one. They're gonna continue to dominate. They've got transfers. They've got momentum.

Eli: 19:26

True truly the Vermont of the NWC.

Colin: 19:29

So they start out they have some tough games at the start. They play at Arkansas, at Oklahoma State. They play versus Richmond as well. That'll be a that'll be a great, major game player. Home game for Fairfield, which will be great.

Colin: 19:43

Or is that neutral? It might be neutral even. They play at Wake Forest, which is gonna be an interesting one. A neutral game versus Villanova. They play at St.

Colin: 19:54

John's. They have just a lot of lot of good games.

Eli: 19:57

It's gonna be super fun.

Colin: 19:58

It's gonna be a fun schedule for them.

Kylee: 20:01

Yes.

Colin: 20:02

On the men's side, once again, we had a very similar thing.

Eli: 20:06

Known hockey school Quinnipiac came regular season title.

Kylee: 20:11

School. 15 and

Eli: 20:11

5 in conference and 24 and 10 overall, and then fell flat on their faces in the conference tournament.

Colin: 20:17

Absolutely. They did. Saint Peter's, the March Madness.

Kylee: 20:21

My darlings. The Marcellus. Sweetheart.

Eli: 20:24

Everybody's favorite New Jersey team.

Colin: 20:26

Yeah. Yeah. Because no one likes Rutgers. No. They tied for 3rd in the conference at 20 or at 12 and 8 in a 19 and 13 overall record, but, frankly, they made the tournament 15 seed.

Colin: 20:38

Woo hoo. Played a tight game there. Mary Mac from the Northeastern Conference tied for 1st in the Northeastern last this past year. They're in the NWAC this year. 13 and 3 in the conference.

Colin: 20:51

20 and 11 overall record. And I think, Mary Mack is gonna win it. They've continued to be strong. They pushed out of they were pushed out of the tournament by the NCAA 2 years ago, when they won their conference, petitioned to be in the tournament. But because they were still in that transition period from d 2, they were not allowed in.

Colin: 21:12

And it said Farley Dickinson, who came away with a 16 seed upset

Kylee: 21:15

And they were my tournament. My favorite team in history.

Eli: 21:19

And then another incredible New Jersey basketball program.

Colin: 21:22

Frankly, Merrimack is ready for their debut. It's time for a tournament. They're making it this year.

Eli: 21:29

I I agree with Colin. I'm gonna break Kylie's cardinal no newcomers rule and pick Merrimack. I I think that adjustment to 20 conference games from the NEC 16 game schedule is only gonna benefit them. They're gonna avoid some of those tougher non conference games that might give them injuries, knock their confidence down a little, and they're only gonna get even more even more familiar with these brand new conference opponents. And they're gonna build on one of the highest retention rates in the league and come away with it.

Kylee: 21:57

So I refuse to break my kernel rule this week. Next week, we talk big 10. I'm probably gonna end up breaking it. But

Colin: 22:04

I still don't know

Kylee: 22:05

who From

Colin: 22:07

You you said that before we recorded.

Eli: 22:08

We'll we'll we'll see.

Kylee: 22:10

We'll get into it next week. But, so Gimme Quibiak seeking revenge after losing in their conference tournament, known hockey school, to

Colin: 22:21

just Alright.

Kylee: 22:22

Defending their honor. Defending the honor of the m, double a, c.

Eli: 22:27

Every everybody wants the back to back banner. So I Quinnipiac will be out for it Yep. For sure.

Colin: 22:32

Yeah. I think Meramec's got it though. Meramec is going for a back to back banner too. They're just going back to back in different conferences. So true.

Colin: 22:39

Saying.

Kylee: 22:40

Faye will not let them into the tournament.

Colin: 22:42

Are you guys ready?

Eli: 22:43

Dear dear listeners, you know where we're going. Yeah. Drop them on those As. You love them.

Colin: 22:48

Kylie's gonna say the conference name the exact same way because she's so excited.

Kylee: 22:52

My favorite conference.

Colin: 22:54

Kylie, was that Mac with 1 a or 2?

Kylee: 22:56

One a. My favorite conference, because I'm an Ohio girlie, grew up near the University of Toledo, very close. My sister goes to BG. My mom's a BG alum. So I love the MAC.

Kylee: 23:10

I am very excited to talk. MAC Basketball, specifically, talking about Toledo. Notable teams, Toledo last year went 17 and 1, 20 and then, overall 28 and 6. Ball State went 16 and 2, overall 28 and 6. But unfortunately for me, Kent State, who was 13 and 5, 21 11, had an upset in the conference tournament, and then was the 15th seed in March.

Kylee: 23:38

Unfortunate, I'm very sad that that happened. However, I have to pick UT. I have to pick Toledo. Not again. Like, it's a lot of it because of the amazing amazing culture that Tricia Collett built.

Kylee: 23:50

I will miss her dearly. And that's, like, my big reservation as them having a new coach because she is gone. And I also am super duper partial because they have 3 Northwest Ohio natives on their team, 2 of which I did play against in high school. So they're near and dear to my hearts, who all have extensive resumes and state tournament experience. One of them went to the state final 4, 2 years ago.

Colin: 24:14

Nice.

Kylee: 24:14

And they're also bringing back, Kendall Carruthers, who is one of the other Northwest Ohio natives. She's coming back. She was playing at Saint Francis in Pennsylvania, and she was NEC rookie of the year last year.

Colin: 24:27

Nice.

Kylee: 24:27

So I'm very excited for this University of Toledo basketball team.

