Coach Molinari doing something unheard of at WIU

[tornado]

so...when was the last time that WIU was in 1st place in their conference eight games into their conference season? (7-1)

When was the last time they drew over 4,000 to a home game?

When was the last time they had back-to-back games of 4,000 attendance?

Yesterday - Mo's Leathernecks knocked off the undefeated (in conference play) NDSU squad in typical Molinari fashion,
by holding them to 42 points in scoring and clamping down all their scorers.
Lawrence Alexander was just 3-13 and 0-5 from 3-pt, and he was forced into 6 turnovers!
3 of their top guys combined for only 25 points scored on 36 shots attempted..

It will always be very difficult to win, attract the best players, or draw big crowds at WIU - because...well, just because it is WIU - but Mo is doing a great job

[Braves4Life]

WIU definitely over-achieved when they got Mo as their coach. They are also fortunate that, at his age, he may choose to build a small conference dynasty and finish his career in Macomb.

[tornado]

I don't know - I think his name will get mentioned a few times at the end of this season for bigger jobs....
I can't say I know how he'll think but I really don't think he's all that attached to Macomb -

...and....considering his contract at WIU pays him only about $130,000/yr - which is way on the bottom end among D-I...and Mo signed an 8-year deal back in 2008 - so he's still locked in for 3 more years - and not likely to get much of a raise since the school is not rolling in dough...

Let's say some MVC or even some Big 12 school comes offering $500K or more....
(recall when he was at Minnesota he really thought he deserved that job but was dumped when they spent $2 mil to land Tubby Smith)

Mo still has kids to put through college (his youngest is still in high school) so a better job would definitely have an appeal...

[Guest]

NCAA tourney

Sounds like he is a shoe in for coach of the year and they are definitely going to the Big Dance. WIU big time

[Bravesfan]

Sounds like he is a shoe in for coach of the year and they are definitely going to the Big Dance. WIU big time

I wouldn't say they have their tickets punched yet. NDSU and SDSU are pretty darn good teams themselves, and there's a lot of work yet to be done. It will be a tough Summit League tournament, but WIU is more than capable of winning it. But the two Dakota teams will be a challange. Remember SDSU beat #16 New Mexico earlier this year, and in the Pit no less where it is almost impossible to win there. And NDSU already beat SDSU once. So winning the tourney will be tough. If WIU wins the Summit League regular season outright though, they will be guaranteed an NIT birth at the very least, so I would think that would be their more immediate goal right now. Then they can worry about the tournament afterwards.

[DeltaBrave03]

Win or lose, watching games played in the 40's would be brutal.

[tornado]

I know gerry was partly jesting because I know it is still the Summit - but Coach Mo is still doing something at Western that nobody thought anyone would do.......
I still think he'll get a few calls, maybe from Drake - when the season ends..

[78Brave]

Jim was a better recruiter than he got credit for I think and everyone knows he can coach defense. Those two things will make you successful at alot of places. It wouldn't surprise me if he gets other opportunities. Hopefully Western won't try to hold him back.

[Bravesfan]

I know gerry was partly jesting because I know it is still the Summit - but Coach Mo is still doing something at Western that nobody thought anyone would do.......
I still think he'll get a few calls, maybe from Drake - when the season ends..

I agree. I think they still have a strong shot at the NIT at worse. And after today, I think Drake will be making a few changes after this season is done!

If Mo comes back to the Valley, that would be three coaches out of ten currently in their second stint in the Valley at the same time! Don't know if that's ever happened before in any conference.

[tornado]

WIU is ranked #20 in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll -- ahead of every MVC team except Creighton and Wichita...
they don't seem to think much of Valley teams!

[Braves4Life]

WIU is ranked #20 in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll -- ahead of every MVC team except Creighton and Wichita...
they don't seem to think much of Valley teams!

Outside of CU and WSU they don't have much reason to. However, I'd place a very large bet that WIU could not hang with the top 4-5 Valley teams.

[Bravesfan]

Outside of CU and WSU they don't have much reason to. However, I'd place a very large bet that WIU could not hang with the top 4-5 Valley teams.

I don't know. Indiana St. has reason to celebrate today with Ole Miss and Miami both cracking the AP Top 25 today (and Ole Miss entering the ESPN Top 25). Those two wins will really help their at-large chances if they can finish at least 12-6, and with a win or two over CU and WSU. And yes, no offense to WIU, but I'm not sure they would be able to get by the Sycamores either. I do think they could beat us and Evansville though.

[wily coyote]

Way to go Mo. Keep those Necks on a roll. Hope to see ya Dancing come March.

[LittleBrave]

WIU is ranked #20 in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll -- ahead of every MVC team except Creighton and Wichita...
they don't seem to think much of Valley teams!

Even ahead of ISU-blue???

Not sure the Leathernecks could hang with them, but who knows???

[LittleBrave]

I don't know. Indiana St. has reason to celebrate today with Ole Miss and Miami both cracking the AP Top 25 today (and Ole Miss entering the ESPN Top 25). Those two wins will really help their at-large chances if they can finish at least 12-6, and with a win or two over CU and WSU. And yes, no offense to WIU, but I'm not sure they would be able to get by the Sycamores either. I do think they could beat us and Evansville though.

I agree that those 2 wins by the Trees will give them a boost. We've discussed it before in another thread and there are varying opinions about what it will take for them to have a shot to make it to the Big Dance.
I would venture to say though, that 12-6 will not cut it.
13-5 at the very least, but that would only put them at 20-9 with a B'busters win, and the Valley is not terribly strong this year. Some feel they need to finish 15-3 and in a tie for 2nd in the Valley.
I have felt that 14-4 with a win vs. Wichita or Creighton, a Bracketbuster win, and a strong showing in St. Louis (championship game or awfully close) would put them on a strong bubble.

The next 2 games are huge for Indy St. to keep pace with the league leaders and to get a good draw in B'busters and get more national exposure.