Jesse Morgan Eligible

[a10champion15]

Temple Jesse Morgan is eligible for one semester but the NCAA has allowed Temple and him to choose which semester. Obviously Temple has choosen that they will be choosing to play him for the second semester.

This is big for Temple. Their non-con is a tough one but with a strong SOS coming out with 5 or so losses won't hurt them too much. With Coleman and Morgan eligible in the spring semester Temple will be dangerous come conference play. Once both of them become eligible they go into a tough stretch against Tulsa, SMU and @ Cincy which probably makes or breaks their season.

Temple's barely a bubble team as it stands right now but if they really perform in conference play with their SOS 20 wins might be enough.

I'm sure Fran doesn't know if they are a tourney caliber team at this point but if we beat Temple it can only help.

Now with this news while it's not very likely they will return to the tourney, they definitely have a better chance than before given this news.

That week is just so critical to La Salle. If they can win against Rutger/Vandy, get a win between Nova or Virginia, and beat Temple. They put themselves in a VERY good position especially if Temple shows up in the conference play it will only increase our chances.

Going to be so tough, tough, tough!

[cpico]

I just don't see Temple as a bubble team this season even with Jesse Morgan. They only had 9 wins last season, that would be a huge turnaround. They will be better, but I don't see an NCAA type team. Bond is a nice player - but not a program changer type. And remember Morgan and Coleman have been sitting out and are coming off injuries.

So yes, they should be better - but I would be very surprised if they are an NCAA Tournament team this year. But hey, I didn't think St. Joe's had any chance of making the Tournament last season before the year started and they proved me wrong because they really came together as a team even though they had little depth. We'll just have to see how it all plays out.

[Deleted]

Nothing against Jesse Morgan, but it amazes me how he gets another semester of eligibility after getting kicked out of UMass and breaking the continuous years in residence rules while someone like Vernon Goodridge who did everything right was stripped of a year.

[calsufan]

Oct 29, 2014 14:34:18 GMT -5 @kjmac12 said:

Nothing against Jesse Morgan, but it amazes me how he gets another semester of eligibility after getting kicked out of UMass and breaking the continuous years in residence rules while someone like Vernon Goodridge who did everything right was stripped of a year.

It's a name program (Temple) versus a little guy (La Salle). That's how the NCAA operates.

[a10champion15]

Yea not surprising Temple is able to pull that off with Morgan. However, I really don't care too much because we don't have to play against him.

Why I think Temple may...may being the key word there return to the tournament is just because of how high I hold Dunphy. I hate Temple and Dunphy with a damn passion but that doesn't mean I don't respect him. The rosters pretty decent. Cummings is a really good PG. Josh Brown who wasn't good last year learned a really valuable lesson and should be improved. Bond, Coleman and Morgan are all solid transfers but as said aren't program changing. DeCosey is such a gritty player and I like their younger guys too. Schedule set them up really nicely IMO. Also they made the tournament 6 of the last 7 with no so great rosters at times one being that 2011-2012 team which I was never impressed with. The team isn't deep this year either but you could always count on Dunphy to get the most out of his roster. Another thought looking at the American there is this MAJOR cutoff after Temple. Houston should be okay but lost a big player to injury(can't remember his name at the moment), East Carolina, Tulane, UCF and USF won't be good whatsoever.

Also, if Temple's team stayed healthy last season they certainly would have pulled out a few more wins than just 9. Lost a number of close games.

[jellybean]

Maybe we won't have a repeat of Gola a few years ago when the Morgan people were shouting and screaming (taunting)at the Wright people.

[stlexplorer]

@jonrothstein: BREAKING --- Temple's Jesse Morgan will miss the first 10 games of 14-15 but be eligible rest of year, source told @cbssports. Story coming.

[stlexplorer]

He will not play against us and would be back for their game against Kansas