I like this team next year.

[Duff Man]

18 minutes ago, wgstl said:

How can you blame Ford for 19-20 lol. 

They were not in line for an at-large bid in 19-20 before the pandemic hit.

I like Ford and he's had to endure a lot of BS that's out of his control. The program/roster is in a good spot heading into next year.

That said, his record is what it is. He's 0 for 5 having his team in a good spot to earn an at large bid.

[wgstl]

9 minutes ago, Duff Man said:

They were not in line for an at-large bid in 19-20 before the pandemic hit.

I like Ford and he's had to endure a lot of BS that's out of his control. The program/roster is in a good spot heading into next year.

That said, his record is what it is. He's 0 for 5 having his team in a good spot to earn an at large bid.

23-8 and playing their best ball going into the A10 tournament. I do think they had a pretty decent chance with a win or 2. 
 

 

[billikenbill]

6 minutes ago, Duff Man said:

They were not in line for an at-large bid in 19-20 before the pandemic hit.

I like Ford and he's had to endure a lot of BS that's out of his control. The program/roster is in a good spot heading into next year.

That said, his record is what it is. He's 0 for 5 having his team in a good spot to earn an at large bid.

No way can you hold the first two seasons against Ford. He did a great job in year one getting the win count to 12, and doubling the number of A-10 wins, then getting a winning season out of year 2 with S2 and then JGood having to miss the last month. We were a Crutcher three from being on the right side of the bubble last year, and covid clearly hurt this team. There's no way Jimerson and Jacobs go into the shooting slumps they had if there's no pause. I won't say that Ford is the best X and O guy ever, but he recruits like crazy, is passionate about the game, and the players seem to like him.

[Duff Man]

I thought I qualified my statement but reading comprehension is hard I guess.

I'm not holding the first 2 years against Ford, just stating a fact that in 5 years not once has he had the team in a good spot for an at large bid.

[hmart23]

1 hour ago, wgstl said:

How can you blame Ford for 19-20 lol. 

I'm not blaming him. I didn't really think about the fact that the tournament didn't happen. While we were playing well we weren't a lock that's for sure though. 

[Dr. Holly Hills]

Lots of question marks going into next season.  Glad to have perk coming back, but one man does not a team make.

okoro hasn’t played in a year and a half and it wasn’t like he was crushing it at Oregon before he left.

Other than Yuri, I didn’t think anyone on the current roster improved from the year before.  However, I realize gibby didn’t have much of a first season because he got hurt.  Fred was sick.  Player development was majorly stunted due to covid.  
 

if Ford is wanting to get the bulk of his wins on sheer talent alone, he probably needs to recruit some more help with this roster.  Otherwise maybe he needs some help with the Xs and Os?  I don’t know enough about the rest of the coaching staff to speak to if they are the answer.

[BilliesBy40]

5 minutes ago, Dr. Holly Hills said:

Lots of question marks going into next season.  Glad to have perk coming back, but one man does not a team make.

okoro hasn’t played in a year and a half and it wasn’t like he was crushing it at Oregon before he left.

Other than Yuri, I didn’t think anyone on the current roster improved from the year before.  However, I realize gibby didn’t have much of a first season because he got hurt.  Fred was sick.  Player development was majorly stunted due to covid.  
 

if Ford is wanting to get the bulk of his wins on sheer talent alone, he probably needs to recruit some more help with this roster.  Otherwise maybe he needs some help with the Xs and Os?  I don’t know enough about the rest of the coaching staff to speak to if they are the answer.

Generally agree, but I think Hargrove and Fred both improved offensively.

[A10Ref]

I bet we get a grad transfer, and I hope we somehow steal a Cam Fletcher type kid that wants to come home from another program. Hopefully this offseason will have more player development than last, too. 

[slu72]

With the new transfer rules in effect and SR's being gifted the extra year, it's difficult to say right now what we'll look like. As for the rest of the A10, I'd say St. B's is going to be the unanimous pick to win the conference, as they return everyone, but what if Schmidt leaves for BC? As for us, we've got to consider who wants out, and who do we replace them with. The consensus on the board is that we're looking at the transfer market, which is why we're not going hard after the class of '21.

