sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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- Aug 15, 2011
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Welcome to Jeep 4x4 Day!
Jeep 4x4 Day was first observed in 2016 in honor of the 75th anniversary of the first Jeeps, the Willys MBs, which started being made in 1941 and were used in World War II. The event takes place on the fourth day of the fourth month, a reference to 4x4, which means four-wheel drive. It celebrates all things Jeep and celebrates and is celebrated by Jeep enthusiasts and owners. It celebrates the freedom of off-road driving and is a day when people get outdoors with their Jeep.
The theme of the first observance was "Save the Dirt." In the lead-up to the day, fans were encouraged to be proud of the rugged and "dirty" look of their Jeep and to get their Jeep dirty and not wash it until after Jeep 4x4 Day. They were encouraged to share their best photos on the day and to consider the dirt in their photos as a badge of honor. The Jeep Snapchat channel was also launched in honor of the first observance.
In 2017, the custom Snapchat lens "Jeep Hair, Don't Care" was created in honor of the day, which allowed users to see themselves behind the wheel of an open-air Jeep Wrangler. For the 2019 observance, there was a pre-order opportunity for the Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition—which sold out on the day. Those who participated also were entered into a "Find Your Freedom" contest, which gave them a chance to win $100,000. In 2019, Jeep also posted content from fans, owners, influencers, and forums to create an Instagram Story celebration on the day.
SU News
Syracuse Basketball: 5-star lauded at All-America game, says more SU commits coming (itlh; Adler)
Tuesday night was a thrilling one for Syracuse basketball fans, and that proved much-needed after some not-as-fun recent developments.
On Tuesday evening, Orange 2024 commit Donnie Freeman, a five-star power forward from Washington, D.C., suited up in the prestigious McDonald's All-America game in Houston. He didn't play a ton of minutes, but regardless, he received some high praise from top experts.
Also on Tuesday, the 'Cuse coaching staff picked up a commitment from Colorado senior center Eddie Lampkin Jr., a four-star transfer who provides key depth in the team's front-court ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Those exciting things transpired amid associate head coach Gerry McNamara recently moving on to be the new head coach at Siena. While we're all happy for GMac, losing him is still tough, although I'm confident that head coach Adrian Autry will find another quality assistant for the Orange bench.
Additionally, since the transfer portal opened on Monday, March 18, Syracuse basketball has seen at least five of its players decide to hit the portal, including news earlier this week that sophomore power forward/center Maliq Brown would transfer.
As such, 'Cuse coaches securing a pledge from the 6-foot-11, 265-pound Lampkin is big time. And the 6-foot-9 Freeman, who will vie for a national championship later this week, hinted in a post on X that more Orange commits could be on the way.
Syracuse basketball 2024 five-star signee Donnie Freeman scored high praise at an All-America game.
Freeman, a star senior at the powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., will compete in the eight-team Chipotle Nationals beginning on April 4 in Brownsburg, Ind., near Indianapolis. That annual event will crown a national champion in high school hoops.
On Tuesday night at the McDonald's All-America game at the Toyota Center, Freeman logged just under 13 minutes, finishing with six points on two made shots from deep, including one 3-pointer at the buzzer to wrap up the third quarter.
His squad, the West, fell by two points to the East, 88-86, according to box scores that I came across on X. What I found encouraging is that while Freeman didn't receive a ton of run, when he was in the game, his team was plus-15, and that appeared to be the highest of any player on the West roster.
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Eddie Lampkin Jr. shoots the ball in Cororado's NCAA tournament game against Florida on March 22, 2024 in Indianapolis. Lampkin transferred to Syracuse on Tuesday. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) Getty Images
Lampkin on transferring to SU: ‘They said they needed a big man’ (PS; $; Waters)
After entering the NCAA’s transfer portal following his senior season at the University of Colorado, Eddie Lampkin Jr. wanted to find a school where he would fit into the game plan.
Someplace where he would be utilized in the offense.
Syracuse wasn’t on his radar.
Lampkin, a 6-foot-11, 265-pound center, grew up in Houston, Texas. He had spent the first three years of his college career at Texas Christian University before transferring to Colorado for the 2023-24 season.
So how did he end up visiting Syracuse University on Tuesday and then committing to the Orange on Tuesday night? Carmelo Anthony.
In a telephone interview as he waited for his flight out of Syracuse’s Hancock International Airport on Wednesday, Lampkin explained how a connection with the former Syracuse great led to his connecting with the Syracuse coaching staff.
“One of my friends works with Chris Brickley,’’ Lampkin said.
Brickley is one of the most renowned trainers in NBA circles. He has worked with LeBron James, Trae Young, Jimmy Butler and countless more NBA players. He got his start as an intern with the New York Knicks, where he began a relationship with Anthony.
