TUESDAY

The eclipse was very visible from my house.

MCNEESE BASEBALL AT LSU TONIGHT

6:30 pm at Alex Box Stadium

SEC NETWORK +

Dionjahe Thomas Transfers

Former McNeese forward Dionjahe Thomas has transferred to Southern. He will have three years of eligibility. Coach Will Wade cleared up some rumors on his Poke Nation Podcast about recruiting and his interviewing at Arkansas and other places. He made it perfectly clear that he has not interviewed with any new jobs and that he plans on returning to McNeese. John Calipari of Kentucky stunned the basketball world by announcing he was taking the Arkansas job.

Kentucky is the premium job in the college basketball world and will attract the top names. Rumor has it they want Alabama coach Nate Oats, but his buyout maybe too expensive. Scott Drew of Baylor is ready to move on and could be the favorite. Dan Hurly just won his second consecutive national title for UConn, but money talks. Jay Wright is working at CBS but has a great resume. Shaka Smart is always considered for major jobs, but his Texas resume might scare off some Wildcat alums.

My betting service list these odds if you want to bet on the winner.

Scott Drew +100
Nate Oats +300
Richard Pitino +700
Billy Donovan +900
Mark Pope +1000
Kelvin Sampson +1200
Sean Miller +1600
Jamie Dixon +1600
Chris Beard +1800
Rick Pitino +2000
Scott Padgett +2000
Shaka Smart +2000
TJ Otzelberger +2500
Bruce Pearl +2500
Will Wade +2500
Anfernee Hardaway +2500
Dan Hurley +2500
Jay Wright +2500
Tommy Lloyd +3300
Mick Cronin +3300
Brad Underwood +3300
Shaheen Holloway +3300
Jerome Tang +3300
Mark Few +3300
Bill Self +5000

Wade has addressed the issues of him returning as well as his assistants. All we can do it take him for his word. There is one week left prior to Signing Day, so it is imperative that he speaks the truth to the players he is recruiting. He has stated that he is looking to sign four or five players to the roster. There is a slight chance that the NCAA could give C.J Felder another year, but either way he is looking for more size. Wade stated he would like to get bigger at guard and at the forward spot. No doubt an available center would help the cause. Joe Charles has committed to McNeese, but in my opinion, he is not a true center.

Charles is a 6’8 forward that likes to play more on the perimeter than with his back to the goal. Of course, Wade gave Collum the freedom to move outside, but size inside would help on the boards. Charles is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker, but in viewing his tapes, he has one of the funkiest outside shots that I have ever seen. His biggest asset going forward is going to be protecting the rim and rebounding. Wade confirmed that McNeese is not in the running for Kobe Julian who is another small forward type in the mold for Shumate.

The schedule was discussed, and Wade confirmed that the Pokes will be going to the Virgin Islands next Thanksgiving week. He is not sure who they will play, but it will come from a list that includes Kansas State, Vanderbilt, Liberty, UNT, and Illinois State. We know the Pokes return a game to ULL in Lafayette which promises to be a hostile environment for Joe Charles, Will Wade, and whoever suits up for the Pokes. McNeese will play 20 conference games of which 10 are at home. He is in negotiations with adding an SEC opponent on a neutral court, and six more games. Ideally five of those six will be at home.

UCONN 75 PURDUE 60

UConn coach Dan Hurley put on a clinic on how to gameplan a super star. He decided that the only way they lose the game is to allow Purdue to fill up 3 pointers from behind the arc. It was risky, but he felt if they could shut down the other four players, Edey could not beat them by himself. Purdue was the second best 3- point shooting team in the county, yet they shot only 7 from behind the arc and made one. As it turns out, Edey got 37 points and the rest of the team got 23 points. The three-point line has become a major weapon in college basketball (and NBA) which puts an emphasis on guard play. When you rely on this to win, it becomes very difficult even with a 7’4 center.