Colin: 24:32

Yeah. I mean, I it's hard to pick against Toledo. 1701 conference record. I mean, even though Ball State was good, and same overall record, actually, I don't think Ball State has quite what it takes to, pull off that upset. They lost a few players this year, and so I am picking Toledo as well for the regular season.

Colin: 24:52

However

Kylee: 24:53

The turn the conference tournament is weird. It's messy.

Colin: 24:57

The MAC conference tournament always gets way too chaotic.

Kylee: 25:00

It's a bloodbath. It's a bloodbath. It always

Eli: 25:02

is the 8 seed. It always is.

Colin: 25:04

Yeah. Always is. And so

Kylee: 25:05

The men's side is worse.

Colin: 25:07

I refuse to take Toledo on the conference tournament. Frankly, I refuse to take the number one seed in the MAC conference tournament no matter what.

Eli: 25:15

Ever. Yeah. Any of the top 4, honestly.

Colin: 25:18

Yeah.

Eli: 25:18

But, I will not be picking against the Toledo women while sitting on the same side of the table as Kylie. Yes. No further comments, but, like, did you see their Long Island transfer?

Colin: 25:27

Yep. And

Eli: 25:28

they're gonna beat Iowa on the road.

Kylee: 25:30

That's not even a hot take. That's not even a hot take.

Colin: 25:33

A bit of a hot take. It's a bit of a hot take.

Kylee: 25:36

I am all rooting for it. Okay. So men's time, which the Tweedle men make me really sad a lot of the time, especially when we get to the tournament.

Eli: 25:42

Regular. They won the MAC last year.

Kylee: 25:43

They won the MAC. They're 14

Colin: 25:45

and only.

Kylee: 25:46

Regular regular season only. 14 and 4, 20 and 12 overall. Akron, who was 13 and 5, 24 and 11 overall, was the 14th seed in the tournament. Yeah. OU, so Ohio University, was 13 and 5, 20 and 13 overall.

Kylee: 26:01

And then CMU, Central Michigan, was 12 and 6, 18 and 14 overall. I have to take Toledo. They better make the tournament this year. I've taken them every single year, and then it's like, oh, no. We lose the first round at the MAC tournament.

Colin: 26:19

I feel like that happens on a regular basis. Like, for the past, like, 7 years in a row or

Kylee: 26:23

something, it's those I've been talking

Eli: 26:25

like Northern Illinois or something.

Kylee: 26:27

Oh my don't even don't even. I it's yeah. It's it's typically some random team like that in the MAC. So I guess, like, my main thing is they have a good mix of, like, seasoned leaders. So, like, seniors and, like, grad, grad students.

Kylee: 26:39

They have GLIAC, transfer. I think he was on GLIAC all first team

Colin: 26:43

Yeah.

Kylee: 26:43

Colin O'Rourke. And, they have some new faces coming in too. So, yes, I'm just excited, and hopefully, they make the tournament this year.

Colin: 26:55

Eli's pointing at me. I'm pointing at him, so I'll go first. I think it's gonna be a fight. I do want to pick Toledo for the regular season because they're always so dominant. I mean, their culture is great.

Colin: 27:06

Their style of play is crazy. It's fun to watch. However, because of the record in the MAC tournament, I refuse to take them there. And looking at the other incredible team in the MAC that got some crazy players that Eli, I see on the sheet, is probably going to talk about, I am picking Akron for the tournament. I mean, they placed second in the, in the MAC last year and then won the conference tournament.

Colin: 27:31

So it's gonna be hard to pick against them. Yeah. I am picking to lead a regular season, though. Mhmm.

Eli: 27:36

Speaking of Akron, 4 power 5 players from the portal, plus a grad transfer from Cornell who only is transferring because the Ivy League, you can't play there as a grad.

Kylee: 27:45

Terrible rule.

Eli: 27:46

60% shooter for Cornell and 4 p 5 players from, like, West Virginia and North Carolina. That's insane.

Kylee: 27:52

Okay.

Eli: 27:53

Anyway, I'm not picking them.

Colin: 27:56

Yeah.

Eli: 27:56

I'll I'll be picking an a very experienced Ohio University core.

Colin: 28:01

Ohio.

Eli: 28:01

They're returning from a very solid nail biter 3rd place finish in the MAC last year. But I I think they're experienced enough with MAC Basketball that they're gonna they're gonna capitalize on the Akron All Stars' mistakes. They're gonna they're gonna win 3 fluke games in February. They're gonna be, like, they're gonna sweep the Michigan teams or something while Toledo drops 1 to eastern. And I I

Kylee: 28:26

think We're okay. We are not dropping 1 to eastern. I refuse.

Eli: 28:29

Central Ohio is gonna very sneakily come away with it.

Colin: 28:33

I could see it, but I don't know.

Kylee: 28:36

You know? I don't know. Matching's just crazy.

Colin: 28:38

Ohio University is a hot take.

Eli: 28:41

O u o yeah. Yeah.

Colin: 28:45

We're gonna clip that. That's gonna show up in a very late season

Eli: 28:49

episode. Yeah. Dear listeners, we're on to the the other conference full of America's teams. It's the Patriot League.

Kylee: 28:58

America. This is America's conference. I know we said that about the American lies.

Eli: 29:02

This Patriot League

Kylee: 29:04

is America's conference.

Eli: 29:05

Army and navy?

Kylee: 29:06

Come on. You're not getting better than that.

Colin: 29:08

You can't tell me a team with a name like Boston University or Bucknell or how about American University?

Eli: 29:17

Welcome to America

Kylee: 29:18

Conference. America.

Eli: 29:19

Come on. To America.

Kylee: 29:20

This is the Patriots. The Patriot League.

