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Around the A10 20-21 season


brianstl

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21 minutes ago, Littlebill said:

I think this Bills team has me completely warped. Just watched Kansas pull one out at home against ND St, and the whole time thinking, “man we’d run these guys out of the gym”

I had the same thought during KU’s game against Kentucky. I still feel it’s correct.

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2 hours ago, MichaelC said:

Dayton loses by 2 on a last second shot. Crutcher was not good today, 10 points and 5 turnovers. 

A bad loss for the A 10, which can only hurt the Bills.  We need the top teams in the conference to win games like this.

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21 minutes ago, Littlebill said:

I think this Bills team has me completely warped. Just watched Kansas pull one out at home against ND St, and the whole time thinking, “man we’d run these guys out of the gym”

Nope, not warped. Kansas is talented no doubt but ND State stuck with them primarily by not turning the ball over a bunch (13) and keeping Kansas out of transition (5 fast break points for the entire game), pretty much the same way Richmond beat Kentucky. if you can force these kinds of teams to consistently execute half court offense they can be had, if ND State shoots a little better in the 2nd half they win. 

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5 minutes ago, bauman said:

A bad loss for the A 10, which can only hurt the Bills.  We need the top teams in the conference to win games like this.

That's kinda what we're trying to say: until Dayton can figure out how to get some easy buckets without the best big man in the conference or a bench, they're not one of the best teams in the conference.

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17 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

That's kinda what we're trying to say: until Dayton can figure out how to get some easy buckets without the best big man in the conference or a bench, they're not one of the best teams in the conference.

I’m bearish on Dayton, but losing to SMU isn’t a bad loss.

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16 minutes ago, BilliesBy40 said:

I’m bearish on Dayton, but losing to SMU isn’t a bad loss.

Bauman was speaking about a bad loss in terms of the conference.  Mid-major conferences are in competition with each other.  We need for the top teams in our conference to beat the top teams in the AAC.  I was just pointing out that Dayton has some offensive  issues that are preventing them from being one of best teams in the conference.

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10 hours ago, bauman said:

A bad loss for the A 10, which can only hurt the Bills.  We need the top teams in the conference to win games like this.

I get what you're saying but I'm finding it hard. The publicity Crutcher gets seems inflated. Sorry, I'll take J-Good. I mean, Vitale had Crutcher as 3rd-team All-American. And then the goons at 3 Bid League had the nerve to pick Dayton over SLU in their preseason rankings. I can't root for Dayton this year. 

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3 hours ago, Crewsorlose said:

I get what you're saying but I'm finding it hard. The publicity Crutcher gets seems inflated. Sorry, I'll take J-Good. I mean, Vitale had Crutcher as 3rd-team All-American. And then the goons at 3 Bid League had the nerve to pick Dayton over SLU in their preseason rankings. I can't root for Dayton this year. 

I think Dayton finishes 5th or below in conference.  I never understood the anointing of Crutcher.  .  

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5 hours ago, Crewsorlose said:

I get what you're saying but I'm finding it hard. The publicity Crutcher gets seems inflated. Sorry, I'll take J-Good. I mean, Vitale had Crutcher as 3rd-team All-American. And then the goons at 3 Bid League had the nerve to pick Dayton over SLU in their preseason rankings. I can't root for Dayton this year. 

What I am saying is really pretty simple and has nothing to do with Dayton, specifically.  My point is A 10 wins over decent non-A 10 teams is helpful in raising the rating (or eyeball test) of the Conference and thereby doing the same thing for SLU.  Did the UR win over KY, the SLU win over LSU, the VCU win over Memphis and the URI wins help get the A 10 into the limelight of media talk?  Of course it did.  Conversely, losing those games would have made our Conference look more like the MVC.

I think most posters would agree that we would rather be in the Big East than the A 10.  Why?  I think it is primarily a function of the perception of the strength of the two leagues.  (I concede that the geography of the schools in both leagues is also a factor). 

