MBB G13 Final: Louisiana 73, SLU 72

[Hatch]

Didn't they lose the very next day by 13

Yes, underachieving and inconsistent as I stated. They still had talent, I stated a few weeks before the tournament they were the team you wanted to avoid. That was before the issues we experienced.

[Cajunfanatico]

You use football for your basketball analogy. Totally absurd. Football is where the "next man up" cliche started. And, it's somewhat valid there.

But when you have 13 schollys, you're going to miss on a couple. The end of the bench is what it is (another bad cliche') for virtually every school. In other cases, players are projects and not quite ready to contribute immediately. That is at every school (especially mid-majors).

The injury to Marquetti is a crippling one. But as I said earlier, it will only help people like yourself fuel the fire about Marlin. Because we will be a shell of ourselves without him. So, in that regard, congratulations...I guess.

I, for one, am not here to bash Marlin. I'd just like some answers or potential explanations.

I cut my teeth on Cajun basketball when Beryl Shipley coached our squad so obviously my view of what exciting basketball looks like is heavily influenced by that. I was also an avid fan of the program when Bobby Paschal lead the team.

Those were exciting times to be a Cajun basketball fan.

What's changed? The sport? The times? The expectations? We sometimes seem to be sleep-walking through the college basketball season, year after year, just waiting to wake up so we can watch baseball and softball. That's pretty sad for a program of our size and history in my opinion.

I guess today I just get tired of hearing how hard it is to do things. WFT? It's always been hard to do great things. I want to see this program do great things, in all of our sports. I realize there are cycles to go through, there always are in life. But if the cycles involve several years of way down, a few more years of so-so, and a single year of well above average, then to me, that's not enough.

If paying Joe Bleaux to help us do great things doesn't work, then hire another guy who will. They're out there.

Now, about your Marquetti comments. Not saying a negative thing about Marquetti, but are we really at a point where an injury to such a player is a crippling one? A shell of ourselves, really?

Bo Lamar goes down with season-ending injury.....we're in a world of hurt..........Andrew Toney goes down with season-ending injury.....same comment. We can both name a few others. But Marquetti? That's the standard today?

Dunno. We just seem so....so.....almost average in basketball and that appears to be good enough to many. To me, it's just sad.

[ULvictory]

Couldn’t have said it better, Fanatico.

Average........that’s where I see it. Apparently, there’s people that’s ok with that. And that’s fine. But don’t crucify me if I’m not.

[ZoomZoom]

2017-18 NCAA men's bracket.

32 automatics and 36 "at large". 353 teams total, 321 after auto bids. Last year as point of reference, at larges to the P-6 were Big East 5, Big Ten 3, Big Twelve 6, ACC 8, SEC 7, Pac Twelve 2. THIRTY-ONE for the P-6. Left 5 for 290 to fight over. Keep in mind, not all 290 in the hunt each year, but making the tournament is everyone's goal before the first tip off in November.

A-Ten and AAC have strong basketball, each picked up 2. Left 1 to pick from the remaining 286.

Who was the lucky conference? The Mountain West.

Basically, you have to have a hell of a team to break the P-6 cartel on at large bids. And the automatic relegation to the NIT makes this "palatable" for the committee.

That's college basketball 2019. Money rules. Thank you ESPN and the original Big East. A bunch of tiny schools in the northeast goes all in with fledgling ESPN. Kids want to be on tv and boom, both explode in popularity and strength. The beast we have today, a billion dollar operation...NCAA men's basketball.

Before anyone bashes, did I mention ANY non P-6 victims? No.

Just pointing out, once again, the size of the hurdle ALL non P-6 programs face. Numbers don't lie.

[Ragin4U]

2017-18 NCAA men's bracket.

32 automatics and 36 "at large". 353 teams total, 321 after auto bids. Last year as point of reference, at larges to the P-6 were Big East 5, Big Ten 3, Big Twelve 6, ACC 8, SEC 7, Pac Twelve 2. THIRTY-ONE for the P-6. Left 5 for 290 to fight over. Keep in mind, not all 290 in the hunt each year, but making the tournament is everyone's goal before the first tip off in November.

A-Ten and AAC have strong basketball, each picked up 2. Left 1 to pick from the remaining 286.

Who was the lucky conference? The Mountain West.

Basically, you have to have a hell of a team to break the P-6 cartel on at large bids. And the automatic relegation to the NIT makes this "palatable" for the committee.

