If the question is what would I like to see, I'll sign up with Mulder's list.  If the question is what do I expect, I would say I do not know given the low prediction by the A10 coaches and others.  The key to me is Robinson.  He was named by CBS Sports as an under the radar freshman, See article link below.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24773692/-15-college-basketball-preview-20-under-the-radar-freshmen

Duquesne forward Jordan Robinson: Several Atlantic 10 coaches believe the Dukes could make a jump in the standings and Robinson is a major reason why. The 6-8, 255-pound big man is an instant starter for Jim Ferry and gives them an immediate replacement for Ovie Soko. Pencil Robinson in for 12 points and eight boards a night".

Last edited by CLK (10/29/2014 3:46 pm)

Two things:
1.  With their weak schedule, I want 20 wins.
2.  With 20 wins, I want no less than 3,000 fans at any game.  Now on a side note, that is really sad that I am hoping for 3,000 fans.  That is probably what Pitt hopes for at their football games.  But 3,000 should be the bottom.

Before we all start predicting records, lets all remember that the A10 is changing this year from a 16 game schedule to an 18 game schedule. That means the Non Conference schedule will be 2 games less as well. Why the league is changing and ADDING two more games to beat each other up, is beyond me. The league's profile is at its peak after getting 6 teams in the NCAA tournament. To me adding 2 more conference games can only hurt the chances at recreating that type of presence.

Let's also not forget that a lot of these weak teams were also on the schedule last year (St. Francis, NJIT, Lowell, UTPA), when all conference selection Ovie Soko was still in uniform. I think the program will move on well with the loss of Ovie, but this is a very young (and bright) roster. McKoy is really the only forward in the program with significant A10 experience (Gill's was not consistent until the end of the season). So how does adding 2 more A10 games, losing a player who averaged 18 and 9 in the frontcourt and playing a comparable non conference schedule equate to an automatic 6-7 wins in an overall record? I hope everyone is right, but we should be looking at this realistically.

IMO there are probably under 20 total players entire Division 1 who averaged 12 and 8 a game, let alone as a freshman which is what Jordan Robinson will be. It is unfair to him to expect his eligibility to immediatly make up for Ovie's departure.
 

FAM wrote:

Look at the schedule this year and compare it to last year.  There are many more weak teams we are playing.  Now, if we are weak, it won't matter but the schedule outside of the A10 is pathetic this season.

The schedule is basically the same as last year. The biggest difference is that last year, we played a bunch of the scrubs on the road. The reason they changed the league schedule is because we went from 13 to 14 teams.
 

Who knows, but 18 games seems to be what leagues are going to now. Considering that most of the teams in the better leagues fill the ooc with garbage, I don't have a problem with it.

Went and checked it. All P5 leagues, plus the BE, are now playing an 18 game schedule. 18 is the standard now.

How does playing 2 more games vs crap teams help you get more bids? If the good conferences are playing less ooc games, that means there are fewer good ooc games available for us to play. No one wants to see us play Howard. Games like that don't help the league's overall rpi. If the league wins enough of the ooc games it does play, then playing more league games won't hurt. It might hurt the scrub teams a little, but since I hope we aspire to be one of the league's powers, playing a better schedule will benefit us.

DukesFan79 wrote:

Tell that to Richmond and Miami, who also play Howard. Pitt has also played them many years. The reality is Duquesne does not have the resources, facilities or brand recognition to be in the top of tbe A10. That is a fact as to why it has been 37 years since our last trip to the NCAAs (which was with a record barely over .500). We can blame the ADs, the coaches, and whoever else we want but the bottom line is its the university's commitment level. We were the premier College basketball power in this area in the 50s and 60s. But that was 60-70 years ago. Pitt made the committment and built the Peterson Events Center while we stood still.

In order to make a move to get to that point, you must first win games consistently. You just can't predict 18-20 win seasons with one upperclassmen front court player returning without scheduling the Howard's, especially with the additional 2 league games.

