Preseason Poll & All-Conference Teams Announced

[IllinoisState]

This board got a lot less unhinged and nutjoby when WSU left.

It's been a lot nicer here.

This board was unreadable and unusable during those 2013-2017 years. I have no doubt it pushed a lot of people out.

It’s been so much better the last 7 years. It’ll never be what it was activity-wise simply because message boards in general became obscure as most people use Twitter, Reddit, or other social media apps. Before those apps became prevalent, everyone would just search for the appropriate message board.

I'm glad we at least have an active board. I appreciate those who keep it running.

[Chuck A]

UIC might be the best last place team we've ever had. I think they can finish pretty high if they gel.

Agreed. Again, talent has never been an issue at UIC. After the "heydays" of Jimmy Collins, our coaching has sucked bigly! Rob Ehsan, in his four years as head coach at "Bama Ham" (Alabama-Birmingham/UAB), Ehsan posted a 76-57 record. From all of the interviews I've heard from him since his hire, he exudes confidence; knows how to recruit; has a vision for the program. I believe Coach Ehsan can at least have the Flames battling in the top half of the Valley. I'm really hoping he has an offensive system/philosophy that can compete. Getting out of the Conference gate will be extremely important!

[tribecalledquest]

I don't get the Ehsan love.

He is a Northern California guy. From there, played at UC Davis. Came from Stanford where the coach he worked for just got fired. His record at UAB is incredibly pedestrian - UAB has been much better since they replaced him.

Now he is going to do well at a city school that hasn't won much located in the upper Midwest?

Going from fired as a head coach, to going to be fired as assistant to a head coach job is a good gig if you can get it.

[BCPanther]

I don't get the Ehsan love.

He is a Northern California guy. From there, played at UC Davis. Came from Stanford where the coach he worked for just got fired. His record at UAB is incredibly pedestrian - UAB has been much better since they replaced him.

Now he is going to do well at a city school that hasn't won much located in the upper Midwest?

Going from fired as a head coach, to going to be fired as assistant to a head coach job is a good gig if you can get it.

I tend to agree with that. He was left a pretty full cupboard at a much better job and didn't get much done. He's also only worked for one, pretty mediocre, DI coach.

When they announced the hire, I immediately went 'Who?!!?" and I like to think I'm pretty well versed in college basketball and possible candidates.

[Chuck A]

I don't get the Ehsan love.

He is a Northern California guy. From there, played at UC Davis. Came from Stanford where the coach he worked for just got fired. His record at UAB is incredibly pedestrian - UAB has been much better since they replaced him.

Now he is going to do well at a city school that hasn't won much located in the upper Midwest?

Going from fired as a head coach, to going to be fired as assistant to a head coach job is a good gig if you can get it.

I tend to agree with that. He was left a pretty full cupboard at a much better job and didn't get much done. He's also only worked for one, pretty mediocre, DI coach.

When they announced the hire, I immediately went 'Who?!!?" and I like to think I'm pretty well versed in college basketball and possible candidates.

You guys slay me! Nobody at UIC is saying Ehsan is going to be the second coming of Mike Krzyzewski. He got his first head coaching gig at 34 years old. He has admitted that he was a bit too young and green then, but has since learned a bit more about the game and coaching. I think considering his early situation, 76-57 is not so "incredibly" pedestrian. Granted his 57% winning percentage wasn't anything to write home about, but it gave him promise. I'm assuming the pretty mediocre coach Coach Ehsan worked for is Jarrod Hasse because the "other" D1 coach he worked for was Maryland's Gary Williams, who won 65% of his games as the Terps head coach.

The guy has a second chance and sometimes that second chance is what he needs to prove he belongs. I think Krzyzewski would agree, especially after his pretty pedestrian head coaching start at Army (73-59, 55%).

[tribecalledquest]

I don't get the Ehsan love.

He is a Northern California guy. From there, played at UC Davis. Came from Stanford where the coach he worked for just got fired. His record at UAB is incredibly pedestrian - UAB has been much better since they replaced him.

Now he is going to do well at a city school that hasn't won much located in the upper Midwest?

Going from fired as a head coach, to going to be fired as assistant to a head coach job is a good gig if you can get it.

I tend to agree with that. He was left a pretty full cupboard at a much better job and didn't get much done. He's also only worked for one, pretty mediocre, DI coach.

When they announced the hire, I immediately went 'Who?!!?" and I like to think I'm pretty well versed in college basketball and possible candidates.

You guys slay me! Nobody at UIC is saying Ehsan is going to be the second coming of Mike Krzyzewski. He got his first head coaching gig at 34 years old. He has admitted that he was a bit too young and green then, but has since learned a bit more about the game and coaching. I think considering his early situation, 76-57 is not so "incredibly" pedestrian. Granted his 57% winning percentage wasn't anything to write home about, but it gave him promise. I'm assuming the pretty mediocre coach Coach Ehsan worked for is Jarrod Hasse because the "other" D1 coach he worked for was Maryland's Gary Williams, who won 65% of his games as the Terps head coach.

The guy has a second chance and sometimes that second chance is what he needs to prove he belongs. I think Krzyzewski would agree, especially after his pretty pedestrian head coaching start at Army (73-59, 55%).

He had a .540 winning percentage in the league at UAB. Overall records mean much less to me than league records.

Can he be good? Of course. But I don’t see any specific reason to be excited about him in particular.

[Aces44]

Agreed on Ehsan.
Also, being 54% in league play coming off an NCAA appearance is much diff than a 54% getting hired after the team finished dead last

TLDR: Stats can be wildly deceiving

[siudawgs]

Agree with the consensus that Ehsan, on paper, was a head-scratching hire for UIC given his so-so resume and West Coast roots, but obviously he deserves a fair shake, and it seems like he recruited fairly well this portal season. I stand by my earlier post that UIC is a tough gig in that they don't have the homecourt edge most other Valley teams do, which matters. But, obviously Loyola showed that can be built up over time if you put a winning product on the floor.

With a new coach and mostly new roster, UIC is one of several teams in the Valley that have a wide variance in how the season could go. Wouldn't be shocked if they were upper half, and wouldn't be shocked if they finished toward the bottom (though personally I have Missouri State and Indiana State as the likely bottom two teams ... and I wouldn't be stunned if Belmont, which on paper took a big step back, plummeted below where they're picked).