Western Illinois, Twelve months 36, 2042-2043

Welcome support to our simulated dynasty with the Western Illinois Leathernecks in College Hoops 2K8. You will assemble a corpulent rationalization of this venture + spoiler-free links to outdated seasons here. Test out the introduction to this series from early April for corpulent context. As a reminder, we simulate every game on this series and most productive control the recruiting and training ideas. Dynasty mode runs for 40 years.

Sooner than we contain up with the Leathernecks in the origin of Twelve months 36, here’s a recap of all the pieces that took place closing season:

Coming off a devastating buzzer-breater loss in the Elite Eight to Florida Teach the year before, Western Illinois returned most productive two starters but had four seniors in the starting lineup. We held our dangle towards an advanced non-convention agenda and went unbeaten in the Summit League again to provide our automatic uncover to the NCAA tournament at 27-4 overall.
We earned a No. 8 seed to the NCAA tournament and beat NC Teach in the most critical spherical, Seton Hall in the spherical of 32, Nevada in the Sweet 16, and South Carolina in the Elite Eight, after which lost to Wisconsin in the Closing Four.
We recruited for four scholarships and landed four gamers: No. 6 center Brody Munoz, four-extensive title capturing guard Bernie Doyle, four-extensive title small ahead Floyd Keller, and three-extensive title energy ahead Oscar Fray.

Right here’s a essential be taught about at our roster for Twelve months 36:

(As talked about on the bottom of the Twelve months 35 post, these rankings are from the originate of our NCAA tournament escape because it’s essentially the most productive clean screenshot we contain. The correct starting of the year rankings are listed below)

Our intention is to surpass John Wooden for essentially the most championships at school basketball ancient previous before the series ends after Twelve months 40. Now we contain eight nationwide championships to Wooden’s 10, and we most productive contain 5 seasons left before the game forces us to dangle it up.

If we select nationwide title No. 9 this year, we’re going to contain to form it with none seniors on the roster. On the flip aspect, our redshirt juniors who were as soon as ranked as the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation now completely enter the highlight. We originate up the year ranked as No. 23 in the preseason polls.

Let’s meet the starters:

PG Arvydas Hardy, 91 overall, redshirt junior: Hardy is the second very most reasonable-rated recruit in program ancient previous (No. 12 overall), and it’s time for him to change accurate into a extensive title. The 6’4 point guard is a extensive three-point shooter (A- ranking) and has A rankings in ball handling and passing. He’s in a position to stockpiling a ton of ingredients hasty when he will get sizzling, but his tournament escape closing year ended on a extensive bummer: a 5-point performance on 2-of-10 capturing in our Closing Four loss to Wisconsin. This man wants redemption. Projected lottery contain of Mesa, AZ with C- skill.
SG Augustine Bruthelieus, 88 overall, redshirt sophomore: Bru earned mammoth minutes off the bench for us on our tournament escape closing year, and now steps into the starting lineup as a effectively-rounded 6’5 guard. Whereas he most productive has a mid-70s ranking in three-point capturing, Bru is a bodily defensive guard who would maybe maybe even cope with and trudge the ball effectively for a two. We’re already brooding about striking him at point and Hardy on the 2 for the length of stretches in the NCAA tournament. Ragged No. 42 overall recruit out of San Diego with C+ skill.
SF Reece Mascoll, 91 overall, redshirt junior: I truly truly feel delight in Mascoll has an different to trudge down as an all-time extensive alongside Hardy. A extensive 6’9, 250-pound cruise, Mascoll is a dazzling factual three-point shooter (75 ranking) who is a load to handle in the paint. He can seamlessly switch to the four and provide matchup components at no matter location he’s playing: he’s too mammoth for threes, and too quick for fours. He used to be a constant double-digit scorer off the bench for us closing season, and now we will get an different to be a extensive title. Ragged No. 40 overall recruit out of Riverside, CA with C skill. Projected lottery contain.
PF Al Reece, 86 overall, redshirt junior: We’re mad to contain a extensive 7’1, 266-pound energy ahead delight in Reece to support us make stronger the paint on each and each ends. Reece is an aggressive offensive participant who will let his jump shot fly despite the proven truth that he isn’t essentially the most expert shooter. The build Reece is admittedly factual is as a shot blocker, where his high-80s ranking is the easiest on the team. We delight in that he can tear to the 5 in a pinch, and would maybe maybe tower over his matchup no matter what location he’s playing. Ragged No. 138 overall recruit from Glendale, AZ with C- skill.
C Felipe Hopes, 89 overall, redshirt junior: Hopes had the ultimate skill ranking (B+) of any member of his recruiting class, and feels delight in a lock to trudge away for the NBA draft after this season. We’re accurate hoping to acquire one extensive tournament escape out of him. Whereas he’s now not too mammoth at 6’11, Hopes is magnificent quick, reveals impressive aggression as an inner scorer, and would maybe maybe hit the glass and defend the paint at an above-moderate level. Ragged No. 139 overall recruit (No. 8 center) out of Federal Manner, WA. Projected lottery contain.

