Aquinas

CBS Sports preseason top 25 has VCU at 20, and Davidson at 26.

Ford has said he prefers to play French at the 4. In other words have some one bigger on the floor with French. Bell clearly fits the bill, but its unknown how many minutes he can play. It would be ideal to land a GT Bigger than French to alternate with Bell. It would also help in regard to injuries and early foul trouble for Bell or French.

He is more than just a spot up 3 point shooter. He kind of reminds me of a Scott Highmark..... on steroids.

They were talking about the half year he played last year and the lost second semester. He was saying that he wouldn't contest that year, but would be happy to have a full Sr year. He didn't specifically address what he will do if the NCAA does not give him a waiver. My money would be on him playing this year, waver or no waver. The good news in the interview is that he will be in St. Louis in May. We need all of the newbies working with the team as early as possible.

On the Billiken curve 67% FT has to be a C+.

I look forward to Yuri going over the top, to 7 footer Jimmy Bell.

He would fit right in..... makes DJ look like a good free throw shooter.

My brother graduated from SLU, and he introduced me to college BB and the Billikens when coach Grower joined the team in the early 80s. As a young business man and manager I was intrigued with the challenges faced by coaches, thier different styles and approaches to recruiting, team building and strategies. I've been faithful through the highs like Spoonball, the Conklin smash and lows, like losing Upchurch, Situations 1 and 2. I loved the coach Growers vision, Spoons charisma, the geniousness of Coach Majerus strategy and now the exceptional recruiting of Coach Ford. I moved to Florida and even though my daughters went to the University of Florida, I just never cared about any other team like I do the Bills.

The write up on Yuri is impressive. Good job recruiting by coach Ford. The juniors on the first and second teams look talented as well.

I would give the often injured guys Incompletes, as there just isnt enough work there to get a good read on them. I think Ford deserves an A, he won the A10 Conference Championship with a 6 man team. To win 4 games in 4 days was amazing, no one outside the fan base thought it was even possible. He coaches with a lot of heart and his players have embraced it. Sadly S2 messed up the distribution of players and classes and we will still feel that in the coming year.

I get that, but with French and Goodwin shooting under 60, a third starter under 60 means we face packed in zones every game again next season. We already have the inside scoring and rebounding, a stretch big would help open things up. Ironically a Welmer would be the ideal fit.

Dont think we need another 56% free throw shooter.

Pulling that win out of the fire in front of a national audience was beautiful. Then having the Billiken logo popping up over and over again for everyone in the country to see, especially recruits is exposure you cant afford to buy. Somebody in the A10 deserves credit for staging the final there. Ford deserves credit for beatung the odds and getting the win. He has assembeled Team Blue and they are tough. Today the basketball world met the Billiken Bruisers.

Coach Ford deserves credit for getting Anthony Bonner to practice with the team. Bonners interview durring the broadcast was impressive. He is a great roll model and appears to really care for the success of these young men in basketball and life. I loved him as a player and still love his contributions to the team. I think he is a piece of the family and larger vision of team, that Ford is building.

When the A10 tournament started I thought our season could end with the first game. I thought we were good enough to win any game we play and inconsistent enough to lose any game we play.... 50 50. The probability of winning 4 in a row, one in 16. But after 2 gutsy wins, the unbelievable is possible. The seniors know that it is now or never and they are playing with tremendous heart. They have come together, Isabell is on fire, he is a magician some of the layups that he makes and I can't believe some of the 3s he is hitting. French is a man, more than a man, he is a beast. Bess is a star and now Goodwin looks like he has regained his confidence, in a Post D article this morning, he said that he can't be boxed out. The physical condition and look of this team is intimidating and we have never had a team that looks or plays like this one. Now we are close enough the Big Dance to smell it.