I know Pitt plays Howard, and the fans can't stand it.
If Duquesne didn't think it could compete with the top of the A10, I would want them to drop basketball. I don't buy that we can't compete. We've struggled because we've made numerous mistakes. I think we're finally on the right road now. Maybe I'm a fool, but that's what I believe.

DukesFan79 wrote:

Before we all start predicting records, lets all remember that the A10 is changing this year from a 16 game schedule to an 18 game schedule. That means the Non Conference schedule will be 2 games less as well. Why the league is changing and ADDING two more games to beat each other up, is beyond me. The league's profile is at its peak after getting 6 teams in the NCAA tournament. To me adding 2 more conference games can only hurt the chances at recreating that type of presence.

Let's also not forget that a lot of these weak teams were also on the schedule last year (St. Francis, NJIT, Lowell, UTPA), when all conference selection Ovie Soko was still in uniform. I think the program will move on well with the loss of Ovie, but this is a very young (and bright) roster. McKoy is really the only forward in the program with significant A10 experience (Gill's was not consistent until the end of the season). So how does adding 2 more A10 games, losing a player who averaged 18 and 9 in the frontcourt and playing a comparable non conference schedule equate to an automatic 6-7 wins in an overall record? I hope everyone is right, but we should be looking at this realistically.

IMO there are probably under 20 total players entire Division 1 who averaged 12 and 8 a game, let alone as a freshman which is what Jordan Robinson will be. It is unfair to him to expect his eligibility to immediatly make up for Ovie's departure.
 

Can't speak for others but I'm not making predictions - just saying what I want to see.

DukesFan79 wrote:

Tell that to Richmond and Miami, who also play Howard. Pitt has also played them many years. The reality is Duquesne does not have the resources, facilities or brand recognition to be in the top of tbe A10. That is a fact as to why it has been 37 years since our last trip to the NCAAs (which was with a record barely over .500). We can blame the ADs, the coaches, and whoever else we want but the bottom line is its the university's commitment level. We were the premier College basketball power in this area in the 50s and 60s. But that was 60-70 years ago. Pitt made the committment and built the Peterson Events Center while we stood still.

In order to make a move to get to that point, you must first win games consistently. You just can't predict 18-20 win seasons with one upperclassmen front court player returning without scheduling the Howard's, especially with the additional 2 league games.

Right. We're saying that the team needs to start winning consistently. We always hear that the program is being built "brick by brick" -- after three years, either the bricks fit or what the hell are we doing? I'm pretty sure the "level of commitment" that Ferry has is superior than any previous coach (and don't forget that Amodio did a nice job of stabbing Ferry's predecessor in the back), and I keep reading that we're far from the bottom in terms of budget.

What's missing is winning. A Ferry supporter called me the night we signed Robinson to tell me we just landed the best big man in the school's history. Mason is one of the best shooters in the country. Coulter and Jones are 3-year starters. McKoy is a very solid big man. You're telling me not to expect anything from this group, despite the cupcake OOC?

You get the biggest C'MON  MAN of the week. Time to strap on the big boy trousers and compete. Otherwise, why should anyone continue to care?

DukesFan79 wrote:

That is the problem- Duquesne has never supported its coaches like other schools in the conference. So the comparison should not be made with same school predecessors, but with other schools and programs in the league that support their staffs in order to win consistently. That is a big difference. We all want Duquesne to be a consistent winner. The A10 is a big time league, doing it better then Duquesne has done in the past is still not good enough. Unfortunately, this is the same small time mentality the school has operated with for years.

Budgets do not tell the entire story in terms of reaources. As in any type of business they can always be finagled to appear differently. Real committment and resources are University branding and exposure, as well as Basketball and campus wide facilities. These are just as important if not more important, especially in a program which has not made the NCAAs in almost 40 years.

You complain about a small time mentality, yet you're afraid of two more conference games? I want to see us act like a big time program. Sometimes it takes a leap of faith to believe in what the coach is doing, when so many others have failed. I guess we will know in about 17 months won't we?