Game Date: Oct 22nd, 2044
Discussion Forum
Forum >> Discussions >> Hardwood's greatest teams 
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| #19374 | 11/28/2022 7:01:29 pm | Feb 8th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive 
| Over the near 30-year (in game terms) history of Hardwood, there have been a number of truly special teams. I'd like to shine the spotlight on the best of the best. In another forum thread, I have posted the lists of Division I teams (through 2028) that have finished a season with a winning percentage of .850 or higher, an RPI of .600 or higher, and a points differential of +20 or higher. Hitting any of those milestones is quite an achievement. Getting two of the three in any given year puts you on a short list (I didn't count but it's around 100 teams). Hitting all three, in the same season? That puts you in rare air, indeed. In all, 45 teams have accomplished that trifecta -- four from LL1, six from LL2, 13 from LL3 and 22 from LL4. In this thread, I'm going to detail each of them in chronological order and dig into the numbers to find out what made them so good. Some of them won national championships. Others -- such as the very first team detailed below -- entered the national tournament as a No. 1 seed and got upset immediately. But over the course of a full season, they were all good. Damn good. I will post the team profiles over the weeks and months to follow ... aside from the first one, which is ready right now: OKLAHOMA BAPTIST, 2003 President: None Overall record: 42-3 (.933) RPI: .603 Average point differential: +22.1 Conference: IV.6 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: First round It's not all that surprising that the first team (in order of chronology) to make this list based on the criteria is a bot team. There were far fewer human-controlled teams in Hardwood's third year of existence than there are today. Also, the randomness of the original rosters in 2001 led to the Bison having a starting lineup of four seniors and a junior in 2003. Oklahoma Baptist became the first Division I team to finish a season with an RPI at or above .600, and was the only team to achieve the feat until 2005. That probably doesn't happen without another strong team for the time -- Saint Mary's Minnesota (40-6, .584 RPI, 15.5 PD) -- also being in IV.6 that year. The Bison won both meetings, claimed the conference tournament title after a quarterfinal scare against Ouachita Baptist, and entered the national tourney as a No. 1 seed -- that promptly got upset 84-82 by Cal State Dominguez Hills, which finished 25-22 overall but got hot late in winning the IV.4 Conference title and reaching the Sweet 16. CSDH also was human-controlled, which may very well have made a difference. The statistical profile of the Bison pales compared to most powerhouse teams of modern Hardwood times. They shot 47.3% overall and 36.0% from deep on a relatively modest 18.5 attempts per game. Their eFGP was only 52.7% and they averaged 1.00 points per possession. They made their hay by annihilating teams in the paint (+11.8 PITP, +5.4 rebounding), at the foul line (18.2 for 25.2, compared to 11.2 for 16.9 by its opponents), and on defense, where they were legit. They had a +7.8 turnover margin, forcing 10 steals per game, and held opponents to 40.5% shooting overall, 29.4% from deep, a 45.8% eFGP and 0.76 points per possession -- a mark that remains elite. Individually, junior Birago Ndoye was the star, a three-time all-conference honoree. The 6-foot-11 big man from Senegal, who boasted a 7-3 wingspan, averaged 17.6 points on 57.8% shooting and 8.9 rebounds per game. Senior Josue Meza, a 6-3 small forward, was a two-time all-conference honoree who averaged 17.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 2003. He shot a solid 40.2% from deep, making three 3s per game. Point guard Keith Szewc (13.8 ppg, 8.0 apg, 2.3 spg), shooting guard Ismael Galarraga (13.2 ppg) and big Marshall Snyder (9.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.5 bpg) rounded out the Bison's regular starting five. Szewc was the only member of the team to get drafted, by the Washington Wizards. He played for six seasons in the NBA, averaging 9.1 points and 6.9 assists in 21.5 minutes per game. |
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| #19375 | 11/28/2022 8:45:54 pm | Feb 8th, 2029 | |
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TPS2.0 Joined: 02/05/2018 Posts: 166 Tennessee Volunteers III.4 
| That's a throwback during the time where the random generation built some really good team(and some bad ones like my own team). Pretty good team though. |
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| #19379 | 11/29/2022 9:52:02 am | Feb 8th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| VANDERBILT, 2005 President: BigBallerPeter Overall record: 45-4 (.918) RPI: .612 Average point differential: 25.1 Conference: I.1 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: Finals The first of the four Legends League teams to meet the criteria for this list was arguably the best program in the first eight years of Hardwood. Though they never won a national title -- coming closest this season, falling to Texas Tech 91-89 in the championship game (the Red Raiders will be discussed in detail soon) -- they won five conference titles from 2002-07, and went 253-69 overall from 2002-08, including consecutive 28-2 conference records in 2004 (II.1) and 2005 (I.1). Only one team in Legends League history -- the 2009 Butler squad (46-4) -- has finished with a higher overall winning percentage than the 2005 Commodores. No Legends League team has amassed a better point differential. This was a squad built on depth rather than superstars. The leading scorer averaged just 13 points per game, the leading rebounder just 7.5 boards a contest. But each of the starting five averaged double-digits in scoring and four reserves averaged at least 6.7 points. The cumulative effect was devastating for opponents, who were outscored by 12.9 points in the paint, outrebounded by 8.1 boards per game and forced into almost 19 turnovers per contest. Try to take away the inside game, and the Commodores could hurt you with volume 3-point shooting -- though they only made 34.4% from deep, they averaged 8.5 3s a game, keeping defenses honest. Overall, Vanderbilt had a 57.3% eFGP and averaged 1.05 points per possession, while holding opponents to 47.8% eFGP and 0.81 points per possession. Senior point guard Ryan Kaufman was arguably the team's top star, averaging 13 points and 7.2 assists to earn all-conference honors. He was drafted by the Brooklyn Nets and played eight pro seasons at a near all-star level, averaging 14 points and 9.9 assists. Senior starting big men Dana Lanier (6-8, 12.8 ppg, 68.4% FG, 7.5 rpg) and Ross Schwartz (7-1, 11.8 ppg, 67.1% FG, 7.2 rpg) destroyed opponents with their efficiency. Schwartz was drafted by the Toronto Raptors and enjoyed an 11-year pro career, averaging 12 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Liam Summers (12.5 ppg) and Duane Butler (10.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg) rounded out the starting lineup in 2005. Butler, a 5-star recruit, blossomed in 2006 after moving to the point, averaging 16.6 points and 10 assists, and was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies, going on to a 10-year pro career averaging 9.6 points and 5.1 assists. |
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| #19380 | 11/29/2022 1:51:12 pm | Feb 10th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| TEXAS TECH, 2005 President: Lee Overall record: 46-4 (.920) RPI: .603 Average point differential: 20.5 Conference: II.2 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Finals National tournament finish: Champion Texas Tech can argue it, and not Vanderbilt, was the best program in early Hardwood history. From 2002-2010, the Red Raiders won at least 30 games each season, never finishing worse than fourth in their conference over those nine years (the final five from 2006-10 in Legends). Texas Tech went 307-99 over those nine years, and reached the Final Four in 2009 in addition to its 2005 championship. The 2005 Red Raiders remain tied for the second-best winning percentage in LL2 history. Amazingly, they got blown out 103-62 by Wisconsin in the conference title game, but they came back to win the national title, taking thrillers over Mississippi (119-115) and Vanderbilt (91-89) in the Final Four. They were an offensive juggernaut, averaging 99.6 points per game on 50.5% shooting, including 8.6 3-pointers per game at a 34.9% clip, with a points-per-possession mark of 1.06. Six players averaged at least 11.6 points per game, and three other bench regulars added between five and seven points per game. They had decisive edges inside (with three starters 6-9 or taller), outscoring teams by +12.5 in the paint and outrebounding them by +6.2. They also had a +5.9 turnover margin. Senior power forward Lenny Johnston, a 7-footer with a ridiculous 7-7 wingspan, earned all-conference and all-tournament honors, averaging 17.3 points on 66.7% shooting and 8.4 rebounds. He surprisingly was not drafted. Junior guard J.R. Hood averaged 15.2 points (shooting 46.9% on 2s and 35.9% on 3s) as the Red Raiders' second-leading scorer. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006 and played eight pro seasons, averaging 10.0 points in 21.4 minutes per game. Senior point guard Willard Lloyd averaged 15.0 points and 9.0 assists. Junior Gary Moore, a 6-11 "small" forward, averaged 12.7 points on 57.7% shooting and 7.6 rebounds. He was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 2006 and played six pro seasons, averaging 12.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game. Diaper dandy freshman Rob Schulz, a 6-9 wing, averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 rebounds. He would go on to win all-conference honors as a junior and senior in 2007-08. Sophomore 6-6 guard Brock Pryor was the team's sixth man, averaging 11.6 points on 45.8% shooting. He was the team's starting point guard in his final two seasons. |
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| #19381 | 11/29/2022 7:58:11 pm | Feb 10th, 2029 | |
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plokmijn Joined: 03/19/2020 Posts: 92 Alabama Crimson Tide III.4 
| Man, my last years team barely missed out on the trifecta since we only had a win% of 0.833. I believe my 2022 team achieved this but in my opinion last years team was better. | ||
| #19382 | 11/30/2022 6:38:36 am | Feb 10th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| Alabama 2022 did make it. I don't doubt that some of the teams that only have two of the three milestones on their resume are better than some of those that hit all three. |
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| #19383 | 11/30/2022 5:03:11 pm | Feb 15th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CAL STATE EAST BAY, 2006 President: Onsilas Overall record: 45-2 (.957) RPI: .607 Average point differential: +25.0 Conference: IV.4 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Sweet 16 Six Division I teams have tied for the Hardwood record for fewest losses in a season with two, and this group of Pioneers is one of them. The Pioneers are one of two programs in Hardwood to win a pair of Division I national titles ... but neither came in 2006, as they lost a 67-66 defensive thriller to eventual champion Columbia (more on that team coming real soon) in a Sweet 16 matchup that, in retrospect, probably should have happened in the final (I have them as pretty clearly the two best teams that year, but both were in LL4 and as such were probably underrated a bit by the game engine in terms of ranking/seeding). Cal State East Bay opened the 2006 season with 39 straight victories (42 if you're dumb and count the preseason), riding a post offense that few teams could even hope to match up against. The Pioneers shot 54.2% overall and 59.5% inside the arc, averaging 1.07 points per possession. They could shoot it from downtown as well (37.0% on 14.1 attempts per game), they just didn't need to jack a lot of them up while lighting opponents up to the tune of a +21.9 advantage in the paint (scoring 42.6 points per game in there) while outrebounding them by +11.1 a contest. The Pioneers' defense did its part, holding opponents to 41.6% shooting and 0.80 points per possession with a +5.1 turnover margin. The star of the show was 6-8 senior power forward Joe Ruby, who finished his career as a two-time conference player of the year. In 2006 he averaged 20.9 points on 62.3% shooting (even making 43.2% of 3-point attempts on just under one attempt per contest) and grabbed 9.9 rebounds. Somehow, he didn't get drafted despite a 164 SI. Junior 7-foot center Rodrick Atkinson gave the Pioneers a "Twin Towers" front line, averaging 13.6 points on 63.4% shooting and 9.1 rebounds. He helped CSEB win the national title the following year, earning all-tournament honors, then was drafted by the Detroit Pistons, but only played three pro seasons, largely as a backup. Junior shooting guard Everett Hannon earned all-conference honors in 2006, averaging 12.9 points on 47.3% shooting (including 41.0% from deep) and 3.0 assists. He also earned all-tournament honors the following year. Sophomore small forward Leonard Hunt, who played bigger than his 6-4 stature thanks to a 6-10 wingspan, averaged 11.0 points on 46.2% shooting (including 37.2% from deep) and 3.9 rebounds. Junior point guard Louis Handley had one of the easiest gigs in all of college basketball in 2006. All he had to do was get the ball in to the big guys and let them eat. Handley only scored 4.8 points in 28.7 minutes per game, while dishing out 7.7 assists. Chinese big man Qing Yuan Wei was a junior sixth man on the 2006 squad, playing 15.5 minutes per game and averaging a robust 9.5 points on 69.7% shooting in that limited time. Updated Wednesday, November 30 2022 @ 5:05:14 pm PST |
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| #19384 | 11/30/2022 9:14:38 pm | Feb 15th, 2029 | |
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Hayseed Joined: 04/05/2019 Posts: 133 Lewis & Clark Pioneers I.1 
| these are great write ups kd! thanks so much. You always bring so much to the forums. |
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| #19385 | 12/01/2022 1:28:04 pm | Feb 17th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| COLUMBIA, 2006 President: g10rsh Overall record: 46-4 (.920) RPI: .604 Average point differential: +23.3 Conference: IV.1 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Champion The first team in this series to win both a conference and national title, the Lions closed 2006 on a 12-game winning streak. They dodged a pair of upset bullets -- edging Washington State 86-82 in the national first round and Cal State East Bay 67-66 in the Sweet 16 (OK, this one wouldn't really have been an upset) -- along the way. Columbia had a deadly mix of inside strength and efficient perimeter shooting. The Lions outscored teams by +14.2 in the paint and had a +7.5 rebounding edge. They also shot 38.0% from 3-point range as a team, making seven a game. Overall, they shot 52.9% with a 58.6% eFGP, averaging an elite 1.08 points per possession, while holding opponents to 43.7% shooting (49.1% eFGP) and 0.83 points per possession. They also made 19.0 of 25.9 free throws per game; opponents made 13.2 of 19.3. All five of the Lions' starters ended up getting drafted, the first team to be profiled here that can claim that. They each averaged more than 11 points per game in 2006. Senior center Micheal Martin was the superstar of the Lions, a 6-11 beast who averaged 19.6 points on 64.9% shooting and 10.6 rebounds. He earned conference player of the year honors, was an All-American and was selected to the all-tournament team. He was drafted by the Seattle Sonics and played seven pro seasons at an all-star level, averaging 16.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. Senior guard Chuck Waldrip averaged 16.3 points on 47.8% shooting (38.5% from deep), 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals. He was taken by the New Jersey Nets and had a 13-year pro career mostly as a backup, averaging 11.0 points and 4.2 assists in 19.7 minutes per game. Senior guard Alexander Patterson averaged 12.4 points on 45.4% shooting (37.1% from deep), 2.8 assists and 1.9 steals. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks and played just three pro seasons, averaging 5.1 points in 14 minutes per game. Freshman point guard Cody Moore, a five-star recruit, started every game and averaged 11.3 points on 47.9% shooting (37.2% from deep) and 7.1 assists. He went on to earn all-conference honors each of his final three seasons (he averaged 16.4 points and 8.6 assists in his college career), then was drafted by the Golden State Warriors and played 10 solid pro seasons, averaging 14.3 points and 7.6 assists. Junior big man Ernie Thorn, 6-9 with a 7-1 wingspan, averaged 11.3 points on 57.9% shooting and 8.6 rebounds. He got taken by the Boston Celtics and played 10 pro seasons as a marginal starter, averaging 7.3 points and 8.4 rebounds in 27.6 minutes per game. |
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| #19386 | 12/02/2022 10:59:39 am | Feb 22nd, 2029 | |
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celtic4warrior Joined: 07/02/2018 Posts: 174 California Lutheran Kingsmen VI.1 
| Good on you mate for doing all these, I really enjoy reading all the expert analysis and commentary! Keep up the awesome work and analysis! celtic4warrior |
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| #19387 | 12/02/2022 11:56:49 am | Feb 22nd, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| It's a shame one (or more) of your 2005-2007 California Lutheran squads didn't make the cut, they were all really good. | ||
| #19388 | 12/02/2022 6:03:28 pm | Feb 22nd, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MISERICORDIA, 2007 President: kladu Overall record: 42-5 (.894) RPI: .605 Average point differential: 20.7 Conference: III.4 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Sweet 16 Here's another one of Hardwood's most dominant programs in the early years. The Cougars reached the Final Four in 2009 and won it all in 2010, to go with Elite Eight appearances in 2011 and 2013. Over six seasons from 2005 to 2010, they had an overall record of 224-50, losing fewer than 10 games in five of those years. If you add in the 2011 to 2013 seasons, Misericordia went 329-84 over a nine-year span. Somewhat surprisingly, the Cougars' 2007 Sweet 16 squad is the only one to meet all three of my criteria and crack this list. Only the 2009 squad had a better point differential (22.9), but they finished 38-9 with an .809 winning percentage. The 2010 national champions had the winning percentage (41-7, .854) but not the point differential (+17.0) or RPI (.596). It's not like the 2007 team bowed out against some also-ran. It was a Cal State East Bay squad that went 41-7 (.854) with a +25.0 point differential that edged Misericordia 83-80 in the Sweet 16. So how did the 2007 CSEB squad miss this list? A shockingly low .576 RPI. Their conference (III.2) must have been pretty weak that year. Misericordia's statistical profile does not overwhelm, as far as superteams go. They were not incredible in any one area but were good to very good in all of them. If any one thing stands out, it was the Cougars' ability to turn over opponents, averaging a very high 11.8 steals per game while forcing 20.4 turnovers (with a +8.0 turnover margin). Just to be thorough, the Cougars shot 50.5% overall and 36.0% from deep, making 6.8 3s a game, to post a 55.7% eFGP and score 1.03 points per possession. They made 19.1 of 25.4 free throws per game (opponents made 16.6 of 22.9). They had a +8.2 margin in paint points and a +2.2 rebounding edge. They held opponents to 0.82 points per possession on 48.2% eFGP (43.9% overall and 28.7% from deep, really clamping down on the perimeter). This was a young team, with three sophomores and a freshman in the top six of the lineup. Senior point guard Shannon Grassi led Misericordia with 15.7 points (shooting 49.9% overall and 35.9% from deep), 6.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game. The all-conference honoree was drafted by the Brooklyn Nets and played eight pro seasons as a marginal starter, averaging 11.8 points and 5.8 assists. Sophomore Jody Kirby, a 7-foot behemoth weighing 305 pounds, averaged 13.0 points (shooting 63.5%), 9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a senior, then was drafted by the Detroit Pistons, playing 10 pro seasons largely as a reserve and averaging 7.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. Sophomore Connor Rhodes, a 6-8 power forward, aervaged 12.8 points (on 57.0% shooting) and 7.5 rebounds. Freshman guard James Crosby averaged 11.3 points (shooting 43.2% overall and 35.5% from deep), 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals. He went on to earn all-tournament honors in the 2010 title year. Senior Jeff Rudawski, a 6-6 small forward, averaged 9.8 points (shooting 46.1% overall and 37.6% from deep), 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He was drafted by the New York Knicks and played seven seasons mostly as a marginal starter or sixth man, averaging 9.2 points and 3.7 rebounds. Sophomore Jordan Shepard, a 6-6 combo forward with a 6-10 wingspan, was primarily the team's sixth man (though he started a few games) and averaged 9.1 points (on 53.3% shooting) and 5.3 rebounds. This was his peak -- he did not start a single game as a junior or senior. |
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| #19389 | 12/03/2022 11:06:09 am | Feb 24th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| SIMPSON, 2008 President: lostraven Overall record: 42-3 (.933) RPI: .611 Average point differential: 21.8 Conference: IV.7 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: First Round The Storm's three-year stretch from 2007 to 2009 is one of the best in Hardwood history, though it came with a pretty big hitch as they lost in No. 1 vs. No. 16 upsets in the Division I first round in both 2008 and 2009 (that's just brutal). Still, the numbers are impressive: 2007: 45-1 overall, 30-0 in V.13, Division II national champion, .605 RPI, +28.8 point differential. 2008: 42-3 overall, 29-1 in IV.7, won conference tournament, .611 RPI, +21.8 point differential. 2009: 42-3 overall, 29-1 in III.4, .616 RPI, +24.4 point differential. Obviously I will get to go into this team in more depth soon. 3-year totals: 129-7 overall, 88-2 in conference play, .610 RPI, +25.0 point differential. I'm a big believer that long-term numbers mean more than short-term variance (such as tournament upsets). This was a ridiculous stretch of dominance, even if it didn't pay off in as much Division I hardware as hoped. Simpson was one of the first superteams to really figure out how to bludgeon opponents from 3-point range. The Storm shot 37.0% from deep, making 8.4 3s a game in 2008. That kind of perimeter firepower, combined with a pair of solid starting big men who also helped give Simpson a +8.0 rebounding edge per game, made the Storm really difficult to defend. They wound up scoring 1.06 points per possession on a 56.5% eFGP. The defense, which allowed 0.85 points per possession on 49.0% eFGP, wasn't elite but was plenty good enough to hold up its end of the deal. Sophomore wing Bennie Coughlin, a 6-foot-6 wrecking ball at both ends, was the superstar and would remain so through his senior year in 2010, earning three all-conference honors. In 2008 he averaged 19.2 points on 40.0% shooting, including 37.2% from deep making 2.3 3s a game, and held opponents to 38.3% shooting. He would be drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers and enjoy a 10-year pro career, averaging 15.5 points and 5.6 rebounds with solid defensive numbers. Junior 7-footer Mario Haynes averaged 15.6 points on 62.8% shooting, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. It's a little surprising that he didn't earn all-conference honors as either a junior or senior, and also that his four-year run with the New Orleans Pelicans was largely a flop. Senior D'Andre Coughlin, a 6-8 wing, teamed with Bennie Coughlin (there's no official relation, but they have such similar builds that it's not hard to picture them as brothers) to give Simpson a terrifying combo of height and length on the perimeter. He averaged 15.4 points on 53.2% shooting, including a superb 46.5% from deep, making 1.8 a game, and added 5.8 rebounds. Junior center Sean Beasley was a load at 6-11 and 280 pounds with a 7-4 wingspan. He averaged 12.7 points on 54.4% shooting, could step out and make 3s (35.4% on 1.8 attempts a game) and added 9.9 rebounds a contest. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and started for two seasons, averaging 12.5 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, and that was it for his pro career (let's assume a bad injury). Freshman point guard Dewayne Booker, a five-star recruit, played primarily as a sixth man and was a big part of Simpson's success, averaging 11.2 points and 5.1 assists in 24.7 minutes a game. He went on to become a two-time All-American before getting drafted by the San Antonio Spurs and playing eight pro seasons at an all-star level, averaging 18.7 points and 8.9 assists. Sophomore point guard Truman Wooten started all 44 games he played but averaged fewer minutes than Booker (19.7). He averaged 6.2 points and 6.3 assists. He earned all-conference honors as a senior in 2010 as his scoring dramatically increased. |