Colin: 29:24

Yep. So, anyways, on the women's side, Holy Cross, 11 and 7 in the conference, 21 and 13 overall. They were the 16th seed in the tournament. They did win the conference tournament and the conference regular season.

Kylee: 29:35

Such a rough conference season.

Colin: 29:36

However she go. Such an even conference. Yeah. Just all around top to bottom. I mean, almost every team had a, like, 9 and 9, 10 and 8, 8 and 10 record.

Colin: 29:46

There was no clear standout in this conference. 11 and 7 Holy Cross just barely snuck away with it. 3 teams tied for 2nd with 10 and 8 records. Boston, Colgate, and Loyola, Maryland. Four teams tied for 3rd in the conference with 9 and 9 records, Lehigh, Army, Navy, and Bucknell.

Colin: 30:05

And I'm picking the team that was in 4th place in the conference, American University. He's picking American.

Eli: 30:09

He's the Americans.

Colin: 30:13

Yeah. The Americans are winning the Patriot League.

Eli: 30:15

Technically 4th, functionally 9th of last year.

Kylee: 30:18

What's their mascot? Is it just an American?

Colin: 30:21

I don't actually know.

Eli: 30:22

I mean, they're in DC.

Colin: 30:23

That's a great question.

Kylee: 30:24

It's the American flag.

Colin: 30:26

Eli, will you look that up for me while I talk about them?

Eli: 30:28

Doing it right now.

Colin: 30:29

Great. So American University, they have a lot of freshman talent. That's my big draw there. And so it's kind of a risky pick, being that we haven't seen how that freshman talent will do.

Eli: 30:39

It's the American Eagles. The the

Colin: 30:42

That that

Kylee: 30:42

adds up. Like the store. Like the store.

Eli: 30:47

American Eagle.

Colin: 30:49

I love that. Anyway, so, yeah, they grabbed a lot of cool, great freshman talent from the East Coast. They keep their top players. They were 8 and 10 last year, so obviously not very far from the top of the conference. Conference is so open, so I'm picking them.

Colin: 31:05

If anything, some freshman all stars is just what the Patriot League needs and wants, and that's the kind of team that will take down the rest of the Patriot League.

Eli: 31:13

Speaking of freshman all stars, I'm picking Navy because as any good American should, you should be picking a service academy when you have the chance. But they're they're pulling in an incredible defender from Virginia, the Massachusetts girls player of the year from last year. So they they've got 3 really great freshmen that I think will be really good this year. And Holy Cross was just decimated by graduates and huge portal loss to Villanova to go play in the Big East. So, you know, wide open conference.

Eli: 31:45

I believe in the Navy. I believe in America's Navy.

Kylee: 31:50

I don't. Sorry.

Colin: 31:51

Dang. I How very unpatriotic. Her.

Eli: 31:55

Send her to Carrie.

Colin: 31:56

Un American. Sorry. I'm picking American University over here. Eli's picking the Navy, and you're picking what? Colgate?

Kylee: 32:02

I picked Colgate. Base brand? I they're America's toothpaste brand. I don't know what to say. I picked Colgate.

Kylee: 32:10

Very seasoned team. Holy Cross, like Eli said, getting decimated Slaughtered. In the portal, and, like, because of graduation, it gives them the opening to, secure one more win needed to win the conference.

Colin: 32:24

That's so funny. I'm sorry. The toothpaste team.

Kylee: 32:29

Thanks for

Colin: 32:29

describing it that way.

Kylee: 32:30

You you picked the clothing brand. Kylie. Okay. American Eagle.

Colin: 32:34

Kylie, do you know where Colgate is? No.

Eli: 32:37

I I look forward to not watching a minute of Patriot League basketball and just checking who won in March.

Colin: 32:42

Me too. I believe is in New York.

Eli: 32:45

I think it's upstate New York.

Kylee: 32:46

I low key felt that

Eli: 32:47

They're like rivals with Cornell in hockey.

Colin: 32:49

Mid like, not like, just north of NYC. I'm gonna look it up.

Eli: 32:54

They're hockey rivals with Cornell.

Kylee: 32:56

You act as if we don't have our laptop.

Eli: 32:58

On the men's side, surprise, surprise. It was Colgate, 16 2 in conference.

Colin: 33:03

The upstate New York team.

Eli: 33:05

20 25 and 10 overall. They were a 14 seed in the tournament, and they were miles ahead of the conference.

Colin: 33:11

Yeah. 60 and 2 in the conference. 2nd place, there was a four way tie at 10 and

Kylee: 33:15

8. Horrible.

Colin: 33:16

Six games behind Colgate. That was Boston University, American University, Bucknell, and Lafayette. These service academies nowhere to be seen.

Eli: 33:26

Right.

Colin: 33:27

Yeah. Colgate has

Kylee: 33:29

They're sweeping. Conferences

Colin: 33:30

show up. They've got it. I mean

Kylee: 33:32

Men's and women's are sweeping.

Colin: 33:34

The it's so hard to fight against Colgate. It's like

Kylee: 33:37

They're making consistent trips to March. Like, they're making consistent trips to

Eli: 33:42

the The Patriot League is apparently allergic to not having, like, half the conference in the title race every year. I I do think it will be Colgate again, but I think it's gonna be a lot closer this year, especially with American. They American is returning 80% of their minutes in a mid major conference.

Colin: 34:00

That's impressive.

Eli: 34:01

Wildly impressive.

Colin: 34:02

Yeah. That's really impressive.

Eli: 34:04

I don't know if they can get it done, but I think it's gonna be a lot closer. I'm still picking Colgate.

Colin: 34:09

Yeah. Understandably. Yeah. But I

Kylee: 34:11

mean, they're not losing at a lot of people because they're 10 and 8.

