Restricted Recruiting

[Magic Bird]

Hopefully your elite recruits can justify the hype and fill in for your departures. How did the Ohio St. team you built perform this season?

[Wayne23]

Ohio ST was #1 in the rankings but went out in the Elite Eight.

[Wayne23]

5/1: #4 recruiting class. Preseason #21. National Gold, International Basic.

6/5: 2 spots for transfers. We could use guards. Looking at an SG but he’s the only one.

6/12: We don’t get him.

6/25: We go to all the camps.

6/26: 3 scholarships. We want guards.

8/7: PF Josh Cara is #27 on the Norton list.

8/21: We offer to 3 PGs.

9/11: We get #9, our highest rated pick. We lose one.

9/18: We get the other 2, #17, #26.

Preseason NIT vs. LSU. Decent schedule.

10/2: 1st day of practice. We look good, especially on D.

11/6: 8 man rotation, and I expect it to change.:

Junior Aut Sell is at PG. He transferred from Duke after transferring from… Kansas! Weird scenario. Soph transfer SF Tom Hill is at SG. Junior transfer Mark Lyon subs at both guard spots.

SF is up for grabs. Juco junior Josh Cara starts, but redshirt junior Lue Marr gets about equal minutes. Let’s see who wants it more!

Frosh Rob Wood starts at PF, subs at C. Frosh Kirk Simm is at C. Juco junior Jed Onea subs at PF.

None of the 8 have played a minute for us except for Sell, and his story is unique!

I'm still using the restricted recruiting system I set up for this association. There will probably be revisions, and there have already been some.

[Wayne23]

11/13: We start at the NIT vs. LSU. We’re #3 seed, they’re #14.

11/14: 80-63. Wood and Simms both had double doubles, Hill had 17, Sell had 15, 3, 6. +14 RBs, only 9 TOs.

Next up is #6 seed, #4 ranked Pitt. They looked very good in the first round.

11/16: 77-67. Great win. They led by 10 early. We cut it to 2 at the half and led for most of the 2nd half. 19, 3, 8 for Sell, 17 for Hill.

It’s #10 seed, #12 ranked Ga. Tech in the semis. Another very good team.

11/18: 78-67. 35 for PG Aut Sell. He had 11 threes. 5 other guys played really good ball. +14 RBs. Our first sloppy game though- 20 TOs.

#1 seed, #1 ranked Ohio ST for the title. My old team looks VERY good.

11/20: 57-66. It was defensive struggle. We stayed close until the last three minutes. They made their threes at the end and we didn’t make ours. But we feel like we played at their level, which means we can play with anybody. I’m encouraged!

3-1. Ranked #3, but that was before the loss.

All 3 recruits signed.

Cara and Marr really are not getting it done at SF. We’re going to give Onea a try. If he can’t do it we’ll go back to Medy, who started there last season.

12/11: 9-1, #2, RPI #1. We’re playing great ball! 18.6 for Tom Hill, 17.2 for Aut Sell. Kirk Simm gets 11.0 RBs per game. Jed Onea is doing well at SF, and Medy is doing well backing him up. We seem to have found our lineup!

12/25: 11-1 heading for Big 12 play. #2, RPI #1. +12.7 PPG, +8.4 RBs, +2.0 TOs. Tom Hill, our SF playing at SG is getting 19.7 per game. Kirk Simm gets 10.9 RBs, and Aut Sell gets 6.3 assists. I really like our lineup. But I have to say that the Big 12 looks VERY strong this year. There seem to be only two teams that are NOT strong.

[Wayne23]

1/1/2028: 13-1, 2-0. We beat two very tough Big 12 rivals, including #8 ranked and undefeated Iowa ST by 18 here.

1/15: 17-1, 6-0, #3, RPI #1. 1 up on #14 Oklahoma who we play here next. 2 over Texas Tech, and 3 or more over the rest. 14 game win streak.

1/29: 21-1, 10-0, #2, RPI #1. 18 game win streak. +13.8 PPG, +9.7 RBs, +2.7 TOs. Hill gets 17.7. Simm is #5 in the country in RBs with 11.5.

1/30: The win streak ends at 18. We lose by 10 at #10 Iowa ST because of a season high 22 TOs.

2/12: 24-2, 13-1, #2, RPI #1. 2 up on #10 Oklahoma, 4 or more on the rest, with 4 to play. Tough road game at Oklahoma later in the week.

