How many

[BradleyBrave]

Let's be patient and see what the new facility and a little more time with JL brings us. After all our players are graduating, we have a fun style of ball that eventually will attract the right players and Rome was not built over night.

We're in year 6, not year 2. I don't think us as fans are asking too much. We looked like we were on the verge of our 3rd 20 win season in a row and our best league finish in this regime, and instead it looks like we could be trending downward or leveling off as a middle-of-the-pack program. I hope the new facilities have the impact on recruiting that many think it will, but I don't think our talent has ever been an issue.

 

[ph]

Again, not to sound like a broken record, but it goes back to last year's class not having any real quality bigs in it. If we had a capable big instead of Xavier Crawford, we would be in much better shape and perhaps Matt Salley would be in more of a defensive reserve role, where I think he could have excelled.

As far as AT and his weight issues, I will take his height, athleticism, and skill over bulk any day of the week. This is the MVC, and there aren't many skilled bigs to begin with, let alone ones that are 6'10". Even if he comes in at only 200-210, he will give us a significantly improved inside presence.

Some might disagree, but it's looking like Will Egolf should have been the big to redshirt rather than Thompson. But, early on it looked like WE might be able to contribute, so who knows.

Weight also depends on tenacity. Bogut was a top NBA pick at 7'1" (or 7'0?") and 242, and people thought a 7'0" 260 POB was skinny...

 

[BradleyBrave]

Weight also depends on tenacity. Bogut was a top NBA pick at 7'1" (or 7'0?") and 242, and people thought a 7'0" 260 POB was skinny...

That's a great point. Tenacity and desire can and will make up for a lack of bulk on the body. Heck, sometimes even height and skill alone can do that. POB lost 20-30 pounds during his freshman season, but was still dominating games on both ends at the end of the season.

 

[Braves4Life]

My belief is that JL knows that we have no inside game so he is preparing the team for March with what he believes is the only way to make it to the NCAA. Regardless of how much we want the team to go inside if they do not have the bigs to it consistantly then we'll never have an inside game.

On recruiting I wish we could recruit a 6'10" 260 lbs stud but in reality players like that rarely go to mid-majors. We need to win with small ball and get the best basketball players for that type of system. When we get the occasional jewal like POB we'll make our run. Until we can recruit like Memphis and Gonzaga do not expect us to be a top 20 team just be really happy when it happens.

Let's be patient and see what the new facility and a little more time with JL brings us. After all our players are graduating, we have a fun style of ball that eventually will attract the right players and Rome was not built over night.

Thanks Pete for adding a voice of reason.............You're my kind of fan!

 

[ER3]

That's a great point. Tenacity and desire can and will make up for a lack of bulk on the body. Heck, sometimes even height and skill alone can do that. POB lost 20-30 pounds during his freshman season, but was still dominating games on both ends at the end of the season.

True...and my worry in that area stems back to early season comments about how AT was such a nice kid...almost nice to a fault on the basketball court...and how he and all of the new big guys were sorely lacking that mean streak that they need to win those physical battles in the paint and on the boards.
Don't take my comments on AT the wrong way...he sounds as though he has a ton of offensive potential and I think he can provide some help next year...I guess I just see him as a freshman being a guy that runs the floor and provides more of a mid-range game...I just don't see him having the physical or mental makeup as a freshman next year that could provide that tough, true post presence that we need on both ends of the floor. I think Austin is more likely to provide that post toughness next year...but hopefully Anthony can grow into that type of presence.

 

[Lakeview Brave]

I did not watch the game or hear it last night and if I'm reading the threads correctly we had zero inside game again. My belief is that JL knows that we have no inside game so he is preparing the team for March with what he believes is the only way to make it to the NCAA. Regardless of how much we want the team to go inside if they do not have the bigs to it consistantly then we'll never have an inside game.

On recruiting I wish we could recruit a 6'10" 260 lbs stud but in reality players like that rarely go to mid-majors. We need to win with small ball and get the best basketball players for that type of system. When we get the occasional jewal like POB we'll make our run. Until we can recruit like Memphis and Gonzaga do not expect us to be a top 20 team just be really happy when it happens.

Let's be patient and see what the new facility and a little more time with JL brings us. After all our players are graduating, we have a fun style of ball that eventually will attract the right players and Rome was not built over night.

How is it that Creighton is good every year and SIU has made it to the tournament the last 6 years. How about a new coach at Drake who is going to win the Valley in his first year, something our program hasnt done in 12. How about a new coach at ISU who has his team poised to finish in the top 3 something we havent done for years.

 

[Beninator]

I hope the new facilities have the impact on recruiting that many think it will, but I don't think our talent has ever been an issue.