Hopes, Hardy, and Mascoll all would maybe maybe well trudge away for the NBA after this year. We truly need to acquire this season depend.

We’re going to contain a nine-man rotation with four guys off the bench. Our sixth man will be redshirt sophomore capturing guard Jerald Elliott (86 overall), a high quality three-point shooter at 6’6 who appears to be like delight in he can play 1-3. Now we contain three redshirt novices debuting in the rotation after him. Ketshner Evertsen is a 6’8 capturing guard who we’re sliding to the three. Cam Kately is a 6’6 point guard with developing capturing skill. We also contain 7’2 center D.J. Foster out of Chicago who will be our lone mammoth off the bench.

We are also welcoming four fresh novices to the team. All of them will redshirt. Right here’s the closing recruiting class in college ancient previous that can contain the functionality to discontinuance all 5 years.

SG Bernie Doyle, No. 36 overall prospect: 76 overall, C skill. Has already grown an hunch to 6’8. I’m delighted to review he already has a 78 ranking in three-point capturing.
SF Floyd Keller, No. 101 overall recruit: 76 overall, C+ skill. 80 ranking in three-point capturing.
C Brody Munoz, No. 169 overall recruit: 74 overall, B skill. Has already grown an hunch to 6’11.
PF Oscar Fray, No. 118 overall recruit: 74 overall, C skill.

Without a seniors, we haven’t any scholarships to recruit for this year. Right here’s going to be a brief well-liked season. Let’s hope it affords solution to a long tournament escape.

How did the non-convention slate trudge?

We started the season 8-0 and climbed as high as No. 11 in the polls. Our season-opening slide included wins vs. Michigan, Valparaiso, South Florida, Stanford, and Texas A&M. Then we all of sudden met No. 25 Indiana and lost a heartbreaker, 67-66.

Our subsequent game used to be towards an 10-1 Colorado Teach team, and rattling, we lost that one, too:

Then we had No. 8 Wisconsin, the team that smoked us in the Closing Four closing year. We obtained, 87-83, unhurried 19 ingredients and 10 rebounds from Hopes, 17 ingredients from Reece, and 15 ingredients from Mascoll. Immense dub, and all of sudden this team is initiating to in actuality feel special.

We beat Illinois by one the next game unhurried 19 ingredients from Mascoll, and the 13 and 10 from mammoth Al Reece. We beat Cal subsequent unhurried 24 ingredients and 12 rebounds from Felipe Hopes. We’re 11-1 as we enter the Summit League play, let’s trudge!

Manufacture we trudge undefeated in the Summit League as soon as extra?

Uh, what the hell?

After working up a 19-2 document, we confronted an 11-9 UMKC team that handed us our first defeat in convention season in what feels delight in 10 years (any individual can test the files for me in the occasion that they wish and drop the particular quantity in the feedback). I truthfully can’t boom that took place.

No doubt, it would maybe maybe well’t happen again, just correct?

Oh my god. Oral Roberts entered at 5-20 overall, and upset us 62-57. Most attention-grabbing Hopes and Foster scored in double-figures, and each and each most productive had 10 ingredients. I’m terrorized. Are we going to lose in the Summit League tournament?

