Nice game by ODU last night. Full house at the TED and they played well against Murray State. Arledge stepped up as a 5th year Senior and Freeman (former Campbell transfer) hit a buzzer beater 3 to win it. On to NYC vs. Stanford with Temple and Miami as the other finalists. First time to the NIT Semis since 2006. They were saying on the broadcast that they will be even better next year as they only lose a couple of big men/role players. Let's hope we get them on the schedule soon.

Full house full of excitement. Amazing turnaround from 2 years ago. Shows what can happen to a stagnant program when there is a coaching change, sometimes.

The good times keep rolling for them. So annoying, especially when you live in Hampton Roads.

(03-26-2015 07:19 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Full house full of excitement. Amazing turnaround from 2 years ago. Shows what can happen to a stagnant program when there is a coaching change, sometimes.

I hear what you are saying but I'm not sure if ODU is a good example - they only had one bad season due to some off court issues with a coach who had been very good for a number of years. They were perennially in the post season and only a few years ago played within a basket of beating a Butler team that made the Final Four. Charlotte or Depaul may be more applicable to JMU in terms of dormant programs.

(03-26-2015 07:19 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Full house full of excitement. Amazing turnaround from 2 years ago. Shows what can happen to a stagnant program when there is a coaching change, sometimes.

BSKB, I do hear you, please know this, however, ODU's program had no where near the distance to travel that JMU has had. Our fan base had been beaten down bad over a long period prior to MB. Then with the roller coaster ride of the past 7 years, people still are not trusting the product.

I believe for us to fill the Convo, a miracle coach along with a total transformation of our administration's mindset must be made in order to "bring down the house". It will be a struggle for any coach to change the atmosphere that surrounds JMU MBB without the administration pushing with all cylinders firing.

Amazing shot to win it. I was pulling for the Racers, but you have to tip your hat to the guy for that.

If you look at the composition of ODU's roster, Jeff Jones has gone the transfer route for a quick fix, it would appear. He's got holdovers from Blaine Taylor's regime in Aaron Bacote, Keenan Palmore and Richard Ross. His best player, however, is Trey Freeman, the transfer from Campbell, who averages about 17 points a game. He's from VA Beach originally and had put up very good stats his first two years at Campbell. The other key transfer is Arledge from George Mason, averaging about 8.5 points and 5 rebounds a game, playing about 20 minutes a game (solid stats extrapolated out over 40 minutes). They also have a JUCO transfer in Joe Ebondo and another four-year transfer from Central Florida in Javonte Douglas. Sitting out this year is Brandan Stith (must be the son of the former UVA player) from East Carolina. If you look at verbal commits, they've got a seven footer coming in from a JUCO next season and I believe a second signee if I'm recalling correctly.

Their path to the NIT Final Four has included Charleston Southern, Illinois State and now Murray State, all at home as ODU was a no. 1 seed.

And yes, 97 is right in that ODU had one poor year, followed by an appearance in the CBI last season (with a .500 record or so) and now this NIT run.

ODU finished the season undefeated at the TED and has won something like 25 straight home games.

Yeah 98, good point. I was going to say if you break out their schedule home and away, most of their signature wins, save perhaps the LSU game (which may have been at a neutral site in a tournament), were at home. They stumbled on the road in Conference USA a number of times. I've watched them briefly a few times and they don't play the prettiest style of ball....they seemed to do a good job defensively last night, though, as the stats bear out versus Murray State at least.

They are going to the NIT Final Four, were undefeated at home and you guys want to disparage their success. Have at it. As for me, I want what they have.

(03-26-2015 12:06 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  They are going to the NIT Final Four, were undefeated at home and you guys want to disparage their success. Have at it. As for me, I want what they have.

+1 in both football and basketball

(03-26-2015 04:04 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  

(03-26-2015 12:06 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  They are going to the NIT Final Four, were undefeated at home and you guys want to disparage their success. Have at it. As for me, I want what they have.

+1 in both football and basketball

Can't argue with that. Well done, ODU. Well done. (It hurt to type that!)

I was at the game last night. On our way to the arena we walked past the football stadium. Couldn't help but think in a few months, NC State will be playing there.

Then we got in the arena and the place was packed. Great atmosphere for college basketball. The place was electric.

Home football game against an ACC school. Nationally televised basketball game in front of a sold out crowd. I hate to admit it but we have a long way to catch up to ODU at this point...and that really stinks...

