eu96
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Posts: 198
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Huskies
Jan 20, 2024 19:48:31 GMT -5
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Post by eu96 on Jan 20, 2024 19:48:31 GMT -5
Another uninspired home 1st half effort, this time against an average (at best) NE team. Unless they turn it on big time in the 2nd, we are staring a really bad loss in the face. Forgive me, but I’m losing patience.
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Huskies
Jan 20, 2024 22:06:16 GMT -5
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Post by fearthephoenix on Jan 20, 2024 22:06:16 GMT -5
96, I’m with you tonight. The first half of the last three games has been completely disastrous. I felt like this season just needed to be a step in the right direction and it still could be. However, the next 4 or 5 games are winnable and they are capable but I’m not sure how the last few performances will impact them.
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Huskies
Jan 21, 2024 8:08:06 GMT -5
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Post by ephoenix19 on Jan 21, 2024 8:08:06 GMT -5
Just curious but if we were to win the next 4 games against teams sub 300 in metrics what does that really do for you haha? Sure we won more games in non con this year than others but they were all sub 300 teams and it’s clearly not mattered. Comparing us to the pre 2022 era of CAA teams (which should be our real comparison) we have been the worst team the last 2 years. I can give a pass last year with what Taylor was dealt but d**n the way he sets up this team defensively is an absolute joke.
Ultimately, I understand we will never compete with UNCW and Charleston in the NIL era with CBB but it would be nice to be in the mix with the Drexels, Northeasterns, Towsons and finish with an above .500 conference record more than once every 12 years.
I always thought Matheny had run his time here and we needed change but he’s still the only guy who’s managed a top 5/above .500 finish in the CAA in our conference history. Then Schrage brought excitement with his recruits and his ability to win in March. But in Billy’s early era all he’s brought is a fast/“fun” style of basketball which has produced 1 top 200 win in a season and a half.
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Huskies
Jan 21, 2024 9:21:36 GMT -5
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Post by fearthephoenix on Jan 21, 2024 9:21:36 GMT -5
Just curious but if we were to win the next 4 games against teams sub 300 in metrics what does that really do for you haha? Sure we won more games in non con this year than others but they were all sub 300 teams and it’s clearly not mattered. Comparing us to the pre 2022 era of CAA teams (which should be our real comparison) we have been the worst team the last 2 years. I can give a pass last year with what Taylor was dealt but d**n the way he sets up this team defensively is an absolute joke. Ultimately, I understand we will never compete with UNCW and Charleston in the NIL era with CBB but it would be nice to be in the mix with the Drexels, Northeasterns, Towsons and finish with an above .500 conference record more than once every 12 years. I always thought Matheny had run his time here and we needed change but he’s still the only guy who’s managed a top 5/above .500 finish in the CAA in our conference history. Then Schrage brought excitement with his recruits and his ability to win in March. But in Billy’s early era all he’s brought is a fast/“fun” style of basketball which has produced 1 top 200 win in a season and a half. You can choose to view it however you want but I just want the team to win ball games and grow. This team is better than last year, but last year was a dumpster fire. As you stated, it’s his second season with a completely revamped roster. Some of you need to touch grass and be realistic with how things take time. If there is no growth from year two to three, then I’ll come to the board and whine ridiculously. Also, the metrics you choose to use to evaluate Billy while playing in a mid-major is silly. If they beat Monmouth (#190), that should be a big win to you because it would be a top 200 win. According to KenPom, 7 teams in the CAA are below 200, so winning those games are meaningless to a second year coach with a revamped roster? Have expectations, but be realistic.