2/26: 26-4, 15-3 at the end of the regular season. We kind of fell apart late but everyone else in the Big 12 did, too, so we finish 2 up on #10 Oklahoma, 4 or more on the rest. #3, RPI #1. +10.5 PPG, +8.5 RBs, +2.6 TOs.

[Wayne23]

3/5: No one goes pro.

3/9: We play #8 seed Baylor, 13-16, 6-12 in the quarters. We beat them by 18 there and then almost lost at home, winning by 2 on a last second basket. My guys have been in la la land lately. Hope they snap out of it.

3/10: 76-75. WAY too close. There was never more than a 7 point difference, and we never led by more than 4. 19, 6, 3 with 4 blocks for Sell, and 16, 10 for Wood, but we need to play better or we’ll watch the final.

It’s #5 seed Oklahoma ST, 17-11, 9-9, in the semis. We won by 13 there and 11 here.

3/11: 80-64. It was tied at the half and I did something I rarely do, I went on a rampage in the locker room. Okay, then I made a couple of changes on D. Anyway, we controlled the 2nd half. 28, 3, 4 for Sell, 18, 4, 4 for Hill, 10, 13 for Simm, 11, 9 for Wood. +11 TOs (7).

It’s #2 seed, #10 ranked Oklahoma, 23-6, 13-5, for the title. We won by 8 at our place and played our worst game of the year there, losing by 27. On paper it’s a toss up. Let’s see
who wants it more.

3/12: 71-63 and the title! It went back and forth for 33 minutes. Then we went on a 13-1 run. 29, 6 for Hill, 15, 8 for Wood. +7 TOs.

We’re a definite #1 seed. Which one?

#1 East, #1 overall! We play the winner of the play in game, Grand Canyon, 16-16.

3/16: 63-50. We had a great 1st half but couldn’t hit a shot in the 2nd. 19, 14 for Simms, 18, 10 for Hill, 16, 6 for Wood.

#9 seed Texas A & M, 20-11, in round 2.

3/18: 90-75. Up by 1 at the half. My guys just aren’t coming out and starting well. Working on it. 22, 14 for Wood, 18, 11 for Simm, 21, 4 for Hill, 14, 8, 5 for Sell. +24 RBs.

#4 seed, #15 ranked Oregon, 25-8 in the Sweet Sixteen. They’re very good at C and almost as good at SF. We need to start fast.

3/23: 86-82. Down 8 late in the 1st, 5 at the half. The usual pattern. We then built a 12 point lead in the 2nd and nearly gave it away. 28, 5 for Hill, 15, 8 for Onea.

#2 seed, #8 ranked Georgia Tech in the Elite Eight. We won by 11 in the preseason NIT. Their SF nearly did us in. He’s a top flight scorer and is #1 on the Norton list.

3/25: 51-73. We had one of those nights when it just wasn;t there. 26.7% shooting, 15 TOs, a step slow on D. Not the way we wanted to end the season. It’s no consolation but #1 ranked Ohio ST also went out.

4/3: #9 Gonzaga beat #8 Ga Tech for the title.

4/4: Awards: Rob Wood is Big 12 Frosh OY, and makes the first team with Aut Sell and Kirk Simm. Tom Hill makes the 2nd team and I get COY.

4/9: It’s unlikely I’ll move but you never know.

I’m staying.

4/23: I ask for a facilities upgrade. No.

32-5. Overall, I’m 283-68, .806.

Going for the title next season.

[Wayne23]

5/1: #3 recruiting class. Preseason #3. National Gold, International Basic.

6/5: No slots for transfers.

6/25: We go to all the camps.

6/26: 5 scholarships. We’ll go 3-2 either way.

8/7: 5 on the Norton list: PG Mike Baer is #13, PG Sha Riva #19, PF Josh Cara #25, PF Rob Wood #38, and SF Tom Hill #49.

8/21: We offer to 2 PGs, 2 PFs, a C.

9/11: We get a C, #29, and a PG, #61. We lose 2.

9/18: We get 2, lose 1. We get a PF, #19, and a PF, #48. We need a guard.

We’re in the Caribbean Challenge vs. SMU.

9/25: We get a PG, #35.

10/2: First day of practice. We look very good!

11/6: 9 man rotation to start:

Frosh Mike Baer is at PG. Senior Aut Sell is at SG, subs at PG. Soph Marq Jenn and frosh Sha Riva sub at SG.

