Here we go. 

So how did recruiting go for everyone?  The recruits in the states I scouted were a little weak this season, and I need 4 guys, but I still think St. Mary's found some good players.  We took a flyer on a high potential, high work ethic PF from WY that will need a RS and hopefully will be high-high in REB, but if he is he has the potential to be great.  1 guard will be a good PG and the other a good SG (although a little weak in defense) and the final PF shoudl be a good scroring/defensive PF who is a little soft in rebounding.  All-in-all, a good class for what was out there.

For the relative size of the pool in Alabama, it was pretty good. Plenty of players at my level, and Valdosta State landed a nice one in Lacasse who I couldnt pull down given how many guys were on him. West Alabama got a solid player from AL in Shelton that I wanted and I wasn't even able to get Wallace who also went to Valdosta St. My guys from the state could be solid though. A good year to be in the area.

Bellarmine lost 5 players who led us to two Elite Eight seasons.  It'll be a long rebuilding year in Louisville

Incarnate Word somehow manages to get a pre-season ranking of #17 with only one senior.  We'll keep feeding our player HGH by the truckload in hopes of making a serious run next season. 

University of the Sciences is really young this year.  No clue how we got a #23 ranking pre-season, but I doubt we live up to that.

we'll be a 1-man show as I have a guy that would start at most D1 schools at center. He'd be POY at every D1 conference but the big 6. So my challenge this season is figuring out how to feed him versus the double-teams he'll see.

This has to be my year as after he and a couple of other SRs go, my team is left with a bunch of uninspired recruiting. We'll be very average after this season until I get inspired to recruit again. I'm kinda losing passion for this game as I've told mduncanhogs. I need to get it back and get into it again. The winter months coming may inspire me as I won't get to go out and play in the real world as much.

Well heres hoping this season at northeastern st. turns out a little better than last years early exit from the tourney.  I have a good group of Jrs and Srs along with a decent juco I found.  This team is starting to grow on me.  I just get a kick out of how upside down the ranking can be sometimes to start the season.  Well tonight will be a good test for us against Longwood to get the year started.  So as bbunch stated "Here we go".

Worse than I feared at Bellarmine.   We shot 35% in our opener, with 19 turnovers and only 7 assists.   Oh, but we beat a Sim team 63-59.

Don't expect any Limestone 3-peats... I think the team can pull out a NT bid but I don't expect more than that.  Decent players starting but depth and youth will be a concern with 4 freshmen getting big minutes (although one freshmen is redshirt freshmen, so he's more like a soph), 1 ineligible player sitting out the year, and 1 redshirt.  But 4/5 starters are seniors and 2 good upperclassmen coming off the bench. 

Bellarmine, currently #4 at 6-0, has shocked me.  With 4 freshmen, I expected much worse. Our biggest win was over #16 Harding.  Tonight will be a true test of our ranking when we meet #8 Lander.

St. Mary's is really good. 

The best conference so far is...the Heartland.....East.  5 teams are currently ranked.  All 6 have been ranked at one poin this season.  A combined record of 44-4.  The Heartland West is a not-too-shabby 35-13, but the East is ridiculous.  The East's win total of 44 is more than 8 of 23 D-II conference win totals. 

Tonight's feature contest will be a rematch of the NT championship game from last season when #1 St. Mary's TX travels to #12 Limestone.  Should be a good one.