Pathetic

[afan]

DC I really respect you, but....

JL's coaching did not lose this game. Turnovers late and clutch shooting by SIU is what lost it. I don't see how that's the coach's fault.

DC..I honestly believe that you have lost your objectivity. There were a multitude of coaching errors, and you don't have to be a coach to see them. I can't even imagine how you can say that coaching did not lose this game. JL was clearly outcoached. 10,000 plus fans cannot all be wrong. You should always look to the top when evaluating a groups performance. The team lacked intensity and focus in the last few moments of the game. You honestly don't think that the coach has anything to do with the teams focus???? Please do not cancel my comments as you may take my comments as personal They are not personal only my observations.

[dogsrus]

You guys should have found a way to hold on and win, no doubt about it but this Saluki team has made a habit of playing out of their minds in the final 5 minutes to take the game over. We came back from 10 down with 3:07 left in Las Vegas to beat San Diego and from 5 down with just over a minute left to beat San Fransisco the next day. It is very frustrating to see our players look so disinterested at times (such as the first half of this game) and then just seem to turn it on when they want to or need to. That won't always work. Here are some observations from a Saluki Fan.

1.) I scoffed when I read one poster say that Taylor Brown was better than anybody on the court but after that performance I might just agree. Kevin Dillard is the only one that put up an argument against as he has had a remarkable year both scoring and creating and is doing so while not finding his 3 point stroke yet. After hitting 46% from out there last year, I am betting it will come back. Brown is another one of the 6'6" wings that the Salukis cannot guard whatsoever. Justin Carter, Champ, and Theron Wilson exposed this in our defense last year so we brought in John Freeman primarily to match up there defensively. It worked late in the game so I have no idea why Lowery had Fay and Booker there the first half.

2.) You guys need a point guard but you already know that and know why so I will leave it at that.

3.) You have to find some depth. You never seemed to play many guys significant minute before the DSE and Dunson injuries but now it is even worse. You can't play your starters as many minutes as you do night in and night out and expect them to not get beat the last 5 minutes of the game.

4.) SIU has the best backcourt in the Valley, BU has the best wings. Both are just a solid inside game from being world beaters. If you had a couple of good bigs and could play Warren at the 2 and Brown at the 3 you could afford to play McCain up top for defensive purposes.

5.) SIU is a team that is going to score a TON of points this year but unfortunately also give up a ton. It is strange to make a complete 180 like that. I think a large part of last years struggles were due to Lowery fighting the obvious strengths of his personnel in order to retain the principles that built the program.

6.) Last but not least... I think people here are using the "they havn't played together long enough" thing as an excuse. The only times a team can play that card are when a majority of the roster is new faces. Drake is the only Valley team this year that can say that in my opinion and SIU was the only team last year. After the Mullins injury we dressed 8 players for 2 months. 5 of those 8 were first year players while another, Fay, was only a sophomore. Warren knows the system well by now as does Singh, (he probably remembers Molinari's system too) and Maniscalco who are all veterans. While they are still learning alot every day, Taylor Brown, McCain, and Egolf all should know it enough in what is their second year for it not to be an excuse for them either.

Just my 2 cents. Hope I didn't offend anyone somehow.

Not offended....agree with most of what you said. DD and DSE would really help. I hate to go there but BU hasn't been "tough" since these guys went down.

EM gives us more then SM right now. EM can't score but either can SM and at least EM gets you rebounds and defense.

I think its mental right now.....we have the talent. They just don't believe they can do it.

[FanOfTheGame]

No but I still think this season can be a successful one We need changes NOW We need to get away from this guard game Jimmy plays and go big My line up as I have been calling for would put SS in the middle and play WE at the 4. I know SS will not give us much in scoring but he would be in there to free up WE and TB. Also this would open shots for the guards SS with his Big body would be told to put a body on anyone in the middle I saw a little of this last night. SIU played this game with their bigs and guards This is how I think we can win and salvage the season that is on the road to NOWHERE Come on Jimmy, get out of that little guys mine set COME ON MAN GO BIG

The problem with that is there is even less interior depth. You would have to pull the redshirt of prosser.

[BradleyJD]

DC..I honestly believe that you have lost your objectivity. There were a multitude of coaching errors, and you don't have to be a coach to see them. I can't even imagine how you can say that coaching did not lose this game. JL was clearly outcoached. 10,000 plus fans cannot all be wrong. You should always look to the top when evaluating a groups performance. The team lacked intensity and focus in the last few moments of the game. You honestly don't think that the coach has anything to do with the teams focus???? Please do not cancel my comments as you may take my comments as personal They are not personal only my observations.

Agreed. There is way too much tip-toeing around the coaching here.

Does the coach ever get the blame for a loss?? So every loss is the players fault, but the Sweet 16 was all Jimmy?!?!?!?

[jasonpeoria911]

Actually this team has some depth, it's just the Coach doesn't know how to use it. We have 2 decent players to rotate in at center/PF, 1 to rotate in at PF/SF and 2 to rotate in at PG/SG. But no, Les decides to rotate in a walk on that isn't included in the above. He just doesn't play the right people in the right situations. Add Dodie and DSE to the mix and that is 4 to rotate in at PG/SG.

