For a number of seasons now, it's like I've lost the ability to play this game.

I run a triangle/m2m with this squad:

http://www.whatifsports.com/hd/TeamProfile/Ratings.aspx?tid=3762

The season just ended, so recruiting will start soon.

I generally try to recruit the bottom part of the D2 pool in D3, with some mixed results.  It seems the personnel gap between the really good teams and the mediocre ones is huge, and I can't quite figure out how the talent pool is that divided.  Or is it, and it's just bad coaching (by me)? 

So, I'm looking for advice on this team.  I have 2 spots opening up due to graduation.  The only guaranteed starter is Mayer at the 1; I don't know which SF is better, which of the myriad of SGs should play (the better shooter, or the better defender, etc.) 

Thanks.

Well looking at your recruiting class John Mills is basically worthless.  Ath and Def are everything at D3.  Choose those way over Per and LP and all the other offensive categories.  Also when you schedule sims schedule them on the roead, it will at least help your RPI.

Realistically I think you ath/spd isn't bad in most of your guys. I would think you should be winning more games than you are. I haven't looked too deeply, but I'll throw out some quick thoughts.

1. You shoot almost no threes. It makes it easy to stack the paint against you.
2. You have only two guys getting distribution. You need a third, preferably a post to compliment the triangle.
3. Team ath/spd isn't bad. But you need to up your D on guys below 45. Man D needs good defense and those 30D guys are asking to get exploited. Try to get 50s across the board. Having 70D guy and a 30D guy just means one guy is going to get poster-ized.
4. Team rebounding is low. The two 70 rated guys are good, but you should have two more.
5. You need guys who can shoot and score. You have 2 high per guys, both freshman. You have no low post threat.

If it were me, I'd recruit a low post threat, maybe a 45/20/60/40/30/60 guy provided the potentials are there. The other, a 30/55 guard with 40D and and 55 per with the right potential. As long as he hits 50/50 bh/pass at some point midway thru his career, I'd be okay with that. Next year recruit the right scorer and you'll have your three scorers with good d for your triangle for the next 3yrs.

Sitemail me if you have questions.

Thanks for the feedback.  I've found it really hard the last few seasons to find guys that are decent in more than one category; that's how I ended up with no decent perimeter players, because I was focused on ATH/SPD.  Same with LP.  All the decent recruits I could find were good in one of those categories and terrible in DEF or ATH or SPD.  

As a C prestige D3, I can see how that would happen. All other things being equal, recruit for ath/spd/d and try to make sure the other cores in guards will at least get to 50 and your bigs can rebound. That alone will win you some games to up your prestige to where you can get the better players. It looks like you went pretty strong on the ath/spd, but you gave up D as the third stat, which is a mistake. If you must, accept lower ath in guards, and lower speed in bigs to make sure you get the D you need.

Your freshman guard Mills should be cut, whatever potential he has as a scorer is cancelled out by 1 DEF and 17 ATH in a M2M defense. Your big men are young but generally mediocre, not one of them is terrible but there isn't a stud in that group either. No great scorer, rebounder or defender in the bunch. I like the team ATH/SPD but you should emphasize DEF more.

You mentioned you like to recruit the bottom tier of D2. This may not be your best recruiting strategy as a C+ DIII team. You can find decent DIII players with high potentials who will end up better than a lot of the players you'll be able to pull down with only a C+ prestige IMO. Especially being a Massachusetts school, there will be plenty of unclaimed DIII prospects. I'd grab that good DII prospect for immediate depth needs but if you aren't going to play a guy right away a high potential overlooked DIII player with a redshirt is a great option too.