GDT-XU

[Postcard]

even more so than the experience standpoint I would like the CMI or CIT for selfish reason. Im not ready to stop watching this team play yet.

It had its ups and downs but this was the most exciting season for the Bills in along time.

As for todays game, If Xaiever doesnt hit that three at the end of the half I think the hole game ends up different. That just toatlly deflated the already tired Bills.

The back to back games just killed Mitchell. But that is something he will be able to handle better next year. Its a shame TLIII KL and BE go down like this to end a great carear but what they did at SLU hopefully started a changing of slu Athletics.

I was impressed with Lisch today, some of his shots werent falling but midway through the 2nd I think he told himself, he was the guy that was going to get them back in the game.

He tried to take over but its hard against a team like Xavier.

they are on the right path. Mitchell is a bigtime D1 pg, Reed is only going to get better, Conklin had a good year and as big as he is will only get stronger.

Hopefully Cassity can learn to create some shots over the summer and Thompson keeps developing.

With the incoming Freshman and the returning players developing I will GUARNTEE they will be playing past ST Pattys day next year.

Thats right, Im giving the dlarry guarntee, I dont give those out very often, and honestly they dont mean much but its a start.

GO BILLS

You seriously think we'll be better next year? I wish I shared your enthusiam. In two years yes, but not next year. We'll be so young.

[Bay Area Billiken]

this is pathetic. we are praying for a CBI/CIT berth...

Praying? I think that's a bit of a stretch, don't you, a little embellishment?

How long have you been following Billiken Basketball? I've followed the team closely since the 1978-79 season. I was there when SLU was at the bottom of rock bottom. Post-season tournament bids for SLU weren't even a dream then.

People used to ridicule the NIT. Now some ridicule these new tournaments.

But there are now 343 Division 1 teams, many more than there used to be. There are numerous teams from lesser conferences that are in the NCAA Tournament right now, most of them little more than first round fodder, de facto byes for the top ranked teams, and I will strongly say that SLU is better than at least 8 of those automatic bid teams: Chattanooga, Morehead State, Portland State, Radford, North Dakota State, East Tennessee State, Robert Morris, Cornell. You can add to that list this weekend when the America East, Southland, Big West, Patriot, MEAC, and SWAC Tournaments are decided. That brings the total to 14 NCAA bids. I'd like to think SLU could hold its own and is at least close in level to NCAA teams Northern Iowa, Cleveland State, VCU, and Western Kentucky. (In advance, I'm not saying that SLU is better than those latter four.) So that's a total of 18 of the 65 NCAA spots, at least 14 of those teams of which SLU is better.

Then comes the new NIT, 32 bids, not the old 40. Do you think Jacksonville and Tennessee-Martin are better than SLU? They have automatic NIT bids. For that matter, do you think Weber State is better than SLU? Perhaps, but not for sure, and Weber State has an automatic NIT bid too.

So under the new system, with 343 D-1 teams and all these automatic bids to both the NCAA and the NIT, the bids are getting scarcer for the NCAA and the NIT. Thus, there is room for these new tournaments.

Ask Tulsa and Bradley, last year's CBI finalists, if that tournament was a waste of time.

[Postcard]

When we had the back to back NITs in 03 and 04.

1st time I heard the expression the 'Not Invited Tournament'. Many who said that still post frequently here.

I guess I'm confused. Don't you turn your nose up at something that you're too good for? If we hadn't been to the Big Dance for a while, why were posters on here turning up their noses at going to the NIT? Wouldn't that be a step in the right direction?

[dlarry]

You seriously think we'll be better next year? I wish I shared your enthusiam. In two years yes, but not next year. We'll be so young.

I really do.

And I hope thinking that doesnt make it look like Im taking away from the importance TL, KL, and BE were to this team, because without them we would not of been playing today and probably not even be above 500.

I just think that RM style is so system oriented that when he recruits he gets guys he knows can play his syle of basekball. And when his system is run right it is very hard to beat.

