(03-04-2017 09:17 AM)KPJ Wrote:  I haven't been to many games this year, but even historically speaking I'm really disappointed in our student section and the overall fan involvement in the game. It blows mind that you can be in a close game down the stretch and a majority of the people just sit and watch silently when the other team has the ball. It's like we need a class in fan involvement.

Well this is the least amount of games I've attended for quite some time one I don't want to pay to watch EMU beat up a Concordia or Marygrove and I don't think the students want to watch that either, second who wants to watch a .500 club? I'm not speaking of the students but the alums and those in the local area, we were going to dominate this season and instead we finish sub .500, take away all those wins against Marygrove and Concordia and we look even worse. We played like a lower level mid major. I too predicted great things for this team this year but 7-11 in MAC play? Geez Murphy.

After this season so far who feels VERY positive about the men's basketball program and the direction its heading? If so, why?

(03-04-2017 08:58 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 08:26 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 07:12 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Probably Murphy and staff worse performance since he became coach the players should be embarrassed at this record for long stretches it was me myself and I rather than a team. Would prefer less talented guys who give 110 percent than some of the primo attitude. Next years team may addition through subtraction

It doesn't matter about the talent in Murphy's system. His first season was the least talented squad he has had and they were under .500 in Conference. This year's team is very talented and also under .500 in Conference. It's just more enjoyable (if you're a masochist) to watch the more talented team lose. :-)

Any team with at least average Talent can beat Eastern. Any team. This is because of Murphy inflexibility with strategy. Ball State and Toledo are prime examples. Those teams knew how to pick apart the zone defense by spreading the floor and feeding the high post.

This system might work for Syracuse but they have Elite Talent. It does not work at the mid-major level. Murphy's stubbornness will be a career killer for him.

The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result.

Nickle,

As much as I hate the zone it typically only works against one dimensional teams aka CMU which has no inside game. We beat CMU by guarding the perimeter since they have no inside game.

The zone also works against poor outside shooting teams because you can pack the paint with defenders.

However most average teams are two dimensional and if they are patient, the zone is easily broken. Toledo, BSU and Akron were very patient beating the zone. It's easy to get the ball to the high post and pass to baseline cutters for dunks (if you have athletes see SMU game when we played them) or layups for non-athletes (see #25 from Toledo) or the ball is easily passed to the perimeter for an open 3 point shot.

(03-04-2017 10:09 AM)emu79 Wrote:  After this season so far who feels VERY positive about the men's basketball program and the direction its heading? If so, why?

Wow. Clever way to put this conversation in a positive note. I think we all have aired our grievances and our negative feelings.

From a positive perspective,

1) EMU still has talent next year. JT4 and Minnie will lead the best front court in the MAC next year- one that will also have significant depth. We have some unknown quantities anongst backcourt/wing players, but wth Tim Bond anchoring and providing senior leadership, I think EMU will be just fine there.

2) EMU finished at 143 in the Sagarin Ratings. Only a little behind their position for the last three years. This places them in the top half of Division 1 bb for 4 years in a row. This is hardly a program in overall disarray. Their losses have been close, while many of their wins showed how dominant the can be (credit Sam for this observation).

3) Still this season was both a regression from past seasons and an even bigger disappointment from expectations. The assistant AD called this out publicly (with tactful words). I would assume in private this has been expressed a little more directly. Given the talent and level of this program that Murphy has accomplished, it is not that huge of an adjustment to turn this whole thing upward. Practice passing/rotation drills and every now and then switch to man2man to throw off opposing strategies. Given his accomplishments, I am sure Murphy is more than capable of this slight implementation. It is just a matter of stubbornness. I am hoping that with the notice that he may never be a d1 head coach again, he may more open such changes.

(03-04-2017 08:26 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 07:12 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Probably Murphy and staff worse performance since he became coach the players should be embarrassed at this record for long stretches it was me myself and I rather than a team. Would prefer less talented guys who give 110 percent than some of the primo attitude. Next years team may addition through subtraction

It doesn't matter about the talent in Murphy's system. His first season was the least talented squad he has had and they were under .500 in Conference. This year's team is very talented and also under .500 in Conference. It's just more enjoyable (if you're a masochist) to watch the more talented team lose. :-)

I was looking at our schedule and noticed something others have alluded to: the teams increased dependence on offense. The team was only 2-11 when scoring 74 points or less. Interestingly the team averaged 78.5ppg. That is a tight window in which to win. Compare this to the 2014 and 2015 teams (the CIT and CBI seasons) where EMU averaged 65 and 69ppg. If the 2017 team played defense like the 2014 or 2015 teams...

(03-04-2017 01:00 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 10:09 AM)emu79 Wrote:  After this season so far who feels VERY positive about the men's basketball program and the direction its heading? If so, why?

Wow. Clever way to put this conversation in a positive note. I think we all have aired our grievances and our negative feelings.

From a positive perspective,

1) EMU still has talent next year. JT4 and Minnie will lead the best front court in the MAC next year- one that will also have significant depth. We have some unknown quantities anongst backcourt/wing players, but wth Tim Bond anchoring and providing senior leadership, I think EMU will be just fine there.

2) EMU finished at 143 in the Sagarin Ratings. Only a little behind their position for the last three years. This places them in the top half of Division 1 bb for 4 years in a row. This is hardly a program in overall disarray. Their losses have been close, while many of their wins showed how dominant the can be (credit Sam for this observation).

3) Still this season was both a regression from past seasons and an even bigger disappointment from expectations. The assistant AD called this out publicly (with tactful words). I would assume in private this has been expressed a little more directly. Given the talent and level of this program that Murphy has accomplished, it is not that huge of an adjustment to turn this whole thing upward. Practice passing/rotation drills and every now and then switch to man2man to throw off opposing strategies. Given his accomplishments, I am sure Murphy is more than capable of this slight implementation. It is just a matter of stubbornness. I am hoping that with the notice that he may never be a d1 head coach again, he may more open such changes.

Ramy,

If Murphy hasn't adopted an array of defenses in his 6th season, he won't do it in s season 7. This is not calculus

Luckey, are you still posting on Murphy's defenses?

(03-04-2017 07:09 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Luckey, are you still posting on Murphy's defenses?

Steve, I just find it humorous for posters to expect an adjustment. Coaches usually try an adjustment during a game in which they are losing but I'll keep dispelling any poster from thinking an adjustment is coming especially not in season 7.

(03-04-2017 10:01 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(03-04-2017 07:09 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Luckey, are you still posting on Murphy's defenses?

Steve, I just find it humorous for posters to expect an adjustment. Coaches usually try an adjustment during a game in which they are losing but I'll keep dispelling any poster from thinking an adjustment is coming especially not in season 7.

That horse is dead. dead. dead.