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| #19390 | 12/03/2022 6:44:37 pm | Feb 24th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| BUTLER, 2009 President: nobodyjones Overall record: 46-4 (.920) RPI: .625 Average point differential: 20.4 Conference: I.1 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Champion One can make a pretty compelling argument for the 2009 Bulldogs being the best Legends team ever. They finished with the best overall winning percentage by a Legends team, edging out the 2005 Vanderbilt squad I've already profiled by one win and .002 percentage points. More importantly, they took care of business in March, winning their final 10 games to sweep to conference and national tournament championships. The latter was especially sweet after three previous trips to the national final (2004, 2007 and 2008) ended in losses. Butler largely did it with an elite offense that buried teams under a barrage of 3-pointers. They shot 37.4% from deep and made just under nine 3s a game, a key reason why they averaged 1.07 points per possesion on a 57.0% eFGP. The Bulldogs' three starting backcourt players and their sixth man, a shooting guard, combined to average 63.1 points (64% of the team's total) and make 7.4 3-pointers per game. The other thing the Bulldogs did really well was force turnovers. They averaged a massive 11.8 steals per game in forcing opponents into 19.1 turnovers a contest. Senior point guard Cliff McCoy earned All-American honors, leading Butler in points (19.1 per game on 50.9% shooting, including 41.2% from deep) and assists (6.3 per game). The pros dissed him, largely because of his lack of size (he was 5-10). Junior guard Cameron Devine largely played a sixth-man role, yet wound up as the Bulldogs' second-leading scorer, averaging 16.7 points on 47.2% shooting (36.5% from deep) and adding 4.3 assists in 26.4 minutes. At 6-3, he had a 6-9 wingspan that made him a terrifying defender. He earned all-tournament honors, then became the regular starting point guard in 2010 and averaged 16.8 points and 6.5 assists. He was drafted by the Phoenix Suns and played 11 pro seasons mostly as a starter, averaging 13.1 points and 7.2 assists. Senior guard Tim Ness averaged 14.3 points on 48.6% shooting (though only 31.8% from deep) and 5.9 assists. At 6-4 with a 6-8 wingspan, he also was very good defensively. Senior wing Mitchell Wagner, a sweet-shooting 6-5 lefty, averaged 13.0 points on 46.8% shooting (including 40.3% from deep, making a team-high 2.2 3s per game) and added 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Junior Rich Grady was the Bulldogs' top big man, a 6-11 center who averaged 12.7 points on 60.6% shooting and 8.9 rebounds. He earned all-tournament honors. Freshman forward Rodrigo Minoso rounded out the regular starters. He averaged 8.7 points on 55.0% shooting and 6.0 rebounds. By the end of his career he had become a strong two-way player, averaging 14.9 points and 7.9 rebounds with fantastic defensive numbers, though poor stamina limited his minutes. |
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| #19396 | 12/05/2022 6:08:50 pm | Mar 3rd, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| SIMPSON, 2009 President: lostraven Overall record: 42-3 (.933) RPI: .616 Average point differential: +24.4 Conference: III.4 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: First round Among teams playing at LL3 or higher through 2028, the 2009 Simpson squad ranks fifth in overall win percentage. Only taking LL3 teams over that period, that year's Storm rank seventh in RPI and fourth in point differential. Not too shabby, even if they closed the year with a second straight upset loss against a No. 16 seed in the national tournament. Simpson continued to torch opponents from deep, making even more 3s per game (8.9) than the previous year, though at a worse efficiency (35.3%). Overall, the offense declined just a fraction from 2008, but the defense improved as the Storm held opponents to 0.82 points per possession on a 48.0% eFGP and forced 17.9 turnovers a game (good for a +7.7 turnover ratio). The Storm leaned heavily on their five starters, each of whom averaged at least 13.1 points per game. Combined, they averaged 74.7 points, almost 80% of the team's 93.4 average. Bennie Coughlin, now a junior 6-6 wing, remained front and center for Simpson as the leading scorer at 17.4 points per game on 49.4% shooting, including 38.5% from deep, making 2.1 3s a game. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals. Mario Haynes, the 7-footer, returned for his senior year and averaged 16.4 points on 65.1% shooting, including 44.1% from deep on 34 attempts (making 15). He added 8.6 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.6 steals while posting a 45.5% opponents' FG mark (OFG) that's elite for a post player. Dewayne Booker moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore and averaged 14.5 points on 45.8% shooting, including 35.6% from deep, making 1.9 3s a game. He also averaged 4.6 assists from the shooting guard spot, a sign of things to come two years later as the starting point guard. Truman Wooten remained the starting point guard in his junior year and got a big boost in his playing time, averaging nearly 10 more minutes a game. He averaged 13.5 points, making 2.1 3s a contest at a 34.7% clip, and added 9.0 assists. Senior Sean Beasley rounded out the starting five and averaged 13.1 points on 55.6% shooting, including a solid 35.6% from deep on just under two attempts per game (remember, he's 6-11 and 280 pounds). He also grabbed 11.1 rebounds a game and put up a superb 43.1% OFG on defense. |
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| #19399 | 12/06/2022 3:19:15 pm | Mar 8th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, 2009 President: Gambler75 Overall record: 46-4 (.920) RPI: .626 Average point differential: +20.7 Conference: III.3 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Finalist This was the third year of a four-year run in which MIT went from LL5 (Division II) all the way to the Legends League, going 162-24 overall across those four years (and 126-14 overall from 2007 to 2009). The Engineers won three conference regular-season crowns (they were 105-15 in conference play from 2007 to 2010), two conference tournament titles and reached the national final in the year being profiled here, losing to Butler 84-74. To underscore how good the 2009 Engineers were, their .626 RPI was tied for ninth-highest among all Division I teams through 2028. Offensively, they could hurt opponents inside (+8.3 points in the paint, with their starting frontcourt shooting about 59% combined) and outside (37.7% from deep making a robust 8.7 3s per game). They shot 51.2% overall with a 57.6% eFGP, scoring 1.07 points per possession. Defensively they came up with an elite 11.2 steals per game in forcing 19.3 turnovers a contest (with a +7.4 turnover margin). Opponents scored 0.90 points per possession on 45.5% shooting with a 50.3% eFGP. MIT's starting five each averaged 11.7 points per game or higher, led by junior shooting guard Billy Joe Berry, who earned all-conference and national tournament MVP honors. He averaged 20.0 points on 47.7/37.9/87.9 shooting splits (for those unfamiliar with shooting splits, that's FG%, 3P% and FT%), 3.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals while holding opponents to a 39.7% OFG. He also earned All-American and conference player of the year honors as a senior in 2010 (with a ridiculous 32.8% OFG allowed), then was drafted by Golden State, playing eight standout pro seasons and averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. Senior point guard Dan Beach earned his second straight all-conference honor by averaging 17.2 points on 48.3/38.1/83.8 shooting splits and 8.4 assists. He was a solid defender, surrendering only a 39.9% OFG. Senior small forward Harold Mitchell stepped into a starting role for the first time and averaged 12.8 points on 46.6/41.9/76.3 shooting splits and 3.9 rebounds. Junior John May, a 6-11 center with a 7-6 wingspan, averaged 12.2 points on 60.2% shooting, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks while holding opponents to a solid 45.7% OFG. Senior power forward Hal Norman rounded out the starting unit and averaged 11.7 points on 58.0% shooting and 8.6 rebounds. Senior Alton Smith, a 6-7 guard, did a nice job as the team's sixth man, averaging 9.6 points on 48.0/37.1/79.6 shooting splits, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 21.1 minutes per game. He also held opponents to a 38.2% OFG. |
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| #19400 | 12/06/2022 4:25:56 pm | Mar 8th, 2029 | |
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celtic4warrior Joined: 07/02/2018 Posts: 174 California Lutheran Kingsmen VI.1
| kauffdaddy those were the years, before everyone realized the recruiting hotbed of California, lol. But yeah, they had their weaknesses, especially when it came to tournament games, never could pull those out. celtic4warrior |
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| #19412 | 12/10/2022 7:56:45 am | Mar 11th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| ROCHESTER, 2010 President: Stinny Overall record: 42-4 (.913) RPI: .614 Average point differential: 27.0 Conference: IV.4 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Second round The Yellowjackets had a really nice stretch from 2008 to 2012 as they earned promotion each year (becoming one of very few teams to go from LL6 to LL1 in consecutive seasons). They were the Division 2 national champions in 2009, won a pair of conference tournament titles (VI.16 in 2008 and IV.4 in 2010), and had a 188-41 overall record in that span, including 122-28 in conference play. This 2010 squad was, by all statistical measures, the best of those five years. Their margin of victory in 2010 is the sixth-highest all-time by a Division I team (through 2028). Their RPI of .614 was 22 points higher than their next-best mark. The Yellowjackets' offense was truly elite, shooting 52.4% overall and 36.9% from deep (though not with as much volume as some superteams, making 6.9 3s a game) to average 1.08 points per possession on a 57.6% eFGP. They absolutely crushed teams in the paint with a +16.6 scoring margin and a +8.6 rebounding margin. They also didn't turn the ball over, with fewer than 10 a game (9.6 to be exact) They were no slouches defensively, either, holding teams to 0.81 points per possession on 42.9% shooting overall and 30.0% from deep, good for a 47.8% eFGP. They had a +7.7 turnover margin. This is another team that got things done as a collective rather than with superstars. Seven players averaged at least 9.7 points per game, with six of them (including all five starters) in double figures. Senior center Harley Blum, a 6-foot-10, 265-pound physical force, led Rochester at 14.8 points per game on 65.1% shooting, and added 9.8 rebounds. Junior shooting guard Anthony West, who played bigger than his 6-5 frame thanks to a 7-foot wingspan, averaged 14.7 points on 45.0% shooting, including a solid 38.7% from deep making 2.6 3s a game, and held opponents to a 38.3% OFG. Senior Cameron Driver was primarily the team's sixth man and played all three backcourt positions depending on need. He averaged 13.4 points on superb 51.7% shooting, including 40.4% from deep making 1.5 3s a game, and added 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals along with good defense (37.1% OFG). He was drafted by Cleveland and played 10 pro seasons largely as a backup, averaging 8.4 points. Senior point guard George Clayton averaged 13.2 points on 46.6% shooting (even while being an awful long-range shooter) and 9.0 assists, with a respectable 41.6% OFG on defense. Junior power forward Jack Wilbur, another bruising body at 6-6 and 265 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan, averaged 11.0 points on 57.6% shooting and had the ability to surprise opponents from deep on the rare attempt, making 42.9% of his 3-point tries. He added 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals, and posted a 38.7% OFG on defense, elite for a big man. He was drafted by Cleveland and played eight pro seasons as a marginal starter or sixth man, averaging 9.0 points and 6.7 rebounds. Junior small forward Jeremy Moran averaged 10.4 points on 46.1% shooting (39.6% from deep) and 5.3 rebounds while holding opponents to a 38.0% OFG. He was drafted by Oklahoma City and played eight pro seasons as a backup, averaging 5.7 points. Sophomore forward Gerald Dickerson came off the bench and played 19.5 minutes a game, averaging 9.7 points on superb 62.6% shooting and 5.7 rebounds. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a senior (averaging 18.6 points with excellent defense), then was drafted by Portland, playing four pro seasons largely as a backup and averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. |
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| #19415 | 12/11/2022 7:03:57 pm | Mar 17th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| ST. THOMAS, 2011 President: floremar Overall record: 42-3 (.933) RPI: .627 Average point differential: +21.2 Conference: IV.6 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: First round I'm starting to think meeting the criteria for this "greatest teams" list is a curse. The Tommies are the fourth team out of the 11 I have profiled so far that entered the national tournament as a No. 1 seed and promptly got bounced in the first round. (This also strikes me as evidence that the Hardwood national tournament and the actual NCAA Division I national tournament do not quite work the same way.) Anyway, the Tommies clearly belong on this list, early exit aside. Through 2028, they are tied for 16th among Division I teams in overall winning percentage, and tied for sixth in RPI (including tied for first among LL3/LL4 teams). It was the peak of a three-year run from Division III to Division I in which they went 109-23 overall and 74-16 in conference play (with two regular-season titles and a runner-up honor). The Tommies went about their business in a completely different manner from every other team on this list so far. They slowed the tempo way down and strangled opponents with a stifling defense, holding them to 0.75 points per possession on 41.8% shooting and an eFGP% of 46.7%. Their turnover stats (+5.2 turnover margin and 16.2 forced turnovers per game) aren't eye-popping (though given the slow pace the forced turnovers number plays higher). Teams just didn't score against them, averaging a measly 52.6 points per game. The starting lineup did the vast majority of the damage, with the five of them averaging 31.6 minutes each and scoring between 11.2 and 13.7 points per game. They accounted for 62.7 points per game, a whopping 85.1% of the team's average output. The Tommies had a +10.5 scoring advantage in the paint and a +6.5 rebounding edge. Senior center Kahil Collier, who was 6-10 with a 7-5 wingspan, led the team at 13.7 points per game on 66.2% shooting, adding 9.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Senior shooting guard Jamal Bray averaged 13.3 points on relatively mediocre shooting (44.9% overall, 31.1% from deep) but was a beast defensively, averaging 2.6 steals and holding opponents to a 36.3% OFG. Junior point guard Jamal Miles averaged 12.3 points on solid shooting numbers (47.9% overall, 40.4% from deep, though he made just under one 3 a game) and added 6.2 assists and 1.7 steals while locking opponents down to the tune of a 32.0% OFG. Senior small forward Al Wells averaged 12.2 points on even better shooting (49.1% overall, 44.2% from deep averaging 1.6 made 3s a game) along with 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He held opponents to a 37.5% OFG. Junior 6-8 power forward Ken Alexander rounded out the starters and averaged 11.2 points on 58.5% shooting and 6.9 rebounds. This is the first team (and may end up being the only one) on this list that did not have any player drafted at any point (with one technicality -- Hugh Fleming was a redshirt freshman who did not play at all in 2011. He went on to get drafted in 2015). |
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| #19422 | 12/12/2022 1:42:13 pm | Mar 22nd, 2029 | |
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rlawrence Joined: 02/09/2020 Posts: 100 University of New England Nor'easters IV.3 
| Love these historical write-ups, great job! | ||
| #19423 | 12/12/2022 5:06:56 pm | Mar 22nd, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| COLORADO, 2013 President: BadManners Overall record: 44-5 (.898) RPI: .613 Average point differential: +24.0 Conference: III.1 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Final Four The Buffaloes had a three-year stretch from 2012 through 2014 in which they went 117-20 overall, 79-11 in conference play, promoted each year (from LL4 to Legends) ... and somehow didn't win a single tournament trophy. This game just isn't fair sometimes. The 2013 season was their best, as they reached the conference title game and the Final Four, only for their defense to let them down in losses to Texas State (107-87) and MIT (103-95). Let's talk about one of the most devastating offenses (at least in terms of volume, if not quite in terms of efficiency) in the history of Hardwood. These Buffaloes averaged a staggering 105.0 points per game, launching a staggering 31.3 3-point attempts per game and making 11.3 of them, a 36.1% clip. All four of their leading scorers (their three backcourt starters and their sixth man) made at least two 3s per game, part of an offense that shot 49% overall and scored 1.06 points per possession at a 56.4% eFGP. Defensively, Colorado held opponents to 0.84 points per possession on 43.3% shooting and a 48.9% eFGP. They forced 19.7 turnovers per game, including an elite 11.1 steals, with each of the top six players swiping at least 1.4 steals per game. Senior shooting guard Cameron Ivey was the leading man, a scoring machine who averaged 23.8 points on 45.6% shooting ... although he obliterated rims by making only 29.5% of his deep tries, chucking 8.8 attempts per game. (This is an odd stat given he shot 38.2% from deep on 6.5 attempts per game the previous year.) At 6-foot-6, he also was a lockdown wing defender with an elite 32.0% OFG, another key reason why he was the III.1 player of the year. Senior point guard Braydon Haley earned all-conference honors for a second straight season by averaging 18.8 points on 46.7% shooting, including 36.5% from deep, making 2.2 3s a game. He added 7.2 assists a contest. Junior forward J.C. Dillard averaged 16.5 points on 44.9% shooting, including 36.5% from deep making 2.3 3s a game. He also averaged 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Junior small forward Keandre Sutton was the team's sharpshooting sixth man, playing 22.0 minutes a game and averaging 13.4 points on superb 51.2% shooting, including 46.9% from deep making 2.0 3s a game. Junior big man Bret Cockrell, a 7-footer with a 7-7 wingspan, averaged 11.6 points on 56.1% shooting, 10.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals while holding opponents to a solid 44.7% OFG. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a senior (averaging 14.2 points and 11.9 rebounds), then was drafted by Sacramento and played five pro seasons as a solid starter, averaging 10.3 points and 10.9 rebounds. Junior Max White, a 6-10 center with a 7-3 wingspan, averaged 11.5 points on superb 63.2% shooting and 12.5 rebounds while holding opponents to a 44.4% OFG. While not a key part of the 2013 squad, it's worth mentioning true freshman point guard Lenny Love, who averaged 7.3 points and 3.8 assists in 18.6 minutes. He went on to earn two all-conference honors, averaging at least 14.8 points and 7.1 assists in each of his three starting seasons. He was drafted by Atlanta and played five pro seasons as a marginal starter, averaging 11.1 points and 6.4 assists. |
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| #19424 | 12/12/2022 8:11:31 pm | Mar 22nd, 2029 | |
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g10rsh Joined: 02/04/2018 Posts: 95 Columbia Lions IV.4 
| These are all amazing. loving reading the breakdowns | ||
| #19430 | 12/14/2022 6:27:32 pm | Mar 31st, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MOUNT ST. JOSEPH, 2013 President: borgy Overall record: 42-4 (.913) RPI: .603 Average point differential: +23.9 Conference: IV.4 Conference record: 30-0 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: Sweet 16 Oh Hardwood, you fickle beast. These Lions go undefeated through the entire conference regular season, then don't even get to the tournament final? That's a special kind of cruel. This season was the culmination of a top-notch three-year run in which MSJ went 118-23 overall and 79-11 in conference play. They went 44-5 overall and 28-2 in V.8 before reaching the Division II championship game in 2011. They made a bit of a surprising run to the Division I Final Four in 2012 (finishing the year 32-14 overall), then turned it up a notch in 2013, even though they were eliminated two rounds earlier in the national tournament. They did it largely by owning the interior and playing killer defense. Led by their starting big men (who we'll get into in more detail shortly), the Lions enjoyed a +16.9 advantage in paint scoring and a +8.4 edge in rebounding. Defensively, they held opponents to 40.8% shooting (and only 29.7% from deep), 0.79 points per possession and an elite 45.9% eFGP. The offense wasn't shabby, either, scoring 1.05 points per possession on 51.8% shooting (including 37.4% from deep making 7.1 3s a game) and a 57.4% eFGP. They also outscored teams by 6.1 points at the foul line, making 17.1 per game compared to 11.0 for opponents. The starting five averaged a combined 73.4 points per game (each of them scoring at least 12.9 a game), which was 81.6% of the team's 89.9 average. They stayed remarkably healthy, only missing two games total all season. Senior center Damon McCray, a 7-footer, earned all-conference honors by averaging 16.7 points on 62.0% shooting and 8.2 rebounds. He held opponents to an elite 43.3% OFG. He was drafted by Denver and played seven pro seasons mostly coming off the bench, averaging 8.9 points and 5.9 rebounds. Junior big man Jarrod Martin, 6-9 with a 7-2 wingspan, averaged 15.3 points on 59.4% shooting (and could stretch defense, making 17 3s on the year at a 37.8% clip) and added 11.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals a contest. He held opponents to a 42.5% OFG. Sophomore Robert Steen, an undersized (6-0) but tenacious wing, averaged 15.2 points on 49.1% shooting, making 2.2 3s a game at a 40.4% clip, and added 3.0 assists while holding opponents to a 39.1% OFG. This was the peak of his career. Senior small forward Christian Murphy was the Lions' Scottie Pippen prototype. At 6-9 with a 7-1 wingspan, he was a terror defensively, holding opponents to an elite 33.5% OFG while averaging 13.3 points on 47.4% shooting, including 43.5% from deep making 1.7 3s a game. He also grabbed 5.0 rebounds and made 1.6 steals a contest. He was drafted by Detroit and played eight pro seasons as a very good starter, averaging 15.2 points and 8.8 rebounds. Senior point guard Cecil Adcock averaged 12.9 points on superb 51.5% shooting (a massive improvement from the year before), including 39.5% from deep making 1.5 3s a game, and added 6.9 assists and 2.0 steals. He held opponents to a 38.4% OFG. Updated Wednesday, December 14 2022 @ 8:54:22 pm PST |
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| #19437 | 12/16/2022 10:42:01 am | Jun 26th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| VALPARAISO, 2015 President: Gengione Overall record: 48-2 (.960) RPI: .605 Average point differential: +21.4 Conference: III.4 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Champion The Commodores had a really nice six-year span from 2010-15, going 199-71 overall and 134-46 in conference play during that stretch -- winning IV.7 tournament titles in 2013 and 2014 and the IV.7 regular-season title in 2013. That said, the 2015 squad clearly was the peak of the program. They are one of only two teams in Hardwood Division I history to finish with 48 victories, the other being Azusa Pacific two years later (and each won the national title). Along the way they claimed the III.4 regular-season title. This was one of the best offensive teams in Hardwood history, scoring 98.2 points per game at 1.08 points per possession. They shot 52.6% overall and 37.2% from deep, making 7.1 3s a game, and finished with a 57.8% eFGP. They crushed teams in the paint, scoring 47.2 points per game inside with a +15.9 margin, and grabbing almost 40 rebounds a game with a +9.1 margin. They were not as strong defensively as most other teams on this list -- holding opponents to 0.88 points per possession on 44.7% shooting and a 49.5% eFGP with a modest +3.2 turnover margin -- but that was plenty good enough given the offensive destruction they unleashed. Senior shooting guard Randall Clevenger capped his college career with his second-straight all-conference honor, leading the Commodores at 21.9 points per game on 51.0% shooting, including 38.3% from deep making 2.6 3s a game. At 6-foot-6, he was solid defensively, posting a 37.2% OFG with 1.6 steals a game. Senior center Jaka Krajnc, a Solvenia native who was 6-9 with a 7-4 wingspan, also earned his second straight all-conference honor, averaging 18.0 points on 66.0% shooting, 10.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Junior 6-9 power forward Carlos Salceda averaged 15.1 points on 54.8% shooting, including 45.2% from deep (19-for-42), and 8.0 rebounds per game with a solid 47.0% OFG on defense. Senior small forward Jacob Holliday, who played even bigger than his 6-7 frame thanks to a 7-3 wingspan, averaged 13.8 points on 46.2% shooting, including 41.3% from deep making 1.9 3s a game, and 5.5 rebounds. He posted a 38.5% OFG on defense. Sophomore 6-8 big man Neal Everett came off the bench and played just 14.8 minutes a game, but was fifth on the team in scoring at 8.3 points per game and added 4.3 rebounds. Junior point guard Craig Simon rounded out the starters and averaged 7.9 points on 44.4% shooting, including 38.3% from deep (41-for-107), and 7.8 assists with a solid 39.6% OFG on defense. This is the second team profiled that did not have a single contributing player drafted -- pretty stunning given the success they had. |
