State of the Conference

[specialsauce]

Is it as cringe worthy as that awful color font fail?

Your obsession is noted, trollbert. So now that I know how much you like it...

Apologies to Biers.

You mad boy?

Your apologies should be to Acecard, who still couldn't read your FAIL after caterat surgery.

[purple&orange]

I think what has changed for Evansville is having two perimeter scoring threats who can create their own shot offensively. Ryan Taylor has stepped in after sitting a year after transferring from Ohio U along with Jaylon Brown, who has come a long way since his freshman year. Taylor had 38 tonight. Both are threats from beyond the arc, which is a huge plus as too often the UE guard handling the ball was not a threat to shoot the 3. Evansville does not have a ton of shooters by any stretch, but JB and Taylor are threats, Taylor the better shooter of the two and if left open Dru Smith and even Benzon has shown the willingness to take and hit the 3 as well, but mostly as a spot up, left wide open.

Defensively having like perimeter guys in size, quickness, athletic ability has allowed the team to contest more threes due to not having to help as often or closing out quicker to an open shooter. Coming into tonight they were 8th in the country in 3-point D. They've also shut down leading scorers very well this year. Having guys like Benzon and freshman Dru Smith (athletic and long arms) helps a lot. It's much different than having Big E at the rim last year. Down the stretch vs UNI, they just set a ball screen for Washpun, got the switch from JB to DJ and said our guy can create better than your guy can defend. With the group that's out there this year for UE, the difference after the switch isn't as great.

You look at last year's team and they went 6.5 deep basically, with only Jaylon Brown back this year as Blake Simmons is out with a torn ACL. You bring back Boo Gibson off a redshirt year from a knee injury, Taylor after a year with the team, a couple JUCOs and guys getting more playing time as seniors (Howard, Benzon) and you have a more mature team who has been in the program, playing college basketball at some level (JUCO vs fresh out of high school) and just being physically more prepared to play D-I basketball. I think that's one of the biggest factors, older, more experienced guys vs the last rebuild which seemed to rely on a lot of underclassmen.

Marty/Evansville has caught a lot of flack on here for basically not trying. Hearing that over and over again does frustrate a fanbase. I never thought the 1999 team which got an at-large would be the last squad to reach the NCAAs, growing up seeing them go in 89, 92, and 93. It's frustrating and it's hard and this year's squad I think is ahead of where I feared they might be. To this point, this might be Marty's best coaching job at Evansville. I can think of 8 other schools that would love to be where Wichita State is and I only say 8 because what Northern Iowa has done deserves respect too over the last few seasons.

I can understand why outsiders would feel Marty didn't deserve an extension. I've seen kids improve greatly during their career's at Evansville and I do enjoy watching this year's team play. They get after it, it's a more balanced attack and something that is pretty refreshing and needed in terms of not relying just on the one main scoring threat. How much of that was out of necessity vs the desired way to play can be debated.

We have enough ego and bickering between talking heads in the world as it is........and it cuts both ways in this bizarre feud between a couple people on each side. We are here because we love basketball and our teams more specifically. But it's the internet so I'm probably hoping for far too much.

[mule]

Mule, it's one thing to stand up for derogatory comments. I totally support you on that. Also, yes, the Evansville is okay with mediocrity narrative has also run its course. However, I have noted MANY instances where you are attempting to call posters out for some perceived slight that just doesn't exist, not every time, but enough to be noticeable. Additionally, it is quite apparent that some UE fans are truly okay with mediocrity. While continuing to bring that up is neither helpful, nor informative, it is not a bash on Evansville...it just is what it is and it is frustrating to many.

Thanks for your comments. Your posts on whichever subject covered have always been about that subject and in a positive manner.
However, slights perceived look completely different from the top down than from the bottom up. My calling out posters (and it has only been 3 or 4) HAS been intentional. It has been in response to these posters comments that are derogatory to UE, its fan base, or an individual poster because these posts usually have nothing to do with the post subject. Unlike these posters, I neither come from a fanbase that has blessed with great success in the conference or the post season, or profess that my knowledge of college basketball is well beyond the scope of the average college basketball fan.
As long as these hostile and rude comments persists, I will respond.

[mvcfan]

Mule
Your high standards in the area of opposing fan abuse to Evansville's basketball program, Marti Simmons, and the Evansville donors/fans is a good start. Building a relevant program can't be done overnight (or in 10 years) and more time is needed.

Some people are just too critical and unfair to Evansville.
Daily affirmations by Stuart Smalley would be a good resource while moving forward.

[Blers]

I think what has changed for Evansville is having two perimeter scoring threats who can create their own shot offensively. Ryan Taylor has stepped in after sitting a year after transferring from Ohio U along with Jaylon Brown, who has come a long way since his freshman year. Taylor had 38 tonight. Both are threats from beyond the arc, which is a huge plus as too often the UE guard handling the ball was not a threat to shoot the 3. Evansville does not have a ton of shooters by any stretch, but JB and Taylor are threats, Taylor the better shooter of the two and if left open Dru Smith and even Benzon has shown the willingness to take and hit the 3 as well, but mostly as a spot up, left wide open.

Defensively having like perimeter guys in size, quickness, athletic ability has allowed the team to contest more threes due to not having to help as often or closing out quicker to an open shooter. Coming into tonight they were 8th in the country in 3-point D. They've also shut down leading scorers very well this year. Having guys like Benzon and freshman Dru Smith (athletic and long arms) helps a lot. It's much different than having Big E at the rim last year. Down the stretch vs UNI, they just set a ball screen for Washpun, got the switch from JB to DJ and said our guy can create better than your guy can defend. With the group that's out there this year for UE, the difference after the switch isn't as great.

