I'm watching Mizzou right now and thinking...

[davidnark]

...that the most important thing in college basketball is getting quality players who fit and commit to the coach's system. Mizzou has some very good basketball players, but a lot of these guys would be a mess in a different type of system. If you play for Anderson, you better be long, vertically gifted, and able to run the floor. The beauty of Coach Anderson is that he knows exactly what players he needs for his system (regardless of player ranking), and he teaches those guys to play the game his way with success. Majerus is doing the exact same thing with a completely different type of system. A lot of failed coaches--most notably Snyder at MU--failed to succeed because they didn't know what kind of players they needed and what kind of system they would run with them.

[Tonka]

...that the most important thing in college basketball is getting quality players who fit and commit to the coach's system. Mizzou has some very good basketball players, but a lot of these guys would be a mess in a different type of system. If you play for Anderson, you better be long, vertically gifted, and able to run the floor. The beauty of Coach Anderson is that he knows exactly what players he needs for his system (regardless of player ranking), and he teaches those guys to play the game his way with success. Majerus is doing the exact same thing with a completely different type of system. A lot of failed coaches--most notably Snyder at MU--failed to succeed because they didn't know what kind of players they needed and what kind of system they would run with them.

Anderson and Majerus seem to stick with their system no matter what and always recruit to that system. That is a great discipline to have because I am sure when you take over a program the ego gets in the way and it would be real easy to change things up depending on the players you inherited.

[cheesycow]

I think more than players who fit a particular system, you need to have a coach who gets EVERYONE on board with that system. That's the only reason Mizzou is having success, they're all totally behind the gameplan.

[STL Hoops Insider]

I hope the Bills can reach the same level of success next year as the Tigers are having this year. It will be tough, because they wont have the senior leadership next year that Tigers have this year, but they should be able to crack 20 regular season wins, because they were already on the cusp of doing that this year. I know the Bills lose Lisch and Liddell, but Mizzou lost their top scorer and assist man Stefhon Hannah, a 3 year starter in Marshall Brown, and 4 year starter Jason Horton last year, in addition to a really good sophomore in Keon Lawrence and they're still playing for the conference tournament championship today, so it can be done. This wasn't mentioned before, but I guess by default Kwamain Mitchell will be the leader of the team next year. The future for the Billikens is bright. And the team will be only Majerus recruits next season.

[Band Legend]

I hope the Bills can reach the same level of success next year as the Tigers are having this year. It will be tough, because they wont have the senior leadership next year that Tigers have this year, but they should be able to crack 20 regular season wins, because they were already on the cusp of doing that this year. I know the Bills lose Lisch and Liddell, but Mizzou lost their top scorer and assist man Stefhon Hannah, a 3 year starter in Marshall Brown, and 4 year starter Jason Horton last year, in addition to a really good sophomore in Keon Lawrence and they're still playing for the conference tournament championship today, so it can be done. This wasn't mentioned before, but I guess by default Kwamain Mitchell will be the leader of the team next year. The future for the Billikens is bright. And the team will be only Majerus recruits next season.

Hannah, and especially Horton, were cancers on Mizzou's team and they were never going to go anywhere as long as they were around. As far as the Billikens are concerned, the future is very bright, and Mitchell is not the leader by default, he is just the leader. He was the leader this year. A natural born leader does the job no matter what year he is in school.

[kevinfootes]

...that the most important thing in college basketball is getting quality players who fit and commit to the coach's system. Mizzou has some very good basketball players, but a lot of these guys would be a mess in a different type of system. If you play for Anderson, you better be long, vertically gifted, and able to run the floor. The beauty of Coach Anderson is that he knows exactly what players he needs for his system (regardless of player ranking), and he teaches those guys to play the game his way with success. Majerus is doing the exact same thing with a completely different type of system. A lot of failed coaches--most notably Snyder at MU--failed to succeed because they didn't know what kind of players they needed and what kind of system they would run with them.

I tend to agree with you. What was amazing about Snyder is that he never landed a real point guard. That was his position! His teams weren't worth a sh!t after Grawer graduated.

That's what I like about RM, he can take guys like Grawer who aren't 4 and 5 star players and really make them shine in his system.

[estiger]

I tend to agree with you. What was amazing about Snyder is that he never landed a real point guard. That was his position! His teams weren't worth a sh!t after Grawer graduated.

That's what I like about RM, he can take guys like Grawer who aren't 4 and 5 star players and really make them shine in his system.

I agree 100% with this post. Schools like MU and SLU will always be able to recruit good players, but will struggle to get the elite players. Look at the Beal kid from Chaminade. He will pay lip service to MU and SLU, but he will pick KU or Florida in my opinion. The only way he ends up at SLU or MU is if his stock drops in the next couple of summers on the AAU circuit.

