This wasn't supposed to be a rebuild year...it only became that way once we realized that Boals missed on Hunter/Baker/Wiz.
I had high hopes at the beginning on the year when I looked at this roster on paper and how the PT would be divided. Not so much the case now.
It became a rebuilding year when you lost Sears and BVP. When you are replacing your offense, it is always rebuild mode. You can get depth out of the portal, but to expect to replace Sears and BVP from the portal is dreaming.
Replacing offense isn’t always rebuilding mode and you can find more than depth in the portal. Sure, it’s challenging to replace exact offensive production year-to-year, but good programs can manage those blows. Ali Ali took his 14 ppg to Butler, but Akron replaced it with 9 ppg from Hankerson and 7 ppg from Hunter via portal to compliment Castenada and Freeman.
Buffalo lost Mballa and his 13 ppg to the portal, but added nearly 34 ppg from Powell, Adams, and Foster. Williams and Segu also graduated and averaged 19 ppg and 15 ppg,respectively.
Point being, both Akron and Buffalo lost key pieces to the portal and have managed by what they added it through it. So, this didn’t have to be rebuilding year. We just didn’t add right talent.