2024-2025 Season

[wgstl]

12 minutes ago, billiken_roy said:

the first public practice imo he didnt fit in.  he was out of sync with the rest of the team and didnt mesh with what we have been told schertz team system is about.   he did a lot of one on ones and took some difficult to the basket drives and shots.   

the second practice apparently he is getting the message and he seemed to fit in a lot better with the team flow.   i still think he outside looking in as a starter but he should get time.   and you are right about his body.   he is a strong young man.  

Schertz system takes some time too, there's a lot of thought that goes into it.  Not calling Dotzler dumb at all by not understandings it super fast but it seems like only a few have felt really comfortable in this offense, and those guys are either players who have been playing for coach prior, an Ivy league kid, and a high IQ 10th year senior.   

[thetorch]

4 hours ago, OkieBilliken said:

The crazy thing that stood out for me was Markelle Fultz was the overall #1 pick in the draft.  I know I don’t follow pro hoops as much as some, but huh?   Has he done anything as a pro?  Was the talent really bad that year?.

Fultz had a lot of personal, training, and injury problems.  

Prior to starting his NBA career his stepfather screwed up his shot mechanics.  It took him 2 years to learn to shoot again.  He's had tons of injuries.  He has played well for Orlando for stretches.  Last season was not good so Orlando let him go but the year before he averaged 14/6/5 and is a good defender.  Noth worthy of a #1 pick but not a total bust either.  He's still only 25 years old.

[HoosierPal]

 

[slu72]

On 10/15/2024 at 10:24 AM, VeniceMenace said:

 

Accounting for strength of schedule, Romar was the better coach at SLU. In 2001, for example, SLU faced California, Washington, Mizzou, Texas A&M, Iowa, Memphis...and two games each vs. Louisville, Cincy, Marquette and Houston. That season SLU finished above .500. Ford's teams consistently lost vs. ranked opponents plus Dayton, VCU and St. B.

And let’s not forget Uncle Brad beat #2 Louisville in the early 2000’s. 

[HoosierPal]

 

[almaman]

those 13 games in 2001 mentioned we would kill for one of those shame on. NCAA imo

[shempie]

 

Opening day article and nice pub for Robbie.

 

[gobillsgo]

On 10/15/2024 at 1:33 PM, WVBilliken said:

Josiah Dotzler sure looks ripped in his Billiken Happy Birthday picture, see link.  Curious to those who have seen him play .... how big of a factor do you think he will be this season.  

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/C19kRq4pGCAzuHtj/

 

 

I thought he looked really good at the most recent scrimmage.  Smooth lefty stroke, handles well, quick.  He’ll be even more important next season after Swope is gone. 
I know pregame warm ups don’t mean much, but at one point I counted at least 8 makes in a row for Dotzler from the 3pt line. Think only one even touched the rim.  Again, may not mean much, but I feel better about him making 8 in a row than I would him missing 8 in a row. 

[HoosierPal]

Yeah, it's a secret scrimmage where coaches can script events.  Yeah, it is preseason. Yeah, Virginia just lost their coach.  But still, impressive.

https://x.com/JonRothstein/status/1847706148172153281

[Taj79]

Xavier crushed Dayton at the YouDee Arena yesterday, winning 98 to 74 in a charity exhibition for mental health awareness.  First time the two played in nine years.  According to Anthony Grant, Dayton got out-physicalled, staying int he game for about a half of the first half.  According to my source, Dayton needs a lot of work.  They are small and somewhat light.  Nick Santos is not to be confused with any physical presence.  Zed Key is an undersized center.  Isaac Jack looks like he lost weight.  There is little outside shooting with the loss of Elvis and Brea, and the guards are smallish at best.  Posh Alexander is the sturdiest of the lot but he is only 6 feet tall.  The freshmen looked good albeit also undernourished.  

Of course, it is the first exhibition of the year.  Another 13,000 at the YouDee Arena however.

[HoosierPal]

So Avila, Swope, Jimerson, Anya,

 .......then two of Dotzler? Thames? Johnson? Casey? Hughes?

