(02-08-2020 10:29 AM)truEMU07 Wrote:  Part of the situation for the MAC (and other smaller conferences) that has changed from the 90's is that the world is a lot smaller now.

Both the rise of the internet and the youth sports scene, in particular AAU, have made scouting/recruiting much, much different than before.

Of our great players from the era we're talking, only Earl was from out of the state of Michigan. McIntosh, Ice Man, and Long were all Michiganders. Some of the others from that bygone era, Marcus Kennedy, Brian Tolbert, Derrick Dial, Kareem Carpenter, Carl Thomas (born in Ohio, raised in Michigan), and even further back with Lindell Reason and Harvey Marlatt, were all Michigan guys. But in that era before AAU and highlight videos, kids weren't being recruited by programs nation wide unless they were the absolute best of the best.

Recruiting has gone to a level that this level of player now gets opportunities at other "big time" places that simply weren't there before. I won't use Emoni Bates or Shane Battier as examples, as their respective prep statuses are outliers.
But how about 2013 Mr. Basketball Monte Morris? True, he was above MAC-level basketball, and obviously I can't say for certain that if he had come along 20-30 years sooner he wouldn't have made the college choice he did, but he chose Iowa State. In the 100+ year history of Iowa State basketball, 22 players have been from the state of Michigan. The fact that the sport is now truly global, even at the prep/college level, hurts the mid-major programs most. Smaller budgets, less amenities, and now local products can be wooed by any school in the country? It's tough.

I'd also have to say the reputation of Detroit prep basketball isn't what it used to be, which doesn't help either. (But that's a deep dive for another time.)

Not that it matters to our coach, who last had a great local player when? Ray Lee? Part of me still has hopes we will see Ty Groce break out, but I can't say I'm optimistic.
Keep in mind, this is the same coach who literally said last year at one of the coaches luncheons "recruiting to EMU and Ypsi is like recruiting to Afghanistan."

Just an opinion, but this is where the football bowl exposure comes in, along with other campus improvements I think people know where Ypsi is. The real problem is that in basketball we have a wonderful talent basis right in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti to Detroit and those recruits have always know where we are they have just chose not to come here. Football has a similar problem but its getting better under CC but slowly.

(02-08-2020 11:25 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-08-2020 10:29 AM)truEMU07 Wrote:  Part of the situation for the MAC (and other smaller conferences) that has changed from the 90's is that the world is a lot smaller now.

Both the rise of the internet and the youth sports scene, in particular AAU, have made scouting/recruiting much, much different than before.

Of our great players from the era we're talking, only Earl was from out of the state of Michigan. McIntosh, Ice Man, and Long were all Michiganders. Some of the others from that bygone era, Marcus Kennedy, Brian Tolbert, Derrick Dial, Kareem Carpenter, Carl Thomas (born in Ohio, raised in Michigan), and even further back with Lindell Reason and Harvey Marlatt, were all Michigan guys. But in that era before AAU and highlight videos, kids weren't being recruited by programs nation wide unless they were the absolute best of the best.

Recruiting has gone to a level that this level of player now gets opportunities at other "big time" places that simply weren't there before. I won't use Emoni Bates or Shane Battier as examples, as their respective prep statuses are outliers.
But how about 2013 Mr. Basketball Monte Morris? True, he was above MAC-level basketball, and obviously I can't say for certain that if he had come along 20-30 years sooner he wouldn't have made the college choice he did, but he chose Iowa State. In the 100+ year history of Iowa State basketball, 22 players have been from the state of Michigan. The fact that the sport is now truly global, even at the prep/college level, hurts the mid-major programs most. Smaller budgets, less amenities, and now local products can be wooed by any school in the country? It's tough.

I'd also have to say the reputation of Detroit prep basketball isn't what it used to be, which doesn't help either. (But that's a deep dive for another time.)

Not that it matters to our coach, who last had a great local player when? Ray Lee? Part of me still has hopes we will see Ty Groce break out, but I can't say I'm optimistic.
Keep in mind, this is the same coach who literally said last year at one of the coaches luncheons "recruiting to EMU and Ypsi is like recruiting to Afghanistan."

