MBB vs Arkansas State, Sunday, March 10, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+, Pensacola Bay Center, Pensacola, Fla., Sun Belt semis

[appgrad95&97]

If we want to make the NIT, we need to have purple streamers at the ready tonight.

[appvette]

Hate to say it but I'm pulling for JMU tonight. Better chance at winning an NCAA game (and money to App) and also one less team in front of us for NIT bid. But I wouldn't cry if the Wolves take them down.

[AppStFan1]

Speaking of damage, I believe we can do more damage in the NIT than NCAA. Thus, in a way, this works to better our post season advantage. So to speak in laymen terms

That is possible but if we play like we did in SBC tourney we will have a quick exit there. I would love to go win the NIT. We really belong in the NCAA tournament though and I think this feels like a letdown for most. Hopefully this loss results in a lot of long term good. If we go deep in NIT, Kerns comes back, and next year we are a top 25 team then we will have truly turned lemons into lemonade. This loss just hurts even more for us because we know a big chance we blown and we could easily lose Kerns in the next 2-3 weeks. I just hope Gillin offers Kerns a big deal to keep him. We could be special next year.

[ah59396]

Speaking of damage, I believe we can do more damage in the NIT than NCAA. Thus, in a way, this works to better our post season advantage. So to speak in laymen terms

That is possible but if we play like we did in SBC tourney we will have a quick exit there. I would love to go win the NIT. We really belong in the NCAA tournament though and I think this feels like a letdown for most. Hopefully this loss results in a lot of long term good. If we go deep in NIT, Kerns comes back, and next year we are a top 25 team then we will have truly turned lemons into lemonade. This loss just hurts even more for us because we know a big chance we blown and we could easily lose Kerns in the next 2-3 weeks. I just hope Gillin offers Kerns a big deal to keep him. We could be special next year.

I think, just like if we’d made the NCAA tournament, the guys can play a lot looser in the NIT.
There’s really no pressure nor expectation on them in those tournaments, basically house money. Kind of the opposite of what they experienced in the Sun Belt tourney.

[ah59396]

Hate to say it but I'm pulling for JMU tonight. Better chance at winning an NCAA game (and money to App) and also one less team in front of us for NIT bid. But I wouldn't cry if the Wolves take them down.

If we ever want to be a multibid league again, we need to send someone (JMU) that can make a run. Sending Arkansas state as a 16 seed to get curb stomped by Purdue does us no favors.

Go JMU (BLEH)

[BambooRdApp]

Hate to say it but I'm pulling for JMU tonight. Better chance at winning an NCAA game (and money to App) and also one less team in front of us for NIT bid. But I wouldn't cry if the Wolves take them down.

If we ever want to be a multibid league again, we need to send someone (JMU) that can make a run. Sending Arkansas state as a 16 seed to get curb stomped by Purdue does us no favors.

Go JMU (BLEH)

I wish I could.. I typically pull for the team that beats my team.. unless Stink...will never happen
With JMU, I am not sure I cannot do it. I am sure most of the fanbase are great fans...but the obnoxious ones drive me crazy...not sure I can bring myself to do it. It will be a game time and during game decision.
#HatePurpleStreamers

[AppStFan1]

Hate to say it but I'm pulling for JMU tonight. Better chance at winning an NCAA game (and money to App) and also one less team in front of us for NIT bid. But I wouldn't cry if the Wolves take them down.

If we ever want to be a multibid league again, we need to send someone (JMU) that can make a run. Sending Arkansas state as a 16 seed to get curb stomped by Purdue does us no favors.

Go JMU (BLEH)

100% with you here. The league office is pulling for JMU secretly because they know that JMU could make a run like we could have. Arkansas State is a good team but with their record they won't get a high seed and likely get bounced quick like Sun Belt teams typically do. The best thing for our league now is for JMU to win and get past first weekend of NCAA tourney and for App to win a few games in the NIT to show we are a legit team. If the league has a good showing in postseason it will help with the reputation of the league for next year.

Go JMU!

[AppOrange]

Didn’t deserve that game, tough

The heck you say. Battling back from 11 down and taking the lead, given a chance to win despite their dude unconscious from the field? Darn skippy we deserved the win. Unfortunately so did ArkState and that's that. But to say we didn't deserve to win IMO is just wrong.

Respectively I think Arky played a much more complete game both halves. We got crushed on the boards, seemed to sleep walk in the first during long stretches, and our rotations seemed off compared to most of the season. We are a much better team, they just had 2 (not 1) guys really step up and bring the heat the whole game. I am gutted that the our guys lost like that to end an amazing run. This team never gave up, this game or any they fell behind at, all season, but Arky stepped up and deserved the win. We play better in the first, we win that game. Its 40 min, and besides some FT woes, the ability to but put teams away we should has been the biggest issue of this very talented team. With that said, hoping to get in the NIT and make a very deep run.

[Yosefus]

Hate to say it but I'm pulling for JMU tonight. Better chance at winning an NCAA game (and money to App) and also one less team in front of us for NIT bid. But I wouldn't cry if the Wolves take them down.

If we ever want to be a multibid league again, we need to send someone (JMU) that can make a run. Sending Arkansas state as a 16 seed to get curb stomped by Purdue does us no favors.

