MBB G13 Final: Louisiana 73, SLU 72

Mike, I support our basketball program and like and respect Bob Marlin. He's a really good BB coach. But, we lack talent even in the SBC. Based on what I've seen so far this year, we'll be lucky to finish in the middle of the pack, especially with Malik injured to start the season.

Is our big freshman that bad that he can't play at all? Is the plan to redshirt him? What about the forward from Deridder? To play the way our staff wants, they need depth to rest starters periodically. If not, seems Coach Marlin will need to slow the tempo on offense.

Malik, get well soon!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zephyr

Mike, out of curiosity, do you know if Marlin and staff are recruiting any of the players that were in the Sunkist Shootout last week? I was there for a couple of days and never saw anybody from UL or at least not that I knew of. The reason I ask is there are some really good players that were in town. Sophie B Wright has several swing men who are not committed that looked pretty good. Walker has the top Sophomore and top Junior Guards in the state on their team and they are REALLY good. The junior dropped 43 against Riverside. We talk about getting better recruits and I'm just curious if we are even on any of them.

---

I do not know if they are after any of the guys you mentioned. I know focus for spring recruiting is JUCO post players. I also know they have recently observed juniors and sophomores that are candidates for Signing in 2019 and 2020. No idea where they are from. Recruiting is part of the job that never ends.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cajunsmike

I do not know if they are after any of the guys you mentioned. I know focus for spring recruiting is JUCO post players. I also know they have recently observed juniors and sophomores that are candidates for Signing in 2019 and 2020. No idea where they are from. Recruiting is part of the job that never ends.

---

I guess my point was that we literally had some of the best players in the state playing in our backyard. Cook, the guard from Walker is a stud. The other guard runs about 6'4 or 6'5 and could likely play the 2 and 3 in college. I would just be very interested in why we wouldn't be recruiting these guys if that truly is the case. I saw coaches from LSUE in the stands and a couple other coaches.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zephyr

I was out of town and didn't get to read anything about the game. What is the injury? I feel for him. Sucks to have your senior year go like that.

---

Malik has a knee injury. He was driving to basket and his leg buckled under him. He of course lost the ball, it was picked up by SLU, and they scored on the other end. After that, a timeout was finally called so as BJ Duplantis could attend to him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MetryCajun

First you advocate disbanding Basketball, now you want wealthy donors controlling the our university and having a puppet administration. Any more great ideas?

---

Oregon played for a NC and Houston won a NY6 game and both advanced deep into the NCAA tournament as well as have having a football stadium not built during the Balkan Wars.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zephyr

I guess my point was that we literally had some of the best players in the state playing in our backyard. Cook, the guard from Walker is a stud. The other guard runs about 6'4 or 6'5 and could likely play the 2 and 3 in college. I would just be very interested in why we wouldn't be recruiting these guys if that truly is the case. I saw coaches from LSUE in the stands and a couple other coaches.

---

I don’t know that we are not recruiting those guys. It would have been a good idea for a staff member to attend at least one day. Perhaps they did at some point. Note they left for Hammond Friday night. That is something new this year. Dr. Maggard is allowing for overnight stays for close bus trip games. Don’t know if it is a factor but they have pulled out wins in all three affairs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SlickRick

Mike, I support our basketball program and like and respect Bob Marlin. He's a really good BB coach. But, we lack talent even in the SBC. Based on what I've seen so far this year, we'll be lucky to finish in the middle of the pack, especially with Malik injured to start the season.

Is our big freshman that bad that he can't play at all? Is the plan to redshirt him? What about the forward from Deridder? To play the way our staff wants, they need depth to rest starters periodically. If not, seems Coach Marlin will need to slow the tempo on offense.

Malik, get well soon!

---

They are not redshirting either Lafayette or Gladney as they both have played in games. I think it is fair to say neither has showed enough in practice to warrant playing time when it counts. Also fair to say that is a disappointing development.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zephyr

First of all, tell me which areas of the country you find to be basketball hotbeds. I'd like for you to identify them before I respond so we keep the contradictions to a minimum.

---

Just on perception:
Indiana, Illinois and North Carolina probably have the best traditional high school basketball programs leading to better/more college talent. Urban areas would probably have the highest concentration of talent and more northern areas as well because of lack of football and baseball interest.
Texas and California probably produce a lot of players simply because of population and LA.
The point of that post was that someone said we should model ourselves after Butler, a private basketball only school in Indiana. And that's apples and oranges.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by talktomewillis

There have been 81 posts since I mentioned the injury to Marquetti looks to be serious and he could be out extensive time.

Not one reference to it.

Not even a good wish for Marquetti.

Lame.

---

Jay nobody mentioned it because it’s depressing. Injuries suck and I hate it for him because he is one of our most exciting players.

Without Marquetti we won’t win 20 games. The injury excuse will be used again, for a 2nd year in a row. It will also be valid for a 2nd year in a row.

That doesn’t change the fact that we are not getting what we pay for. We spend the most money in the league on basketball and we don’t see the ROI we as fans should expect.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MetryCajun

Sad to hear. He has really stepped up this year. He is clearly a top player on the team and will be impossible to replace with one guy. Russell has to step up now and start hitting some shots.

---

We don’t involve Russel in the offense very much. He is a guy who gets better the more he is involved in the game plan. I’m not sure Russel will ever be an asset if we use him as a spot up shooter. It doesn’t fit his game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SlickRick

Mike, I support our basketball program and like and respect Bob Marlin. He's a really good BB coach. But, we lack talent even in the SBC. Based on what I've seen so far this year, we'll be lucky to finish in the middle of the pack, especially with Malik injured to start the season.

---

So being a great recruiter is an important aspect of being a good coach. I’d also think evaluation of talent is another aspect. Gladney isn’t nearly college ready and should have been red shirted. Lafayette will never be a Division I player and should never have been signed. I’m sure he’ a great young man, but lacks the talent of Plaisance so we have experience with this type player.


No doubt recruiting IMO has been Marlin weakness. Too many lost battles, too many misses. Bob understands the game, can teach the game, but sadly hasn’t for nearly a decade been able to get enough talent to be really good.

Last year a prime example. Absolutely shouldn’t have lost to LilRock because Stove was out. Maybe Arlington but even that’s a stretch.

Good luck with the good coach, of course I’d prefer the better, and best option.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cajunfanatico

Yahoo Sports thinks they're a clown show:

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Take a bow Renu Khator. The Houston president is officially the emptiest suit in all of collegiate administration, the college president that has her fellow presidents rolling their eyes at cocktail parties.

Take a bow Chris Pezman. The Houston athletic director is the puppet for a volatile billionaire, as much in charge of his own department as the school mascot.

Take a bow, Tillman Fertitta. The University of Houston chairman of the board of regents and generous athletic department benefactor is living proof that you can buy a university and run the athletic department like a fantasy team. Fertitta is rich enough to own the Houston Rockets and vain enough to call into talk radio and give the hosts the low-down on how a coaching search went. (Yes, he actually did that.)

Houston’s clown triumvirate is being cackled at around college sports today as they clumsily attempt to fire Major Applewhite as Houston’s coach. In their attempt to woo an invite from the Big 12, Houston did the reputational equivalent of dropping a load of manure on commissioner Bob Bowlsby’s doorstep, ringing the doorbell and then running.

https://sports.yahoo.com/major-apple...233551453.html

---

No mention of her getting UH to Tier 1 and increased their academic ranking by 100 spots.

It’s a hit piece because Houston is upsetting the apple cart. Houston will also top a $1B endowment under her leadership.

But none of that matters right? Meh Sports Ugh