Injuries or no injuries, this team is under-achieving I feel. A lot of that blame has to go to Monty and some to the players. I am not ready to throw in the towel on him or the program but I understand why others are!

Underachieving based upon what? Uninformed or wishful expectations? Based upon what? The cupboard was worse than bare when Monty took over. In spite of losing 20 games for 100 years in a row, he convinced a big time scorer out of Michigan (highsmith) to come here--that was a recruiting coup that was done in by injury only to be worsened by another injury. Subtract many points and much ball movement, pentetration and defensive cohesion. He got a very good MAC slasher/rebounder in Bowie who was on his way to big things in the MAC only to get hurt and sit most MAC games this year. He brought in the Armsteads who are both solid players with AAric having a chance to be all MAC but, again, the injury bug bit. He recruited a more than serviceable big man (Maric) who should turn out to be a pretty good MAC player who breaks his foot last year which slowed his development. He snagged some pretty good transfers in AJ, Three, and even big Pete (how many teams get a backup center who is nearly 7 ft) and, again, this season they missed numerous games to injury. He stole Nader away from the big boys and got him in school and qualified--the kind of kid you gotta take a chance on but part of why he came to NIU was his attitude/behavior was less than stellar--but he had what NIU needed: TALENT. Although he has struggled, in part due to that hand injury, Orris, too, was a good transfer pick up.

Criticizing a coach capable of such recruiting to the barren wasteland previously known as Huskie basketball shows a combination of incredible lack of basketball acumen and/or some narcissistic self-entitlement/injury that stems from just wanting/demanding/unrealistically expecting more wins.......give it time, the 2015 high school recruits include 2 very very good players, a big time shooter and another athletic slasher...... Ever hear of two steps forward, one step backwards? This year has been a minor step backwards due to things beyond a coach's control. Have some faith and quit whining.

I realize many of the same constant complainers are the same "fans" that griped all the way through every football game this season including 5 straight years of 11 victories. Hell even the young quarterback that led them to 11 wins this year was lamblasted thousands of times on here by monday morning QB's that all always know more than the professional coaching staffs. Fans are not realistic or not very knowledgeable, but have all the answers and are very greedy

So cagy, you think this is good enough 5 years in? You're happy with where the program is at?

Certainly not happy but not ready to throw out a pretty damn good coaching staff. And it is only been four years with last year showing much progress and this year stymied by the injury bug. When a program has been down for so long the margin of error is so slim that losing significant time from significant contributors is naturally going to slow the progress has been made. Who do these geniuses think they're going to bring in here that is going to right this ship quicker without cheating or other embarrassments?

He's not going to get fired after this year, but unless Highsmith pulls a Chandler I'm not sure he's around in 2016-2017.

It's tough. I do like Monty and he pulled NIU out of that epic hole Ricardo put them in, but they have to win more games.

(02-17-2015 01:26 PM)7 Wrote:  He's not going to get fired after this year, but unless Highsmith pulls a Chandler I'm not sure he's around in 2016-2017.

It's tough. I do like Monty and he pulled NIU out of that epic hole Ricardo put them in, but they have to win more games.

+1. It is a business and Frazier is striving for excellence, not a middle of the road MAC team. Especially for a sport that can create some good revenue with a winning team on the floor. Monty has made the team respectable again that is for sure.

Who do these geniuses think they're going to bring in here that is going to right this ship quicker without cheating or other embarrassments? That is the attitude. Nobody out there could do better than Monty. Nobody in the world so why even look. Let's fear the unknown.
Yes he will not be fired but the heat should be turned up a notch or two for 2015-2016.

(02-17-2015 02:04 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  Who do these geniuses think they're going to bring in here that is going to right this ship quicker without cheating or other embarrassments? That is the attitude. Nobody out there could do better than Monty. Nobody in the world so why even look. Let's fear the unknown.
Yes he will not be fired but the heat should be turned up a notch or two for 2015-2016.

Really? Nobody? I feel like other teams have improved in a shorter amount of time than NIU.

(02-17-2015 03:08 PM)niusfactuary Wrote:  Really? Nobody? I feel like other teams have improved in a shorter amount of time than NIU.