[slu72]

Just now, A10Ref said:

I bet we get a grad transfer, and I hope we somehow steal a Cam Fletcher type kid that wants to come home from another program. Hopefully this offseason will have more player development than last, too. 

I read a UK article the other day, and Calipari was listing who he expected back next year and discussing what he's after in the transfer portal and uncommitted 21 recruits. Fletcher was not mentioned. Doesn't mean he's coming to SLU, but it sure sounds like he won't be returning to Lexington. 

[slufan13]

I like next year's roster quite a bit if we play a different style of basketball. Run and gun. Collins Jacobs Gibby Perkins and Okoro. Hargrove super 6th man. Strickland too. Priority needs to be keeping Jacobs and Gibby

[NH]

I think everyone is underestimating next years team. We will have the best scorer in the league (assuming Bones goes pro). We will have the assist leader in the league. We will have a big man in Okoro who should be a dominant rim protector in the A-10. Jimerson should be a double figure scorer. Thatch will be an all-defense candidate. Jacobs looked like the A10 sixth man of the year before COVID/injuries. No A10 team other than maybe VCU will have the same depth as we do. 
 

I think the floor is top 4 in the conference. Any incoming transfers or massive improvement from someone like Strickland is pure upside on top of that. 

[slufan13]

13 minutes ago, slufan13 said:

I like next year's roster quite a bit if we play a different style of basketball. Run and gun. Collins Jacobs Gibby Perkins and Okoro. Hargrove super 6th man. Strickland too. Priority needs to be keeping Jacobs and Gibby

Wow I forgot about Thatch. We have a good team

[3star_recruit]

17 minutes ago, slufan13 said:

I like next year's roster quite a bit if we play a different style of basketball. Run and gun. Collins Jacobs Gibby Perkins and Okoro. Hargrove super 6th man. Strickland too. Priority needs to be keeping Jacobs and Gibby

What teams are actually winning playing this style of ball and what are the skillsets of their primary ballhandlers?

[A10Ref]

51 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

What teams are actually winning playing this style of ball and what are the skillsets of their primary ballhandlers?

Arkansas. Wouldn’t say they have the best ball handler’s either, but they’re in great shape. 

[3star_recruit]

19 minutes ago, A10Ref said:

Arkansas. Wouldn’t say they have the best ball handler’s either, but they’re in great shape. 

Their best ballhandlers are also their best scorers.  That's my point.  They're hard to guard in transition and in half court.  The idea that you can mask deficiencies in creating off the dribble by simply outrunning teams is a fallacy.  This isn't high school.  In college, that only works against mediocre defense.

 

[slufanskip]

8 hours ago, Taj79 said:

Short of Perkins, going to need folks who score.  Perkins can be neutralized with good game planning.  As for scoring, Yuri doesn't.  Fred doesn't.  Hargrove doesn't.  Bell doesn't.  That's a lot of pressure for Okoro to open under.  Right now I'd rank Bonaventure, VCU, and Umass as top three for next year.

Fred has averaged 9.5 ppg the last 4 games. He's played about a half season of healthy D1 basketball. I wouldn't count him out of being a scorer. Hargrove just needs opportunity he's averaging 3.8 in under 10 mpg.  Okoro will score and I'm guessing he'll be near French's 8.7 ppg and I wouldn't bet against more. 

With Okoro replacing French we need to find JGood's 15ppg. Personally I'd like a combo guard who can shoot the 3 but even without I think improvement from Jacobs, Hargrove and Thatch can't make up the 15

[slufanskip]

2 hours ago, Dr. Holly Hills said:

Lots of question marks going into next season.  Glad to have perk coming back, but one man does not a team make.

okoro hasn’t played in a year and a half and it wasn’t like he was crushing it at Oregon before he left.

Other than Yuri, I didn’t think anyone on the current roster improved from the year before.  However, I realize gibby didn’t have much of a first season because he got hurt.  Fred was sick.  Player development was majorly stunted due to covid.  
 

if Ford is wanting to get the bulk of his wins on sheer talent alone, he probably needs to recruit some more help with this roster.  Otherwise maybe he needs some help with the Xs and Os?  I don’t know enough about the rest of the coaching staff to speak to if they are the answer.

This entire idea that Ford needs help with or isn't a good X's and O's coach is ridiculous. 