Junior Tom Hill is at SF. Soph Rob Wood starts at PF, subs at C. Soph Kirk Simm is at C.

Senior Jed Onea subs at Sf and PF, and senior Josh Cara subs at PF.

[Wayne23]

11/20: 2-0 start with 2 easy home wins.

All 5 recruits sign.

12/4: 4-1. We lost to a good Washington team, there. But we look good so far.

12/15: 6-1, #13, RPI #7. Heading for the Caribbean Challenge vs. #8 seed, 5-3, SMU. We’re the #1 seed.

12/16: 83-48. 20, 10 for Simm, 18, 9 for Wood, 17, 6 assists for Baer. +15 RBs, 7 TOs.

#4 seed Chattanooga, 4-3, in the semis.

12/17: 82-63. 18, 18, 4 with 4 blocks for c Kirk Simm. 18 for Baer, 15, 7 for Wood. +19 RBs, 9 TOs.

#2 seed Fresno ST, 9-2, for the title.

12/18: 86-61. 18, 14 for tourney MOP Simm.

12/25: 10-1 headed to Big 12 play. #5, RPI #4. +16.9 PPG, +12.9 RBs (#1), +4.5 TOs. We start at #2 ranked Oklahoma.

Our 5 starters average between 12.5 and 14.1. Simm gets 13.0 RBs.

[Wayne23]

1/1/2029: 11-2, 1-1. We lost to OK, beat Iowa ST.

1/15: 14-3, 4-2, #7, RPI #4. It’s a tough conference. We’re in a 4 way tie for 2nd, 2 back of #2 Oklahoma.

1/29: 18-3, 8-2, #7, RPI #3. In a 3 way tie for 1st with #3 Oklahoma and #15 Texas. Everyone else is out of contention. +14.6 PPG, +11.4 RBs, +4.1 TOs. Tom Hill
is #22 and Rob Wood #27 on the Norton list. Our 5 starters, remarkably, average between 12.3 and 13.5. Talk about balance!

2/12: 22-3, 12-2, #7, RPI #3. Tied with #3 Oklahoma for 1st, 2 up on #13 Texas, 6 or more on the rest.

2/26: 26-3, 16-2 going to the post season. #5, RPI #2. We win the Big 10 by 1 over #4 Oklahoma, 4 over #17 Texas. +14.5 PPG, +11.8 RBs, +3.9 TOs. 5 starters average between 13.6 and 12.3. Simm gets 11.9 RBs. Wood gets 9.0, and we lead the nation.

[Wayne23]

3/5: Red shirted frosh Des Suab decides to go pro.

3/9: #9 seed West Virginia, 11-18, 5-13, in the quarters.

3/10: 67-47. 15, 11 for Rob Wood, 16, 10 for 6th man Josh Cara, 16, 5, 3 for Art Sell.

#4 seed Texas Tech, 16-12, 9-9, in the semis. Beat them by 12 and then 13.

3/11: 79-66. 20, 7, 6 with 4 blocks for PG Mike Baer, 12, 16 for Simm.

#2 seed, #5 ranked Oklahoma, 28-3, 15-3, for the title. They won by 13 there, then we won by 16 at our place. Should be a battle!

3/12: 64-71 in OT. We missed a 12 footer at the end of regulation, then Art Sell fouled out in the first 10 seconds of OT. 23 for Hill, 14, 10 for Wood, but we shot 20-80. Awful!

I think we’re still a #1 seed.

#2 East. Not happy! Not only are we a #2 but we’re in the bracket with #1 overall. We play #15 seed Penn, 19-11.

3/16: 83-60. 20, 10 for Wood. All 5 starters had 10 or more. +15 RBs.

#10 seed Virginia, 19-11, was an upset winner. We play them in round 2.

3/18: 56-62. A shocker. They played slow down and played really good D, and we didn’t do the things you need to do to beat that game. We didn’t move without the ball nearly well enough. We shot 26.1%, mostly due to taking poor shots. It didn’t help that Baer fouled out in 22 minutes of PT. Never expected the season to end this early. Earliest out since 2020 with UMass.

4/3: #2 Kentucky wins it all.

4/4: Awards: Tom Hill is Big 12 Def. POY. Kirk Simm and Rob Wood made the 1st team. Hill made 2nd team.

4/9: Would I leave? For the right elite school I would.

Staying. Indiana was interested and we visited, but I think the future is brighter here.

4/23: I ask for a budget increase. No.

29-5. Overall I’m 312-73, .810.