MBB G18 Final: Louisiana 95, ULM 99

[Cajunsmike]

We have 1 potential stud player. Have you seen the needs of this year's team before we lose 3 really good seniors? We will need a HELL of a lot more than the PG to come in move us forward.

No argument there. By the way I think Wilson is more of an off guard than a point. No idea if Wesley will start at point guard next season or if someone else will. It will be critical for at least two signees to play at a high level for next season’s team to have success. No way to know now if that is possible. As far as this year’s team is concerned, improvements on defense and rebounding are necessary. They are scoring enough.

[Turbine]

Maybe skip MineCraft and whip out Clue..

You severely need one.

I'm a little slow, but finally I get it, basketball and Clue are both board games.

[Cajunsmike]

We're losing 3 seniors. We have 3 early signees. Have a roster of 15 with 2 walk-ons, 13 on scholarship at least I think so. Unless someone is paying his own way how can we sign any more players? Or who is losing their scholarship(s)? Serious question since I know I don't know all the rules concerning awarding of scholarships. Awarding/counting of scholarships for football is really confusing.

Right now we do have 13 scholarship players lined up for next year which is the limit. However, in basketball those are still renewed on a year by year basis. We hope to bring in at least one and maybe two additional players in spring recruiting. If that happens that means some non seniors on this year's squad won't return. Lots of ways that can come about. Academics may get someone, someone will decide not to return on their own, and finally someone may be told their scholarship is not being renewed. That person could pay their own way and likely stay. If that is not feasible, we will help that player find a scholarship elsewhere.

[zephyr]

I just watched the replay. The stats in this game were fairly similar to be honest. We outplayed them in the second half and took a beating in the first half. They are a better team than us. They play a lot like we did last year. Its true I'm not a Miller fan. I know his stats look decent from time to time but he just makes too many mistakes and is a liability on defense. They killed us in the first half running pick and roll with his man. Similar to what we did last year with Stroman. He didn't hedge or pick up the ball and they just got into the lane way too easily.

He started the game with 2 turnovers, a jacked up 3 from NBA range off an inbounds pass way too early and the pick and roll debacles. Their quick and athletic front court guys ate us up and their guards were hard to stop.

Gant is an absolute beast and I feel terrible that we likely won't be able to send he and Stroman out better than a mid conference finish and likely no postseason. He will go down as one of my favorite players to have watched here.

[Cajunsmike]

By the way, I won't speculate as to which players may not return if more signees are brought in. Academics may play a role here and grades for the spring semester won't be known until May. Health is also a factor. Academics and health are two things that can't be discussed publicly. We probably won't know who is not returning until about Memorial Day. Now if a player decides he is going to transfer on his own by putting his name in a portal, we may find out earlier.

[Cajunsmike]

I just watched the replay. The stats in this game were fairly similar to be honest. We outplayed them in the second half and took a beating in the first half. They are a better team than us. They play a lot like we did last year. Its true I'm not a Miller fan. I know his stats look decent from time to time but he just makes too many mistakes and is a liability on defense. They killed us in the first half running pick and roll with his man. Similar to what we did last year with Stroman. He didn't hedge or pick up the ball and they just got into the lane way too easily.

He started the game with 2 turnovers, a jacked up 3 from NBA range off an inbounds pass way too early and the pick and roll debacles. Their quick and athletic front court guys ate us up and their guards were hard to stop.

Gant is an absolute beast and I feel terrible that we likely won't be able to send he and Stroman out better than a mid conference finish and likely no postseason. He will go down as one of my favorite players to have watched here.

The team seemed to do better when Davis came in for Miller. I know he did not have a great stat line either but the defense improved when he was in. Agree, ULM is more athletic than us and probably better overall right now. That does not mean we can't beat them when they came to the Dome on February 16. That will be a reunion game.

[mahtoo]

Right now we do have 13 scholarship players lined up for next year which is the limit. However, in basketball those are still renewed on a year by year basis. We hope to bring in at least one and maybe two additional players in spring recruiting. If that happens that means some non seniors on this year's squad won't return. Lots of ways that can come about. Academics may get someone, someone will decide not to return on their own, and finally someone may be told their scholarship is not being renewed. That person could pay their own way and likely stay. If that is not feasible, we will help that player find a scholarship elsewhere.

Appreciate the info.

[Cajunsmike]

Appreciate the info.

No problem. Happy to provide the information. Hope you saw my follow up posts when I said that I won't speculate on who won't return and how they leave at this point in the event more players are brought in. Not fair to the players still working hard to improve this season to look that far ahead.

[CajunVic]

No problem. Happy to provide the information. Hope you saw my follow up posts when I said that I won't speculate on who won't return and how they leave at this point in the event more players are brought in. Not fair to the players still working hard to improve this season to look that far ahead.

The balance of this season may give the Big Fish the biggest opportunity to show what he is worth as a coach.

I'm pulling for him.

[mahtoo]

No problem. Happy to provide the information. Hope you saw my follow up posts when I said that I won't speculate on who won't return and how they leave at this point in the event more players are brought in. Not fair to the players still working hard to improve this season to look that far ahead.

I did and I understand. While it might be difficult or even unfair to speculate, the fact that recruiting for next season is continuing does lead one to believe the coaches know we need roster improvements beyond what the early signees will provide. I suppose that is always the case.

Unfortunately I am one of those who believes the next year or two won't be much better. Our roster makeup gives me that feeling.
3 seniors (all transfers)
6 juniors (incl 1 transfer sitting out this season, 1 walk-on)
1 soph
5 Freshmen (incl 1 redshirt due to injury, 1 walk-on, only 1 Fr has played much at all to this date)

Hope I am wrong but I just don't see anyone on the current roster or in the early signing class that will be able to adequately replace our 3 seniors. Hope for great spring recruiting.