Fortunately now not. No matter a discontinuance game in the final towards UMKC again, we obtained and punched our automatic uncover to the mammoth dance. We’ll be getting into the tournament at 28-4 on the year.

Sooner than we sim to the tournament, let’s test out our discontinuance of season stats:

Hopes used to be as factual as we hoped: 15.6 ingredients, 7.3 rebounds, and bigger than an again, block, and resolve per game. Mascoll used to be gorgeous too, averaging 14.2 ingredients per game and confidently atmosphere the stage for a mammoth tournament escape. Reece used to be also awesome with averages of 13.8 ingredients and 6.5 boards per game. Hardy used to be a shrimp underwhelming, but maybe that can determine in our settle on: he’s dropped from a projected lottery contain to a projected first rounder. Mascoll has suffered the same plunge, whereas Hopes stays a lottery contain.

It feels delight in here’s the final escape for Hopes, but Mascoll and Hardy would maybe maybe well trudge either map via returning for his or her senior seasons or turning pro. This isn’t the time to take into accout subsequent year, even supposing. Let’s trudge select a rattling ship.

2043 NCAA tournament

We’re a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament, and diagram a matchup towards No. 10 seed Colorado Teach. Yes, the same Colorado Teach team that beat us in the well-liked season.

We enter the tournament rated as a 98 overall, whereas the Rams are a 90 overall.

Sooner than we acquire to the tournament rematch, let’s contain a be taught about at our roster:

Whereas our starters didn’t improve a ton for the length of the season, our bench did. I’m feeling dazzling factual concerning the likelihood of getting Ketshner Evertsen and Foster and Kately some minutes. Elliott is practically our sixth starter as a 90 overall.

In a roundabout map, this escape feels delight in it’s going to come support the total map down to the four juniors — and namely Hardy and Mascoll. Can they contain the next glide and change into all-time greats inner the program delight in aged legends Wilky Henry, Nic Cummings, and Billy Assell? I feel they’ve the flexibility to form it.

We need revenge on Colorado Teach to originate off this escape. No longer gonna lie, I’m a shrimp nervous.

As persistently, we’re staring at a simulated game between the computer. I’m now not controlling the Leathernecks. Let’s trudge!

Clutch, 92-80! We’re going to the spherical of 32.

Man, that used to be now not as easy as I’d contain most smartly-liked for a essential spherical game. Colorado Teach used to be main many of the most critical half, but we entered the destroy with a 3-point lead after Ketshner Evertsen beat the halftime buzzer.

Shner used to be the breakout participant of this game, and legitimately regarded delight in a future extensive title in his first NCAA tournament game. He completed with a team-high 17 ingredients on 6-of-11 capturing. A 6’8 natural capturing guard who we’ve moved to the cruise, Shner has the scale and capturing to be a mammoth time weapon for us. Can’t wait to review what he does subsequent.

Bruthelieus (16 ingredients no matter 1-of-5 three-point capturing) and Mascoll (15 ingredients on 5-of-15 capturing) didn’t contain their easiest capturing nights but unruffled contributed to the select with effectively timed scoring. All three of our bigs — juniors Al Reece and Felipe Hopes and freshman D.J. Foster — regarded extensive and big and each completed with 10 ingredients.

Hardy used to be now not factual — six ingredients on 1-of-7 capturing — but did attain with 10 assists. I truly expected him to be a takeover scorer, but I’d be okay with him changing accurate into a passing savant, too. Merely need about a shots to plunge subsequent time.

The select objects up a spherical of 32 matchup with No. 2 seed UNLV

UNLV enters at 28-4 and rated as a 96 overall. We’re 29-4 and enter at 98 overall.

This appears to be like delight in it’s going to be a magnificent now not easy game. The Runnin’ Rebels are a legit No. 2 seed with extensive senior guards and some mammoth wings on the roster. We’re truly going to need our entrance court docket to repeat them who’s boss.

Sweet 16 on the road. I want a dub. Let’s trudge!

Clutch, 90-88! We are help in the Sweet 16.