Just an opinion, but this is where the football bowl exposure comes in, along with other campus improvements I think people know where Ypsi is. The real problem is that in basketball we have a wonderful talent basis right in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti to Detroit and those recruits have always know where we are they have just chose not to come here. Football has a similar problem but its getting better under CC but slowly.

Agree, but remember "GloryDays..." posts of Columbus: EVERYONE knows where the talent is.

So the competition Detroit/Ann Arbor corridor, Columbus, etc. is fierce. Easy to spot talent there.

Maybe schools like CMU have certain advantages that they may have 'hidden gems' in the outstate areas of MI.

There are no hidden gems in the Detroit or Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti - Belleville - Romulus areas.

(02-08-2020 11:48 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(02-08-2020 11:25 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-08-2020 10:29 AM)truEMU07 Wrote:  Part of the situation for the MAC (and other smaller conferences) that has changed from the 90's is that the world is a lot smaller now.

Both the rise of the internet and the youth sports scene, in particular AAU, have made scouting/recruiting much, much different than before.

Of our great players from the era we're talking, only Earl was from out of the state of Michigan. McIntosh, Ice Man, and Long were all Michiganders. Some of the others from that bygone era, Marcus Kennedy, Brian Tolbert, Derrick Dial, Kareem Carpenter, Carl Thomas (born in Ohio, raised in Michigan), and even further back with Lindell Reason and Harvey Marlatt, were all Michigan guys. But in that era before AAU and highlight videos, kids weren't being recruited by programs nation wide unless they were the absolute best of the best.

Recruiting has gone to a level that this level of player now gets opportunities at other "big time" places that simply weren't there before. I won't use Emoni Bates or Shane Battier as examples, as their respective prep statuses are outliers.
But how about 2013 Mr. Basketball Monte Morris? True, he was above MAC-level basketball, and obviously I can't say for certain that if he had come along 20-30 years sooner he wouldn't have made the college choice he did, but he chose Iowa State. In the 100+ year history of Iowa State basketball, 22 players have been from the state of Michigan. The fact that the sport is now truly global, even at the prep/college level, hurts the mid-major programs most. Smaller budgets, less amenities, and now local products can be wooed by any school in the country? It's tough.

I'd also have to say the reputation of Detroit prep basketball isn't what it used to be, which doesn't help either. (But that's a deep dive for another time.)

Not that it matters to our coach, who last had a great local player when? Ray Lee? Part of me still has hopes we will see Ty Groce break out, but I can't say I'm optimistic.
Keep in mind, this is the same coach who literally said last year at one of the coaches luncheons "recruiting to EMU and Ypsi is like recruiting to Afghanistan."

Just an opinion, but this is where the football bowl exposure comes in, along with other campus improvements I think people know where Ypsi is. The real problem is that in basketball we have a wonderful talent basis right in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti to Detroit and those recruits have always know where we are they have just chose not to come here. Football has a similar problem but its getting better under CC but slowly.

Agree, but remember "GloryDays..." posts of Columbus: EVERYONE knows where the talent is.

So the competition Detroit/Ann Arbor corridor, Columbus, etc. is fierce. Easy to spot talent there.

Maybe schools like CMU have certain advantages that they may have 'hidden gems' in the outstate areas of MI.

There are no hidden gems in the Detroit or Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti - Belleville - Romulus areas.

I was a student during the glory days, and I was there when Harkema, and Braun were the coaches, and winning made it much easier to recruit, for obvious reasons! In 1991 for example Hallas was from Canada, Neely was from Detroit, Kennedy was from Grand Rapids, The Thomas twins were from Lansing, off the bench I can't remember our 6th man was Kalamazoo, etc.......We simply don't get those players anymore, and the reason is simple, haven't gone dancing in 22 years, and counting! Football's slowly getting more and more Michigan kids! C Michigan has made a living off of Michigan kids for years.........I live in Ohio now, near Columbus, and football's huge in Cincinnati, and Columbus! Tons of D1 talent! Detroit's not Detroit anymore, 30 years ago, it was the 4th largest metropolitan area.........E Michigan could win the MAC just with D1 talent in Ohio! For all the younger members of this forum, I can remember when Bowen fieldhouse was packed to the rafters, standing room only 5800 people,and scalpers were scalping tickets! That's my memory of the glory days, and Rynearson stadium got literally 20000 people at every game! Imagine that......

