Record predictions

[WichitaSooner]

Now that we know the roster, and practice has started, seems like as good a time as any for this thread.

If I were setting a preseason over/under for regular season wins, I would put it at 17.5. I see us going 10-3 in noncon, and am torn between 7-11 and 8-10 in conference. We are much less athletic than last year, and I think the guys we brought in as a whole are not as good as the guys who left (even though many of them never came close to their potential at OU). The new conference makes it tougher to predict how we will do since we will be playing in so many unfamiliar venues and against so many new opponents.

As for individual players, I think some of our new guys will likely look good against the dregs of our schedule, which will get expectations up among a lot of fans. Once we play real teams, I think we will see why most of the transfers were low-or-mid major guys. It sounds like we should have more shooters on this roster, but it's much tougher getting open shots in the SEC than it was for guys playing at Long Beach State, Fairfield, or High Point.

 

[TEvans4Three]

For Reference:

In 2024, OU went 20-12 last year (8-10) in conference, 12-1 non-con.

In 2025, WS has us going 17-14, (7-11) in conference, 10-3 non-con.
Barttorvik has us going 17-12 (7-11) in conference, 10-1 non-con. *doesn't have the 2 tournament games added, just first games*
KP hasn't released their 2024-25 schedule with predictions yet.

Barttorvik:


Providence tournament means 3 games added to non-con where we see 11, so it will be 13 games non-con total.

I am not sure yet how I feel about our team, I am def selling low on our interior and lack of big man depth. I don't think those results are out of the realm of possibility at all.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

17.5 is prob a pretty good starting spot

 

[TINY]

20-11 (9-9)

 

[BoulderSooner]

21-10 (10-8)

 

[Boom Soon]

20-11 (9-9) one of the last four out simply because the schedule is weak.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Off topic but not worthy of its own thread, I just saw a tweet that Hugley is "down 60 pounds." Of course, the same writer doesn't project him as a starter, and I never put much stock in the "best shape of his life" reports. Still, is annoying if he immediately got in better shape after leaving OU.

 

[Soonerguy06]

60 pounds is a concerning amount of weight to lose, if true...

 

[WichitaSooner]

60 pounds is a concerning amount of weight to lose, if true...

Not for some people. I think he was significantly heavier than he should have been. Who knows if the number is accurate but he had a lot to lose to get in great shape.

 

[Boom Soon]

Not for some people. I think he was significantly heavier than he should have been. Who knows if the number is accurate but he had a lot to lose to get in great shape.

Hopefully this helps him not fall on the ground like a buffoon so many times.

 

[TEvans4Three]

Off topic but not worthy of its own thread, I just saw a tweet that Hugley is "down 60 pounds." Of course, the same writer doesn't project him as a starter, and I never put much stock in the "best shape of his life" reports. Still, is annoying if he immediately got in better shape after leaving OU.

Xavier Basketball: Big man John Hugley shares impressive details behind his 44-pound weight loss

John Hugley IV shared his weight-loss story on the latest episode of The Sean Miller Podcast.

247sports.com

Spoiler: 247sports Full Article

When John Hugley stepped on the scale for the first time at Xavier University, the number staring back at him — 316 pounds — was a wake-up call. After transferring from Oklahoma, where a season-ending injury had derailed his fitness, Hugley knew the road ahead would be grueling.

"When I first stepped on (Xavier's) campus, I just remember having Coach Miller and Coach (Andy) Kettler put me on a scale and just seeing that number, and they were just like, 'Son, we got work to do,'" Hugley said on the latest episode of The Sean Miller Podcast.

Since arriving in Cincinnati in May, Hugley has shed an impressive 44 pounds, now weighing 272, while also dropping about 16% of his body fat, replacing it with muscle.

"They've been by my side from the beginning to like right now as we speak," Hugley said. "So just having Coach Miller and Coach Kettler believe in me and really just invest and take the time out to focus on me getting in shape, I really appreciate them."

Miller credited Xavier's strength coach Andy Kettler with pushing Hugley to get to this point.

"I'm really proud of Andy Kettler, because I think Kett has taken on the challenge with John in a way that I think very few strength coaches would do," Miller said. "He's brought out the best in him, he's created a standard for John to meet. At first, (John) was probably like, man, I don't know if I could keep doing this. But as you look at him today, he knows he can do it, he's already done it. And I also think that he has the tools and equipment to move forward."

Hugley detailed his daily routine this summer. He'd lift weights at 8 a.m. followed by an hour running the stairs. Later, the team would have an on-court workout, followed by another hour on the stairs for Hugley. He'd wrap his day with hot yoga in the evening.


No stranger to developing players, Miller praised Hugley's efforts, stating that Jason Love was the only other player he'd coached who'd shown a similar commitment to weight-loss.

"Other than (Jason Love), I've never been around a player in the 32 years I've been a college coach who's given more to lose weight, to go the extra mile on an every single day basis over time more than (Hugley)," Miller said. "We want John to have the opportunity to play the longest that he possibly can in this game, to have the biggest upside, to make the most money playing, to play the longest at the highest level he can get to."

Hugley had another, more personal motivating factor throughout this process as well. As a father of a 1-year-old daughter, he often thinks of her during workouts. "Every time I wanted to step down, she was right there in my mind," he said.

With two years of eligibility left, Hugley aims to make the most of his time at Xavier. "I'm going to bring it every game," he said. "Just do everything for this beautiful university, the fans here. I'm just going to be myself every time you see me on the court."

Coach Miller believes Hugley's best days are still ahead, and the staff is going to use every last minute during the preseason to get him better.

"I still don't think we're completely in the moment of he's in the best shape of his life," Miller said. "I do think we're headed in that direction, but that continues to be our goal together... There's a last 10% that I think would continue to give him even more athleticism, allow him to run easier than he's even running right now."

