Billikan Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Thoughts after the UMass win on the road: 1. This was a good win against a team that has a mediocre record but has played some tough opponents and even beat Memphis. 2. At 9-3 in conference I was trying to think of a time when we had that good of a conference record and I could not remember. Some of you stats experts may be able to do the research but it must be a long time. 3. Even though this team is only sophs and frosh, I think it is the toughest team, mentally and physically that we have had at least since Larry the Legends team. They have been beaten up and yet they come back and never give up. They never seem to collapse even when they go down double digits (Except Richmond on the road) and they never give up. We have always seemed to have a couple of guys who had that sort of mindset but on this team it is really top to bottom. 4. It is amazing to see the development of these youngsters and their increased understanding of what is expected on the defensive end. 5. Has there ever been such a remarkable overall improvement of one player in a year like what we have seen with Kyle C? I have thought since he arrived that he was the type of heady player we would like to have by the time he was a senior but I never dreamed he would be this good in less than two years. 6. The next four games -- even the Dukes who beat Dayton today-- will be tough. X and Temple will be brutally tough. From my point of view if we could split the 4 and go into the conf tournament at 20-10 and 11-5 it would be a great accomplishment. 7. Our two recruits will help next year, particularly MM as an additional outside threat and athletic guard. Loe would be a great addition as well--giving us a classic Majerus team with a combination of bigs who can shoot the three with smart athletic players and good guards. I hate to get too excited but we could be really, really good by the time this years teams are juniors and seniors--and maybe next year as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I can't wait to see your observations in 2010. I hear that Ellis kid we are getting is something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 In a more serious reply... Thoughts after the UMass win on the road: 3. Even though this team is only sophs and frosh, I think it is the toughest team, mentally and physically that we have had at least since Larry the Legends team. They have been beaten up and yet they come back and never give up. They never seem to collapse even when they go down double digits (Except Richmond on the road) and they never give up. We have always seemed to have a couple of guys who had that sort of mindset but on this team it is really top to bottom. I think Marque's senior season had a pretty remarkable end. You may be right about top to bottom team, but the end of that season was such an impressive showing by Marque. 5. Has there ever been such a remarkable overall improvement of one player in a year like what we have seen with Kyle C? I have thought since he arrived that he was the type of heady player we would like to have by the time he was a senior but I never dreamed he would be this good in less than two years. He's only a sophomore... 6. The next four games -- even the Dukes who beat Dayton today-- will be tough. X and Temple will be brutally tough. From my point of view if we could split the 4 and go into the conf tournament at 20-10 and 11-5 it would be a great accomplishment. You can say that again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 2. At 9-3 in conference I was trying to think of a time when we had that good of a conference record and I could not remember. Some of you stats experts may be able to do the research but it must be a long time. You basically have to look at the Larry Hughes team. They finished the conference season 11-5, and at one point were 10-3 in conference play. Until we joined C-USA, we really were only playing 10-14 conference games per year, so 9-3 would have been a whole season of conference games in most years. Even so, unless you go back to the Eddie Hickey or John Bennington days, you wouldn't see this kind of a conference winning percentage, save for the Hughes year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schasz Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Thoughts after the UMass win on the road: 1. This was a good win against a team that has a mediocre record but has played some tough opponents and even beat Memphis. 2. At 9-3 in conference I was trying to think of a time when we had that good of a conference record and I could not remember. Some of you stats experts may be able to do the research but it must be a long time. 3. Even though this team is only sophs and frosh, I think it is the toughest team, mentally and physically that we have had at least since Larry the Legends team. They have been beaten up and yet they come back and never give up. They never seem to collapse even when they go down double digits (Except Richmond on the road) and they never give up. We have always seemed to have a couple of guys who had that sort of mindset but on this team it is really top to bottom. 4. It is amazing to see the development of these youngsters and their increased understanding of what is expected on the defensive end. 5. Has there ever been such a remarkable overall improvement of one player in a year like what we have seen with Kyle C? I have thought since he arrived that he was the type of heady player we would like to have by the time he was a senior but I never dreamed he would be this good in less than two years. 