FBCB Interactive Player Dynasty- Season 3 (2016-2017)
 

It's time to start season 3, and by my count we should have 8 active players now, as our two 1 star recruits never got recruited. This season we've got 5 potential recruits, and no 1 stars, so let's take a look at their initial player cards, in order of national ranking.

August 2016

SF Jack Dawkins- Maryland is the only one of Jack's original top 5 that has stuck around, and they have offered him a scholarship. Syracuse has also offered him a scholarship. The other 3 schools are Villanova, UConn, and Temple, and they haven't offered yet.

C Ralph King- Duke and North Carolina remain the top 2 for Ralph. Also on the list are Georgetown, Villanova, and Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are the only school to offer so far.

C Rudy Arellano- Rudy has expressed a desire to stay in California and play, and his top 5 shows: Cal St. Fullerton, UCLA, Long Beach St., UCSB, and Pepperdine. Although none have offered yet, don't expect to see too many non-California schools on his top 5 list.

PG Benton Gale- Radford and Liberty have replaced Elon and NC Central in Benton's top 5. UNC Greensboro still heads the list, but no offers yet.

PF Bam Jamison- Bam also appears to want to stay in Cali, his top 5 is now Santa Clara, San Francisco, St. Marys, Sacramento St., and UC Davis. No offers yet.

September 2016

SF Jack Dawkins- Syracuse and UConn, have both offered to Jack and they head the list. Villanova is still on it, but Boston College and Oklahoma St. have emerged as well.

C Ralph King- The top 5 hasn't changed for Ralph. Duke, UNC, Wake Forest, and Georgetown have all extended offers, while Villanova is at the bottom of the list now.

C Rudy Arellano- UCLA is backing off interested on Rudy, slipping down to #4. Cal St. Bakersfield really wants Rudy, as they have offered. Long Beach heads the list along with UC Santa Barbara and Cal St. Fullerton, but Bakersfield is the only offer thus far.

PG Benton Gale- Elon is back in the mix, replacing liberty. Other than that, same top 5 for Benton, although none have offered at this point.

PF Bam Jamison- San Francisco and Cal St. Bakersfield have offered. What a nice 1-2 punch Bakersfield would have if they land both Rudy and Bam. Santa Clara, St. Marys, and San Jose St. are also in the mix although none of those 3 have offered.

October 2016

SF Jack Dawkins- Jack seems to have narrowed it down to Syracuse, and surprisingly BC and Oklahoma St. are still on the list. Word has it Jack has given Syracuse a verbal as they are the only ones to offer thus far.

C Ralph King- There is no doubt about this one, Ralph will be going to Duke. He has given Coach K and the Blue Devils a verbal and has stopped recruiting contact from other schools.

C Rudy Arellano- The top 5 hasn't changed for Rudy, but Cal St. Bakersfield is still the only school to offer a scholarship.

PG Benton Gale- Lots of changes in Benton's top 5, as he is a wanted man. The top 5 now stands as follows: High Point, Charleston Southern, USC Upstate, NC Central, and UNC Greensboro. All but Greensboro have offered.

PF Bam Jamison- Well, we can forget about that Bam-Rudy combo at Cal St. Bakersfield. As of now, Bam has eliminated every team but San Francisco and they have offered.

November 2016

SF Jack Dawkins- While Pittsburgh and Kansas made a late run, Jack had his mind made up, he is going to Syracuse, making it official by signing his LOI.

C Ralph King- To nobody's surprise, Ralph committed to Duke, signing his letter today.

C Rudy Arellano- Long Beach St. has offered Rudy a scholarship, jumping over Cal St. Bakersfield. Rudy was hoping for an offer from UCLA, but nothing yet. As it stands, Rudy is still fair game.

PG Benton Gale- Last month, Benton had 4 scholarship offers to mull over. Now he has 1, and there is no mulling. Benton has signed an LOI with High Point.

PF Bam Jamison- UC Santa Barbara might have won out had they offered a scholarship, but they didn't, so Bam is going to San Francisco!

Now it is time to look over the depth charts before and after training camp. Remember, those that still have a redshirt year will get the option to use it or not. We'll start with before training camp, with the 5 (6 if Ivan really wants to redshirt again) players that have the option. I'm also going to do something I failed to do last time (sorry Icy), and tell you guys if there is a possibility of your player transferring if you choose to redshirt him.

Before Training Camp, no redshirts yet.

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)- starting PF
FR PF Eden James (Boston College)- 6th on depth chart.
FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- 12th on depth chart (yikes!)
FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma St.)- 9th on depth chart.
FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- starting SF
RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona St.)- starting C

Now the players that have already used their redshirt.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)- starting C
RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)- starting PG

After Training Camp- CPU decides redshirts

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)- David is still penciled in as the starting C, so I see no reason for him to redshirt, but the opportunity is there. However, there is a chance he could transfer if redshirted.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)- Eden is still 6th on the depth chart. Being the top sub isn't bad, but the redshirt option is there. However, there's a possibility Eden could transfer if redshirted.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- The AI in the game chose to redshirt Chester, so I would say it would be the way to go. Chester has already said he won't transfer if he's redshirted.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma St.)- Al moved up to 8th on the depth chart, so he could benefit from a redshirt. Al has already said he would accept the redshirt and not transfer.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- Woah! Huge change here, as Ricardo moved all the way down to 9th on the depth chart after training camps. I would definitely redshirt him, but it's not my call. Ricardo has already said he'll gladly accept the redshirt without transferring.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona St.)- Ivan is still scheduled to start, but at C, not PF. I'm not sure if he can redshirt or not, even though he's a transfer, normally transfers do redshirt but in this case it would mean Ivan sitting for 2 years in a row, and he would most likely transfer again if redshirted.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)- Jace used his redshirt already, so he has no decision to make. He is projected to be the starting C still.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)- Randy also has to play this season since he used his redshirt. He is still predicted to start at PG

Redshirt Chester please.

No redshirt on David

Redshirt Al.

Well, San Francisco is where Bam left his heart, so...

Tubbs can redshirt. And leisure shirt, too.

I plan on getting this back going again sometime tomorrow. I still haven't heard from Icy, but I would assume he wants Ivan Carrillo to play this season as opposed to redshirting two years in a row. Icy, if you get a chance, let me know

Alright, I'm going forward with this. Each FOFC member team has the real life coach in it. The ages may be skewed a tad bit but that's ok. Let's have a recap on who is redshirting.

2016-2017 Redshirts

Chester Smith- Maryland
Al Mighty- Oklahoma St.
Ricardo Tubbs- South Alabama






There's a look at the preseason polls for the 2016-2017 season. Nice to see multiple representation in each poll, although FBCB seems to give every mid-major team a vote in the preseason poll, that'll be weeded out quickly.

We've got some teams playing in preseason tournaments, let's look at those real quick:

Maryland (Chester Smith) is the #2 seed in the 2016 Maui Shootout.
Boston College (Eden James) is the #4 seed in the 2016 Paradise Shootout.
Oklahoma St. (Al Mighty) is the #2 seed in the 2016 Puerto Rico Challenge.
Xavier (Jace Hunter) is the #2 seed in the 2016 San Juan Classic.
South Alabama (Ricardo Tubbs) is the #4 seed in the 4 team 2016 Youth Invitational.

Nov. 7-13, 2016

Short week this week, with only 4 games, so that means some teams will just be sitting and watching this week.