Eli: 34:13

So, basically, I win at patriotism for picking navy and American.

Colin: 34:17

Yeah. Alright. But you didn't but you didn't

Kylee: 34:19

pick American. You picked Colgate.

Colin: 34:20

Someone cute. Never mind. The, national anthem.

Kylee: 34:23

Yep. Burn.

Eli: 34:24

We'll we'll just start singing it.

Kylee: 34:25

Is that copyright?

Eli: 34:26

Three part harmony. No.

Kylee: 34:27

Oh, so is that copyright?

Colin: 34:28

The copyright has run out on that about a 150 years ago.

Kylee: 34:31

Nice. Well, there should Anyway been copyright anyway.

Colin: 34:33

Sorry. Let's move on to the MEAC.

Kylee: 34:37

College's favorite conference.

Colin: 34:40

Conference. Honestly, a really great conference. It's a lot of fun. The past few years have been dominated by Norfolk State on the men's and women's side. On the women's side, Norfolk State, 13 won the conference, 27 and 6 overall, 15 seed in the tournament.

Colin: 34:54

And, frankly, they're easily the best team in the conference again this year, and I can't pick anyone else.

Kylee: 34:59

Oh, yeah. Domination over here at Norfolk State.

Eli: 35:03

As as much as I'd like to see a team like Howard finally upset the balance of power in the Miak Real. Norfolk State was completely disengaged from the transfer portal. They seem determined to become one of the best mid major women's basketball programs in the mid major top 25. They finished 13th last year Yeah. Behind some standout programs from conferences like the a 10.

Colin: 35:23

Like Fairfield and Marshall? Fairfield.

Eli: 35:25

I Mhmm. It'll take a few more years of program reconstruction from the rest of the conference before anybody else can catch them.

Colin: 35:32

Yeah.

Eli: 35:33

Still gonna drop 1 or 2 of those fluke games like we saw 13 and 1 in conference. But

Kylee: 35:38

They're they're gonna win out no matter what.

Colin: 35:39

Yeah. On the men's side, people have finally started catching up, though. And so. Years years in the making, Norfolk State did win the conference 11 3, 24 and 11 overall, but they did not win their conference tournament. That honor goes to Howard who made it as a 16 seed after a 9 and 5 in the conference and 18, 17 record overall.

Kylee: 36:00

Rough. But, hey, they pulled through.

Colin: 36:02

They were in the first four. I believe they lost to, Montana State.

Kylee: 36:06

I think so. I think it was. Another MSU. Yeah.

Colin: 36:09

I believe it was Montana State.

Eli: 36:11

No. It was Wagner.

Colin: 36:12

You're right. It was Wagner. Yep. So Howard did make the tournament there. They were tied for 2nd in their conference.

Colin: 36:19

So That's such a There's a lot of questions on the men's side. There's a lot of debate here.

Eli: 36:25

And and you've got you've got 3 different people picking 3 different teams, so buckle up.

Colin: 36:29

Yeah. So I will let let's let Kylie go first.

Eli: 36:33

Yes.

Kylee: 36:33

Yes. I'm picking Norfolk State. Yeah. You know, just overall, had the best record in the conference. Best I'm assuming overall record in the conference as well.

Kylee: 36:45

They do. I'd mentioned this earlier. So they're very graduate student and transfer heavy, but that can be a very, very successful strategy in a very successful, like, time for this team. High risk, high reward. It's very high risk bringing in a bunch of people who've never played, like, together before.

Kylee: 37:01

So, but it could very well work out and be a very beautiful thing.

Colin: 37:06

They have a very great coach. Yeah. And so

Kylee: 37:08

That's what I'm that's That's where that

Colin: 37:10

high risk lowers a little bit.

Eli: 37:12

Yeah. I I'm picking NC Central. They were tied with Howard for second, also 9 and 5 in the conference last year. But I think their combination of retention and experience is going to lead to one of the most veteran junior senior corps in the MEAC. So they're gonna be a little bit younger than Norfolk State, a little bit more explosive maybe.

Eli: 37:30

Yep. But I think that's what's gonna be the difference maker if it comes down to a game or 2 in March. Last year, Norfolk State was only 2 games ahead. So n c Central also brought in 2 players 2 of the best players from Maryland to Eastern Shore, which is another Miak opponent. So those are 2 more players who are experienced with Miak Basketball and are adding to an already experienced roster that I think will get NC Central past the rest of the competition.

Colin: 37:54

Yeah. I'll be honest. NC Central looked really strong. However, I'm picking Howard, partly because of their tournament experience last year, partly because of their transfers. And so they are keeping a good amount of their players, but they also added Anwar Gill from LaSalle, who was, LaSalle's star player last year.

Colin: 38:13

And then Antonio Chole, who is a 3 star recruit out of high school. He played for Rutgers last year. He got some minutes in big ten play, for, honestly, a pretty good Rutgers team.

Kylee: 38:24

Yeah. They weren't bad. They're We're fine. They're better than most.

Eli: 38:27

They're gonna be a lot better this year.

Colin: 38:28

They are going to be really strong this year. But NC Central, I think, has a good chance of taking it for the first time in a while and I think everyone's kind of overlooking them and that may set up some trap games for Norfolk State and Howard come in conference play, where NC Central can kind of pull off an upset earlier in the season and then ride that wave to the end.

Eli: 38:49

But you're picking Howard.

Colin: 38:50

I am picking Howard.

Eli: 38:51

Yes. So that you can be wrong in March. Yes.

Kylee: 38:54

Yes. Wait. No. So so we can be more right than you.

Colin: 38:57

I am picking Howard, because I really do think they

Kylee: 39:01

are great.