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| #19452 | 12/18/2022 2:54:20 pm | Oct 4th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| TULANE, 2015 President: BrendanE Overall record: 41-4 (.911) RPI: .607 Average point differential: +21.8 Conference: III.1 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: Second round This is a bit of a weird one. From 2013 through 2021, the Green Wave had nine different presidents. It was the first one in that stretch, PistolPete, who really built Tulane up to what it became during his five years in charge from 2009-13, though he wasn't around to see the end result. The 2015 team was good at a lot of things, though not truly elite at any of them. The biggest advantage the Green Wave had came inside, where they outscored opponents by 11.6 points per game and outrebounded them by 8.5 boards a game, with their two starting big men averaging 10-plus rebounds each. Offensively, they scored 95.1 points per game at 1.05 points per possession, shooting 50.6% overall and 35.7% from deep making 7.2 3s a game. They posted a 55.7% eFGP. Defensively, they held opponents to 73.3 points per game on 0.86 points per possession, a 43.7% overall shooting mark (30.3% from deep) and a 48.3% eFGP. They forced 16 turnovers a game with a +5.7 ratio. They only went seven-deep, with the five starters averaging 79.5 points (83.6% of the team's total) and the two main reserves scoring 16.1 points a game. Junior small forward Frank Kellogg, a five-star recruit and three-time all-conference honoree who would get drafted by Portland, led the Green Wave at 17.8 points per game on 47.7% shooting, including 39.3% from deep making 2.3 3s a game. He also averaged five rebounds and 1.9 steals with a very good 38.3% OFG. He really took off in 2016, averaging 31.5 points and making four 3s a game. As a pro the sharpshooter played 11 seasons bouncing back and forth as a starter and sixth man, averaging 13.0 points. Senior power forward Devin Parrott played bigger than his 6-6 size, averaging 16.8 points on 56.5% shooting and 10.1 rebounds to earn all-conference honors. Senior combo guard Hank Hairston also earned all-conference honors, averaging 15.9 points on 48.3% shooting, including 38.2% from deep making two 3s a game, along with 5.8 assists and 1.9 steals. Always a stout defender, he held opponents to a 34.9% OFG in his final year. Senior point guard Tim Beasley gave Tulane four all-conference stars in its top four players, averaging 14.6 points (albeit rather inefficiently, with 42.0%/28.4% splits) and 7.8 assists with a solid 40.5% OFG. Senior center Wally Stewart, a 7-footer, rounded out the starters and averaged 12.6 points on 58.7% shooting, 12.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks a game with a solid 45.5% OFG. He was drafted by Memphis and played three pro seasons as a marginal starter, averaging 9.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. The two reserves probably would have been solid No. 2 or No. 3 options on other teams. Senior backup big man Lucius West, a 6-9 lefty with a 7-4 wingspan, averaged 8.4 points on 61.5% shooting and 5.2 rebounds in 17.2 minutes. Senior shooting guard Mario Paul averaged 7.7 points and 2.4 assists in 18.6 minutes per game, shooting 39.3% from deep. |
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| #19453 | 12/19/2022 5:16:40 am | Oct 4th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| BALL STATE, 2016 President: LarryBird Overall record: 47-3 (.940) RPI: .617 Average point differential: +23.1 Conference: IV.7 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Finalist What a powerhouse. Only an 85-81 loss to IU Purdue-Indianapolis in the national championship game kept these Cardinals from joining Valparaiso (2015) and Azusa Pacific (2017) as teams that finished 48-2 with Division I national titles. And Ball State would have been the only team to do so with a conference tournament title (and thus a 10-0 postseason record). So close. The Cardinals have been a solid program throughout Hardwood's history, playing in Division I for all but one season (which happened to be the year before this one) and compiling a 732-498 record through 2029 with seven 30-plus-win seasons. But the 2016 squad reached a whole other level, with an RPI that was .037 points higher than their next-best season (.580 in 2009). Ball State scored "only" 89.9 points per game and was not one of the more prolific offenses in Hardwood history. That was due largely to a slower pace as they were very efficient, scoring 1.08 points per possession on 52.5% shooting overall, 36.0% from deep (making 6.8 3s a game) and a 57.7% eFGP. They were tough inside, outscoring teams by 10.3 points in the paint with a +8.0 rebounding advantage. Defensively, the Cardinals held teams to 0.84 points per possession on 44.4% shooting (32.8% from deep) and a 49.6% eFGP. They forced 16.5 turnovers per game with a +6.4 margin. While Ball State went 10-deep in most contests, it was the Cardinals' top four who did most of the damage, averaging a combined 64.2 points. Senior 6-6 small forward Jack Healy was the leading scorer at 18.1 points per game on 53.2% shooting, including 37.8% from deep making 2.1 3s a contest. The all-conference honoree added 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals with solid defense (38.9% OFG). He also made 94.8% of his free throws (128-for-135). Junior center Matt Jacobs, a 7-foot, 260-pound beast who would close his college career with a pair of All-American honors before getting drafted by Denver, averaged 17.3 points on 65.9% shooting, 11.5 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals with a very good 45.6% OFG on defense. As a pro he played five strong seasons, averaging 14.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Senior shooting guard Will Raines, an all-conference selection the previous year, averaged 16.4 points on 47.2% shooting (though only 32.4% from deep), 4.6 assists and an elite 2.5 steals with a 39.5% OFG on defense. (His defense was otherworldly as a junior, with a 32.4% OFG.) Junior point guard Nolan Culver, a 5-star recruit, rounded out the Cardinals' big four, averaging 12.4 points on 49.9% shooting (35.8% from deep), 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals and a very good 36.3% OFG on defense. Junior 6-10 big man Lou Grubbs was the fifth starter, averaging 8.9 points on 53.9% shooting and 8.5 rebounds. Though he didn't play a ton of minutes (13.1 per game), senior point guard Sherman Wiese was a very effective bench piece, shooting 51.1% overall and 45.3% from deep. Updated Monday, December 19 2022 @ 5:18:02 am PST |
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| #19454 | 12/19/2022 7:11:07 am | Oct 4th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS, 2016 President: Holocron Overall record: 43-3 (.935) RPI: .615 Average point differential: +24.3 Conference: IV.4 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Second round In 2013, in the second year of Holocron's presidency, the Toros demoted from Division II with a 14-27 overall record. Three short years later, they were one of the best teams in Division I, in about as quick a turnaround from demotion to Division III into a Division I powerhouse as you will ever see. In truth, the Toros were not all that bad in 2013 from an individual talent standpoint, with a 130.5 final TPI that, while not stellar, was far from rock bottom (in fact, a couple of the stars on the 2016 team started as true freshmen in 2013). They only stayed in Division III for one year, going 35-11 overall and 25-5 in winning their conference regular-season title. Back in Division II in 2015, they went 42-5 overall, 28-2 to capture another conference regular-season title, and added the conference tournament title. That set the stage for 2016 as they steamrolled to their third straight conference regular-season title (capping a three-year run in which they went 81-9 in conference play) and a second straight conference tournament crown. The Toros' overall record from 2014-16 was 120-19. CSDH performed equally well at both ends of the floor. Offensively, the Toros averaged 95.0 points per game and 1.06 points per possession, shooting 51.5% overall and 35.9% from deep (making 7.2 3s a game) with a 56.8% eFGP. They enjoyed a +10.9 advantage in the paint (scoring a very good 44.3 points per game inside). Defensively, they held opponents to a 48.2% eFGP on 44.0% shooting, including a very good 29.1% from deep, and forced 19.3 turnovers a game, including an elite 11.2 steals. All five starters averaged at least 13.5 points per game, combining for 78.1 points. They also only missed four total games to injuries. Junior 6-6 shooting guard Anderson Rogers was the star of the team, a three-time all-conference honoree who would earn conference player of the year honors in 2017. He averaged 21.0 points on 46.1% shooting, including 37.0% from deep making three 3s a game, along with 4.1 assists and 1.8 steals with a 38.8% OFG defensively. Senior 6-10 center Ryan McCain averaged 15.1 points on 66.7% shooting and 10.2 rebounds. This was the culmination of a four-year career in which he started all 179 games he played, compiling 2,867 points and 1,872 rebounds, ranking fourth and first in team history. Senior point guard Jimmy Carroll, who at 6-5 and 245 pounds with a 6-9 wingspan was quite a physical force at the position, averaged 14.3 points on 43.5% shooting (37.8% from deep), 8.7 assists and 2.5 steals with a superb 34.8% OFG defensively. Senior small forward Justin Jensen, who played bigger than his 6-4 frame with a 6-10 wingspan, averaged 14.2 points on 50.9% shooting, including a very good 43.2% from deep making 1.3 3s a game, along with 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals. He earned all-conference honors. Senior Justin Milligan, a 7-footer with a 7-6 wingspan, stepped into a starting role for the first time and averaged 13.5 points on 66.2% shooting and 9.6 rebounds. |
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| #19457 | 12/19/2022 9:17:43 am | Oct 4th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| LEWIS & CLARK, 2017 President: Hayseed Overall record: 41-6 (.872) RPI: .601 Average point differential: +25.4 Conference: II.2 Conference record: 26-4 Conference tournament finish: Finalists National tournament finish: Sweet 16 The 2017 season is one of only two seasons (the other being 2027) in which four different teams met the criteria for this list. The Pioneers are first up by virtue of playing at the highest league level of the four. Hayseed took over a dreadful Lewis & Clark program in 2005 (they went 3-38 in Division III that year) and quickly turned the Pioneers into a consistent winner. They have enjoyed 11 30-win seasons, including a pair of 40-win years, won four conference regular-season titles (including Legends in 2026) and have reached the Division I Final Four twice (2021 and 2026). That 2026 team probably is the best in program history -- though it finished "only" 38-8 (.826) with a +17.4 scoring margin (missing the standards for this greatest teams list), its .617 RPI is significantly higher than the 2017 squad. In any case, we're here to dissect the 2017 team, which won the II.2 regular-season title to send the Pioneers into the Legends League for the first time. They boasted one of the most efficient offenses in Hardwood history, scoring 98.1 points per game at 1.08 points per possession, shooting 53.3% overall and 36.6% from deep making eight 3s a game, with a 59.1% eFGP. They battered opponents inside, scoring 43.4 points in the paint per game with a +15.3 scoring margin. The defense wasn't quite as elite as the offense but was still very, very good. The Pioneers held opponents to 0.82 points per possession on 42.0% shooting with a 47.6% eFGP and forced 17.2 turnovers per game, including 10.1 steals. They also crushed teams on the glass with a +10.7 advantage. The Pioneers usually went 10 deep, but it was their top four who did most of the damage, each averaging at least 14.3 points per game and combining for 63.6 points per contest. Junior Edgar Watt is one of the biggest unicorns in Hardwood history, a point guard who stood a half-inch shy of 7 feet tall. He ended his college careerr as a three-time all-conference honoree, and in 2017 he averaged 16.7 points on 48.9% shooting, including 36.7% from deep making 2.3 3s a game, and added 8.6 assists and 1.7 steals while holding opponents (who surely were not used to being guarded by someone that tall) to a 35.6% OFG. He was drafted by Orlando and played eight seasons as a barely-used backup shooting guard or center, largely because the Magic are morons. Junior small forward Chris Owens, at 6-9 and 255 pounds with a 7-3 wingspan, provided yet another imposing presence on the perimeter. He averaged 16.7 points on 49.6% shooting, including 36.7% from deep making 2.2 3s a game, and added 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals with a 36.8% OFG on defense. He went on to earn all-conference honors in Legends in 2018. Senior center Bruce Williams (who was actually shorter than the starting point guard, at 6-10 ... how many times has that happened?!?), an all-conference honoree as a junior, averaged 15.9 points on 65.3% shooting, 10.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Senior power forward Luis Galindo rounded out the Pioneers' super-size top four at 6-9 with a 7-3 wingspan (no wonder they crushed teams inside). He averaged 14.3 points on 60.6% shooting, 10.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals with a very good 44.5% OFG on defense. Senior 6-5 shooting guard Dale Mitchell (with a 7-foot wingspan!) rounded out the starting five. He only played 22.9 minutes a game and averaged 9.4 points on 47.2% shooting, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals with a 38.5% OFG on defense. |
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| #19458 | 12/19/2022 12:31:09 pm | Oct 9th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| AZUSA PACIFIC, 2017 President: basoy6658 Overall record: 48-2 (.960) RPI: .627 Average point differential: +29.2 Conference: III.1 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Champion I personally believe this is one of the two best Division I teams in Hardwood history. The Cougars' only loss in their final 37 games came against a 38-9 Louisville squad with a +22.6 scoring margin in the conference tournament final, and it pissed them off so bad that they unleashed holy hell on their six national tournament opponents, winning by 36, 25, 27, 34, 24 and 24 points -- an average of 28.3 points per game. I haven't researched it, but I would be shocked if that's not the biggest average margin of victory by a champion in a national tournament (in any division). Let's give a nod of achievement to basoy here. Since taking over Azusa Pacific in the 2010 season, the Cougars have gone 555-315 and enjoyed eight 30-plus-win seasons and four conference regular-season titles. The 2017 Cougars are his crowning achievement as arguably the greatest defensive force in Hardwood history. They allowed a measly 0.73 points per possession on 41.7% shooting (and a paltry 28.2% from deep) and a 45.8% eFGP. They forced 21.3 turnovers per game, including a ridiculous 13 steals per contest, with an insane +11.9 turnover ratio. Offensively, they scored 1.05 points per possession on 49.3% shooting with a 53.8% eFGP. They were the worst 3-point shooting team to make this list so far (31.9%, making only 5.7 3s a game), but they buried teams inside with a +12.2 scoring margin in the paint. They played primarily a nine-man rotation, but the starting five did the majority of the damage, averaging 69.8 points. Only one reserve averaged more than 11 minutes. Junior point guard Rafael Kiefer was the star of the show, earning All-American and conference player of the year honors. He averaged 18.4 points on 51.8% shooting, 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals with a 39.2% OFG as his 6-11 wingspan (on a 6-4 frame) gave opposing players fits. Senior center Alejandro Rosado, a 6-8 lefty who earned all-conference honors as a junior, averaged 15.9 points on 61.0% shooting, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.7 blocks with an elite (for a big man) 41.6% OFG. Senior shooting guard Mason McNulty completed his collegiate career by earning a third straight all-conference honor. He averaged 15.5 points on 46.5% shooting, 3.6 assists and 2.4 steals with a very good 36.4% OFG. He was drafted by Golden State and played three pro seasons as a marginal starter, averaging 11.3 points and 5.2 assists. Senior big man Jon Holman, who at 6-6 mainly played power forward, averaged 10.4 points on 51.6% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals with a 45.8% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Oklahoma City and played five pro seasons as a reserve, averaging 6.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 19.3 minutes a game. Junior small forward Thad McConnell rounded out the starting unit and averaged 9.6 points on 41.6% shooting (including a brick-fest 26.4% from deep), 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals. He made up for his offensive shortcomings with a staunch 35.7% OFG on defense. As a side note, he improved remarkably on offense as a senior, averaging 15.2 points on 47.6%/38.3% shooting. |
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| #19482 | 12/21/2022 1:14:06 pm | Oct 13th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| SACRED HEART, 2017 President: FurySK Overall record: 38-5 RPI: .604 Average point differential: +25.0 Conference: III.2 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Quarterfinals National tournament finish: First round Under the leadership of FurySK from 2003 to 2023, the Pioneers enjoyed seven 30-plus-win seasons, including a three-season stretch from 2016-18 in which they went 100-34. Their III.2 regular-season title in 2017 was the third in program history. Yet surprisingly, they never won a conference tournament championship (falling in the final twice, in 2007 and 2016) and never advanced past the national Sweet 16. The 2017 Pioneers leaned first and foremost on a very strong defense that held opponents to 0.79 points per possession on 43.7% shooting, including just 30.5% from deep, and a 48.3% eFGP. They forced 20.8 turnovers per game, boosted by an elite 12.6 steals per contest, and had a +9.8 turnover ratio. Offensively, they scored 1.04 points per possession on 50.7% shooting, made seven 3s a game at a 34.8% clip, had a 55.9% eFGP and pounded teams inside, scoring 43.3 points in the paint per game for a +15.3 margin. Senior shooting guard D'Marcus Samuels closed his college career as a two-time all-conference honoree and led the Pioneers by averaging 20.1 points on 47.4% shooting, including 38.1% from deep making 2.6 3s a game, along with 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals. He was drafted by Portland and played six pro seasons as a reserve, averaging 8.2 points. Junior 6-10 center Brad Whittington, who had an elite 41.5-inch vertical (imagine the dunks he was throwing down), averaged 15.1 points on 65.5% shooting, 9.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks. He earned all-conference honors as a senior. Junior 6-9 power forward Howard Davies averaged 12.6 points on 60.9% shooting, 8.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals (quite a high number for a big man) with a very good 44.6% OFG. Senior small forward Martin O'Doherty averaged 11.8 points on mediocre 40.4%/33.2% shooting splits, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals with an elite 34.6% OFG on defense (making up for his offensive shortcomings). Sophomore point guard Logan Robertson averaged 9.1 points on 47.0% shooting (he was a terrible 3-point shooter but thankfully didn't take too many) along with 6.0 assists. He went on to get drafted by Detroit and played eight pro seasons as a marginal starter, averaging 8.8 points and 6.1 assists. |
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| #19484 | 12/21/2022 5:47:56 pm | Oct 13th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CLARK, 2017 President: Mainecougar Overall record: 40-5 (.889) RPI: .619 Average point differential: +21.3 Conference: IV.6 Conference record: 26-4 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: First round What we have here is a pretty decent case that my greatest teams methodology is flawed. And that's hardly a surprise. Whatever criteria one sets for something like this (objective or subjective), there are going to be teams left off the final list that have a good argument for inclusion -- or at the very least, that can claim to have been better than other teams that made it. The 2017 Cougars are the only Clark team to make this list. However, it almost certainly was not Clark's best team. That was probably the 2026 national championship squad. Points in favor of the 2017 Cougars are ones that got them on this list: A better overall record (40-5 compared to 38-10) and a better point differential (+21.3 compared to +14.3). Points in favor of the 2026 Cougars: They were playing in Legends (much higher degree of difficulty), posted a higher RPI (.628 compared to .619) and won the national championship. That's my way of tipping my cap to the 2026 Cougars, and acknowledging that this exercise of mine is far from perfect. With that said, the seeds for the 2017 season were planted when Clark enjoyed a breakout 2016 campaign in Division II, going 42-5 overall, 28-2 in conference action and winning the V.12 regular-season and tournament titles. They continued that momentum in 2017, sweeping the IV.6 regular-season and tournament titles before falling in a No. 2 vs. No. 15 upset in the national tournament (in case you haven't noticed, national first-round upsets are kind of a thing with this list). Clark's biggest strength was its two starting big men, who led the team in scoring and rebounding and were the backbone of an inside attack that scored 42.3 points per game in the paint with a +17.1 margin and outrebounded opponents by 8.5 boards a contest. It's worth noting that these two cornerstones were three-star and two-star recruits. Offensively, the Cougars scored 1.03 points per game on 51.8% shooting, including 34.5% from deep making only 5.1 3s a game (perimeter scoring was not the focus), and a 55.9% eFGP. Defensively, they allowed only 0.81 points per possession on 42.3% shooting and a 47.3% eFGP, and forced 17.1 turnovers a game with a +5.4 turnover ratio. Junior 6-9 power forward Jimmie Koch, who had a 7-4 wingspan, averaged a team-high 15.3 points on 59.7% shooting and 8.8 rebounds with a superb 43.8% OFG defensively. He later earned all-conference honors as a senior. Senior 6-10 center Carlton Turk averaged 13.4 points on 58.4% shooting, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks with a solid 45.8% OFG on defense. Sophomore 6-7 wing Devon Foster strated only 11 games but averaged 26.2 minutes and finished third on the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game on 48.5% shooting, including 39.9% from deep making 1.5 3s a contest. He went on to average at least 16 points per game in his final two seasons and earn all-conference honors as a senior. Senior shooting guard Myles McLain averaged 11.7 points on 43.3% shooting, including 36.4% from deep making 1.7 3s a game, and held opponents to a solid 38.3% OFG. Senior point guard Mark Lindsey averaged 9.1 points on 46.3% shooting (despite a horrible 28.3% from deep ... he made 61.9% inside the arc) and 6.5 assists. Redshirt freshman Jeremiah Christopher, a 6-9 power forward, played 15.4 minutes per game and averaged 8.8 points on 56.8% shooting and 4.3 rebounds. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a junior, averaged about 15 points and 7.5 rebounds over his final two seasons, then was drafted by the Lakers and played six very good pro seasons, averaging 17.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks -- not bad for an unheralded three-star coming out of high school. Redshirt sophomore Seth Mims, a 6-10, 260-pound truck of a center, averaged 15.7 minutes, 8.2 points on 56.4% shooting, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals. He averaged 14.6 points and 8.5 rebounds as a starter over his final two seasons. |