Jason

You guys should have found a way to hold on and win, no doubt about it but this Saluki team has made a habit of playing out of their minds in the final 5 minutes to take the game over. We came back from 10 down with 3:07 left in Las Vegas to beat San Diego and from 5 down with just over a minute left to beat San Fransisco the next day. It is very frustrating to see our players look so disinterested at times (such as the first half of this game) and then just seem to turn it on when they want to or need to. That won't always work. Here are some observations from a Saluki Fan.

3.) You have to find some depth. You never seemed to play many guys significant minute before the DSE and Dunson injuries but now it is even worse. You can't play your starters as many minutes as you do night in and night out and expect them to not get beat the last 5 minutes of the game.

Just my 2 cents. Hope I didn't offend anyone somehow.

[houstontxbrave]

I had to leave with 13 minutes to go but even then and before that it was not hard to see that they were taking complete advantage of SM, he is to slow to guard anyone with any speed. He also took several completely ill advised shots.

Sickening we lose up 7 with less then 2 to play on our home court. To me with 2 on the road coming up this type of loss will kill a season quickly.

JL better get control of his coaching very quickly. Going zone, not attacking a zone press out of a time out, playing a walk on, BTW if your going to dig deep on the bench and go walk on that is when you go zone to hide that person, not man to man v Fay.

Terrible loss and real possiblity to come back next Wednesday at 1-3. Mo for all his faults rarely if ever lost 3 straight home games.

I still cant believe he thought it was a good move to play Philips at all. Just a silly coaching move. But worst of all we simply have no point guard. We have one who shoots, but cant defend and we have one who cant shoot but can defend. Games are won in this conference in the back court. We wont win much with what we put out on the court from the 1. And if one of them is hurt stop playing him until he is healthy.

JL your ship is sinking bigtime, you better wake up and figure it out quick and stop playing walk ons. And if you have to put Warren at the 1 because SM is going to get exploited every night and EM is not going to get guarded ever.

[BU_EMT128]

When you lose like Bradley did, it's easy to second-guess any moves the coaches made. I was critical of several things in the Loyola game, but I did not see anything obvious in this game that the coaching could be faulted for.

I did not read the whole thread yet, so forgive me if this was already posted, but I have 1 HUGE issue I am second guessing coach Les on. WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY go to a 1-3-1 zone with SIU coming out of a timeout down by 7 with a minute and a half to go. You KNOW they are drawing up a play for a three points shot... and you go to a zone and give the a WIDE open look. That play, IMO, was when i looked over to my friend sitting next to me and said, we will lose this game.

[bu fan 9]

He went to a zone to try to protect Brown from getting his 5th foul.

[Braves4Life]

.... BTW if your going to dig deep on the bench and go walk on that is when you go zone to hide that person, not man to man v Fay.

My thoughts exactly. SIU went right at "the walk-on" and exploited him mercilessly. I felt bad for the kid as it reminded me how bad I might look if I tried to guard Fay.

[BradleyJD]

My thoughts exactly. SIU went right at "the walk-on" and exploited him mercilessly. I felt bad for the kid as it reminded me how bad I might look if I tried to guard Fay.

Funny b4life....I thought the same thing.

[Braves4Life]

He went to a zone to try to protect Brown from getting his 5th foul.

With less than a minute to go?! Crazy

[SFP]

Houston, You are wrong about not having a PG! EM is that guy IMO. He played great D and to his defense he only took one shot. They were guarding him and he was breaking them down with his dribble. If we talk about D there is no comparison. EM is our best man2man defender bar none.

I like SM a lot but if he is hurting then there is no way he can be in great game shape. If you are injured then you are not practicing 100% of the time. It means you are in the trainers room in the ice tubbs, whirlpool and etc.. Not getting conditioned! SM is our last 2 minute guy because he is clutch but if you are winded things can change quickly.

One more thing. Where was MK? What did he do to be sitting? Something happened that has not been said. AT??? I'd have thought that either one would have done a better job on Fay then Ryan?????

WE had his best game to date!

[shaunguth]

I'm afraid that's whats going to happen, then what?

Good......I would rather not have "fans" booing our team. I'm sure that will be something the recruits will remember from last night's game and that's too bad.

[Tulsa Brave]

He went to a zone to try to protect Brown from getting his 5th foul.

My son thought Brown would come back in then, and I said no...they should wait until they're on offense. Then he wouldn't have to worry about his 5th foul. I still stand by what I said at the time...Brown should not have come in at that time on defense...the result was an open 3 by Dillard.

[houstontxbrave]

Houston, You are wrong about not having a PG! EM is that guy IMO. He played great D and to his defense he only took one shot. They were guarding him and he was breaking them down with his dribble. If we talk about D there is no comparison. EM is our best man2man defender bar none.

SFP,

I believe a point guard is the floor general on the court, he gets the ball to the players who are scorers in the right spots, he plays tight, tough D, he handles the ball, when needed he makes open shots but knows not to force shots, he gets to the lane and either finishes or distributes the ball because he has caused the D to break down.

We do not have a point guard capable of what I just described. We have two who can do some of all but complete, absolutely not. And this is very surprising since we are coached by a guy who could do all of the above.

I though do agree EM is a better option especially v a team like SIU with a quick scoring guard. But JL insists SM is his man regardless of the time or situation on the scoreboard. SM is not the problem, the problem is JL playing him in situations he is not suited for and playing him while he is hurt.