MBBALL The Portal! O! Woe the Mid-Majors! Woe is Us!

[citygriz]

Really?

Does anybody here think we would have won the Big Sky without Kai Johnson, Malik Moore, Joe Pridgen and Austin Patterson?

So we lose Malik Moore to a major program.

But is anybody here truly crying the blues as we welcome in Courtney Anderson, Kaydn Betts and Trae Taylor?

Seems we might be in the perfect position of attracting talented players from above who became disenchanted with their circumstances at a Power Conference, but also from below with kids who want a greater challenge at a D1 program with a solid history and winning tradition.

Our coaching staff is proving: The Portal has been a bonanza for our program.

 

[LivingstonNative]

I’m with you. I was really disappointed that we lost our sharp shooter and I hope he does well. As for the new guys coming in, I’m waiting to see how play. If we win the big sky two years in a row, I will become a firm believer. I think we have enough nucleus coming back that we will have a better team, with more wins in the early part of the season.

 

[mthoopsfan]

As of right now, UM basketball-men and football are in a good position with the Portal, and the coaches are using it to UM's advantage. Who knows how long that will last. The coaches are very good and know how to recruit. Players want to come to a program that can and will win. Players want to go to the ncaa tourney and playoffs.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

I believe UM is doing very well in the portal compared to other BSC schools. I also believe that the gap between the power conferences and the BSC is growing larger.

 

[gotgame75]

I believe UM is doing very well in the portal compared to other BSC schools. I also believe that the gap between the power conferences and the BSC is growing larger.

It is. The days of Cindarella upsets are coming to an end

 

[UncleRico]

It is. The days of Cindarella upsets are coming to an end

For sure there will be fewer. The good mid majors could pull off upsets with veteran teams that played together for extended time vs young teams loaded with one and done freshman. Not as much anymore.

 

[IdaGriz01]

... The days of Cindarella upsets are coming to an end

For sure there will be fewer. The good mid majors could pull off upsets with veteran teams that played together for extended time vs young teams loaded with one and done freshman. Not as much anymore.

Reality. Every coach surely has a list of roster holes he has to fill, or ones that need to be upgraded. (Literally, his job depends upon it.) A few at the highest level can maybe afford to recruit "can't miss" 5-star players out of high school. But even that's a risk, so why take it? Even without "tampering" (contacts behind the scenes), you can designate an assistant (or two) to troll the portal for players they think can fit right in. That hot shot from Podunk U? Just what we need to shore up our three-point offense.

We'll likely still see a few upsets by mid-major teams that "gel" and play over the top. The other hope will involve various kinds of what I'll call "late bloomers." These might be guys who perhaps showed promise, but were not quite there. They could be newcomers or ones who got bumped into the portal from a higher-level program. Then they somehow find their game ... through physical maturity, the right coaching, etc. (and probably lots of hard work). If they bloom late enough, a mid-major program might find themselves with a star, or snag him out of the portal before the big boys discover him.