2005-06 Basketball Preview

[NCAA or BUST]

We will give them a better game this time I can fell it a big win

I can fell it too

[Rebel02]

Was refering to the no call on the steal by JT and then the wave off of Mitchell's basket. Did not see it myself but only going off what Jay said. After all that effort finally showing up, this team deserves better but that's life on the road.

If the team had played good enough in the first half and the score was somewhat close at the half, then the 2nd half run the Cajuns went on would have iced the game. You can't look at a few calls at the end of the game and determine that's "life on the road." Look at the entire game. The Cajuns played like |||| for most of the game and then finally hit their stride. If they played a complete game, then the calls at the end wouldn't have mattered as we would have won by 10+.

[jacoment]

To everyone complaining that this team is doomed for the rest of the season.....WE'VE PLAYED TWO GAMES.....both of which on the road. Our boys will be alright, there's enough talent on this squad to do some damage in the NCAA tournament.... however, the X factor is TURNOVERS. If we quit turning the ball over 20+ times a game we will be fine. Go Cajuns.

[Turbine]

To everyone complaining that this team is doomed for the rest of the season.....WE'VE PLAYED TWO GAMES.....both of which on the road. Our boys will be alright, there's enough talent on this squad to do some damage in the NCAA tournament.... however, the X factor is TURNOVERS. If we quit turning the ball over 20+ times a game we will be fine. Go Cajuns.

Great point.

In my opinion they were thinking too much in the first 60 minutes of the season and in the last 20 they started doing.

[Dawgbytes]

Tough game guys. Saluki fans were pulling for you.

[JDawg]

Hey Basketball Brethren... I posted this on the Missouri Valley Conference board and wanted to share it. Your season looks bright and we Saluki fans will be pulling for you. I live in Tennessee so I got the game last night.

From ValleyTalk.net..
UT played some pretty good defense last night. They were all over the place and did a better job of getting in the passing lanes than we (SIU) did. UT looks pretty tough; which is tough to admit considering how much I dislike them.

Southall was pulled because of 1) early fouls, and 2) they needed to go to a smaller line-up. Mitchell came up big last night for the Cajuns, but he is definitely not a point gaurd. Once ULL gave the ball handling duties to someone else they started to get some points.

I really thought ULL was going to pull it off last night. I thought the refs had an influence for the first five minutes of each half and for the last 2-3 minutes. UT was getting away with a lot and ULL was being called on a lot of questionables. I was glad to see the ULL coach (Lee) get a 'T' called against him...He had every right to be upset with the refs.


All in all, I would say ULL was the better team. They were a little slow on adjustments, but if they played them on a neutral court UT would have fallen.

[Jeaux]

If they played a complete game, then the calls at the end wouldn't have mattered as we would have won by 10+.

Maybe we would have, but the way we were playing in the second half, seem we could have come back from 30+, take the lead and we still would have lost. When you got momentum on your side and then all the sudden call after call goes against you it kills the run. JT stole the ball on an inbound pass that he could have broke away for spirit breaking dunking. The last time we played them we were close thoughout the game. But during the waining minutes of that game Bret Smith got called for a phantom foul before another break away dunk to end the Cajuns chances in that game.

I wish they would have played a complete game also. But I kinda felt like they would stink it up. You have to take into account that Turner,Barksdale,Fields and Hart are all JUCO transfer and not D1 transfers. They haven't been with us for a full year and played with the others on this team. Many time they aren't going to be in the right place or they might not automaticly know what play is being run, especially against constant pressure. I agree with Turbine that at time they seem like they are thinking to much. But then again they have alot thrown on their plate.

There is still gonna be a learning curve. Barkdale seems like he is catching on. The future looks bright.

[Turbine]

we Saluki fans will be pulling for you.

That's it it's official I am an SIU fan.

[SlappyCajun]

43-25 at half.

Cajuns are a bad team folks. May be able to compete for sunbelt title again, but a mediocre SEC type team will blow them out this year. 14 turnovers in first half. Bad shooting. Out hustled for loose balls. There is no answer at guard for ball handling or perimeter shooting.

Cajuns would lose this game 10 out of 10 times if it was played that many times. Look for more of the same against all the tough non-conference teams. I expect double digit losses against any decent NCAA tourney type team. And Tennessee may not be good enough for NCAAs, but still a route.

Why don't we not jump the gun too much? I think you are getting a little out of control with your projections there Miamicajun. I know we looked sloppy, but every team from the beginning of time, including the Dream Team, had bad games. If we play like that, yes, we cant compete. But don't downplay the talent and potential for this team.

[cajunlove]

Hey Basketball Brethren... I posted this on the Missouri Valley Conference board and wanted to share it. Your season looks bright and we Saluki fans will be pulling for you. I live in Tennessee so I got the game last night.

