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

[appgrad95&97]

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

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

Why has no one thought of that before?

[appvette]

Another benefit of JMU winning is that we still get to say we own most of their losses in football and basketball this year (3 of 5)

[hapapp]

Another benefit of JMU winning is that we still get to say we own most of their losses in football and basketball this year (3 of 5)

I’m guessing they are willing to make that trade. If they go dancing I doubt saying that to them will bother them at all. I dare say we’d make the same trade.

[WASU 93]

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

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

Or, we build off what we had this year. Keep getting a good student turnout at Holmes (the seeds have been planted) and keep our fans coming up the mountain for the great atmosphere in Holmes. If we become a Quad 2 opportunity in a tough atmosphere, teams will come up the mountain to play us. But, in previous years all we could offer them was a Quad 3 or Quad 4 opportunity in front of 2-3K. If we can string together a few winning seasons and build that to 5K per game, we'll be in the top half of D1 attendance.
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketb ... Attend.pdf

Big City mid-majors are not attracting fans. Charlotte was selling tickets for $5 to Halton to try to get a big crowd for their match-up with a ranked USF team. And they were having their best season in 15 years. UNC-G averaged 1400 fans for a 20 win season last year.
Yes, we need to play one or two road games in Charlotte (UNCC/Davidson/Queens) and the Triad (UNC-G/High Point/NC A&T) and we should have annual home and homes with UNC-A and UNC-W (but, don't play them in a 1,000 seat community college gym, because what's the point?)
Schedule Mid-Major Home and Homes with 20-win teams. Maybe play Saturday/Sunday double headers for non-conference games.
Also, the Belt needs to push the conference tournament back (sure it's an ESPN call) another 4-5 days which gives us more time in the year to fit in games. Having your Conference Tournament up against Rivalry Weekend games is not the best formula.

[AppStFan1]

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

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

Go JMU (BLEH)

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

Go JMU!

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

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

Yeah nobody has gone deep and typically the champ is a 14, 15, or 16 seed. We see a couple times the winner got a 13 or 12 seed but by in large it is the bottom 3. It would be nice for our champ to be a top 10 seed and get a second team in.

[AppStFan1]

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

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

Go JMU (BLEH)

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

Go JMU!

I can't! Go Arkansas State

I understand but it does help our league if JMU wins. Serious question. If Arkansas State wins would the NIT look down on our league and maybe turn us down to take JMU or would both of us get in? We should at least be in NIT but it would not shock me if they take JMU and we get left out if Arkansas State wins.

[RaleighApp27609]

Looking at the score right now, the scenario above is a non-issue at this point.

[JTApps1]

Looks like last week was a better indicator of who the better team is than last night. Everything went Arkansas State's way last night.

[311neers]

JMU doesn’t mess around. Going to win by 30+

[AppStFan1]

Looks like last week was a better indicator of who the better team is than last night. Everything went Arkansas State's way last night.

Agreed. JMU is way better than Arkansas State but we were their super bowl as well. They poured everything they had into us and had nothing left for tonight. I am sure the SBC and ESPN are really wishing we won though. They could have had a great game on national TV between two teams that would be close to being ranked in the polls. Instead, they get a blowout and App has lost all of their votes. I hope Kerns and the rest have a really sour taste and choose to come back on a mission.

[RaleighApp27609]

SoCon tourney on ESPN2 is a bit more competitive.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I won't be mad to see JMU get bounced in round 1

[RaleighApp27609]

JMU was lights out at 62% FG and 11-19 behind the arc.

[311neers]

I won't be mad to see JMU get bounced in round 1

Can’t stand them, but I might take them to the sweet 16. Their first game will be the most predicted upset on brackets guaranteed.

[hapapp]

JMU was lights out at 62% FG and 11-19 behind the arc.

Definitely the best team in Pensacola.

[MrCraig]

I won't be mad to see JMU get bounced in round 1

Can’t stand them, but I might take them to the sweet 16. Their first game will be the most predicted upset on brackets guaranteed.

I have no specific numbers to back this up, but I know I’ve looked really smart numerous years by picking the SOCON and Sun Belt champs to win their first round games.

[RaleighApp27609]

2024 NIT projection. Scroll down the page for the NIT bracket. If App did end up playing WFU, I think there would be a huge App turnout.

https://www.dratings.com/predictor/bracketology/

https://www.nitbracketology.com/2024/03 ... 1.html?m=1

https://thebarkingcrow.com/nit-bracketology/

[biggie]

Figure ArkSt would go downhill after our game at least took advantage of the free bonus bets since it opened today to get JMU to cover and the over. Doesn’t make up for yesterday though.

[spacemonkey]

App at Wake would be a lot of fun. VT, Richmond would be the next closest. And then may Cincinnati

[RaleighApp27609]

App at Wake would be a lot of fun. VT, Richmond would be the next closest. And then may Cincinnati

I'd be there if they played WFU.