I for one think that the new facilities will have a direct impact on our recruiting. I think that we are currently capable of landing the 3 star recruit, but if we want to compete for the go to 4 star and higher player to take us to the next level, then we need to show the kids coming here something more than what our current facilities offer.

 

[SFP]

How is it that Creighton is good every year and SIU has made it to the tournament the last 6 years. How about a new coach at Drake who is going to win the Valley in his first year, something our program hasnt done in 12. How about a new coach at ISU who has his team poised to finish in the top 3 something we havent done for years.

Creighton has some of the best facilities in the NCAA, SIU success is just recent historically speaking and let's see Drake maintain this success past this year.

We can always find a school that is doing better then us right now but the questions is do you believe that we are going in the right direction as a program? I do!

So what if ISU finishes 3rd and does not make the NCAA. We may finish 5th and guess what we still have the same chance as they do to make the Tourney. I think Bradley is on to the cusp of greatness with the likes of Memphis and Gonzaga. If we had a decent big guy we would be 1 or 2 this year. The only downside to JL's career as our coach is the high turnover of players due to the JUCO or with POB leaving early otherwise we would already be great. He fixes that and get's a big can you just imagine. PATIENCE by everybody will be neded.

 

[ER3]

I think Bradley is on to the cusp of greatness with the likes of Memphis and Gonzaga.

Really??? WOW.
The kool-aid is flowing freely in San Fran.
Sure...I think the BU program is better off than it was 5 years ago, but I don't see how anyone can say that we're on the cusp of becoming what Memphis or Gonzaga is. There's nothing here to support that opinion.
We're on our way to another 5th or 6th place Valley finish this year...we are losing two senior guards that comprise what is arguably the best guard tandem at BU since Hawkins-Manuel. And we are replacing them with a recruiting class that, for now, consists of a couple two-star guards that were not recruited by any big-time basketball programs. This is not meant to be a knock on them...but the fact is, programs like Memphis are bringing in guys like Derrick Rose and they basically have their pick of any number of 4-star guys that they want to sign...
We are nowhere near that point...not even close. And I really don't think all the patience in the world is going to help that cause...

 

[Lakeview Brave]

Really??? WOW.
The kool-aid is flowing freely in San Fran.
Sure...I think the BU program is better off than it was 5 years ago, but I don't see how anyone can say that we're on the cusp of becoming what Memphis or Gonzaga is. There's nothing here to support that opinion.
We're on our way to another 5th or 6th place Valley finish this year...we are losing two senior guards that comprise what is arguably the best guard tandem at BU since Hawkins-Manuel. And we are replacing them with a recruiting class that, for now, consists of a couple two-star guards that were not recruited by any big-time basketball programs. This is not meant to be a knock on them...but the fact is, programs like Memphis are bringing in guys like Derrick Rose and they basically have their pick of any number of 4-star guys that they want to sign...
We are nowhere near that point...not even close.

Thanks for saying it for me. We are closer to being Evansville than we are to being Memphis or Gonzaga

 

[BradleyBrave]

Creighton has some of the best facilities in the NCAA, SIU success is just recent historically speaking and let's see Drake maintain this success past this year.

We can always find a school that is doing better then us right now but the questions is do you believe that we are going in the right direction as a program? I do!

So what if ISU finishes 3rd and does not make the NCAA. We may finish 5th and guess what we still have the same chance as they do to make the Tourney. I think Bradley is on to the cusp of greatness with the likes of Memphis and Gonzaga. If we had a decent big guy we would be 1 or 2 this year. The only downside to JL's career as our coach is the high turnover of players due to the JUCO or with POB leaving early otherwise we would already be great. He fixes that and get's a big can you just imagine. PATIENCE by everybody will be neded.

SIU won the MVC Tournament 3 straight years in the early 90's, and then followed it up 6 years later with 6 straight NCAA Tournament berths. I guess in the 100 year history of the league it's recent, but the fact of the matter is that SIU has skyrocketed past BU as far as basketball prestige is concerned, and it's not just over the past few years. It goes back about 15 or so years.

We can play the 'if' and 'but' game all day. Every team has injuries, every team has departures. Creighton lost all-american Nate Funk for an entire season and still went 19-9 and were a win over us away from an at-large bid. Creighton also had one of their top recruits, Ty Morrison, end up getting sick and not being able to play. Yet they found a way to finish with a top 2 seed in the MVC and won the MVC Tournament.

