Signs the program has turned the corner athletically

[Quality Is Job 1]

Here's something we may have never seen before (at least in the last 22 years). The Billikens blocked 10 shots, collected 7 steals, grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, and forced 19 turnovers. That's a sign of improved athleticism! Now we just need for the shooters to be better from the three-point arc and the free-throw line! Box score

NCAA Tournament in March 2011; Sweet 16 or beyond in March 2012, if everyone comes and stays and there are no major injuries.

It's getting less hard to be a Billikens fan!

(However, I'm still nervous about Saturday's game, as the Bears just seem to have the Bills' number.)

[thetorch]

Remekun with 6 blocks, 4 boards, and a steal in 20 minutes. He has gone from redshirt candidate to solid A-10 backup.

[Quality Is Job 1]

Does no one besides Torch find this worth discussing?

[dneuner]

I find it worth discussing that Remekun did not have six boards... haha. but you're right. a lot of very positive signs so far this year. Let's not get too presumptuous about this, but I think conference play is going to go better than expected... NCAA '10!

[bonwich]

Well, yeah, I do. We do appear to be more athletic, but I also think that's a function of more team cohesion in understanding the offense. I'm also still a little hesitant because I don't think we've beaten any tremendously athletic teams yet.

That said, the offensive/defensive rebound differentials (us 21D them 13O, us 18O them 22 D) were pretty favorable, and we seemed to have good energy for all 40 minutes.

One thing I see in the play-by-play that I thought was true, but was misrepresented by our scorer's table: Conklin FOULED OUT last night, albeit with 42 seconds remaining. His technical foul should have been considered a Class A technical, which counts toward the five-foul total, and it wasn't.

[Billikan]

Well, yeah, I do. We do appear to be more athletic, but I also think that's a function of more team cohesion in understanding the offense. I'm also still a little hesitant because I don't think we've beaten any tremendously athletic teams yet.

That said, the offensive/defensive rebound differentials (us 21D them 13O, us 18O them 22 D) were pretty favorable, and we seemed to have good energy for all 40 minutes.

One thing I see in the play-by-play that I thought was true, but was misrepresented by our scorer's table: Conklin FOULED OUT last night, albeit with 42 seconds remaining. His technical foul should have been considered a Class A technical, which counts toward the five-foul total, and it wasn't.

I thought the same thing on Conklin. The guy wearing black and white stripes who works with the score book makes so many mistakes it drives me crazy but this time it went in out favor. The other coach raised it and the refs specifically asked the guy and he said he had only 4 with the T included even though before the tech he had 3 fouls and the last foul came after the T.

[brianstl]

It was an ugly game that we would have lost by double digits in the past. We shot bad from the floor, 3pt line, and the FT line. Only 8 assists is very disturbing. As good as KM was he needs to have more than one assist.

[doowop]

It was an ugly game that we would have lost by double digits in the past. We shot bad from the floor, 3pt line, and the FT line. Only 8 assists is very disturbing. As good as KM was he needs to have more than one assist.

Maybe he would have had more assists if we had some guards who could shoot accurately.