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

11/13/16 at #5 Villanova (L 91-61), 3 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists.

Not the greatest season debut for David, although considering the competition level in this one, he did what he could. David doesn't seem to be much of a scorer.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

No games this week for the Musketeers.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

No games this week for the Tigers.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona St.)

No games this week for the Sun Devils.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

11/13/16- Paradise Shootout 1st Round vs. (5) Cincinnati (L 74-67), 3 points, 2 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal.

Not the best of debuts for Eden, who might have been better off taking a redshirt but his threat to transfer if redshirted was too much for the Eagles to take a chance on. Eden only logged 17 minutes in this one.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

No games this week for the Terrapins.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma St.)- redshirting

11/13/16- Puerto Rico Challenge 1st round vs. (7) UC Santa Barbara (W 80-72).

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

11/13/16- Youth Invitational 1st Round vs. (1) #18 UConn (L 77-56)



Good to see Oklahoma St. jump in the AP Top 25, not good that BC lost all their votes.



Still surprised to see this many teams receiving votes in the mid-major poll. Not surprised that South Alabama lost their votes.

Nov. 14-20, 2016

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

11/18/16 at Marshall (L 76-54), 4 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists.

A better game for David, even if his team isn't very good.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

11/16/16 at Michigan (W 72-62), 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.

A solid but not spectacular debut for Jace, would like to see him collecting a few more rebounds.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

Another off week for the Tigers, and we are still waiting for the debut of Randy.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona St.)

11/17/16 vs. North Florida (W 71-59), 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block.
11/19/16 at UTEP (L 57-46), 10 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks. (double-double)

Kinda funny how that works out when people have better games against better teams. Maybe it's playing to the level of competition, I don't know. Hopefully the UTEP game is a sign of good things to come for Ivan.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

11/15/16- Paradise Shootout consolation game vs. (8) Valparaiso (W 61-49), 4 point, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 steal.
11/17/16- Paradise Shootout 5th place game vs. (6) Iowa (W 75-58), 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals.

Great job by the Eagles to recover for 5th place. Eden gets in a lot of different stat columns, the problem is none of those stats are big enough to warrant him a place in the starting five. Although averaging less than 20 minutes a game doesn't give him much of a chance.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

11/17/16- Maui Shootout First Round vs. (7) Baylor (W 83-80).
11/18/16- Maui Shootout Semifinal vs. (6) Minnesota (L 66-64).
11/19/16- Maui Shootout 3rd Place Game vs. (8) Middle Tennessee (L 79-72)

Egads! Talk about a couple damaging losses, and 1 of them to the #8 seed. Maryland will have to recover, and recover fast.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma St.)- redshirting

11/15/16- Puerto Rico Challenge Semifinal vs. (3) Utah (W 70-64)
11/17/16- Puerto Rico Championship vs. (4) Richmond (L 74-70)
11/20/16 at Sacramento State (W 77-53)

A good week for the Cowboys, would have been even better had they came home with the Puerto Rico title, but still a satisfying week for Mr. Al, who had fun watching from the sidelines.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

11/15/16- Youth Invitational 3rd place game vs. (3) Missouri St. (L 69-56)
11/20/16 at Western Carolina (W 73-63)

I think South Alabama will be happy to get their first win of the season, but they can do better.



Good for Xavier for moving up a few spots, and Oklahoma St. getting more votes.



It's all about Xavier for the mid-major poll, can't see Army or South Alabama garnering many votes.

Come on Hunter, better make that redshirt season count.

Nov. 21-27, 2016

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

11/23/16 vs. St. Bonaventure (W 68-62), 8 points, 10 rebounds (fouled out)
11/25/16 at Penn St. (L 76-52), 4 points, 4 rebounds.
11/27/16 vs. SMU (W 77-74), 5 points, 8 rebounds (fouled out)

Huge win for Army to open the week, and a good game from David. The second game of the week was not great for either David or his fellow Cadets. Nice bounce back at home, but David fouled out of 2 of the 3 games. That is something to keep an eye on.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

11/21/16 at Ball St. (W 79-70), 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals. (double-double)
11/24/16 vs. Rider (W 86-50), 20 points, 7 rebounds (double double)
11/27/16 at Western Michigan (W 82-71), 19 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 3 steals (POTG)

Big week for Jace who was consistent with his 20 point average, although it wasn't the best of competition for the Musketeers. Still though, a freshman averaging 20 points a week and a POTG is good stuff.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

11/21/16 at Maryland (W 77-68), 13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals (double-double).
11/25/16 at Butler (L 79-78), 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals.
11/27/16 vs. Kennesaw St. (W 82-66), 10 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal.

What? A point guard getting a double double with points and rebounds? Maybe Randy is playing out of position, or maybe he's just a hard worker who goes after the boards. Either way, coach Pearl has to like what he's getting out of his young redshirt freshman, especially with the 7 dimes against Kennesaw.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona St.)

11/21/16 at #2 Kansas (L 78-44), 4 points, 3 rebounds.
11/23/16 at #14 BYU (L 63-29), 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist.

Well, at least Ivan is consistent, and he definitely seems to be regretting his decision to transfer to ASU. 2 ugly games against 2 top 25 teams.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

11/21/16 vs. Northeastern (L 91-85 in OT), 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 steal.

Eden continues to be multi talented for the Eagles, and probably had his best game so far. But what a tough loss to a team they had no business losing to.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

11/21/16 vs. Auburn (L 77-68)

This was our first FOFC vs. FOFC game, and it didn't go the Terps way. They've lost 3 in a row and coach Turgeon has to get it figured out.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma St.)- redshirting

11/24/16 vs. North Texas (L 69-64 in OT)

Good grief! What is it with teams that received preseason votes dropping games in OT to lesser competition? Not the type of loss you want.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

11/24/16 vs. Bethune Cookman (W 68-51)

Nice win in their only game this week, especially for a team that the administration wants to see in the NCAA Tournament.




Xavier moves up after their solid week, and as expected the Cowboys of Oklahoma St. say bye bye to their votes.



Again, it's all about Xavier, who is going to have to fight to get the top spot in the mid-major poll.

Nov. 28-Dec. 4, 2016

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

12/1/16 at William & Mary (L 67-58), 2 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists.

Tough one for Army who had it tied at halftime. David is starting to find his comfort zone when it comes to assists, but would like to see him working on his shooting a little more.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

11/29/16 vs. UMBC (W 82-59), 20 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 steal (double-double) (POTG)
12/2/16 at #15 Villanova (L 75-71), 17 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 1 steal (double-double)

Tough loss for the Musketeers to a very good Villanova team, but Jace continues to shine with 2 more double doubles this week and a POTG.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

11/30/16 vs. Samford (W 74-40), 1 point, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals.
12/3/16 vs. Presbyterian (W 80-48), 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal.

2 wins over subpar teams for the Tigers this week. Randy was solid if not spectacular, and Coach Pearl feels we steal haven't even come close to seeing his best.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona St.)

12/1/16 vs. Michigan (L 64-61), 11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal.
12/3/16 at #2 Creighton (L 87-66), 5 points, 2 rebounds.