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Post by ephoenix19 on Jan 21, 2024 10:37:47 GMT -5
Just curious but if we were to win the next 4 games against teams sub 300 in metrics what does that really do for you haha? Sure we won more games in non con this year than others but they were all sub 300 teams and it’s clearly not mattered. Comparing us to the pre 2022 era of CAA teams (which should be our real comparison) we have been the worst team the last 2 years. I can give a pass last year with what Taylor was dealt but d**n the way he sets up this team defensively is an absolute joke. Ultimately, I understand we will never compete with UNCW and Charleston in the NIL era with CBB but it would be nice to be in the mix with the Drexels, Northeasterns, Towsons and finish with an above .500 conference record more than once every 12 years. I always thought Matheny had run his time here and we needed change but he’s still the only guy who’s managed a top 5/above .500 finish in the CAA in our conference history. Then Schrage brought excitement with his recruits and his ability to win in March. But in Billy’s early era all he’s brought is a fast/“fun” style of basketball which has produced 1 top 200 win in a season and a half. You can choose to view it however you want but I just want the team to win ball games and grow. This team is better than last year, but last year was a dumpster fire. As you stated, it’s his second season with a completely revamped roster. Some of you need to touch grass and be realistic with how things take time. If there is no growth from year two to three, then I’ll come to the board and whine ridiculously. Also, the metrics you choose to use to evaluate Billy while playing in a mid-major is silly. If they beat Monmouth (#190), that should be a big win to you because it would be a top 200 win. According to KenPom, 7 teams in the CAA are below 200, so winning those games are meaningless to a second year coach with a revamped roster? Have expectations, but be realistic. My wording about the top 200 wins was more the fact that he hasn't produced a win yet that is very exciting to think that we can have a chance at causing a one game upset in the tourney (ie. Schrage winning at Charleston during the regular season then winning against WM CAA quarters in 2020 in his first season with a team that's pretty similar to the team this year). I get that we've faced a tough start to the CAA schedule, but I do think reasonable expectations would've been aiming to be 3-3 after the first six games. Yes we were missing TK at WM, so I'd be fine with 2-4 sadly. I'm not out on Billy but the hire from the start I personally didn't think it was exciting and that's on Blank who at that point was checked out. It's still way too early like you said, but his time at Ball State wasn't awe-inspiring either. I was trying to take an overall last 10 year scope of the basketball program. Like I said I don't have these sky high expectations surrounding the overall program of making the NCAA tourney and competing with UNCW/Charleson/Hofstra because our president doesn't set us up to succeed. I would just like to have a winning conference record 30% of the time. 40% would be incredible and I feel is very doable in the current CAA landscape because our expectations should be higher than the likes of NC A&T, Hampton, Stony Brook, Campbell and Monmouth with the facilities/off court opportunities we can offer.
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eu96
New Member
Posts: 198
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Post by eu96 on Jan 21, 2024 10:44:24 GMT -5
Well Fear, we aren’t winning, and we ain’t growing. So that’s that.
The reality is so far we are the same lousy team we were last year. Absolutely no different. We might look a little better, we may score a little more, but we are the same God-awful team as last year. And the evidence is how we have played on the road. No wins, and not even competitive. Furthermore, we could have easily lost to ETSU, Presby, and Valpo. We could just as soon be sitting on 3 D1 wins. Bottom line, we suck. That’s touching grass.
Sorry, but the “have patience” days are over. You win NOW, or you are gone. Anyway, I have been patient for 10 years now. If we don’t start turning it around this season, fire Taylor and bring someone else in. Fortunately, I think we have a new AD that will have that mentality. Frankly I hope she brought a bulk case of pink slips with her from Miami.
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Huskies
Jan 21, 2024 11:22:36 GMT -5
Post by euphoenix99 on Jan 21, 2024 11:22:36 GMT -5
A lot of good points here and I agree with both perspectives. The reality is you have to give Taylor 3 years at least to prove he can deliver. I'm becoming less and less convinced each game. The same issues game after game. Even after the NC A&T win I said they'd have been down 15 at half to almost every other CAA team with that performance. That's exactly what's happening during this stretch. It's one thing to lose tight games where things didn't just go your way. It's another to come out game after game unprepared, unmotivated and lazy in the first half and then hang your hat on a slightly better 2nd half. We're 20 games into the season so it's about time you play that "complete game" you keep talking about in the press conferences. Other teams are turning the corner (see A&T), while we're regressing.
Matheny was decent, but ultimately mediocre and never going to get us where we want to be. Schrage may have given us some exciting CAA tourneys, but he sucked. He'd follow up every CAA tourney run with another 10 win season. So now we have Taylor and the jury is still out, but a verdict is feeling more and more imminent with each game. He and the coaching staff also bring zero energy to the sideline. I know his style is low key, but he's redefining stoic. A tiny bit of emotion good or bad would make me a believer you know what you're doing or care about the results.
I'm trying to be patient, but this is my 30th season of following Elon basketball. I'm sure some on here have been following for longer. I've seen 4 winning seasons and one 20+ win season. 4 winning seasons in 30 years! Years of bad leadership and people who don't know what they're doing. I didn't expect miracles this season, but was at least expecting results that give some hope we're not headed for another 5 years of being a cellar dweller.
The inaction in other poorly performing sports has me worried nothing is going to change under Strawley. It's clear after the fall sports she's just rearranging deck chairs this year and not going to take any meaningful action. So I guess next year will tell us if we're in store for Blank 2.0 or someone who's actually going to make a splash.
Go Phoenix!
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