From ValleyTalk.net..
UT played some pretty good defense last night. They were all over the place and did a better job of getting in the passing lanes than we (SIU) did. UT looks pretty tough; which is tough to admit considering how much I dislike them.

Southall was pulled because of 1) early fouls, and 2) they needed to go to a smaller line-up. Mitchell came up big last night for the Cajuns, but he is definitely not a point gaurd. Once ULL gave the ball handling duties to someone else they started to get some points.

I really thought ULL was going to pull it off last night. I thought the refs had an influence for the first five minutes of each half and for the last 2-3 minutes. UT was getting away with a lot and ULL was being called on a lot of questionables. I was glad to see the ULL coach (Lee) get a 'T' called against him...He had every right to be upset with the refs.


All in all, I would say ULL was the better team. They were a little slow on adjustments, but if they played them on a neutral court UT would have fallen.

Thanks for the insight. Your post is appreciated. I agree that when the ball handling duties were given to Barksdale, the Cajuns played considerably better. Barksdale should be inserted into the starting lineup from this point forward. Our guys did a lot of growing up last night and they will get tougher and tougher as the season goes on. I hope they can put it together early enough to win a few games against quality opponents before conference begins. In regard to the Salukis, they are dangerous and one of the best teams if not the best team that we have scheduled this season. I hope that both of our teams are dancing come March.

Geaux Cajuns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MiamiCajun32]

Why don't we not jump the gun too much? I think you are getting a little out of control with your projections there Miamicajun. I know we looked sloppy, but every team from the beginning of time, including the Dream Team, had bad games. If we play like that, yes, we cant compete. But don't downplay the talent and potential for this team.

If you look at my past posts, I have been as excited as any abou the obvious talent on this team. However, through 60 minutes of play (until second half of last night's game) Cajuns could not handle the ball and all the talent in the world on wings and down low was not going to change that.... However, Barksdale really showed something last night and Mitchell showed a lot as well when he was able to play is more natural 2 spot...

In top level D-1 play you are going to need adequate point guard play. Orien Green can play the point at NBA level, so it is a huge void. But if Mo can step up and continue to play as he did last night at the point, then Cajuns should be ok.

Surely, the chemistry problems will resolve themselves. I was never worried about that. But just because Turner, Pelosi, Fields, Hart and other newcomers figure things out does not mean that we will have a point guard. That is up to Barksdale it seems. It is clear that Mitchell is an outstanding basketball player and possibly and NBA prospect, but he should not be running the point guard position.

Even at halftime of last night's game I still expected Cajuns to compete for Sunbelt title. But only if we play like we did in second half will Cajuns have any chance whatsoever to beat UTEP ,Nevada, LSU, or Charlotte.

By the way, living in SEC country and being a big fan and alum of Florida (bigger cajun fan in basketballl, but not football), I can tell you that Tennesee is a mediocre team with serious rebuilding to do with their outstanding new coach (who built Wisc. Milwakee).

UTEP, Nevada, LSU and Charlotte would all go to Knoxville and beat up on Vols in my opinion. Tennesse is at the bottom of SEC, 9th to 12th place range.

A top mid major program should go to Tennessee and win quite easily this year... A second tier mid major program (nit type team) should be able to play toe to toe at Vols this year.

Cajuns could improve and still lose all 4 of the tough non-conference games ahead. Losing those games would not be a major problem, but not fixing the 20+ turnovers a game would be a major problem.

We shall see...

Top 25 talent does not mean that Cajuns will win sunbelt if no point guard...

[MiamiCajun32]

Why don't we not jump the gun too much? I think you are getting a little out of control with your projections there Miamicajun. I know we looked sloppy, but every team from the beginning of time, including the Dream Team, had bad games. If we play like that, yes, we cant compete. But don't downplay the talent and potential for this team.

Just because a frustrated Cajun fan posts something in the middle of a game that expresses that frustration and dissapointment, that does not mean that reality changes... If suddenly there were 100 posts that said the Cajuns would win national title or 100 posts that said Cajuns would lose every game, would somehow this forum spin out of control? Are we piloting some kind of ship here? Or is this a fan forum?

I think you are taking things way too seriously...

I am no basketball expert and don't make a living making sports projections. Don't make the mistake to rely on them if you are somehow... Instead of criticizing the direction of my projections, maybe you should entertain us with your own. Whether I or anyone else agrees or dissagree it is still fun to interact that way and is the purpose of a forum like this.

Whether I or any other fan "jumps the gun" or not does not have any affect on the teams play... So what is your point exactly? What is the concern you have about the consequences of what you feel is a "jump the gun" incorrect projection?

Am I fired?