Meanwhile, Cajuns have the best basketball team in LA

[CharlieK]

I don’t understNd the arguement here. Is there anyone who doesn’t want to win the regular season title, and the tournament and go dancing? Are we approaching the season in some flawed manner where we aren’t trying to win every game?

We need to schedule stronger OOC, not sure there is even much disagreement there. Just about how difficult that may or may not be.

[Ragin4U]

Let’s say you’re 3/7 in non conferenc, and 4/14 in conference play. You’re either a bad team or a hurting team. Let’s assume you win 3 or four in a tournament to get to the NCAA. We can say with confidence lucky isn’t only thing, but you’re probably not turning things around.


Being good requires some level of consistabsy at playing well. So that team isn’t technically luck, but probably isn’t good either.

No real argument from me just that "luck" may just be getting hot at the right time. I would rather we luck into three games in March than in January. Remember, other teams can have "luck" too.

[Ragin4U]

Rare but yes, if you spot one they are sometimes called National Champs.

This is absolutely correct. Every team needs a break or two to go their way, no matter how good they are.

[ZoomZoom]

No real argument from me just that "luck" may just be getting hot at the right time. I would rather we luck into three games in March than in January. Remember, other teams can have "luck" too.

Now that UTA stumbled out to an 0-2 start, let me be the first to call them "the team I'd hate to see a tournament time".

[Ragin4U]

Now that UTA stumbled out to an 0-2 start, let me be the first to call them "the team I'd hate to see a tournament time".

There is no way they are as bad as they looked the last two games. Hervey and Neal will get it going sooner or later.

[Just1More]

I don’t understNd the arguement here. Is there anyone who doesn’t want to win the regular season title, and the tournament and go dancing? Are we approaching the season in some flawed manner where we aren’t trying to win every game?

We need to schedule stronger OOC, not sure there is even much disagreement there. Just about how difficult that may or may not be.

I agree. Some in this thread are confusing... or deliberately combining some argument of what final season and post season outcomes are best for the Cajuns... and what our "goals" are. I think our goal is to make every basket and stop the other guy from making a basket. I still cannot figure out what people are talking about in the "goal" and "focus" department... that would achieve an outcome above trying to win every game.

I do agree with scheduling being an issue (or an argument of multiple issues in D1 MBB)... and RPI (related issue)... and seeding (related issue)... and respect/ranking/attractiveness to another conference... and so on.

But I disagree that there's some "goal" when start, get in the middle of, or finish a season that isn't all about winning. The regular season, conference championship titles... and whatever post season happens... are outcomes based on your resultant goal of winning.

[duggie85]

I'm looking at it from a fan's perspective. I feel like winning a couple of games in the NIT would be much more fun than a 1 and done.

Also, the exposure from an NCAA birth only materializes after winning a game. Can you remember any 13-16 seeds from last year's tournament that didn't win? I can't.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'd love for the Cajuns to win the tournament and make the big dance.

From a fans perspective, you must not have gone to our last NCAA game in San Antonio. The feel in the arena, especially when the game was still close late in 2nd half, can not be replicated by a second rate tournament.

[Cajunfanatico]

There is no way they are as bad as they looked the last two games. Hervey and Neal will get it going sooner or later.

I've seen a couple of their fans comment that they think "something's up" with that program, like some sort of underlying problem that's not being disclosed. Time will tell.

[Cajunfanatico]

From a fans perspective, you must not have gone to our last NCAA game in San Antonio. The feel in the arena, especially when the game was still close late in 2nd half, can not be replicated by a second rate tournament.

Can we call the NIT a second tier tournament? It just feels right because it's a tournament of champions for the most part, as compared to the pay-to-play tournaments. Those are indeed second rate.

[BeauCajun]

From a fans perspective, you must not have gone to our last NCAA game in San Antonio. The feel in the arena, especially when the game was still close late in 2nd half, can not be replicated by a second rate tournament.

I was there also. Definitely something special for our team and fans. Hopefully I can experience that again soon.

[lcitsh]

Cajuns are now the only Sun Belt team in the top 100 rpi rankings.

http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/weekly...18MBBrpi1.html

------- Division I Only --------
Rank Prev Rank Name Conf W-L Road Neut Home Non-Div I
83 95 Louisiana Sun Belt 12-3 4-2 2-1 4-0 2-0
111 103 Ga. Southern Sun Belt 10-5 4-4 2-1 2-0 2-0
147 119 UT Arlington Sun Belt 9-6 3-5 1-0 4-1 1-0
200 187 Georgia St. Sun Belt 9-6 4-4 1-1 2-1 2-0
220 247 South Ala. Sun Belt 8-6 0-5 2-0 5-1 1-0
253 275 Appalachian St. Sun Belt 7-8 0-6 1-2 4-0 2-0
262 224 Coastal Caro. Sun Belt 7-8 1-2 2-1 1-5 3-0
271 290 Troy Sun Belt 7-8 1-4 1-2 3-2 2-0
300 310 Little Rock Sun Belt 4-11 0-7 0-0 3-3 1-1
301 297 Arkansas St. Sun Belt 6-9 1-7 0-0 3-2 2-0
314 289 La.-Monroe Sun Belt 6-7 0-6 0-0 3-1 3-0
320 339 Texas St. Sun Belt 8-7 3-5 1-1 2-1 2-0

[Hatch]

From a fans perspective, you must not have gone to our last NCAA game in San Antonio. The feel in the arena, especially when the game was still close late in 2nd half, can not be replicated by a second rate tournament.

I argree, nothing compares to the big dance. I wasn't there in San Antonio but I was in Nashville in 05. We are pretty much at the point where for a mid major to get a chance to dance they have to win the conference tournament. That doesn't mean that winning the regular season championship isn't important, of course that should be the goal and that should also put you in the best spot going into the conference tourney. However winning the conference tournament to get in, without being regular season champs doesn't necessarily mean you "lucked" your way into the NCAA. I get that argument for a team hovering around .500 that gets hot and makes a run. However, even in the Sun Belt a team that wins 20+ and goes into the conference tournament as a 2-4 seed and wins it, is not lucky but a quality basketball team that took care of business at the right time.
That's the same reason I'm ok with playing in the CIT. A team that can win 20+ and be near the top of the conference but come up short in the conference tourney is probably good enough to go deep in the CIT, and maybe win it. So why not do it? Let the boys play and practice for a few more weeks, and support them while they try to make a run.