[WVBilliken]

4 hours ago, billikenbill said:

No way can you hold the first two seasons against Ford. He did a great job in year one getting the win count to 12, and doubling the number of A-10 wins, then getting a winning season out of year 2 with S2 and then JGood having to miss the last month. We were a Crutcher three from being on the right side of the bubble last year, and covid clearly hurt this team. There's no way Jimerson and Jacobs go into the shooting slumps they had if there's no pause. I won't say that Ford is the best X and O guy ever, but he recruits like crazy, is passionate about the game, and the players seem to like him.

I agree 100%.  I want Ford for the long-term.  He has the program on the right track. 

Ford and stability is what this program needs, not another friggin coaching change.  He's got this program at a 20+ win a season level and a chance at making the NCAA Tourney most years. That makes SLU one of the top mid-majors in the country.  Until, or if, SLU ever gets a Big East invite ..... that is about as good as it gets.  Dang people, be thankful, don't trash one of the best things the program has had going for it in decades!

[A10Ref]

31 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

Their best ballhandlers are also their best scorers.  That's my point.  They're hard to guard in transition and in half court.  The idea that you can mask deficiencies in creating off the dribble by simply outrunning teams is a fallacy.  This isn't high school.  In college, that only works against mediocre defense.

 

Perkins isn’t one of our best ball handlers?

[3star_recruit]

1 minute ago, A10Ref said:

Perkins isn’t one of our best ball handlers?

Arkansas starts three guys who are all as good or better ballhandlers than Perkins.  And they are all scorers.  Our best ballhandler, Yuri, is also one of our weakest offensive players.  Do you not see the difference in what that allows them to do offensively?

[NH]

45 minutes ago, slufanskip said:

Fred has averaged 9.5 ppg the last 4 games. He's played about a half season of healthy D1 basketball. I wouldn't count him out of being a scorer. Hargrove just needs opportunity he's averaging 3.8 in under 10 mpg.  Okoro will score and I'm guessing he'll be near French's 8.7 ppg and I wouldn't bet against more. 

With Okoro replacing French we need to find JGood's 15ppg. Personally I'd like a combo guard who can shoot the 3 but even without I think improvement from Jacobs, Hargrove and Thatch can't make up the 15

I would add improvement from Yuri shooting the ball can help make up for the 15. If he can hit an average of 1 3-pointer a game next season that already makes up for 2 of that 15 without taking any more minutes from this year.  

[Bonner89]

2 hours ago, NH said:

I think everyone is underestimating next years team. We will have the best scorer in the league (assuming Bones goes pro). We will have the assist leader in the league. We will have a big man in Okoro who should be a dominant rim protector in the A-10. Jimerson should be a double figure scorer. Thatch will be an all-defense candidate. Jacobs looked like the A10 sixth man of the year before COVID/injuries. No A10 team other than maybe VCU will have the same depth as we do. 
 

I think the floor is top 4 in the conference. Any incoming transfers or massive improvement from someone like Strickland is pure upside on top of that. 

Travis Ford is still in Midtown, right ? Then none of this matters. None of it, because the talent will again be squandered.

[billiken_roy]

ford is such a good recruiter (at least compared to all the head coaches since i started watching in ekkerball) he can be the worst game coach and i will take ford.   at least we are guaranteed to have a chance to go places with ford with the talent i am betting he will always have.   

our track record of bringing in coaches is not very good.   and every time you bring one in you are starting over.   i dont like starting over.   as far as i am concerned, we can stuggle through x's and o's till ford decides he is done with basketball.   at least we know we will be in the post season discussion with coach ford.   after what i have seen for 40+ years, i will take that.   now 40 years more of almost billiken basketball, maybe then i will change my mind.   but for now, ford's our guy.  

now that all said, if i want to ***** about his numbskull use (or lack therof) of his very talented roster, i think we can all do that.   part of being a fan is second guessing the game and replaying everything that happened.   those that dont like that, too bad.   dont read my posts then please.  

[Bonner89]

4 NCAA appearances throughout his coaching career which spans 2 decades. We have the location, recruiting base, facilities, and budget to be better. If you're ok with being the Atlanta Braves of the A10, then I don't know what else to say.