Basketball

[bulldogsmsu]

What are we looking like for basketball this year? I lost touch of it last year. Does Ray have them really improving this year? Think he is the guy?

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/01/3724759/mississippi-state-hopes-for-improvement.html

[msstate7]

Final four or bust... Really a winning record and hopefully an nit birth are reasonable goals

[Coach34]

No, no improvement. I look for them to be the exact same and not a bit bigger or stronger either.

[HoopsDawg]

We have 0 great players. We have 6 good players. And then the talent drops off the table. We also have no depth in the front court. It's going to be another ugly year, but I expect we will play hard and win a couple of games we shouldn't.

Ray hasn't gotten the job done with his first 2 recruiting classes. His 3rd one looks better. Is he the guy will only be answered by his ability to land talent.

[C222]

We have 0 great players. We have 6 good players. And then the talent drops off the table. We also have no depth in the front court. It's going to be another ugly year, but I expect we will play hard and win a couple of games we shouldn't.

Ray hasn't gotten the job done with his first 2 recruiting classes. His 3rd one looks better. Is he the guy will only be answered by his ability to land talent.

Front court depth is going to kill us.
IJ is really good. I think he will be great by the time he leaves.

[smootness]

Final four or bust... Really a winning record and hopefully an nit birth are reasonable goals

The NIT is not a reasonable goal.

[msstate7]

The NIT is not a reasonable goal.

Notice winning record and "hopefully" nit birth.

[bulldogsmsu]

Well this still answers the question. We will not be good.
Sucks, basketball was the one sport we use to always be decent at least.
Now its the worst of the 3.

Notice winning record and "hopefully" nit birth.

[MarketingBully01]

Yep, sucks when we do our own self imposed crooming.

[601Dawg]

We have 0 great players. We have 6 good players. And then the talent drops off the table. We also have no depth in the front court. It's going to be another ugly year, but I expect we will play hard and win a couple of games we shouldn't.

Ray hasn't gotten the job done with his first 2 recruiting classes. His 3rd one looks better. Is he the guy will only be answered by his ability to land talent.



Who is the 6th? We have a good starting 5 of IJ Ready, Fred Thomas, Chicken Sword, Colin Bortchert, and Gavin Ware.

Not sure who else we have you would consider a "GOOD" player. We have role guys like Roquez Johnson, Bloodman, etc...

[601Dawg]

Well this still answers the question. We will not be good.
Sucks, basketball was the one sport we use to always be decent at least.
Now its the worst of the 3.

Sad but true, and the bad thing is beyond Kentucky and Florida the SEC is as bad from 3 to bottom as its ever been and we are at the bottom of the list.

Ray has to really land some Marquee recruits or he will have a short stay in Starkville.

I really believe his job and future depends on Malik Newman.

[msstate7]

Sad but true, and the bad thing is beyond Kentucky and Florida the SEC is as bad from 3 to bottom as its ever been and we are at the bottom of the list.

Ray has to really land some Marquee recruits or he will have a short stay in Starkville.

I really believe his job and future depends on Malik Newman.

Or elijah staley going basketball only in college...

[MarketingBully01]

If it's depending on Malik, get the list of names ready for both a new basketball head coach and a new athletic director. This time I say we give Joe Dean, Jr. a call. I think he would be great as AD.

[Coach34]

I really believe his job and future depends on Malik Newman.

Ray's job in no way, shape, or form depends on Newman- who we are not going to get.

Ray's job is going to depend on what he recruits to help Ware in the post for his Jr and Sr years. Because if he can bring in some help there to go with what we already have in Ready, Sword, and FTF- we can be a team that has a chance to make the NCAA Tourney. He makes an NCAA Tourney- he has some job security.

[1998Dawg]

NIT bound.

[MarketingBully01]

The problem is this. Our league is terrible. I can see this as a three bid league for the foreseeable future. Let's say that over the next five years he wins between 16-20 games but never makes the tournament only the NIT. Heck, let's say he makes the tournament every five years but doesn't win a tourney game.

What really did we accomplish? I thought our whole point to everything was not just making the tournament but going to the Sweet 16?

