What is wrong with this team

[AlumniFan]

After the events of the past week and tonight's game, I have come to a conclusion about what has contributed to this season being below expectations for most. Below, in order of importance is my list.

1. Lack of a real leader on the team. Whether it was Drejaj last year or guys like Jeff Harris almost a decade ago, there simply is no equivalent leader on this team. (40% - 50% of the problem)

2. Brad doesn't handle the emotions and stress when things do not go well. He is a good guy and a good coach, but when things begin to go wrong (e.g. Kevin's injuries, Ian's befuddling regression, poor team play) he apparently does not cope with it well and it seems to spill over to the kids. (20% - 30% of the problem)

3. Ian's regression. (10% - 20% of the problem)

4. Kevin's injuries. (10% - 20% of the problem)

5. Lack of development of our power forwards. Knollmeyer has only played in spurts and Obi and Horace have not played at all since conference play started (yes, that last part is a joke, but not having them is obviously a critical issue). This also had the biggest impact on our depth. (0% - 20% of the problem)

Obviously, some of these things are inter-related. For example, did #2 impact #3? Did #s 3, 4 an 5 impact #2? Does #1 impact #2? Does #2 cause #1?

The lack of a leader is so apparent and so devastating that it cannot be understated. This is a great group of kids, but none of them, at this point in their lives, appear to be natural leaders. If, after the St. Bonnie loss, the team had a leader to step up and say this was bull****, let's get our act together, I really believe things would have been different. A lot of deficiencies can overcome by strong leadership. And even great and skilled groups of people, in any endeavour, can materially underperform in the absence of leadership. Nonetheless, the rest of these things have had a big impact.

I do not think that Brad is a bad coach and I am not convinced that he is a poor recruiter, but it certainly appears that he has not dealt well with the adversity this team has experience this year and for that he is accountable.

All the talk about facilities and budgets and recruiting and on and on really do not speak to specifically what has transpired this season; the above 5 points do.

Just my thoughts after seeing the game tonight in the context of the change in the starting line-up, the rumors swirling around the team, and the outcome of the game given Kevin's performance. Despite his relatively modest demeanor, I predict that Kevin becomes (and is already becoming) the leader on this team. That will be a good thing.

It IS hard work being a Billiken fan.....

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[cheeseman]

Actually #1 and 3 are very interrelated. IV should be providing senior leadership and is not by his poor play. I actually think, that IV is really the cause of more looses than KL's injury. IV should be picking this team up on his shoulders and carrying it when things like KL's injuries occurr. Brad, he clearly is emotional - did you see him last night blow a gasket when KL was fouled on that 3 pt. I thought he was going to have a stroke and get T. He is under a great deal of pressure - most of his doing by his recruiting performance to date. While I feel for him you do reap what you sow. The whole PF thing - is a problem but was only made worse by the IV regression. I agree all the other talk is just noise and has nothing really to do with IV regression. Now some would say it has something to do with the recruiting issue but I am not so sure I am willing to give it that much credit - some but not overwhelming. I also have got to say if I hear someone bring up this silly - the asst. coaches have to pay for their cell phones issue I will scream. They do not pay for them - someone said that Brad pays for them out of his camp money. Who cares how the bill is paid for - nobody is taking money out of their pocket to pay for it except Brad. Truth of the matter all he has to do is add $5 to each camper's bill and he has the money back which is my guess is what happens.

[3star_recruit]

All of our weaknesses got exposed at various times this year -- no power forward, a center too slow to evade the double team, no other player that could create his own offense outside of Lisch and Liddell, no guard that can handle ball pressure outside of Polk, and a coach that gets emotionally distraught in the face of adversity. Coach will probably always wear his emotions on his sleeve but the other issues have to be addressed through recruiting and just as importantly, development.

If we somehow do get the offensive players we need in the spring, Brad has to blend them in quickly. We can't afford to have formidable offensive players on the floor for 10 minutes instead of 25 because Brad isn't 100% satisfied with their grasp of the pack defense. There always seems to be 10 games a year where we get lit up from three because of our inability to close out in the pack no matter who's in there. We've got to compensate by cutting down on the turnovers and being more than a two-man team on offense.

[Clock_Tower]

Nice observations.

I lack the insight to comment on your #2. Agree with Cheese that #1 and #3 are related. Never really expected IV, being a more passive type person, foreign born, etc. to be "vocal" team leader (your #1) as much as a strong, silent leader who "leads by example." In that regard, some blame for both your #1 and #3 can be placed upon IV.

Also, your observation about lack of a real leader such as Drejaj, Brad has made similar statements, demonstrates that a leader need not be the best or even one of the best players on the team. This Board already knows, but IMO it is worth repeating, TL and KL are such special players that we forget they are only sophomores. As rare as it is for Freshmen, and now Sophomores, to be their team's best players, players relied upon to take the shot at the game's critical time, it is even more rare for such young guys also to be their team's leaders. With a disappointing IV, our senior class (IV and JJ) is poor. Not many teams have 20+ win seasons, win conference road games and make the NCAA with such a senior class.

