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Post by realitycheck on Feb 10, 2024 20:42:45 GMT -6
Since a home win against SIU Edwardsville on Dec. 10th, we are 4-10. That includes a six game loss streak to end 2023 and start 2024. That is who we are and the wins we had against mediocre competition were fools gold and must seem like an eternity ago to this team. Losing 10 of the last 14 takes a toll on your psyche and you start realize who you really are despite the motivational locker room speeches, if we actually do those. We have the look of a below average team and we play like it.
We still have 7 games left against some equally bad or even lousier teams but it won’t change the truth. This is a step back season.
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Post by lmills72 on Feb 10, 2024 20:56:37 GMT -6
Yep. But Lewis probably has 2 more years at a minimum, so he'll at least have the chance to redeem himself.
Funny how ridiculous my onetime fears of him being hired away by another school after a couple of years seem now.
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Post by prestonp on Feb 10, 2024 21:07:32 GMT -6
We look that bad because of no bench play and so-so abilities. You can't play six or seven guys and not be gassed. NIL and recruiting are on the coach. I can only hope that the coach's seat is getting warm.
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Post by CallingBS on Feb 10, 2024 21:10:44 GMT -6
It all comes down to poor recruiting
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Post by universityjim on Feb 11, 2024 7:04:21 GMT -6
It all comes down to poor recruiting I agree, but I can't believe every player on the unused portion of the bench is so horrible that he couldn't have coached them up enough to get some minutes from them. So in my opinion there is a coaching element to this too. Not playing them because he doesn't trust them has cut the teams throat. Of course what we see every time Micah Bell takes the floor really supports him never, ever, seeing the floor. |
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 11, 2024 7:32:42 GMT -6
4 starters gone. Top 4 players. 6 of 8 rotation players.
2 recruits expected to be in the rotation injured.
There may be a team out there doing really well under those circumstances, I don't think so, that's a lot to overcome though. Not just putting together new pieces, but 5 true freshmen.
The last minute recruits before season 1 were failed choices, I don't think we could expect much, but fair to criticize . This season's newcomers had no home runs to replace 4 good players lost, which would have been required for actual improvement. Probably needed 2 or 3 such outstanding players, at least.
I'm willing to bet some of these guys look better after next year, but no argument here that we don't need to bring in talent.
Our ceiling this year was a lot of things going well and late season maybe being a top 4 or 5 team.
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 11, 2024 7:41:12 GMT -6
It all comes down to poor recruiting I agree, but I can't believe every player on the unused portion of the bench is so horrible that he couldn't have coached them up enough to get some minutes from them. So in my opinion there is a coaching element to this too. Not playing them because he doesn't trust them has cut the teams throat. Of course what we see every time Micah Bell takes the floor really supports him never, ever, seeing the floor. Which of those 4 bench players are you thinking of? Extended minutes? We've had wins, and winnable games where extended time by any would have been sure losses playing them. |
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Post by williamtsherman on Feb 11, 2024 8:00:34 GMT -6
4 starters gone. Top 4 players. 6 of 8 rotation players. Yeah, relying on your predecessor to supply your talent for you worked OK for the first year. Not so good the second year, although Jihad is trying his best to carry the team on his back. I might suggest a new plan of recruiting the portal like a m----- f-----. Instead of getting ripped a new one by the portal again. |
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Post by universityjim on Feb 11, 2024 8:38:13 GMT -6
I agree, but I can't believe every player on the unused portion of the bench is so horrible that he couldn't have coached them up enough to get some minutes from them. So in my opinion there is a coaching element to this too. Not playing them because he doesn't trust them has cut the teams throat. Of course what we see every time Micah Bell takes the floor really supports him never, ever, seeing the floor. Which of those 4 bench players are you thinking of? Extended minutes? We've had wins, and winnable games where extended time by any would have been sure losses playing them. Take your pick. Not extended minutes. ANY minutes. What the hell would he do if we lost one of the top seven to injury. |
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Post by thebsukid on Feb 11, 2024 9:53:39 GMT -6
Unfortunately now if you’re a Mid Major coach you better love on the kids a lot because without money there is probably no other way. They got to want to play for you…run through doors for you!
I hope I’m wrong but Lewis may not be that guy!
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 11, 2024 10:11:40 GMT -6
Which of those 4 bench players are you thinking of? Extended minutes? We've had wins, and winnable games where extended time by any would have been sure losses playing them. Take your pick. Not extended minutes. ANY minutes. What the hell would he do if we lost one of the top seven to injury. We are a significantly weaker team. Playing a few minutes in games will not improve the bench players in any significant way. On the other hand it would lose winnable games. |
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Post by universityjim on Feb 11, 2024 10:23:18 GMT -6
We lose them anyway.
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 11, 2024 10:28:40 GMT -6
4 starters gone. Top 4 players. 6 of 8 rotation players. Yeah, relying on your predecessor to supply your talent for you worked OK for the first year. Not so good the second year, although Jihad is trying his best to carry the team on his back. I might suggest a new plan of recruiting the portal like a m----- f-----. Instead of getting ripped a new one by the portal again.
I disagree that we never recruit freshmen and am happy with Mason Jones. And with our portal recruits. We had perhaps two scholarships we might have used late in the recruiting cycle where we ended up with freshmen at the last minute instead of portal recruits. When it was known we would have those scholarships is not clear.
You claim we were ripped by the portal because we didn't recruit it enough. We had some good transfers, though. One of our portal recruits didn't ever play. And of course the coach was looking further than this year in recruiting freshmen, did not expect to lose as many players.
That may have been optimistic and an error, but ASSUMING it would happen and recruiting on that basis, avoiding good freshmen recruits, doesn't seem so clear except in 20-20 hindsight.
It's pretty clear we chose Doughty when he became available as an alternative to a portal big man. VERY hard to say that at that time we could have found a big man who had as much potential gain over several years. I won't say it was an error, while after his injury recovery failed it surely didn't work out, that's different question.
We recruited Zagorsak and Middleton late in the game, probably after Coleman bailed. We might conceivably have done better, but neither is a bust either, and portal recruits late in the game are not exactly game changers.
It looks to me that mid majors will recuit typically 5 or 6 players every year now. No doubt we will recruit 3 or 4 from the portal. Do youwant to rule out ever recruiting freshmen?
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 11, 2024 10:29:36 GMT -6
We do win some. And you'd be happier seeing no chance to win? |
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Post by 00hmh on Feb 11, 2024 10:33:15 GMT -6
Unfortunately now if you’re a Mid Major coach you better love on the kids a lot because without money there is probably no other way. They got to want to play for you…run through doors for you! I hope I’m wrong but Lewis may not be that guy! Without money you will not keep the most talented kids. The running through doors loving the coach part is not going to work.
I am not so sure as you that "loving" the kids produces great practice or great game effort.
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