2022-2023 Season

[HoosierPal]

3 minutes ago, wgstl said:

Drake up 2 with 15 sec left 

My money is on the Bulldogs.

[wgstl]

Drake wins! Thank you thank you thank you. 

[BillsBeliever!!!]

Our trio of quality wins against Memphis, Providence, and Drake along with no bad losses is nice. Really wish we could’ve won either the Auburn or Boise State games…

[cheeseman]

25 minutes ago, BillsBeliever!!! said:

Our trio of quality wins against Memphis, Providence, and Drake along with no bad losses is nice. Really wish we could’ve won either the Auburn or Boise State games…

Could have won both.

[Billiken Rich]

3 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

Could have won both.

Oooooof.....so true......

[wgstl]

Lets keep it goin.

Providence is up 34-23 on #24 Marquette 

[dlarry]

Not a good day for the SEC.

 

Drake beats Mississippi State 

Wofford beats A&M

North Alabama beats Ole Miss

 

I love it. 

[Old guy]

1 hour ago, cheeseman said:

Could Should have won both.

Better answer

[wgstl]

Providence beats ranked Marquette. That plus drake we’re officially locked for an auto bid. 

[CBFan]

9 hours ago, wgstl said:

Providence beats ranked Marquette. That plus drake were officially locked for an auto bid. 

Probably if they finish 14-4 in the conference with no home losses and going to the finals in the A10 tournament.

What concerns me the most is potential blow out losses on the road.

Our team is entertaining and coach Ford has them in contention again.

[brianstl]

1 hour ago, CBFan said:

Probably if they finish 14-4 in the conference with no home losses and going to the finals in the A10 tournament.

What concerns me the most is potential blow out losses on the road.

Our team is entertaining and coach Ford has them in contention again.

According to T-Rank, that would leave the Billikens as the 6th team out.  15-3 would leave us as the 4th team out.   I think 15-3 would probably get us in.  I think 14-4 would leave us on the wrong side of the bubble.

[RUBillsFan]

6 hours ago, CBFan said:

Probably if they finish 14-4 in the conference with no home losses and going to the finals in the A10 tournament.

What concerns me the most is potential blow out losses on the road.

Our team is entertaining and coach Ford has them in contention again.

We need to start beating non-cupcake teams by double digits to improve the computer rankings.

As much as losing to Auburn & Boise St in winnable games sucked, I'd guess our NET is actually hurt worse by getting destroyed by Maryland and Iona.  

[CBFan]

1 minute ago, RUBillsFan said:

We need to start beating non-cupcake teams by double digits to improve the computer rankings.

As much as losing to Auburn & Boise St in winnable games sucked, I'd guess our NET is actually hurt worse by getting destroyed by Maryland and Iona.  

The NET seems to consider highly blow out wins and losses.

I am sure when the selection committee considers an at large bid they do not want to select at team that could get blown out in the first in both halves.

For an at large I think they look at the last 10 games and last season it would show 2 blow out losses to Davidson.

I do not trust this team to not get blown out on the road again, it has happened twice this season.

[HoosierPal]

6 hours ago, CBFan said:

Probably if they finish 14-4 in the conference with no home losses and going to the finals in the A10 tournament.

What concerns me the most is potential blow out losses on the road.

Our team is entertaining and coach Ford has them in contention again.

14-4 is a tall order for this team, or any Ford Team.

Last five seasons, conference record is 49-33.

21-22, 12 & 6

20-21, 6 & 4

19-20, 12 & 6

18-19, 10 & 8

17-18, 9 & 9

And each of these teams was "the deepest we have ever had".  And BTW, I'm not big on excuses.

[CBFan]

1 hour ago, HoosierPal said:

14-4 is a tall order for this team, or any Ford Team.

Last five seasons, conference record is 49-33.

21-22, 12 & 6

20-21, 6 & 4

19-20, 12 & 6

18-19, 10 & 8

17-18, 9 & 9

And each of these teams was "the deepest we have ever had".  And BTW, I'm not big on excuses.

