2010-11 Expectations

[MacabreMob]

I'm apologize if I came off as defensive. Wasn't trying to diminish the value of an NCAA bid. . .but context is still the ultimate measure. There have been dozens of fly-by-night conference tournament winners that were not good teams or programs over the years. I don't buy that a bad team reaching the NCAA is an indicator of anything other than having one good weekend. It is important not to confuse the two IMO.

That's how I sorta felt about Ohio U last year. They were 16-14 heading into their Conference Tourney (well, 17-14 if you count the win over a Non-D1 opponent). They finished 7-9 in MAC play. They had to go to Overtime to pick up their first win in their conference tourney AT Ball St (ahead of Ohio in the standings by 1 game but a team with an overall record below .500). They then went on to win 3 more games in the MAC tourney. Still, as a #14 seed, I thought they would get KILLED by Georgetown (a team that had beaten not only Nat'l Runner up Butler but ALSO National Champ Duke)!!! So ONE good weekend for Ohio winning their conference tourney (actually 2 weekends as the MAC Trny started on Sunday Mar 7th then resumed later in the week ending on the weekend from the 11th-13th) actually got turned into TWO (well, THREE) good weekends.

[Fetz86]

Top 2 league finish
MVC Tourney Championship
No more than 1 Home loss
NCAA tourney and advance

[Future Walk-On]

What have you guys heard about player development?

I have heard the AT and JP are doing very well!

Many good things about how well their work ethic is.

[AZ BU Fan]

Expectations High!

They Need To Win a Title

Or Time To Move On!


The only caveat to this is if BU plays well this year, competes, gets beat instead of losing, players show improved skills, BU puts multiple players on the all MVC teams, and JL can land another talented big for next year. If this happens and BU doesn't win the MVC or get an NCAA/NIT bid this season, I would support JL getting one more year with the players he will have coming back/starting their BU career.

JL endured a lot post NCAA with POB leaving early and all the other issues he has faced. I believe JL has paid his dues moving from someone who thought he could come right in and have success right away vs learning how to build a program. BU has put in place a new AD, JL has hired a great asst coach, and he has his recruiting hook with the state of the art BU practice facility.

My only concern is if BU has the post players to successfully run JL's up tempo 3 point shooting offense and who can support the aggressive pressing defense he seems to prefer. Can't wait to see how it turns out....

[bugregshu]

What have you guys heard about player development?

I have heard the AT and JP are doing very well!

Many good things about how well their work ethic is.

Haven't heard that one before...

[Future Walk-On]

Haven't heard that one before...

yeah neither have I.

I am intrigued though!

My source is legit too.

[bugregshu]

yeah neither have I.

I am intrigued though!

My source is legit too.

Don't get me wrong, I hope your source is right, but I was actually being sarcastic. It seems like every year someone says that Sticks is going to make an impact and he's been improving leaps and bounds. The funny thing about that though is that the best I've ever seen him play was in the Red Vs. White scrimmage his true freshman year in the fieldhouse when he had some nice hook shots. I personally find it discouraging that after 3 years, we've still seen little to no production out of him, and that my memory of him playing best was 3 years ago before he redshirted.

[Future Walk-On]

Don't get me wrong, I hope your source is right, but I was actually being sarcastic. It seems like every year someone says that Sticks is going to make an impact and he's been improving leaps and bounds. The funny thing about that though is that the best I've ever seen him play was in the Red Vs. White scrimmage his true freshman year in the fieldhouse when he had some nice hook shots. I personally find it discouraging that after 3 years, we've still seen little to no production out of him, and that my memory of him playing best was 3 years ago before he redshirted.

o i took it as you were actually saying you have only heard about him not improving. gotcha

i remember one of those scrimmages it might have been the year after and he did look good.

that is why i am intrigued myself just b/c nice source and not hear say...

i hope it is true though.

[fansince55]

I'm glad everyone is so positive! Our guards have to shoot the 3s so much better this year and we have to have someone rebound? A year older doesn't make us better; it makes us older. TB can't do it all. WE has to have a great year. Again we have recruited very good guards. If we keep playing the same offense with poor shooting, have the same poor inside defense, and have the same poor inside offense; again we will have the same mediocre results. If we don't finish 1st or 2nd in the MVC, and don't have at least 22 Ws; it is another disappointing season. Every year we talk about how good the team is going to be. If all the teams played 5 guards we would be super. The Sweet 16 was a fluke. We have been so bad in the last few years that we now think finishing 3rd in the MVC is very good. Without solid bigs we will be lucky to make the NIT. My expectations are the same as last year and the year before. That way I will not be disappointed. I sure hope that I am wrong and everyone can say what a jerk I am/was!