What's the value of the perception of both leagues?  Can you say 1 (or maybe 2) bid league versus 3-5 bid league?   That's why I said the UD loss to SMU was not helpful for SLU.  I think we should all be rooting for A 10 teams to win every game they play until Conf. play starts.  Do wins against the Little Sisters of the Poor help?  No, but a Bonnies win over Syracuse, or Duq. beating Pitt or URI beating Providence or UD beating Cincy would all get media attention for our Conf and be good for SLU.  Kinda like when we kick some Golden Gophers @$$, it will help raise the level of the water (A 10) and all the boats (teams) in the water.

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19 minutes ago, bauman said:

What I am saying is really pretty simple and has nothing to do with Dayton, specifically.  My point is A 10 wins over decent non-A 10 teams is helpful in raising the rating (or eyeball test) of the Conference and thereby doing the same thing for SLU.  Did the UR win over KY, the SLU win over LSU, the VCU win over Memphis and the URI wins help get the A 10 into the limelight of media talk?  Of course it did.  Conversely, losing those games would have made our Conference look more like the MVC.

I think most posters would agree that we would rather be in the Big East than the A 10.  Why?  I think it is primarily a function of the perception of the strength of the two leagues.  (I concede that the geography of the schools in both leagues is also a factor). 

What's the value of the perception of both leagues?  Can you say 1 (or maybe 2) bid league versus 3-5 bid league?   That's why I said the UD loss to SMU was not helpful for SLU.  I think we should all be rooting for A 10 teams to win every game they play until Conf. play starts.  Do wins against the Little Sisters of the Poor help?  No, but a Bonnies win over Syracuse, or Duq. beating Pitt or URI beating Providence or UD beating Cincy would all get media attention for our Conf and be good for SLU.  Kinda like when we kick some Golden Gophers @$$, it will help raise the level of the water (A 10) and all the boats (teams) in the water.

How about we keep Fordham and LaSalle tied to the dock?

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bauman is right but likes Crewsorlose says it is tough for me  to root for Dayton in any year.  A hard balancing act for sure.  

That was my first viewing of Dayton and again, like my other viewings, they are who I thought they were.  Crutcher is a marked man and Chatman is extremely bankrupt on the offensive end.  Ibi Watson will be the main man for a while as evidenced by his 23 last night.  Chase Johnson was a four-star recruit and is playing his way back to that level so you can't sleep on him.  Tshimanga is nothing more than a space-eater and foul prone.  And that's it ... absolutely no bench at this point.  Again walk-on Christian Wilson logged almost a quarter of playing time.  Sissoko is a Tshimanga clone and an unrefined freshman ala Madani Diarra last year.  Blakely and Nwojeki were non-factors.  The announcers, obviosuly pro-Dayton, kept pointing out that Crutcher just wasn't "with it."  I wasn't that impressed with SMU and the numbers, much like Penn State and VCU, suggest another A10 team that didn't so much lose as just ran out of time.  Bandoumel's game winner went through the twine at 0.0.  

Dayton is living on borrowed good times.  The glow and pure "aw too bad" feeling as to what they lost last year due to COVID is carrying through but they will see that evaporate shortly.  They were also playing at home but in an empty DDD and had to generate a lot fo energy by themselves.  There are no Obi Toppin whirlwind, entertaining dunks to live off anymore either.  No 13,000 fans.  No Obi.  Long year coming as I see it.  God forbid they lose anyone to injury at any time.

Living off last season's feel good story.

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taj you called it early this year that crutcher would likely be exposed as only as good as obi made him.    it appears you were right on the mark.   

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VCU ran out to a 37 to 20 halftime lead hosting Mount St. Mary's but was challenged to score 60 points.  Bones again with 14 and team lead but lots of searching for offense needed there.  The second half was brutal as each team struggled to score a point per minute.  Another school that, without the crazies of Siegel, might not win games at home that were givens in previous years.

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2 hours ago, SLU_Nick said:

I think Dayton finishes 5th or below in conference.  I never understood the anointing of Crutcher.  .  

