Yeah, I don't get making excuses for Drake's success while excusing SIU's failure. Obviously, Drake and SIU's roster/coaching staff turnover have some differing variables, but come on ... they have an entirely new everything and they're 24-3 ... that's TWENTY FOUR wins and THREE losses!
In an alternate world, say SIU had hired McCollum and we had Drake's roster heading into the season; a mostly undersized and unproven roster at the D1 level. Realistically, would your expectations for 2024-25 have been markedly higher? Not mine.
I know Elliott going down was a huge loss. It personally took the wind out of my sails. Even still, SIU is 12-17 and will have a losing conference record AT HOME in an MVC that defined turnover in college basketball.
This has been a massive failure by any standard. Please stop making excuses.
--Insert something witty here--
And while we’re talking coaching … just in this current home skid, SIU was up 13 at half against Belmont, up 6 with 8 to go against road-weary Murray and up 16 against 11th place Valpo and … three pathetic home losses.
Coaching is most important late in close games. How has this experienced coaching staff let this happen? Obviously it’s a flawed roster and players have to make plays, but to me Nagy and Co. have earned all of the scrutiny coming their way for this disastrous close to the season.
Realistically what were everyone’s expectations coming into this year? I don’t think winning record at home and around .500 we’re too much to ask for. And what expectations actually came reality? Obviously Nagy shouldn’t be fired but we have to hold this program accountable….we can only say “well maybe next year” so many times.
On a side note….what did Steffe do? Put sub in around 1 min into second half and didn’t play until 4 mins left in second half.
I will continue to watch and support the team. We are not very good. We don’t really have any evidence it will get better. I am a Saluki through and through. Will be a shame if I never get a good team to watch the rest of my life.
Sharp has been a liability overall lately. I was disappointed to see him in the game late yesterday. If we are giving Kennard a rest at the point I would prefer to see Mayo or Steffe. Not ideal, but Sharp is just to turnover prone right now.Realistically what were everyone’s expectations coming into this year? I don’t think winning record at home and around .500 we’re too much to ask for. And what expectations actually came reality? Obviously Nagy shouldn’t be fired but we have to hold this program accountable….we can only say “well maybe next year” so many times.
On a side note….what did Steffe do? Put sub in around 1 min into second half and didn’t play until 4 mins left in second half.
@saluki44 your post in contradicting. “If” Nagy brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the valley, then what does that say about him and the rest of the staffs coaching abilities? You can’t have it both ways.
Of course things haven’t gone as we had all hoped the last month, but what did you think of the way things were going just a few weeks ago after they won 7 games over 4 weeks?
Building a team full of newcomers is hard, even if the team is talented. Look at Illinois and Indiana this year.
This staff will be evaluated over the next 2 years. If they’re in the basement of the Valley after year 3, then it’s time to talk the talk of some of you guys.
I realize I am asking the million dollar questions here. However, I would love to hear different opinions.
Can someone that knows more than I do tell me what exactly the problem or problems seem to be with the SIU Basketball situation ?
As has been stated over and over we are in a prolonged dry spell of not being competitive or competitive enough. To me it does not really make any sense. One would think that the law of averages would eventually apply and be in our favor as it has at times for most other MVC teams in the past 20 or so years.
Is it $$$$ ? Is that all that college basketball is now ? Is it poor management that has translated to poor coaches ? Is it that Carbondale is a tough destination for recruiting ? Is it all of the above ? Seems as though other MVC teams have these same challenges. Why is it that SIU was not able to attract better coaching talent ? Where are we in $$$ available compared to Drake, Bradley or even Murray State ?
If the bottom line is nothing but $$$, I fear that we are locked in a position that we may never recover from. Is this the elephant in the room ? If so, we as a fan base may be in the insane situation of waiting for a better outcome from doing the same thing each year over and over while still expecting greater results.
Sorry, for the rant guess I am just searching for a glimmer of hope.
I realize I am asking the million dollar questions here. However, I would love to hear different opinions.
Can someone that knows more than I do tell me what exactly the problem or problems seem to be with the SIU Basketball situation ?
As has been stated over and over we are in a prolonged dry spell of not being competitive or competitive enough. To me it does not really make any sense. One would think that the law of averages would eventually apply and be in our favor as it has at times for most other MVC teams in the past 20 or so years.
Is it $$$$ ? Is that all that college basketball is now ? Is it poor management that has translated to poor coaches ? Is it that Carbondale is a tough destination for recruiting ? Is it all of the above ? Seems as though other MVC teams have these same challenges. Why is it that SIU was not able to attract better coaching talent ? Where are we in $$$ available compared to Drake, Bradley or even Murray State ?
If the bottom line is nothing but $$$, I fear that we are locked in a position that we may never recover from. Is this the elephant in the room ? If so, we as a fan base may be in the insane situation of waiting for a better outcome from doing the same thing each year over and over while still expecting greater results.
Sorry, for the rant guess I am just searching for a glimmer of hope.
It is the maddening question. My short answer is the combination of SIU’s location, modest resources and the university’s/town’s overall struggles make things very challenging on the basketball program, but not so much that you can’t have successful years, as peers such as UNI and Indiana State have shown. You do need to nail the coaching hires to overcome those things, and that has not been the case, with Mullins’ inability to break through being especially deflating since it seemed like he had so much going for him.
The resources piece becomes even more crucial in this current pay for play era. Tim Leonard and Co. need to find a way to back up their stated intent to fund SIU’s NIL program at/near the top of the Valley or frustrations will continue to mount for those of us stubborn enough to keep caring/hoping.
@mr_woogers i don't think I smeared anyone just stating what has been quoted even if he doesn't like it he had better adjust or the program will fall further down
Is it just me, or does Nagy seem to have checked out for the year too? More than willing to give this staff more time, (how much is the question), but the body language is simply awful.And while we’re talking coaching … just in this current home skid, SIU was up 13 at half against Belmont, up 6 with 8 to go against road-weary Murray and up 16 against 11th place Valpo and … three pathetic home losses.
Coaching is most important late in close games. How has this experienced coaching staff let this happen? Obviously it’s a flawed roster and players have to make plays, but to me Nagy and Co. have earned all of the scrutiny coming their way for this disastrous close to the season.
This season is in the archives, so my attention is the near future. I agree with those who are saying, "enough of excuses." As Dieter from Sprockets would say, "Your story has become tiresome."
March on triumphantly!
At this point this team is what it is. Maybe they figure things out again in the next three games, but I’m not holding my breath.
My bigger concern is on the bench right now. Nagy sounds like he just doesn’t know how to coach these guys. It’s the same shit after every loss. Part of me hopes he’s just trying to find ways to take the blame for performance issues and consistency. In any case, if he can’t coach these players, is it just this specific group? Can he not adjust to today’s game/player? Hopefully they can figure out some things in the offseason with player type/personality, but that probably means another offseason of quite a bit of turmoil (which he says he doesn’t like).
I obviously think he needs more time, but I am certainly concerned at this point.
Side Note: are we going to have any sport be good this year?!? Softball has had a tough schedule, but 1 win…ouch. Baseball is 1-3 and they have a pretty weak schedule. Volleyball and football were bad. Basketball, well we won’t re-hash that. Swimming and Diving got second I suppose. Maybe golf?