I believe you should also add #6 Lack of Depth/Players not on the team. Our Senior class should have 1 to 2 more guys - whether JUCO and/or transfer route.

[AlumniFan]

I think that had Obi and Horace panned out, the discussions about our depth may not have even happended, hence #5.

Regarding leadership, think of this: If Ian had the emotion of Tyler Hansborough, where would this team be right now??? Possibly a top 25 team - I think it makes THAT MUCH of a difference.

"A strong man stands up for himself; a stronger man stands up for others." - Ben

[Clock_Tower]

Agreed, but again, by all accounts AK had been ahead of both Obi and HD in the preseason and AK, himself, has contributed very little this year. Can't state if this is result of AK, Brad or combination of both (which I suspect) but again I truly believe experience cannot be overstated. I am still high on AK and believe he will be good for SLU, just not now. As such, I truly did not expect much from any of these 3 but, like fellow Bills fans, did hope that 1 of the 3 would have stepped forward. To that extent, am disappointed.

While Stemler last spring would have been nice, I truly hoped we would have gotten a JUCO/tranfer the year prior. Without a JUCO/transfer 2 years ago, without Stemler, and then without a "Plan B" to Stemler, we were left to hope that 1 of our 3 first year players would step up - a tall order for most 1st year players. None have.

Couple the above regarding our 4 and 5 positions with the lack of depth regarding the guard positions, could really have used a JUCO/transfer 1 or 2 guard the past 2 years, and you have the current situation where we are relying upon Danny Brown (has not stepped up this year) and another first year player, DM. Again, am still high on DM but unfortunately he has not been able to contribute and "hide" the recent holes in our recruiting. Yes, with a contributing powerforward, LM could be moved to 3 and our guards would then be deeper, but we have had real ballhandling and turnover problems all year long and more help at 1 or 2 would have really helped this year.

SLU's best years in the past 30 or 40 years have been under Spoon and he relied heavily upon JUCOs and transfers.

[davidnark]

In the preseason, Brad said for this to be an NCAA team Luke had to slide down to the three and someone had to step up at the four. Whether it is recruiting, coaching, or bad player commitment/development, this didn't happen. The inability to slide Luke down to the three affects our depth and size in the back court and our ability to compete and create mismatches in the frontcourt. Most of the factors you listed indirectly factor into this problem.

I wish Brad would have just picked a power forward--JJ, Knollmeyer, or Ian (with Bryce at center)--started him at the four all year, and started Luke at the three all year. There would have been some growing pains, but I think this would be a much deeper and better team right now.

[KC Billikens Fan]

Lack of talent, particularly at the 4 and 5 positions, is the problem with this team.

Burwell said SLU should be playing better than RPI 77. I disagree. Given their talent level, I think they are playing about as well as they can.

Look at the roster, SLU has only 2 A-/B+ D1 players (KL, TL), 2 B/B- D1 players (LM, IV), and the rest of the players are D1 Cs at best. It should not shock anyone that SLU is 16-10, especially with the injuries to Lisch.

I actually believe SLU is OVER-rated in terms of the RPI. I tend to believe the Pomeroy rankings, which have SLU 116th.

I predict SLU will finish 19-13, at best 20-12, and that is not bad GIVEN THEIR TALENT.

I predict a similar finish next year, because the same crew less IV and JJ will be back, and I predict the recruits that come in will be only comparable or slightly better than IV and JJ.

[slu72]

The only thing going in was we expected IV to be an A player. If he'd played every game with the intensity he showed against UNC, SLU would have notched a few more W's. At the beginning of the season, UB tossed out there that he might use the Twin Towers that worked well against Charlotte last year. We've not seen it once to the best of my recollection. Had IV been used as the 4, that would have eliminated a lot of the double and triple teaming that have supposedly caused his decline. Also, Euro bigs tend to feel more natural playing out further than US bigs. Who knows, maybe UB is planning this as a surprise in the A-10 tourney. God knows, we need some sort of miracle like that to salvage this year.

[nostatic]

Leading by example is a great thing. KL has done it since he stepped on campus, and I would say that LM & DP have picked up on it and do the same. KL & TL are leaders on the team just because of their skill level, but at this point, neither one is that vocal leader.

I've heard stories about Drejaj in practice - he wanted to win every drill that they did; every 2 on 2, every 3 on 3, every 4 on 4. He would yell at guys if they dropped a pass; he would never take it for granted that someone else would make the defensive play or get the big rebound. He took it upon himself on every possession.

Maybe before Drejaj, it was Fish and Sloan. I think Fan makes a great point here. It's a big hole that hasn't been filled. And maybe that's why UB has been a little more emotional on the sidelines -- he's trying to force some of that passion onto the players.

[FromGreeceWithLove]

Soderberg started the Marchetti Towers against Texas A&M, but that has been the extent of their playing together as far as I know.