Another tough week for the Sun Devils, although they did have a close one against Michigan. Ivan had a nice double figure game in that one, but Creighton shut him down.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

11/28/16 vs. Fairfield (W 64-43), 4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks.
11/30/16 vs. Rhode Island (W 71-67), 6 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal.
12/2/16 vs. Mississippi Valley State (W 76-46), 9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal.

A good week for the Eagles who dispatched of 3 subpar opponents. Eden had a nice game against Mississippi Valley, and continues to impress on the defensive end.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

12/1/16 vs. George Washington (W 93-85 in OT)

Nice comeback win for the Terps after 3 tough losses in a row, and in this one they were down by 8 at halftime.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

11/28/16 at Arkansas-Little Rock (W 69-53)
12/3/16 vs. Valparaiso (W 92-70)

The Cowboys back on the winning track after that loss to North Texas.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

11/30/16 at Southeastern LA (W 67-53)
12/2/16 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (W 73-53)
12/4/16 at Mississippi State (L 85-64)

The Missisippi State game was the game that South Alabama really needed to compete in and they didn't. But they did win 2 of 3 for the week and they still have a winning record so far.



Wow, no respect for Xavier who drops 7 spots after a 4 point loss.



At least these pollsters were a little kinder, only dropping Xavier 2 spots.

As we head into December, let's take a look at some player cards for our 5 guys that are in action this season.



Not quite as good of a +/- for David as in the past, but he is still one of the better players in the Patriot Conference.


Averaging almost a double-double in your freshman season is big time. Jace is already in consideration for national freshman of the year.


Randy has done a great job since entering the starting lineup. Take a look at that +/-, best of the Auburn team.



Poor Ivan has had a rough go of it so far, but he seems to have been better the last couple games.


While Eden is leading his team in blocks per game, and does have a positive +/-, I think the BC fans want more from him. I know their coach does.

December 2016 Recruiting

C Rudy Arellano- Rudy is the only one of our 5 season recruits who have yet to commit. Long Beach St. is the front runner, because they have offered a scholarship. Rudy is holding out hope that UCLA will make an offer, but as of now, nothing.

Dec. 5-11, 2016

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

12/6/16 at Harvard (L 68-63), 4 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
12/11/16 vs. Siena (L 80-70), 8 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist.

Tough week for Army in dropping both their games, but David kept grabbing the boards.

RS FR Jace Hunter (Xavier)

12/11/16 vs. St. Francis-NY (W 87-48), 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal.

Only the 1 game this week for the Musketeers, and it wasn't the greatest for Jace, as he battled foul trouble all game.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

12/6/16 vs. South Alabama (W 65-57), 9 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.
12/10/16 vs. Georgia Tech (W 82-60), 21 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals (POTG).

Huge game for Randy against GA Tech, getting 4 steals was big. It was only a 3 point game at halftime, so Auburn won this one in the second half.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

12/8/16 vs. Montana State (W 88-69), 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist.

A feel good game for the Sun Devils who outmatched a lower opponent, but Ivan is still struggling to find his groove.

FR PF Eden James

12/5/16 vs. Siena (L 60-59), 8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals.
12/7/16 at Rutgers (W 87-71), 18 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks.

Tough one against Siena, in which the Eagles lost on a buzzer beater. Big time number for Eden, as he has been a force inside defensively.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

12/6/16 vs. Iona (W 93-69)
12/8/16 vs. Delaware (W 70-52)

The winning streak is 3 for Maryland, with a very favorable non-conference schedule still remaining.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

no games this week for Al and the Cowboys.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

12/6/16 at Auburn (L 65-57)

The only game this week for Ricardo's squad, who lost a tough one to the Tigers and Randy Rodgers.



Wow, Xavier wins their game this week and drops 3 spots? Unbelievable.



Amazing how the Musketeers can move up in 1 poll but drop in the other. Crazy.

Dec. 12-18, 2016

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

12/15/16 at Quinnipiac (W 72-61), 8 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal.

Wow, how about that, a 20 rebound game from David, including 5 offensive. That and a big win for Army in their only game of the week.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

12/13/16 vs. Purdue (L 68-51), 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks.

Ouch! Bad loss for the Musketeers who were only down 5 at halftime. I can only imagine what this will do to them in the rankings. Jace has definitely cooled off since November, hopefully he can pick it back up.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

12/14/16 vs. Citadel (W 85-61), 9 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal.
12/16/16 vs. Florida A&M (W 70-51), 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals.

Another good week for Auburn, but let's face it, there's a huge difference between playing the Citadel and playing Kentucky. Still though, 8-1 is an impressive start. As for Randy, he's playing solid, if not spectacular.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

12/12/16 at North Carolina (L 70-48), 4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists.
12/15/16 vs. New Mexico State (W 85-68), 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.
12/18/16 vs. UC Santa Barbara (L 61-57), 6 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block.

Ivan continues to underwhelm, and is probably wishing he would have stayed at North Carolina. Although to be fair, the Sun Devils dead lead that game by 3 at halftime.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

12/14/16 vs. Boston U (W 75-58), 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block.

The only game this week for the Eagles, and a nice line off the bench for Eden.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

12/14/16 vs. Northeastern (W 82-62)
12/16/16 vs. Hofstra (W 87-73)

Another good week against subpar competition for the Terps, but now is a great time to rack up the victories.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

12/12/16 at Presbyterian (W 80-40)
12/14/16 vs. TCU (L 76-71)

The Cowboys needed that win against TCU, losing that one hurts, and probably cost them a lot of poll votes.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

12/12/16 vs. Nicholls State (W 79-58)
12/15/16 at Florida Atlantic (L 92-89 in OT)

Would have been nice to get conference play started off on the right foot, but blowing a late lead at FAU means South Alabama starts conference play with an L.



Holy cow! Talk about no mercy from the voters. Xavier loses a game and all their AP votes in the same week. Yikes!



Even in the mid-major polls, Xavier took a substantial slide. Hopefully this is just a bump in the road and they'll get it back together.

Dec. 19-25, 2016

SO David Ginsberg (Army)

12/19/16 at Vermont (W 95-82), 8 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist
12/21/16 at Seattle (W 81-72), 7 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal.

Great week for David and the Cadets, who got a couple big road wins. David still continues to crash the boards hard.

RS FR Jace Hunter (Xavier)

12/23/16- San Juan Classic First Round vs. (7) Pacific (W 95-63), 7 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal.
12/24/16- San Juan Classic Semifinals vs. (3) Kent State (W 75-64), 11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block.
12/25/16- San Juan Classic Championship vs. (1) Wake Forest (L 99-80), 8 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist.

So the Musketeers fall short of winning the San Juan Classic, and a less than impressive week for Jace who seems to be struggling a bit now.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

12/22/16 at Fresno State (L 89-87), 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists.
12/25/16 at UAB (L 47-46), 2 points, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Tough week for the Tigers who bit the dust in 2 close games. Randy had a great game against Fresno St., but he was non-existent against UAB.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

12/21/16 at San Diego State (L 56-54), 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist.

The Sun Devils continue to struggle, having only 1 game this week, and Ivan isn't helping matters with his horrid shooting.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

12/21/16 vs. Vermont (W 83-53), 4 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks.