6. The next four games -- even the Dukes who beat Dayton today-- will be tough. X and Temple will be brutally tough. From my point of view if we could split the 4 and go into the conf tournament at 20-10 and 11-5 it would be a great accomplishment. 7. Our two recruits will help next year, particularly MM as an additional outside threat and athletic guard. Loe would be a great addition as well--giving us a classic Majerus team with a combination of bigs who can shoot the three with smart athletic players and good guards. I hate to get too excited but we could be really, really good by the time this years teams are juniors and seniors--and maybe next year as well. It is very good to be a Billikens fan these days. This team is really growing up much quicker than expected. The only thing for me is that I have not been able to see much of the exciting action. You have to love how these kids take to the coaching they are receiving from our staff. Obviously, they have been doing a very good job following the game plans. Coach Majerus has shown he is worth every dollar he is being paid. I would have to guess that we would have had good conference records the Larry the Legend years along with Spoons 2nd and 3rd years. In any case you are right that it has been many seasons since we were this competitive this late in the season. The remaining 3 home games are going to be really tough and lets hope for wildly enthusiastic crowds for each game as the team will need the sixth man. Gosh one has to get greedy even with our young team and at least hope that we keep that one loss at home in tack after our season ending game VS Temple. It will be a very tough task as it is hard to believe that we are sneaking up on anymore teams and each of these last opponents will be tough. I saw X beat the Gators a week ago and was very impressed with them. LETS GO BILLS!!! Heck I would like to see a Big Dance appearance this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schasz Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I did mean to type Larry the Legend year not years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 I can't wait to see your observations in 2010. I hear that Ellis kid we are getting is something Yikes!!!!!! Obvously, I meant 2010. Ellis has been a huge addition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 When it come to toughness I don't know if we ever had a team that other teams in the conference have depised playing more than this one. It came up in Barron's postgame comments and the U Mass announcers referenced it during the game. Other teams are starting to view us as a bunch of thugs and I like it. Who would have other thought teams in our conference would start to view us like we used to view Cincy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 i went back to 1970 to look at conference records through the 12 game mark. there indeed is only the hughes year that matched this season's first 12 game record there are a number of 8-4 starts. here are the records for the 9-3 and 8-4 starts and their final season record and finish in the respective conference. 09-10 majerus 9-3 A-10 ???????? ??????? 97-98 Spoon 9-3 Cusa 11-5 4th 05-06 Sodrbrg 8-4 A-10 10-6 3rd 94-95 Spoon 8-4 GMW 8-4 2nd 93-94 Spoon 8-4 GMW 8-4 2nd 89-90 Grwer 8-4 MCC 9-5 3rd 88-89 Grwer 8-4 MCC 8-4 2nd 85-86 Grwer 8-4 MCC 8-4 2nd 72-73 Polk 8-4 MVC 10-4 3rd 70-71 Polk 8-4 MVC 9-5 1st so we got the "40 years since we won a conference title" mark coming up next year. Looks like a good time to stop that streak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_davola Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 When it come to toughness I don't know if we ever had a team that other teams in the conference have depised playing more than this one. It came up in Barron's postgame comments and the U Mass announcers referenced it during the game. Other teams are starting to view us as a bunch of thugs and I like it. Who would have other thought teams in our conference would start to view us like we used to view Cincy.Ha...yeah, I noticed that they mentioned that as well. There is a huge difference, obviously, between physically tough/stubborn and playing dirty and like a bunch of thugs. I like to think we are on the side of tough/stubborn, but maybe other teams view that as thuggish. If so, good. That will get in their heads every time Conklin sets a hard screen. I think the announcers said something along the lines of 'Any time this team can give you a shot, they are going to do it' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 Ha...yeah, I noticed that they mentioned that as well. There is a huge difference, obviously, between physically tough/stubborn and playing dirty and like a bunch of thugs. I like to think we are on the side of tough/stubborn, but maybe other teams view that as thuggish. If so, good. That will get in their heads every time Conklin sets a hard screen. I think the announcers said something along the lines of 'Any time this team can give you a shot, they are going to do it' It is wonderful to see us hold our own and more with the tough big guys. It seems like just yesterday that we had Luke playing power forward at about 6'5" and 200 pounds and three fairly thin guards. We were pummeled by the big guys on other teams! Even Cory R is tough off the bench and he is a guy we thought would be better off with a year of weight training as a redshirt! Just wait until this entire group has had more time in the weight room! When they are seniors no one will want to play