Colin: 39:02

A little bit better.

Eli: 39:03

Great transfer game from Howard.

Kylee: 39:04

And different. Alright. But we were all cool and different. So let's see.

Colin: 39:08

Speaking of cool and different, imagine being in Atlantic Coast Conference and adding teams from the West Coast. You know? That's cool and different.

Kylee: 39:16

No. It's not. It's not cool.

Colin: 39:18

That sounds It's different. But it's lame and

Kylee: 39:20

bad. Yes.

Colin: 39:22

You know

Eli: 39:23

Why are we playing ACC Basketball in Dallas?

Colin: 39:26

The ACC adding Southern Methodist doesn't bug me as much as adding Stanford, man.

Kylee: 39:31

Yeah. What SMU

Eli: 39:32

stands for. I'm bugged.

Kylee: 39:34

Sorry. I didn't know that either.

Eli: 39:35

Consider me bugged.

Kylee: 39:36

I'm very bugged.

Colin: 39:37

Look.

Kylee: 39:38

Stanford and Cal bug me so much.

Colin: 39:40

SMU does not bug me very much. ACC has been looking to get into Texas for a long

Kylee: 39:45

time now. That's fine. And The If

Colin: 39:47

there's any team to

Eli: 39:48

do it, it's a billionaire university.

Colin: 39:50

Exactly. They're making no money off of this, and so I don't care yet.

Kylee: 39:54

Fair.

Eli: 39:55

I'll care if they win.

Kylee: 39:56

It's the coastals it's the West Coast that makes me mad.

Colin: 39:59

Texas has Atlantic Coast.

Eli: 40:00

That's the thing. Pacific Coast Conference with Stanford and Cal.

Kylee: 40:06

Yeah. The Pac 12 should have never disbanded.

Eli: 40:08

I mean, we can talk about that for you. Basketball conference though. For the women's especially. Last year's tournament teams.

Kylee: 40:14

Yeah. Women's especially. Women's, yes. Men's, they don't really add anything.

Eli: 40:18

Anyway.

Colin: 40:20

Speaking of women's, we have 8 tournament teams from it from the ACC and then one more from the Pac 12. That one more being Stanford who was a 2 seed, 15 and a 3 in the conference, 30 and 6 overall.

Eli: 40:37

That 30 win team. Win team.

Colin: 40:39

I mean, Stanford's just always a strong team. They do lose their, 40 some year head coach.

Kylee: 40:46

We miss you.

Eli: 40:47

And Cameron Brink.

Colin: 40:48

And Cameron Brink.

Kylee: 40:49

And Kiki Raffin, but Oh, we'll talk about that.

Colin: 40:52

We'll talk about that in a second though, because the ACC also has another 2 seed, Notre Dame, who is 28 and 7. They were the conference tournament champ. Mhmm. NC State was a 3 seed. Virginia Tech, the conference regular season champ, ended up as a 4 seed.

Colin: 41:07

Yep. Syracuse and Louisville both are were sixes. Duke was a 7. North Carolina was an 8. Florida State was a 9.

Kylee: 41:14

Just a lot of teams.

Colin: 41:16

Is a lot of teams.

Kylee: 41:17

It is. It's it's a very good women's basketball conference. It

Colin: 41:20

really is. Yeah. And adding Stanford, Cal, you know, there's

Kylee: 41:23

our Stanford.

Colin: 41:24

Stanford in particular.

Eli: 41:26

Just Stanford. Yeah.

Colin: 41:27

Yeah. I mean and that's where I'm here.

Kylee: 41:31

Colin, you're wrong.

Colin: 41:32

You guys are gonna dog on me for picking this. But I am

Eli: 41:36

context, Kylie and I have both written, like, paragraphs, and Colin wrote, like, 10 words.

Colin: 41:40

I did write 10 words. I had a midterm about, what, 5 hours ago?

Kylee: 41:45

That's a long

Eli: 41:45

time ago. Read your call read your 10 words verbatim.

Colin: 41:47

Yeah. I will.

Kylee: 41:48

I will.

Eli: 41:48

I will.

Colin: 41:48

I will.

Eli: 41:48

I

Colin: 41:48

will. Stanford, period. The Pac 12 style of play is just better, period. Deal with it, period.

Kylee: 41:55

Wrong. You're wrong.

Eli: 41:56

Wrong. You start, I'll finish.

Kylee: 41:58

Yeah. You're wrong in this conference. So what Stanford was losing is gonna be a lot

Colin: 42:04

more Hey. Hey.

Eli: 42:05

Hey. The listeners wanna hear.

Kylee: 42:07

Is a lot more than what, they're gonna be bringing in. And, like, them having a bounce back year is Colin, if you turn off

Colin: 42:15

I'm just kidding. I'm kidding.

Kylee: 42:17

The like, there's no shade in them having a bounce back here. They're still probably gonna make the tournament. They're just not gonna win the conference, and I think they'll be kind of, like, middle of the pack. It's like my prediction. Like, Stanford a Stanford team is never not gonna make the tournament.

Kylee: 42:29

Like, let's just be realistic here, with the program. So I'm very torn. I am gonna pick Notre Dame, but I'm gonna give, some reasons about why I think n c NC State is also a really great contender. Starting with Notre Dame, not selecting this team is a really difficult thing to do. They have a lot of things going for them.

Kylee: 42:48

I mean, obviously, Hen Hidalgo is a dog.

Eli: 42:50

A dog.

Kylee: 42:51

Yes. And, I think it's Sonia Citron is killing it. They're returning their top two scores, and I believe they're also returning their top.

Colin: 42:57

They are 3rd as well.

