bauman

Obviously you didn't listen to TF on the post game radio show last evening. He was very pleased with both Jimmmerson and JP's defense, and said they were the most improved defenders on the team. He didn't say they were the best but it was interesting during an interview with Rammer and EA Jr., when he was extremely upset with just about everything from the game, that he would take the time to say something positive about GJ and Perkins' defense. If you watch the replay of the game it clearly does not support the claim of a poster earlier the Perkins couldn't stop Domask therefore he wasn't a very good defender. If you just focus on Domask during the game he got a large number of his points against players other than Perkins, including more than a few times when due to effective screens Domask would find himself in the paint with a small guard trying to stop him. Since HF couldn't shut down Benson last night (or G Golden last year) does that mean he is a poor defender? I don't think so. My point is not that Perkins is the best defender on the team, but rather that he was not responsible for a significant number of Domask's points-no one wearing a Billiken jersey was able to stop that guy. Our expert announcers-Rammer, Earl and Scott all marveled at how talented Domask was. Maybe it was a game in which Fred Thatch was needed for his defensive abilities. Who had the most trouble defending last night? Our small guards could not stop dribble penetration--period. And the guy they were defending was the SIU-C backup PG. Much improvement is needed in that aspect of our defense before trying to stop some of the quick guards in Conference play. I don't know if it just that our guys defending the PG are not quick enough or if it is a matter that could be fixed by improved one-on-one defensive coaching. We had the same issue with quick guards last year so maybe be need some better coaching for this aspect of the game. Shoot, I would just sit our guards down and have them study Chatmond (sp?) on Dayton. All color commentators on the UD games In HI were extremely complimentary on his footwork and positioning and I never saw his mark flying by him.

What many seem to forget is that getting to the Dance in French and Goodwin's senior seasons will be of no value in replacing them the next year. All the recruiting for the team the year after they depart will be over before we would get to the NCAA.

I would love to see us take them down and Jimerson be cited as Jimmmmmmmmerson in the post-game thread ! Bring it on Gibson!

Agreed. That's why I acknowledged it in my "Yes, I expect big things...." sentence.

I like seeing us as #56 in any national ranking service, BUT I find it hard to put much value in a ranking system that has GMU 26; Lasalle 36; VCU 80; and Richmond 81. The A-10 ranking---#7--- seems about right and is encouraging . "You can call me Jimerson, you can call me GJ, but ya can't call me Jimmerson!"

Unless TF is able to get a couple of Blue Chips in the next recruiting cycle, I would change your "next few years" to" next year." Losing HF, JG and even Perkins after next year can be a killer. The only addition to the team after next year is a mid-level recruit plus whoever TF gets in the 20-21 class. Yes, I expect big things from Jimerson, YC and some contributions from TH Jr and JB Jr, but I don't see a HF or JG on the roster and expecting a FR in the 20-21 recruiting class to be even a young HF or JG is quite an expectation. Assuming all current players return, that means we will have YC, GJ, JB Jr, MD, TH Jr, FT Jr, DJ, Strickland and KCH giving us 4 potential 20-21 scholarships. That number could be reduced by one if we sign a non-grad transfer with the current vacant scholarship. My point is, with 3 or 4 potential additions to the team after French, Goodwin and Perkins leave, don't expect those 3 or 4 new players to come even close to replacing what the departing seniors will have contributed in their final years as Bills.

I watched Dayton play 3 games over the last few days and they are way more than Toppin. They are a complete team that will probably go undefeated in the A-10. UD is well-rounded and has a lottery pick big man, who can do it all.. The Junior transfer, Chatman, is as good of an on-ball defender as I have seen this year. I think they are far and away the class of the league this year.

Based on viewing many games up to and including Thanksgiving, I think we can go 25-6, best case in our regular season, pre A10 tourney. 6-1 a/o 11/28 with 5 likely losses to Auburn, SVU twice, at Richmond and at URI. Again, I see this as best case with K-St, at Davidson and VCU as tossups. Losing all of the just mentioned games takes us back to 22-9, my original, pre-season prediction. As Old Guy likes to say, it could happen or not. Since I am now hearing most of the Talking Heads saying that the Selection Committee is more concerned with good wins instead of bad losses, I don't think even my best case (25-6) gets us in the Dance without winning the A-10 tournament. We would only have "good wins" against Belmont and K St, and those are not "great wins." Now, beat Dayton or Auburn and everything changes, but I don't see either of those in the cards. A win vs SH would have been nice. The plight of the mid-majors!

At this point and having veg'ed out on CBB the past 2 days, I see the following games as the only ones I consider us to not have a chance to win; Auburn, Dayton, both home and away, and likely not wins at Richmond, and at URI. The rest of our schedule, including K-St and VCU at Chaifetz are all games I see as winnable assuming we continue to make even minimal improvement as the season continues.

Good Grief! Can we never stop being confused over D 2 games and their impact on our records? They are NOT exhibition games and DO count on our record----look at past years in the record books. BUT.................... They are NOT counted in the NCAA Selection Committee meetings or in any of the TV discussions about the NCAA Selection process by Bilas/Dickie V. and others. Most years, if we schedule a D 2 school it is at the beginning of the year, not midway through December. My best guess is that we scheduled Maryville U. because we needed another home game and couldn't come up with a D 1 opponent when it came time to release the schedule. Hopefully, we will not need to do that in the future. I'd much rather see a school with some local interest (e.g. SIU-E; Bradley; SEMO ) than a D 2 game that will be poorly attended.

Some tough future games. I'm watching both the UD and Richmond v. Auburn games. Nuff said already on UD. They are going to be very hard to beat either in STL or at UD. Richmond is not shooting well but they are also going to be hard to beat. Auburn is really good and my hope to beat them isn't looking too good at the moment. I hope TF and our players are watching Dayton and are going to school on how to set screens and get open. RM would be proud. Why can't we learn something so simple?

And it was probably only 3500 to start the 2nd half after the great majority of students cleared out ! I sure hope they all had important tests today that they had to study for last night. The minority that stayed was further depleted by 1/2 way through the 2nd half. Whoever is in charge of the SLUNATICS (or whatever they call themselves) needs to rethink when they give out the freebies. I know the team did not perform up to expected standards, but how much does the school have to give away just to get student "fans" to come, (AND STAY) at the games? Free shirts; pizza; $850 to campus groups; $200 (last night) to make 3 baskets; $50 gift certificates to a steak house??? How about some good old fashion school spirit?

That would make Jimerson (or based on last night's game Jimmmmmerson) a pretty special Freshman!

Where does his 25 points last night rank for Freshmen? I don't remember many higher figures in the past 40 years.

CBF, I really enjoy your posts, BUT I think, when talking about outside shooting, you have to include Jimerson. I think this was just an oversight on your part.