Basketball points

[Cajunsmike]

1) View that funds used for summer Puerto Rico trip could have been better used elsewhere is simply wrong. Every coach, player, manager, and staff member agrees it contributed to building team chemistry. Extra 10 days of regular season type practices were also valuable. 2) Support from parents of local players was a huge positive. Joe Charles Dad is leader of group and promotes entire university on social media. 3) Getting a high seed from good regular season was a factor as both semi final and finals opponents faltered late. 4) The move to insure bench had significant minutes in late regular season games was made with tournament in mind and it paid off as guys like Jalen Dalcourt on offense and Joe Charles on defense were ready for moment. Craig and I will give our usual analytical breakdown of the tournament in a We’re Talkin podcast tomorrow.

[Cajunsmike]

One more point. The hunger and energy of the young assistants contributed to success. They also had come from winning programs. Donovan Kates came from Alabama and Casey Perrin from
Texas Tech/Texas. 2nd year coach Derrick Zimmerman became lead assistant and was up to task. Moving Neil Hardin to Director of Scouting was a great move as he excels in that aspect. Team gave him a great birthday present last night as he turns 50 today. Our guys were rarely not prepared properly this season. People who have ties to coaching world know assistants do most of work and I just wanted to give shout out to those guys.

[Turbine]

1) View that funds used for summer Puerto Rico trip could have been better used elsewhere is simply wrong. Every coach, player, manager, and staff member agrees it contributed to building team chemistry. Extra 10 days of regular season type practices were also valuable. 2) Support from parents of local players was a huge positive. Joe Charles Dad is leader of group and promotes entire university on social media. 3) Getting a high seed from good regular season was a factor as both semi final and finals opponents faltered late. 4) The move to insure bench had significant minutes in late regular season games was made with tournament in mind and it paid off as guys like Jalen Dalcourt on offense and Joe Charles on defense were ready for moment. Craig and I will give our usual analytical breakdown of the tournament in a We’re Talkin podcast tomorrow.

1) I would have expected better than 7-7 on the road if the Puerto Rico trip were going to pay dividends.

That's 7-7 counting 2 in-state wins that should never be in need of Puerto Rico assistance.

I will concede the Puerto trip may have helped at neutral locations.

[MWolf]

1) I would have expected better than 7-7 on the road if the Puerto Rico trip were going to pay dividends.

That's 7-7 counting 2 in-state wins that should never be in need of Puerto Rico assistance.

I will concede the Puerto trip may have helped at neutral locations.

To be fair, his point on PR trip mostly relates to team chemistry. And there's no denying this bunch played their asses off for one another.

[JamesTheJeweler]

To be fair, his point on PR trip mostly relates to team chemistry. And there's no denying this bunch played their asses off for one another.

There's also nothing proving that a trip to PR is what made that happen. What if I told you teams throughout history have "played their asses off for each other" and built team chemistry without taking a trip to an island.

[Turbine]

To be fair, his point on PR trip mostly relates to team chemistry. And there's no denying this bunch played their asses off for one another.

Down the stretch for sure.

If credit were to go to Puerto Rico, I would have expected to see it at Texas, Coastal, and Old Dominion earlier in the season. It wasn't there yet.

The team chemistry we see now is a result of a seasoned team, not an excursion team.

[MWolf]

Those are fair points also

[JamesTheJeweler]

One more point. The hunger and energy of the young assistants contributed to success. They also had come from winning programs. Donovan Kates came from Alabama and Casey Perrin from
Texas Tech/Texas. 2nd year coach Derrick Zimmerman became lead assistant and was up to task. Moving Neil Hardin to Director of Scouting was a great move as he excels in that aspect. Team gave him a great birthday present last night as he turns 50 today. Our guys were rarely not prepared properly this season. People who have ties to coaching world know assistants do most of work and I just wanted to give shout out to those guys.

Agree 1000% on your point of the assistants. I think they played a HUGE role in the success of this team.....more than we realize.

[KajunKrazy]

1) I would have expected better than 7-7 on the road if the Puerto Rico trip were going to pay dividends.

That's 7-7 counting 2 in-state wins that should never be in need of Puerto Rico assistance.

I will concede the Puerto trip may have helped at neutral locations.

What about undefeated at the Cajun Dome for the first time ever? Did PR trip have anything to do with that?

[MelRock]

What about undefeated at the Cajun Dome for the first time ever? Did PR trip have anything to do with that?

No, evidently, chemistry is only a road thing.

[Cajunsmike]

There's also nothing proving that a trip to PR is what made that happen. What if I told you teams throughout history have "played their asses off for each other" and built team chemistry without taking a trip to an island.

Of course you can’t prove the chemistry improved because of Peurto Rico. However I go back to EVERYONE in the program saying it definitively did. I think they have best view of the issue. That is basis of my position. We also played 3 games in 3 days at same location which is which is what you have to do to win a tournament.

[MetryCajun]

Don't know how PR played into this years success, but this was a great three days. We did not always play well in the last two games, but we found a way to win. These are the types of games we would have lost in previous years.
Kudos to the coaches and especially Fulks. He had a rough game in the semifinals but was the difference maker in the final.