[SFP]

I'm glad everyone is so positive! Our guards have to shoot the 3s so much better this year and we have to have someone rebound? A year older doesn't make us better; it makes us older.

OK I stopped there! This is a bunch of 20 year olds and you are saying a year does not make them better? Right there makes your statement not credible. Wow!

[romar]

My expectations.

• BU will play 31 or more games focused with hard nosed defense.
  
• When BU wins, there will be alot of positive posts on the board.
  
• That BU will win games they shouldn't and lose a game or two they should win, but will win far more than they lose.
  
• ISU (red) will not beat them this year.
  
• That at the tip off of every game with every opponent, I will think they have a fighting chance and are capable of a W. If they lose I will be somewhat surprised, especially if it's one of those opponents in a "game they should win".
  
• I expect there to be a noticeable difference in defensive intensity (that is what Coach Platt delivers, ala Buesch or Mo).
  
• I expect JP to have a DSE like break out year. I've heard alot of "too slow" or "doesn't fit the system" about him, but I believe pure want to or desire or drive can help a player overcome what the casual observer can see as deficits. Everything I hear about JP is he has that drive (much like JC did).
  
• I expect that win or lose, the giddiness I felt in the NCAA run or the disappointment I felt last year, I will remain a big BU fan.

Go Braves!!

[squirrelgotdead]

That's how I sorta felt about Ohio U last year. They were 16-14 heading into their Conference Tourney (well, 17-14 if you count the win over a Non-D1 opponent). They finished 7-9 in MAC play. They had to go to Overtime to pick up their first win in their conference tourney AT Ball St (ahead of Ohio in the standings by 1 game but a team with an overall record below .500). They then went on to win 3 more games in the MAC tourney. Still, as a #14 seed, I thought they would get KILLED by Georgetown (a team that had beaten not only Nat'l Runner up Butler but ALSO National Champ Duke)!!! So ONE good weekend for Ohio winning their conference tourney (actually 2 weekends as the MAC Trny started on Sunday Mar 7th then resumed later in the week ending on the weekend from the 11th-13th) actually got turned into TWO (well, THREE) good weekends.

Didn't Ohio have a number of key players that were only eligible starting 2nd semester, too?

They reminded me a bit of BU 2006 in that regard. So, yeah, circumstantially things need to be considered. But with 3 senior guards and 2 starting frontcourt players returning, even with injuries, we should not be backing in to the NCAA Tournament. I am being crystal clear here.

[BradleyJD]

Keep it short and simple....

Win Valley title

AND

Make the NCAA tourney.

[BU RICK]

I'm glad everyone is so positive! Our guards have to shoot the 3s so much better this year and we have to have someone rebound? A year older doesn't make us better; it makes us older.

OK I stopped there! This is a bunch of 20 year olds and you are saying a year does not make them better? Right there makes your statement not credible. Wow!

SFP, I kind of agree with fansince55, the "doesn't make us better" part. So I guess the question is "when does a basketball player peak". Did POB peak his sophomore year in college, some would say yes. Did Anthony Parker peak his senior year in college, everyone would say definitely no. Did our seniors peak with last seasons .500 record and in the last game loss to UNI 57-40 I hope not but the record is what it is.

I think players that are still peaking are the ones adding to their vertical jumps, adding weight with quickness, extending their shooting range with percentages improving, and learning ways to play better defense and rebound. Have our senoirs peaked, I hope not, I guess that's the 64 thousand dollar question waiting to be answered.

So my expectation for this season is that we see some fresh new combinations of players that we didn't see last season, the seniors can still contribute, along with a new offensive scheme utilizing the bigger players with plays run towards them. Change can be good.

[Braves4Life]

I think players that are still peaking are the ones adding to their vertical jumps, adding weight with quickness, extending their shooting range with percentages improving, and learning ways to play better defense and rebound. Have our senoirs peaked, I hope not, I guess that's the 64 thousand dollar question waiting to be answered.

It sounds as if several of our players have not peaked yet and are still improving..... so I agree with SFP on this point.

Prosser, Brown, Egolf and Thompson have all put on good weight -- muscle. I'm hoping that their defense will continue to improve with Platt on board. And I'm hearing that Brown has been working hard on his jumper. I'd also assume that we'll see a quantum leap from DSE after his international experience. If Warren has gotten his basketball timing and jump shot back, and if Maniscalco is Maniscalco, and if Dunson hasn't lost anything (he'll probably be even better), then I just have a funny feeling that this may be a VERY special team this year.