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| #19489 | 12/22/2022 1:17:43 pm | Oct 17th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| LSU, 2018 President: Ball4real Overall record: 45-2 (.957) RPI: .619 Average point differential: +21.8 Conference: IV.5 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Sweet 16 First and foremost, I think Ball4real is a hilariously funny president name considering he's managing a fake college basketball team. See, this is the kind of analysis you pay good money (or no money) for. I was still relatively new to Hardwood during the 2018 season, and I remember thinking for a significant portion of the season, "Man, this LSU team could end up being the best of all-time." And had the Tigers won the national title and finished 49-1, which would be the best Division I record in Hardwood history, they may have had a case (I think they still come up short, especially since no one went on to play pro ball, but they'd probably have made my top five). It wasn't to be, as Iowa smacked them by 15 points in the Sweet 16 (only to get smacked by Tennessee by 23 points in the Elite Eight). That said, LSU remains one of only six teams in Hardwood Division I history to finish a season with just two losses. Not shabby. The Tigers were good in a few areas, but the two things that stick out most to me are the way they hammered opponents on the glass, racking up a +9.2 rebounding margin, and then took the ball to the other end and rained long-range death on defenses, making 9.3 3s a game at a 36.1% clip. Offensively, they averaged 99.2 points per game and 1.03 points per possession, shooting 49.5% overall with a 55.9% eFGP. They outscored teams by 8.3 points in the paint in addition to their perimeter firepower. Defensively, the Tigers held opponents to 0.86 points per possession on 45.0% shooting (32.2% from deep) and a 50.0% eFGP. They forced 18.0 turnovers with a +5.7 turnover margin, coming up with 10.2 steals a game. The regular starting five did the vast majority of the damage, each averaging at least 13.3 points and combining for 76.3 points per game. Junior shooting guard Mickey Farnsworth was the scoring leader at 18.9 points per game on 48.0% shooting, making 2.7 3s per game at a 36.3% clip. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a senior. (A tidbit from El Jefe: Both of LSU's losses came with Farnsworth injured.) Senior small forward Earl Coyne, at 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, was a matchup nightmare for opponents. He averaged 15.7 points on 49.1% shooting, including 40.6% shooting from deep making 2.2 3s a game, as well as 6.8 rebounds, earning all-conference honors. Senior point guard Kermit Milner stepped into a starting role for the first time and earned all-conference honors, averaging 13.7 points (on mediocre shooting splits), 8.9 assists and 1.5 steals. Senior 6-8 power forward Marc Nelson averaged 13.7 points on 55.0% shooting, including 44.0% from deep (22 for 50), along with 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks with a solid 44.7% OFG on defense. Senior center Abelardo Padilla, a 7-footer with a 7-7 wingspan, rounded out the starters by averaging 13.3 points on 60.9% shooting, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals with a solid 45.0% OFG. Updated Thursday, December 22 2022 @ 3:29:55 pm PST |
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| #19493 | 12/26/2022 4:42:26 pm | Oct 31st, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MARIST, 2018 President: comradu Overall record: 43-3 (.935) RPI: .607 Average point differential: +21.3 Conference: IV.1 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Second round So here's the thing: The 2019 Red Foxes were even better than the previous year's version. They went 45-5 overall with a better point differential (+22.3), swept regular-season and tournament titles in a stronger conference (III.1) and went on to capture the national title, capping a 10-0 postseason. And yet that 2019 team isn't going to make this list because its final RPI was ... .599. That's right, that superior Marist team missed this list by .001 RPI points. Life is not fair. In any case, Marist had an unbelievable four-year run from 2016 to 2019, promoting each year (from LL6 to LL2). The Red Foxes went 160-27 overall and 106-14 in conference play in that span, winning four straight conference regular-season titles and reaching the Division II Elite Eight in 2017 (a year in which they crushed my pretty decent Shepherd squad three times. I tried everything I could think of and had no prayer no matter what I tried). The 2018 squad absolutely demolished teams inside, rolling to 48.0 points in the paint per game with a +22.5 margin on average, and outrebounding them by 8.4 boards a contest. They didn't waste much time shooting from deep, making only 4.8 3s a game (at 33.4%), and didn't need to, as all that inside strength led to 1.05 points per possession on 52.8% shooting, a 56.5% eFGP and a +7.7 margin in made free throws per game. Defensively, the Red Foxes held opponents to 0.84 points per possession on 43.4% shooting and a 49.5% eFGP, though they were a little vulnerable to good outside shooting teams (34.8% making 7.3 3s a game). The forced 17.4 turnovers per game, including 10.0 steals, with a +6.0 ratio. Marist's starting five did most of the damage, each averaging at least 29.5 minutes and 13.4 points while combining for 72.0 points per game. Junior power forward Norm Buckley, who stood 6-9 with a 7-5 wingspan and was an all-conference honoree as a sophomore, led the way by averaging 16.0 points on 61.5% shooting, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. As a senior, he earned national tournament player of the year honors. Junior center Greg Tillman, who was 6-11 with a 7-6 wingspan, earned all-conference honors by averaging 14.6 points on 63.4% shooting, 13.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals with a fantastic 42.6% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Portland and played eight pro seasons as a marginal starter, averaging 6.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Senior point guard Geraldo Destrade averaged 14.5 points on 46.9% shooting and 7.4 assists. Senior small forward Albert Vance averaged 13.5 points on 43.8% shooting, making a team-high 1.7 3s per game at a 32.6% clip, and added 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game with a solid 38.3% OFG. Junior shooting guard Rick Dobson averaged 13.4 points on 47.6% shooting, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals with a 37.0% OFG. He earned all-tournament honors in 2019. Ed Gambino was a sophomore backup point guard on the 2018 team, getting only 11.8 minutes per game. He went on to earn a pair of all-conference honors and an all-tournament nod over his final two seasons, averaging about 18.7 points, 6.5 assists and 2.1 steals, then was drafted by Brooklyn and played seven pro seasons as a sixth man, averaging 11.0 points and 3.5 assists in 21.2 minutes per game. |
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| #19494 | 12/27/2022 7:21:55 pm | Nov 3rd, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MISSISSIPPI, 2019 President: verysilentone Overall record: 41-5 (.891) RPI: .640 Average point differential: +21.1 Conference: I.1 Conference record: 26-4 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Second round Welcome to one of the bigger "What If" scenarios in Hardwood history: What if the Rebels had stayed healthy for the national tournament? Had they done so, and run the table, they would be in the conversation about the greatest team in Hardwood history. It wasn't to be. In a second-round loss to Legends League rival Kansas State, the Rebels played without their two leading scorers and their starting center. The Hardwood gods can be a cruel bunch. Mississippi still made its mark. The 2019 squad finished with the highest RPI in Hardwood history, a mark that stood for 10 years until Lincoln-PA eclipsed it in 2029. Its 41-5 overall record remains the fourth-best by a Legends team in Hardwood history (through 2029). With verysilentone running the show from the start, the Rebels have been a Hardwood staple with a 853-425 overall record, and are one of the few programs to never play outside of Division I (and they have been in LL3 or higher for all but one season, in 2003). They have played in three Final Fours (though never in a national final), won four conference tournament titles (three in Legends) and six conference regular-season crowns, have five 40-win seasons and eight more 30-win seasons. Oh, and the 2020 squad will be making a detailed appearance in this thread soon. As for the 2019 team, the Rebels averaged 98.0 points per game and 1.05 points per possession on 49.5% shooting, including 35.9% from deep making 8.3 3s a game, and had a 55.3% eFGP. They outscored opponents by 8.8 points per game in the paint and by 7.7 points per game on fast breaks. Defensively, they held opponents to 0.84 points per possession on 44.4% shooting, including 32.5% from deep (opponents only made 5.7 3s a game), and a 49.0% eFGP. They forced 19.5 turnovers a game, including an elite 11.8 steals, with a +8.9 turnover ratio. Junior shooting guard Frankie Cunningham earned all-conference honors and led the Rebels at 21.5 points per game on 50.3% shooting, including 38.5% from deep making 2.7 3s a game. He added 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game with a 40.5% OFG on defense. Junior small forward Jeff White, who stood 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, was the headliner, a 5-star recruit who was the national No. 3-ranked player coming out of high school. He earned the first of his two All-American honors, averaging 18.9 points on 51.6%/44.4%/86.7% shooting splits (making 2.9 3s a game) to go with 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game with a superb 36.6% OFG on defense. Senior point guard Matt Starks stepped into a starting role for the first time and earned all-conference honors, averaging 15.2 points on 46.3% shooting (though he was a subpar deep threat), 6.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Junior guard Caesar Marte, as a sixth man, finished fourth on the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game (though his percentages were mediocre to poor) and added 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The best was yet to come for him. Sophomore big man Johnnie Eubanks, who stood 6-11 with a 7-7 wingspan, started 12 games and averaged 24.9 minutes, producing 10.1 points on 56.4% shooting, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Like Marte, he had bigger and better things coming. Junior center Marvin Slater, who made up for his 6-9 height with a 7-4 wingspan, averaged 10.0 points on 51.3% shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals. Senior power forward Brooks Laterza, at 6-9 with a 7-3 wingspan, rounded out the starters and averaged 9.9 points on 49.4% shooting, 8.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game with a very good 43.4% OFG on defense. Updated Tuesday, December 27 2022 @ 7:25:01 pm PST |
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| #19505 | 12/31/2022 3:25:38 pm | Nov 17th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MISSISSIPPI, 2020 President: verysilentone Overall record: 42-7 (.857) RPI: .620 Average point differential: +23.9 Conference: I.1 Conference record: 26-4 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Final Four I detailed the Rebels' history a fair amount in the 2019 season writeup, so I'm going to be more brief here. The up-tempo offense averaged 101.3 points per game on 1.06 points per possession, shooting 48.9% overall, making 9.4 3s a game at a 34.8% clip, good for a 55.3% eFGP. They had a +9.0 advantage in the paint and a +6.7 edge in fast break points. The defense held opponents to 0.83 points per possession on 43.2% shooting and a 48.2% eFGP. They forced 19.9 turnovers per game, including an elite 11.5 steals per contest, with a +9.8 turnover ratio. This is the first team on this list that had three players average at least 20 points per game. The regular starting five each averaged at least 12.8 points. Senior shooting guard Frankie Cunningham closed out a stellar final three years of his college career by averaging 21.0 points on 46.8%/36.1%/84.4% splits, 3.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals (and didn't even get an all-conference nod). He was drafted by Minnesota and as of this writing was in his 10th pro season as a volume-scoring starter or sixth man, averaging 16.9 points. Senior small forward Jeff White (who dabbled at point guard) capped his college career with his second straight All-American season, averaging 20.8 points on fantastic 51.1%/42.2%/94.1% splits (making 3.2 3s a game) along with 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals with a stout 35.9% OFG on defense. He was drafted fourth overall by Toronto and played nine pro seasons at an all-star level, averaging 20.6 points on 47.1%/41.8%/93.8% splits and 5.9 rebounds with a 41.1% OFG. Senior point guard Caesar Marte earned conference and all-tournament honors, averaging 20.2 points (though his efficiency was average at best), 7.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals. He was drafted by Sacramento and played nine pro seasons mostly as a starter, averaging 17.2 points and 6.5 assists. Junior center Johnnie Eubanks stepped into a full-time starting role and averaged 14.1 points on 63.4% shooting, 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks with a very good 42.5% OFG on defense. He was even better bulk stats-wise as a senior (15.7 points, 10.1 rebounds), then was drafted by the Lakers and played five pro seasons primarily as a starter, averaging 13.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Senior power forward Marvin Slater rounded out the starters and averaged 12.8 points on 57.0% shooting, 10.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks with a solid 43.0% OFG on defense. |
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| #19507 | 01/01/2023 4:00:45 pm | Nov 22nd, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MARQUETTE, 2020 President: biggestmarquettefan Overall record: 40-6 (.870) RPI: .604 Average point differential: +21.2 Conference: III.2 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: Sweet 16 Here's another program that has never been outside of Division I. Biggestmarquettefan took over as president in the 2005 season and has led the Golden Eagles to three 40-win seasons, eight 30-win seasons, four conference regular-season titles, four more conference tournament crowns and the 2024 national championship. Given that last fact, it would be hard to pick against that 2024 squad as the best in Marquette history. Nonetheless, it's the 2020 unit that cracks this list, with the program's best overall winning percentage and scoring margin to date (through 2029). The 2020 Golden Eagles got the job done with a diverse offense that could hurt opponents in a variety of ways. They averaged 1.06 points per possession on 51.1% shooting, making 8.3 3s a game at a very good 37.9% clip, and finishing with a 57.1% eFGP. In addition to their perimeter threats, they outscored opponents by 11.4 points per game in the paint, netting 41.6 points inside. Defensively, Marquette held opponents to 0.86 points per possession on 45.3% shooting with a 50.1% eFGP. The Golden Eagles had a +4.9 rebounding edge and a +6.9 turnover margin, forcing 10 steals and 17.8 turnovers a game. The five starters each averaged at least 11.8 points per game, combining for 75.3 points a contest. Senior center Michael Powell closed his college career as a two-time all-conference selection (he was the conference player of the year in 2019), and led Marquette at 19.0 points per game on 62.3% shooting with 11.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. Phoenix signed him as an undrafted free agent and he played six quality pro seasons, averaging 15.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Sophomore wing Thurman Cook, a heralded 6-8, five-star recruit who was ranked third in his class coming out of high school, earned his first of three straight all-conference honors by averaging 18.4 points on 47.6%/40.3%/78.2% shooting splits (making 2.8 3s a game), 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He went on to earn national player of the year honors in both his junior and senior seasons, was drafted first overall by Utah and at the time of this writing was in his eighth pro season as a regular all-star, averaging 18.2 points on 53.9%/36.9%/88.8% splits, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Senior point guard Mo Bland, a two-year starter, averaged 14.2 points on 50.1%/40.0%/73.1% splits and 6.5 assists. Senior 6-11 big man Andy Sutton cracked the starting lineup for the first time and averaged 11.9 points on 58.6% shooting, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals with a very good 43.9% OFG on defense. Junior small forward Thomas Jackson, who started all 168 games he played at Marquette, earned all-conference honors by averaging 11.8 points on 45.1%/38.9%/79.8% shooting, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals with a solid 37.6% OFG on defense. Senior wing Darius Wright was a solid contributor off the bench, playing 16.8 minutes per game and averaging 7.0 points on efficient 47.0%/40.9%/77.5% splits. |
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| #19512 | 01/02/2023 6:36:55 pm | Nov 24th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MINNESOTA STATE, 2020 President: Mattysota Overall record: 42-6 (.875) RPI: .600 Average point differential: +24.1 Conference: IV.1 Conference record: 26-4 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Elite Eight The Mavericks had a three-year stretch from 2019 to 2021 in which they won 40 or more games each season (going from LL5/Division 2 to LL3/Division 1) and went 123-21 overall. It's yet another case where one of those teams that didn't crack this list is actually the best one of the bunch. The 2021 Mavericks finished with an RPI of .578 and a point differential of +15.3, missing the qualification standards by a fair margin, but they went 10-0 in postseason play in rolling to III.1 and national tournament championships, the latter as a No. 7 seed. The 2020 team crushed opponents with a historically devastating offense that scored 100.5 points per game and an elite 1.10 points per possession. They shot 53.0% overall, made 8.4 3s a game at a 37.4% clip, made five more free throws per game than their opponents, scored 43.6 points in the paint with a +16.6 margin inside, and added 14.5 fast-break points per game with a +8.5 margin in that category. They were a total nightmare to defend against. The defense was solid as well, holding opponents to 0.87 points per possession on 44.2% shooting, outrebounding them by a +8.7 margin and forcing 17.2 turnovers a game with a +6.1 margin. Senior lefty shooting guard Deon Joyner, a three-time all-conference honoree, led the squad at 21.9 points per game on 50.2%/35.3%/78.6% splits along with 4.7 assists and a solid 39.1% OFG on defense. He signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent and played six quality pro seasons, averaging 16.9 points and 3.6 assists. Sophomore 6-10 power forward Ira Shaver averaged 15.9 points on superb 67.3% shooting and 9.9 rebounds. He earned all-conference honors as a junior and senior, was an all-tournament honoree as a junior and was drafted by Chicago. As of this writing, he was in his eighth pro season as an all-star center, averaging 18.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. Junior "small" forward Monte Foster, who stood 6-8 with a 7-4 wingspan, averaged 12.8 points on 47.5%/39.8%/88.0% splits, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals with a 37.9% OFG on defense. He earned all-tournament honors as a senior. Senior point guard Neal Frick averaged 12.2 points on 49.5%/44.8%/66.4% shooting (yikes on the freebies), 6.7 assists and 1.5 steals to close out a career in which he started 168 of 179 games (and bricked a lot of free throws ... 309-for-504, to be exact ... Neal "The Brick" Frick from the charity stripe, I'd say). Junior 7-footer Trent Sellers was usually the first player off the bench. In 24.1 minutes per game, he averaged 11.5 points on 67.8% shooting and 6.9 rebounds with a 46.7% OFG on defense. Junior 7-footer Jeff Pollack played fewer minutes than Sellers despite starting the majority of the time. He averaged 8.0 points on 49.6% shooting (he could stretch defenses, going 11-for-29 from deep for a tidy 37.9%) and 6.8 rebounds. After his senior year, he was signed by Sacramento as an undrafted free agent. As of this writing, he was in his ninth pro season playing mostly as a backup, averaging 8.5 points on mediocre shooting percentages and 5.0 rebounds. |
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| #19527 | 01/06/2023 2:55:00 pm | Dec 8th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| GEORGETOWN, 2020 President: emirsci Overall record: 42-6 (.875) RPI: .613 Average point differential: +22.8 Conference: IV.1 Conference record: 26-4 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Elite Eight The Hardwood Hoyas history is interesting. They were run by jakala from 2002 to 2011 and were always somewhere within LL1 to LL3, with a trio of 30-plus-win seasons (2002, 2009 and 2010), but never won a conference tournament title or got past the Sweet 16 in the national tournament. In 2015, emirsci took charge of the program, and in his first five seasons (the first in LL3, the following four in LL4), the Hoyas never finished below .500 overall, going 121-91 overall and 81-69 in conference play. Yet they never finished better than sixth in their conference, never reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, and never received a national tournament berth. That made 2020 quite a breakout season for Georgetown, as the pieces came together to produce what remains the Hoyas' best season. Amazingly, they still didn't win a conference regular-season title -- that honor went to Minnesota State, which finished conference play with the same record but a better point differential (I believe this is the first instance of two teams in the same conference making this list). Georgetown then topped Minnesota State in a 113-105 thriller for the conference tournament title, and rolled through its first three national tournament foes before running into a Mississippi buzz saw in the Elite Eight. The Hoyas' well-rounded and efficient offense averaged 1.08 points per possession on 51.5% shooting, including 6.9 3s per game at a 36.3% clip, and a 56.6% eFGP. They outscored opponents by 9.5 points in the paint. Defensively, Georgetown held opponents to 0.84 points per possession on 43.5% shooting, including 31.0% from deep, and a 48.8% eFGP. The Hoyas outrebounded opponents by 7.2 boards a game and forced 16.6 turnovers with a +6.1 turnover margin. They got it done largely on the strength of their top six players, including a dynamic backcourt duo that lit up opposing defenses. Senior point guard Douglas Delaney earned every bit of his "Money" nickname with an all-conference caliber season, averaging 20.6 points on 49.8%/38.4%/82.9% splits, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals with a solid 40.1% OFG on defense. Redshirt freshman Latrelle Warren, a hometown five-star recruit who was ranked No. 2 overall in his high school class, started earning his nickname as "Mr. Clutch" in 2020. He averaged 20.2 points on 49.7%/38.2%/99.0% shooting (yes, 99% from the foul line, making 191 of 193 ... he made 890 of 921 free throws in his college career, a 96.6% success rate), 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals with a very good 36.7% OFG on defense. Warren would end his college career as a three-time conference player of the year, a four-time all-conference honoree and an All-American nod as a sophomore. He was drafted by Milwaukee fourth overall in 2023 and, as of this writing, was in his seventh pro season as one of the biggest superstars in the game, with career averages of 24.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals. Junior 7-footer Christian Harter averaged 13.6 points on 61.2% shooting and 10.3 rebounds. He was drafted by Oklahoma City in 2021 and was primarily a backup for two pro seasons, averaging 11.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in 21.6 minutes. Senior 6-8 power forward Curt Sheets averaged 13.1 points on 58.6% shooting and 8.3 rebounds with a very good 44.0% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Memphis and played three strong pro seasons, averaging 16.3 points and 6.0 rebounds. Junior small forward Kelvin Krueger rounded out the starters and averaged 11.6 points on 48.4%/39.0%/82.4% splits and 4.0 rebounds with a good 38.7% OFG on defense. Sophomore small forward Agustin Cintron was the top reserve, averaging 7.2 points on 49.8%/36.8%/81.4% shooting in 14.5 minutes a game. He started his final two seasons and was an all-conference honoree as a senior post player. |