I agree 100 percent but that is only 2 games better than the best season and I do not think they will be 14-4 I believe is will be another 12-6 conference season.  The 2 blow outs this season concerns me and not protecting home court against Boise State.

[Slu let the dogs out?]

1 hour ago, HoosierPal said:

14-4 is a tall order for this team, or any Ford Team.

Last five seasons, conference record is 49-33.

21-22, 12 & 6

20-21, 6 & 4

19-20, 12 & 6

18-19, 10 & 8

17-18, 9 & 9

And each of these teams was "the deepest we have ever had".  And BTW, I'm not big on excuses.

Thank you. All of this "We just need to go 14-4 or better in A10 play" talk is great and all except it's never been accomplished under Ford. Even with a down A10 this year I just don't have the confidence we can avoid our annual 1-2 bad losses. First conference game @ Loyola and @ Mass won't be easy, and until we prove we can win @ Dayton, Davidson, and VCU it's going to be hard getting 14+ wins.  Sorry my glass is completely empty. Boy I would love to be proven wrong though.  

[Taj79]

Whether or not Ford is a 'good' coach seems immaterial at this point .... he is what he is.  Many of us are already pointing that out.  He seems to do what he does ... both here and at Oklahoma State.  Great recruiting.  Great preseason hype.  Hope springs eternal.  But it seems you can't argue against the results no matter the excuses.  Or the bad luck.  Or the 'it is what it is.'  

When you look at the upcoming schedule, and you factor in what we know, we know Ford teams are challenged on the road.  So we go to St. Joe's, Umass, Geedubya, Loyola, Davidson, Dayton, Fordham, Richmond and VCU.  Nine road games with 'severe' challenges at Loyola, Davidson, Dayton and VCU.  On the downer side, that could easily be four losses.  And in recent history, we have lost at Richmond, at Fordham and at Umass.  St. Joe's and Geedubya are obviously down programs right now.  

Home games, where we should defend the home cooking include Bonaventure, Mason, La Salle, VCU, Rhode Island, Davidson, Duquesne, Loyola and Dayton.  Again, 'severe' challenges from at least Davidson (who always seems to have us) and Dayton.  We need to steal a few of those sever road games as we expect the need to offset inexplicable home losses that always seem to come.

The bottom line to me is the usual coachspeak in taking one game at a time, defending the home fires, beat who we should beat on the road, and fight like hell in the others.  That's also a lot of Captain Obvious speaking.  I have no illusions on projections or predictions and --- as we all know --- this league will eat each other as the season progresses.  

Put away the Cougars, finish 8 and 4 in the OOC, and start anew on New Year's Eve.  The OOC did not meet expectations and the second season is on the brink.  Then we can readjust and evaluate what the A10 tourney will mean come March.  Enjoy the ride.

[Crewsorlose]

To me this season really started out with the aim of showing that we're a fringe top 25 team. That was gone in the Maryland loss. We've been blown out by teams that probably aren't top 25 teams by March. And we lost to an Auburn team that's probably the 5th or 6th best team in the SEC. I don't know what Boise St. is. 

Look, the Billikens aren't bad. They're a fringe team in a fringe conference. They'll probably have to win the A-10 tourney to dance, and if they get in as an 11 or 12 seed, they can probably win one game max. That's the realistic ceiling here. Which is tough with a core that's been together so long (Perkins, Hargrove, Yuri, Thatch, Jimerson). They probably lose 4 of those 5 plus Okoro. 

But the deeper issue is that Ford has really drained so many of these players of confidence and joy. Yuri still being dared to shoot in year 4. Hargrove getting turned into a 12mpg guy. Perkins and Jimerson seem like a bad pairing. Perk should probably come off the bench. 

[Old guy]

Whatever good or bad anyone says. Ford is what he is no more, no less. We can expect him to do as he always does, no more no less. Are we a top 25 team, most certainly not, not this year, not with Ford. Are we going to the Dance, a very maybe maybe.

This board has suffered an overdose of inflated expectations and now it has to deflate. It will be a slow process, and not a joyful one. I hope Ford is absent next year.