This season will be an interesting test of a theory I had about Dayton’s team last season. As good as Toppin was, I thought that Crutcher may have been more important to that team because Toppin had to be fed the ball. That’s not necessarily to say that Crutcher was clearly better that Goodwin or Fatts Russell. Regardless, how Dayton does with Crutcher and without Toppin will test my theory.

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Geedubya had a nice balanced game albeit against lowly Coppin State.  James Bishop looks a lot like Ryan Daly did last year for St. Joe's ---- 20 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds.  He will be a good add for the A10.  The only starter not to socre in double figures was Jameer Nelson Jr.  I sincerely doubt there will be many nights where Chase Paar and Matt Moyer cracked such heights together on the same night.

Today, La Salle plays Army.  Might catch some time there.

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I think one of the key ingredients that was sorely overlooked on Dayton's team last year was the fifth year seniors Ryan Mikesell and Trey Landers.  The chemistry and basketball savvy that both brought to the floor (not a big fan of either individually) is sorely missed.  Landers was the vocal heart and soul of that team.  Mister Garbage bucket it seemed.  Mikesell was just potent enough that you had to guard him at distance and that opened up the lane for Toppin and Landers.  It also allowed Crutcher to drive and score more easily.  There was a very nice balance of complimentary parts on that Dayton roster last year.  Of course, they only went seven deep with Watson and Tshimanga coming off the bench and Cohill was developing late in that year.  With the three front court players gone and Cohill with a blown knee, they need unproven guys to step up and step up big.  It won't happen night after night.

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21 minutes ago, DeSmetBilliken said:

This season will be an interesting test of a theory I had about Dayton’s team last season. As good as Toppin was, I thought that Crutcher may have been more important to that team because Toppin had to be fed the ball. That’s not necessarily to say that Crutcher was clearly better that Goodwin or Fatts Russell. Regardless, how Dayton does with Crutcher and without Toppin will test my theory.

"Feeding the ball to Toppin"  required little more than throwing the ball near the rim. Any decent point guard could have performed that task.  Crutcher is a good offensive player and gifted passer who was elevated to greatness by Toppin's presence, not the other way around. 

Toppin was a 6'9 high flyer who could also hit from outside.   That's unguardable at the A10 level and it made Crutcher's life as the second option so much easier.  Now he's cast as the primary guy and his life is being made a living hell by defenses.

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1 hour ago, bauman said:

What I am saying is really pretty simple and has nothing to do with Dayton, specifically.  My point is A 10 wins over decent non-A 10 teams is helpful in raising the rating (or eyeball test) of the Conference and thereby doing the same thing for SLU.  Did the UR win over KY, the SLU win over LSU, the VCU win over Memphis and the URI wins help get the A 10 into the limelight of media talk?  Of course it did.  Conversely, losing those games would have made our Conference look more like the MVC.

I think most posters would agree that we would rather be in the Big East than the A 10.  Why?  I think it is primarily a function of the perception of the strength of the two leagues.  (I concede that the geography of the schools in both leagues is also a factor). 

What's the value of the perception of both leagues?  Can you say 1 (or maybe 2) bid league versus 3-5 bid league?   That's why I said the UD loss to SMU was not helpful for SLU.  I think we should all be rooting for A 10 teams to win every game they play until Conf. play starts.  Do wins against the Little Sisters of the Poor help?  No, but a Bonnies win over Syracuse, or Duq. beating Pitt or URI beating Providence or UD beating Cincy would all get media attention for our Conf and be good for SLU.  Kinda like when we kick some Golden Gophers @$$, it will help raise the level of the water (A 10) and all the boats (teams) in the water.

Well said though not ground breaking. I think all the above is the moron consensus. The team itself would surely play only teams rated ahead of us. They know how good they are more than anyone and it appears they are the mcb equivalent to the greatest show in turf. 

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5 minutes ago, almaman said:

Well said though not ground breaking. I think all the above is the moron consensus. The team itself would surely play only teams rated ahead of us. They know how good they are more than anyone and it appears they are the mcb equivalent to the greatest show in turf. 

Not intended to be groundbreaking.  I was just attempting to dispel what I thought was a misunderstanding of a prior post.  All good here.

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