That is extremely annoying if he was that out of shape while here.

 

[snydrosooner]

Xavier Basketball: Big man John Hugley shares impressive details behind his 44-pound weight loss

John Hugley IV shared his weight-loss story on the latest episode of The Sean Miller Podcast.

247sports.com

Spoiler: 247sports Full Article

When John Hugley stepped on the scale for the first time at Xavier University, the number staring back at him — 316 pounds — was a wake-up call. After transferring from Oklahoma, where a season-ending injury had derailed his fitness, Hugley knew the road ahead would be grueling.

"When I first stepped on (Xavier's) campus, I just remember having Coach Miller and Coach (Andy) Kettler put me on a scale and just seeing that number, and they were just like, 'Son, we got work to do,'" Hugley said on the latest episode of The Sean Miller Podcast.

Since arriving in Cincinnati in May, Hugley has shed an impressive 44 pounds, now weighing 272, while also dropping about 16% of his body fat, replacing it with muscle.

"They've been by my side from the beginning to like right now as we speak," Hugley said. "So just having Coach Miller and Coach Kettler believe in me and really just invest and take the time out to focus on me getting in shape, I really appreciate them."

Miller credited Xavier's strength coach Andy Kettler with pushing Hugley to get to this point.

"I'm really proud of Andy Kettler, because I think Kett has taken on the challenge with John in a way that I think very few strength coaches would do," Miller said. "He's brought out the best in him, he's created a standard for John to meet. At first, (John) was probably like, man, I don't know if I could keep doing this. But as you look at him today, he knows he can do it, he's already done it. And I also think that he has the tools and equipment to move forward."

Hugley detailed his daily routine this summer. He'd lift weights at 8 a.m. followed by an hour running the stairs. Later, the team would have an on-court workout, followed by another hour on the stairs for Hugley. He'd wrap his day with hot yoga in the evening.


No stranger to developing players, Miller praised Hugley's efforts, stating that Jason Love was the only other player he'd coached who'd shown a similar commitment to weight-loss.

"Other than (Jason Love), I've never been around a player in the 32 years I've been a college coach who's given more to lose weight, to go the extra mile on an every single day basis over time more than (Hugley)," Miller said. "We want John to have the opportunity to play the longest that he possibly can in this game, to have the biggest upside, to make the most money playing, to play the longest at the highest level he can get to."

Hugley had another, more personal motivating factor throughout this process as well. As a father of a 1-year-old daughter, he often thinks of her during workouts. "Every time I wanted to step down, she was right there in my mind," he said.

With two years of eligibility left, Hugley aims to make the most of his time at Xavier. "I'm going to bring it every game," he said. "Just do everything for this beautiful university, the fans here. I'm just going to be myself every time you see me on the court."

Coach Miller believes Hugley's best days are still ahead, and the staff is going to use every last minute during the preseason to get him better.

"I still don't think we're completely in the moment of he's in the best shape of his life," Miller said. "I do think we're headed in that direction, but that continues to be our goal together... There's a last 10% that I think would continue to give him even more athleticism, allow him to run easier than he's even running right now."

That is extremely annoying if he was that out of shape while here.

Didn’t we sign him after an injury? May have taken him time mentally to get passed injury to put in work to lose the weight. Unfortunate

 

[TINY]

Off topic but not worthy of its own thread, I just saw a tweet that Hugley is "down 60 pounds." Of course, the same writer doesn't project him as a starter, and I never put much stock in the "best shape of his life" reports. Still, is annoying if he immediately got in better shape after leaving OU.

Cant say Bryce daub’s strength program ever impressed me. Szendrei was a much better strength coach. That could be an area of improvement that shows up this year.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Cant say Bryce daub’s strength program ever impressed me. Szendrei was a much better strength coach. That could be an area of improvement that shows up this year.

Definitely something to keep an eye on but I think it’s one of those areas that is hard to evaluate from the outside. I keep thinking about the football program. Everyone loved to roast the old guy after Riley left and people acted as if we would be so much stronger and fitter and healthier now that you-know-who is back, and that definitely isn’t the case. But every little edge helps so if the new guy can make even a small difference, that will be great.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

people acted as if we would be so much stronger and fitter and healthier now that you-know-who is back, and that definitely isn’t the case.

lol ok

 

[CoachTalk]

Cant say Bryce daub’s strength program ever impressed me. Szendrei was a much better strength coach. That could be an area of improvement that shows up this year.

NBA took a chance I guess. I did like yoyo more though!

 

[WichitaSooner]

lol ok

Great comment. Very informative, as always.

 

[CoachTalk]

Great comment. Very informative, as always.

You have to understand people just resort to LOL.

because this is a prediction thread (which I love) comes back your same ol complaints. (Which is your right)

1. Coaching sucks
2. Sc coach couldn’t motivate guys (could be that hugley knows this is it for him…)
3. Roster retention
4. Etc

 

[WichitaSooner]

You have to understand people just resort to LOL.

because this is a prediction thread (which I love) comes back your same ol complaints. (Which is your right)

1. Coaching sucks
2. Sc coach couldn’t motivate guys (could be that hugley knows this is it for him…)
3. Roster retention
4. Etc

Where did I say any of those things in this thread? I wasn’t the one who mentioned the strength coach, and when I replied, I said it’s hard to know whether that has anything to do with it. My personal opinion is that if a college basketball player is significantly overweight, it’s his own damn fault. I also never mentioned coaching in this post.

 

[NickZepp]

I'm hoping for 17 or 18 wins. It's just hard to know with a new roster. We need to have years where the roster actually grows instead of being thrown together every year.