I think with a year under their belts the freshman will make huge improvements next year and some of the new guys appear to be ready to step in.

I may be looking at this overly optimistic but not out of the question.

Will they be in the NCAA tourney? Not likely but I think one of the three lesser tournaments is a very realistic goal.

[Bay Area Billiken]

I guess I'm confused. Don't you turn your nose up at something that you're too good for? If we hadn't been to the Big Dance for a while, why were posters on here turning up their noses at going to the NIT? Wouldn't that be a step in the right direction?

It's a bit of the same thing re the new tournaments.

The goal is the NCAA Tournament. The NIT used to be, and really still is, perceived to be a consolation tournament by many. Now I didn't so much think of it that way myself, but many did and do. And when SLU would either get eliminated from getting in the NCAA, or snubbed as happened in 1987 and even more so in 1989, there would be disappointment and a reaction by some that it was NCAA or nothing.

Sometimes, if SLU didn't have that good of a season, it was a relief to get in the NIT. That happened once under Spoon, as well as under Brad Soderberg.

[dlarry]

That brings the total to 14 NCAA bids. I'd like to think SLU could hold its own and is at least close in level to NCAA teams Northern Iowa, Cleveland State, VCU, and Western Kentucky. (In advance, I'm not saying that SLU is better than those latter four.) So that's a total of 18 of the 65 NCAA spots, at least 14 of those teams of which SLU is better.

whoa whoa whoa. Hold on there buddy, nobody can stop the hilltoppers

I dont really mean that, I just get a kick out of that goffy red grimus and take every oppurtunity I can find to post a picture of him

[Bay Area Billiken]

whoa whoa whoa. Hold on there buddy, nobody can stop the hilltoppers

I dont really mean that, I just get a kick out of that goffy red grimus and take every oppurtunity I can find to post a picture of him

I'd take our Billiken over that thing anyday.

[RB2.0]

Praying? I think that's a bit of a stretch, don't you, a little embellishment?

How long have you been following Billiken Basketball? I've followed the team closely since the 1978-79 season. I was there when SLU was at the bottom of rock bottom. Post-season tournament bids for SLU weren't even a dream then.

People used to ridicule the NIT. Now some ridicule these new tournaments.

But there are now 343 Division 1 teams, many more than there used to be. There are numerous teams from lesser conferences that are in the NCAA Tournament right now, most of them little more than first round fodder, de facto byes for the top ranked teams, and I will strongly say that SLU is better than at least 8 of those automatic bid teams: Chattanooga, Morehead State, Portland State, Radford, North Dakota State, East Tennessee State, Robert Morris, Cornell. You can add to that list this weekend when the America East, Southland, Big West, Patriot, MEAC, and SWAC Tournaments are decided. That brings the total to 14 NCAA bids. I'd like to think SLU could hold its own and is at least close in level to NCAA teams Northern Iowa, Cleveland State, VCU, and Western Kentucky. (In advance, I'm not saying that SLU is better than those latter four.) So that's a total of 18 of the 65 NCAA spots, at least 14 of those teams of which SLU is better.

Then comes the new NIT, 32 bids, not the old 40. Do you think Jacksonville and Tennessee-Martin are better than SLU? They have automatic NIT bids. For that matter, do you think Weber State is better than SLU? Perhaps, but not for sure, and Weber State has an automatic NIT bid too.

So under the new system, with 343 D-1 teams and all these automatic bids to both the NCAA and the NIT, the bids are getting scarcer for the NCAA and the NIT. Thus, there is room for these new tournaments.

Ask Tulsa and Bradley, last year's CBI finalists, if that tournament was a waste of time.

I've been following since 2000. I graduated in 2006...Have watched intently ever since. Playing in the CBI is like getting a "Participation" ribbon.

