Louisiana at James Madison

[Cajun Soldier]

If we can just hold it together. We will go through some growing pains we are young but the present looks competitive and the future is bright with the three transfers and the new recruit. Maybe we are turning it around.

[J-Town Cajun]

Jay Walker wrote that the Cajuns were on their way to their biggest non conference road win the Bob Marlin era. Beating a team who is now 0-6 doesn't seem that impressive? How about the road win against La Tech a few years ago?

[CajunEXPRESS]

Jay Walker wrote that the Cajuns were on their way to their biggest non conference road win the Bob Marlin era. Beating a team who is now 0-6 doesn't seem that impressive? How about the road win against La Tech a few years ago?

Yeah, I gotta go with your rendition.

[wcd35]

Jay Walker wrote that the Cajuns were on their way to their biggest non conference road win the Bob Marlin era. Beating a team who is now 0-6 doesn't seem that impressive? How about the road win against La Tech a few years ago?

Did he mean margin of victory maybe?

[Cajunsmike]

Did he mean margin of victory maybe?

He probably meant margin of victory. Maybe not, by my recollection it is the only true non conference road win since then. We did have a neutral court win in Las Vegas a couple of years ago. Still, I think this team is capable of picking up a couple of more of those before we start conference play. Once you win that first road game, it takes a mental block away.

[zephyr]

He probably meant margin of victory. Maybe not, by my recollection it is the only true non conference road win since then. We did have a neutral court win in Las Vegas a couple of years ago. Still, I think this team is capable of picking up a couple of more of those before we start conference play. Once you win that first road game, it takes a mental block away.

Mike, I am honestly not that familiar with our conference mates in terms of talent and personnel. After seeing this UL team now a few times, how do you think they will stack up in the SBC? Do you think we can finish top 3 or are we a year away?

IMO, if we are going to finish near the top, we are going to have to become a better rebounding team. I have not looked at most of the stats but we are not big and will need to rebound from 1-5 to have a shot.

[zephyr]

Without stove we owned them. I'll take that. We could use stove on Thursday vs a good Texas southern team.

Yes but Roydell Brown has honestly been playing better than Stove. Not playing well lately.

[Hark Mudspeth]

He probably meant margin of victory. Maybe not, by my recollection it is the only true non conference road win since then. We did have a neutral court win in Las Vegas a couple of years ago. Still, I think this team is capable of picking up a couple of more of those before we start conference play. Once you win that first road game, it takes a mental block away.

It is a mental block and having everyone around them tell them how difficult it is to do doesn't help, that's why I don't understand the mentality of our our head coach pounding away at that. If you tell the players over and over and over how hard it is to do something, they will believe it. Marlin appears to have heard some of the rumblings because the other night after Delaware state, that was the most I've heard him refuse to accept results since he has been here and that was after a win. If your coach takes the mindset of no excuses, your players won't make excuses. The court is the same size, the rim is the same size, the goal is the same height. I know people harp on it but there is proof of 2 men in the diamond sports who accept no excuse and look what their teams do. Those coaches put in their players minds that they will play you in the parking lot and beat you. I'm hearing a different Bob Marlin and I think it could make for a different team. Very seldom with everything go right, you gotta find a way to win anyway.

[Cajunsmike]

Mike, I am honestly not that familiar with our conference mates in terms of talent and personnel. After seeing this UL team now a few times, how do you think they will stack up in the SBC? Do you think we can finish top 3 or are we a year away?

IMO, if we are going to finish near the top, we are going to have to become a better rebounding team. I have not looked at most of the stats but we are not big and will need to rebound from 1-5 to have a shot.

I have not seen any other teams play but I have seen a few scores. The Ark. State win at Georgetown surprised me as we split with them last year in 2 close games. I thought they had the normal amount of folks coming back but they have played well so far. CajunT told me that he has seen UTA play and they deserve their pre season ranking as No. 1 in the league. Where we finish is something I cannot answer. I would guess in the top half but out of the top 2 or 3. Rebounding and youth would be my main concerns. Seeing Miller get some boards yesterday gives me a little encouragement we may hold our own there once conference play starts. The home games against Texas Southern, LA Tech and Pepperdine are what I would look at in trying to predict our conference outcome. Road game at Georgia also remains along with UNO and McNeese. Nicholls defeated Boston College so they won't be a slam dunk in the Dome opener on Thursday. I would be disappointed if we don't win at McNeese but it has been years since we have won there. UNO seems to be much improved. If we have some success in the remainder of non-conference, we may go into league play with some confidence which could get us off to a good start. However we start league play with a road trip to the Ark. schools. That is tough for anybody to manage. Stove needs to get out of his slump and the freshman need to progress rapidly for us to be able to make some noise in the league.

[Cajunsmike]

It is a mental block and having everyone around them tell them how difficult it is to do doesn't help, that's why I don't understand the mentality of our our head coach pounding away at that. If you tell the players over and over and over how hard it is to do something, they will believe it. Marlin appears to have heard some of the rumblings because the other night after Delaware state, that was the most I've heard him refuse to accept results since he has been here and that was after a win. If your coach takes the mindset of no excuses, your players won't make excuses. The court is the same size, the rim is the same size, the goal is the same height. I know people harp on it but there is proof of 2 men in the diamond sports who accept no excuse and look what their teams do. Those coaches put in their players minds that they will play you in the parking lot and beat you. I'm hearing a different Bob Marlin and I think it could make for a different team. Very seldom with everything go right, you gotta find a way to win anyway.

Maybe difficulty of road play has been harped on too much in the past. However I have been to some road games (under several coaches) and it is a totally different mind set you have to overcome. You have to be mentally tough to overcome those challenges and perhaps this bunch has that. It was encouraging to hear Coach Marlin say in yesterday's post game that the players were disappointed they did not finish the game strongly. Considering the game was well in hand, I think hearing they had that approach is a good sign going forward.