Eden continues to be a force on the glass and defensively in the paint, as the Eagles roll in their only game of the week.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

12/19/16 at Morgan State (W 86-75)
12/24/16 at Delaware State (W 98-57)

A couple easy wins for the Terps against lower level competition.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

12/21/16 vs. Oral Roberts (W 80-77)
12/23/16 vs. Wyoming (W 61-43)

The Cowboys get back on track with a couple wins this week against decent, but not great competition.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

12/22/16 at Florida International (W 71-56)
12/24/16 vs. UL Monroe (W 60-51)

2 nice conference wins for South Alabama, as they get back on the right path.





More lack of respect for Xavier in the mid-major poll as they move down after their narrow miss in the San Juan Classic.

Dec. 26, 2016-Jan. 1, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

12/28/16 at Rutgers (L 78-61), 9 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal.
12/30/16 vs. Seton Hall (L 70-53), 4 points, 3 rebounds.

The Cadets fall back into their losing ways, but against tough competition. David played like a man possessed against Rutgers, but logged only 17 minutes against Seton Hall due to foul trouble.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

no games this week for the Musketeers who get the holiday break.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

12/29/16 at Memphis (L 73-59), 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal.
1/1/17 at Duke (L 78-51), 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal.

The Tigers proved they aren't ready for elite competition yet with a couple blowout losses to solid teams. Randy did good off the bench, but Duke shut him down a little better.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

12/29/16 at #25 Washington (L 63-56), 6 points, 8 rebounds.
12/31/16 at Washington State (L 62-44), 8 points, 8 rebounds.

2 more losses for the Sun Devils to open conference play, although they were in both games at halftime, but just got tired in the second half. Ivan seems to be figuring it out somewhat.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

12/27/16 vs. Holy Cross (W 73-60), 4 rebounds, 6 blocks.

For the 3rd straight week, the Eagles only have 1 game, and they win it rather easily. While Eden didn't score, how about the job he did defending the rim. 6 blocks, which ties the individual BC record for blocks in a game.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

12/29/16 vs. American (W 72-62)

1 game this week against another creampuff in which the Terps struggled early but got the win.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

12/31/16 vs. Southern Miss (L 74-73)

What a heartbreaking loss for the Cowboys in their only game of the week, as they led by 9 at halftime.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

12/29/16 vs. Middle Tennessee (L 83-75)
12/31/16 at Denver (W 85-77)

Another conference split this week for the Jaguars, who can't continue to play .500 ball if they want a shot at making the NCAA Tournament.



It's becoming increasingly tough to get a vote in the AP poll, as Xavier and a couple of our other teams are still getting shut out.



Even though the Musketeers didn't play this week, they swap places in the mid-major poll with UTEP, who also didn't play this week. Go figure that one out!

As we enter January, it's time to take a look at our player cards for the first 2 months of the season for our 5 FOFCers that are seeing action.


David still continues to lead his team in rebounding by a wide margin.


The averages for Jace have declined a little bit, but he has been a huge benefit to the Musketeers in his time on the court, proven by the fact he has the best +/- ratio on the team.


When you're leading your team with 3.2 assists, that means 1 of 2 things, either there is a very balanced passing game going on, or the team doesn't have many dimes per game. In this case it's a little of both, as Auburn averages about 14 assists per game, not too shabby I guess, but 8 players have an APG number between 1.0 and 1.8. Where Randy is really helping out is defensively, as he is averaging better than a steal a game more than all his teammates.


No doubt Ivan is struggling a bit, as he has the 3rd worst +/- ratio on the team, but the whole team is struggling. Despite that Ivan is still in the top 3 for Arizona State in rebounding and in the top 5 in PPG. I'd say he just needs one big game to get him over the hump.


Eden has yet to crack the starting lineup, but only because there are 2 very, very good upperclassmen in front of him. Even while coming off the bench though, he still leads BC in blocks per game and is 3rd in rebounds per game.

We still have 1 recruit that is being recruited for season 4, so let's check in on him.

C Rudy Arellano- A few teams showed interest in the past few months, as teams such as UNLV, Nevada, and Oklahoma sent him some paperwork. But Rudy made it known he wanted to stay in Cali, so when UCLA backed off on the recruiting trail, Rudy went ahead and signed with Long Beach State.

Jan. 2-8, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg

1/4/17 at American (L 76-59), 2 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal.
1/7/17 at Colgate (L 73-65), 12 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks (double-double)

Tough week for the Cadets to start conference play, but what a game David had at Colgate.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

1/4/17 vs. Chicago State (W 108-63), 25 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist (double-double)
1/6/17 at Nicholls State (W 83-53), 13 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block (double-double)

Xavier gets back on the court by beating 2 patsies in non-conference play. Big week for Jace with 2 double-doubles, looks like he might be back on track.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

1/7/17 at Ole Miss (W 73-55), 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals.

The only game of the week for the Tigers was their conference opener, they trailed at halftime but came back to win. Randy had a nice, balanced game off the bench.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

1/5/17 vs. California (L 54-34), 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block.
1/7/17 vs. Stanford (W 67-57), 2 points, 2 rebounds.

The Sun Devils scored just 10 first half points in the loss to Cal, but got their first conference win against Stanford. Ivan is just completely lost in the Sun Devil system right now.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

1/3/17 at UMass (W 90-70), 9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks.
1/7/17 at Brown (W 80-56), 4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block.

The Eagles whoop up on a couple non-conference opponents this week before starting conference play. Eden had nice, balanced stats off the bench and continued to be a force defending the rim.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

1/4/17 at Duquesne (W 77-63)
1/7/17 at #10 Richmond (W 86-69)

Huge win for the Terps against Richmond, and the Duquesne game was against a tough opponent too. Definitely a nice tune-up week heading into ACC play.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

1/2/17 at Texas-Arlington (W 81-54)
1/7/17 at Baylor (W 66-59)

Nice job by the Cowboys to open Big 12 play with a win, albeit a tough one.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

1/5/17 vs. Western Kentucky (L 86-58)
1/7/17 at North Texas (W 74-51)

Another Sun Belt split this week for the Jaguars, losing at home and winning on the road. Usually it's the other way around.



Well it took long enough, but Xavier finally got 2 votes back in the AP poll.



The Musketeers jump up 3 spots in the mid-major poll. Hopefully they can continue the rise.

Jan. 9-15, 2018

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

1/11/17 vs. Holy Cross (W 89-84), 8 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block.
1/14/17 vs. Lafayette (L 67-56), 8 points, 10 rebounds.

Army gets their first conference win against Holy Cross then goes right back to losing. They were down by 15 at halftime against Lafayette. David has 2 more double figure rebounding games.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

1/11/17 vs. #21 Richmond (W 72-62), 17 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals (double-double, POTG)
1/14/17 at St. Bonaventure (W 62-42), 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal (double-double)

Huge week for the Musketeers as they get 2 big wins, 1 against a Richmond team that is really freefalling. Huge week for Jace with 2 more double-doubles and a POTG award.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

1/9/17 vs. Alabama (L 85-83), 17 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists.
1/14/17 vs. Vanderbilt (L 80-71), 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Tough week for the Tigers, losing both their games. They led both at halftime which makes it more aggravating. Randy had probably his best game of the season against Alabama.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

1/12/17 at USC (L 70-61), DNP
1/14/17 at UCLA (L 51-47), DNP

While the Sun Devils continue to struggle, their head coach Herb Sendek was so fed up with his fab freshman Ivan that he had a nice one on one with him. Ivan admitted he had been battling an injury all season. After a trip to the doctor, the diagnosis was revealed: A bulging disc for Ivan, and he is out for at least the next month.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

1/11/17 vs. North Carolina (W 80-75), 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal.
1/14/17 vs. N.C. State (L 70-60), 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist.