We should just wrap this season up and look forward to next year. I'm actually encouraged for the first time in my decade of following SLU. Getting rid of TL3 may actually help us, as will the addition of new freshmen studs. RM was right, we are still a good 2 years away.

[Bay Area Billiken]

I've been following since 2000. I graduated in 2006...Have watched intently ever since. Playing in the CBI is like getting a "Participation" ribbon.

We should just wrap this season up and look forward to next year. I'm actually encouraged for the first time in my decade of following SLU. Getting rid of TL3 may actually help us, as will the addition of new freshmen studs. RM was right, we are still a good 2 years away.

I do see your point about the "Participation" ribbon. There are a couple of ways to look at that. Having to buy a CBI home game seemed a bit odd when I first heard about it last year. But much of this is about the money anyway. So I thought, why not?

I just hate to see the season end, and it bugs me that Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell will never play in a post-season tournament game for SLU. When SLU signed those two, I would have never expected that to transpire. I think both are very good players, among the top 20 at least to ever play for SLU.

[dlarry]

I do see your point about the "Participation" ribbon. There are a couple of ways to look at that. Having to buy a CBI home game seemed a bit odd when I first heard about it last year. But much of this is about the money anyway. So I thought, why not?

I just hate to see the season end, and it bugs me that Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell will never play in a post-season tournament game for SLU. When SLU signed those two, I would have never expected that to transpire. I think both are very good players, among the top 20 at least to ever play for SLU.

Iwas born in 78 so my memory doesnt go back to far.

But could these two be the best SLU players to never play postseason?

[Bay Area Billiken]

Iwas born in 78 so my memory doesnt go back to far.

But could these two be the best SLU players to never play postseason?

When I was a SLU undergrad (1978-1982), SLU had a fast, flashy, and slashing JUCO guard named David Burns for my Soph and Junior years. He was a very good player, was drafted by the NBA, but his SLU teams were nowhere near post-season play (12-15, 9-18).

Before my time, when I was a kid, SLU had Joe Wiley, and I don't think he ever played in the post-season. In the early 1970's, SLU had a very good 6'7" point forward, Harry Rogers, and he never played in a post-season tournament to my knowledge.

Burns, Rogers, and Wiley are among the all-time Billiken greats.

Under Rich Grawer, SLU had Luther Burden, who never got to play in a post-season tournament.

[billiken_roy]

Iwas born in 78 so my memory doesnt go back to far.

But could these two be the best SLU players to never play postseason?

david burns.

burns had a couple of years in the nba plus internationally.

[AlumniFan]

You seriously think we'll be better next year? I wish I shared your enthusiam. In two years yes, but not next year. We'll be so young.

If our freshmen had played typical freshmen minutes this year, I would agree with you. However, Kwamain, Willie, Brian, and even Brett played a LOT of minutes for freshmen. I think most A10 teams would have taken Kwamain as a starter, freshmen or not, and a lot of A10 teams would have loved to have had Willie on their team, if not as a starter, as the first guy off the bench. We will miss Kevin and Tommie (and Barry too), but next year we will be deep, more athletic, and a 100% Majerus brainwashed (I mean that in a good way) team.

Now, I am not saying that we win 25 games next year, but I expect a higher RPI, a better conference record, and a more exciting and polished team despite the new faces.

[Box and Won]

While I'm sad that the season is over, we do have a lot to look forward to next year. Our freshmen played so much this year that we could almost consider them sophomores before the season even ended. Next year will be our first "all-Majerus" team, which is exciting in itself, but we'll have Kwamain, who we already know is a stud, a (hopefully) bulked up Willie Reed, and Thompson, Conklin and Cassity with a spring and summer of conditioning and hard work in the gym under their belts. We'll have Femi, two well-regarded Aussies, and maybe some surprises among the other recruits. Perhaps we'll even add another player before it's all said and done. This year's freshmen will be next year's leaders, and it will be fun to watch them and the incoming recruits grow together individually and as a team. We're getting there...