Wow, that one used to be discontinuance. UNLV dominated early by forcing us into nine turnovers in the most critical half. We went with our dangle corpulent court docket press in the second half to wrestle away the lead, but it indubitably used to be unruffled a one-point game with below two minutes left. Hardy shook free for a layup slack to build us up three, and from there Hardy and Bru knocked down ample free throws to ice the select. I was straight sweating in those closing minutes. Thank gosh we were clutch from the road, going 21-of-23 on the evening.

I believed Hopes completely kicked ass, finishing with 16 ingredients, 11 rebounds, and 4 steals. A completely tenacious performance on each and each ends of the floor — that’s why that man is a lottery contain. Bru used to be solid again with 18 ingredients and 4 assists. Hardy completed with 16 ingredients and 4 assists and did a nice job taking just correct care of the ball slack after some early turnover troubles.

Mascoll most productive had 11 ingredients, but he had some mammoth plays. First, this three-point on the halftime buzzer gave us the momentum we an most critical going into the destroy:

Whereas he didn’t contain his easiest capturing evening, Mascoll has persistently been at his easiest rumbling his solution to the basket. The jumbo ahead also had our easiest dunk of the evening:

Foster gave us truly factual minutes off the bench, too. As for Shner, he led us in scoring in the most critical half with eight ingredients after which didn’t receive again. Is it most likely to hit the rookie wall in the second spherical of the NCAA tournament?

The select objects up a Sweet 16 matchup with No. 3 seed NC Teach

Our escape to the Closing Four closing season started with a essential spherical victory over the Wolf Pack. I’m obvious they wish nothing larger than to knock us out this year.

NC Teach enters at 27-6 overall and rated as a 94. We’re 30-4 and rated as a 98.

We would like a select here to continue to hunt for nationwide title No. 9. Let’s trudge!

Loss, 107-104. A intellectual and completely heartbreaking defeat to complete our season early.

NC Teach controlled the game in the most critical half as Hardy (two fouls) and Bru (three fouls) each and each had to be pulled for long stretches on account of immoral distress. We at closing took the lead and fought to withhold it over the previous 111 minutes.

With 2: 30 left, the ball chanced on Hardy for a brief take care of-and-shoot three, and he drained it to build us up 5. It used to be his sixth three-pointer of the game and gave him 20 ingredients on the evening. Right here’s the produce of performance we’ve been awaiting since he entered the program:

Sadly, we didn’t receive after that the remainder of the evening.

We accurate couldn’t take care of a bucket down the stretch, with Mascoll and Hardy each and each lacking extensive originate shots that likely would contain given us the select down the stretch. We did contain one extra likelihood with below four seconds left on the clock, but Shner’s three fell accurate quick.

I truthfully can’t boom we lost that game. We don’t choke down the stretch delight in that in overall, but maybe that’s what happens for individuals who can contain a team with none seniors.

Each tournament loss hurts at this fraction of the dynasty, and this one feels delight in it’s going to indulge in away at us. The one thing that’s keeping me going just correct now is that we would maybe maybe well unruffled contain a extensive team subsequent year, relying Hardy and Mascoll’s draft choices. We can contain chanced on a future extensive title in the 6’8 redshirt novices Everstsen, who went off for 22 ingredients on 6-of-12 capturing from three in defeat. It used to be a good performance and has me so mad for his future:

Foster is going to be a extensive replacement for Hopes as a 7’2 center. I feel mammoth Al Reece need to be in for a productive senior year, too.

This loss stings horribly, but I know we are able to be support.

Offseason

Florida wins the nationwide title
HARDY AND MASCOLL ARE BACK! We lose Felipe Hopes to the NBA draft, but all individuals else is returning. We’re going to be completely loaded subsequent year.
My profession document now sits at 1,042-199

We haven’t any scholarships to recruit for, so here’s going to be a brief offseason. Let’s build of residing our agenda for subsequent year:

Creighton, NIT Season Tip-Off, Illinois Teach, Hofstra, @ UConn, Bradley, @ NC Teach, @ Kentucky, DePaul, Golden Undergo Traditional