We stunk it up today. Can we put it behind?

[SFP]

The league play begins and we probably feel like we all know what this team is about! So let's hear it!

1) Without an inside game we are toast! The inside game will open our outside game period. MS does not scare anyone. I'm still not sure what DC has done to be on the bench so much. Anyone care to share it with me.

2) DR needs to be healthy if we want to be .500 in the Valley with or without a biggie playing well.

3) TW is GREAT!!! Plays his heart out every game and has some hops.

4) Would love to see AW play agressive every game and every play.

5) Our D needs a lot of work. We can not shut down a good team for any extended time when we really need to. We should be OK in the Valley but if we are looking at winning a game if we make the tourney this will need to be addressed.

6) We have not been running to many fast breaks this year. Why? Well we need somone to get rebounds consistantly and block shots. We also are not getting to many easy baskets but sure as hell giving them up.

7) JC needs to shoot a mid-range jumper off his dribble. Everyone is making him dribble he needs to make them pay and right now he hasn't. Fix the inside game then he can go back to being a straight up shooter.

JL has a lot of work in front of him but I believe we can do it! It's just not going to be as pleasant of a season that most of us thought but winning the Valley is possible. Right now though I'd rather win the Valley Tourney then the regular season.

[Guinness]

The problem is that there have been multiple instances in which we have 'stunk it up' (Loyola, UIC, etc) and we're not improving or learning from it.

[MacabreMob]

I think I'd rather win the tourney than the season too (right now).

2 reasons:

1) We KNOW we are in

2) We get a better seed.... like an 11-12-13 instead of an 8 or 9.

[MacabreMob]

3) TW is GREAT!!! Plays his heart out every game and has some hops.

I also wanted to be on record as saying (maybe again) that TW is my fave.

I wish I could spend more time watching away from the ball and just watching TW.

[Long-Hair's Lunatics]

He's very good....

[BradleyBrave]

We have some problems, but 8-10 days off between nearly every game this month is not helping this team at all. We were seeing progress every game when we were playing every 3-4 days. We're seeing regression by playing every 8-10. That's over now, hopefully our regression is too.

[SFP]

BB good point! One thing that is disturbing though is that JL with time usually prepares the team as well as any coach in the country. Look at the game plan he had for Kansas 2 years ago. This team can only get better and hopefully they will be able to develop the chemisrty needed to compete for the title in MVC this year.They will need to mesh better if we have any hope. I have not seen the other teams play this year but it is still the valley and any team can beat any team any night especially if all the pistons are not working together.

[MacabreMob]

Look at the game plan he had for Kansas 2 years ago.

SFP, JL and staff only had 3 days to prepare for Kansas. I seem to recall they watched film and saw how nobody in the B12 then defended like they did in the MVC... and they didn't cu down passing lanes... and it was kinda like, well - gotta go with that, nothing else we can do with the time we had.

[BradleyBrave]

BB good point! One thing that is disturbing though is that JL with time usually prepares the team as well as any coach in the country. Look at the game plan he had for Kansas 2 years ago. This team can only get better and hopefully they will be able to develop the chemisrty needed to compete for the title in MVC this year.They will need to mesh better if we have any hope. I have not seen the other teams play this year but it is still the valley and any team can beat any team any night especially if all the pistons are not working together.

I agree, but sometimes too much time to prepare is a bad thing. Basketball is such a game of momentum and rhythm, sometimes you just need to go and play. When we were playing every 3-4 days, you saw strides both individually and as a team. We aren't seeing those strides anymore. The defense and turnovers are a legitimate concern. I don't care how talented a team supposedly is, if you turn it over and don't defend, you won't win.

[Grassman]

I think I'd rather win the tourney than the season too (right now).

2 reasons:

1) We KNOW we are in

2) We get a better seed.... like an 11-12-13 instead of an 8 or 9.

forgetabout it1 How do you spell NIT?

[MacabreMob]

forgetabout it1 How do you spell NIT?

Suppose, after the hangover of no NCAA.... I'd warmly welcome a thumping of UIUC in C/U in the NIT.

[BradleyBrave]

Suppose, after the hangover of no NCAA.... I'd warmly welcome a thumping of UIUC in C/U in the NIT.

I guess. My goal every season though isn't to beat UIUC. It's to get our name on millions of office brackets, internet pools, and pick 'ems come tourney time. That kind of name recognition and exposure is priceless. NIT unfortunately isn't. Without DR, we aren't even an NIT team. I really hope this doesn't end up being a Phil Gilbert type of injury. Those ruin seasons.

[Grassman]

I guess. My goal every season though isn't to beat UIUC. It's to get our name on millions of office brackets, internet pools, and pick 'ems come tourney time. That kind of name recognition and exposure is priceless. NIT unfortunately isn't. Without DR, we aren't even an NIT team. I really hope this doesn't end up being a Phil Gilbert type of injury. Those ruin seasons.

With this fan base, attendance, dollars, and support, we deserve so much more!

[MacabreMob]

I guess. My goal every season though isn't to beat UIUC. It's to get our name on millions of office brackets, internet pools, and pick 'ems come tourney time. That kind of name recognition and exposure is priceless. NIT unfortunately isn't. Without DR, we aren't even an NIT team. I really hope this doesn't end up being a Phil Gilbert type of injury. Those ruin seasons.

Oh BradleyBrave - I hope I didn't confuse anyone from my prior post.

Yes - my aspirations/hopes/EXPECTATIONS are the dance EVERY year - no matter the seed, no matter the opponent, no matter the outcome.

But if it is gonna be an NIT.... I'd enjoy a thumping on UIUC in the NIT (cause they will keep it Regional and we will have to hit the road for the "bigger" conference getting the better seed).

[Dallas Brave]

At some point of each season, most teams have to go through a test of will and this year's team is now in that period.

Last year, the team went through a trough after they let Illinois off the hook. The team kind of hung its head and proceeded to lose to Tenn Tech and then got tattooed by Michigan State. But, through renewed determination, they found themselves against Wright State and went on to play solidly the rest of the year.

While there are new players on the squad from last year, I think the other set of new faces that need to find themselves is the coaching staff. DR has been hurt for two weeks and did not practice much this week. I did not see a team prepared to play without DR. Not just the players, but the coaching staff will also need to step it up 110%. JL needs to get innovative and put the best "group" of players on the floor, not necessarily the best 5 individual players.

These are good players and we have a good set of coaches ... this team is capable of putting it together. The last two games have reset and grounded most everyone's expectations for the year, so the team has the opportunity to start anew.