Next Year

[pfunk880]

I am happy the 3 point line is getting pushed back next year so that we are forced to work on building a more balanced inside-outside game.

That's a really good point.

So starting line ups for next year anyone?

SM,DD,AW,TW,RA/AT

That is my guess too. Probably RA at the 5 when the season starts depending on how AT is coming along. I'd love to see it be SM, AW, TW, RA, AT at some point in the year though.

[AE Braves Fan]

I will hold on to my prediction until after the Spring signing session!

Alright, SPILL IT Big Mike!!!!!!!!

[real fan]

I see a lot of offensive potential;
Maniscalco
Warren
Wilson
Austin
Thompson
Cole-Scott
Egolf
Singh
Those 8 players should know what they need to work on during the off-season in order to make themselves better and to get themselves playing time; the new recruits need to get in early and see how they matchup with these guys that have experience; hopefully Chuck Buescher can teach all these players how to use the proper footwork in order to play good defense as I believe we have the players that can score a lot of points but we need to stop the other teams by playing much better defense then we did this season.Collins needs to go to big man school and play a lot harder as he seemed lost most of the season.

[braves12]

I understand that picking up better recruits is important, because BU needs to start out-recruiting some other programs for hope to get to the top of the Valley. From what I have read on here the past couple of years, BU is losing too many recruits to other programs in the Valley. Thus BU has to settle for recruits that were not the 1st choice. ISU, SIU and Creighton have been out recruiting BU for the same players. Hopefully the new facilities will help that.

But BU needs to start doing better at playing defense, rebounding, scraping for loose balls, playing with intensity, blocking out and doing the little things that make teams win instead of lose. If you look at the point differential in most games BU plays, it doesn't take significantly better recruits to win games, just better execution at the fundamentals of the game. I can't buy that Drake is overloaded with strong/good recruits. They just play better basketball.

Also, if you look at BU's record against the other Valley teams in the last 6 years it looks like this:
SIU 11 L's 3 W's
CU 11 L's 4 W's
WSU 9 L's 5 W's
MSU 7 L's 4 W's

DU 6 L's 6 W's

UNI 6 L's 7 W's
EU 4 L's 8 W's
ILS 4 L's 9 W's
INS 4 L's 9 W's

This would say that BU is around tied for 5th in the Valley, and the standings the last 6 years proves that out.

BU needs to start doing something/s much better to expect any 2nd place finishes. Either get better players or do the fundamentals much better.

I agree that some of our players will get better next year from this, but also won't everybody elses? Are we out recruiting the top half of the Valley?

Right now I would guess middle of the pack next year. I feel comfortable with the guards, but I haven't seen anything to tell me the bigs will be able to compete. Hope I am wrong.

[BradleyBrave]

Great posts by J Money and braves12. You're 100% right on. I think we'll be good next year, but I am tired of the hype and tired of hearing about the 'talent'. I'd rather have zero star recruits that aren't hyped at all and win 25 games and contend for a title instead of being arguably the most talented team in the league and underachieving year-in and year-out. We've had one overachieving year out of 6, and 5 underachieving years (sans a month run to the Sweet 16). Enough is enough. 20+ wins next year (to make 3 of 4 20+ win seasons) and league title contention (which means top 3), or it's time to seriously re-evaluate where this program is heading.

[braves12]

BradleyBrave,

I hear what you are saying, but I am not ready to say anybody needs to lose a job yet. What I am saying is that I don't think BU is recruiting with the tops of the league, or getting the team to play with the fundamentals of the top of the league. I think that once the new facilities are in place the recruiting needs to improve, or the staff needs a change to reach a higher level of recruiting. Regarding playing with better fundamentals, somebody/s on the staff need to pick it up or a change needs to take place to shore that up also. Who those changes would be is not up to me. As I stated the other night in a post regarding a Wessler article, I just want results. If better recruiting or better fundamentals or both bring that about....great. I loved the run to the Sweet 16, but other than that, the record points to mediocrity for 6 years running. Like many, I will always support BU as I have for half a decade, but I expect better results and I think better results are possible. Do I expect winning the Valley every year...no. Am I satisfied to finish no higher than 4th in the last 6 years ...no. Let's see what happens.

