Is Coach Crews The Answer?

[mrjoelabs]

Hello all, I have been a Billiken fan since diapers and I was pleased to find you guys here. Hard to find places to talk our only local D1 Hoops team. I really appreciate the streams in the media information posts.

Now, to my topic. I understand it is a young team and that we are rebuilding. However, I don't even remember blowouts like this, even in the Soderberg era. (gulp)... Even when our teams had offensive issues, they always played defense. Games like the Miss St. and Wich St . game I don't even remember seeing. Even when our young team played Duke etc it was not like that. Looking back, Crews record at Evansville was nothing to smile about. Do you think he really can build a program? The last 2 years the guys kind of coached themselves. I don't mind some losses and tough games (have to reasonable) but looking like a team that the big boys schedule is a patsy is unacceptable.

[RiseAndGrind]

Hello all, I have been a Billiken fan since diapers and I was pleased to find you guys here. Hard to find places to talk our only local D1 Hoops team. I really appreciate the streams in the media information posts.

Now, to my topic. I understand it is a young team and that we are rebuilding. However, I don't even remember blowouts like this, even in the Soderberg era. (gulp)... Even when our teams had offensive issues, they always played defense. Games like the Miss St. and Wich St . game I don't even remember seeing. Even when our young team played Duke etc it was not like that. Looking back, Crews record at Evansville was nothing to smile about. Do you think he really can build a program? The last 2 years the guys kind of coached themselves. I don't mind some losses and tough games (have to reasonable) but looking like a team that the big boys schedule is a patsy is unacceptable.

Duke. 40-16. At half.

It was brutal. Did you watch it?

[Bizziken]

What are you talking about?! I remember getting murdered @ Texas A&M by 30+ a few years ago and shellacked @ Kent State by like 40. And that was with teams more experienced than our current Billikens. We lost to Duke by 37. I also specifically remember getting absolutely destroyed in conference games against Richmond, Xavier, Dayton and Temple all on the road. And, I hate to bring this up, but how about the 20 point game? You must have selective memory

[RiseAndGrind]

What are you talking about?! I remember getting murdered @ Texas A&M by 30+ a few years ago and shellacked @ Kent State by like 40. And that was with teams more experienced than our current Billikens. We lost to Duke by 37. I also specifically remember getting absolutely destroyed in conference games against Richmond, Xavier, Dayton and Temple all on the road. And, I hate to bring this up, but how about the 20 point game? You must have selective memory

I was going to write pretty much this exact thing, but was too lazy. Thanks.

[Clock_Tower]

Even with Spoon during the Claggett and Highmark years, we would have close games/wins at home but then get blown out on the road at Cincy and at UAB.

[Bizziken]

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment cuz I looked it up...

2006-2007: Texas A&M (Ranked #12) 69, SLU 33....we went 20-13 that year

2007-2008: Kent State 81, SLU 40

George Washington 49, SLU 20

Dayton 63, SLU 36

Duquesne 85, SLU 58.........and despite all this bull$hit we ended up 16-15

2008-2009: Xavier 70, SLU 44

Temple 65, SLU 40...ended up 18-14

2009-2010: Richmond 62, SLU 36

2010-2011: Duke (Ranked #1) 84, SLU 47

We've had quite the tradition of getting spanked, and with squads that had no business getting spanked like that. Wichita State and Mississippi State aren't aberrations.

[Dwayne's_World]

Crews is in the second year of a 5 year contract (correct me if I'm wrong). That means that he will really have 3 years to prove himself and show that he can establish a winning system with HIS recruits. Right now it is just too d*mn soon to be saying that he is not good enough or will never be good enough in the long run. Obviously no one wants to return to mediocrity like in the Soderberg era, so there is definitely a degree of anxiety. But let's all just relax and take a deep breath. Let the season play itself out and observe the team's progress. Stop assuming that Crews will never be good for us long term just because he had a bunch of losing seasons at Army. I think that ultimately, when his contract is up, he will leave our program in an even better position than when he started.

[The Wiz]

Point of information.....

In the last 5 years the Bills were 5-11 against Top 25 teams.(includes WSU game from Sat.)

[JettFlight5]

It depends. What is the question?

[mrjoelabs]

Thank you for looking it up. But I think all you really did was validate my point. Its the lack of defense that is disturbing. Ok I messed up the Duke game and forgot Duquense and Kent State. All those other blowouts though we didn't allow past points in the 60s. That's the thing even when we played poorly at least we had defense but couldn't score.

[Billiken Rich]

Way too early for this . Come on.

[BigMouthBilliken]

2 posts, obviously a troll. But in all seriousness, if you eliminate three of the games then his point is valid. That's how statistics works, you pick and choose the data you want.

[mrjoelabs]

I am not a troll. It was a real point. I just joined new... of course I only have 2 posts. Its just upsetting as a fan who hasn't missed a game in probably 10 years either with radio, tv, or being there.

I attended 10 games last year. The trolls are over on the stltodayforum.. thats why i came over here. You guys seem to know what you are talking about. The VLC streams are amazing.

[Bizziken]

Thank you for looking it up. But I think all you really did was validate my point. Its the lack of defense that is disturbing. Ok I messed up the Duke game and forgot Duquense and Kent State. All those other blowouts though we didn't allow past points in the 60s. That's the thing even when we played poorly at least we had defense but couldn't score.

Yes, all of those Billiken teams I listed were probably better defensively than our current Billikens. However, as I stated, those were often MUCH more experienced teams. Our 12 man rotation currently has 9 Freshmen and Sophomores playing in their first few Division 1 games. Questioning Crews so soon is ludicrous. It's okay to be a little concerned, but geez.