(02-08-2020 12:55 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(02-08-2020 11:48 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(02-08-2020 11:25 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-08-2020 10:29 AM)truEMU07 Wrote:  Part of the situation for the MAC (and other smaller conferences) that has changed from the 90's is that the world is a lot smaller now.

Both the rise of the internet and the youth sports scene, in particular AAU, have made scouting/recruiting much, much different than before.

Of our great players from the era we're talking, only Earl was from out of the state of Michigan. McIntosh, Ice Man, and Long were all Michiganders. Some of the others from that bygone era, Marcus Kennedy, Brian Tolbert, Derrick Dial, Kareem Carpenter, Carl Thomas (born in Ohio, raised in Michigan), and even further back with Lindell Reason and Harvey Marlatt, were all Michigan guys. But in that era before AAU and highlight videos, kids weren't being recruited by programs nation wide unless they were the absolute best of the best.

Recruiting has gone to a level that this level of player now gets opportunities at other "big time" places that simply weren't there before. I won't use Emoni Bates or Shane Battier as examples, as their respective prep statuses are outliers.
But how about 2013 Mr. Basketball Monte Morris? True, he was above MAC-level basketball, and obviously I can't say for certain that if he had come along 20-30 years sooner he wouldn't have made the college choice he did, but he chose Iowa State. In the 100+ year history of Iowa State basketball, 22 players have been from the state of Michigan. The fact that the sport is now truly global, even at the prep/college level, hurts the mid-major programs most. Smaller budgets, less amenities, and now local products can be wooed by any school in the country? It's tough.

I'd also have to say the reputation of Detroit prep basketball isn't what it used to be, which doesn't help either. (But that's a deep dive for another time.)

Not that it matters to our coach, who last had a great local player when? Ray Lee? Part of me still has hopes we will see Ty Groce break out, but I can't say I'm optimistic.
Keep in mind, this is the same coach who literally said last year at one of the coaches luncheons "recruiting to EMU and Ypsi is like recruiting to Afghanistan."

Just an opinion, but this is where the football bowl exposure comes in, along with other campus improvements I think people know where Ypsi is. The real problem is that in basketball we have a wonderful talent basis right in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti to Detroit and those recruits have always know where we are they have just chose not to come here. Football has a similar problem but its getting better under CC but slowly.

Agree, but remember "GloryDays..." posts of Columbus: EVERYONE knows where the talent is.

So the competition Detroit/Ann Arbor corridor, Columbus, etc. is fierce. Easy to spot talent there.

Maybe schools like CMU have certain advantages that they may have 'hidden gems' in the outstate areas of MI.

There are no hidden gems in the Detroit or Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti - Belleville - Romulus areas.

I was a student during the glory days, and I was there when Harkema, and Braun were the coaches, and winning made it much easier to recruit, for obvious reasons! In 1991 for example Hallas was from Canada, Neely was from Detroit, Kennedy was from Grand Rapids, The Thomas twins were from Lansing, off the bench I can't remember our 6th man was Kalamazoo, etc.......We simply don't get those players anymore, and the reason is simple, haven't gone dancing in 22 years, and counting! Football's slowly getting more and more Michigan kids! C Michigan has made a living off of Michigan kids for years.........I live in Ohio now, near Columbus, and football's huge in Cincinnati, and Columbus! Tons of D1 talent! Detroit's not Detroit anymore, 30 years ago, it was the 4th largest metropolitan area.........E Michigan could win the MAC just with D1 talent in Ohio! For all the younger members of this forum, I can remember when Bowen fieldhouse was packed to the rafters, standing room only 5800 people,and scalpers were scalping tickets! That's my memory of the glory days, and Rynearson stadium got literally 20000 people at every game! Imagine that......

One thing folks forget about those days: Gary Waters who was the ace recruiter.

Marcus Kennedy didn't just show up in Ypsilanti. Gary Waters was his coach at Ferris State and followed him as a senior transfer to EMU.