Kylee: 42:58

Three scores. Yes. Bringing in, Liza Carlin from Marquette. Marquette was a tournament team last year. Kylie Watson from Oregon.

Eli: 43:06

Yep.

Kylee: 43:06

That team completely disbanded. They all kind of went to different schools.

Colin: 43:10

But Yeah. No. Because I wanted to play big 10 basketball.

Kylee: 43:13

Some of them came to their big 10. But, but the we'll talk about that next week. But, an Oregon team had a very good recruiting classes, and then I don't know how to say this. Lea2 King from Pitt, another pretty good transfer coming in. However, NC State is definitely going to be a contender.

Kylee: 43:33

They are returning so much talent, and I I since I took the time to write this all out, I'm gonna say all of it.

Colin: 43:39

Go for

Eli: 43:39

it. Go for it.

Kylee: 43:40

They're returning their rebounding and 3 point percentage leader in Madison Hayes. They're a leader in steals per game and in all ACC 1st team and defensive player and defensive team player, Saniyah Rivers. They're also bringing in the Patriot League player and defensive player of the year who averaged a double double of 18.7 points and 10.6 rebounds, Boston University transfer, Kaitlyn Weimar. And they have their all ACC first team player who averaged 16.8 points in, I Azia James, I believe, is how I say it. I apologize for all these pronunciations.

Kylee: 44:16

It's gonna be a battle for this conference, however, because I can also see an argument for Duke because that's where Virginia Tech's coach is, and they brought, oh, what's her name? She's from Australia. Yes. Yes. I forget her name.

Kylee: 44:29

Georgia Amore.

Colin: 44:30

Georgia Amore.

Kylee: 44:30

Georgia Amore. Georgia Amore over there, so I could see them doing some really interesting things. But I'm gonna stick with Notre Dame, but NC State as a top contender.

Colin: 44:39

So I was also looking at NC State. I obviously didn't choose them, but, yeah, they were definitely my 2nd choice. And they

Kylee: 44:45

were a final 4 team.

Colin: 44:46

Yeah. They were a final 4 team. Notre Dame looked really strong as well. Mhmm. But, yeah, NC State would have been my 2nd choice.

Colin: 44:53

I just have a hard time picking good Stanford even with how much

Kylee: 44:57

they lost. Crazy.

Eli: 44:58

My first choice is also Notre Dame.

Kylee: 45:01

Yeah.

Eli: 45:01

They they pulled in those fantastic transfers from Pitt and Marquette who both averaged 18, 19 points per game last year in the Big East and the ACC. And Stanford Stanford has been rocked. I mean, they'll feel the loss of Keke Eriofen to USC and coach Vanderveer. She's gone. We love her.

Eli: 45:20

Is not the same program anymore. NC State's great BU transfer will definitely help them. They'll definitely be making noise in the ACC, especially defensively. But I I just think this one has to go to the Irish, but we will know before conference play if the Irish are gonna be good. They play Texas as their second game in the 8th Wow.

Colin: 45:39

As part

Eli: 45:39

of the ACC SEC challenge. They host Yukon in South Bend

Kylee: 45:43

That's a tough Yukon team, though.

Eli: 45:45

December. And crucially, in ACC play, Stanford Notre Dame is in Indiana. That game is in South Bend. Stanford will

Colin: 45:53

be a tough one too.

Eli: 45:54

Stanford's flying from the West Coast to to eastern time. And I I think if Notre Dame is hungry enough to capitalize on this and capitalize on these non conference opportunities, it should be a banner year for them.

Kylee: 46:09

They they're gonna be very good. I

Colin: 46:11

get that.

Kylee: 46:12

After watching their insane loss to South Carolina in Paris last year, we were all like

Eli: 46:21

It was scary.

Kylee: 46:21

But they looked very they improved so much. Getting some of these players more experience, they improved so much when going on to win the tournament. I mean,

Colin: 46:31

yeah, they were a young team at that point. And so the more experience they have now

Kylee: 46:36

They they're gonna be very tough.

Colin: 46:38

Yeah. Should we hop over to the men's side?

Kylee: 46:41

No. Because I don't wanna talk about this because you make me mad.

Colin: 46:44

There's only 5 tournament teams from last year. Yeah.

Eli: 46:48

Is the ACC even a basketball conference?

Colin: 46:50

Well, they did have a final 4 team.

Eli: 46:52

Less less teams than the Mountain West who?

Kylee: 46:54

The 1 the final 4 team I can cheer for. I was so excited.

Eli: 46:57

Oh, yeah. The only likable ACC team.

Colin: 47:00

UNC was a one seed. I thought they should have had a 2, but it's okay. 17 and 3 in the conference, 29 and 8 overall. They were fine.

Eli: 47:07

MSU in the tournament.

Colin: 47:08

Yeah. Duke, a 4 seed. 15 and 5 in the conference, 20 7 and 9 overall. They should have had 3 seed, frankly.

Kylee: 47:14

We should have beaten them too.

Colin: 47:16

Clemson, a 6 seed, 11 and 9 in the conference, 24 and 12 overall.

Kylee: 47:19

That's such a rough conference record.

Colin: 47:21

Virginia made the first four.

Kylee: 47:24

Sorry. I'll get into that later.

Colin: 47:25

We can all laugh at them for losing to Colorado State, giving the Mountain West one of their only wins in the tournament.

Eli: 47:31

Thank you.

Colin: 47:32

And then number 11 seed, went NC State went on just a run at the end of the season. They were 911 in the conference play.

Eli: 47:42

They were playing the 1st weekend of the ACC tournament on a Wednesday.

Colin: 47:46

Yes.