And for those of you who like Ken Pom, we're actually 98th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency.

[mrjoelabs]

True..and a useless senior in Manning...

[thetorch]

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment cuz I looked it up...

2006-2007: Texas A&M (Ranked #12) 69, SLU 33....we went 20-13 that year

All the folks crying about our struggles so far need to revisit that season. Ian, Tommie, and Lisch all at the height of their powers and we lose our first two conference games to teams that finished 7-22 and 10-19.

[Bizziken]

All the folks crying about our struggles so far need to revisit that season. Ian, Tommie, and Lisch all at the height of their powers and we lose our first two conference games to teams that finished 7-22 and 10-19.

I was a junior. We should have been 12-3 after those games. Those 2 losses likely kept us out of the NIT.

[West Pine Jim]

It's amazing to question Coach Crews at this point. Ingrate or totally impatient ? Geez !

[VeniceMenace]

Last years ore team played together for four years ....this years players, including even the vets, has so little experience playing as a team that we -- and probably the coacjes -- are still trying to figure out which players even represent this teams core.

Hence there will be an occasional blowout and times where the D is lacking, especially compared to last year.

[slu72]

And WSU's a pretty damn good team that was in full anger mode before a jam packed arena. Chill.

[billikenfan05]

True..and a useless senior in Manning...

Not exactly a smart move to use your first post to blast crews.

[Archy McNally]

Yes he is the answer.

This team has a lot of young talent.

Although they look very good for Freshmen at SLU, they are not very good for upperclassmen. Sophs as a group don't look quite as talented as the fresh, but they don't look bad either, they just lack a guy that could eventually carry you offensively, and they are smaller in numbers.

Take Roby. He is probably the best defender of the frosh guards. You put him out there 1 on 1 and he doesn't look too bad. Rebounds well. The other guys are not terrible at that. But there help defense needs work. They don't collapse like the other team. Remember Jett coming down and then jumping out on his guy, effectively guarding two guys. Even Kyle C was good at that. Conk was one of the best help defenders ever. McCall would help down and come down and get the rebound, and everybody wondered how he got it. They played great "D" as a group. But this team is a little too much 1 on 1 defensively and not enough "I have to guard everybody". A few do it fine, but the other ones are too green.

I think ballhandling at every position but Austin needs work. Even if they are not a PG, they need to get better at it, relative to their position.

Probably doesn't help that the best defenders are not the best offensively and vice versa (besides Austin). We play 12 guys and all clearly have something they are better at and something they are bad at and it shows itself when a good team takes advantage of it.

And that is how they get to where they are. But those Fresh will eventually kill it. I think MR will be a nice scorer at shooting guard, Roby on the opposite wing looks talented, MB a nice big pure PG that can score also, MY will be a beast when his body transforms like Conk, Glaze, etc., and Jolly and Gillman will be great in the middle.

[slufan13]

Personally I probably think it's too hard to call either way. I'm not willing to give him a ton of credit for last year and I'm not willing to fault him a ton this year. Do I think Crews can carry the momentum that Majerus brought? I'm skeptical, but I do believe so. I'm not sure he can lead us to an even higher point, but develop these players and land Tatum and then you're looking at a top 10 team so we'll see.

[Taj79]

Welcome, mrjoelabs. Be advised ---- have a thick skin.

As to your question, it is a valid one but needs time to play out. Too soon to call. Too young to evlauate. While this team is practically "all Crews" it is not as far as the two seniors go. Although if I were Crews, I wouldn't want either of them as part of my overall report card/evaluation.

That was a Top Ten team at their home on Saturday. Youth will always get killed therte. There is alogn way to go however. The one put back dunk from Saturday says it all .... McBroom gets beat, Ash offers help, Gillmann is a spectator and the pass goes to his man, but the reality of the dunk was it was Yarbrough's man advancing from the top of the key that wasn't boxed out and made the play. Youth will take a while to figure that out.

I don't know if Crews is or is not the guy. But it is too early to evlauate well enough. We are all going to have to wait it out.

[Clock_Tower]

A few comments:

1. Despite all their financial resources, school name/reputation, conference affiliation, UCLA has not been able to hire a equal or better successor to John Wooden. Why do some of us think that JC should be equal or better to RM?

2. By all accounts, RM most likely ripped JM to shreds privately in practice and then gives him a mental boost afterwards with the media comments about JM's NBA potential. Also, JM has NBA height and had the frame to play in the NBA. Jordair Jett, Dwayne Evans, etc. do not and did not. Enough already with RM's comment.

3. If the goals of JM and GG have been to obtain a SLU education and to play on a competitive team -- mission accomplished. And both should thankful that RM is still not coaching us, b/c if he were, they would likely not be here. RM not only sent the original 4 leftovers from Soderberg packing but then dismissed (encouraged guys to leave) guys from Brett Thompson to Jon Smith to the concussion kid (Reid) to the kid from Greece (ET) to the kid from Austrailia (CS). RM brought in alot of good talent but he also brought in alot of not so good talent. Sorry, BRoy, but when misses are made, kids need to be dismissed. Reality: we would not have made the NCAA 3 consecutive times if we did not dismiss kids. JC has not done this - and after awhile - these misses belong to the new coach -- JC. Multiple 4 and 5 year mistakes will ruin a program.

4. I remain concerned about the offense, our point guard and our outside shooting. Hopefully, our Frosh and Sophs will be the answer. But if our answer is not on this year's roster, then it won't be on next year's roster with the addition of Neufeld and Welmer for GG and JM. If 1 or 2 of the Sophs are not getting it done, then changes need to be made.