Another basketBull commitment

[The Sheriff]

Seth got robbed of the NIT last year. I remember talking to him about it and he agreed they got screwed at VaTech and it wasn't an appropriate way to send off his one senior who dominated the Big East in scoring. I believe Rutgers went instead, a team VaTech beat twice, including in the Big East tourney.

Personally, I'd be happy just to make the CUSA tourney before worrying about the NIT or NCAA tourney. At least we're invited to the Fresno St. tourney at Christmas! ;D

The kid from Friendly... he is going to be a good one. There is a lot of good basketball from where he is from. Hopefully, he'll adjust well from his move North.

[Guest HowieP1]

Wasn't Colin Dennis an All american candidate?  or at least would have been if he didn't have such a bad temper in his sophmore/junior years?

I'm not sure about that, but he will definitely help us this year:

Here is an article from last January:

Boys Player of the Week: Collin Dennis

12:40 AM CST on Monday, January 19, 2004

By ROBBY NISENFELD / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Collin Dennis never belonged on Richland's junior varsity team.

Even as a freshman, Dennis' shot was too smooth and his step too quick.

"The first day of practice, we had him on the JV, and he was struggling because he didn't have any help," Richland coach Richard Bacon said. "But when we put him with the varsity, boy did he take off."

Four years later, Dennis has become one of the area's most feared players.

The 6-3, 180-pound senior guard missed the first 13 games of the season because of disciplinary reasons. But since his return, Dennis has scored 27 points or more in five of nine games.

He put up 30 points in a three-point win over Hebron on Tuesday and followed that with 32 points in a two-point victory against Azle on Friday.

Dennis' play helped Richland (14-8, 5-0) claim sole possession of first place in District 6-4A and earned him SportsDay's Boys Basketball Player of the Week.

"I'm just trying to do things to help my team win, whether it's passing the ball one game or shooting the next," Dennis said.

Bacon called Dennis a complete player, who is best when he slashes to the basket and draws fouls. Bacon said Dennis has a strong 3-point shot and his long arms make him an underrated defensive player.

Dennis also has a penchant for playing his best in pressure situations. He scored 27 points in the second-half against Azle, including 12 in the fourth quarter, when Richland trailed by as many as 14 points.

Dennis will take his knack for scoring to South Florida next year, where he expects to play point guard.

Dennis, the district's Co-Offensive Player of the Year last season, moved from off guard to the point this season.

Dennis, who played some point guard during his freshman season, said the switch was difficult at first because he wasn't used to scoring off the dribble. But he said he's become much better at creating his own shot and now enjoys running the offense.

"If you ever watch him play, he does it so effortlessly," Bacon said. "It just comes so naturally, and he's constantly getting it done."

http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dallas/sports/highschools/topstories/stories/011904dnspohsboyspow.5a42b.html

[Markeymark]

Wasn't Colin Dennis an All american candidate?  or at least would have been if he didn't have such a bad temper in his sophmore/junior years?

I know I am getting old but I don't see any McDonalds All Americans here and I gotta tell ya this does not sound like a recruiting class that puts us as a competetive team in the BE.  Hope I am wrong.

Coulda/shoulda/woulda - do you know how many players are "close" to being all-american? So many that it doesn't mean diddly. I'll withold judgment until I see what he can do at USF under this coaching staff. I have seen too many over-hyped players that fail to live up to fan expectations. I simply refuse to get excited over any recruit. To put it another way, bluntly: no player worth getting excited about is going to think about signing with USF. This isn't going to change until there is an established reputation of solid play and post-season opportunity.

if coach mac takes the wheels off to put new tires on

so a good season is play in march in ncaa an ave season is the nit and a transition is still a winning season then i am willing to give the man "constuction or repair" time to get the job done right

Spin City - are you sure you don't work for one of the campaigns? All this talk about good season, average season, etc. is still just talk. Come back when McCullum is able to show he can play .500 ball in-conference. Post season tournaments (other than league tournament) don't mean jack - if the A-Sun champion gets in but the sixth team in the Big East gets left behind, does that mean the A-Sun team is better? I rest my case.

[Guest HowieP1]

And we are getting excited over Denard Abraham .  He is being recruited by Towson State ? Woopee.  He signed with St Louis ? Oboy wow.

Well, since he didn't qualify when he committed to St Louis, it's a pretty safe bet that other schools were worrying about his academics then. DePaul supposedly offered him, but they must have withdrawn it.

August 13, 2002

Offers come rolling in for Select Players!!!

This is an up to date list of the players and offers that are on the table:

Offers: Rhode Island, DePaul, LaSalle, Loyola-Chicago, Virginia Commonwealth, George Mason and Youngstown State. Abraham plans to set up his 5 visits very soon and will make a decision soon after.

http://www.baltimoreselect.com/areanews_July-August-02.htm

There are some interesting notes about him at that link.

The fact that Rivals had him ranked #24 nationally at Center [Konimba was ranked #26 on their list] should indicate that he's a quality player.  

http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=278&Year=2003

With his exerience playing against tough competition I think he could help USF make the transition to the big east. As Coach Mac said, we will need guys who can step in immediately.

[Velcro]

MM, you guys are arguing that we don't get enough good players, but when we have them you belittle their ability before seeing them play.  Give them a chance before you go and say mac can't recruit.  He may have found some diamonds in the rough, with very little to sell them on.  

This kid has changed his attitude about ball and then became the leader of his team in Texas.  I think the groundwork is being laid firmly for a solid program down the road... but no one will know for a couple years whether this is true... so just relax a bit and then you can whine in 2006/07 if things haven't gotten better, then maybe you can blame Mac, not now.

[GarySJ]

Seth got robbed of the NIT last year. I remember talking to him about it and he agreed they got screwed at VaTech

Oh, bullcrap. They went 15-14.

[Bull Matrix]

I guess we can put Sheriff and MarkyMark in the camp that does not believe in Coach McCullum. That is ok because I know they will be in his corner after this season. You have to admit that Coach McCullum is doing a good job right now. I watched an overmatched USF team compete with UAB only to have UAB make that lucky three pointer. Yes, that is the same UAB team that went on to beat Kentucky in the NCAAs.  McCullum's track record proves that he is a winner, so I dont doubt his ability at all right now. I truley could not say the same for Seth. There was no excuse for Seth not beating UF when they were at the Dome. NO EXCUSE AT ALL. It was just bad coaching IMO. USF had the team to win.

[The Sheriff]

We had more losses in CUSA last year than Seth had at VaTech. That was also VaTech 1st winning season in how many years?

On almost beating UAB... Seth beat a team that went to the Final Four when he coached here. Either way, it did nothing for our post season status.

My point is McCullum needs to at least get us into the CUSA tourney. I'm not anti-McCullum... I'm anti-losing at USF. Less than .500 does not cut it here IMO. At least have some minimum standard.

[smazza]

i will wait to see how they play

[dabull80]

This year will tell us alot about our team.  Not from a win lose record but how we look at the begining of the year versus how we look at the end of the year.  For those of us that grew up on USF basketball be prepared for a long two years.  This year will be tough but better then last and going into the BE will be ugly I fear.  Hope for that upset and enjoy the season.