SMU basketball

[EastStang]

We all knew this was going to be one ugly year coming in after Tubbs had been fired. Clearly, the timing of Tubbs firing was awful. Clearly, Doherty came in with I think one or two weeks left in the signing period. I'm going to give Doherty a pass this year, just like I gave Bennett a pass his first year. But, next year we need to see some very marked improvement. Basketball rebuilding can be done more quickly than football. I'm not expecting a win over Memphis, next year, but there is no reason why we can't go 8-8 or 9-7 in conference next year.

[friarwolf]

I think our record will probably be the same next year. Improvement if it is coming will probably be the following year provided this incoming class sticks around and improves and next year's class brings better skilled players. Reasons? We still have the same guards and I don't see where the incoming kid Walker is going to be the second coming of Stephen Woods. We lose our best player, Ike, a decent role player in Pearson, Rack, and we already lost the one guy who could heat up from the outside in Epps. Bamba is still going to get pushed around, Cam still needs a lot of work and stay eligible, and Roberts knee is not going to get better. PoPo is what he is.....So you are going to rely on freshmen who will be learning Doherty's system and his tough love version of coaching. I would say we will probably be looking for improvements in the skills of the young players and the executing of Doherty's system in conference play next year - not necessarily wins. Hope I am wrong..................

[MustangIcon]

I truely am amazed at anyone who cannot see that our team was bare when Doherty took over and expected anything at all this season. Does anyone realize we played Rice close on the road with 5 PLAYERS. In that game 3 starters played a full 40 minutes and 2 others played 36 each. Coach K, Dean Smith, or anyone else you might imagine will have trouble winning ballgames with only 5 players.

[EastStang]

Hey, I nearly won a state youth basketball championship coaching with five players and one on the bench with the flu. If only my gunning point guard had done what I told him to do which was to hold the ball for the last shot in OT. Instead he bricked it early (I was open coach), then two players fouled out.

[Stallion]

in Youth Basketball its ALWAYS better to play with only your 5 studs rather than have to play the subs at the end of the bench.

[mustangmadness]

While recruiting has been the main focus regarding the Tubbs/Matt D. debate, I think the program is in better hands now because Matt D. can actually coach. Nothing against Tubbs...but his strength was as an assitant coach...recruiting, and bridging the gap between the head coach and the player. As a head coach he lost that bridge and wasn't an effective leader, lost the team, and was simply overmatched on the sidelines. Matt D. can coach...he learned from some of the best and has coached on the big stage with proven success. I feel the bball program is in much better hands now...

[EastStang]

Doherty has a history as a Division I head coach and Tubbs did not. However for what its worth, we are averaging two points per game less this year from last year (against weaker competition) and giving up two points per game less this year (but still have Memphis left on the schedule one more time and that could skew the numbers). We didn't have Hopkins this year (although remember he was ineligible and benched a part of last year). Doherty's conference record is worse than last year's. So, Tubbs may not have been a bad bench coach. He just didn't have the horses and couldn't close the deal to get them. Plus, he bought tide and burgers. I just don't know how good or bad Tubbs was as a bench coach because we never really got the chance to see what he could do over a long period of time.

[angryfan04]

I remember when Gillispie didn't win a conference game in the Big Twelve and he had some good talent on that team....

You might want to check your facts on this

[Charleston Pony]

let's face it...we aren't going to fill a class anytime soon with guys who have a fistful of offers from BCS schools so the future of SMU hoops depends on whether Doherty can get the most of these guys' talents. The challenge is to keep guys in the program and have them improve year over year.

How many promising young guys have we seen come in here and seemingly NOT improve their games over 4 years? Ofoegbu has been a pleasant surprise this year, but any improvement next year depends heavily on the development of Roberts, Killen, Willingham, Fall, Spencer and a bunch of Frosh. I don't expect much...but do hope Doherty stays around long enough to watch next year's Frosh grow up and that his recruiting classes get better year after year. This is not a "quick fix" approach. Could be 2-3 years before SMU is more competitive in CUSA

[EastStang]

The hope for mid-majors in basketball is unfortunately the George Mason, MVC type model. You build a team for four years and when they're all seniors you hope for a great year. And then rebuild again. The really good thing though is CUSA in all of this. With Memphis, Houston, Tulsa, UAB,and UTEP we have some teams with some NCAA history and credibility. So, if the rest of the teams in the conference improve (and it looks like USM, UH and Tulsa are doing just that), we could become a solid 3 bid conference again.

[Treadway21]

EastStang,

You are being way too rational.

[Blunt Pony]

The hope for mid-majors in basketball is unfortunately the George Mason, MVC type model. You build a team for four years and when they're all seniors you hope for a great year. And then rebuild again. The really good thing though is CUSA in all of this. With Memphis, Houston, Tulsa, UAB,and UTEP we have some teams with some NCAA history and credibility. So, if the rest of the teams in the conference improve (and it looks like USM, UH and Tulsa are doing just that), we could become a solid 3 bid conference again.

Correct me if I am way off base, I have not checked facts, but was that Mason team full of JC recruits and transfers? Again, apologize if I am wrong, but it seems like I heard that before.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

I remember when Gillispie didn't win a conference game in the Big Twelve and he had some good talent on that team....

You might want to check your facts on this

I believe that was the year before he got to A&M, when Melvin Watkins was the coach there. Gillispie went 8-8 in conference play his first season there.

[mrydel]

FWIW it appears Gillespie is the front runner for Arkansas when they can Stan Heath.

[smupony94]

He has a nice recruiting class next year, why not wait for a bigger program?