us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 It is wonderful to see us hold our own and more with the tough big guys. It seems like just yesterday that we had Luke playing power forward at about 6'5" and 200 pounds and three fairly thin guards. We were pummeled by the big guys on other teams! Even Cory R is tough off the bench and he is a guy we thought would be better off with a year of weight training as a redshirt! Just wait until this entire group has had more time in the weight room! When they are seniors no one will want to play us.You must admit Conk the Cronk is a force down there and has a real knack for ticking off the opponent's tough guys. No longer are the Bills the 98 lb weakling of the A-10. It was great yesterday watching Conk the Cronk take on that big muscle bound PF for UMass. He ticked him off, got him to foul him, and calmly walked to the line and made 1 of 2. He didn't appear flustered in the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gister Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 When it come to toughness I don't know if we ever had a team that other teams in the conference have depised playing more than this one. It came up in Barron's postgame comments and the U Mass announcers referenced it during the game. Other teams are starting to view us as a bunch of thugs and I like it. Who would have other thought teams in our conference would start to view us like we used to view Cincy. And yet, UMASS was the team with the 2 intentional fouls. So which team was more thugish, at least yesterday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 And yet, UMASS was the team with the 2 intentional fouls. So which team was more thugish, at least yesterday?I didn't mean thugish in a bad way. We are becoming very good (especially Conk) at making other players commit stupid fouls and knocking them off their game. I just meant we are now probably the most physical team in the league. Which is pretty amazing for a group of freshmen and sophomores. You know you were in a battle after playing us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyRican Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 We will need to be even bigger and tougher this Wednesday. Xavier has some big bodies and we need to play physical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postcard Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 7. Our two recruits will help next year, particularly MM as an additional outside threat and athletic guard. Loe would be a great addition as well--giving us a classic Majerus team with a combination of bigs who can shoot the three with smart athletic players and good guards. I hate to get too excited but we could be really, really good by the time this years teams are juniors and seniors--and maybe next year as well. Does anybody think the biggest benefit of the current run we're on might the ability to lure Loe here next year. Maybe he sees this this team has Sweet 16 potential without him next year and thinks of what they could do with him now. Instead of looking at SLU as a nice team with some upside, he sees that he be joining a team ready to make multiple tourney runs. Maybe I'm looking too far ahead but our success certainly can't hurt his recruitment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcbilliken Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 We will need to be even bigger and tougher this Wednesday. Xavier has some big bodies and we need to play physical. Agree. Conks may play a big part in that. Willie needs to play smart and not get into foul trouble. "We are what we are," Majerus said. "We're playing our (rear ends) off. I really enjoy the guys. We'll get better, too. The guys we have will get better and we have more help on the way." RM in a CBS article. Seems happy with where we are. At the same time thinks we will improve even more this year. Very exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 Agree. Conks may play a big part in that. Willie needs to play smart and not get into foul trouble. "We are what we are," Majerus said. "We're playing our (rear ends) off. I really enjoy the guys. We'll get better, too. The guys we have will get better and we have more help on the way." RM in a CBS article. Seems happy with where we are. At the same time thinks we will improve even more this year. Very exciting. With the mix of players we now have and the two committed recruits, I think we will have the most well rounded and talented team we have had with our Billikens for decades. If we add Loe we might have the most talented team from top to bottom ever in the history of the school. I am really drinking that blue cool aid but gosh we are just freshmen and sophs with two very tough and talented Chicago kids joining us next year! Go Bills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BACKHANDtheRICAN Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Thoughts after the UMass win on the road: 1. This was a good win against a team that has a mediocre record but has played some tough opponents and even beat Memphis. 2. At 9-3 in conference I was trying to think of a time when we had that good of a conference record and I could not remember. Some of you stats experts may be able to do the research but it must be a long time. 3. Even though this team is only sophs and frosh, I think it is the toughest team, mentally and physically that we have had at least since Larry the Legends team. They have been beaten up and yet they come back and never give up. They never seem to collapse even when they go down double digits (Except Richmond on the road) and they never give up. We have always seemed to have a couple of guys who had that sort of mindset but on this team it is really top to bottom. 