BB Recruiting Penn State lands UNC transfer guard D'Marco Dunn

[bison13]

At least several of these transfers already have played for winning programs and presumably expect to win.

Really, except for a few programs every season, there's not much difference between the vast majority of college basketball teams that play in the major conferences; this sport mostly is made up of average teams, and one player can change an average team into a top 10 team; i.e., Purdue last season would've been a pretty ordinary team without their center. Also, last season, most of the Big 10 consisted of rather ordinary teams, and there was very little difference between the bottom and the top. Just look at how OSU and even PSU made runs in the Big 10 tournament, and they both finished in the bottom third of the conference. Moreover, Northwestern finished second in the conference after they were picked to finish last or close to last in the preseason, and that team never will be confused with the 1976 IU team.

My point regarding the above is, unless these other Big 10 schools all of a sudden are going to bring in Fab 5 recruiting classes, there's no reason why this collection of PSU players can't win about the same number of conference games as last season.

The key to me will be the first couple early season conference games. If they can get a couple wins early that will say a lot. Hopefully the schedule has them avoiding MSU and Purdue until late Jan or Feb.

 

[mmuncci]

I agree that he was likely gone...all of his vague interviews point to at the least playing both sides of the coin
..which in his position we all would do.

"All I know is that I'm just enjoying this time with these guys and I don't want it to end." Until it did. We will be much more athletic and may be able to win a lot of low scoring games.

Funk was hot when he was hot, but also a defensive liability. I wonder what his personal plus/minus was. Seth really matured over his 4 years. If he would've returned we'd have a true PSU veteran voice which we will be lacking.

Credit Rhodes with building an interesting roster. It should be an interesting and hopefully fun season! The rollercoaster of PSU hoops continues...

I agree with Seth, and if returned I really feel we would be a tournament team, but I also feel it was the right time for him to move on and I think he will make it in the NBA.

 

[OzLion]

I'm impressed with the roster he put together in a short time. However, my expectations are NIT at best for this year....

Which wouldn't be half bad for any team that lost such a high percentage of its scoring and leadership from the previous season. I think this would have been a realistic goal even if Shrew and his 3 incoming freshmen recruits stayed.

My prediction is we will hover around a bubble team to slightly off of it through the year..... Probably finish 8-12 in conference. ..

Pretty much what the team was last year till they got hot right at the very end of the regular season.

 

[LongJakk]

The portal and NIL will cause fewer midmajor at large bids. I can easily see SEC & B1G getting 9 in if there is parity like last year.

1 thing people aren't mentioning about the team Rhoades recruited is the balance across classes and positions. Hes not just recruited a team for this year, but a base for the future.

 

[The Spin Meister]

The portal and NIL will cause fewer midmajor at large bids. I can easily see SEC & B1G getting 9 in if there is parity like last year.

1 thing people aren't mentioning about the team Rhoades recruited is the balance across classes and positions. Hes not just recruited a team for this year, but a base for the future.

The biggest thing for me is how well the recruiting went for a new coach that had a late start. And had to rebuild a completely new team. Not easy to get kids to commit when they see that dumpster fire.

This tells me two things, one is the obvious fact that the new coach is a good recruiter. But perhaps bigger is that kids wanted to come to Happy Valley and play for Penn State. It could be spillover from the football excitement, especially White Out games. Add to that the great visuals from womens volleyball and mens wrestling. Even the basketball team got some good crowds later in the season when the team jelled.

Watching packed houses at numerous sporting events has to show this is a good place to play. And that will help future recruiting. Even if we lose this coach after a couple good seasons and get another. Perhaps the program has finally turned that corner.

 

[LongJakk]

It's more about NIL than anything. We went from like $10k to $1m.

 

[The Spin Meister]

It's more about NIL than anything. We went from like $10k to $1m.

I am sure other schools also had huge increases in NIL funds.

 

[Still in State College]

The biggest thing for me is how well the recruiting went for a new coach that had a late start. And had to rebuild a completely new team. Not easy to get kids to commit when they see that dumpster fire.

This tells me two things, one is the obvious fact that the new coach is a good recruiter. But perhaps bigger is that kids wanted to come to Happy Valley and play for Penn State. It could be spillover from the football excitement, especially White Out games. Add to that the great visuals from womens volleyball and mens wrestling. Even the basketball team got some good crowds later in the season when the team jelled.

Watching packed houses at numerous sporting events has to show this is a good place to play. And that will help future recruiting. Even if we lose this coach after a couple good seasons and get another. Perhaps the program has finally turned that corner.

Womens Volleyball has been in a finals since 2014. From a recruiting standpoint that is a lifetime.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Womens Volleyball has been in a finals since 2014. From a recruiting standpoint that is a lifetime.

Think you meant hasn’t. But they still get great raucous crowds which looks great on tv…… good for recruiting.