That's college basketball 2019. Money rules. Thank you ESPN and the original Big East. A bunch of tiny schools in the northeast goes all in with fledgling ESPN. Kids want to be on tv and boom, both explode in popularity and strength. The beast we have today, a billion dollar operation...NCAA men's basketball.

Before anyone bashes, did I mention ANY non P-6 victims? No.

Just pointing out, once again, the size of the hurdle ALL non P-6 programs face. Numbers don't lie.

All those statistics will goad some posters into saying its all an excuse!
Also you know who played in one of the C tourneys a couple of years ago? Yep, RP's ideal program, Nevada. Shame on those losers!!

Seriously, though, good info.

[cajun_lannister]

All those statistics will goad some posters into saying its all an excuse!
Also you know who played in one of the C tourneys a couple of years ago? Yep, RP's ideal program, Nevada. Shame on those losers!!

Seriously, though, good info.

They played in the CBI we played in the CIT whos champions include Columbia, Saint Peters, and Nothern Colorado even when it comes to mediocrity Marlin chooses the easiest path. Regardless we should never strive for either.

[ULvictory]

All those statistics will goad some posters into saying its all an excuse!
Also you know who played in one of the C tourneys a couple of years ago? Yep, RP's ideal program, Nevada. Shame on those losers!!

Seriously, though, good info.

Here’s some numbers for ya.

If that’s the case, then why pay $500k for a coach? Why demand more from the fan base? Shouldn’t we get a better return if we put more money in? Isn’t that what investing is?

And when we become ranked and make the tournament more consistently than Nevada, then I’ll smack talk them. As of now, we have no room to talk about anyone else.

[Turbine]

It was a great year. It was an exciting year and I thoroughly enjoyed it even though we fell short of our potential. It really brought me back to the Dome a lot and I enjoyed watching this team play. Unfortunately, it was the exception not the norm.

Marlin outcoached himself from some diehard fan approval.

He took an underage EP, coached him into the NBA early, and denied himself the "combo" of Payton & Long as a Senior/Junior tandem.

If Marlin had that dnh year on his resume, the mediocre crowd would be silent. ... Perhaps

[talktomewillis]

And still got bounced out the first round of a second tier tournament! Then got to watch Gap Tooth Ron go dancing

You don't know the CBI from the CIT. And you don't know the first round from the semifinals.

Anyone can get upset on any day, especially in a conference tournament. It happened.

It does not change the fact they won the SBC Regular season title and set a school record for wins in the process.

The contract extension of two years is just being announced now. But it was agreed upon last spring.

He now has four years remaining on his contract. And, I believe CajunT pointed out quite a ways back there is a reduced buyout.

[cajun_lannister]

You don't know the CBI from the CIT. And you don't know the first round from the semifinals.

Anyone can get upset on any day, especially in a conference tournament. It happened.

It does not change the fact they won the SBC Regular season title and set a school record for wins in the process.

The contract extension of two years is just being announced now. But it was agreed upon last spring.

He now has four years remaining on his contract. And, I believe CajunT pointed out quite a ways back there is a reduced buyout.

Wow did not know we made the NIT Semifinals!

Like I said earlier I mixed up the buy-in tournament my mistake.

We set a school record of wins yet lost to every top 100 team on the schedule.. EVERY ... SINGLE .... ONE

[CajunT]

You don't know the CBI from the CIT. And you don't know the first round from the semifinals.

Anyone can get upset on any day, especially in a conference tournament. It happened.

It does not change the fact they won the SBC Regular season title and set a school record for wins in the process.

The contract extension of two years is just being announced now. But it was agreed upon last spring.

He now has four years remaining on his contract. And, I believe CajunT pointed out quite a ways back there is a reduced buyout.

It definitely reduced Coach Marlin's payout. We should get the actual contract numbers once the UL System Board releases that information to the Media.

[Turbine]

There are 68 teams in the NCAA and 32 in the NIT. That makes 100 team slots that are selected between the two tournaments. There are only 70 team slots for FBS Bowl games. It is not comparable period. If your basketball team can not finish in the Top 100 teams in post season play, it has not business playing period.

100 teams out of 300 playing in basketball's postseason. 1/3

70 teams out of 130 playing in football's postseason. Over half.

It is much MUCH harder to make it to basketball postseason.