When we blew up our program, we really screwed ourself. Especially with how down the SEC is. I just don't get it.

[Coach34]

What really did we accomplish? I thought our whole point to everything was not just making the tournament but going to the Sweet 16?

When we blew up our program, we really screwed ourself. Especially with how down the SEC is. I just don't get it.

Stands was not fired because he didnt make it to a Sweet 16- Stands was fired because the basketball program had become an embarrassing dumpster fire.

We're going to win 15-17 games this year. Next year we will win 20 or more. It's called "rebuilding", which is what we had to do with the way Stands let the program implode.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Stands was not fired because he didnt make it to a Sweet 16- Stands was fired because the basketball program had become an embarrassing dumpster fire.

Very true...if Stansbury had just kept making the tourney he would have been allowed to stay until retirement. You can embarrass the school and win, but you can't miss the tourney and embarrass the school.

[HoopsDawg]

Who is the 6th? We have a good starting 5 of IJ Ready, Fred Thomas, Chicken Sword, Colin Bortchert, and Gavin Ware.

Not sure who else we have you would consider a "GOOD" player. We have role guys like Roquez Johnson, Bloodman, etc...

Roq Johnson is decent.

[smootness]

Roq Johnson is decent.

I agree, I think he figured out who he is at the end of last year, and he was still only a sophomore. I think he'll be a big contributor this year (that may be obvious due to our numbers, but I think he'll actually be pretty good).

It'll be an interesting year. I think we may take some lumps at the beginning of the year, and there may be people who say, 'We're no better than last year' as our young guys continue to learn and we depend on a true freshman PG. But by the end of the year, we could be a team that can actually compete with most of the conference.

[MarketingBully01]

So 50+ point blow outs in our own gym isn't embarrassing the school?

[MarketingBully01]

I hope we can compete with our conference. Aside from Kentucky, Missouri and Florida, everyone sucks.

[Coach34]

So 50+ point blow outs in our own gym isn't embarrassing the school?

Not with what we were left to put on the floor. And the way that group upset some teams and played their asses off- it made a large portion of the fanbase happier than they had been in years watching us play.

[HoopsDawg]

Not with what we were left to put on the floor. And the way that group upset some teams and played their asses off- it made a large portion of the fanbase happier than they had been in years watching us play.

Yeah, I think that was true for 1 year. It may be a tougher sell this year though.

[Tbonewannabe]

I think Applewhite will surprise some people. He was the best freshman we had last year before he got hurt.

[msstate7]

I think Applewhite will surprise some people. He was the best freshman we had last year before he got hurt.

Squidbillies fan? Haha

[smootness]

So 50+ point blow outs in our own gym isn't embarrassing the school?

It's a necessary evil. I agree with Coach that many, including myself, were more proud of last year's team than the one the year before that actually won a lot more. But disregarding that, it was still considered a necessary evil to get us from where we were to where we want to be.

Had we kept Stans, we likely continue to slide down or at least stay where we were. The fanbase wanted more - that doesn't mean that you make a move so you can instantly be better. You make a move so you can ultimately be better. Obviously the jury is still out on whether we will be, but the move wasn't about last year, and you know that.

[HoopsDawg]

I think Applewhite will surprise some people. He was the best freshman we had last year before he got hurt.
Umm, negative. Where do u people come up with this stuff?

[Tbonewannabe]

Just heard he was lighting it up before he got hurt.

[quickstrike2]

It will all come down to if Ray can recruit or not. He was given a bad situation, and we just need to support him during the tough times early. In years 3-5, he needs to step up and win some games. It will be basically like where we are with Mullen right now. Once a coach get his guys in the program and establishes his foundation, there needs to be no excuses. This is the SEC, nothing is given, you got to take it.

[Dawg61]

Roq Johnson is decent.

If he'd just add some size he could be pretty good. He's an excellent athlete.

[tcdog70]

Stands was not fired because he didnt make it to a Sweet 16- Stands was fired because the basketball program had become an embarrassing dumpster fire.

