MBB G13 Final: Louisiana 73, SLU 72

[Turbine]

There are only 130 FBS teams so at that rate 53% are playing in bowl games. In D1 basketball there are 351 teams. So even when you throw in the CBI and CIT and the Vegas 16 that’s roughly 45% playing in the “postseason”. Very comparable in my opinion, albeit lower tier bowls are much higher on the national radar than the mid major tournaments. And I realize you don’t “buy into”a bowl game but you can sure as hell loose a heck of a lot going to one.

Sorry T hadn't read this far, didn't intend to pile on.

Ps I rounded off low on my numbers Hatch's are clearly better.

[talktomewillis]

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.

Fanatico, the answer to your question is....EVERYTHING has changed.

Beryl Shipley's teams, based on their body of work, would never have sniffed the NCAA tournament with today's criteria (unless they got an auto bid.)

One of the greatest accomplishments in our long basketball history is when USL got an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with Bobby Paschal. Today, that team wouldn't have been considered.

What happened is the sport exploded. And, with billions of dollars in TV rights, the big conferences have done everything possible to exclude virtually everyone that isn't in one of the Big 6 conferences.

We were all enthralled by Loyola-Chicago last year. Reality is, had they not won their conference tournament, they wouldn't have been invited. It's the way it is today.

We have watched the interest in college basketball in the Deep South all but disappear. Fans are staying away in droves in conferences like the Sun Belt, Southland, Atlantic Sun and CUSA (with exception of those schools not considered in the Deep South or basketball crazy states like N Carolina and Kentucky.)

I have said many times......we loved the days of Lamar and Toney. Those days are gone. They aren't coming back. Too much has changed with recruiting and big time college basketball. Occasionally we can catch lightning in a bottle and get an Elfrid.

As far as your Marquetti comment is concerned, while he is not a Toney or a Lamar, he's a damn good basketball player. An NBA player? No. But a player who can make a great living overseas.

Regardless of what caliber of team you have, when you lose your best player (and I think Malik was certainly our most versatile because of everything he could do) you aren't going to be nearly as good.

And, over the years, that hasn't changed.

Last year we won a championship. And, the same people on this board who vilified Bob Marlin several years ago when he said it all comes down to three days in March, got ____ed off last year when they found out he was right.

Scott Cross is the winningest coach in UTA history. He's had some fine teams since joining the Sun Belt. But he won a title, got upset in the conference tournament and was fired because he never made the NCAA tournament. Several criticized UTA for that move.

And, now some of those same people want to do the same to Marlin.

Some of the criticism of Marlin I agree with. I don't like the schedule. I wish we had more OOC success against good teams. I HATE playing non D-1's (even though Shipley and Paschal played more than their share).

But none of that means anything when it comes to the main goal, which is to win championships. Bob Marlin has won two in the last five years. And, the Lannisters and Victorys of the world would be a lot more quiet had it not been for losing one freaking game in March.

But that's the way it is with millennials.

The reality is no one dominates mid major leagues. Not the Sun Belt, not CUSA, not the ASun, not the MAC. And, to suggest we should is complete folly.

There are 12 teams in this league. It is the league we are in. Only one school has had more championships over the last five years.

But hey, what do I know.

[ZoomZoom]

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.

Thanks. Not an excuse for anyone. Factual numbers and market conditions.

[cajun_lannister]

Fanatico, the answer to your question is....EVERYTHING has changed.

Beryl Shipley's teams, based on their body of work, would never have sniffed the NCAA tournament with today's criteria (unless they got an auto bid.)

One of the greatest accomplishments in our long basketball history is when USL got an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with Bobby Paschal. Today, that team wouldn't have been considered.

What happened is the sport exploded. And, with billions of dollars in TV rights, the big conferences have done everything possible to exclude virtually everyone that isn't in one of the Big 6 conferences.

We were all enthralled by Loyola-Chicago last year. Reality is, had they not won their conference tournament, they wouldn't have been invited. It's the way it is today.

We have watched the interest in college basketball in the Deep South all but disappear. Fans are staying away in droves in conferences like the Sun Belt, Southland, Atlantic Sun and CUSA (with exception of those schools not considered in the Deep South or basketball crazy states like N Carolina and Kentucky.)

I have said many times......we loved the days of Lamar and Toney. Those days are gone. They aren't coming back. Too much has changed with recruiting and big time college basketball. Occasionally we can catch lightning in a bottle and get an Elfrid.

As far as your Marquette comment is concerned, while he is not a Toney or a Lamar, he's a damn good basketball player. An NBA player? No. But a player who can make a great living overseas.

Regardless of what caliber of team you have, when you lose your best player (and I think Malik was certainly our most versatile because of everything he could do) you aren't going to be nearly as good.

And, over the years, that hasn't changed.

Last year we won a championship. And, the same people on this board who vilified Bob Marlin several years ago when he said it all comes down to three days in March, got ____ed off last year when they found out he was right.

Scott Cross is the winningest coach in UTA history. He's had some fine teams since joining the Sun Belt. But he won a title, got upset in the conference tournament and was fired because he never made the NCAA tournament. Several criticized UTA for that move.

And, now some of those same people want to do the same to Marlin.

Some of the criticism of Marlin I agree with. I don't like the schedule. I wish we had more OOC success against good teams. I HATE playing non D-1's (even though Shipley and Paschal played more than their share).

But none of that means anything when it comes to the main goal, which is to win championships. Bob Marlin has won two in the last five years. And, the Lannisters and Victorys of the world would be a lot more quiet had it not been for losing one freaking game in March.

But that's the way it is with millennials.

