MBB Final: Louisiana 81, Coastal 64

[Cajunsmike]

I disagree with the "deep south basketball" narrative. I think fans want to be a part of something special, the sport is irrelevant. Bringing in name teams and BEATING them will pack the Cajundome. Game atmosphere is too good...

Hope you are right about fans coming if we show we are special. These days, one loss and you are not special however. I also don't know if it is possible to bring a name team in here in the current environment. A decade ago we would easily had over 6000 people for a home game if we had a 13 and 3 record regardless of the competition. Of course we have had too many average years and people gravitated to other things. We may need several years like this one has been so far before people come back in significant numbers. What I wonder is how people will react when a tough period arrives. We play UTA on ESPN3 on the road on January 18. They drilled us there ast year and a bad loss there will have plenty of people saying we always lay eggs in the spotlight. Let's stay with the guys through the bad stretches and they may come through in the end.

[Cajunsmike]

That kind of goes without saying, but we are not going to have even a top40 squad year in and year out. We do not have the resources or the recruiting base to do it. Marlin seems to have found a good formula of taking P5 transfers and mixing them in with mid level state recruits. Is this formula sustainable? I hope so, but history says no. Either way I am enjoying this season and hoping for a NCAA birth.

That was the same formula Jessie Evans used and he sustained it for awhile. The early signing period saw us bring in two of the better players in the state and they probably are above mid-level. I know the staff thinks Kobe Julien can contribute significantly in his freshman year. Note the rankings for the early signees are prior to the senior season of the players. If they were reranked at the end of the year, I would not be surprised to see Julien in the Top 3.

[MetryCajun]

That was the same formula Jessie Evans used and he sustained it for awhile. The early signing period saw us bring in two of the better players in the state and they probably are above mid-level. I know the staff thinks Kobe Julien can contribute significantly in his freshman year. Note the rankings for the early signees are prior to the senior season of the players. If they were reranked at the end of the year, I would not be surprised to see Julien in the Top 3.

I have heard good things about Julien. Let’s hope he can fill in for all the Seniors we will lose. Maintaining success is so difficult at our level. I have never been a huge Marlin fan, but I like the direction of the program.

[Cajunfanatico]

If Napier can do with the football program what we all believe he can do, there's no reason to believe that the basketball program can't be just as successful. Consistently having 6,000 or more fans at a game is not some out-of-reach dream. What's the baseball team average, 3500? We can do it. We just need the committment at every level.

[Esqueleto]

If Napier can do with the football program what we all believe he can do, there's no reason to believe that the basketball program can't be just as successful. Consistently having 6,000 or more fans at a game is not some out-of-reach dream. What's the baseball team average, 3500? We can do it. We just need the committment at every level.

I was very disappointed in the crowd last night. After the great start in conference play, on a Saturday night with NOTHING else going on all we can muster is 4k?
Maybe that's it. Maybe I'm just setting myself up for disappointment. There is no reason, in my mind, why a school with the basketball history that UL has should not outdraw it's baseball team.
I've also given up hope of having any kind of student support. There might have been 40 students there, and those there may as well have been someplace else. It's like they are too cool to be involved in the game. They don't even bother to cheer.

[CajunAmos]

If Napier can do with the football program what we all believe he can do, there's no reason to believe that the basketball program can't be just as successful. Consistently having 6,000 or more fans at a game is not some out-of-reach dream. What's the baseball team average, 3500? We can do it. We just need the committment at every level.

Baseball final number was 4917 per game.

[DocCajun]

If Napier can do with the football program what we all believe he can do, there's no reason to believe that the basketball program can't be just as successful. Consistently having 6,000 or more fans at a game is not some out-of-reach dream. What's the baseball team average, 3500? We can do it. We just need the committment at every level.

I agree. If we can keep winning, I believe we WILL have some games toward the end of the season with 6k+. It has happened in not so distant past so it's very doable

[Cajunsmike]

I have heard good things about Julien. Let's hope he can fill in for all the Seniors we will lose. Maintaining success is so difficult at our level. I have never been a huge Marlin fan, but I like the direction of the program.

Another factor for success is have the mid level state players improve as their careers progress. It appears that Washington and Stove have done just that. Of course those two guys are people of high character and they have worked hard to become better players. Bartley is as well and he seems to be a little more consistent this year. You are right in that those three guys well be hard to replace. Of course with my luck, it would not surprise me that since I stated something positive about them they struggle for the next couple of games.

[Cajunsmike]

Baseball final number was 4917 per game.

That was the actual tickets distributed per game. I bet people actually at baseball games was less than 3500. That is not a knock on that program. It is just a realization that with so many games people with season tickets don't attend every game. Still an impressive number and one the program and all fans should be proud of. However, in the big scheme of things moderate basketball success brings you much more national recognition than baseball or softball can. Many of our supporters seem to have forgotten that.

[Cajunsmike]

I was very disappointed in the crowd last night. After the great start in conference play, on a Saturday night with NOTHING else going on all we can muster is 4k?
Maybe that's it. Maybe I'm just setting myself up for disappointment. There is no reason, in my mind, why a school with the basketball history that UL has should not outdraw it's baseball team.
I've also given up hope of having any kind of student support. There might have been 40 students there, and those there may as well have been someplace else. It's like they are too cool to be involved in the game. They don't even bother to cheer.

Your post supports my view that people in the deep south no longer care about basketball.