A split this week for the Eagles. Eden struggled a bit against N.C. State, probably because an injury thrust him into the starting PF role. Definitely some jitters going into his first start.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

1/11/17 at Clemson (L 73-68)
1/14/17 vs. #24 Duke (W 81-72)

The Terps get a big win over a Duke team that was ranked coming into the game. It's just a shame they lost to Clemson.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

1/11/17 vs. #3 Kansas (L 74-58)
1/14/17 at Iowa State (L 74-64)

Tough week for the Cowboys who had to face off against a top 5 Jayhawk team, then travel to an equally tough Iowa State team.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

1/9/17 at #17 Ohio State (L 78-65)
1/11/17 at Grambling State (W 73-43)

2 non-conference games on the week for the Jaguars, and they battled with ranked Ohio State before rolling over Grambling State.



Big week for the Musketeers sees them back in the Top 25.



And moving up 2 more spots in the mid-major poll for Xavier. Definitely a big week.

Now to keep the streak alive.

Jan. 16-22, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

1/18/17 vs. Navy (W 61-40), 10 points, 11 rebounds (Double-double)

Just 1 game this week for the Cadets, and what a game it was for David who put in a double-double.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

1/18/17 vs. Rhode Island (W 75-50), 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 steals.
1/21/17 at St. Josephs (W 78-66), 11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 1 steal.

Good week for the Musketeers, although Jace cooled off a little bit, he is steal getting his name all over the stat book.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

1/17/17 at Arkansas (W 76-59), 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal.
1/21/17 at LSU (L 96-69), 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal.

Good win against Arkansas, tough loss against LSU, but a great game for Randy in that LSU game. Pretty sure that 20 points is a career high for Randy.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

1/21/17 vs. #17 Arizona (L 77-58), DNP (injury)

Well, the Sun Devils keep going farther and farther into the cellar. Ugh.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

1/18/17 vs. Maryland (L 73-64), 7 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks.
1/21/17 at #23 Virginia (W 56-54), 9 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks.

Well I guess it's better to beat the ranked team on the weekly schedule, although getting both would have been nice. Consistency on the boards for Eden, with 13 each game.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

1/18/17 at Boston College (W 73-64)
1/21/17 vs. #24 Wake Forest (W 91-81)

The Terps keep rolling, playing really good ball at the moment.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

1/18/17 vs. Kansas State (W 102-94)
1/21/17 vs. #2 Texas (L 56-46)

The Texas game would have been huge to get, but still a pretty good week for the Cowboys.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

1/19/17 vs. Florida Atlantic (W 73-60)
1/21/17 vs. UL-Lafayette (W 69-67)

Good week for the Jaguars who get 2 key Sun Belt wins.



So Maryland jumps into the top 25, and Xavier stays put at 20.



No change for Xavier in these polls either

Damn my guy is really struggling :(

Jan. 23-29, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

1/25/17 at Bucknell (W 85-84), 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.
1/28/17 at Lehigh (L 69-50), 2 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 2 steals.

Getting a win against Bucknell was huge, too bad the Cadets bit it against Lehigh, although David did have a nice game against them.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

1/25/17 at Rhode Island (W 73-53), 13 points, 16 rebounds, 1 steal.
1/28/17 vs. Dayton (L 106-92), 4 points, 7 rebounds (fouled out).

Too bad that Jace didn't get the POTG award at Rhode Island, he deserved it. I wonder if that had anything to do with his not so good stats against Dayton.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

1/24/17 vs. #9 Kentucky (W 91-76), 13 points, 3 assists, 2 steals.
1/28/17 at #14 Tennessee (L 74-65), 7 points, 1 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal.

The Tigers got a huge win against Kentucky, but were never really in it against Tennessee. Oh well, getting 1 win against a top 25 team is a start. Solid week for Randy off the bench.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

1/26/17 vs. Oregon (L 69-58), DNP (injury)
1/28/17 vs. Oregon State (W 68-57, OT), DNP (injury)

All Ivan can do is sit on the bench and nurse his bulging disc, as he still has another 3 weeks before he can even think about playing. He should be back in time for the last 2 weeks of the regular season if all goes well.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

1/25/17 at Florida State (W 55-46), 11 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 steal.
1/28/17 at Clemson (L 79-77, OT), 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 3 steals (double-double)

Eden is really embracing his starting role now, with 2 huge games. He was even the team leader in assists at Clemson, with 4. The Eagles really should have beaten Clemson, but a late turnover gave the Tigers a chance to send it to overtime.

FR Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

1/25/17 at N.C. State (W 95-73)
1/28/17 at Wake Forest (L 78-58)

The Terps see their 4 game win streak end at the hands of Wake, but are still in a good position if they finish the season well.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

1/25/17 at #4 Oklahoma (W 68-65)
1/28/17 at Texas A&M (L 56-47)

The Cowboys got a huge win against a top 5 team that is sure to help their chances for an at-large berth, but a huge letdown against Texas A&M. Isn't that the way it always happens? Beat a really good team, then let down in your next game against a not as strong team.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

1/26/17 at New Orleans (W 86-68)
1/28/17 vs. Denver (W 89-75)

The Jaguars now have a 5 game winning streak and are starting to make some noise in the Sun Belt.



Both Xavier and Maryland drop a couple spots in the polls, but at least both are still in.

Don't ask me how, but despite the split this week, Xavier manages to move up a spot in the mid-major poll.

Jan. 30-Feb. 5, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

2/1/17 vs. Colgate (W 73-58), 16 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block (POTG), (double-double)
2/4/17 vs. American (W 88-72), 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block (double-double)

Big week for the Cadets who are now over .500 in conference play, and how about David? 2 double-doubles in 2 games for the week, and a POTG award.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

2/1/17 at Richmond (L 77-69), 14 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.
2/4/17 vs. St. Louis (W 72-64), 2 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 steal.

Tough week for the Musketeers with the split, but they are still in a great position overall. Jace had a solid game at Richmond, but battled foul trouble all game against St. Louis.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

2/4/17 vs. Mississippi State (L 90-82), 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals.

What a game Randy had in Auburn's only game of the week. Too bad the Tigers couldn't get it done. If Randy could be consistent like that every game, no doubt he'd be starting.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

2/2/17 at Stanford (W 53-50), DNP (injury)
2/4/17 at Cal (L 58-40), DNP (injury)

The Sun Devils are starting to lock down defensively, but that isn't the problem.. offense is. Ivan is still a couple weeks away from being back in the lineup.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

2/1/17 at Virginia Tech (W 67-63, OT), 5 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks.
2/4/17 vs. Miami (FL) (W 59-58), 13 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 blocks, 1 steal (double-double) (POTG)

The Eagles got a couple big wins, and Eden responded from a tough game at VA Tech with a huge double double in getting the POTG against the Hurricanes.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

2/1/17 at #25 Virginia (W 84-64)
2/4/17 vs. Virginia Tech (W 62-49)

2 solid wins for the Terps this week.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

2/1/17 at Illinois State (W 95-68)
2/4/17 vs. Baylor (W 59-48)

The Cowboys got a nice feel good non-conference win at the Redbirds, then followed that up with a nice win in Big 12 play, but now it's back to the grinding schedule.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

2/2/17 at Middle Tennessee (W 60-44)

The Jaguars had just 1 game this week but it was a win, and they are now on a 6 game winning streak.