Today, Brickley also works with Anthony’s son, Kiyan, a top prospect in the 2025 recruiting class.
Thus, Lampkin soon found himself on the phone with Syracuse assistant coach Allen Griffin. Another call with SU head coach Adrian Autry led to Lampkin’s visit to the school on Tuesday.
“I liked him,’’ Lampkin said of Autry. “He’s a straight-forward person. A lot of people I talked to said he’s an amazing dude. I like his playing style.’’
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Schiff: Syracuse has become unrecognizable since the transfer portal opened. And that’s OK. (DO; Schiff)
The season wasn’t supposed to end this way.
Bowed heads. Fidgeting. Players stuffing game-worn gear into school-brand duffle bags and handing sneakers to team managers.
Reporter questions searching for first-hand analysis on pivotal game trends drew further displays of disappointment. Lengthy sighs. Furrowed brows.
But those painful inquiries are considered the underhand tosses, the softballs. Because following Syracuse’s 83-65 second round exit to NC State in its only Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament game, unanswerable questions surfaced.
What now? What next?
“I’m not answering those questions right now,” sophomore forward Chris Bell said when asked about his future with SU. “I love it here. This is home. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.”
No decisive responses from anyone. Though Quadir Copeland let slip a seemingly sarcastic verdict about playing under first-year head coach Adrian Autry.
“It was cool,” he said, lacking his usual effervescence. “It was fun. I enjoyed it.”
The suffocating air of the unknown thickened around SU’s locker room at Capital One Arena. Now, 21 days removed, it’s been an eventful offseason. Just not in the way most expected.
Syracuse, largely deemed realistic competitors for the National Invite Tournament crown given its 20-win campaign, rejected a bid on March 17. The reason? A puzzlingly narrow-minded approach that the program’s “only postseason goal was to play in the NCAA Tournament.”
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(youtibe; scheduled podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
What's Next for Syracuse Basketball? -- Neil Adler Interview | Syracuse Orange Podcast
What Eddie Lampkin Brings to Syracuse Basketball (youtube; podcast; Locked on Syracuse)
Former Colorado Center Eddie Lampkin officially transferred to Syracuse Basketball. The 6'11" big-man averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament against Boise State, Florida, and Marquette. What happens to Naheem McLeod and William Patterson?
Keeping Up With The 315 4-3-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Brian opens the show discussing the news that Colorado center Eddie Lampkin is coming to Syracuse and what that means for the potential rotation next season. Then, he has some random breaking news before an update on FRAN BROWN and SU football. Lastly, Brian gives his thoughts on Stefon Diggs being traded to the Texans.
Jason Horowitz "The 315" 4-3-24 (ESPN; radio; The 315)
Westwood One play-by-play man Jason Horowitz joins Brian Higgins to break down the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament so far and preview the Final Four.
Fizz 5 4/3: Maliq Brown Exits + Eddie Lampkin Jr. Enters, and GMac to Siena (orangefizz.net; podcast; Griffin& Frank)
Ethan Frank and Liam Griffin reconvene on Fizz 5 to discuss everything going on with Syracuse in the transfer portal and a whole lot more:
Syracuse men’s basketball: a look at Judah Mintz’s NBA draft stock (TNIAAM; Chiappone)
Around this time last year, us Syracuse Orange men’s basketball fans faced a similar predicament: what will Judah Mintz do?
Just coming off his second season with the Orange, Mintz shouldered a larger role particular on offense and made strides in some areas but arguably fell short in others. We’ve been down this road before, but what is the current draft stock for the superstar guard? Will Mintz depart or return to Syracuse as he like last year, and what would that decision mean for the program moving forward?
Yet again, we’re back to break down Mintz’s future. As The Clash would put it: “Should I stay or should I go?”
In mock projections in the months leading up to the 2023 NBA Draft, Mintz tended to fall as a mid-to-late second round selection. Less than a week before he announced his return to the Orange for his sophomore season, mock drafts projected Mintz as high as 41st and as low as 55th.
Fast forward to this April, and Mintz’s name appears to be less frequently seen on some of the major mock drafts:
Mintz’s mock draft projection: then versus now
| Mock Draft | May 18, 2023 | April 2, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| The Athletic | 53rd | N/A |
| Bleacher Report | 45th | 52nd |
| ESPN | 55th | N/A |
| Yahoo! Sports | 55th | N/A |
The recent mocks haven’t had a Mintz sighting pretty much at all, and you do have to go back at least a bit to see him in the draft conversation (writer’s note: after doing some searching around, the most optimistic draft projection for Mintz came from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman who had him going 45th overall to the Orlando Magic on February 24).