Eli: 47:47

Wednesday.

Colin: 47:47

They were, like, literally one of the last teams into the ACC tournament. They were 26 and 15 in the in regular or overall at the end of the season because they won their last, like, 9 or 10 games straight. They did not

Kylee: 48:01

drop all the way through until they got to the

Colin: 48:05

final point. Very beginning of the ACC tournament, winning the ACC tournament, making it into the

Kylee: 48:10

Got that auto bit, baby.

Eli: 48:11

They won the ACC championship game against UNC.

Colin: 48:14

Yes. They went into the n c or into the, NCAA tournament, won their 1st game, beat Oakland in overtime, and then went to the final 4.

Kylee: 48:28

Yep.

Eli: 48:29

They they beat Duke in the elite a.

Kylee: 48:31

They did beat Duke in the elite a.

Eli: 48:32

They they swept the other tournament Tobacco Road Schools.

Kylee: 48:35

So good. I mean I've never cheered harder.

Eli: 48:38

Incredible. Incredible from NC State.

Colin: 48:40

You know, for we've had 11 seeds in the final 4 before.

Eli: 48:45

That's not that's right. Chicago. However,

Colin: 48:48

ACC 11 seed coming off of a 9 and 11 conference record making the final 4 by beating some of those teams that they had lost to all season.

Eli: 48:57

Winning 5 games in 5 days. Yes. Five games in 5 days.

Kylee: 49:01

Continuing to do it, like, that is insane stamina. That is insane. Just I don't even know.

Colin: 49:07

Did either of you guys pick that team?

Kylee: 49:08

No. No. I didn't even think they were gonna make the tournament. So no. But it was great.

Kylee: 49:15

It was enjoyable to watch. Even if it messed up everyone's bracket, we were all still very happy

Eli: 49:20

to watch. Run NC State. It was great. DJ Burns, if you're listening, I hope you're doing great in Korea.

Kylee: 49:25

Yes. Yes. I hope you're slaying. We definitely are.

Colin: 49:28

So I'm gonna move on to my pick because I think you guys will have a field day with us.

Eli: 49:33

You kick it off so we can bully you later.

Colin: 49:35

I know you bullied me with Stanford. You can bully me so much more with this. Helen,

Kylee: 49:38

it interests you the same thing every single year, and it works out. Every year we've been through.

Eli: 49:44

Not immune to propaganda.

Kylee: 49:45

This is our 2nd full season, but we talked about this team in, like, the

Colin: 49:49

I'm sorry.

Kylee: 49:50

The the 4 episodes we did science. Originally.

Eli: 49:52

Science. Louisville.

Colin: 49:54

Louisville. I they Now you can't take it back.

Eli: 49:57

Transfer class in the leaving the studio. Yeah. We're walking out.

Colin: 49:59

They have the best transfer class in the nation. Pat Kelsey from Charleston is gonna make a huge run-in the ACC with his style of coaching because, frankly, where how he coached at Charleston was insane, and he's just gonna continue that momentum at Louisville. I have no question in my mind.

Kylee: 50:16

Are you sure?

Colin: 50:16

And, frankly, the Louisville fans want this so bad that they are going to cheer this team to victory whether you like it or not.

Kylee: 50:22

Collin, coaching coach

Eli: 50:24

I don't like it.

Kylee: 50:24

Go to Louisville to watch their career die.

Colin: 50:27

There was one coach that went to Louisville to kill the program.

Kylee: 50:30

Yeah. And And was just beating a dead horse, Collin.

Colin: 50:34

Plenty of great coaches at Louisville. Dad, Collin.

Kylee: 50:36

The horse yeah. The horse is dead.

Colin: 50:38

They finally have a new coach that finally got rid of.

Eli: 50:40

We're demoting them to the NBA.

Colin: 50:42

Gonna say his name. They finally got rid of him, though. And so, finally, Pat Kelsey from Charleston is going to make this team they're gonna come back, and they're gonna come back strong. And no one's gonna see it coming.

Kylee: 50:53

I have just

Colin: 50:53

I'm seeing it coming.

Kylee: 50:54

I appreciate the fact that you ignore all of the other talent that's in the conference. The already established talent and the already established, like, pretty like, they've got pretty good coaching in this conference. Like, I'm not gonna

Colin: 51:07

lie. Yeah. Yeah. The ACC

Kylee: 51:08

ignore all of that.

Eli: 51:10

The ACC really just won the off season this year. And listen, programs across the country wake up and open your eyes because Duke has set a flawless example of how to reconstitute a program that is only returning 25% of its production from last year Yeah. Yeah. Which is a number we usually see from teams in the Conference USA and the M double AC.

Colin: 51:30

I mean, they graduate a lot of people to NBA and other pro leagues. And

Eli: 51:35

But but they've reconstructed themselves, and they've done it carefully. They've done it intelligently, and they've done it with a solid enough foundation that I think they've constructed a squad that can hang with the Tar Heels, hang with the Clemson Tigers, fend off the newly dangerous and hungry Miami and pit. As much as I long for the destruction of the Tobacco Row conglomerate, I really think Wake Forest should join the Pac 12. I unfortunately, this year, ACC will once again stand for All Carolina Conference.

Kylee: 52:03

Which is freaking nasty, and I hate that. And I hate that so much. Listen. I am all for taking down Blue Bloods. I don't How

Colin: 52:11

much how much do you hate it, Kylie?

Kylee: 52:12

I hate it.

Colin: 52:13

I see what you have written down.

Kylee: 52:15

I have a an extensive paragraph talking about this, but I I hate the Blue Bloods just continuing to dominate year after year. Like, I would love for some random team to come in and sweep this conference off at

Colin: 52:25

sea. Wake Forest.