The reality is no one dominates mid major leagues. Not the Sun Belt, not CUSA, not the ASun, not the MAC. And, to suggest we should is complete folly.

There are 12 teams in this league. It is the league we are in. Only one school has had more championships over the last five years.

But hey, what do I know.

If it's so unfair pay marlin 100k and pump the would be basketball money into sports that have a chance. The extra money would go a long way in other sports here. Btw Glasco & Napire have both coached in the same number of Sunbelt championship games as Marlin... imagine what they could do with 8 years and an extra few hundred thousand

[Turbine]

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

I could sense there was a Gap in your logic, but I couldn't identify it till now.

[CajunT]

If it's so unfair pay marlin 100k and pump the would be basketball money into sports that have a chance. The extra money would go a long way in other sports here.

I understand the rational behind your statement, but it doesn't help our overall athletic program to fund MBB program with less and expect even the AAC to look at us seriously. The bottom line is if we can't help them improve their conference strength in football and basketball, we are no help at all. If college baseball and softball had any influence on conference realignment, we would not be in the SBC today.

I have faith in Dr. Maggard and his decision to extend Coach Marlin's contract. I think when it's all said and done, supporters will realize it was the best decision to be made at this time. Yes, I'm apathetic to MBB right now, but do realize that we must do a better job of raising funds and funding the program right now. Coach Marlin is either going to meet the challenge of expectations set forth in his contract or be bought out eventually. The next two years will tell us what we need to know. JMO

[Turbine]

Yes, but remember how we lost that game? On the second half, we kept jacking up 3s. We had no ball movement. We couldn’t get inside the paint, and we played with desperation even with the lead. That’s coaching.

Continuity is huge in basketball, even with depth, losing a player late hurts.

[ZoomZoom]

Scott Cross is the winningest coach in UTA history. He's had some fine teams since joining the Sun Belt. But he won a title, got upset in the conference tournament and was fired because he never made the NCAA tournament. Several criticized UTA for that move.

If I remember correctly Cross and the AD didn’t get along, AD wanted his own guy. AD wants to be the next Gonzaga. Gonzaga has been plugging away for almost 20 years and not until the last few years the inner circle has accepted them. If that is the goal, proves it’s almost a generational task.

UTA has some wins over named schools the last few years, but the dreaded SBC league play and tournament did them in.

[CajunEXPRESS]

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.

There was a time when I could honestly say that I thought we got robbed by not getting an at large. I cannot say that with any Marlin coached team. That has nothing to do with the injustice of the selection process. We don’t beat enough good teams, we lose to too many bad teams.

That’s why the Dome is 20% occupied.

[Hatch]

Fanatico, the answer to your question is....EVERYTHING has changed.

Beryl Shipley's teams, based on their body of work, would never have sniffed the NCAA tournament with today's criteria (unless they got an auto bid.)

One of the greatest accomplishments in our long basketball history is when USL got an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with Bobby Paschal. Today, that team wouldn't have been considered.

What happened is the sport exploded. And, with billions of dollars in TV rights, the big conferences have done everything possible to exclude virtually everyone that isn't in one of the Big 6 conferences.

We were all enthralled by Loyola-Chicago last year. Reality is, had they not won their conference tournament, they wouldn't have been invited. It's the way it is today.

We have watched the interest in college basketball in the Deep South all but disappear. Fans are staying away in droves in conferences like the Sun Belt, Southland, Atlantic Sun and CUSA (with exception of those schools not considered in the Deep South or basketball crazy states like N Carolina and Kentucky.)

I have said many times......we loved the days of Lamar and Toney. Those days are gone. They aren't coming back. Too much has changed with recruiting and big time college basketball. Occasionally we can catch lightning in a bottle and get an Elfrid.

As far as your Marquetti comment is concerned, while he is not a Toney or a Lamar, he's a damn good basketball player. An NBA player? No. But a player who can make a great living overseas.

Regardless of what caliber of team you have, when you lose your best player (and I think Malik was certainly our most versatile because of everything he could do) you aren't going to be nearly as good.

And, over the years, that hasn't changed.

Last year we won a championship. And, the same people on this board who vilified Bob Marlin several years ago when he said it all comes down to three days in March, got ____ed off last year when they found out he was right.

Scott Cross is the winningest coach in UTA history. He's had some fine teams since joining the Sun Belt. But he won a title, got upset in the conference tournament and was fired because he never made the NCAA tournament. Several criticized UTA for that move.

And, now some of those same people want to do the same to Marlin.

Some of the criticism of Marlin I agree with. I don't like the schedule. I wish we had more OOC success against good teams. I HATE playing non D-1's (even though Shipley and Paschal played more than their share).

But none of that means anything when it comes to the main goal, which is to win championships. Bob Marlin has won two in the last five years. And, the Lannisters and Victorys of the world would be a lot more quiet had it not been for losing one freaking game in March.

But that's the way it is with millennials.

The reality is no one dominates mid major leagues. Not the Sun Belt, not CUSA, not the ASun, not the MAC. And, to suggest we should is complete folly.

There are 12 teams in this league. It is the league we are in. Only one school has had more championships over the last five years.

But hey, what do I know.

Great response, unfortunately your going to need to copy and paste this into every other basketball related thread that pops up on this board.

[CajunVic]

Great response, unfortunately your going to need to copy and paste this into every other basketball related thread that pops up on this board.

It looks like Willis knows a whole more than many really want to know. But now it's there in black and white so enjoy.

[Ragin4U]

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.

Wasn't smack talking Nevada. They have performed well the past couple of years. Just pointing out that they played in one of the C- Tourneys a couple of years ago.