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| #19528 | 01/08/2023 3:11:19 pm | Dec 15th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| SUNY GENESEO, 2020 President: scowley75 Overall record: 39-6 (.867) RPI: .603 Average point differential: +21.3 Conference: IV.4 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: Second Round When scowley75 took over the Knights in 2010, they had been a Division 3 program for all but the previous year, in which they immediately demoted back. They quickly became winners, going 34-12 in 2011 (though they finished fourth in VI.12 and just missed promotion) and 43-7 in 2012, capping that year with a 10-0 postseason run that secured conference and D3 national tournament championships. They went 36-7 in Division 2 in 2013 and, aside from a brief stop back in D2 in 2025, they have been in D1 ever since, with ten 20-win seasons, three 30-win years, three regular-season D1 conference titles and a III.2 tournament crown in 2021. SUNY Geneseo's two-year stretch in 2020-21, in which they went 77-13 overall and 54-6 in conference play (winning IV.4 and III.2 regular-season titles both years in addition to the 2021 conference tournament crown) with a combined RPI of .601 and a combined scoring margin of +18.6, is surely the Knights' best. I would rank the 2021 season as better than 2020, but ... well, you know how that works with this list. The 2021 team didn't meet all (or any) of the criteria (with a winning percentage of .844, an RPI of .599 and a point differential of +16.0). The 2020 team did. Them's the breaks. The Knights boasted one of the better balances of offense and defense on this list: They weren't truly elite at either end but they were very, very good at both. Offensively, they scored 1.06 points per possession on 51.8% shooting, including a superb 39.0% from deep making 7.4 3s a game, with a 57.5% eFGP. They had a +12.7 scoring margin in the paint. Defensively, they held opponents to 0.82 points per possession on 43.6% shooting, including only 30.5% from deep, and a 48.1% eFGP. They forced 18.1 turnovers per game, including 10.0 steals, and finished with a +7.3 turnover ratio. These Knights might be the biggest example of "team over individuals" on this list so far. Their leading scorer averaged only 12.4 points, but each of the eight rotation players each scored at least 8.2 points per game. Junior center Martin Alonso was the leading scorer, posting 12.4 points on 61.1% shooting to go with 7.1 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game. Junior power forward Khris Carroll averaged 12.3 points on 58.2% shooting, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks. I find it interesting that he moved to small forward in 2021 and annihilated opponents on defense. Senior point guard Glen Carter averaged 12.2 points on 43.7%/35.9%/81.4% shooting splits to go with 7.2 assists, 2.1 steals and a tidy 39.0% OFG on defense. His raw scoring totals slipped a bit from his junior season but he was more efficient. Senior shooting guard Fred Emoto averaged 12.2 points on 45.0%/30.6%/86.1% shooting (a little bricky from deep but otherwise solid), 4.3 assists, 1.7 steals and a very good 36.4% OFG on defense. Redshirt freshman small forward Doug Gates, a five-star recruit, started all 44 games he played and averaged 11.6 points on applause-worthy 48.6%/43.4%/71.7% splits. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a junior and senior, was drafted seventh overall by Washington in 2023 and played three pro seasons as a solid starter splitting time between point guard and small forward, averaging 15.7 points, 4.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds. Junior big man Sal Best played 23 minutes per game (starting 12 of the 43 contests he played in) and averaged 10.6 points on 63.2% shooting and 8.3 rebounds. Junior guard Jermaine Blackman played 17.1 minutes per game and averaged 8.3 points on 44.6%/41.6%/72.6% splits and 3.1 assists. He started in 2021 and averaged 14.3 points. Sophomore small forward Benny Robertson played only 14.2 minutes per game but made the most of them, averaging 8.2 points on incredible 50.8%/46.3%/92.5% shooting. He didn't become a regular starter until his senior year in 2022, when he averaged 19.0 points and 7.9 rebounds to gain all-conference honors. |
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| #19531 | 01/09/2023 5:07:48 pm | Dec 20th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| PENN STATE, 2021 President: dstevens Overall record: 39-4 (.907) RPI: .609 Average point differential: +25.1 Conference: IV.8 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: First Round National tournament finish: Second Round Wait, what?!? How does this squad, which went 38-2 in the regular season, go 1-2 in postseason games, including a conference tourney loss to an Arkansas team that ended up 10-32? What kind of ridiculous awfulness is that? How did dstevens not rage quit? I know, I know. Hardwood gonna Hardwood. Look. These guys were really good. I had a pretty decent Maryland team in 2021 and Penn State pasted me by 23 points. I couldn't score against them. Most teams couldn't score against them. I really believed they were a Final Four-caliber squad. Alas. The Lions were run by penelopesweetp for seven years from 2012-18, and he did a solid job with them as a winning Division 2, then LL4 program. When dstevens took over in 2020 with Penn State back in Division 2, the Lions' roster was ready to make quick noise. They went 41-7 in 2020, and while Penn State never reached 40 wins again, the Lions won at least 30 in four of their next six seasons in Division 1, including three straight from 2024 to 2026 as they promoted all the way to Legends. Offensively, they averaged 1.04 points per possession on 50.4% shooting, including 35.4% from deep making a modest 6.7 3s a game, with a 55.4% eFGP. They scored 41.3 points per game in the paint with a +12.5 margin inside, and also doubled up opponents in fast break points (scoring 12.2, allowing 6.1). But the real strength of the team came at the other end. Penn State held opponents to 0.78 points per possession on 42.5% shooting, including a bricky 29.5% from deep, and a 46.9% eFGP. They had a +6.2 margin on the glass and forced 18.7 turnovers a game, including 10.0 steals, with a +8.0 turnover margin. Each of the five starters averaged at least 11.2 points per game. None of the bench players averaged more than 5.0 (though the two who averaged 5.0 exactly, who were the backup big men, did so quite efficiently). Junior shooting guard Javon Doherty, a five-star recruit out of Philadelphia, was the star, earning conference player of the year honors in each of his final two seasons. In 2021, he averaged 22.8 points on 52.6%/39.7%/76.4% splits, 3.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals with a very good 36.4% OFG on defense. He was drafted eighth overall by Chicago in 2022 and as of this writing was in his eighth pro season at a near all-star level, averaging 20.5 points on 45.0%/37.0%/76.2% shooting, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals. Senior center Marcus Sutcliffe earned his second straight all-conference honor, averaging 14.5 points on 56.5% shooting, 10.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks with a stout 46.1% OFG on defense. Senior point guard Darryl Murray averaged 14.4 points (on pretty mediocre percentages), 6.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals with a 40.3% OFG on defense. And I totally tried to call him Darryl Morey before I caught my error. Senior small forward Jimmie Richardson was a destructive defensive force at 6-8, holding opponents to an otherworldly 31.9% OFG. He averaged 13.9 points on 44.8%/37.6%/74.0% shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Senior power forward Kermit Taylor averaged 11.2 points on 57.0% shooting and 8.6 rebounds with a 47.6% OFG on defense. |
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| #19532 | 01/10/2023 3:06:50 pm | Dec 22nd, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| ALABAMA, 2022 President: plokmijn Overall record: 44-5 (.898) RPI: .605 Average point differential: +22.6 Conference: III.1 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: Champion Plokmijn became the fifth (and current) president of the Crimson Tide in 2014 and inherited a pretty solid program that had won at least 23 games each season since 2006, including four 30-win seasons. That said, they had never played above LL4, had never won a conference title and had never gotten past the Sweet 16 in the national tournament (and that was in Division 2). In plokmijn's first season, Alabama won the IV.2 conference tournament. The Tide won 30-plus game in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021, reached the Elite Eight in the Division 2 national tournament in 2016 and reached the same round in the Division 1 tourney in 2017. All of that paled in comparison to what the 2022 Tide accomplished. Alabama rolled to the III.1 regular-season title by four games over a pretty solid Sioux Falls squad. After a one-point loss to Pace in the conference semifinals, the Tide regrouped and claimed the Division 1 national title, with close wins over Morehead State, Huntington and Black Hills State before a dominant second half that dispatched Dominican-California in the championship game. The offense averaged 1.04 points per possession on 49.1% shooting, including a solid 37.1% from deep making 8.9 3s a game (three more than opponents hit), and a 56.0% eFGP. They had a +6.4 edge in paint scoring and a +5.8 edge in fast break points, scoring 12.0 a game. The Tide were better defensively (IMO), holding opponents to 0.81 points per possession on 43.4% shooting and a 48.6% eFGP, with a +5.7 rebounding edge. They forced 18.3 turnovers per game, including a very good 10.8 steals, with a +7.0 turnover margin. This is the first example in this list of a team truly being carried by a big three, who each averaged at least 16.3 points. The fourth-best scorer was at 9.2. Senior shooting guard Dan Nash, a lowly two-star recruit out of high school, capped his career with his second straight all-conference honor and was MVP of the national tournament. He averaged 21.8 points on 45.6%/38.1%/87.6% shooting, bombing away to make 3.7 3s a game, and added 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals with a 38.0% OFG on defense. (Side note: Nash was only 6 feet tall but had a 38.5-inch vertical. Dude could jump out of the gym ... especially for a white boy.) Senior center Billy Ray Zhang, a load at 6-10 and 275 pounds, earned all-national tournament honors and averaged 17.0 points on 61.6% shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals with a superb 43.1% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Brooklyn late in the first round and played two quality pro seasons, averaging 14.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. (It's always puzzling when guys go pro and excel for 2-3 seasons, then just vanish.) Junior point guard Wes Rossi also earned all-national tournament honors, and averaged 16.3 points on 45.3%/35.8%/83.2% shooting, making 2.4 3s a game. He added 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals with a 39.8% OFG on defense. |
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| #19535 | 01/11/2023 11:22:46 am | Dec 27th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CAL TECH, 2022 President: beaver21 Overall record: 46-4 (.920) RPI: .601 Average point differential: +29.0 Conference: IV.3 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Second Round The Beavers were a roller coaster of a program under several different presidents before beaver21 took over in 2017. In those early days, they climbed from Division 3 all the way to LL2, winning the IV.4 regular-season title along the way in 2011, then dropped all the way back down to Division 2 by the time beaver21 came aboard, and would fall all the way to Division 3 soon after. They didn't stay there for very long. In 2020 the Beavers started a run of three straight 40-plus-win seasons (going 127-16 overall and 84-6 in conference play) to go from Division 3 to Division 1. They won conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2020 and 2021, and reached the Division 2 national final in 2021 to set the stage for the following year. I know it was only LL4, but when you're drubbing opponents to the tune of a +29.0 point differential like Cal Tech did in 2022, that's pretty impressive. It's a bit of a shame they got upset by UNC Greensboro (a solid team in its own right that season, but not in Cal Tech's class) 84-81 in the conference tournament final, as the Beavers deserved a bit of hardware. Cal Tech got it done at both ends with a roster that went eight-deep with quality and a starting lineup that had four players 6-foot-7 or taller. Offensively, the Beavers averaged 99.3 points per game and 1.08 points per possession 51.1% shooting, bombing away from deep to make 9.8 3s a game at a 38.2% clip (this was their biggest advantage, as they scored 4.2 more 3s than opponents per game). They had a 58.1% eFGP, outscored opponents by 9.7 points in the paint and by 6.9 points on fast breaks, scoring 13.7 in transition. Defensively, Cal Tech held opponents to 0.79 points per possession on 42.9% shooting and a 47.5% eFGP. The Beavers outrebounded opponents by a +5.2 margin and had elite turnover numbers, forcing 20.7 turnovers with 12.7 steals per game for a +8.8 turnover margin. Senior shooting guard Anderson Hess, who at 6-7 created mismatches, earned conference player of the year honors by averaging 21.0 points on 49.5%/37.0%/95.4% shooting, making 2.8 3s a game, and added 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals. He was drafted by Sacramento and played seven pro seasons as a reserve, averaging 8.5 points in 18.3 minutes. Junior point guard George Sampson averaged 13.3 points on 46.6%/39.8%/79.8% shooting making a pair of 3s a game, 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals. Junior post player Dennis Morris averaged 12.9 points on 60.6% shooting and 8.6 rebounds with a superb 44.5% OFG on defense. Senior small forward Jimmy Carr, who was 6-7, averaged 12.5 points on 48.6%/40.2%/79.0% shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals with an excellent 36.1% OFG on defense. Senior guard Darryl Johnson started 14 of the 37 games he played in and averaged 11.6 points on 45.4%/37.0%/81.2% shooting, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals with a solid 37.8% OFG on defense. Junior small forward Robbie Givens, who stood 6-8 (the height just was unreal with this team), started just seven games and played just 17.7 minutes, but still averaged 10.3 points on 51.9%/42.1%/83.8% shooting. (When a guy like this is coming off your bench, that says something ... maybe that the president was an idiot, but in this case that the team was loaded.) He was drafted by Charlotte and as of this writing was in his seventh pro season as a very good (maybe all-star) starter, averaging 16.5 points on 50.6%/41.3%/89.4% shooting and 6.4 rebounds. Senior center Paul Jansen rounded out the regular starters and averaged 9.5 points on 57.4% shooting, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals with a decent 47.5% OFG on defense. Sophomore Myles Sherwood was a backup big man who averaged 8.6 points on 57.2% shooting and 6.1 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a senior, averaging 15.9 points and 9.1 rebounds. |
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| #19538 | 01/11/2023 5:45:11 pm | Dec 27th, 2029 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| NORTHERN ILLINOIS, 2023 President: Slickandjake Overall record: 38-5 (.884) RPI: .607 Average point differential: +30.5 Conference: IV.7 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Quarterfinals National tournament finish: First Round Sure, this makes sense. Crush teams by more than 30 points per game (one of only two Division 1 teams ever to do that for a full season), finish the season with the No. 1 RPI in all of Hardwood (which means their success wasn't only a product of an LL4 conference), and go 1-2 in postseason games, getting bounced in a 2-15 matchup in the national tournament. Ladies and gentlemen, that is Hardwood in a nutshell. It's a love-hate relationship. It's torture we can't get enough of. OK I'm done. Not with Hardwood, just this rant. The Huskies were a nothing-happening program before Slickandjake took control in 2018. They were an LL4/Division 1 team the first year (2001), demoted and never returned to Division 1 again, though they did manage to have a pair of 30-win seasons (2006 and 2008) and reach the Division 3 Final Four in 2006. From 2010-17, Northern Illinois only reached 20 wins three times. In Slickandjake's first year, the Huskies promoted out of Division 3 with a 32-11 overall record. They played the next four seasons in Division 2, winning conference tournament titles in 2021 and 2022 and finishing 43-4 overall and 29-1 overall to claim the V.13 regular-season title in 2022 -- setting the stage for their first season in Division 1 since that inaugural year. And what a year it was -- apart from the ending, of course. Northern Illinois blitzed opponents with a statistically historic offense that scored 103.7 points per game and an incredible 1.12 points per possession, shooting 51.9% overall and making an incredible 13.0 3s a game at a 39.4% clip, leading to a ridiculous 60.9% eFGP. They outscored opponents by about 22 points per game on 3s alone. And they still managed to bludgeon teams inside with a +9.1 margin in the paint (39.7 points per game), and outrun them with a +5.7 margin in fast break points (13.6 points per game). The defense was pretty darn good, too. The Huskies held opponents to 0.82 points per possession on 43.8% shooting overall and a 49.3% eFGP, outrebounded them by a +6.6 margin on the glass and forced 20.0 turnovers per game, including an elite 11.8 steals, with a +9.0 turnover margin. The top six players each averaged at least 11.7 points per game, and the seventh man chipped in nine a contest. Aside from the two bigs who never shot from deep, each of the other five regulars shot at least 35.3% from range (and wait until the leading scorer gets detailed starting ... now). Sophomore guard Floyd "Clark" Kent, who was a three-star recruit out of Canada (well, Toronto ... most Canadians say Toronto doesn't count, from what I hear), had his coming-out party this season as a superstar. He averaged 21.0 points on absurd 49.6%/46.6%/73.6% shooting, making 4.1 3s a game (he went 170-for-365 from deep for the season). He won the first of three straight all-conference honors and would go on to be an LL3 conference player of the year as a junior and an all-tournament honoree as a senior. Amazingly, no NBA team gave him a shot. Bunch of idiots, those pros. Senior shooting guard Hank Peters, whose nickname was "E-Panky" (that's fantastic!), capped his career with a fourth straight all-conference season (he was an LL5 conference player to the year in 2022), averaging 18.9 points on 42.7%/36.2%/79.2% shooting making 3.8 3s a game, and adding 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals with a 39.0% OFG on defense. Senior point guard Craig Wyatt averaged 13.9 points on 44.0%/35.3%/74.3% shooting, 8.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals with a 36.2% OFG on defense. Sophomore 7-footer Jesse Hill averaged 13.1 points on 66.1% shooting and 7.6 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per game. Senior power forward Art Bell averaged 11.7 points on 59.0%/39.8%/89.1% shooting (outstanding for a big, and he made just under one 3 a game, too) along with 9,8 rebounds and a solid 48.6% OFG on defense. Junior backup big man Andy Arrington played 24.9 minutes per game and averaged 11.7 points on 65.6% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals with a sensational 41.3% OFG on defense. Senior small forward Rob Cogswell rounded out the regulars and averaged 9.0 points on 49.6%/43.0%/65.9% shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals with a 37.8% OFG on defense. Perhaps the best part about this team: None of them were higher than 3-star recruits (three of them were 2-stars). None of them got drafted, and I could argue that aside from Kent, none should have. That's one of the things I love about Hardwood: If you build a team well, you don't have to recruit or sign blue-chippers to find success. |
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| #19544 | 01/14/2023 7:01:26 pm | Jan 5th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| UTAH STATE, 2024 President: dt81089 Overall record: 46-3 (.939) RPI: .630 Average point differential: +26.5 Conference: II.1 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Final Four I didn't appreciate Utah State's history until starting to write this piece. After going 30-93 over the first three years of Hardwood, dt81089 took over the Aggies in 2004 and quickly turned them into a consistent winner, promoting from Division 3 in 2007 all the way to LL2 by 2012. They haven't played any lower than LL3 ever since, and made it into Legends in 2025, where they've been for all but one season (2028) since. They've won five conference regular-season titles (including Legends in 2025), three conference tournament titles and been to a pair of Division 1 Final Fours, with a record (through 2029) of 734-420 since dt81089 took over. A case probably could be made that the 2025 squad was better than the 2024 unit, with the moderate drop in point differential (+18.6) and RPI (.619) from 2024 caused almost solely by the jump to Legends competition. I'd still take the 2024 team because of its 8-1 postseason and Final Four appearance, on top of the stats. A deeper dive into the stats at first left me a little confused, just because the gap between Utah State's points per possession (1.03) and points per possession allowed (0.81) is not as large as I expected a team with a +26.5 point differential to be. That confusion got solved a few seconds later, but we'll get to that in a minute. The high-octane offense scored 101.4 points per game on 49.3% shooting. They were relatively inefficient from deep (33.0%) but still rained 10.0 3s down on opponents per game -- which combined with a +14.7-point edge in paint scoring (at 45.9 points per game inside), made them hard to defend. They had a 55.8% eFGP, and also had a +8.7-point edge in transition, scoring 15.5 fast-break points a game. (That's a clue as to the stat that really set this squad apart ... figure it out yet?) The defense held opponents to 43.8% shooting and a 49.7% eFGP, and enjoyed a +6.5 rebounding edge, solid numbers for sure, but nothing too remarkable for a team on this list. That is, until you get to turnovers. Oh yes, the turnovers. Utah State didn't have to be the most efficient on offense or defense (as far as percentages and per-possession stats went). The Aggies simply enjoyed far more possessions per game than their opponents, largely because they forced 21.9 turnovers per game, including a ridiculous 12.9 steals, with an equally ridiculous +10.1 turnover ratio. That is what led to the point differential. The Aggies primarily went seven-deep. Each of the five regular starters averaged at least 11.7 points, and the top two bench players averaged at least 8.0 points. Junior point guard Lee Winters, a five-star recruit who would end his college career as a three-time all-conference honoree (with an LL3 conference player of the year award), earned all-tournament honors this season. He averaged 21.5 points on pretty poor shooting percentages (though he made 4.2 3s a game), 7.1 assists and 2.6 steals with a very good 36.7% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Philadelphia in 2025 and played four pro seasons at an all-star level, averaging 20.4 points and 7.4 assists. Junior 7-footer Tom Harris, an absolute load at 290 pounds, earned all-conference and all-tournament honors. He averaged 17.4 points on 66.4% shooting, 11.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. He was drafted 10th overall by New Orleans in 2025 and as of this writing was in his fifth pro season playing at a near-all-star level, averaging 17.6 points on 58.0% shooting, 10.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. Senior guard Shawn Sands, another five-star recruit, averaged 15.8 points on 46.9% shooting (though he was average from deep and abysmal from the foul line), 5.9 assists and 2.1 ateals. He was drafted by Indiana and played three pro seasons as a backup guard, averaging 8.2 points and 4.0 assists in 21.9 minutes. Senior big man Louis Moore averaged 13.6 points on 59.4% shooting and 9.0 rebounds with a superb 44.6% OFG on defense. He was a very useful two-star, starting each of his final three years. Senior small forward Garry Sutherland averaged 11.7 points on mediocre shooting splits, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 steals with a solid 39.9% OFG on defense. Sophomore Hugh Olson was a solid bench big, averaging 8.0 points on 58.0% shooting (and 51.6% from deep, going 16-for-31) and 5.9 rebounds in 18.2 minutes. He started his final two seasons and averaged about 14.8 points and 10.8 rebounds. Updated Saturday, January 14 2023 @ 7:04:15 pm PST |
