A heartbreaking loss for the Huskies but NIU mounted a comeback down by 14 at the half. Kind of a neat game to go back and look at though given all the star power out there, Lux, Parker, Boykins, Dial. This was the last time EMU won the MAC and represented the MAC in the NCAA tourney. EMU eventually lost to Michigan State in the first round of the tournament, but was very competitive. NIU also got screwed in at the end of this game with a bad call.
Also posted this because we are probably at an all time low for bball morale, so its good as fans to remember that this kind of basketball support is possible!
On one of the under the basket shots, I could see the dad of a buddy of mine in the seats he had for years. Good memories.
Basketball is tough now, but at least there is hope. We haven't had that in quite a while.
I think Ive finally exhausted my archives. I had some old VHS tapes of games that I didnt touch for years. It is interesting to go back and look at them. I lost many of them in my latest move unfortunately! All I can say from looking at these old tapes, is thank the Lord for Comcast Sportsnet Chicago. Having local commentators and nightly news shows really is so much better than the national program crap that FSN/Sportschannel had.
Basketball games were fun back then, weren't they? Chick Evans looks better than it actually was, although I enjoyed watching games there. It sure was great having some games on TV!
I think NIU basketball is on the way back. We had some issues with coaches that set the program back a long ways the past decade or so.
I don't even think it was an issue of recruiting enough talent. We had some guys who could have been players here.
I think it was more an issue of keeping talent, and especially of developing the talent, and of getting talent to then play together and to play well.
I see MM not only getting more talent, but actually developing it. We aren't going to get many All-MAC players as freshmen at NIU, but we can get guys who can be developed to that level. That will be a change from having some talent that gets wasted over their time here. I see MM getting them to play well together and develop as a team - as I've seen indications of that this year even.
Hopefully we get good enough to get that atmosphere back....I've been at the Convo for the high school games (playoffs and DeKalb/Sycamore) and that place can get crazy loud with just 5,000 or so people. Even 3,000 people makes for a good atmosphere there.
(02-07-2012 11:52 AM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote: Hopefully we get good enough to get that atmosphere back....I've been at the Convo for the high school games (playoffs and DeKalb/Sycamore) and that place can get crazy loud with just 5,000 or so people. Even 3,000 people makes for a good atmosphere there.
I have no doubt we will get good enough for 3000-5000 people. The question is will 3-5K people show up when we are good enough? Some MAC teams average that number now, and they aren't that great....
Shouldn't need to be a MAC champ or NCAA team to get 3000.
(02-07-2012 11:52 AM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote: Hopefully we get good enough to get that atmosphere back....I've been at the Convo for the high school games (playoffs and DeKalb/Sycamore) and that place can get crazy loud with just 5,000 or so people. Even 3,000 people makes for a good atmosphere there.
I have no doubt we will get good enough for 3000-5000 people. The question is will 3-5K people show up when we are good enough? Some MAC teams average that number now, and they aren't that great....
Shouldn't need to be a MAC champ or NCAA team to get 3000.
I remember attending the CMU game (with Chris Kaman) and the Kansas State Game a few years later and crowds for both games were very good...without looking it up I would say easily 3K+ and it was a great atmosphere, especially the CMU game where the West division was on the line.
Edit: Just looked up attendance for CMU game = 6,813
KSU = 5,389
(This post was last modified: 02-07-2012 12:10 PM by Huskie359.)
Thanks for posting that MD, that's awesome. Chick Evans was a lot of fun back in the day. Good crowds, solid teams, hot as hell at the top of the bleachers, etc.