4. It is amazing to see the development of these youngsters and their increased understanding of what is expected on the defensive end. 5. Has there ever been such a remarkable overall improvement of one player in a year like what we have seen with Kyle C? I have thought since he arrived that he was the type of heady player we would like to have by the time he was a senior but I never dreamed he would be this good in less than two years. 6. The next four games -- even the Dukes who beat Dayton to day-- will be tough. X and Temple will be brutally tough. From my point of view if we could split the 4 and go into the conf tournament at 20-10 and 11-5 it would be a great accomplishment. 7. Our two recruits will help next year, particularly MM as an additional outside threat and athletic guard. Loe would be a great addition as well--giving us a classic Majerus team with a combination of bigs who can shoot the three with smart athletic players and good guards. I hate to get too excited but we could be really, really good by the time this years teams are juniors and seniors--and maybe next year as well. Billikan- I couldnt agree more with point #7. With MM next yr, our backcourt will be very good. JJ's minutes will be limited with a rotation of KM, KC,CS and MM. Very exciting. Thats without mentioning Loe joining our team. Possibility of cracking top 25 at some point next yr? I think so. However, I completely disagree with point #3. Our toughest team mentally was any Billiken team with Tommie Liddell on it. That guy was mentally our toughest player, he NEVER gave up on a play, and NEVER gave up on a game. He always gave 110%...ALWAYS (sarcasm) The future is bright and backhand is off to the gym. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 And yet, UMASS was the team with the 2 intentional fouls. So which team was more thugish, at least yesterday?How about that Tim Higgins? He's always been one of my most hated ref's. After yesterday- not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runnin'Billiken Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Does anybody think the biggest benefit of the current run we're on might the ability to lure Loe here next year. Maybe he sees this this team has Sweet 16 potential without him next year and thinks of what they could do with him now. Instead of looking at SLU as a nice team with some upside, he sees that he be joining a team ready to make multiple tourney runs. Maybe I'm looking too far ahead but our success certainly can't hurt his recruitment.+1. Look at you Posty. I'm so proud. Things are coming together nicely, but I think we need to make another jump just as big as the jump we made by adding Ellis to become a true tournament team next year, playing with a target on our backs for thirty games. Conference schedule will be tougher next year unless their is a massive reorganization of who is at the top (look at road vs. home schedule this year. now reverse it. yikes!). Non-conf will need a big step up as well to give us the RPI as well as the Top50 road and neutral sight wins. I think with a year of experience for everybody, Cody allowed in town for first semester, and MM, Loe can put us over the top for that jump. As far as physicality, are we really that much of a physical team besides Conk? I seem to remember Rhody being the touchy team last Wednesday, but then again I am biased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACE Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Does anybody think the biggest benefit of the current run we're on might the ability to lure Loe here next year. Maybe he sees this this team has Sweet 16 potential without him next year and thinks of what they could do with him now. Instead of looking at SLU as a nice team with some upside, he sees that he be joining a team ready to make multiple tourney runs. Maybe I'm looking too far ahead but our success certainly can't hurt his recruitment. Way to go posty! I gotta give you credit. This is quite a transformation. Just a couple of months ago, you called out "Bills fans that are already predicting a deep run in the NCAA tournment next year" for being "silly." Looks like you are feeling pretty "silly" these days. The success of Cody Ellis and the improved play of Salecich has to help the cause too in the recruitment of Loe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Way to go posty! I gotta give you credit. This is quite a transformation. Just a couple of months ago, you called out "Bills fans that are already predicting a deep run in the NCAA tournment next year" for being "silly." Looks like you are feeling pretty "silly" these days. The success of Cody Ellis and the improved play of Salecich has to help the cause too in the recruitment of Loe. (Will I have to take Postcard off of ignore?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stmdragons Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 You can add that the UMASS band was the equivalent to a bad high school band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runnin'Billiken Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 You can add that the UMASS band was the equivalent to a bad high school band.And there dance team made the Sainsations look like 20 Carmen Electra clones. Not that we don't like you as is ladies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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