Go JMU (BLEH)

100% with you here. The league office is pulling for JMU secretly because they know that JMU could make a run like we could have. Arkansas State is a good team but with their record they won't get a high seed and likely get bounced quick like Sun Belt teams typically do. The best thing for our league now is for JMU to win and get past first weekend of NCAA tourney and for App to win a few games in the NIT to show we are a legit team. If the league has a good showing in postseason it will help with the reputation of the league for next year.

Go JMU!

I can't! Go Arkansas State

[hapapp]

Hate to say it but I'm pulling for JMU tonight. Better chance at winning an NCAA game (and money to App) and also one less team in front of us for NIT bid. But I wouldn't cry if the Wolves take them down.

If we ever want to be a multibid league again, we need to send someone (JMU) that can make a run. Sending Arkansas state as a 16 seed to get curb stomped by Purdue does us no favors.

Go JMU (BLEH)

I think if they beat JMU after taking us down, they would likely be a 14 seed.

[311neers]

The question moving forward is, do we try and alter how we schedule the season? Do we schedule difficult to try and climb in the NET or do we go cake walks knowing the regular season essentially doesn't matter?
You have to figure not many P5 teams are going to want to play us after the Auburn game and the season we had.

[Stonewall]

The priority has been regional D-1 home and homes , and it hasn’t been easy.We have UNCA at the Civic Center .Looking for more early tournament opportunities. Tip-off type neutrals. If the opportunity arises for one or two major opponents I think we will jump on it. Don’t see them coming to Boone though.

[appdaze]

I'll keep saying it. Win the conference tournament, that is all that matters. NET only matters for P4 conferences who are given legit shots for at large bids.

[hapapp]

Hate to say it but I'm pulling for JMU tonight. Better chance at winning an NCAA game (and money to App) and also one less team in front of us for NIT bid. But I wouldn't cry if the Wolves take them down.

If we ever want to be a multibid league again, we need to send someone (JMU) that can make a run. Sending Arkansas state as a 16 seed to get curb stomped by Purdue does us no favors.

Go JMU (BLEH)

100% with you here. The league office is pulling for JMU secretly because they know that JMU could make a run like we could have. Arkansas State is a good team but with their record they won't get a high seed and likely get bounced quick like Sun Belt teams typically do. The best thing for our league now is for JMU to win and get past first weekend of NCAA tourney and for App to win a few games in the NIT to show we are a legit team. If the league has a good showing in postseason it will help with the reputation of the league for next year.

Go JMU!

Since our joining the Sun Belt, our tournament winner has won twice in the first round and both lost in the second round.
2023-UL #13 lost to #4 UT 58-55
2022-Ga State #16 lost 93-72 to #1 Gonzaga
2021-App State #16 lost 54-53 to #16 Norfolk State
2019-Ga State #14 lost 84-55 to #3 Houston
2018-Ga State #15 lost 68-53 to #2 Cincy
2017-Troy #15 lost 87-65 to #2 Duke
2016-Little Rock #12 beat #5 Purdue 85-83, lost 78-61 to #4 Iowa State
2015-Ga State #14 beat #3 Baylor 57-56, lost 75-67 to #6 Xavier

We were projected to be a #12 seed by many and if we beat JMU in the final, pretty sure we would be on that line. That would tie Little Rock for the best seed from the Belt. A JMU win tonight would, at least, land on that line.

[hapapp]

The question moving forward is, do we try and alter how we schedule the season? Do we schedule difficult to try and climb in the NET or do we go cake walks knowing the regular season essentially doesn't matter?
You have to figure not many P5 teams are going to want to play us after the Auburn game and the season we had.

If we don't start the season with losses to NIU and OSU, our NET would be better than JMU's given their weak OOC schedule. If we were sitting at 29-4, we might be in the discussion for an at large, though yesterday's loss would likely have knocked us out.

[Stonewall]

Winning fills Holmes . Recruiting is greatly affected by large crowds .Or on the downside , small crowds. Certainly the ticket sale revenue makes a substantial difference. All that plays into building a program that can compete for a bid .

[RaleighApp27609]

What would be considered most beneficial to the men's basketball program: contributing to the Yosef's Club for men's basketball (not sure if the team is already fully funded forh scholarships) or buying season tickets? I can only do one of those this year. Hoping in the near future to be able to do both.

[spacemonkey]

Winning fills Holmes . Recruiting is greatly affected by large crowds .Or on the downside , small crowds. Certainly the ticket sale revenue makes a substantial difference. All that plays into building a program that can compete for a bid .

I strongly agree with this statement, but we have to get off the mountain with players to Winston, Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh. Instead of trying to talk teams up the mountain we need to try and get some 100% ticket sales going our way. We need to meet the fans for weeknight games but keep our ticket sales. At UNCC with us getting 100% of our ticket sales. At Davidson with us getting 100% of our ticket sales....and so on. Winthrop, Wingate, Elon, all of those schools make them annual matchups. And a UNCG, APP invitational to start the year at Greensboro Colosseum.

[ncman071]

Would absolutely love to get in the NIT. Was a fantastic tourny when they guaranteed spots for conf reg season champs. We deserve this one...really really don't care about cbi...cit..or those shitty tournaments

[RaleighApp27609]

Would absolutely love to get in the NIT. Was a fantastic tourny when they guaranteed spots for conf reg season champs. We deserve this one...really really don't care about cbi...cit..or those shitty tournaments

I agree. I believe two banners would be hung in the HCC for the NIT tourney as well as being the SB regular season champions.