If you have a coach that believes in an approach and knows how to recruit to that approach, great things are possible. I think Mitchell and Reed are players like that, and Conklin and Thompson may be also. As I recall, Mitchell is from Milwaukee and did not have offers from either Marquette or Wiscy. I'll bet both of those teams would jump at the chance of having him now. The same is true of Reed. He was right in the heart of Big12 country, and he is a super-promising player for SLU. I know as a Mizzou fan, I would love to have him in our program. I think he would be a great fit in the Anderson system also. I'm not sure of all the details of his recruitment, but I think schools like MU and KSU were slow-playing him for some reason and SLU plucked him away. I think the Big Man can flat out coach, and I suspect that years 3, 4 and 5 of his program will be fun to watch.

I also want to stick up for the A-10 to some extent. It may not be a good fit for SLU for logistical reasons, but it is a good conference for Men's basketball. Year in year out it has 4-5 teams which are legitimate Top 25-30 programs. When is the last time a team from the Valley made the Elite 8? Xavier has done it twice in the last 4 years, and St. Joe also did it once. I like the MVC, and I can understand the reasons that folks think it would be a better fit for SLU, but there is no doubt that year in and year out the caliber of basketball played in the upper level of the A-10 is better than the Valley.

[tenthyearsenior]

I also want to stick up for the A-10 to some extent. It may not be a good fit for SLU for logistical reasons, but it is a good conference for Men's basketball. Year in year out it has 4-5 teams which are legitimate Top 25-30 programs. When is the last time a team from the Valley made the Elite 8? Xavier has done it twice in the last 4 years, and St. Joe also did it once. I like the MVC, and I can understand the reasons that folks think it would be a better fit for SLU, but there is no doubt that year in and year out the caliber of basketball played in the upper level of the A-10 is better than the Valley.

Who are these 4 or 5 schools? I see X at 19 and that is it.

[tenthyearsenior]

I also want to stick up for the A-10 to some extent. It may not be a good fit for SLU for logistical reasons, but it is a good conference for Men's basketball. Year in year out it has 4-5 teams which are legitimate Top 25-30 programs. When is the last time a team from the Valley made the Elite 8? Xavier has done it twice in the last 4 years, and St. Joe also did it once. I like the MVC, and I can understand the reasons that folks think it would be a better fit for SLU, but there is no doubt that year in and year out the caliber of basketball played in the upper level of the A-10 is better than the Valley.

Bradley 2006

[STL Hoops Insider]

2009 Big 12 Conference Champions.

[brianstl]

2009 Big 12 Conference Champions.

You going to go out and tear it up to celebrate?

[estiger]

You going to go out and tear it up to celebrate?

Bradley got drilled in the 2006 Sweet 16 by Memphis.

I would submit that year in year out, Xavier, Temple and St. Joseph are better programs than any of those in the MVC. Also, teams like Dayton, Charlotte. and St. Louis have the ability to play at the level of any of the hottest MVC teams in a given year.

I like the Valley, and I think SLU could thrive in that league, but from a pure basketball standpoint, the A-10 is a better league imho.

However, if the Big Man thinks that SLU needs to get out of the A-10 and prefers the Valley, I value his opinion a lot more than mine. Obviously, the A-10 is a poor fit logistically and geographically. I also think the Valley is probably a better fit for all of the other sports like women's hoops, soccer and baseball.

[Band Legend]

Bradley 2006

Get your facts straight, doofus.

[courtside]

I agree 100% with this post. Schools like MU and SLU will always be able to recruit good players, but will struggle to get the elite players. Look at the Beal kid from Chaminade. He will pay lip service to MU and SLU, but he will pick KU or Florida in my opinion. The only way he ends up at SLU or MU is if his stock drops in the next couple of summers on the AAU circuit.

If you have a coach that believes in an approach and knows how to recruit to that approach, great things are possible. I think Mitchell and Reed are players like that, and Conklin and Thompson may be also. As I recall, Mitchell is from Milwaukee and did not have offers from either Marquette or Wiscy. I'll bet both of those teams would jump at the chance of having him now. The same is true of Reed. He was right in the heart of Big12 country, and he is a super-promising player for SLU. I know as a Mizzou fan, I would love to have him in our program. I think he would be a great fit in the Anderson system also. I'm not sure of all the details of his recruitment, but I think schools like MU and KSU were slow-playing him for some reason and SLU plucked him away. I think the Big Man can flat out coach, and I suspect that years 3, 4 and 5 of his program will be fun to watch.

I also want to stick up for the A-10 to some extent. It may not be a good fit for SLU for logistical reasons, but it is a good conference for Men's basketball. Year in year out it has 4-5 teams which are legitimate Top 25-30 programs. When is the last time a team from the Valley made the Elite 8? Xavier has done it twice in the last 4 years, and St. Joe also did it once. I like the MVC, and I can understand the reasons that folks think it would be a better fit for SLU, but there is no doubt that year in and year out the caliber of basketball played in the upper level of the A-10 is better than the Valley.