[bu fan 9]

Last years team was a overachieving team.

[BradleyBrave]

BradleyBrave,

I hear what you are saying, but I am not ready to say anybody needs to lose a job yet. What I am saying is that I don't think BU is recruiting with the tops of the league, or getting the team to play with the fundamentals of the top of the league. I think that once the new facilities are in place the recruiting needs to improve, or the staff needs a change to reach a higher level of recruiting. Regarding playing with better fundamentals, somebody/s on the staff need to pick it up or a change needs to take place to shore that up also. Who those changes would be is not up to me. As I stated the other night in a post regarding a Wessler article, I just want results. If better recruiting or better fundamentals or both bring that about....great. I loved the run to the Sweet 16, but other than that, the record points to mediocrity for 6 years running. Like many, I will always support BU as I have for half a decade, but I expect better results and I think better results are possible. Do I expect winning the Valley every year...no. Am I satisfied to finish no higher than 4th in the last 6 years ...no. Let's see what happens.

I never called for anyone in a leadership position to lose their job. Re-evaluating is just that, re-evaluating. Maybe it means a turnover with some of the assistants, maybe it means an adjustment in philosophy, maybe it means that some ultimatums be set, or maybe it means stating that we're happy being middle-of-the-road with kids that graduate. But I think that we want to be among the league's elite, and right now we're not. If we win 20+ and contend for a league title next year, I can hang my hat on 3 of 4 20 wins seasons and a great core or players returning in '09-'10. If not, then it's 're-evaluation' time.

[BradleyBrave]

Last years team was a overachieving team.

That's the only one in 6 seasons.

[bu fan 9]

The sweet 16 team wasn't?

[real fan]

I am disappointed in our record this season but I think that we play a good brand of basketball; I also believe that because of all the things that happened (injuries-suspensions) we never reached our goals (20 plus wins and a run at the championship) ; the program is going in the right direction and the new facilities will help us a lot in the future; the main thing we lacked was playing defense consistently and if we can start doing a better job of that we can begin to start winning championships like all of us can"t wait to happen. ( watched the replay of the Creighton game and the no basket call on Salley has to be the worst call I can remember in a long time and it hurt BU"S chances of winning very bad as it was toward the end of the game. The official that made the call (Tim Higgins was not in position to make the call as he was at least 25 ft. away and on the other side of the court) blew his whistle after the ball was out of Salleys hand .That was just typical of the way things went this season.

[braves12]

BradleyBrave,

We agree, except I think it is time to re-evaluate already. If the leader of the BU basketball program thinks that the new facility is the only thing affecting the recruiting...OK...we will find out soon enough. If it is something else in combination with the facilities, than I would llike to see it fixed sooner rather than later. In regards to the fundamentals, that needs fixed soon!

[Bravesfan]

The sweet 16 team wasn't?

I think BradleyBrave was talking about an entire season. The Sweet 16 team was mediocre for two-thirds of the season before they went on a significant run to end the season.

Agreed with many of the above points by the way. A little more emphasis on fundamentals of defense would go a long way into improving our standing in the Valley.

[BradleyBrave]

The sweet 16 team wasn't?

No. We were the #5 seed in our conference tournament. We had an NBA lottery pick on our roster, and another all-conference forward. We had Sweet 16 talent, but didn't play like until February. That team should have won 26 or 27 games and been a top 3 seed in the conference tournament.

[braves12]

real fan,

I agree that BUwe plays an entertaining brand of basketball, but so does Drake this year and they play with much better fundamentals and more consistent defense. I agree with you that BU did not play consistent defense this year, and I would say that BU has not played consistent defense much of the last six years (CB not withstanding). SIU plays consistent defense. It is an attitude with them. BU also does not rebound very well nor block out nor have players going to the boards when a shot goes up. I understand the Salley no call hurt BU, but not near as much as all of the 2nd chance shots Creighton got. When BU palys with intensity, they are very good. When they don't they are average to bad. I am not saying the program is in the toilet, it just needs to improve to meet what BU fans expect. The best news is that I think it is possible.