So... what happened?
Most of it stems from the on-court product. Looking at the numbers, the increased usage this year led to some notable statistical bumps:
Mintz by the numbers: 2022-23 versus 2023-24
| Stats | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes per game | 33.3 | 34 |
| Points per game | 16.3 | 18.8 |
| Rebounds per game | 2.3 | 3.2 |
| Assists per game | 4.6 | 4.4 |
| Steals per game | 1.8 | 2.1 |
| Turnovers per game | 2.4 | 2.9 |
| FG% (attempts per game) | 44.3% (12.8) | 43.8% (13.4) |
| 3FG% (attempts per game) | 30.3% (2.1) | 28.2% (2.7) |
| FT% (attempts per game) | 75.1% (5.8) | 76.5% (8.3) |
Let’s be clear that, while frustrating on occasion, Mintz stepped up to the plate despite dealing with the departures of Joe Girard (16.4 PPG in 2022-23) and Jesse Edwards (14.5 PPG in 2022-23) coupled with a roster that performed much better this year, but faced clear issues with depth and spacing down the end of this season.
In that increased role, Mintz led the Orange in PPG, APG, SPG and FTA in 2023-24, a year which saw him earn a spot on the All-ACC second team. He finished second in scoring, second in steals and fourth in assists in the ACC. To an extend, Mintz’s strengths were fortified, which includes the crafty scoring around the rim, the strides as a playmaker, the active hands on defense and a legitimate jolt on both ends of the court.
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MBB: NCAA Units 2024 (RX; HM)
MBB: NCAA Units 2024
orangefan posted this on CSNBBS:
Here's how those NCAA Units break down in terms of "given" and "earned":
| Conf | Units | Bids | Wins | |
| ACC | 17 | 5 | BBBBB WWWWWWWWWWWW | 12 |
| SEC | 16 | 8 | BBBBBBBB WWWWWWWW | 8 |
| B1G | 15 | 6 | BBBBBB WWwWWWWWW | 9 |
| B12 | 15 | 8 | BBBBBBBB WWWWWWW | 7 |
| BE | 11 | 3 | BBB WWWWWWWW | 8 |
| P12 | 10 | 4 | BBBB WWWWWW | 6 |
| MWC | 10 | 6 | BBBBBB WWWW | 4 |
| A10 | 4 | 2 | BB WW | 2 |
| WCC | 4 | 2 | BB WW | 2 |
Think about this: the SEC will get almost as much NCAA Tournament money as the ACC with four fewer wins. They'll get more than the Big XII, which has one more win than the SEC. Really, if not for the amazing 12 wins by just four teams (after UVa was eliminated), the ACC would get less than any of the other power conferences!
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Final Four Stats, 1985-2024 (RX; HM)
Final Four Stats, 1985-2024
Posted by user "BePcr07" (a Boise State/Gonzaga fan) on CSNBBS:
#1Final Four Stats (1985 to Present)
[Final Four] Bids by School
13 - Duke12 - North Carolina
10 - Kansas
8 - Kentucky, Michigan St
7 - Connecticut
5 - Florida, Michigan, Syracuse, UCLA, Villanova
4 - Arizona, Louisville
3 - Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio St, Oklahoma, UNLV, Wisconsin
2 - Butler, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Gonzaga, Illinois, LSU, Maryland, Memphis, Oklahoma St
1 - Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Cincinnati, Florida Atlantic, George Mason, Houston, Loyola - Chicago, Marquette, Massachusetts, Miami (FL), Minnesota, Mississippi St, N.C. State, Oregon, Providence, Purdue, San Diego St, Seton Hall, South Carolina, St. John's, Stanford, Texas, Texas Tech, Utah, VCU, Virginia, West Virginia, Wichita St
Major 6 Schools with 0 Final Four Bids by Future Conference Affiliation
> Major 6: ACC, B1G, Big East, PAC, SEC, XIIACC (9/18) - Boston College, California, Clemson, Florida St, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, SMU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
B1G (7/18) - Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn St, Rutgers, USC, Washington
Big East (3/11) - Creighton, DePaul, Xavier
PAC (2/2) - Oregon St, Washington St
SEC (6/16) - Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
XII (7/16) - Arizona St, BYU, Central Florida, Colorado, Iowa St, Kansas St, TCU
Bids by Then-Current Conference
33 - ACC26 - B1G
23 - Big East*
21 - SEC
12 - XII
11 - PAC
6 - Big 8
4 - CUSA
3 - Big West
2 - AAC*, CAA, Horizon, Metro, MVC, WCC
1 - A10, Great Midwest, MWC, SWC, WAC
* For this exercise, treating AAC as a separate entity and the new Big East as a continuation of the old Big East.
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Other