The only downside to JL's coaching career at BU is wins and losses. We have yet to finish higher than 4th in his 6 year run, and he's still going to have an overall losing conference record after this season is over. Every other coach in recent memory had won at least 1 conference title by the end of year 6. Yes, they all stepped into different situations, but Jim's situation was no more dire than Dick Versace's or especially Jim Molinari's. I can deal with preaching patience in year 2 and even year 3. But when you win 22 in year 4, win 22 in year 5, and are picked by just about everyone to contend for a league title and make that next step to the league's elite, I think fans have the right to be upset and impatient at this point. We were patient before. This wasn't supposed to be a rebuilding year. If it was, I don't think people would be as upset as they are. Injury or no injury this team has underachieved greatly, and called into question the true direction of the program. I don't want to go as far as to say it's heading downward, because I don't believe that. I actually think it may be leveling off in the Barry Hinson 'not quite good enough to make that next step' territory. Right now, I find it hard to believe that it is pointing upward unless we win the MVC Tournament. If we finish strong (which means beating CU and winning 1 of our 2 remaining road games), and win Arch Madness, one can make a stronger case that an injury may have truly derailed our chances at a top 2-3 finish. Until then, the body of work when shorthanded AND healthy says otherwise.

Sorry about the rambling. I'm not trying to attack anyone's point of view, just voicing my own after a frustrating loss. FWIW, I didn't hold the coaching responsible for last night's loss. Jim can't make them shoot better than 4-27 from 3, or better than 35% overall. However, when I hear him say that they 'didn't show up' and 'didn't have the right mindset', unfortunately I do have to put some of it on him. It's his job to make them pay attention and to put them in the right mindset. I guess it all goes back to the 'patience' comment. I just can't agree with a patient approach right now. I think we should hold ourselves to a higher standard. I know Rome wasn't built in a day...but it was built.

 

[OrangeandBlack74]

Very good post BBrave.

I've been trying to pinpoint what is missing from this year's team (compared to last year), and I don't mean an inside game to compliment our outside shooters!

Not everyone is capable of being a leader. I think that's what is missing from this year's team.....a vocal leader, someone who leads by example, someone who can get you the big basket when it's needed most. Last year's team had two such players.....JJ Tuaui and Will Franklin. The previous year's team had a leader in Tony Bennett.

This year's team simply doesn't have a vocal leader or anyone that is willing to do the dirty work that's required to have success on the court. We've seen it time and again this year as leads are squandered and losses mount.

I think Daniel and Jeremy are good players, but IMO they are not effective leaders. Someone should have kicked the players butts last night for playing so ineffectively against a mediocre team. I don't care if InSU has only lost one home game all year. There is no good reason to play the way we did last night. especially against a team that we handled by 19 pts just a few weeks ago.

BU simply doesn't have the leadership to succeed on the court this year, and the coaching staff hasn't been able to motivate them either. I was encouraged by the results when Ruff returned from the injury list, but the team has once again settled into a leadership void with no hope on the immediate horizon.

I wouldn't be surprised if we lose our 4 remaining conference games. There isn't a one that I think BU should be favored to win, with the exception of SIU. Speaking of SIU.....think they don't miss Jamal Tatum and Tony Young this year?.....just look at their results so far, despite being favored to win the MVC. Leadership cannot be overlooked as a key component to success on the court.

 

[houstontxbrave]

We are who we are and we have been who we are for a very long time. Consistantly average, a few strong seasons sprinkled in but nothing ever overwelming and rarely horrendous.

You cant go over a decade of not winning a conference title, or winning a conference tourny championship and be anything other then average.

 

[BradleyBrave]

We are who we are and we have been who we are for a very long time. Consistantly average, a few strong seasons sprinkled in but nothing ever overwelming and rarely horrendous.

You cant go over a decade of not winning a conference title, or winning a conference tourny championship and be anything other then average.

Simply stated, and I think sums it all up very well. Very well said.

What frustrates me as well as others is that I truly believe we have the potential to be so much more than what we are. Maybe I am wrong on that, I don't know.

 

[onetuffshot]

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We lost this game because we could not make 3 pointers and yet we just kept on shooting them, we started out the game by going inside and getting 2 dunks by T.Wilson and then hardly went inside again; because we choose not to try and pound the ball inside we are pretty much stuck with mostly 3 point shots and when you have a bad night shooting just about anyone can beat you, there is no excuse for a team that only has a couple of good players on it to beat Bradley . We are also playing our guys way too many minutes and when your legs are gone your shots come up short, Cole-Scott should be getting at leat 5 to 6 minutes a game if only to get Ruffin, Crouch, and Warren a breather ; I also thought that we should have went to Warren more in the 2nd half as he was beating his man off the dribble consistently.

