re: Men's basketball team STATE OF THE PROGRAM - going in the right direction?

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I really feel we will be better team without JOB III

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Yeah, better off without a 1st Team All SEC player. Makes sense.

This team has bip[olar disorder. Now, granted they played AT the #1 team in the country but after the Kentucky games and the whoopin' they put on A&M, I expected more of a pulse from LSU. Baby steps, I suppose....

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Yeah, better off without a 1st Team All SEC player. Makes sense.

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I'm not gonna say we are better without JOB, but I am interested to see what we do with the offense when he is gone. We are gonna have lots of weapons but right now we just work it into JOB even if its gonna be double teamed. I am interested to see what the offense looks like without the forced action of getting it to him.

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We lose Tuba and Carmouche and pick up Martin and Mickey.

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If ADP is granted an extra year of eligibility, how many minutes a game do you think he optimally averages to maximally help the team? In the last few games, JOB looks gassed at key points. I'm not sure if this is related to poor conditioning or his minutes logged during the season catching up to him. With Odo and Malone not contributing much in the post, I think 10-15 minutes of ADP per game would have been huge for this year's squad in terms of resting players and helping to stay out of foul trouble.

SEC is stronger this year. Assuming everyone stays, Gray and Hornsby will make a huge difference. Hickey and Stringer give us what they have, but you do not win with the tiny guards that we have.

The OVERALL talent level of the program is increasing. The problem with Trent Johnson was not so much the guys he recruited, but that he would just leave scholarships open. I know LSU had some APR issues when he got here, but he had far too many empty chairs on the bench.

However, this team was the most talented group since 08-09 when LSU won the SEC. CJJ had 4 returning starters (2 seniors and 2 juniors). Of that group you had a returning 1st team all SEC player; a returning 1st team defensive player; and a (would be) 1000 point scorer. He also added a top-10 recruiting class to the mix of which one will almost assuredly be on the All-SEC Freshman team. In reality, Florida was probably the only other team who could make such a claim. (Note: I recognize UK's recruiting strategy and the guys they bring in each year)

Reasonable expectations were a 3rd-5th place finish in a still below avg. SEC and a NCAAT birth. It wasn't just "unrealistic" LSU fans setting those expectations. The media picked LSU to finish 4th in the league, and many national publications felt they would at least earn a tournament bid. As of today, it doesn't look like any of that will happen.

IMO, Jones and his staff probably overacheived last year (for which he should get credit), but significantly underachieved this year. LSU is on pace for identical 9-9 SEC records in Jones's first two years. While it's silly to say that he should be fired, he shouldn't be above criticism either. There were far too many times this year where this team looked poorly coached (countless turnovers, non-existant defense that seemingly got worse as the year went on, etc.). Jones isn't just some young assistant cutting his head-coaching teeth. He's been a D-1 HC for over 10 years.

Right now this staff is heavy on guys whose reputations are as "recruiters" as opposed to solid basketball coaches (Jones, McCray, Patrick). While a talent influx was needed in this program, it's immaterial if you can't do anything with it. To place any expectations on next year's team right now is premature. But, I don't think it's unreasonable for LSU fans to expect significant progress. Contrary to what many people born after 1990 think, LSU isn't just a "football and baseball" school that should be happy with just occasional basketball success. This is a program that is second only to Kentucky in SEC basketball championships.

LSU basketball was a rollecoaster under Brady, and became staginant under Johnson. In the last two years the program has taken a few steps in the right direction, but in no way, shape, or form can anyone say LSU basketball is "back".

Excellent post.

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Alt26

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Damn strong post. I have to agree on pretty much all points. I don't think it was unreasonable to expect 3-5th in SEC and a tournament bid. LSU has underachieved this year. Like I said a few post earlier, there may be three possessions this season at the end of Ole Miss, Alabama, and UK that would have turned our season around. Not to mention the 2 pt loss to UMASS, or the fact we were beating Memphis with 7 minutes remaining.

We lost too many games where we had the chance to win late. I wish we had better possessions near the end of games that could have won those few games and I do put a lot of that blame on Coach Jones. Still, Jones has brought in some very exceptional talent and Im hoping given another year he can show the progress on the record that is obvious on the court.

LSU has been much better this year even though they may end up with the same record. Unfortunately we let some slip away that we shouldn't have.

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9-9 in SEC last year...missed NIT.

8-8 in SEC so far this year...may make NIT?

Seems like we are more talented team this year but the results (unless we win SEC Tourney obviously) seem to be similar.

Thoughts?

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I think the program is in a better place than it was under Trent. I think if we win our last 2 games this season and 1 or 2 in the SEC tournament we make the NIT. CJJ BETTER make the NCAA tourny next year though especially if JOB comes back.