(03-26-2015 06:16 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  I was at the game last night. On our way to the arena we walked past the football stadium. Couldn't help but think in a few months, NC State will be playing there.

Then we got in the arena and the place was packed. Great atmosphere for college basketball. The place was electric.

Home football game against an ACC school. Nationally televised basketball game in front of a sold out crowd. I hate to admit it but we have a long way to catch up to ODU at this point...and that really stinks...

I've been beating this drum for a few weeks on here because it is so obvious. If we want to win we need to keep in-state talent. 9 of ODU roster spots are from VA or bordering states. Our coaching staff needs to build a funnel with state powerhouse high school programs. Some of these kids from RVA and Tidewater should never want to go out of state. Look up the all-state teams in VA for the last few years and look where kids are going. You only need to keep 1-2 a year to build our program again. ODU made a great choice bringing in Jones. UVA playing and coaching roots with many years at American. He probably has HS coaches around here calling him when they have a player.

(03-26-2015 12:06 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  They are going to the NIT Final Four, were undefeated at home and you guys want to disparage their success. Have at it. As for me, I want what they have.

Amen brother. I will take that brand of basketball all day long. The national branding exposure on ESPN does not hurt either.

(03-26-2015 07:19 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Full house full of excitement. Amazing turnaround from 2 years ago. Shows what can happen to a stagnant program when there is a coaching change, sometimes.

It will never happen here because according to some our problems are just too big for one coach to overcome to be able make any difference. Many are happy about the season because we almost won 20 games, finished first in the conference and almost won a post season tournament game in front of 203 people in Sparks South Carolina.

CAA basketball for Life

Thank you Dukes84 and JMU Nation, we will get what we deserve.

Wish in one hand and crap in the other. Then tell me which one produces more?

There is a reason why JMU is who they are and ODU is who they are. I just can't believe that so many smart people don't understand why. Since 1984, having a great basketball program at JMU has been the exception and not the rule. Why any of you compare the two programs is a head scratcher to me. We are not peers. ODU is and always has been superior. That is what made our wins over them special.

Some of you keep calling for a coaching change. What a joke. JMU is not going to pay to get someone better than Matt. We will likely get another Dean Keaner and when we do, I am going to remind you of your push to have a coaching change.

Matt is going to get next year. I guess many of you will be wishing for a crappy year. Then you can have that great next coach who we won't get. History has proven this.

When the leadership at JMU changes to a President who believes in making athletics great, then I will be all for him hiring a new basketball coach. Not now with this President.

(03-26-2015 10:42 PM)JMUNation Wrote:  Wish in one hand and crap in the other. Then tell me which one produces more?

There is a reason why JMU is who they are and ODU is who they are. I just can't believe that so many smart people don't understand why. Since 1984, having a great basketball program at JMU has been the exception and not the rule. Why any of you compare the two programs is a head scratcher to me. We are not peers. ODU is and always has been superior. That is what made our wins over them special.

Some of you keep calling for a coaching change. What a joke. JMU is not going to pay to get someone better than Matt. We will likely get another Dean Keaner and when we do, I am going to remind you of your stupidity for wanting a coaching change.

Matt is going to get next year. I guess many of you will be wishing for a crappy year. Then you can have that great next coach who we won't get. History has proven this.

When the leadership at JMU changes to a President who believes in making athletics great, then I will be all for him hiring a new basketball coach. Not now with this President.

Great post my friend, I especially like the first two lines. We are who you know we are... JMU. Weak leadership from the top down. It's sad that lesser academic in-state schools (ODU, VCU, GMU (Hey GMCC- enjoy making Paul Hewitt even more rich for a ****** job performance) have passed us by in moving up to better athletic conferences. Alger doesn't care about anything other than burnishing his liberal reputation and landing a higher paying gig at a place like Cal Berkeley. Maybe then we could promote someone like Nick Langridge to President of JMU. I might not always agree with Nick's views but at least he lives and breathes James Madison University.

I agree with the general idea that ODU is on a different playing field than JMU for hoops, and the next coach won't necessarily be better than Brady. Coaching hires are a crapshoot in general.

That being said it is kind of ironic ODU ending up hiring a coach JMU could have had. Jeff Jones was stuck at American for 13 years and went 10-20 (5-9) his final year at American before he was a surprise hire at ODU. They paid him well less than Blaine was making. Time will tell if this was a good hire or not, but the early returns are positive.