You look at last year's team and they went 6.5 deep basically, with only Jaylon Brown back this year as Blake Simmons is out with a torn ACL. You bring back Boo Gibson off a redshirt year from a knee injury, Taylor after a year with the team, a couple JUCOs and guys getting more playing time as seniors (Howard, Benzon) and you have a more mature team who has been in the program, playing college basketball at some level (JUCO vs fresh out of high school) and just being physically more prepared to play D-I basketball. I think that's one of the biggest factors, older, more experienced guys vs the last rebuild which seemed to rely on a lot of underclassmen.

Marty/Evansville has caught a lot of flack on here for basically not trying. Hearing that over and over again does frustrate a fanbase. I never thought the 1999 team which got an at-large would be the last squad to reach the NCAAs, growing up seeing them go in 89, 92, and 93. It's frustrating and it's hard and this year's squad I think is ahead of where I feared they might be. To this point, this might be Marty's best coaching job at Evansville. I can think of 8 other schools that would love to be where Wichita State is and I only say 8 because what Northern Iowa has done deserves respect too over the last few seasons.

I can understand why outsiders would feel Marty didn't deserve an extension. I've seen kids improve greatly during their career's at Evansville and I do enjoy watching this year's team play. They get after it, it's a more balanced attack and something that is pretty refreshing and needed in terms of not relying just on the one main scoring threat. How much of that was out of necessity vs the desired way to play can be debated.

We have enough ego and bickering between talking heads in the world as it is........and it cuts both ways in this bizarre feud between a couple people on each side. We are here because we love basketball and our teams more specifically. But it's the internet so I'm probably hoping for far too much.

Great report! Super interesting to hear. Very curious to see where they fit in during conference play.

[UEACES80]

Rebooting every 4 years is not the road to irrelevance. If you would like to see what that road looks like, ask all the Evansville fans around here for directions. They are taking it, apparently elated about it, and are willing to tell everyone about it being the best way.

What would be nice here is if we could selectively block the posts of some individuals.

You can. If you see a poster that you would like to ignore, click on their username to go to their profile page and select "Add Foe"

Thanks Squirrel

[UEACES80]

Man we made it a decently long time before this whole thing became the dump on Evansville thread part 35. I understand frustrations but it gets redundant. The back and forth labeling of other fan bases is so toxic and frustrating to see; disagree and move on...

Point of the thread was more on the now and what the futures shaping up to be (I'm sure i'll get "if Marty's the future they'll go nowhere" which maybe true but lets move along). If nothing else I will give Marty kudos for pointing the team in a surprising direction for the time being. I wouldn't have been surprised if they only had 2-3 wins at this point when the season started. Which brings me to a question for Aces fans: what do you all that a result of? Is it more focused team play? Better than expected newcomers? Luck with opponents (no shade intended)? I'm curious!

Thanks Blers - I usually don't try to tear other fan bases down so I don't understand the prespective of thise who do, Congrats to LOC on the start of the season.

[Cdizzle]

Man we made it a decently long time before this whole thing became the dump on Evansville thread part 35. I understand frustrations but it gets redundant. The back and forth labeling of other fan bases is so toxic and frustrating to see; disagree and move on...

Point of the thread was more on the now and what the futures shaping up to be (I'm sure i'll get "if Marty's the future they'll go nowhere" which maybe true but lets move along). If nothing else I will give Marty kudos for pointing the team in a surprising direction for the time being. I wouldn't have been surprised if they only had 2-3 wins at this point when the season started. Which brings me to a question for Aces fans: what do you all that a result of? Is it more focused team play? Better than expected newcomers? Luck with opponents (no shade intended)? I'm curious!

Thanks Blers - I usually don't try to tear other fan bases down so I don't understand the prespective of thise who do, Congrats to LOC on the start of the season.

Perhaps when you are a fan of one of the Top 15 teams in the country and your team sneaks into the play-in game in the NCAA tournament, you will understand why some people do not like tag-alongs content with mediocrity.

[Blers]

Man we made it a decently long time before this whole thing became the dump on Evansville thread part 35. I understand frustrations but it gets redundant. The back and forth labeling of other fan bases is so toxic and frustrating to see; disagree and move on...

Point of the thread was more on the now and what the futures shaping up to be (I'm sure i'll get "if Marty's the future they'll go nowhere" which maybe true but lets move along). If nothing else I will give Marty kudos for pointing the team in a surprising direction for the time being. I wouldn't have been surprised if they only had 2-3 wins at this point when the season started. Which brings me to a question for Aces fans: what do you all that a result of? Is it more focused team play? Better than expected newcomers? Luck with opponents (no shade intended)? I'm curious!

Thanks Blers - I usually don't try to tear other fan bases down so I don't understand the prespective of thise who do, Congrats to LOC on the start of the season.

Thanks! Hopefully it continues same to your Aces, and for sure i'm not about the negativity myself. I understand the frustrations from other fans, specifically with WSU; but given their funding they probably too big for the MVC at this current time and for their own peace of mind move to another conference (it'd bum me out but i understand). It sucks that as of now WSU doesn't get the benefit of other schools with the same funding/facilities/success levels. I would think most true college basketball fans would agree the play in game last year was ridiculous (I feel you on that Cdizzle).

But unless there's some millionaires on the board who can fund new facilities for some of these other schools trashing them and their opinions wont do much but drag down the overall convo and discourage others from posting. I'm all for disagreeing about basketball without the labeling of fan bases/personal attacks back and forth.

[mvcfan]

But unless there's some millionaires on the board who can fund new facilities for some of these other schools trashing them and their opinions wont do much but drag down the overall convo and discourage others from posting. I'm all for disagreeing about basketball without the labeling of fan bases/personal attacks back and forth.

Supposedly when LUC was allowed into the MVC, one of the main reasons was because of the money they had. Spend some of it.