[Cowboy II]

-CJS made a comment about the number of practice possessions, it's a whole new world and I like it

[billiken_roy]

2 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

So Avila, Swope, Jimerson, Anya,

 .......then two of Dotzler? Thames? Johnson? Casey? Hughes?

id take johnson.  size, defense, experience.     if i had to pick a second choice i'd take hughes.   best 3 pt shooter of the four.   

[gobillsgo]

Dotzler will be involved when healthy. I’m maintaining that he’s gonna be a stud. 

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, billiken_roy said:

id take johnson.  size, defense, experience.     if i had to pick a second choice i'd take hughes.   best 3 pt shooter of the four.   

 

43 minutes ago, gobillsgo said:

Dotzler will be involved when healthy. I’m maintaining that he’s gonna be a stud. 

Guessing is fun.  I'm going with Thames and Hughes.  Need the rebounding (Thames or Casey) and as br said, Hughes is the next best proven three point shooter.  Anya is not a three point shooter, 8 of 30 last season for 27%.  I'm thinking Schertz wants more than 3 three point shooters on the floor, hence Hughes 36% last season. Stu had some interesting comments from Schertz on McCottry in StuonSlu today.  Not ready for prime time (yet).

Schertz will prove us all wrong!

[ACE]

For those who like to wager, here is an A-10 preview among other stuff that some might find interesting: 

 

[Aquinas]

If Walick decides to redshirt,  is that a decision that has to be made by start of the first game?

[billiken_roy]

24 minutes ago, Aquinas said:

If Walick decides to redshirt,  is that a decision that has to be made by start of the first game?

Everyone is a redshirt until they appear in the maximum number of allowed games.   No paperwork has to be completed in advance to state a desire to be declared a redshirt

[willie]

1 hour ago, billiken_roy said:

Everyone is a redshirt until they appear in the maximum number of allowed games.   No paperwork has to be completed in advance to state a desire to be declared a redshirt

Correct me if I am wrong and I am sure you will but I don’t think you can play in any games. Medical redshirt is different. There you can play in 10 games but need NCAA approval. Football also has  different rules allowing up to 5 games. (I think). 

[billiken_roy]

6 hours ago, willie said:

Correct me if I am wrong and I am sure you will but I don’t think you can play in any games. Medical redshirt is different. There you can play in 10 games but need NCAA approval. Football also has  different rules allowing up to 5 games. (I think). 

You are correct.   Medical redshirt allows a certain number of games.

[Aquinas]

I dont recall any reports of him practicing. If I were his dad I would advise him to sit this one out, as he is so far behind the team, he is very unlikely  to see the floor. 

[billikenbill]

Future opponent UMass-Lowell gets thumped by Gonzaga 113-54. Quinnipiac beats Maine 58-55. 

[ARon]

Seeing that CJS is now saying the team has limitations on offense that he doesn’t believe he can fix with this personnel. And that the team will have to build an identity on defense.  But anyone with eyes can see this is not a good defensive team and not in a way that can be fixed with pep talks and a few practices.

I’m resigning myself to the idea that this will be at best another middling, non-postseason year. Pretty disappointing given the hype around this squad. And while transfers can make anything possible, it’s hard to imagine this team without Swope and Jimerson next season suddenly being a better shooting teammate.

[slu72]

It’s early and injuries to our leader and a key big have hurt us. My expectations for OOC play was never high. Our 2 losses have come against decent mid major teams, although the complete melt down against WSU was troublesome. I see our major deficiency being D. If we have tough night on O we should expect to lose as our D is probably ranked a D- by the Wiz. It’s still way too early to draw any conclusions, but making the dance is a bit of a stretch from what we’ve seen. 

[willie]

54 minutes ago, ARon said:

Seeing that CJS is now saying the team has limitations on offense that he doesn’t believe he can fix with this personnel. And that the team will have to build an identity on defense.  But anyone with eyes can see this is not a good defensive team and not in a way that can be fixed with pep talks and a few practices.

I’m resigning myself to the idea that this will be at best another middling, non-postseason year. Pretty disappointing given the hype around this squad. And while transfers can make anything possible, it’s hard to imagine this team without Swope and Jimerson next season suddenly being a better shooting teammate.

Has any coach besides Paul Westhead ever said you win with offense.