Eli: 52:26

Wake Forest. Syracuse.

Kylee: 52:29

Syracuse. Like, I would love it. However, that's not gonna happen. Duke is gonna win this conference. What do you mean?

Colin: 52:36

I thought you were picking Boston College.

Kylee: 52:38

Shucks. And I know we hate unnecessarily hyping up incoming players, but Cooper Flagg is the real deal. And I, I can't sit here and say like, oh, it's just because he's new and always just because, you know, blah, blah. He was playing against like our Olympic men's team with like a selection of college students and a great colleges, college players. As an incoming freshman, he has yet to play a college basketball game, and he was already selected for that.

Kylee: 53:09

Like, he is just a real deal kind of talent. I mean, they had a bunch of, like, transfer Mason Gillis from Purdue come in, who was a very solid all around off the bench player for them.

Eli: 53:19

Very glad we don't have to play him anymore.

Kylee: 53:21

Exactly. I I feel a little bit better about him not being at Purdue, but still not great about him being at Duke. And then Caleb Foster and Tyrese Procter are coming back. They picked up some other transfers, like Malik Brown from Syracuse, Cameron Sheffield from Rice, Sion James from Tulane, and Neil Begovic from Stanford. Their loss to NC State in March will haunt them forever

Eli: 53:42

And ever.

Kylee: 53:43

And ever. And NC State came in and swept up, North Carolina. It's like, that's mine now. Thank you very much.

Colin: 53:50

Losses to NC State in March.

Kylee: 53:52

Yeah. Both of them. Both of them. Yeah. They were In

Colin: 53:55

the c tournament and then March 98.

Kylee: 53:58

Yes. However, UNC does bring back RJ Davis, and we've all seen him and how he plays. Very, very talented player.

Colin: 54:07

Very.

Kylee: 54:08

However, it's gonna be weird not watching Armando Bacot playing for the Tar Heels.

Colin: 54:12

It's been a while.

Kylee: 54:13

That that is, we've just seen it. We're gonna see a very different, like, I don't know, shape and, like, face of college basketball this year. A lot of those players that have been around since the COVID years are gone.

Colin: 54:24

They finally ran out of eligibility.

Kylee: 54:26

Right. They're they're finally taken off. But,

Eli: 54:28

Lots of grads gone. Lots of realignment. It's it's brand new basketball.

Kylee: 54:32

Interesting. No

Colin: 54:33

one has a clue what's going on.

Kylee: 54:34

Yeah. And then I guess my final prediction for this for this conference is I predict that Virginia will make the tournament again just to lose in the 1st round, and I've been right every year that that's

Colin: 54:45

Well, yeah. That hasn't that's not a new thing for us. Prediction anymore.

Eli: 54:50

I think they're going straight back to the first 4 and losing in Dayton, Ohio.

Kylee: 54:55

Well, wasn't wasn't their game against Colorado State, like, didn't Virginia not score for, like Virginia scored. 40 minutes of 40 minutes of real time.

Eli: 55:02

Points in the first half?

Colin: 55:03

Yes. It was 13 to 19 in the first half, if I remember. Right?

Eli: 55:06

To 27.

Colin: 55:07

13 to 27. Yes. It was 13 to 19 for a long time. Colorado State went a

Eli: 55:11

8 point run before the right.

Colin: 55:13

Run right before the half.

Kylee: 55:15

And Virginia did not score for 40 minutes of real time. So 40 minutes of, like Start

Eli: 55:20

it's like start to stop, stopwatch, and sit in the crowd 40 minutes.

Kylee: 55:23

40 minutes. Like, including halftime, including breaks. Like, they but they did not score for 40 minutes.

Eli: 55:27

I'm Yeah.

Kylee: 55:28

Insanity. So This

Eli: 55:29

year, it's gonna be

Colin: 55:30

I don't know if,

Eli: 55:32

the

Colin: 55:32

committee will invite them back.

Eli: 55:34

They're gonna lose in the 1st quarter of life.

Kylee: 55:35

Hope they don't because that was the absolute worst basketball game I've ever seen in my entire life.

Eli: 55:39

It was horrendous.

Colin: 55:40

Like, it was terrible. Even defense, it was just poor shooting.

Kylee: 55:43

It was just bricking every single ball. No one's making anything. Bad passes. Like, it was just horrible.

Colin: 55:48

The rims were too high. Horrid.

Kylee: 55:51

They're too narrow. They actually changed the regulations. But no. So So

Eli: 55:56

But that's why the Mountain West got more bids than the ACC last year.

Kylee: 55:59

True. Because ACC basketball last year was rough.

Colin: 56:02

Yes. It was.

Eli: 56:03

I

Kylee: 56:03

don't think that's really gonna change that much this year, but

Colin: 56:06

Who really knows?

Kylee: 56:07

It it's yeah. It's all, you know, kind of up for interpretation at this point. So that's the end of it. Thanks for listening to this week's episode of Check the Net on Impact 89 FM. Let us know what you think by connecting with the station on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram at wdBM and at impact 89 FM.

Kylee: 56:24

This will be our 2nd basketball season, and we are very excited. In the in the coming weeks or next week, we're gonna get into my favorite conference in the conference I'm ready to talk about, the big ten, the one that we're all involved in personally. We also get to talk about the Ivy League, which is a super duper fun comp. Yeah.

Colin: 56:39

Absolutely.

Kylee: 56:40

Which will lead us into the preseason tournament, and we all know we're all super excited about that. This season's madness is only just beginning, and we cannot wait to talk about it more next week on Check the Net. Bye, everybody.