It is these 'unusual events' which take teams to the next level.

It was Marcus Kennedy on the Sweet 16 team. It was 5' 4" Boykins which made the EMU 1996 team great. Everyone but EMU and Kent passed on Earl.

It was Randy Moss who was denied by Notre Dame and Florida State and then ended up at Marshall.

It was OSU's mistake on Ben Roethlisberger (they wanted him as a TE) which made Miami great.

Great start, up 8-2 5 minutes in

Putting on a defensive clinic. We are taking care of the ball and limiting how much their guards can run. Impressive start.

Best game so far this year...….Dominant start!

Should be up by a ton but Spottsville isn’t making his free throws.

Now two fouls on Toure. Need to weather the inevitable storm with him off the floor.

(02-08-2020 02:31 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Should be up by a ton but Spottsville isn’t making his free throws.

Now two fouls on Toure. Need to weather the inevitable storm with him off the floor.

I'm going to say something, I never thought I would ever say! This is are 10th MAC game, 9 of them we were right there, and lost multiple games by 3 points or less to the best MAC schools, next season, this team has a real chance to compete for A MAC title! Akron will make a run soon! We've missed FT as usual.....3-9 on FT, we've missed 4 straight FT on one and one situations!

Just hopeless in the middle of the zone without Toure. Murphy made such a big mistake not recruiting another big man over the summer.

Akron is so fast defensively. Their high trap is well executed. We’ve beat it a couple times, but they recover quickly. Need to try to get to the line.

(02-08-2020 02:41 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Just hopeless in the middle of the zone without Toure. Murphy made such a big mistake not recruiting another big man over the summer.

Akron is so fast defensively. Their high trap is well executed. We’ve beat it a couple times, but they recover quickly. Need to try to get to the line.

We can't make FT! Akron is shooting 19 percent, and is only down 4! We should be up 10-12 points.......FT!

Why foul when hes already dunking, Binelli? What the heck? Ugh

(02-08-2020 02:52 PM)mpleafan Wrote:  Why foul when hes already dunking, Binelli? What the heck? Ugh

He barely put a hand on him. Was about as bad as the loose ball foul on Ballard where he only touched the ball.

28 fouls called. Someone punt these refs into the sun.

If you would’ve told me before the game that we’d be up 3 at halftime, with Toure on the bench for a good chunk of it, I would’ve been thrilled. But it feels like we are holding on for dear life and Akron has all the momentum.

Toure needs to play the entire 2nd half, and we need to keep working it inside.

(02-08-2020 02:41 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Just hopeless in the middle of the zone without Toure. Murphy made such a big mistake not recruiting another big man over the summer.

Akron is so fast defensively. Their high trap is well executed. We’ve beat it a couple times, but they recover quickly. Need to try to get to the line.

Agree 100% on Toure'.

The team seems to go to hell when he goes to the bench. He travels, he fouls, but he is indispensable to the team.

(02-08-2020 02:58 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(02-08-2020 02:41 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Just hopeless in the middle of the zone without Toure. Murphy made such a big mistake not recruiting another big man over the summer.

Akron is so fast defensively. Their high trap is well executed. We’ve beat it a couple times, but they recover quickly. Need to try to get to the line.

Agree 100% on Toure'.

The team seems to go to hell when he goes to the bench. He travels, he fouls, but he is indispensable to the team.

His mere presence affects how the opponent runs their offense. Notice how Akron was hesitant to throw any interior lob passes when Toure was in the game. As soon as he came out, they started attacking the rim and feeding their bigs. That’s what happens when you only have one legitimate center on the roster and you exclusively run a 2-3 zone.

Toure is this years JTIV, when he's not the floor we're simply not the same, and on offense gets very few touches!

Spottsville getting aggressive on the diminutive Jackson, finally. Glad he’s attacking. Groce has been very good as well.

Need to put Morgan in for Binelli. This isn’t a game where Binelli should be playing a lot. Need quicker guys out there.

Put James, or Dillard in please!

11-24 shooting FT! If we lose this is ridiculous for A D1 school! Akron is 15-19! Spottsville once again has played very well.......he's starting to bloom!