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| #19546 | 01/15/2023 5:29:40 pm | Jan 10th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| WESTERN MICHIGAN, 2024 President: FuzzyBanana Overall record: 42-5 (.894) RPI: .632 Average point differential: +25.4 Conference: II.2 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Finalist National tournament finish: Sweet 16 I'm pretty sure FuzzyBanana would take the 2025 Broncos over the 2024 version, given the 2025 squad went 10-0 in the postseason to win Legends tournament and national tournament titles. That was a bit of a Cinderella run: Those Broncos went 25-15 overall and 17-13 in Legends in the regular season, a quality season to be sure but nothing that would get a team anywhere near this list. Then they went supernova at the best time to do so, especially as a No. 5 seed in the big dance. It helped that the two most talented players on the 2024 team -- both of them No. 1 overall national five-star recruits -- had two and three more years to play after 2024. Fuzzy took charge of Western Michigan in 2007 and guided them on a promotion run from Division 3 to LL2 from 2012 to 2017, in the process winning D3 and D2 conference regular-season titles and a VI.25 tournament crown, and reaching the Division 2 national championship game in 2013. From 2012 to 2014, the Broncos went 112-26 overall and 76-14 in conference games. It took a while to become a Division 1 power, but that rise began in earnest in 2022 with a 33-12 season in LL4, followed by back-to-back 40-win seasons to climb all the way to Legends. They made the national final in 2023 with a squad that missed making this list by .004 RPI points, and as mentioned earlier, they won it all two years later. In a sense, it's true that the 2024 Broncos ended their season with a bit of a sour taste in the mouth after a somewhat disappointing Sweet 16 exit, having been to the championship game the year before. However, it's hard to deny that statistically, the program's peak came in 2024 (the 2025 postseason run notwithstanding). The Broncos wreaked havoc with a highly efficient and balanced offense and a ball-hawking defense that forced gobs of turnovers. Offensively, Western Michigan averaged 1.08 points per possession on 51.3% shooting, including a superb 38.5% from deep making 8.7 3s a game, and a 57.8% eFGP. All five starters averaged between 15.0 and 12.9 points, with four reserves notching at least 6.2 points per contest. The Broncos outscored opponents by 12.3 points in the paint and by 5.8 points in transition. Defensively, the Broncos held opponents to 0.82 points per possession on 44.4% shooting and a 49.9% eFGP. They forced an elite 21.6 turnovers per game, including a beyond-elite 13.3 steals, with a +10.3 turnover ratio. True sophomore Samuel Jordan, a physically impressive point guard at 6-5 with a 6-10 wingspan who was a five-star, No. 1-rated national recruit coming out of high school, led the Broncos at 15.0 points per game on 53.0%/37.4%/75.6% shooting, 6.6 assists and 2.1 steals. He was drafted fifth overall by Charlotte in 2026 and is in his fourth pro season, averaging 10.4 points and 6.9 assists with good defense in 25 minutes a game, starting about half of them. Senior 6-6 wing Sterling Knox, coming off a 2023 player of the national tournament award to cap a year in which he only started 19 of 47 games, stepped into a full-time starting role and averaged 14.3 points on 44.4%/39.0%/78.3% shooting and 2.2 steals. Senior 6-7 wing Brant Fortune, coming off 2023 all-tournament honors, was an all-conference honoree after averaging 14.0 points on 45.1%/41.2%/86.2% shooting, making 2.8 3s a game, and adding 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals with a solid 37.9% OFG on defense. Senior power forward Josiah Washington averaged 13.5 points on 60.4% shooting, including an astounding 60% from deep (27 for 45! Pretty insane given he had an 8 shooting range), 7.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals with a very good 44.3% OFG on defense. True freshman combo guard Gordon Watkins, a five-star recruit who was ranked No. 1 nationally in his class (dang, grabbing the No. 1 overall prospect in back-to-back years? That's ridiculous), rounded out the starters and averaged 12.9 points on 45.8%/32.0%/80.7% shooting, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals, earning freshman of the year and All-American honors (that All-American honor is silly, but whatever). He would end his college career as a four-time All-American (he may be the only Hardwood player ever to do that, I know there were none of those prior to my departure from the game in 2023) and the MVP of the 2025 national tournament. He was drafted fifth overall by Sacramento in 2027 and is in his third pro season looking like he will be one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, averaging 23.6 points on 49.3%/39.0%/84.9% shooting, 10.4 assists and 1.5 steals with solid defense. Junior backup center Keith Barkley, who stood 7-1, averaged 8.5 points on 58.3% shooting, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks in 20.3 minutes with an absurd 41.6% OFG on defense. He signed with Cleveland as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and is in his fifth pro season as a quality starter, averaging 13.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Senior shooting guard Jayden Erickson, a 6-footer who could jump out of the gym with a 40-inch vertical, was really solid in only 11.4 minutes per game, averaging 6.8 points on 52.4%/36.6%/81.4% shooting and 1.2 steals. He was a four-star recruit who only started 18 games (and none as a senior) but on most teams would have been a No. 2 or No. 3 option, which shows how loaded the Broncos were, especially in the backcourt. Redshirt freshman big man Ted Dexter averaged 6.2 points on 56.5% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 18.3 minutes per game. He started in each of his final three seasons, averaging 14.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals as a senior, then was drafted by Toronto and is in his third pro season as a solid starter, averaging 15.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks with standout defense. Updated Sunday, January 15 2023 @ 6:34:05 pm PST |
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| #19549 | 01/16/2023 3:19:52 pm | Jan 12th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| WASHINGTON STATE, 2024 President: StinkyCheese Overall record: 40-7 (.851) RPI: .606 Average point differential: +20.1 Conference: III.1 Conference record: 25-5 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: Elite Eight Let's be honest: This is a team that snuck onto this list by .001 win percentage points, 0.1 points in point differential, and .006 RPI points. The Cougars didn't win their conference regular-season or tournament title (the regular-season title was captured by San Jose State, which missed making the criteria for this list by only 0.5 points of point differential), and didn't reach the Final Four (though an Elite Eight appearance is a solid accomplishment). If I'm picking this list subjectively rather than by pre-set statistical criteria, the Cougars probably don't make it. But I did it this way, they made the cut, and here we are. Washington State had eight different presidents in the first 16 years of Hardwood before StinkyCheese took charge in 2017. Westwrld had a decent run from 2009 to 2014, especially from 2011 to 2013 when the Cougars went 103-33 overall, 67-23 in conference play and capped the span by sweeping V.2 (Division 2) regular-season and tournament titles in 2013. Even though the Cougars were back in Division 3 when StinkyCheese took over, they were coming off a 27-16 (20-10) season in 2016. That said, StinkyCheese quickly elevated Washington State to new heights. They moved up from Division 3 in 2020 all the way to LL2 for the 2025 season, in the process winning V.2 and IV.1 conference tournament titles in back-to-back seasons (2021 and 2022). During his time as president, the Cougars have had one 40-win season (which we are profiling) and four other 30-win campaigns (including three straight from 2020 to 2022). They have only had one losing season in the last 10 years, and are in the thick of the III.2 regular-season title and promotion hunt this year (2030). The deep 2024 squad had six regulars average double-digit scoring and two more reserves average at least eight points. None of the eight were higher than a three-star recruit and none of them played in the pros, another example of a really good team without a true star. The offense averaged 1.05 points per possession on 50.9% shooting, including 36.1% from deep making eight 3s a game, and a 56.9% eFGP. The Cougars outscored opponents by 10.6 points per game in the paint. The defense held opponents to 0.84 points per possession on 43.6% shooting and a 49.2% eFGP, enjoyed a +5.9 rebounding advantage and forced 17.1 turnovers per game with a +5.2 turnover ratio. Junior center Mason Hood, a two-star recruit who started every game of his final three seasons, led the Cougars in scoring at 15.1 points per game on 61.5% shooting and added 9.3 rebounds with a solid 47.2% OFG on defense. Junior combo guard Russell Peck, who stood 6-6 with a 6-11 wingspan, averaged 14.3 points on relatively average shooting splits, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals. Senior point guard James Foster averaged 14.3 points on 48.3%/37.8%/83.3% shooting, 7.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Senior small forward Greg Clinton, who stood 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, averaged 12.5 points on 47.4%/36.6%/85.1% shooting, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals. Junior power forward Johnny Gill rounded out the starting five and averaged 12.2 points on 61.3% shooting and 8.7 rebounds. Redshirt freshman shooting guard Buck Dugger earned conference freshman of the year honors, averaging 10.6 points on mediocre shooting splits with a superb 32.7% OFG on defense in 23.1 minutes per game. He went on to earn three straight all-conference honors as a high-scoring guard who brought it at both ends, dramatically imrpoving his 3-point shooting (he was around 40% combined for those final three years). Sophomore Rod Cooke and redshirt freshman Louis Williams were quality backup big men, each averaging 8.0 points and more than five rebounds in around 20 minutes of playing time. |
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| #19552 | 01/17/2023 7:58:58 am | Jan 12th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CONNECTICUT, 2025 President: Gluecows Overall record: 40-4 (.909) RPI: .605 Average point differential: +26.8 Conference: IV.3 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Semifinals National tournament finish: First Round Gluecows has led the Huskies to some nice seasons since taking charge in 2005, though they mostly came in the lower league levels. There have been six 30-plus-win seasons and three 40-plus-win seasons, along with four conference tournament championships (two in Division 2 and one in Division 3) and a Division 1 Elite Eight appearance in 2010. Two of UConn's 40-win seasons came back-to-back in 2024 and 2025. In Division 2 in 2024, the Huskies went 43-4 overall with a +27.2 point differential, went 28-2 to win the V.5 regular-season title and also won the conference tournament before getting upset as a No. 1 seed in the national Sweet 16. They promoted to Division 1 and were even better in the 2025 regular season, even if the postseason was a disappointment. The 2025 Huskies boasted one of the most efficient offenses in Hardwood history, scoring 1.11 points per possession on 54.5% shooting, including 39.9% from deep making 7.2 3s a game, with a 60.0% eFGP. They scored 41.8 points per game in the paint, outscoring opponents by 14.0 points inside, and also had a 5.6-point advantage in transition. Defensively, they held opponents to 0.83 points per possession on 44.7% shooting and a 50.2% eFGP. They outrebounded them by 7.2 boards per game, forced 19.2 turnovers (including a very good 11.0 steals) per game with a +7.6 turnover margin. The Huskies' five starters each averaged at least 13.0 points and two reserves averaged at least 10.5 points. Junior shooting guard Wayne Stafford led the team at 16.5 points per game on superb 50.1%/39.2%/85.9% shooting and added 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals. He averaged 19.3 points as a senior with very good defense, and some pro team probably should have given him a shot. Alas. Senior 6-11 big man Braydon Essert averaged 15.2 points on 57.9%/43.1%/84.0% shooting and was a legit deep threat, making 31 of 72 attempts. He addeed 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. He also had a 41-inch vertical, which combined with his height and 7-3 wingspan, was ridiculous. Yet again, no pro team gave him a shot. Morons, I tell you. Senior center Thaddeus Brannon closed his college career with his second all-conference honor, averaging 14.2 points on 58.8% shooting, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.5 blocks with a good 46.4% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Memphis and played three pro seasons as a very good starter, averaging 15.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Senior forward Andre Haynes, who stood 6-9 with a 7-4 wingspan, averaged 13.2 points on 45.7%/39.8%/82.5% shooting, making a pair of 3s a game, and added 5.8 rebounds. Senior point guard Jon Seal rounded out the starters and averaged 13.0 points on 50.5%/39.0%/74.0% shooting, making a pair of 3s a game, and added 8.0 assists with a solid 38.3% OFG on defense. Junior forward Jonathan Howells came off the bench and averaged 10.7 points on 59.7% shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 25.1 minutes. He started at small forward as a senior and earned all-conference honors, averaging 15.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Junior guard Van Gustafson averaged 10.5 points on absurd 61.2% shooting (he did all his scoring inside, as he was 6-5 with a 6-10 wingspan) and added 4.0 assists in 22.4 minutes per game. He started at the point as a senior and averaged 11.5 points and 5.0 assists. |
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| #19558 | 01/18/2023 6:04:12 pm | Jan 19th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| SIOUX FALLS, 2026 President: stlouis40 Overall record: 46-4 (.920) RPI: .625 Average point differential: +27.3 Conference: II.1 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Finals National tournament finish: Finals In my opinion, in the 14 full Hardwood years since stlouis40 took over the Cougars in 2016, no president has been better. Sioux Falls was a Division 3 program coming off four consecutive losing seasons (one of them a 6-35 dumpster fire) when stlouis40 took control. Since then, the Cougars have won six conference regular-season titles and five conference tournament titles, promoted from Division 3 to LL2 over four straight seasons, and went from LL3 to Legends in two consecutive seasons. They swept Legends regular-season and tournament titles in 2027 and 2028. They racked up nine seasons with at least 33 wins. And they are rolling again in II.1 in 2030, with a 24-4 overall record and 14-4 conference record (tied for first) in league play, ranked ninth in the Division 1 Top 25. Statistically, the 2026 squad is the best of the bunch, winning seven more games than any other Sioux Falls unit with an RPI .007 higher than the next-best team (2027) and a scoring margin 2.7 points higher than the next-best squad (also 2027). The Final Four run also was two rounds further than any previous national tournament. The Cougars blitzed teams on offense to the tune of 102.7 points per game and 1.09 points per possession on 52.4% shooting, including 37.0% from deep making 9.4 3s a game, and a 58.9% eFGP. They made 5.3 more free throws per game than opponents and outscored them by 14.4 points in the paint, netting 44.4 points per game inside. On the defensive end, Sioux Falls held opponents to 0.82 points per possession on 43.2% shooting and a 49.1% eFGP. The Cougars enjoyed a +7.4 rebounding advantage and forced 19.5 turnovers a game, including a very good 11.3 steals, with a +7.6 turnover margin. Six regulars, including the five starters, scored at least 10.9 points per game, and the seventh man wasn't far behind at 9.4 points. Senior 6-5 wing Bill Herbert, a two-star recruit, stepped into a starting role for the first time and closed his career with an all-tournament honor. He led the team at 17.0 points per game on 45.3%/35.0%/72.8% shooting, making 2.9 3s a game, and added 1.9 steals with a 38.4% OFG on defense. Senior 7-foot center Sid Kelley, another two-star recruit who was a prolific four-year starter, a two-time all-conference honoree and an all-tournament selection this year, averaged 16.6 points on 66.3% shooting, 11.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks with a superb 45.0% OFG on defense. I can't believe he didn't get a pro shot. Senior 6-7 small forward Sammie David capped his own prolific career as a four-year starter with his third straight all-conference honor, averaging 17.8 points on 49.8%/39.0%/85.4% shooting making 2.4 3s a game, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals with good defense. He also didn't get a pro look. Sophomore 6-11 big man Kurt Butler, a four-star recruit who started each of his 170 career college games, averaged 15.6 points on 59.8%/43.1%/78.8% shooting, making 22 of 51 from deep on the year, and added 9.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals. He earned all-conference honors two years later, then was drafted by Brooklyn and is in his second pro season as a very good starter, averaging 16.7 points on 56.5%/39.8%/87.5% splits, 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. Junior combo guard Brad Schafer came off the bench and averaged 11.1 points on 49.5%/36.1%/84.1% shooting, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals with a very good 36.4% OFG on defense in 21.0 minutes per game. He started at point guard as a senior and averaged 15.7 points, 8.4 assists and 1.9 steals. Senior point guard Khalil Murphy, a four-year starter, earned all-conference honors for the first time, averaging 10.9 points on 51.7% shooting (he was a mediocre 31.0% from deep but didn't take many), 9.5 assists and 1.7 steals with a 38.9% OFG on defense. Sophomore power forward Dwayne Rush averaged 9.4 points on 51.9%/38.1%/84.1% shooting, making 16 of 42 from deep, and added 5.8 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game. He started in his final two season, earning all-conference honors as a senior when he averaged 15.1 points and 9.6 rebounds. So many of these guys were four-year starting studs that I got curious and checked their rankings in the team career records. David is the program's No. 1 all-time scorer (3,088 points), Kelley ranks third (2,885) and Butler stands fifth (2,601). Kelley ranks third in rebounds (1,678) and Butler is fifth (1,615). Murphy is the program leader in assists (1,350). David ranks No. 1 in steals (393), Murphy is third (252) and Kelley is fourth (249). Butler ranks third in blocks (266) and Kelley is fifth (242). David is No. 1 in 3-pointers (435) and Herbert is ninth (238). Kelley is third in Game MVPs (53), Butler is fifth (31) and David is sixth (28). |
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| #19561 | 01/18/2023 7:23:49 pm | Jan 19th, 2030 | |
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gards710 Joined: 05/17/2020 Posts: 457 Dominican Univ. of California Penguins I.1 
| AHHHH YEAHHH I THINK I KNOW WHO'S NEXT!!! EDIT: And that would be 2026 Central Washington. AND THEN. EDIT AGAIN: Kauffdaddy is probably going to make me wait in anticipation because 3 other teams qualify in 2027 (Central Washington AGAIN, Cal Tech, and Southern). Updated Wednesday, January 18 2023 @ 7:25:16 pm PST Updated Wednesday, January 18 2023 @ 7:30:12 pm PST |
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| #19563 | 01/18/2023 10:36:18 pm | Jan 19th, 2030 | |
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stlouis40 Joined: 11/25/2020 Posts: 11 Sioux Falls Cougars II.2 
| Thanks for the write up on Sioux Falls Kauffdaddy! These are fun to read. | ||
| #19564 | 01/19/2023 4:17:54 am | Jan 19th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| I'm doing the writeups in order of year, then league level from Legends to LL4. So yes, Gards, you are "on deck" behind Central Washington. As much as I want to do a full "gag" writeup, I'll probably keep it serious. |
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| #19565 | 01/19/2023 3:21:54 pm | Jan 24th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CENTRAL WASHINGTON, 2026 President: regina21 Overall record: 45-3 (.938) RPI: .614 Average point differential: +25.6 Conference: IV.7 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Elite Eight And to think the Wildcats were just getting warmed up. Wait until we get to the 2027 version. After a mediocre first nine years in Division 3, Central Washington was starting to heat up as regina21 took over the program in 2012. Under computer control, the Wildcats had a three-year stretch from 2009 to 2011 in which they went 100-36 overall and 68-22 in conference play, promoting from Division 3 to Division 1. Under new leadership, they kept rising. They won 35-plus games in 2014, 2016 and 2019, and 30-plus in 2018. From 2018 to 2021, Central Washington promoted three times, rising from Division 2 to LL2. A couple lean years dropped the Wildcats back to LL4 before the 2026 season, but that was the calm before the storm of three straight conference regular-season championships, a national title (2027), two other Elite Eight appearances and a 159-27 record from 2026 to 2029 (including a ridiculous 91-5 in 2026 and 2027). The 2027 squad was the peak, and we will get to that year soon, but the 2026 unit (obviously with overlapping pieces) was pretty fantastic itself. Offensively, the Wildcats averaged 1.08 points per possession on 52.1% shooting, including 38.7% from deep making 7.8 3s a game, with a 58.1% eFGP. They outscored opponents by a whopping 16.4 points in the paint, and that inside strength also led to them making 5.6 more free throws per game than opponents. Defensively, they held opponents to 0.81 points per possession on 42.6% shooting and a 48.4% eFGP, with a +5.5 rebounding edge. They forced 18.7 turnovers per game, including 10.4 steals, with a +7.8 turnover ratio. The starters each averaged at least 13.2 points per game, with two key reserves checking in at 9.0 and 7.5 points per game. Redshirt freshman point guard Zion Langston, a five-star recruit ranked No. 3 nationally in high school, earned all-tournament honors and led the Wildcats at 19.0 points per game on insane 51.3%/43.6%/90.6% shooting, making 2.3 3s a game. He added 7.8 assists and 2.1 steals. This was the start of a prolific college career in which he was a three-time all-conference honoree, the 2027 player of the national tournament and an LL2 conference player of the year in 2028. Junior 6-6 wing Arnie Giles, another five-star recruit, averaged 15.3 points on 46.1%/39.8%/84.5% shooting, making 2.0 3s per game, and added 4.2 assists with a very good 36.4% OFG on defense. Junior 6-6 small forward Dean Stein earned the first of his two all-conference honors, averaging 14.5 points on 49.5%/39.6%/84.0% shooting, making 2.0 3s a game. He added 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals. Senior power forward Curtis Mann stepped into a starting role for the first time and averaged 13.8 points on 56.5% shooting and 7.1 rebounds. Sophomore center D'Andre Webb earned the first of two All-American honors, averaging 13.2 points on 61.8% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and a superb 43.2% OFG on defense. |
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| #19571 | 01/20/2023 12:52:49 pm | Jan 26th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| DOMINICAN-CALIFORNIA, 2027 President: gards710 Overall record: 43-4 (.915) RPI: .621 Average point differential: +23.8 Conference: II.2 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Quarterfinals National tournament finish: Final Four Garbage team. No postseason trophy. Didn't even make the conference tournament semifinals, playing dreadfully in overtime of a 13-point loss to a University of New England team it beat twice in the regular season. Got completely embarassed in a 32-point loss to Central Washington (a truly great team, unlike these chump Penguins) in the national semifinals. Their president has been a charade for years now, fooling everyone into believing he's great at this game when he hasn't a sniff of a clue. I don't even know why I'm bothering. (That's the best I got, Gards. Good enough? And now for the real writeup ...) The Penguins were a bot team for the vast majority of the game's first 12 years, and aside from a three-year stretch from 2004 to 2006 in which they won 30-plus games each year and promoted from Division III (in which they reached the Final Four in 2004) all the way to LL3, they were pretty bot-like. Then gards took over in 2013, and they haven't had a losing season since, winning 20-plus game each year, 30-plus games seven times and 40-plus twice -- the Division 2 championship season in 2018 when they finished 42-6, and this year. As of this writing, Gards' record with Dominican-California is 363-177. The 2027 squad played at a relatively slow pace, scoring "only" 90.8 points per game, but did so with tremendous efficiency, scoring 1.08 points per possession on 52.5% shooting, including a superb 40.6% from deep making 9.4 3s a game, with an excellent 60.2% eFGP. They outscored teams by 10.2 points on 3-pointers, by 9.2 points in the paint and by 6.3 points at the foul line, a tough balance of perimeter and inside strength. Defensively, they held opponents to 0.83 points per possession on 44.2% shooting and a 49.5% eFGP, outrebounded them by 7.7 boards a contest and forced 17.7 turnovers per game, including 10.7 steals, though their turnover margin was only a modest +3.3. The Penguins surrounded one megastar with eight strong roleplayers, seven of whom averaged between 9.2 and 13.6 points per game. The megastar was senior 6-7 small forward Marcus Choate, who was the No. 3 national recruit coming out of high school, and whose list of college accolades is incredible: A three time all-conference and All-American honoree and two-time national player of the year, who also was the conference and tournament player of the year in 2027. He averaged 22.6 points on amazing 55.7%/49.2%/82.9% shooting, making 3.8 3s a game, which pretty easily makes him the most fearsome shooter I have profiled in this series. He added 8.4 rebounds (a ton for an SF) and 2.3 steals with a 39.4% OFG on defense. He was drafted third overall by Brooklyn and is in his third pro season playing at an all-star level, averaging 19.6 points on 54.4%/42.8%/83.8% shooting and 11.5 rebounds. Senior 6-11 big man Elwood Day, a load at 260 pounds, averaged 13.6 points on 58.3% shooting (and 90.6% from the foul line), 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks with an incredible 35.7% OFG on defense (I haven't seen a post player with a lower number). The two-star recruit was drafted by Washington and is in his third pro season as a very good starter, averaging 14.7 points on 56.1% shooting, 10.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Senior shooting guard Thomas Dawson averaged 10.5 points on 44.3%/36.6%/83.0% shooting and 3.0 assists. A two-star recruit, he was unspectacular but steady in his only season as a starter. Junior 7-footer Benjamin Granados averaged 9.9 points on 59.2% shooting and 6.4 rebounds with a 45.4% OFG on defense. Redshirt freshman 6-6 wing Marc Eldrige came off the bench and averaged 9.7 points on 51.3%/37.6%/73.0% shooting. He started his final three seasons and is averaging 16.1 points as a senior this year. Junior point guard Conner Pillar rounded out the starting five and averaged 9.5 points on excellent 49.2%/40.5%/79.6% shooting, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals. Sophomore 6-7 power forward Booker Calloway averaged 9.2 points on 51.5% shooting and 6.1 rebounds in 24.5 minutes off the bench. He started the next two years, averaging 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds as a senior, then was drafted by Memphis and is averaging 7.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in 21.5 minutes as a rookie. |