Wisconsin likes big guards, even at the point, bigger than Mitchell, and, Mitchell would have played behind Trevon Hughes for two years, and competed with Jordan Taylor and others at the point. Marquette is filled with guards on their roster, and Junior Cadougan coming in next year is one of the best point guards in this year's Senior class. Marquette also had a commitment from KU guard Tyshawn Taylor but when the coaching change was announced, he de-committed and went to Kansas. And another of their guards left to transfer to Iowa St. So they had a log jam at the guard positions. Mitchell wasn't as heavily recruited locally because the local teams already had good guards and were already recruiting good guards, which was a break for SLU. Mitchell blossomed the summer before his Junior season, and he continued steady improvement from that point forward. He is an example of getting in early on the talent, identifying it, and holding the commitment and interest when other opportunities come in later. Willie Reed is another example of a good find for SLU. Eventually down the road SLU can and should compete once in a while for more sought after players instead of all diamonds in the rough,and have more balance in terms of levels of talent. Sometimes those under the radar kids don't turn into diamonds, even with elite coaches...more misses than hits more often. But SLU has had a good start in that department under Majerus. He'll have to keep it going and put 2-3 classes together in a row. His track record is strong in player evaluation and development, especially with kids that fly under the radar more than others. Mitchell, Reed, etc...have gotten a great opportunity to play a lot right away, something that would not have happened to them in other situations.

The expectation is for much bigger things when these kids become Seniors, and possibly Juniors, as long as the incoming two classes are solid.

[STL Hoops Insider]

You going to go out and tear it up to celebrate?

It depends on what happens after this state championship game is over. As someone who has followed Mizzou for years, yes I am going to celebrate, and just as hard as when I watched SLU win the Conference USA tournament in 2000 after Love got fouled in the waning seconds.

[moytoy12]

2009 Big 12 Conference Champions.

AWESOME, I'm so happy for you vtime.

[satrap]

As a Mizzou grad, I'm happy for them; still, I will say that I have a tough time getting gaga over coaches due to one year or one great tourney performance. I like Anderson, but Mizzou was statistically due for this, big-time, so it isn't some kind of Bayloresque miracle.

On the other hand, if SLU just won the A10 tourney, it would be a fabulous achievement, so maybe I'm just being too harsh.....

[tenthyearsenior]

As a Mizzou grad, I'm happy for them; still, I will say that I have a tough time getting gaga over coaches due to one year or one great tourney performance. I like Anderson, but Mizzou was statistically due for this, big-time, so it isn't some kind of Bayloresque miracle.

On the other hand, if SLU just won the A10 tourney, it would be a fabulous achievement, so maybe I'm just being too harsh.....

When is SLU gonna be due? Go Tigers

[satrap]

When is SLU gonna be due?

Seriously- within the next 7 or 8years. But no more frequently than once in that span. I'm basing it on, more or less, pure stats AND the inherent disadvantages that the Bonnies, Fordhams, and Richmonds face as well as the large advantage that X has built in the hierarchy.

[GoBills]

Bradley 2006

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the A-10 got two at large bids, the Valley - 0. This is further evidence that while they A-10 is far from perfect, it is the best non BCS conference and thereforethe best league SLU can possibly get in.

[tenthyearsenior]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the A-10 got two at large bids, the Valley - 0. This is further evidence that while they A-10 is far from perfect, it is the best non BCS conference and thereforethe best league SLU can possibly get in.

Fine, your right. Me and Rickmas are idiots.

[TJHawk]

2009 Big 12 Conference Champions.

As a Jayhawk I thank you V-Time. That makes five Big 12 Championships in the last five years.

[CO-billiken]

Seriously- within the next 7 or 8years. But no more frequently than once in that span. I'm basing it on, more or less, pure stats AND the inherent disadvantages that the Bonnies, Fordhams, and Richmonds face as well as the large advantage that X has built in the hierarchy.

Seriously- within the next 7 or 8years.

Seriously, Willie, Brian, Kwamain and Kyle's junior year. 2 years away. Sorry to dissapoint you, but by the time these 4 graduate I highly doubt they miss the tourney 4 years in a row. Especially with quality Fosters drinking men coming in next season.

[tenthyearsenior]

Seriously- within the next 7 or 8years.

Seriously, Willie, Brian, Kwamain and Kyle's junior year. 2 years away. Sorry to dissapoint you, but by the time these 4 graduate I highly doubt they miss the tourney 4 years in a row. Especially with quality Fosters drinking men coming in next season.

We were saying that about Lisch and Liddell.

[GoBills]

We were saying that about Lisch and Liddell.

Who is the "we" you are talking about? I never felt good about the surrounding cast L&L had. This roster that is starting to take shape seems different in a good way, with more depth and guys playing their natural position.