We're going to win 15-17 games this year. Next year we will win 20 or more. It's called "rebuilding", which is what we had to do with the way Stands let the program implode.


What was embarrassing to Me was losing by 50 at home. I don'tthink Stans ever did that. Two years worth of recruiting and all you have got to show for it is a 5'9" point guard also pretty embarrassing

[Coach34]

What was embarrassing to Me was losing by 50 at home. I don'tthink Stans ever did that. Two years worth of recruiting and all you have got to show for it is a 5'9" point guard also pretty embarrassing

Stands lost by 50 to Alabama once

Ray has had one recruiting class so far. He is about to sign his 2nd one this year.

[tcdog70]

Stands lost by 50 to Alabama once

Ray has had one recruiting class so far. He is about to sign his 2nd one this year.

We didn't ever lose by 50 at home. Lets see he signed Davis, Applewhite two years ago and Ready last Year. Humm two signing classes

[Dawg61]

We didn't ever lose by 50 at home. Lets see he signed Davis, Applewhite two years ago and Ready last Year. Humm two signing classes

You can't really be counting that class when he was hired that April right? Ray has one class with Ready and the baby giraffe and Eli Staley. Ray has added depth most importantly this season. Ray is progressing albeit it didn't take much to progress.

[Schultzy]

We didn't ever lose by 50 at home. Lets see he signed Davis, Applewhite two years ago and Ready last Year. Humm two signing classes

Why is it so damn hard for people to understand last years season was more of a reflection on Ray's predecessor than anyone.
Our new coach was left with a team of freshmen and some walk ons that wouldn't be allowed to walk ON at most D1 schools much less a major conference.
No offense to him but we had a guy play many minutes who looked like I did in the seventh grade. We didn't even have enough players on the damn team to conduct a scrimmage and yet we beat Georgia over there and beat ole miss at home! AnNCAA tourney team!
Anyone not thinking Ray did a superb job last year is just not capable of being objective about it.

He was left with probably the craziest, wackiest, most pitiful situation any first year coach has had to deal with in college hoops in decades...and made chicken salad out of it.

I'm pulling for Ray because I like the way his teams play and I'm predicting he will succeed.

[Bo Darville]

So 50+ point blow outs in our own gym isn't embarrassing the school?

True embarrassment is when your team captain (Elgin Bailey) is wearing a wife-beater t-shirt while fighting in the stands on national TV with an overweight, out of shape, and oft suspended player (Renardo Sidney). While this happens, your supposed team leader (Dee Bost), who in reality is the largest cancer on the team, is watching all of this on TV in Starkville because he is home suspended (I think he was suspended three times, but I know it was at least twice).

That is true embarrassment.

[msstate7]

Why is it so damn hard for people to understand last years season was more of a reflection on Ray's predecessor than anyone.
Our new coach was left with a team of freshmen and some walk ons that wouldn't be allowed to walk ON at most D1 schools much less a major conference.
No offense to him but we had a guy play many minutes who looked like I did in the seventh grade. We didn't even have enough players on the damn team to conduct a scrimmage and yet we beat Georgia over there and beat ole miss at home! AnNCAA tourney team!
Anyone not thinking Ray did a superb job last year is just not capable of being objective about it.

He was left with probably the craziest, wackiest, most pitiful situation any first year coach has had to deal with in college hoops in decades...and made chicken salad out of it.

I'm pulling for Ray because I like the way his teams play and I'm predicting he will succeed.

Exactly

[tcdog70]

You can't really be counting that class when he was hired that April right? Ray has one class with Ready and the baby giraffe and Eli Staley. Ray has added depth most importantly this season. Ray is progressing albeit it didn't take much to progress.

He signed 4 players and you say don't count it? It was actually better than last year.

[Coach34]

Why is it so damn hard for people to understand last years season was more of a reflection on Ray's predecessor than anyone.

Because it doesnt fit their agenda. Either they didnt wants Stands gone or they are mad Stricklin didnt listen and hire their choice.

[Coach34]

He signed 4 players and you say don't count it? It was actually better than last year.

No- it doesnt count. He just signed some leftover scraps at the last moment