Well now you know.
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What potential? UL basketball hasn’t been special since Andrew Tony. We’ve had some nice seasons, even a few nice seasons grouped together.
Marlin has simply locked us into perpetual non relevance. He didn’t create the mediocrity. That’s existed for over half a decade.
Victory the glorious past isn’t coming back.
The potential to win a NCAA tournament game is not some crazy expectation. I'm not suggesting we become to perennial Top 25 powerhouse. All I am asking is to make the dance more than once every 15 years.
With the resources we have, that isn't too much to ask. But to some, it's treated as this impossible feat.
Means nothing here, just wanted to point out that at the time Im posting this, my phones battery is at 75%.
That is all.
Appearances since the death penalty starting from 1973...82 and 83 (9 year gap), 92 (9 year gap), 94 (1 year gap), 2000 (6 year gap), 2004 and 05 (4 year gap. BUT both appearances vacated), 2014 (9 year gap). Presently going into year 2023 (9 years if we make it). Statistically, we are due.
CE, looks like a pattern of mediocre play has existed for decades. Paschal (and Hatfield) built the program back. Marty had the responsibility of building it from there...but peaked with two NCAA appearances and crashed from there. Evans bailed when the NCAA came calling. UL screws up the next hire and we ended up with Lee doing just like Richard at ULM did...inherted the grade mess. Marlin stared out nice but lost what little momentum we had.
Now we are in a 14 team conference. Nobody will ever break out as an at large because the lower end baggage of this league. RPIs 250+ hurt, and with basketball being the one sport where home court is the most noticable advantage, the blind squirrel lives on in the one bid conferences. The Blackham days get further and further out the picture.
But we must do better regardless and get the brand out there.
In the meantime, here is reality. Our record speaks for itself to paraphrase Robe. Even with the Evans and Shipley vacated years, we have 10 appearances. Nothing to be excited over.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_D...bids_by_school