Maryland moves up this week, Xavier moves down.



Hard to believe South Alabama can't even get 1 mid-major vote.

It's February, which means it's time for the Bubble Watch. As I explained in the Interactive Coaches Forum, the Bubble Watch is only for the NCAA Tournament, not any other postseason tournament, and it doesn't take into effect teams that are winning their conference. It just takes into effect if a team would be in or out based on at-large possibilities. So here we go.

The overall Bubble Watch is where we start, where the Cowboys are in the 15 teams getting the most consideration:


This will probably change as the Cowboys still have a grueling rest of the Big 12 schedule, but for now they are in.

Our other 7 teams:

Xavier is projected to be a lock at the moment.
Maryland is projected as a lock.
Boston College is projected in, but not a lock.
Arizona State is projected out, but they have the 2nd ranked SOS in the nation, which kind of explains their 6-16 record.
Army is projected out.
Auburn is projected out.
South Alabama is projected out.

Guys, if there is anything else you want to see stat wise or something in this Interactive Player dynasty, please let me know and I'll do my best to incorporate it. My goal is to keep the interest up as best I can.

Still enjoying following along and like the content as is.

That said, I'm pretty easy to please when you're doing all the work.

Feb. 6-12, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

2/8/17 at Holy Cross (W 83-73), 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists.
2/11/17 at Lafayette (L 83-63), 0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist.

The fact that David played only 14 minutes at Lafayette due to foul trouble is disheartening. The Cadets really struggled when he was on the bench.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

2/8/17 vs. Fordham (W 91-54), 19 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals (Double-double) (POTG)
2/11/17 vs. UMass (L 68-59), 12 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal (Double-double)

Jace had a heck of a week with 2 double-doubles and a POTG award. It's just too bad nobody stepped up to help him in the 2nd half against UMass, a half that saw the Musketeers score just 14 points.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

2/7/17 vs. LSU (L 74-64), 9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.
2/11/17 at Alabama (W 66-64), 5 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 1 steal.

Always nice to beat your major rival, which the Tigers did in beating Alabama. Randy had nice stats off the bench in that one, but his shot has eluded him in the past few games. 2-10 is not a percentage to have, especially when you are asked to assist in the scoring, not do it yourself.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

2/9/17 vs. UCLA (L 73-54), DNP (injury)
2/11/17 vs. USC (L 72-53), DNP (injury)

While the Sun Devils' season is all but over, the good news for Ivan is that he has began to train again, and should see some minutes in ASU's next game.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

2/8/17 at North Carolina (W 85-51), 12 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal. (Double-double) (POTG)
2/11/17 vs. Virginia (W 67-40), 12 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block (Double-double)

Big week for the Eagles in getting 2 wins. Eden had another solid week with 2 double doubles and a POTG award.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

2/8/17 vs. Clemson (W 91-88, OT)
2/11/17 at #23 Duke (L 90-55)

That game against Duke really hurts, as the Terps really needed to be competitive in it.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

2/8/17 at #5 Texas (L 76-63)
2/11/17 vs. Texas A&M (W 70-66, OT)

The Cowboys played tough against Texas but not tough enough, and barely scraped by A&M.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

2/9/17 at Arkansas State (W 54-46)
2/11/17 vs. FIU (W 76-74)

That FIU game was way too close for the Jaguars' liking, but they got the job done and extended the winning streak.



Maryland only drops 1 spot after that fiasco against Duke, while Xavier drops out of the AP Top 25.



Xavier drops 1 spot here, and still can't believe South Alabama can't even get 1 mid-major vote. Crazy.


Our overall Bubble Watch sees the Cowboys still projected in, so they did enough this week to appease the selection committee, but how about our other 7 FOFC teams:

Xavier is projected as a lock.
Maryland is projected as a lock.
Boston College is projected in, but not a lock.
Arizona State is projected out.
Army is projected out.
Auburn is projected out.
South Alabama is projected out.

Feb. 13-19, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

2/15/17 at Navy (W 91-89, OT), 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block (Fouled out.)
2/18/17 vs. Canisius (W 81-64), 8 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal.

A good rebound game for David after fouling out at Navy, and a good week for the Cadets.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

2/15/17 at Duquesne (W 79-73), 15 points, 2 rebounds.
2/18/17 vs. St. Bonaventure (L 56-55), 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block.

The Musketeers continue to have split weeks, which is not what they need. Jace cooled off a bit this week, having a heck of a time grabbing rebounds.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

2/14/17 at South Carolina (W 86-77), 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal.
2/18/17 vs. #25 Georgia (L 72-59), 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

So a split for the Tigers this week, but not a terrible week for Randy who found his shot and had double figure scoring in both games.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

2/18/17 at #17 Arizona (L 68-57), 3 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks.

1 game this week for the Sun Devils, but welcome back Ivan Carrillo, who regained his starting spot after injury. Although he only played 22 minutes, they were fairly productive for a comeback performance.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

2/15/17 at #21 Maryland (L 87-79), 9 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 1 steal.
2/18/17 vs. Wake Forest (L 70-37), 8 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 steal.

Not a good week for the Eagles who drop 2, and that game against Wake? One to forget, quickly. Eden might want to remember it though, as he played 31 minutes without committing a foul and was 1 of 2 bright spots for the Eagles.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

2/15/17 vs. Boston College (W 87-79)
2/18/17 vs. Florida State (W 90-69)

Good week for the Terps who win both their games, including an easy 1 against FSU. The schedule is fairly mild the rest of the way.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

2/15/17 at Texas Tech (L 54-51)
2/18/17 vs. #12 Oklahoma (L 86-72)

For a team that was squarely on the bubble, the Cowboys did nothing to help their resume, and they are now 2 games under .500 in conference play.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

2/16/17 vs. North Texas (W 87-67)
2/18/17 at UL Monroe (W 72-47)

The Jaguars have now won 10 in a row, not losing since early January, and that was a non-conference 13 point loss to a top 5 Ohio State team. They are really making a case to go dancing now.



Maryland stands pat at 21, while Xavier is in danger of losing their votes. Another split next week and their last 3 votes will be gone.



Xavier keeps slipping, and hello South Alabama. 3 coaches found the Jags to be worthy of a vote in the mid-major poll.

2 of our 8 teams are on the Overall Bubble Watch this week:


This is not good news for the Eagles, who were considered safely in before their 2 loss week this week. On the other hand, South Alabama is making the selection committee take a serious look. While the RPI is good, that SOS may play a factor. As for Oklahoma State, they are off the bubble, which isn't good.

Xavier is still projected in, but no longer a lock.
Maryland is still a lock.
Oklahoma State is off the bubble and now definitely projected out after their 2 loss week.
Arizona State is projected out.
Army is projected out.
Auburn is projected out.

Feb. 20-26, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

2/22/17 vs. Bucknell (L 56-50), 12 points, 12 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 block (Double-double).
2/25/17 vs. Lehigh (W 89-67), 6 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal (Double-double).

So Army splits this week, in which it was a good week for David. The Cadets finish the regular season 3rd in the Patriot League, and will face (6) Lehigh in the Quarterfinals of the Patriot Tournament.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

2/22/17 at Charlotte (W 67-56), 20 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal (Double-double) (POTG).
2/25/17 at LaSalle (W 76-53), 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.

