LSU Men's Basketball - 2013-14

I don't think 11-7 gets them in. Last year 12-6 SEC Teams were left out. I think we are playing for the NIT at this point unless a deep SECT run can open some eyes.

This season has been so frustrating to watch. Reminds me of 2004 in some ways.

 

Well, 14-10 Nebraska is being hailed as a bubble team w/a rising RPI. Just goes to show you winning late is always key. They have wins against some ranked, well respected teams, but come on, 14-10, and an even record in their league, and their RPI is higher than ours? Just think if we pull out the UMass, and Memphis games? Damn. I sure hope they make a late run and get in.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ghlights-big-tens-on-the-fence-teams/5551975/

 

i dont think the sky is falling. that why i include "if" and "could". its more like the sky may fall in a couple years.

there was too much unwarranted hope surrounding cjj. mostly, i think because people didnt like ctj and johnny is an lsu guy. neither of those things have anything to do with lsu getting a good bball program. then cjj recruits well. thats great, but something has to be done with it, quickly. thats the point. recruiting is nice but really doesnt mean anything because if you dont win, it wont last. im not encouraged by cjj's history, this team's defense or this team's toughness--with a very experienced roster! hopefully all this is just an issue of transition.

 

Ok. It's take a step back time and time for the voice of reason

I think there are a couple of things just to say first off. I like many people probably expected more out of these Tigers this season. Call it hype, call it irrational exuberance, call it falling into the trap of "recruiting leads to championships" talk. And yes, no way we should lose to URI. "Could" we have a few more wins and be "off the bubble"? Certainly--but you could say that of almost EVERY team in college basketball. What we shouldn't lose sight of, is LSU currently sits in a tie for 5th place in the SEC. Beyond UF at 13-0 and UK at 10-3, there is a drop off to GA at 8-5 and four teams at 7-6. LSU today sits at 16-9, and 7-6 in the SEC. As noted by Paradise, there are ALOT of BCS conference schools with records with 9, 10, 11 losses that are sniffing the tourney. And, when I go back to earlier posts on expectations, what was LSU expected to do? A top 4 finish in the SEC? A top 5 (top third), sort of finish, after finishing in the middle of the pack last year? It's still doable, folks, with 5 games left and three of those games being against other mid-tier teams, UGA, TA&M and Vandy, and 2 big time RPI games against UF and UK. My first point is our objectives are still reachable, and there's a lot of key basketball to be played (not to mention the SECT, which frankly, will likely determine the fate of many of these SEC "bubble" teams).

Why I feel the compulsion to post, however, is when you start to attack CJJ as potentially "overrated" or the "need" to turn around things quickly or the fact that the wheels are or could be coming off the bus. Let me first say, there is NO way that is happening right now with this coach and this program. Why? I think I will always stand by the notion that a program is built on recruiting, a proven system (this is a combination of "coaching" but also a "scheme"), and stability in that system--maybe not necessarily in that order, but I believe it to be in that order. When you look at the top 5 teams in the country this year, and you look at who they are, who their rosters are, and who their coaches are, I wanted to do some quick analysis on one of the points that you raise... "experience". I think you are wrong to say that LSU as a program should be winning in year two of CJJ's era, with an "experienced" roster "quickly".

If you assign points to each of the top 5's roster (simple math, 1=FR, 2=SO, 3=JR and 4=SR), and average out the scores for the top 5 minute getters on each team, they are as follows:

#1: Syracuse: 2.4, #2: Florida: 3.6, #3: Wichita St: 2.8; #4: Arizona: 2.2; #5: Duke: 2. What's also important is NONE of the top 5 teams have more than one freshman in the top 5 in minutes, although all but Florida, have one freshman in the top 5. You look at these headliner coaches, and you also see guys who have been at the programs for greater than 4 years--the coaches that really stand out to me for their work this year are Boeheim, Coach K and Sean Miller for the jobs they've done with relatively "inexperienced" teams.

LSU sits right at 2.4, with Stringer as a SR, and JOB and Hickey as Jrs, and 2 freshman, Mickey and Martin. Those upperclassmen are all CTJ's recruits, blending in with 2 freshmen. While the number isn't completely out of wack with other teams, when you consider the two freshmen and CJJ only being able to coach his players for less than 2 years, this is a less experienced team, relatively speaking. I would make the case that it does take time to have stability in your system, to have players gel, to create an identity, and to fire on all cylinders. So, in that sense, I would temper the expectation that CJJ and staff have completely underachieved.

What this leads me still to debate with you, is the direction of the program and the job CJJ is doing. Certainly, this team needs some "toughening" up and "an identity" formed, maybe a settling in on a "system"--but the roster is more talented, but also inexperenced, as a team. If you buy into the fact that overall CJJ and staff ARE recruiting better and the level of his recruits' talent is going up, then give him and his staff and his players time, and I only see the program rising, not falling. This season is about the finish, how his current players compete, and the in-game decisions that CJJ makes, no doubt. But, I would see this as some transition, and some time needed for folks like Martin, Mickey and Hickey to mature together. You look at a guy like K. Hornsby, who is already here practicing with this team, and another year for CJJ's staff to work with guys like Mickey and Martin (and perhaps, if you look at the success of Florida and Wichita State, it's this staff's stability and ability to retain players, that will determine its future) I think it's very premature to be questioning CJJ.

 

In OT, LSUs played a helluva game. Proud of them no matter what.

 

Whew, we deserved that game. UK benefited from a lot of no-calls in the paint against JOB. Hickey played great, but I think he waits a bit too long when he is looking for the last shot under :15sec. Should of won it in regulation, and again in OT. I was proud of their effort overall, and surprised in OT b/c they looked tired at the end of regulation. Still think we end up making the tourney.

 

Soooooo........ Kentucky won? Score?

 

77-76

 

At least they seem to have shown up on the road against quality competition.