EMU basketball is 1-1! I expected to beat GA Southern today! Brand new coach. We've 10 more OOC games, I can see us going 8-2 very realistically, losing to FAU, and Michigan. Only road game is at Detroit, who we should beat! We play 2 D2 schools, and 6 very winnable D1 games. So, imagine us going 9-3 before MAC play.....Also, Osojnik only plays half the game, I think he needs 25-30 minutes going forward. What's everyone's thoughts, or opinions? Happy Holiday season everyone.

Glory, you raise some interesting possibilities. However, Central Arkansas is a road game (for accuracy saie) and both Cleveland St and Oakland at home will be a tough. Further, everyone EMU plays will consider us a very “winnable game”. So I would nudge my prior expectations up to say 7-5 +/- 1 game.

I think Coach Heath has done a good job of both retooling AND adjusting his coaching system. So I do share your enthusiasm, even if I am not as optimtimistic.

We are only at two games. "Small sample" as they would say. Didn 't we look good after two games last season???

(11-11-2023 10:29 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  Glory, you raise some interesting possibilities. However, Central Arkansas is a road game (for accuracy saie) and both Cleveland St and Oakland at home will be a tough. Further, everyone EMU plays will consider us a very “winnable game”. So I would nudge my prior expectations up to say 7-5 +/- 1 game.

I think Coach Heath has done a good job of both retooling AND adjusting his coaching system. So I do share your enthusiasm, even if I am not as optimtimistic.

RamyEMU, EMU should be 6-2, by December 1st! I can see 8-4 at worse, and quite possible 9-3 OOC record! This schedule is significantly easier then last year's! As I've said with this schedule, 19-12 before the MAC tournament is very realistic. 9-9 in A down MAC west should be what's expected with A 3rd year coach who has the program headed in the right trajectory! The MAC West is not very good either. Heath realizes it's now or never!

(11-11-2023 09:03 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  EMU basketball is 1-1! I expected to beat GA Southern today! Brand new coach. We've 10 more OOC games, I can see us going 8-2 very realistically, losing to FAU, and Michigan. Only road game is at Detroit, who we should beat! We play 2 D2 schools, and 6 very winnable D1 games. So, imagine us going 9-3 before MAC play.....Also, Osojnik only plays half the game, I think he needs 25-30 minutes going forward. What's everyone's thoughts, or opinions? Happy Holiday season everyone.

Glory,

I like your enthusiasm but Osojnik would not start in my 5 but I would play him 15-25 minutes depending whether or not he brings intensity for any given game. I think he should have a decent career at EMU but I’m not as high on him as some of you. I do like Juice Ellerbe who brings it on defense! Osojnik will have growing pains because he’s a freshman so I’m hoping he keeps developing thru the who season. We will see whether or not the MAC stage is too big for him. I’m rooting for him!!

(11-20-2023 05:45 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  RamyEMU, EMU should be 6-2, by December 1st! I can see 8-4 at worse, and quite possible 9-3 OOC record! This schedule is significantly easier then last year's! As I've said with this schedule, 19-12 before the MAC tournament is very realistic. 9-9 in A down MAC west should be what's expected with A 3rd year coach who has the program headed in the right trajectory! The MAC West is not very good either. Heath realizes it's now or never!

Glory, I am still at 7-5 +/- 1 for the non conference. I would also say 9-9 in MAC play. I know that is disappointing to you that it is the third year of the rebuild, but I think that is where the talent level is. TyCuff, Osojnik, McGriff, Ellerbe, and eventually Lovejoy and Rice comprise a solid and deep backcourt. But it is not likely to be a dominant MAC backcourt and the frontcourt, although improving, still has too many inconsistencies… Regardless, 16-14 will be a heck of a lot more fun to watch now.

Did anyone notice that the ESPN+ announcer suggested that Jihad plsys more like a small forward then a traditional big?

(11-20-2023 10:04 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  Did anyone notice that the ESPN+ announcer suggested that Jihad plsys more like a small forward then a traditional big?

No, but watching him play over the last few seasons - I completely agree. His usage at EMU has been more to fit a team need than it has been to put him in position to play his game. I admire him for that being able to do whatever the team needs.

Big weekend for EMU basketball because we’re playing two teams we should beat on neutral courts.

Pleasantly Surprising:

1) Juice Ellerbe - big guard who is quick but can he consistently hit the outside shot? I like him because he’s more interested in getting others involved vs getting his own. Love his intensity!

2) Cyril Martynov - big, quick and strong 7 footer who plays tough perimeter defense when he comes out to hedge. Only a sophomore, I’m looking for him to unseat Geeter for the starting center spot. If Cyril works on blocking out on D and develops a low post game could be a player the MAC has to reckon with the next couple of seasons. Will our staff develop Cyril to reach his potential? The former 4* has a high ceiling if our staff gets him to where this team needs to be.

3) Billingsley can be a nice power forward in the MAC. It would be a disaster for this team if he is out 4-6 weeks because he is really the only PF on the roster.

4) Yusef Jihad - being a consistent scorer and helping to take some load off Acuff. Does everything well but not great. Coming into his own now.


5) Arne Ojohnik (sp?) - I’m not as high on him as some of you are but he seems like he could be a solid contributor.

6) John McGriff - loving his intensity and so far consistency on offense. I expect him to continue a big role until Lovejoy returns and then a big 6th man role.

7) Tyson Acuff - I gave him a lot of grief last season based on some questionable defensive effort. I love what I see from him so far. I watch players on D when they’re off the ball. I’m looking for the effort they give to get in help lanes, to fight thru screens when they are coming and how they communicate. I can tell everyone that so far Tyson is playing like A+ basketball. He’s playing with intensity on D, communicating to his teammates and shooting lights out on offense. He may be the best shooting guard in the MAC. We will see…

Disappointing

In our low post defense. I believe this is personnel related and I will not throw the player under the bus but we have an undersized player starting in the post who I feel doesn’t work hard for position to rebound and turns the ball over too much. Hopefully Cyril development will cure some woes here.

Hopefully Lovejoy and Billingsley return before MAC play. If they do, then I would raise my expectations on this team to win 7 -9 MAC games.