Several of your points are right on. Especially re the fatigue factor, and this should not be a surprise. This team's schedule the past week has been a killer. They played their butts off physically and emotionally, Sat in Normal, got on the bus and road home, probably didn't get into bed until 1:00 or 2:00. Sunday no doubt was not a day of rest. Don't know where or when the practices took place. Probably had some classes on Monday. Jumped on the bus again Monday PM for the trip to Terre Haute.
I watched the pre-game shootaround and although I was not there at the beginning, JC and Ruff did not even take part.
Let's face it, our guys were gassed, especially late when we were trying to make our run. Does anyone know why the league schedules these short turnaround games(Sat/Tues). Everyone else in the league is playing tonight.
This probably sounds like an excuse. I am aware we are not the only team that has to go thru these, but it has to take a terrific toll, especially on a team which has to rely so heavily on perimeter shooting.
The scary part is we've got to do it all over again next Sat and Tuesday. At least the Sat game is at home.

 

[ph]

Several of your points are right on. Especially re the fatigue factor, and this should not be a surprise. This team's schedule the past week has been a killer. They played their butts off physically and emotionally, Sat in Normal, got on the bus and road home, probably didn't get into bed until 1:00 or 2:00. Sunday no doubt was not a day of rest. Don't know where or when the practices took place. Probably had some classes on Monday. Jumped on the bus again Monday PM for the trip to Terre Haute.
I watched the pre-game shootaround and although I was not there at the beginning, JC and Ruff did not even take part.
Let's face it, our guys were gassed, especially late when we were trying to make our run. Does anyone know why the league schedules these short turnaround games(Sat/Tues). Everyone else in the league is playing tonight.
This probably sounds like an excuse. I am aware we are not the only team that has to go thru these, but it has to take a terrific toll, especially on a team which has to rely so heavily on perimeter shooting.
The scary part is we've got to do it all over again next Sat and Tuesday. At least the Sat game is at home.

The league purposely scheduled more Tuesday games to get higher quality officials (as other BCS schools play more Wednesday games, too)

I too, thought the short turn-around may be a factor, then I started counting .. Sat-Tue is the same # of days as Wed-Sat. Right now, we get a Tue-Sat "rest" that makes up for it. And if we cannot handle Sat-Tue turnaround, we're sunk in the MVCT.

The only reason we're gassed is because we have to play DR and JC too many minutes. There is no reason ever that DR should have to play 40 against a lower in the conference InSt.

 

[SFP]

If POB was still here everbody would be singing a much different tune. Sometime it takes just one player to change the way a team plays.

I believe SM will be that vocal leader next year.

 

[Lakeview Brave]

If POB was still here everbody would be singing a much different tune. Sometime it takes just one player to change the way a team plays.

I believe SM will be that vocal leader next year.

If POB was still here it would mean we didnt make the sweet 16. I didnt here Dana complain when he lost a better college player than POB in Nate Funk for a year. He went 19-9. I hope the coaching staff, and AD are not using this excuse.

 

[Lakeview Brave]

I think we win the S16 and POB should have stayed in school. So he made about 3M - good for him. But what has he given up, maybe about 50% to the government, other percentages to multiple other interests, and probably spent 50% of the rest. He was not ready to go pro - obviously. Sometimes when you don't pan out your first few years, your overlooked - AP is a good example of how he could come back. Otherwise you'll probably have a pretty good restaurant in Peoria called Pat's or OB's which you will have fun going to.

Was it a mistake because you wish he would have stayed fore selfish reasons? His stock may never have been higher. Destroying Aaron Gray on national television and an extreamly weak draft. He made the right choice the fact that it hasnt panned out for him in the NBA only proves that point further. He is a smart kid from a good family, Im sure he didnt waste all his money.

 

[BradleyBrave]

Well, not to bring up the 'patience' thing again, but a fellow frustrated BU fanatic sent this to me today. I'm not advocating making a change, because I am not sure that will change things, but I think these numbers say a lot.

Hate to break out the media guide, but here are the numbers after the first six years: Molinarl 63-45 (.583) with an MVC title, a COY Award and two second-place finishes; Les: 49-55 (.471) with no top-three finishes. If Les splits his next four, he'll need to go 12-6 next year---year 7---to reach .500 against his peers. I loved the Sweet 16 run but at what point do we get past that and look at a body of work?

I'm sorry, but to me that's not a program heading upward, especially with all of the all-conference players we've had over the years. Barry Hinson hasn't even had a losing season in league play until this year, and they've been calling for his head for years! The time for patience is over. It's time to start demanding excellence. Our coach has preached it since Day 1, it's time to deliver...consistently.