[VeniceMenace]

6 minutes ago, Crewsorlose said:

To me this season really started out with the aim of showing that we're a fringe top 25 team. That was gone in the Maryland loss. We've been blown out by teams that probably aren't top 25 teams by March. And we lost to an Auburn team that's probably the 5th or 6th best team in the SEC. I don't know what Boise St. is. 

Look, the Billikens aren't bad. They're a fringe team in a fringe conference. They'll probably have to win the A-10 tourney to dance, and if they get in as an 11 or 12 seed, they can probably win one game max. That's the realistic ceiling here. Which is tough with a core that's been together so long (Perkins, Hargrove, Yuri, Thatch, Jimerson). They probably lose 4 of those 5 plus Okoro. 

But the deeper issue is that Ford has really drained so many of these players of confidence and joy. Yuri still being dared to shoot in year 4. Hargrove getting turned into a 12mpg guy. Perkins and Jimerson seem like a bad pairing. Perk should probably come off the bench. 

All good thoughts, it will be interesting to see how Perk and Parker progress during A10 this play. Ford draining the players sounds like a stretch, roster turnover by transfer era standards could be a lot worse.

[Billiken Rich]

19 minutes ago, Crewsorlose said:

But the deeper issue is that Ford has really drained so many of these players of confidence and joy. 

Care to share you inside information?  Other than Perkins who Ford just apologized to, who else has been drained of confidence and joy by Scrooge McFord?  Me thinks you are talking through your hat.......

[Schasz]

20 minutes ago, Billiken Rich said:

Care to share you inside information?  Other than Perkins who Ford just apologized to, who else has been drained of confidence and joy by Scrooge McFord?  Me thinks you are talking through your hat.......

BR like you and I Crewsorlose seemed to be offering his opinion...just like you and moi do all the time here. I'd guess most on this website have little to no inside information. 

[Billiken Rich]

+

23 minutes ago, Schasz said:

BR like you and I Crewsorlose seemed to be offering his opinion...just like you and moi do all the time here. I'd guess most on this website have little to no inside information. 

Like you and I, everyone on this board, is free to call out the hateful, or misinformed, or hypocritical opinions of others.  I for one still hold a grudge about your Tennessee antics.  It's going to take a lot of good solid Billiken based posting from you to make me forget that. C'est la vie........

[dlarry]

2 hours ago, Crewsorlose said:

But the deeper issue is that Ford has really drained so many of these players of confidence and joy. 

 

You might be right about this I obviously have no inside information but Fred Thatch gave an interview last week and said this was not the case.

He said the locker room culture and attitude of the team is great.

Maybe he’s lying but I have no reason to not believe him. 

 

[thetorch]

2 hours ago, Crewsorlose said:

To me this season really started out with the aim of showing that we're a fringe top 25 team. That was gone in the Maryland loss. We've been blown out by teams that probably aren't top 25 teams by March. And we lost to an Auburn team that's probably the 5th or 6th best team in the SEC. I don't know what Boise St. is. 

Look, the Billikens aren't bad. They're a fringe team in a fringe conference. They'll probably have to win the A-10 tourney to dance, and if they get in as an 11 or 12 seed, they can probably win one game max. That's the realistic ceiling here. Which is tough with a core that's been together so long (Perkins, Hargrove, Yuri, Thatch, Jimerson). They probably lose 4 of those 5 plus Okoro. 

But the deeper issue is that Ford has really drained so many of these players of confidence and joy. Yuri still being dared to shoot in year 4. Hargrove getting turned into a 12mpg guy. Perkins and Jimerson seem like a bad pairing. Perk should probably come off the bench. 

How many minutes should Hargrove be getting?

Who turned him into a 12 mpg player?  His whole career he's been an end of the rotation player.  He's only played big minutes in a handful of games where there were strange matchups, excessive foul trouble, or the roster just wasn't working.

I don't think he's earned any more minutes than he gets.  He's been here 4 years and every year he is passed up by someone else on the depth chart.  I'm not one to give more minutes to guys who can't shoot, dribble, pass, and have only risen to at best average defensively.  Hargrove hasn't really gone past just being a dunker.

I think most of your takes in that post were off but the Hargrove one was the worst.