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| #19572 | 01/20/2023 1:57:27 pm | Jan 26th, 2030 | |
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gards710 Joined: 05/17/2020 Posts: 457 Dominican Univ. of California Penguins I.1
| YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL TO MEEE ok carry on now we can get to the champs, Central Washington, and the excellent 2027 seasons by Cal Tech and Southern! Awesome stuff, kauff. (haha, I thought you would include how in 2018 when I would beat Maryland, I would apologize to you) Updated Friday, January 20 2023 @ 2:05:27 pm PST |
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| #19580 | 01/22/2023 10:58:35 am | Feb 2nd, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CENTRAL WASHINGTON, 2027 President: regina21 Overall record: 46-2 (.958) RPI: .627 Average point differential: +30.8 Conference: III.4 Conference record: 29-1 Conference tournament finish: Quarterfinals National tournament finish: Champion I detailed the rise of the Wildcats in the 2026 writeup, so we're going to get right to the 2027 specifics. The 2027 Wildcats finished the season with the highest point differential in the history of Hardwood Division 1. They are one of six teams to finish with only two losses, the Division 1 record for fewest defeats in a season (unfortunately, one of those came in a conference tournament upset). My personal opinion (which others can of course disagree with) is that the two best teams in Hardwood history are 2017 Azusa Pacific and this Central Washington squad. Offensively, the Wildcats scored 97.1 points per game and an insane 1.14 points per possession (the highest number I have seen) on 54.1% shooting, including 40.7% from deep making 8.4 3s a game, with a 60.6% eFGP (also the highest figure I have seen). I'll write it again: Their team shooting splits were 54.1%/40.7%/82.9% ... that's downright silly. They outscored teams in the paint by 15.6 points, in transition by 7.2 points and at the foul line by 8.6 points. They were nearly as good defensively, holding opponents to 0.79 points per possession on 42.6% shooting and a 48.5% eFGP. They had a +6.4 rebounding edge and forced 19.5 turnovers a game, including an elite 11.9 steals, with an +8.7 turnover margin. Junior point guard Zion Langston earned all-conference and national tournament MVP honors, averaging 23.0 points on absurd 53.9%/46.5%/96.1% shooting (seriously, stop it), making 3.1 3s a game. He added 8.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He would add two more all-conference honors, including a player of the year nod as a junior, and averaged 30.5 points as a senior (on 54.7%/46.0%/89.3% shooting, making 4.1 3s a game ... video game-like). He was drafted third overall by Phoenix and is averaging 15.2 points (on 44.6%/38.0%/90.0%) and 5.5 assists in 25.5 minutes per game (he came off the bench for half of his games, because the Suns are a bunch of morons). Senior forward Dean Stein, who alternated between the small and power spots, earned all-conference and all-tournament honors, averaging 18.7 points on 59.8%/40.7%/90.4% shooting, making 57 of 140 attempts from deep, along with 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals. He was drafted by Denver and in three pro seasons as a starter has averaged 17.4 points on 50.5%/36.4%/89.2% shooting and 8.6 rebounds. Junior center D'Andre Webb earned his second straight All-American honor, averaging 14.5 points on 61.4% shooting, 9.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals with a fantastic 39.8% OFG on defense. He somehow didn't get drafted, you know, because two-time All-Americans suck and all that. Senior wing Arnie Giles earned all-tournament honors and averaged 13.9 points on average shooting splits, 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 blocks with a 40.2% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Philadelphia and has been mostly a bench player in his three seasons, averaging 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 24.1 minutes. (He was a five-star recruit, and to be honest he's probably been a bit of a disappointment individually.) Sophomore 6-11 big man Alvin Wilcox stepped into a starting role and averaged 11.1 points on 62.4% shooting, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks with a fantastic 38.2% OFG on defense. He earned All-American honors as a junior and was drafted by Denver in 2029. He is averaging 12.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a starter in his rookie season. Junior guard Jimmy Heard was the team's sixth man, averaging 9.7 points on 48.2%/38.2%/75.0% shooting, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals with a very good 37.3% OFG on defense. |
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| #19582 | 01/24/2023 9:28:26 am | Feb 7th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CAL TECH, 2027 President: beaver21 Overall record: 40-6 (.870) RPI: .617 Average point differential: +21.2 Conference: III.2 Conference record: 25-5 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Second Round This is the second appearance by the Beavers, the first coming in 2022. In the 2026 season, Cal Tech went 31-12 overall and won the IV.3 regular-season title with a 23-7 record, setting the stage for 2027. Offensively, the Beavers averaged 1.05 points per possession on 52.0% shooting, including a solid 37.0% from deep making seven 3s a game, and a 57.2% eFGP. They crushed opponents inside, scoring 45.1 points in the paint for a +16.6 advantage, and were also good in transition, scoring 14.1 fast-break points with a +6.5 margin. Defensively, they held opponents to 0.84 points per possession on 43.1% shooting and a 48.8% eFGP, outrebounded them by 7.5 boards per game and forced 17.2 turnovers with a +4.7 turnover ratio. The Beavers basically went seven-deep, with the top six each averaging at least 11.3 points per game, as they spread the scoring around. Senior 6-11 center Will Hagen led the way, averaging 15.3 points on 65.7% shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks with a 45.2% OFG on defense. Junior power forward Tom Watkins ended his career as a two-time all-conference honoree (as a sophomore and senior). In 2027, he averaged 15.3 points on 54.7% shooting, including 41.3% from deep (26-for-63), 10.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals with a 44.7% OFG on defense. Senior point guard Jacob Kenny averaged 14.6 points on 50.1%/44.7%/66.3% shooting (he should have shot more from deep, as he only made 1.4 3s a game), 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals with a 39.5% OFG on defense. Junior shooting guard Arnie Berger was the top talent on the squad, a five-star recruit who earned all-conference honors in 2028. In 2027, he averaged 13.7 points on 46.3%/36.0%/69.2% shooting and 4.9 assists with a 40.4% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Utah and hasn't gotten many minutes in his first two pro seasons, averaging five points and three assists. Senior 6-5 guard Leonardo Olivaros only started 11 of 150 career games but was quite effective as a sixth man playing near-starter's minutes (25.6). He averaged 11.9 points on 47.5%/32.1%/80.6% shooting and 5.2 assists with a 38.7% OFG on defense. Senior 6-9 small forward Vincent Adams averaged 11.3 points on 47.1%/38.3%/85.7% shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals with a 39.0% OFG on defense. He was drafted by Chicago and has been largely glued to the bench for three seasons, averaging 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds. |
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| #19583 | 01/24/2023 11:34:06 am | Feb 9th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| SOUTHERN, 2027 President: perekoor Overall record: 45-3 (.938) RPI: .623 Average point differential: +20.3 Conference: IV.2 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Elite Eight Perekoor took over the Jaguars in 2020, and after three lean seasons they enjoyed a string of five strong years, including three straight 30-pkus-win seasons from 2023 to 2025 as they promoted twice back up to Division 1. That was merely a little taste of what was to come in 2027, as they used a smothering defense to crush the IV.4 competition and make some real noise in the national tournament, only bowing out when they ran into a Dominican-California squad already profiled here. Offensively, Southern averaged 1.06 points per possession on 50.8%/36.3%/74.2% shooting with a 56.8% eFGP. They had a modest advantage on most teams inside, outscoring opponents by 5.7 points in the paint. They also avoided turnovers, committing just 9.3 a game while playing a slow, ball-control style. The Jaguars truly excelled at the other end of the court, holding opponents to only 63.8 points per game and 0.82 points per possession on 46.1%/33.9% shooting with a 50.7% eFGP. It was a turnover margin of +8.8 that really told the tale, as Southern forced 18.1 turnovers a game, including 10.5 steals. More than any other team on this list, the starting five carried this team. They each averaged at least 13 points per game: No other regular rotation player scored more than 3.2. The starters scored 75.0 of the team's 84.0 points per game, an astounding 89.3%. This team is also unique in its lack of size, with its two frontcourt players standing 6-5 and 6-6. Senior 6-5 power forward closed his career with three straight all-conference honors. He led the Jaguars at 16.6 points per game on 56.9% shooting, 10.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals, though surprisingly (given the team's defensive success) his individual defense was quite poor. He was drafted by Golden State and has played only 11 minutes a game in his three pro seasons, averaging 6.5 points. Junior shooting guard Andy Carl earned all-conference honors, averaging 15.8 points on 43.7%/36.3%/68.9% shooting, 3.1 assists and 2.4 steals with a 38.4% OFG on defense. Senior small forward Tyrone Ware, an all-conference honoree as a junior, averaged 15.1 points on 47.2%/ 36.6%/75.9% shooting, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals with a 37.1% OFG on defense. Senior point guard Leon Teal, who had some size at 6-4, earned all-conference honors after averaging 14.5 points on 48.7%/41.0%/80.7% shooting (another guy who should have taken more 3s, as he only made 1.2 a game), 9.2 assists and 1.8 steals. He was drafted by Portland has been a solid starter or sixth man in his three pro seasons, averaging 11.3 points and 7.2 assists. Junior 6-6 center Joe Payton averaged 13.0 points on 64.6% shooting, 8.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks with a 49.0% OFG on defense. |
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| #19584 | 01/24/2023 11:48:01 am | Feb 9th, 2030 | |
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gards710 Joined: 05/17/2020 Posts: 457 Dominican Univ. of California Penguins I.1
| I agree that the 2027 CWU team is arguably the greatest HW team of all time, partially because they beat me. I don't think you had returned yet, Kauff, but my team started 36-0, and CWU and Southern were both right there with my team - both going 20-0 until their first losses and then only have that 1 loss for a long time. It was a crazy year. | ||
| #19585 | 01/24/2023 12:03:54 pm | Feb 9th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| TEXAS TECH, 2028 President: Bielsa Overall record: 43-4 (.915) RPI: .612 Average point differential: +23.0 Conference: IV.1 Conference record: 28-2 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Sweet 16 This is the only program to date that has made appearances on this list under two different presidents (Lee in 2005 and Bielsa in 2028). Lee's time as president is detailed in the 2005 writeup. The Red Raiders remained in Legends for three seasons after Lee departed, then began the painful descent back to Division 3 over five straight seasons. Four more presidents came and went until Bielsa arrived in 2019. There was no quick turnaround, though Texas Tech had a nice 35-12 season in Division 3 in 2022. Two more rough years would follow before the Red Raiders were truly ready to be consistent winners, going 38-6 back in Division 3 in 2025, then 26-16 in Division 2 in 2026 before a 41-7 season and Division 2 Final Four appearance in 2027 set the stage for a return to Division 1 success in 2028. Offensively, the Red Raiders averaged 1.04 points per possession on 51.4% shooting, including a very good 38.2% from deep making 9.2 3s a game, with a 58.5% eFGP. They outscored teams by 9.6 points from deep, 8.2 points in the paint and 5.3 points in transition. Defensively, they held opponents to a superb 0.79 points per possession on 41.6% shooting, including a miserable 29.2% from deep, and a 46.6% eFGP that's among the lowest by a team on this list. They outrebounded teams by 7.1 boards a game and forced 17.7 turnovers. If the Cal Tech team I just wrote about was the smallest team to make this list, these Red Raiders are almost certainly the tallest. Senior 6-7 wing Ray Forbes earned his second straight all-conference honor, averaging 18.7 points on 48.9%/42.4%/75.0% shooting and making 3.7 3s a game. He added 4.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals with a 36.0% OFG on defense. Sophomore 7-foot power forward Danny Barrett, who has a 7-6 wingspan, averaged 17.0 points on 53.0% shooting, including an incredible (for a 7-footer) 40.1% from deep making two 3s a game (talk about a stretch 4!). He added 10.2 rebounds per game and had a very good 45.3% OFG on defense. He went on to earn all-conference honors as a junior and he's having another solid season as a senior in 2030, after which he will almost certainly be drafted. Senior 7-foot center Donnie Bradley, the second half of Texas Tech's "Twin Towers," earned his second all-conference honor, averaging 15.2 points on 63.8% shooting, 9.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 steals with an excellent 41.3% OFG on defense. Junior 6-9 point guard Jonathan Thurman (holy crap, 6-9?!? These guys were HUGE!) earned the first of his two all-conference honors, averaging 14.1 points on 47.3% shooting and 6.9 assists. He averaged 17.6 points on 48.7%/41.2%/80.7% shooting and 6.0 assists as a senior. Senior shooting guard Armstrong McClendon, who looked like a midget among the starters at 6-3, averaged 10.1 points on 52.7%/41.5% shooting (though he didn't shoot much from deep), 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals with an excellent 35.6% OFG on defense in 33 games, missing 10 games due to injuries. Sophomore 6-7 wing Louis Kopp, who had a 7-1 wingspan, started 20 of 47 games and averaged 8.9 points on 44.3% shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals with a 39.0% OFG on defense. He earned all-conference honors as a junior and has been even better as a senior in 2030, averaging 17.4 points on 47.3%/36.7% shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals with a 37.6% OFG. |
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| #19586 | 01/24/2023 12:53:12 pm | Feb 9th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| LINCOLN PA, 2029 President: punkska Overall record: 43-5 (.896) RPI: .649 Average point differential: +22.1 Conference: I.1 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Elite Eight This is the team with the highest RPI in Hardwood history. It's really hard to do what these guys did in Legends. Only four Legends teams have finished a season with five or fewer losses: Butler in 2009 (46-4), Vanderbilt in 2005 (45-4), Mississippi in 2019 (41-5) and these Lions. Only three Legends teams have finished with a better point differential: Vanderbilt in 2005 (+25.1), Sioux Falls in 2027 (+24.6) and Mississippi in 2020 (+23.9). Punkska took over Lincoln in 2007, and his list of accomplishments is a solid one: Eight 30-plus-win seasons, including a pair of 40-win years, three regular-season conference titles (including Legends in 2029), two conference tournament titles (including Legends in 2029) and three Division 1 national tournament Elite Eight appearances (2024, 2027 and 2029). The 2029 Lions scored 98.9 points per game and a mega-elite 1.11 points per possession on 52.6%/39.7%/79.6% shooting, making 9.7 3s a game, with a 59.7% eFGP. They outscored opponents by 10.1 points in the paint. Defensively, they held opponents to 0.88 points per possession on 44.6% shooting and a 50.6% eFGP, outrebounded them by 7.7 boards a game and forced 16.0 turnovers with a +4.7 turnover margin. The Lions had a very strong top three, with four quality roleplayers surrounding them. Senior point guard Leevi Ahonen, an international player from Finland who was the No. 1 recruit in 2025, was the superstar, a two-time All-American who was coming off 2028 national player of the year honors. He averaged 24.9 points on 50.8%/36.9%/96.3% shooting, 9.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 steals, earning conference player of the year and all-tournament honors. He was drafted second overall by the Lakers and is having an incredible rookie season, averaging 24.9 points on 52.1%/39.0%/91.5% shooting, 10.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds. Senior shooting guard Ryan Roth averaged 19.1 points on superb 49.4%/42.6%/78.2% shooting, making 3.4 3s a game, and added 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals with a fantastic 34.5% OFG on defense. It's a crime he wasn't drafted. Senior 6-9 power forward Frankie Cramer earned all-conference honors, averaging 16.0 points on 59.5% shooting and 11.2 rebounds with a very good 44.5% OFG on defense. He was drafted fifth overall by Boston and is averaging 15.9 points on 54.1% shooting and 10.1 rebounds as a rookie. Junior 6-9 center Russ Teague averaged 11.8 points on 57.0% shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. As a senior in 2030, he is averaging 15.2 points and 10.1 rebounds. Sophomore 6-8 wing Ted Rollins came off the bench and averaged 11.4 points on excellent 50.9%/41.7% shooting. The five-star recruit, ranked 10th nationally in 2027, is averaging 18.5 points as a junior in 2030. |
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| #19645 | 02/09/2023 10:36:11 am | Apr 1st, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| Hardwood's Greatest Teams (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory) 48 teams (6 LL1, 6 LL2, 13 LL3, 23 LL4) LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 LL2 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 WRITEUPS FOR MAINE-FARMINGTON AND CLAYTON STATE TO COME SOON |
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| #19647 | 02/10/2023 6:26:09 am | Apr 1st, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| MAINE-FARMINGTON, 2030 President: RupaScoop Overall record: 39-6 (.867) RPI: .623 Average point differential: +20.9 Conference: I.1 Conference record: 27-3 Conference tournament finish: Quarterfinals National tournament finish: Sweet 16 The Beavers became only the sixth Legends team to crack the criteria for this list. They also became the sixth Legends team to win the regular-season title by at least five games. Butler 2009, Mississippi 2019 and Lincoln-PA 2029 hold the Legends record at six games, while Vanderbilt 2005 and Rochester 2024 also won by five games. It's no coincidence that five of those six teams are also on this greatest teams list. RupaScoop took over Maine-Farmington in 2020 when the Beavers were a nothing-happening Division 3 squad, and in his 11 seasons in charge they have gone 349-175 with just one losing season, a 19-22 campaign in their first go-round in Legends. They have won 30-plus games in nine of those 11 years. From 2021 to 2026, the Beavers promoted five times, winning V.16 and IV.8 regular-season and VI.32 and V.16 tournament titles along the way. They reached the Division 1 Final Four as a No. 14 seed in 2028 and claimed the II.2 regular-season title last year, promoting back to Legends to set up the 2030 campaign. Maine-Farmington blitzed opponents with a highly-efficient offense that produced 1.08 points per possession on 51.4% shooting, including 36.4% from deep making 7.9 3s a game, with a 57.3% eFGP. The Beavers were potent in the paint, outscoring opponents by 12.7 points per game inside. They also shot almost 80% from the foul line (79.8%, to be exact), a superb rate. Defensively, the Beavers allowed 0.86 points per possession on 43.0% shooting and a 48.9% eFGP. They outrebounded opponents by 5.8 boards a contest and forced 16.5 turnovers per game with a +5.6 turnover ratio. The regular starting five each averaged at least 11.7 points per game, with three regular reserves chipping in between 8.2 and 6.2 points each. Two redshirt players also averaged in double figures in their five games played, a promising glimpse for the future. Junior 7-1 center Luis Meza earned his second straight all-conference honor, averaging 16.7 points on 60.7% shooting, 8.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals with an outrageously great 40.9% OFG (in Legends, no less ... that's absurd for a big man). He has started in each of his 134 games to date with career averages of 17.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, and my guess is he will graduate from the program as its greatest player ever. Junior 6-5 shooting guard Erwin Shell averaged 14.8 points on 47.8%/36.5%/77.4% shooting, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals. Senior 6-10 power forward Keandre Johnson averaged 14.7 points on 58.6%/43.4%/84.6% shooting, making 43 of 99 from deep as a true stretch four, and added 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks with a very good 43.0% OFG on defense (combined with Meza, this is probably the best defensive starting frontcourt I have profiled). Sophomore small forward Tyler Hill averaged 12.3 points on excellent 47.3%/38.2%/90.1% shooting, making 1.7 3s a game, and added 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals with a 39.9% OFG on defense. Senior 6-4 point guard Barry Warren averaged 11.7 points on 43.2%/35.5%/86.6% shooting and 6.6 assists. |
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| #19652 | 02/10/2023 3:53:16 pm | Aug 29th, 2030 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| CLAYTON STATE, 2030 President: Fury508 Overall record: 41-6 (.872) RPI: .612 Average point differential: +20.7 Conference: IV.2 Conference record: 25-5 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Sweet 16 The Lakers have been on a nice run over the last four seasons, winning at least 22 regular-season conference games each season while going 134-46 overall and promoting three times, from Division 3 to Division 1 LL3. It's a far cry from the 2026 team that went 4-37 with a minus-23.2 point differential in Division 2. Fury508 took the Lakers over in 2012 and led them to a 42-6 record and the Division 3 Final Four in 2016, and to back-to-back 30-plus-win seasons in Division 2 the next two years. They were pretty average from 2019-2025 before bottoming out in 2026, then beginning this resurgence. The 2030 Lakers averaged 1.03 points per possession on 49.8% shooting, including 36.9% from deep making 8.9 3s a game, with a 56.4% eFGP. They had a modest scoring advantage inside, with a +6.3 margin in the paint. On defense, Clayton State held opponents to 0.84 points per possession on 45.3% shooting and a 50.5% eFGP. The Lakers outrebounded opponents by 5.9 boards a game and forced 18.5 turnovers per game, including 10.5 steals, with a +7.0 turnover margin. The starting five led the way, combining to average 77.0 points per game with the top three each averaging at least 16.4 per contest. Senior point guard Chet Douglass earned All-American honors, averaging 20.3 points on 47.0%/37.4%/92.9% shooting and making 2.9 3s a game. He added 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game with a very good 36.3% OFG on defense. He averaged 17.4 points over 176 college games (all starts) and was drafted late in the second round by Indiana. Senior small forward Roger Lawless averaged 16.7 points on outstanding 50.2%/41.3%/77.8% shooting, making 2.3 3s per game, and adding 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals (the less I say about his OFG, though, the better). Senior 6-10 center Paxton Coombs averaged 16.4 points on 62.4% shooting, 10.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals with a solid 44.2% OFG on defense. Like Douglass, he was a four-year starter, averaging 15.2 points and 10.3 rebounds in 179 games. Senior shooting guard Craig English averaged 12.3 points on 46.5%/36.5%/72.2% shooting, making 2.2 3s a game, and added 4.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals -- not bad for a two-star backcourt recruit. Senior 6-8 power forward Aramis Perez rounded out the starters and averaged 11.3 points on 50.5% shooting, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals (he was, however, another weak cog defensively). He started 171 of his 179 college games, averaging 11.3 points and 8.1 rebounds. |
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| #19882 | 04/06/2023 11:27:19 am | Mar 31st, 2031 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| Hardwood's Greatest Teams (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory) 50 teams (7 LL1, 7 LL2, 13 LL3, 23 LL4) through 2031 LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 LL2 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Writeups on Temple and ETSU to come in the upcoming days, when time permits. |
