Trusty Oar, To Steer The Titanic

Image from BigSouthHH on X

Launching in '03, and hovering around a 75% accuracy, KenPom ratings have become a serious resource around college hoops. So, when the latest ratings got released last week for the upcoming season, people took stock.

Conversely, I've maintained that any pre-season poll, ranking, or rating is about as useful as an oar would be to steer the Titanic. I said this when the Field of 68 ranked HPU top 5 in their pre-season mid-majors, and again when Brian Wilmer helped us preview the Big South. It's heightened more with the college game turning into a wide-open free agent market. Teams' fluctuation from year to year make it almost impossible to prognosticate.

IF there was a system I may value, it would be KenPom. So, I quickly noted: High Point at 103, and how they stack up against the rest of their league (see above).

Somehow, I still can't get by UNCA being "ranked" 3-4 spots lower than I'd have them in conference. And is the inexperience of the Zach Chu experiment at Radford even being considered?

Again, for kicks, those are the ratings.

I've also been open about my desire that HPU eventually change leagues. AD Dan Hauser has even admitted that they're constantly being proactive when it comes to evaluating conference alignment.

My desired landing spot would be the Atlantic 10. And thanks to the assist from the men's lacrosse team, it may not be that far-fetched.

The debate will rage on. More teams will shift. And the concept of HPU moving from top-dog currently, to a much more competitive league, may have some weak at the knees.

Thanks to KenPom, we can preview where we would be.

Image from A10Talk on X

With KenPom's rating, HPU would sit 7th in the pre-season A10 standings. That's better than Saint Joseph's, Duquesne, URI, Richmond, St. Bonnies, Davidson, Fordham, and La Salle.

Considering that I know where our program has once been. That in only two years, HPU has established itself as an elite mid-major. You can call me pleasantly surprised to see that we would be top half.

It only leaves 3 teams (HPU included) from the Big South, that would rank better than the worst A10 team.

If you really want to play mind-games, you could then imagine what the 103 ranking would get to if the Panthers beat those schools in the lower half of the A10.

That oar is trusty.