MBB G13 Final: Louisiana 73, SLU 72

[Hatch]

“We lost in the Sun Belt tournament because Gant got injured.”

Forget the fact that we had 3 1,000 point scorers minus Gant and a bench that’s supposedly good enough to carry the weight.....

Again, we are a program of excuses and reasons why we CAN’T succeed. I don’t see this anywhere else in our program other than basketball. When football underachieved, we hired Napier. When baseball underachieved, Robe got us a new hitting coach. In basketball, it’s the same song and dance. “Well, the reason why we can’t do this is because of that.” No accountability whatsoever.

It was actually one of those 1,000 point scorers that was injured, Gant had bronchitis. We also got matched up with a UTA team that had seriously underachieved all season to the point that Scott Cross lost his job. As much as I like Washington and Bartley I would still say Hervey and Neal were the 2 most talented players on the floor that day. That being said I’m not trying to make excuses, we still had the most talent overall and should have won, and that one still stings, but sometimes __it happens.

[CajunT]

Exposure wise you are 100% correct, I thought I clarified that in my previous post. That’s why I stated it was an apples and oranges comparison overall. I’m talking more about the comparison of finishing near the top of the conference and continuing your season playing for something. I have always said in regards to those tournaments go in with a Jake Taylor mentality. I would never want to see a CIT final four banner hanging in the dome but I would be fine with a Championship banner.

Exposure is part of the equation, that is the major reason they are not comparable. BTW, I'm against rewarding a 6-6 football team a bowl game. Now that is comparable to playing in the CIT or CBI. Both are rewarding mediocrity.

[ULvictory]

It was actually one of those 1,000 point scorers that was injured, Gant had bronchitis. We also got matched up with a UTA team that had seriously underachieved all season to the point that Scott Cross lost his job. As much as I like Washington and Bartley I would still say Hervey and Neal were the 2 most talented players on the floor that day. That being said I’m not trying to make excuses, we still had the most talent overall and should have won, and that one still stings, but sometimes __it happens.

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.

[cajun_lannister]

It was actually one of those 1,000 point scorers that was injured, Gant had bronchitis. We also got matched up with a UTA team that had seriously underachieved all season to the point that Scott Cross lost his job. As much as I like Washington and Bartley I would still say Hervey and Neal were the 2 most talented players on the floor that day. That being said I’m not trying to make excuses, we still had the most talent overall and should have won, and that one still stings, but sometimes __it happens.

Didn't they lose the very next day by 13

[Hatch]

Didn't they lose the very next day by 13

Yes, underachieving and inconsistent as I stated. They still had talent, I stated a few weeks before the tournament they were the team you wanted to avoid. That was before the issues we experienced.

[Cajunfanatico]

You use football for your basketball analogy. Totally absurd. Football is where the "next man up" cliche started. And, it's somewhat valid there.

But when you have 13 schollys, you're going to miss on a couple. The end of the bench is what it is (another bad cliche') for virtually every school. In other cases, players are projects and not quite ready to contribute immediately. That is at every school (especially mid-majors).

The injury to Marquetti is a crippling one. But as I said earlier, it will only help people like yourself fuel the fire about Marlin. Because we will be a shell of ourselves without him. So, in that regard, congratulations...I guess.

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.

[ULvictory]

Couldn’t have said it better, Fanatico.

Average........that’s where I see it. Apparently, there’s people that’s ok with that. And that’s fine. But don’t crucify me if I’m not.

[ZoomZoom]

2017-18 NCAA men's bracket.

32 automatics and 36 "at large". 353 teams total, 321 after auto bids. Last year as point of reference, at larges to the P-6 were Big East 5, Big Ten 3, Big Twelve 6, ACC 8, SEC 7, Pac Twelve 2. THIRTY-ONE for the P-6. Left 5 for 290 to fight over. Keep in mind, not all 290 in the hunt each year, but making the tournament is everyone's goal before the first tip off in November.

A-Ten and AAC have strong basketball, each picked up 2. Left 1 to pick from the remaining 286.

Who was the lucky conference? The Mountain West.

Basically, you have to have a hell of a team to break the P-6 cartel on at large bids. And the automatic relegation to the NIT makes this "palatable" for the committee.

That's college basketball 2019. Money rules. Thank you ESPN and the original Big East. A bunch of tiny schools in the northeast goes all in with fledgling ESPN. Kids want to be on tv and boom, both explode in popularity and strength. The beast we have today, a billion dollar operation...NCAA men's basketball.

Before anyone bashes, did I mention ANY non P-6 victims? No.

Just pointing out, once again, the size of the hurdle ALL non P-6 programs face. Numbers don't lie.

[Ragin4U]

2017-18 NCAA men's bracket.

32 automatics and 36 "at large". 353 teams total, 321 after auto bids. Last year as point of reference, at larges to the P-6 were Big East 5, Big Ten 3, Big Twelve 6, ACC 8, SEC 7, Pac Twelve 2. THIRTY-ONE for the P-6. Left 5 for 290 to fight over. Keep in mind, not all 290 in the hunt each year, but making the tournament is everyone's goal before the first tip off in November.

A-Ten and AAC have strong basketball, each picked up 2. Left 1 to pick from the remaining 286.

Who was the lucky conference? The Mountain West.

Basically, you have to have a hell of a team to break the P-6 cartel on at large bids. And the automatic relegation to the NIT makes this "palatable" for the committee.

That's college basketball 2019. Money rules. Thank you ESPN and the original Big East. A bunch of tiny schools in the northeast goes all in with fledgling ESPN. Kids want to be on tv and boom, both explode in popularity and strength. The beast we have today, a billion dollar operation...NCAA men's basketball.

Before anyone bashes, did I mention ANY non P-6 victims? No.

Just pointing out, once again, the size of the hurdle ALL non P-6 programs face. Numbers don't lie.

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.

[cajun_lannister]

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.

They played in the CBI we played in the CIT whos champions include Columbia, Saint Peters, and Nothern Colorado even when it comes to mediocrity Marlin chooses the easiest path. Regardless we should never strive for either.