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| #19905 | 04/07/2023 6:19:24 pm | Aug 28th, 2031 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| TEMPLE, 2031 President: El jefe Overall record: 42-6 (.875) RPI: .613 Average point differential: +21.5 Conference: I.1 Conference record: 25-5 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Elite Eight It's a little hard to believe that this is Temple's first appearance on this list, given El jefe is one of Hardwood's original presidents and has enjoyed so much success, including national championship in 2029 and three other Final Four appearances (2011, 2026 and 2030). The Owls are 817-534 overall with 13 30+ win seasons. That said, a case can certainly be made that this year's Temple team is the best ever. The Owls swept the Legends regular-season and tournament titles, winning each for the first time. They set a program season record with 42 victories. They tied the 2029 national title team for the best RPI in program history. They had the biggest average margin of victory in program history. They did it with a well-rounded squad that was good offensively, even better defensively and led by one of the best players in Hardwood, junior All-American Quentin Williams. The Owls averaged 1.01 points per possession on 48.6% shooting, including a solid 36.4% from deep making 8.7 3s a game, and a 55.2% eFGP. They outscored teams by 7.3 points per game in the paint to complement their outside shooting. The top four scorers each averaged at least 13.2 points per game and were all capable of going for 20-plus any given night. The defense held opponents to 0.80 points per possession on 43.2% shooting and a 48.7% eFGP. Temple outrebounded opponents by 5.8 boards a contest. Even better, the Owls came up with gobs of steals (an elite 11.7 per game) and forced 19.1 turnovers per game with a +6.8 ratio, helping lead to nearly 10 more shot attempts per game than their foes. Williams, a five-star recruit, averaged 19.5 points on 44.3%/35.2%/78.8% shooting and made three 3s a game. He also made plays for his teammates (6.2 assists per game) and was a wrecking ball on defense, averaging 2.4 steals with a 35.3% OFG, both numbers elite. Senior wing Kraig Burgess averaged 14.7 points on 45.3%/38.7%/70.5% shooting, making 2.3 3s a game, and added 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals with a superb 36.6% OFG on defense. Senior power forward Kirk Shaffer cracked the starting lineup for the first time and averaged 14.3 points on 53.3%/41.5%/76.9% shooting, making 34 of 82 attempts from deep to help stretch defenses. He added 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Senior 6-11 center Benjamin Diamond averaged 13.2 points on 57.6% shooting, 9.0 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals with a solid 47.1% OFG on defense. He was a steady starter for his last three seasons and was drafted fourth overall by Boston (that seems a bit high to me, but what do I know?). Junior 6-6 wing Julian Toole (9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.9 spg, 36.4% OFG) started 26 games and was another elite defender with solid offensive efficiency. Junior 7-footer Yasmani Farias (7.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 bpg, 47.2% OFG) more than held his own while getting his first significant playing time. True freshman five-star recruit Roger Dawson (6.2 ppg, 3.0 apg, 1.5 spg) started 20 games and gained valuable experience (though his shooting was pretty poor). |
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| #19912 | 04/08/2023 10:23:06 am | Oct 2nd, 2031 | |
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kauffdaddy Joined: 11/30/2020 Posts: 693 Inactive
| EAST TENNESSEE STATE, 2031 President: Kiefer Overall record: 41-5 (.891) RPI: .628 Average point differential: +20.8 Conference: II.1 Conference record: 26-4 Conference tournament finish: Champion National tournament finish: Second Round Kiefer took over the Buccaneers in 2015, and aside from a 2-39 nightmare of a season in 2018, ETSU has won at least 20 games each season and 30 or more six times. The last two seasons have been the Bucs' best. In 2030, they went 40-10 and became one of very few teams to go 10-0 in the postseason, winning II.1 tournament and national tournament championships. The 2031 squad finished with more wins, a higher winning percentage, a higher RPI and a higher average margin of victory. While not elite either offensively or defensively, ETSU was still terrific on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Bucs averaged 1.04 points per possession, shooting 50.0% overall and 37.6% from deep making 7.6 3s a game. They had a 55.8% eFGP, outscored teams by 7.6 points at the foul kine, by 9.9 points in the paint and by 5.5 points in transition. And they had a lot of weapons: Four of the starters averaged at least 15.9 points per game, and the other regular starter averaged almost 11 points. Defensively, ETSU held opponents to 0.83 points per possession on 43.4% shooting, enjoyed a +5.8 rebounding edge and forced 18.4 turnovers per game with a +6.2 ratio, coming up with an elite 11.3 steals per game. Senior 6-6 guard Mario Shapiro led the Bucs in scoring at 18.3 points per game on 45.8%/37.1%/79.7% splits, making 2.5 3s a contest. He added 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals. Junior point guard Matt Coates earned all-conference honors, averaging 17.5 points on 45.9%/39.9%/79.2% splits and making 1.8 3s per game. He also averaged 7.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Junior 6-11 power forward Philip Bunn also earned all-conference honors, averaging 16.2 points on 59.1% shooting and even making 15 of 34 3s (44.1%). He grabed 11.1 rebounds and blocked two shots per game. Senior small forward Gavin Norberg, a two-time all-conference honoree (though not this season), averaged 15.9 points on 41.6%/36.0%/88.1% shooting and made 2.3 3s per game. He added 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals with an elite 34.2% OFG on defense. Senior 6-10 center Stu Pearce rounded out the starting lineup and averaged 10.9 points on 57.8% shooting, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks with a solid 47.0% OFG on defense. Sophomore 6-9 Chuck Werner (7.3 ppg, 63.6% FG, 4.9 rpg) provided solid backup big man minutes. Junior shooting guard Bryan Copeland (6.5 ppg, 54.4%/48.9%/71.7% shooting, 3.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 36.1% OFG on defense) was excellent in 24.4 minutes per game, far exceeding his ratings. |
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| #20846 | 12/05/2023 10:53:45 am | Nov 29th, 2035 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1 
| Keeping the spirit alive to track some of the greatest teams, here is an updated list, adding in 2032-2035 in bold. Not changing the criteria even though it is very skewed towards lower level teams......except for Missouri Western who missed by 0.2ppg, but it would be stupid to exclude a Triple Crown team that went 45-5 in Legends. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory) 58 teams (8 LL1, 8 LL2, 16 LL3, 26 LL4) through 2035 LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8 LL2 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Montana State, 2033 -- 39-5 (.886), .603, 22.6 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 Updated Tuesday, December 5 2023 @ 10:54:07 am PST |
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| #21014 | 01/11/2024 1:31:45 pm | Mar 31st, 2036 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, adding in 2036 in bold. Also, went back through the top two league levels to add some additional teams that meet 2 of the 3 criteria and come close on the 3rd. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd) 76 teams (15 LL1, 18 LL2, 16 LL3, 27 LL4) through 2036 LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8 Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Montana State, 2033 -- 39-5 (.886), .603, 22.6 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Updated Thursday, January 11 2024 @ 1:40:18 pm PST |
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| #21020 | 01/11/2024 8:40:16 pm | Mar 31st, 2036 | |
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plokmijn Joined: 03/19/2020 Posts: 92 Alabama Crimson Tide III.4
| Thanks for keeping this going and adding the close enough qualifier. Always bugged me that my 2022 team made this list while my 2028 team didn’t, even though the 2028 team was better. | ||
| #21170 | 03/07/2024 10:46:56 am | Apr 6th, 2037 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, including 2037 in bold ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd) 78 teams (15 LL1, 18 LL2, 17 LL3, 28 LL4) through 2037 LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8 Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 North Carolina Central, 2037 -- 41-5 (.891), .620, 26.3 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Montana State, 2033 -- 39-5 (.886), .603, 22.6 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Hampton, 2037 -- 38-6 (.864), .605, 22.1 Updated Thursday, March 7 2024 @ 10:47:18 am PST |
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| #21308 | 05/01/2024 8:03:32 am | Mar 27th, 2038 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, including 2038 in bold ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd) 80 teams (16 LL1, 18 LL2, 17 LL3, 29 LL4) through 2038 LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8 Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 Dominican-California, 2038 -- 42-7 (.857), .628, 17.9 LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 North Carolina Central, 2037 -- 41-5 (.891), .620, 26.3 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Montana State, 2033 -- 39-5 (.886), .603, 22.6 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Hampton, 2037 -- 38-6 (.864), .605, 22.1 Oakland City, 2038 -- 40-6 (.870), .620, 21.1 Updated Thursday, May 2 2024 @ 9:36:48 am PDT |
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| #21452 | 06/26/2024 7:26:59 am | Mar 26th, 2039 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| No 2039 teams have qualified for the greatest teams list; the first time that has happened since 2014 Updated Wednesday, June 26 2024 @ 8:22:49 am PDT |
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| #21542 | 08/22/2024 11:33:34 am | Apr 2nd, 2040 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, including 2040 in bold ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd) 82 teams (18 LL1, 18 LL2, 17 LL3, 29 LL4) through 2040 LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8 Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 Dominican-California, 2038 -- 42-7 (.857), .628, 17.9 Alabama, 2040 -- 39-5 (.886), .637, 19.6 Yale, 2040 -- 39-6 (.867), .624, 20.0 LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 North Carolina Central, 2037 -- 41-5 (.891), .620, 26.3 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Montana State, 2033 -- 39-5 (.886), .603, 22.6 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Hampton, 2037 -- 38-6 (.864), .605, 22.1 Oakland City, 2038 -- 40-6 (.870), .620, 21.1 |
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| #21661 | 10/17/2024 10:46:37 am | Apr 1st, 2041 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, including 2041 in bold. This season sees 5 teams added, one from each league level (including 2 from LL2) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd) 87 teams (19 LL1, 20 LL2, 18 LL3, 30 LL4) through 2041. LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4 Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8 Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 Dominican-California, 2038 -- 42-7 (.857), .628, 17.9 Alabama, 2040 -- 39-5 (.886), .637, 19.6 Yale, 2040 -- 39-6 (.867), .624, 20.0 Alabama, 2041 -- 46-4 (.920), .659, 24.2 LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5 Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9 Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 Fresno Pacific, 2041 -- 40-7 (.851), .623, 22.7 SUNY Canton, 2041 -- 42-7 (.857), .616, 18.2 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4 Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2 Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6 Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8 Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 North Carolina Central, 2037 -- 41-5 (.891), .620, 26.3 Seton Hall, 2041 -- 43-5 (.896), .604, 19.9 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3 Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Montana State, 2033 -- 39-5 (.886), .603, 22.6 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Hampton, 2037 -- 38-6 (.864), .605, 22.1 Oakland City, 2038 -- 40-6 (.870), .620, 21.1 Butler, 2041 -- 39-6 (.867), .618, 21.2 |
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| #21781 | 12/11/2024 10:00:44 am | Mar 29th, 2042 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, including 2042 in bold. This season sees 4 teams added. This is very skewed overall to LL4 so similar to the leniency for higher League Level teams applied a few seasons ago, I may adjust to have a higher bar for LL4 in the future (thinking another filter of "40 wins or .900 winning %"). Also added the teams that won the National Title. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd) 91 teams (19 LL1, 21 LL2, 18 LL3, 33 LL4) through 2042. LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4, National Champions Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8, National Champions Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 Dominican-California, 2038 -- 42-7 (.857), .628, 17.9, National Champions Alabama, 2040 -- 39-5 (.886), .637, 19.6 Yale, 2040 -- 39-6 (.867), .624, 20.0 Alabama, 2041 -- 46-4 (.920), .659, 24.2, National Champions LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5, National Champions Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9, National Champions Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 Fresno Pacific, 2041 -- 40-7 (.851), .623, 22.7 SUNY Canton, 2041 -- 42-7 (.857), .616, 18.2 Temple, 2042 -- 44-5 (.898), .629, 24.8 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4, National Champions Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2, National Champions Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6, National Champions Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8, National Champions Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 North Carolina Central, 2037 -- 41-5 (.891), .620, 26.3, National Champions Seton Hall, 2041 -- 43-5 (.896), .604, 19.9 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3, National Champions Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 SUNY Geneseo, 2020 -- 39-6 (.867), .603, 21.3 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Northern Illinois, 2023 -- 38-5 (.884), .607, 30.5 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Montana State, 2033 -- 39-5 (.886), .603, 22.6 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Hampton, 2037 -- 38-6 (.864), .605, 22.1 Oakland City, 2038 -- 40-6 (.870), .620, 21.1 Butler, 2041 -- 39-6 (.867), .618, 21.2 UC-Riverside, 2042 -- 40-6 (.870), .605, 20.1 Georgia Southern, 2042 -- 39-6 (.867), .606, 20.4 Kentucky, 2042 -- 39-6 (.867), .602, 21.2 Updated Wednesday, December 11 2024 @ 2:52:31 pm PST |
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| #21789 | 12/13/2024 11:54:57 am | Mar 31st, 2042 | |
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Fireballer34 Joined: 02/11/2023 Posts: 81 Albany Great Danes V.4 
| Is there any way that the teams, or at least maybe the top 5 of them per division of something, could be ranked in some way? | ||
| #21805 | 12/17/2024 9:07:55 am | Oct 14th, 2042 | |
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Ced Joined: 02/14/2018 Posts: 455 Indiana Hoosiers IV.5 
| Is there any way that the teams, or at least maybe the top 5 of them per division of something, could be ranked in some way? It'd be problematic. Debatable. But... Your team. Every season. Every year. Is who the best is. Anything else lacks confidence. The metric has community backing, and takes considerable time to compile. Some of the community really ran with these teams. And those Presidents are gone. Others know how difficult it is to even get onto the same floor with these teams. Like Viper said in Top Gun, anyone wondering who the best is, click on the Champions page as a supplement to this ranking. |
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| #21993 | 02/06/2025 9:45:03 am | Apr 6th, 2043 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, including 2043 in bold. This season sees 2 teams added - Temple (recording the 2nd highest RPI of all-time) and Ursinus (one of the best conference records of all-time at 29-1). An adjustment has also been made to have a higher bar for LL4. LL4's now have to meet the 3 criteria but also have 1 of the following qualifiers (EITHER 40 wins, a .900 winning percentage, .610 RPI or a National Championship). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Criteria: Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd Additional LL4 criteria: EITHER 40 wins, a .900 winning percentage, .610 RPI or a National Championship 87 teams (20 LL1, 21 LL2, 19 LL3, 27 LL4) through 2043. LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4, National Champions Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8, National Champions Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 Dominican-California, 2038 -- 42-7 (.857), .628, 17.9, National Champions Alabama, 2040 -- 39-5 (.886), .637, 19.6 Yale, 2040 -- 39-6 (.867), .624, 20.0 Alabama, 2041 -- 46-4 (.920), .659, 24.2, National Champions Temple, 2043 -- 40-7 (.851), .653, 19.0 LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5, National Champions Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9, National Champions Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 Fresno Pacific, 2041 -- 40-7 (.851), .623, 22.7 SUNY Canton, 2041 -- 42-7 (.857), .616, 18.2 Temple, 2042 -- 44-5 (.898), .629, 24.8 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4, National Champions Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2, National Champions Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6, National Champions Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8, National Champions Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 North Carolina Central, 2037 -- 41-5 (.891), .620, 26.3, National Champions Seton Hall, 2041 -- 43-5 (.896), .604, 19.9 Ursinus, 2043 -- 41-4 (.911), .620, 24.3 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3, National Champions Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Oakland City, 2038 -- 40-6 (.870), .620, 21.1 Butler, 2041 -- 39-6 (.867), .618, 21.2 UC-Riverside, 2042 -- 40-6 (.870), .605, 20.1 Updated Thursday, February 6 2025 @ 9:52:27 am PST |
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| #22025 | 02/21/2025 1:04:34 pm | Nov 18th, 2043 | |
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plokmijn Joined: 03/19/2020 Posts: 92 Alabama Crimson Tide III.4
| My ranking of the top 50 teams all-time through 2043 (must have qualified for greatest teams list): 1 2027 Central Washington 2 2017 Azusa Pacific 3 2041 Alabama 4 2026 Sioux Falls 5 2024 Utah State 6 2005 Vanderbilt 7 2037 North Carolina Central 8 2042 Temple 9 2024 Western Michigan 10 2009 Butler 11 2035 Missouri Western 12 2015 Valparaiso 13 2020 Mississippi 14 2029 Lincoln PA 15 2027 Dominican-California 16 2006 Columbia 17 2022 Alabama 18 2017 Lewis & Clark 19 2005 Texas Tech 20 2022 Cal Tech 21 2026 Central Washington 22 2013 Colorado 23 2010 Rochester 24 2009 Simpson 25 2006 Cal State East Bay 26 2031 Temple 27 2016 Ball State 28 2043 Ursinus 29 2035 Fresno Pacific 30 2020 NYU 31 2036 Fresno Pacific 32 2019 Mississippi 33 2035 Temple 34 2025 Connecticut 35 2041 Fresno Pacific 36 2009 Massachusetts IT 37 2027 Sioux Falls 38 2032 Louisiana Tech 39 2016 Cal State Dominguez Hills 40 2015 Huntington 41 2017 Sacred Heart 42 2036 Temple 43 2038 Dominican-California 44 2031 East Tennessee State 45 2033 Marist 46 2028 Alabama 47 2003 Stanford 48 2020 Minnesota State 49 2018 LSU 50 2032 Methodist University |
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| #22112 | 04/04/2025 8:13:13 am | Apr 4th, 2044 | |
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El jefe Joined: 07/06/2018 Posts: 696 Temple Owls II.1
| Updated list, including 2044 in bold. This season sees 3 teams added - Ripon (one of the most impressive records + RPI of all-time), Yale (capturing its first Legends title), and Toledo (the 2nd +30 PD on this list). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Criteria: Minimum .850 winning percentage, .600 RPI and 20.0 average margin of victory, except for Legends and LL2 teams which only need to meet 2 of the 3 criteria and be "close enough" on the 3rd Additional LL4 criteria: EITHER 40 wins, a .900 winning percentage, .610 RPI or a National Championship 90 teams (21 LL1, 22 LL2, 19 LL3, 28 LL4) through 2043. LL1 Vanderbilt, 2005 -- 45-4 (.918), .612, 25.1 Butler, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 20.4, National Champions Huntington, 2015 -- 41-9 (.820), .606, 21.7 Butler, 2016 -- 39-6 (.867), .615, 18.0 Mississippi, 2019 -- 41-5 (.891), .640, 21.1 Mississippi, 2020 -- 42-7 (.857), .620, 23.9 Sioux Falls, 2027 -- 36-9 (.800), .618, 24.6 Alabama, 2028 -- 40-8 (.833), .626, 20.7 Lincoln PA, 2029 -- 43-5 (.896), .649, 22.1 Maine-Farmington, 2030 -- 39-6 (.867), .623, 20.9 Temple, 2031 -- 42-5 (.894), .613, 22.4 Missouri Western, 2035 -- 45-5 (.900), .651, 19.8, National Champions Temple, 2035 -- 39-9 (.813), .626, 22.6 Dominican-California, 2036 -- 40-8 (.833), .621, 20.3 Temple, 2036 -- 40-9 (.816), .616, 21.4 Dominican-California, 2038 -- 42-7 (.857), .628, 17.9, National Champions Alabama, 2040 -- 39-5 (.886), .637, 19.6 Yale, 2040 -- 39-6 (.867), .624, 20.0 Alabama, 2041 -- 46-4 (.920), .659, 24.2, National Champions Temple, 2043 -- 40-7 (.851), .653, 19.0 Yale, 2044 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 24.2 LL2 Stanford, 2003 -- 41-4 (.911), .582, 22.3 Texas Tech, 2005 -- 46-4 (.920), .603, 20.5, National Champions Cal Lutheran, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .618, 18.2 Francis Marion, 2007 -- 39-7 (.848), .600, 20.0 Misericordia, 2009 – 38-9 (.809), .601, 22.9 Oklahoma, 2011 -- 40-6 (.870), .609, 19.9 Gardner-Webb, 2013 – 39-6 (.867), .607, 18.6 Lewis & Clark, 2017 -- 41-6 (.872), .601, 25.4 NYU, 2020 -- 43-7 (.860), .616, 19.9, National Champions Utah State, 2024 -- 46-3 (.939), .630, 26.5 Western Michigan, 2024 -- 42-5 (.894), .632, 25.4 Sioux Falls, 2026 -- 46-4 (.920), .625, 27.3 Dominican-California, 2027 -- 43-4 (.915), .621, 23.8 East Tennessee State, 2031 -- 41-5 (.891), 628, 20.8 Methodist University, 2032 -- 40-9 (.816), .617, 21.5 Marist, 2033 -- 40-6 (.870), .619, 21.6 St. Thomas Aquinas, 2034 -- 37-8 (.822), .612, 21.4 Fresno Pacific, 2036 -- 42-5 (.894), .622, 22.0 Fresno Pacific, 2041 -- 40-7 (.851), .623, 22.7 SUNY Canton, 2041 -- 42-7 (.857), .616, 18.2 Temple, 2042 -- 44-5 (.898), .629, 24.8 Ripon, 2044 -- 46-4 (.920), .648, 25.0 LL3 Misericordia, 2007 -- 42-5 (.894), .605, 20.7 Simpson, 2009 -- 42-3 (.933), .616, 24.4 Massachusetts IT, 2009 -- 46-4 (.920), .626, 20.7 Colorado, 2013 -- 44-5 (.898), .613, 24.0 Valparaiso, 2015 -- 48-2 (.960), .605, 21.4, National Champions Tulane, 2015 -- 41-4 (.911), .607, 21.8 Azusa Pacific, 2017 -- 48-2 (.960), .627, 29.2, National Champions Sacred Heart, 2017 -- 38-5 (.884), .604, 25.0 Marquette, 2020 -- 40-6 (.870), .604, 21.2 Alabama, 2022 -- 44-5 (.898), .605, 22.6, National Champions Washington State, 2024 -- 40-7 (.851), .606, 20.1 Central Washington, 2027 -- 46-2 (.958), .627, 30.8, National Champions Cal Tech, 2027 -- 40-6 (.870), .617, 21.2 Louisiana Tech, 2032 -- 40-5 (.889), .627, 23.7 New Mexico State, 2032 -- 39-6 (.867), .614, 20.3 Fresno Pacific, 2035 -- 43-4 (.915), .636, 22.5 North Carolina Central, 2037 -- 41-5 (.891), .620, 26.3, National Champions Seton Hall, 2041 -- 43-5 (.896), .604, 19.9 Ursinus, 2043 -- 41-4 (.911), .620, 24.3 LL4 Oklahoma Baptist, 2003 -- 42-3 (.933), .603, 22.1 Cal State East Bay, 2006 -- 45-2 (.957), .607, 25.0 Columbia, 2006 -- 46-4 (.920), .604, 23.3, National Champions Simpson 2008 -- 42-3 (.933), .611, 21.8 Rochester, 2010 -- 42-4 (.913), .614, 27.0 St. Thomas, 2011 -- 42-3 (.933), .627, 21.2 Mount St. Joseph, 2013 -- 42-4 (.913), .603, 23.9 Ball State, 2016 -- 47-3 (.940), .617, 23.1 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2016 -- 43-3 (.935), .615, 24.3 Clark, 2017 -- 40-5 (.889), .619, 21.3 LSU, 2018 -- 45-2 (.957), .619, 21.8 Marist, 2018 -- 43-3 (.935), .607, 21.3 Minnesota State, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .600, 24.1 Georgetown, 2020 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 22.8 Penn State, 2021 -- 39-4 (.907), .609, 25.1 Cal Tech, 2022 -- 41-5 (.891), .601, 29.0 Connecticut, 2025 -- 40-4 (.909), .605, 26.8 Central Washington, 2026 -- 45-3 (.938), .614, 25.6 Southern, 2027 -- 45-3 (.938), .623, 20.3 Texas Tech, 2028 -- 43-4 (.915), .612, 23.0 Clayton State, 2030 -- 41-6 (.872), .612, 20.7 Cedarville, 2033 -- 42-6 (.875), .613, 23.4 Yale, 2034 -- 39-4 (.907), .606, 22.8 SUNY Plattsburgh, 2036 -- 39-5 (.886), .612, 21.4 Oakland City, 2038 -- 40-6 (.870), .620, 21.1 Butler, 2041 -- 39-6 (.867), .618, 21.2 UC-Riverside, 2042 -- 40-6 (.870), .605, 20.1 Toledo, 2044 -- 42-3 (.933), .602, 31.0 |
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