2005-06 Basketball Preview

[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?

[Turbine]

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...

I'm with you.

Posts during games are what they are, a soda straw view of the moment.

I love them for the very reason that they capture moments in time, but no one should think those posts alone will shape our long term outlook.

[MiamiCajun32]

I'm with you.

Posts during games are what they are, a soda straw view of the moment.

I love them for the very reason that they capture moments in time, but no one should think those posts alone will shape our long term outlook.

I agree! Thanks! It is like watching your favorite team with a friend. Sometimes you want to throw the TV out of the window... Sometimes you think your team is unstoppable... Those emotions are part of the fun of being a fan and escaping from reality a bit (isn't that why we watch sports to begin with, as a fun diversion from every day life?)

At halftime of the Vols game I happened to think that the Cajuns were going to lose by 15+ to all of the decent teams they played this year. After second half, I now think we have a chance to really be competitive at a high level (although Vols are not at high level) if we keep improving...

Let's hope that the second half solid play was not an abberation..., but actually a turning point early in the season to the team growing up and coming together.

I am glad to hear that the forum is not falling out of control because some fans were upset at the half of the Vols game ;-) It is good to know that if I check out raginpagin.com tomorrow, it will still be here... I would not want to be one of the fans resonsible for wrecking the forum with outburst of actual emotion during a game ;-)

[NewsCopy]

EL PASO, Texas - Maurice Barksdale had been waiting for a while for a game like this. The junior point guard, whose struggles mirrored the University of Louisiana's offensive struggles through the first four games of the season, broke loose Sunday afternoon and did a number on UTEP's Miners. Barksdale finished with a career-high 23 points, hitting five three-pointers, and led the Ragin' Cajuns to their first win of the season, a 65-59 overtime win. "This is the kind of game I've been wanting all year," said Barksdale, who was 6-for-10 shooting, 5-of-8 outside the arc, made all six of his free throws and added three assists and three steals with only two turnovers. "This will take a lot of pressure off us." The Cajuns (1-4) handed UTEP (4-2) only its fourth loss in its last 39 games at the Haskins Center and won their 27th straight game when holding an opponent under 60 points. And UL head coach Robert Lee was adamant that Sunday's victory came because of defense. "That was our big point in practice," Lee said. "They made a few baskets, but just about every one of them were contested. I'm really pleased with the defensive job we did on the perimeter." The host Miners hit only 18-of-60 shots (30.0 percent) and went 0-for-6 from the floor in the overtime period to the dismay of the announced 7,752 crowd. Michael Southall and Dwayne Mitchell each hit jump shots in the first 65 seconds of the overtime period and the Cajuns led by at least four points the rest of the way. In fact, the Miners didn't have a field goal in the final 6:15 including the overtime, and after Miguel Ayala's three-pointer with 6:18 left the only field goals for UTEP in the last 11 minutes were two layups by John Tofi. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NCAA or BUST]

I have seen Rhett Hebert on the floor is Alphonso Williams redshirting? That roster sure looks different today

[CrazyCajun]

He scrimmaged with the team Saturday. (Ford)

I think he got kicked off the team

[Crawfish]

He left after the scrimmage. He did practice after the incident he got in trouble for, but apparently left after that. He probably really quit.