Article picks Bradley 10th in MVC next year

[Da Coach]

In women's basketball--
A writer for the Springfield (Missouri) News Leader projects next season's women's MVC finish, and he is not kind to Bradley and Paula Buscher. Let's hope the good recruiting class changes things--

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070525/BLOGS0701/70525029

[shaunguth]

Looks like I wasn't the only one that took the bait on this one! 133 views and I'm the only one to admit DC got me to bite? Good one Coach!

[houstontxbrave]

I have beaten this horse many many times on here, but its raining in Houston and I am at work.... so I will ask exactly how does Paula Buscher still have the head coaching position at Bradley University?

I guess 7 full years of complete futility isnt enough.

[Scouter]

I have beaten this horse many many times on here, but its raining in Houston and I am at work.... so I will ask exactly how does Paula Buscher still have the head coaching position at Bradley University?

I guess 7 full years of complete futility isnt enough.

I think for many years the lack of success for the women's team has been hidden by Peoria's affinity for the men. And I suppose an excuse could be made because of the poor on-campus facilities at the field house.

It'll be interesting to see how/if the expectations for the women's team change when the new facility is completed.

[Chico]

I think the Fieldhouse is a great facility for the women's team. When only 600 fans show up, why would you need a bigger place to play?

[Scouter]

I think the Fieldhouse is a great facility for the women's team. When only 600 fans show up, why would you need a bigger place to play?

In terms of places to play, it's one of the best in the business. As far as having practices and other things outside of actually playing games, it's not so great.

[IlliBraves]

600 must be an exaggeration. You can hear the crickets at a women's basketball game

[MacabreMob]

600 must be an exaggeration. You can hear the crickets at a women's basketball game

They are all out in the foyer eating 50 cent hotdogs.

[georgethedog]

I think the Fieldhouse is a great facility for the women's team. When only 600 fans show up, why would you need a bigger place to play?

I continue to wonder what all the seats will be doing? 4,500? Is that right? What sport is BU gonna attrack 4,500 except Men's BB? There's gonna be a lot of seats that just sit empty forever. I suppose it will be used for the occasional concert, etc., or Central vs. Manual and other HS events. What am I missing here?

[Big Mike]

I think the new arena will only help in recruiting.......but the coach needs to "step it up" with what to do with the talent at hand! There is enough talent here to win IMO!

[MacabreMob]

I think there is enough talent for next year and I think 10th will NOT happen.

I like Paula and I am glad to see she is given the chance to continue with the new facilities on the way.

[houstontxbrave]

I think there is enough talent for next year and I think 10th will NOT happen.

I like Paula and I am glad to see she is given the chance to continue with the new facilities on the way.

I just want to get this straight. She is 127-152 over all after 8 season, 79-106 in the MVC in that time and that is not enough to have had her fired as the head coach of this program?

Mo was one year removed from an MVC conference title game and possibly going to the NCAA and he was fired, but she continues to lose at an alarming rate and keeps her job.

Sorry but no matter how "nice" she is or well "liked" she is, she has shown a complete inability to win basketball games at the Division 1 level.

How will someone with such below average career numbers all of a sudden turn that around because the school is building a new arena... will that make her a better coach?

Look ISU and SIU not to long ago were both two of the worst programs in the Valley in Womans basketball, they both now have passed BU and they are both fighting for titles and we are fighting to get into the conference tourney.

I am sorry but losing is simply not acceptable after such a long time as the head coach of a program. I have no idea why she is given a pass, Frietag certainly wasnt and her numbers were similar. Maybe it is because KK couldnt get anyone other then Buscher to take the job and he feels obligated to keep her around, but there has to be a point were the losing trumps that she is nice or well liked or any other reason given for keeping a coach with a career record 25 games under .500

[Da Coach]

I doubt KK would have any trouble finding someone to take the job if or when it happens. A head coaching job pays very well (much more than an assistants job anywhere) and there are only a little more than 300 Div I jobs, and Bradley is far from the bottom.
It may seem unfair, but I think the standards are different than for Molinari. Men's basketball is the primary money raising sport at Bradley. When that revenue starts to decline, that becomes reason to make a change. Think of women's basketball like women's softball or volleyball, or even men's cross country or men's tennis. As long as the program is run well and graduates it's kids, they will give them more time.

[Braves4Life]

I doubt KK would have any trouble finding someone to take the job if or when it happens. A head coaching job pays very well (much more than an assistants job anywhere) and there are only a little more than 300 Div I jobs, and Bradley is far from the bottom.
It may seem unfair, but I think the standards are different than for Molinari. Men's basketball is the primary money raising sport at Bradley. When that revenue starts to decline, that becomes reason to make a change. Think of women's basketball like women's softball or volleyball, or even men's cross country or men's tennis. As long as the program is run well and graduates it's kids, they will give them more time.

Agreed! The women's programs' success is much more a function of where the school places its priorities. I think BU feels that as long as they field a competitive women's program with with quality student/athletes and a classy coach that that is enough.

Now, with the new facility this may all change. And if the coach doesn't win more they may make a change -- ala Coach Stowell with the men's team.

[squirrel]

A few things about the women's program. . .

It has only been a DI program only about 15-20 years, and weren't even really successful as a non-DI. And they've been DI without DI facilities.

So there's no tradition and inadequate support, and it is essentially still a non-DI

They were initially in the Mid-Con after becoming DI.

While having some good players like Van Oppen and Braud, many times they were still overmatched by schools with greater resources filtered towards women's athletics.

There has never been much competitiveness from the program, but Buscher has had them as competitive as most. Without looking it up, (before this year when everybody qualified) she probably has as many conference tourney appearances or a higher pct. participation than any other BU women's coach. And just about every year, they've had to play either the champ or runner-up in the first round, and I think only the Indiana State loss a couple years ago was the only blowout.

Also, since people don't really pay attention, the women's side of the league has become incredibly more competitive from top-to-bottom, much like the men. The former league powers MSU, UNI, and Drake have been matched by the ISU's the last couple seasons. So the fact that BU has remained competitive during that stretch with its limited resources in my eyes is pretty amazing.

I don't believe the BU women's job could offer a competitive salary until the men's breakthru in 2006.

That said, the facilities have changed everything. Recruiting has improved immensely.

So accordingly, she will likely have a shorter lease. And I think when the time comes to make a change, you will see an instant air of credibility which frankly hasn't been there. And if there doesn't seem to be signs of progress or improvement this year, you will likely see them bring in the new arena with a new coach, a new attitude, a new commitment, and hopefully a tradition.

But I think they would still be able to hire a promising up and coming coach at a salary that may not be quite at league standards, but starts to get the ball rolling.