Good week for the Musketeers who get 2 solid victories, and Jace had a great game at Charlotte, but cooled off a bit at LaSalle.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

2/20/17 at #14 Florida (L 84-72), 10 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal.
2/25/17 vs. Ole Miss (W 79-62), 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists.

A split for the Tigers this week, and a decent but not great week for Randy.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

2/23/17 at Oregon State (W 66-57), 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block.
2/25/17 at Oregon (W 51-42), 8 points, 2 rebounds.

Huge week for the Sun Devils who swept the Oregon trip, although they still need a miracle to see the postseason. Ivan seems to be playing with some renewed confidence after the injury. Maybe that is what was hampering his play all along.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

2/22/17 at N.C. State (L 71-67), 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 steal.
2/25/17 at Georgia Tech (L 69-68), 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 steal (Fouled out).

2 losses by 5 points this week for the Eagles, who are now at .500 in the tough ACC. Eden started at SF in the loss to GA Tech, a curious move for sure.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

2/22/17 vs. Georgia Tech (W 68-57)
2/25/17 vs. N.C. State (W 84-49)

2 big wins for the Terps have them in great position to get a share of the ACC title, but they still need those pesky Blue Devils to lose a conference game next week.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

2/22/17 vs. Nebraska (W 87-73)
2/25/17 at Colorado (W 53-47)

The Cowboys right the ship this week, getting back to .500 in Big 12 play, with 2 very winnable games next week.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

2/23/17 vs. Troy (W 77-68)
2/25/17 at Arkansas-Little Rock (W 91-73)

The Jaguars end the regular season on a 12 game winning streak, taking 2nd place in the East Division of the Sun Belt, but having a far better conference record than the winner of the West Division, which was Arkansas-LR, a team the Jags just smashed. Seeding for the conference tournament has nothing to do with divisions, but completely based upon conference record, so South Alabama gets the 2nd seed and a bye into the Quarterfinals, where they await the winner of (10) New Orleans and (7) UL Monroe. Meanwhile, the winners of the West Division.. they end up with the 5th seed in the Sun Belt Tourney. Ouch!



Maryland stays put at 20, while Xavier gets a few more votes.



Good finish by South Alabama has them creeping towards the mid-major top 25.

Our overall bubble watch for the week has 3 of our 8 FOFC teams in it.


This is actually good news for Boston College, which only moved down 1 spot on the bubble watch after this weeks losses. Oklahoma State with a 2 win week is back in the national talk, and with 2 wins next week could be back in. South Alabama probably needs to win the Sun Belt tournament or at the very least get to the championship game to earn an NCAA bid.

How about our other 5 teams?

Xavier is projected in, but not a lock.
Maryland is projected to be a lock.
Arizona State is projected out.
Army is projected out.
Auburn is projected out.

Hope everybody is still following, sorry for the delays in posts. March is a crazy month for me, and it's about to be even crazier, as I am involved in 2 separate basketball tournaments, and will be heading out of town for a week, so this is on hiatus until next Thursday at the earliest. Hope everybody is still enjoying, and just as soon as I get back I will be jumping back into this.

I'm following :)

Still following, good luck with the tournies.

Utah State is killin' it! Wow.

Feb. 27-March 5, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

3/1/17- Patriot Quarterfinals vs. (6) Lehigh (W 59-56), 14 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists. (Double-double)

3/5/17- Patriot Semifinals vs. (2) Holy Cross (L 60-49), 5 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block.

David was largely ineffective in the semifinal loss to Holy Cross, and with a 15-16 record, chances are the Army is done for the season, although the CBI or CIT have been known to take sub .500 teams.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

3/1/17 at Temple (W 77-67), 20 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals (Double-Double) (POTG)
3/4/17 vs. George Washington (L 69-66), 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal (Fouled Out)

Jace played just 11 minutes in the GW game due to foul trouble. Not saying they win if he gets more minutes, but him getting only 11 really hurt. The Musketeers are the 3rd seed in the A-Ten Tourney and will get a bye into the quarterfinals where they will take on the (11) St. Louis/(6) UMass winner.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

2/27/17 at Mississippi State (L 83-72), 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 steals.
3/4/17 vs. Arkansas (L 84-76, OT), 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2 steals.

Randy keeps getting his name in the stat sheet, but unfortunately the Tigers choked off their last 2 regular season games, giving them the 8th seed in the SEC Tournament where they will open up against (9) Georgia in the First Round.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

3/2/17 vs. Washington State (L 67-66), 9 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist.
3/4/17 vs. Washington (L 72-64), 15 points, 7 rebounds.

The Sun Devils led by 8 at halftime against Washington but couldn't hold on in a week where they really wanted to at least split. They'll be the 9th seed in the Pac Ten Tourney and open up the First Round against (8) Oregon.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

3/1/17 vs. #9 Duke (W 57-54), 6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal.
3/4/17 vs. Florida State (W 80-77, OT), 8 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks.

Eden continues to defend the paint well with 5 more blocked shots on the week, and the Eagles got some huge momentum going into the ACC Tournament, where they will be the 4th seed and get a First Round bye. Their quarterfinal opponent will be the winner of the (12) Virginia Tech/(5) North Carolina game.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

3/1/17 at North Carolina (L 78-73)
3/4/17 at Miami (L 73-66)

Unlike their ACC counterparts, the Terps lost momentum this week by losing their 2 games. This gives them the 2nd seed in the ACC Tournament, they'll get a First Round bye and face the (10) Florida State/(7) Miami winner in the Quarterfinals.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

3/1/17 vs. Texas Tech (W 95-83)
3/4/17 at Missouri (W 88-78)

Good week for the Cowboys, as they will be the 6th seed in the Big 12 Tourney, taking on (11) Colorado in the First Round. The winner of that game gets (3) Oklahoma in the Quarterfinals.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

3/5/17- Sun Belt Quarterfinals vs. (10) New Orleans (L 68-62).

Ouch! Huge loss for the Jaguars, a loss that will probably keep them out of the NCAA Tournament.



No surprise, Maryland slips 5 spots in the AP polls.



Xavier stays at 7th in the mid-major polls, and that Quarterfinal loss in the Sun Belt Tournament cost South Alabama all their mid-major votes.

1 more edition of the Bubble Watch, and 2 of our teams are listed in the overall national bubble watch:


While Boston College looks to be pretty safely in, winning their first game in the ACC Tournament would all but make them a lock. Oklahoma State has a little bit more work to do. They probably need to beat Colorado and Oklahoma both in the Big 12 Tournament to feel safe. Let's take a look at our other 6 teams.

Xavier is projected to be in, but not a lock.
Maryland is still a lock despite their 2 losses last week.
Army is of course projected out.
Auburn is projected out.
South Alabama is projected out.

March 6-12, 2017

SO C David Ginsberg (Army)

No games this week

RS F C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

3/10/17- A-Ten Quarterfinals vs. (6) UMass (W 80-48), 13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, (POTG)

3/11/17- A- Ten Semifinals vs. (7) St. Josephs (W 82-71), 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks.

3/12/17- A-Ten Championship vs. (5) Richmond (L 72-64), 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block (Double-double)

So a tough way to go out for the Musketeers who lose in the A-Ten Championship. But they've done more than enough to earn an NCAA Tourney bid.