He was being facetious

Monty's big challenge is that he is going to have to adjust. You can't win on defense alone in college basketball. NIU has to recruit more skill particular at the guard position. NIU maybe had a very tiny window where they could have won with a defensive emphasis, but I think we have seen this year just how fragile things can be when you don't have complete buy in from a team defensively or just have a few weak links defensively. I think the past two years have shown that the MSU model cannot be globally implemented with a guarantee of success, it only works if you are able to recruit great offensive players also like MSU does. I don't blame Monty for this not working, the key now is will he remain stubborn and try the same model, or adjust. Id give him 2 more years before a final evaluation.

His contract should not have been extended to 2017-18, but what's done is done.
From my view, even IF next season (2015-16) is above .500 and unless we come close in the MAC Championship game, do not give another contract extension!
Barring an NCAA berth or near miss by the end of 2016-17, I still would not recommend a contract extension. Either the last year of the contract (2017-18) will show Montgomery to have been successful enough that someone else will hire him or else we will need a change. Seven seasons is far more than ample time to produce a competitively successful program.

Cagey, I think Monty is the right guy for NIU but that doesn't mean he is above criticizing. They have underachieved. NIU with or without injuries are better than 10 wins at this point. They lost by two to Kent and played BG(no.1 MAC team) tough both games. Should have beat EIU and Dartmouth. Injuries have stopped them from being in the top part of the MAC but they are not a excuse for being at the bottom! Monty isn't getting fired but A non winning season next year and maybe. The basketball program is huge to Sean Frazier, he will not stand for losing seasons!

Maddawg, BGSU is what NIU is trying to be. Great defense and a little scoring. BGSU averages 65.7 pts and NIU averages 65 pts. BGSU is giving up 6 fewer pts a game than the Huskies.

Even with the injuries this team should be 13-10 or 14-9. Cagey, I may be a homer but I am not blind! A couple baskets, a defensive stop, a few made free-throws and eight games could've had a different outcome. They have had enough players to have won a couple of those. Heck, a scoring Threloff and good Baker would've changed a few games. And that is why, I'am saying that they are underachieving! And yes, Monty is doing well in recruiting to a difficult situation. Win some games and it won't be so difficult. And Cagey, the fact that people are complaining and expect more wins is a good thing not a bad thing. When the fans stop caring, complaining that is when Monty will be fired, So lay off of people voicing their opinions.

(02-17-2015 06:37 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  Even with the injuries this team should be 13-10 or 14-9. Cagey, I may be a homer but I am not blind! A couple baskets, a defensive stop, a few made free-throws and eight games could've had a different outcome. They have had enough players to have won a couple of those. Heck, a scoring Threloff and good Baker would've changed a few games. And that is why, I'am saying that they are underachieving! And yes, Monty is doing well in recruiting to a difficult situation. Win some games and it won't be so difficult. And Cagey, the fact that people are complaining and expect more wins is a good thing not a bad thing. When the fans stop caring, complaining that is when Monty will be fired, So lay off of people voicing their opinions.

Amen to that, this is the first time in a long time there has been anything close to an expectation for men's basketball. That can only be a good thing. I agree NIU has underachieved this year, and probably to the level you are speaking of 2, 3, maybe 4 games. One thing I don't think that should get lost in this though is the MAC is not the MAC it was last year, its one of the best if not the best mid major conference in the country. I have trouble separating the underachieving from the under-assessment of this conference in the preseason. For example I think a 4-10 conference record this year would be about as impressive as a 6-8 record last year.

Baker, Chuks, Orris and Threloff are the only Huskies to play every game. NIU has lost 41 man games to injury.

I rest my case. Now look at the games the MAC leaders lost due to injury. Close to zero.

I agree, injuries have slowed the season and progression of the program. That is why I still have faith in Monty! I just feel they could've won a few of the eight close games they've lost. Example: the Kent game. Huskies lose by two pts. Aaric gets a dumb two free-throw technical. Bowie doesn't play, but it was still a winnable game.

Miami OH - hold the ball for 30 seconds then drive to the hoop and get a layup or a foul. Went on for the last 8 minutes of the game. No injury excuse for that one.