RS FR PG Randy Rodgers (Auburn)

3/9/17- SEC Tournament First Round vs. (9) Georgia (L 83-69), 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals.

It was a tough position for the Tigers, as Georgia was a 22 win team going into this, but they just didn't perform well in the SEC. With this loss, Auburn more than likely has ended their season.

RS FR PF Ivan Carrillo (Arizona State)

3/8/17- Pac Ten Tournament First Round vs. (8) Oregon (L 59-46), 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists.

The Sun Devils and Ivan both end their season with a whimper, a pitiful loss and a pitiful performance from Ivan. Arizona St's season is over.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

3/10/17- ACC Tournament Quarterfinals vs. (5) North Carolina (W 71-44), 9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 7 blocks, 1 steal.

3/11/17- ACC Tournament Semifinals vs. (1) #16 Duke (L 77-69), 7 blocks, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 2 steals.

Wow, 7 blocks in 1 game for Eden, now that's legit! Unfortunately the Eagles ran into those pesky Blue Devils in the semis. Now they have to play the waiting game to see if they've done enough for the Big Dance.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

3/10/17- ACC Tournament Quarterfinals vs. (7) Miami (L 88-85)

Tough loss for the Terps, who were probably playing for a top 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They should still be in, but where they will be seeded is anybody guess.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

3/8/17- Big 12 Tournament First Round vs. (11) Colorado (W 85-68)
3/9/17- Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals vs. (3) #10 Oklahoma (L 74-62)

The Cowboys needed that game against Oklahoma, since they didn't get it, they are most likely NIT bound.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

no games.

Here are the final polls:


That loss to Miami cost Maryland their spot in the top 25, and Xavier gets 1 measly vote.



Xavier stands tall at #7.

2017 Selection Sunday

Boston College gets the 11th seed in the NCAA Midwest Region and will face (6) Richmond in the First Round. IMO, that is a winnable game for Eden and the Eagles.

Xavier gets the 10th seed in the NCAA South Region and draws (7) Wake Forest in the First Round. That is going to be a heck of a game for Jace and the Musketeers.

Maryland gets the 6th seed in the NCAA East Region and will take on (11) Wisconsin in a tough First Round matchup.

Oklahoma State is the top seed in the NIT South Region, hosting (8) seed Jackson State in the First Round (apparently I forgot to edit this dynasty to make the NIT 40 teams again, I'll change that in the offseason.)

South Alabama is the 3rd seed in the NIT South Region (really? Same region? Damnit FBCB!) and will host (6) Southern Illinois in the First Round.

As expected, no postseason for Army, Auburn, or Arizona State.

2017 Postseason

5 of our 8 FOFC teams made the postseason, and we'll cover them now.

RS FR C Jace Hunter (Xavier)

3/16/17- NCAA Tournament First Round vs. (7) Wake Forest (W 86-78), 10 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block.
3/18/17- NCAA Tournament Second Round vs. (2) Ohio St. (L 73-39), 0 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks.

Huge difference between Ohio St. and Xavier, as the Musketeers trailed 48-12 in the half at that game. Obviously they have a ways to go to get to where they wanna be, but they should have Jace for 2, maybe 3 more years.

FR PF Eden James (Boston College)

3/16/17- NCAA Tournament First Round vs. (6) Richmond (W 69-62), 6 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks.
3/18/17- NCAA Tournament Second Round vs. (3) BYU (L 72-59), 7 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks.

The Eagles played tough against favored BYU, but a 20 point halftime deficit was too much to overcome. Eden had decent numbers to end his freshman campaign, but not great.

FR SF Chester Smith (Maryland)- redshirting

3/17/17- NCAA Tournament First Round vs. (11) Wisconsin (W 86-66)
3/19/17- NCAA Tournament Second Round vs. (3) Kentucky (W 81-74)
3/23/17- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen vs. (7) Arizona (W 74-73)
3/25/17- NCAA Tournament Elite Eight vs. (1) Creighton (W 76-54)
4/1/17- NCAA Tournament Final Four vs. (2MW) Kansas (L 87-59)

What a round for Coach Turgeon and the Terps, and Chester was along for the ride! Unfortunately, the Terps ran into a buzzsaw called Kansas.

FR PG Al Mighty (Oklahoma State)- redshirting

3/15/17- NIT Tournament First Round vs. (8) Jackson St. (W 77-59)
3/19/17- NIT Tournament Second Round vs. (5) Penn (W 65-41)
3/24/17- NIT Tournament Third Round vs. (6) Southern Illinois (L 65-55)

A painful way for the Cowboys to lose, especially with home court advantage all the way through, but they've got something to build on for next season.

FR SG Ricardo Tubbs (South Alabama)- redshirting

3/15/17- NIT Tournament First Round vs. (6) Southern Illinois (L 70-68)

Southern Illinois will not be well liked among our FOFC coaches after knocking 2 of them out of the postseason. All in all, not a bad run for our FOFC guys, lots to build on.

2016-2017 Season Wrap-Up

Next Years Recruits

Our 5 new players for next season would surely like to know how their teams fared this season, so let's take a look shall we?

SF Jack Dawkins- Jack is headed to Syracuse, who finished 27-8 overall and 13-5 in Big East play. They lost in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

C Ralph King- Ralph is headed to Duke, who finished 29-6 overall and 13-3 in ACC play. The Blue Devils also lost in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

C Rudy Arellano- Rudy is headed to Long Beach State, who finished a dismal 3-26 overall and 1-15 in Big West play. Ouch! Obviously no postseason for them.

PG Benton Gale- Benton is headed to High Point, who finished 15-16 overall and 11-7 in Big South play. They missed the postseason.

PF Bam Jamison- The Bam man is headed to San Francisco, who finished 18-14 overall and 6-8 in WCC play. They lost in the First Round of CIT play.

Season Awards

C Jace Hunter was named to the NCAA All-Freshman Team, along with being on the A-Ten all Freshman Team and the A-Ten All-League 2nd Team.

PG Randy Rodgers was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

No awards for David Ginsberg (WHAT??), Ivan Carrillo, or Eden James.

Transfers

In an incredible piece of news, Ricardo Tubbs has decided to transfer out of South Alabama. "After talking it over with my folks, I have decided that I wasted my redshirt season, and that my playing time here at South Alabama will still be limited, so I'm going to try my luck elsewhere." Yikes! Way to give up on your team Ricardo!

Another player that lied to his coach was Al Mighty, who is leaving Oklahoma State. Now, this is ridiculous, because I checked and double checked, and both Ricardo and Al were listed as players who would accept redshirts without transferring. I'm not too happy about this.

Both players will be eligible to play next season because I don't want guys to sit out 2 years in a row unless they absolutely want to.

Conference Movement

The only conference movement that affects any of our FOFC players is that Lafayette has left the Patriot League, and New Hampshire has taken their place. This means David Ginsberg has a new team to play conference games against next season.

Coach Movement

None of our FOFC players had coaches that changed teams, so I'll put them all back as human coaches.

As for our 2 players that transferred, Al Mighty has transferred to Houston, while Ricardo Tubbs has transferred to UNLV.

Season 4 will get started in the next couple of days, as I need to edit coaches for all our new recruits teams, including Al and Ricardo since they changed schools. However, Sunday March Madness is about to begin soon, so until todays games are over, none of my projects get attention! :)