Down 20-3. Just made my Evansville reservations this morning. Well, I feel confident the women will make the tournament.

Well we briefly cut it to 9, but NIU actually extended their lead to 18 at half time- 58-40. So much for the "improved" defense. Only 2.5 games into the season, but it does look like the "same ole, same ole".

Nice second half comeback. Cut it to three, but lost 98-93. Hopefully, a good sign, but never know what it means. Did the other team let up a little with the big lead? Was NIU a little tired, having played GaSt yesterday? I won't accept that as an excuse if we lose tomorrow. We can't let teams start the game 20-3 or give up 98 and expect to win many games.

(11-18-2023 04:41 PM)mjs Wrote:  Nice second half comeback. Cut it to three, but lost 98-93. Hopefully, a good sign, but never know what it means. Did the other team let up a little with the big lead? Was NIU a little tired, having played GaSt yesterday? I won't accept that as an excuse if we lose tomorrow. We can't let teams start the game 20-3 or give up 98 and expect to win many games.

Glad I had the starting time of game wrong in my head, but it occurs to me that I never let that happen in the old days. Like last year, we score 95 points and lose. How many games will we win when giving up 98?

You heard it here first. Same old same old. While they are looking for an AD maybe they can find a coach too. Or maybe an AD that wont just hire a never was coach just because the powers that be want them to.

(11-18-2023 09:23 PM)UALR92 Wrote:  You heard it here first. Same old same old. While they are looking for an AD maybe they can find a coach too. Or maybe an AD that wont just hire a never was coach just because the powers that be want them to.

If we tank this season, the new AD's first order of business will be hiring a new basketball coach. Obviously, we need to get the right AD in place in the next 2-3 months.

Now 1-3. Not the start I expected or, at least, hoped for. Can we beat GaSt at home on Wednesday? I think that's still possible. Beating Tulsa at home on Saturday. Hard to imagine right now.

Looks like we are in for more of the same this year. Gonna be a long season with little to get excited about.

(11-20-2023 08:52 AM)UALR92 Wrote:  Looks like we are in for more of the same this year. Gonna be a long season with little to get excited about.

I am not quite ready to say you are right, after just 4 games (3 away from home), but I certainly can't argue that you are wrong. I do think adding Mitchell could improve our product quite a bit. But, I haven't counted on his being eligible all along and still don't. The only thing keeping my hopes up, just a little, is that the teams on our nonconference schedule (while not world beaters) are probably a tad better than most OVC teams. At this point, my main goal is, at least, making the OVC tournament. While finishing 8th or above, gets us in, I don't believe finishing in the bottom half of the league means Darrell keeps his job for those that want him gone. I will continue to pull for the team and assume the coaching situation will work itself out, especially with a new AD coming in. So it's a win-win situation. Either we have a significantly better season or we have a new coach.

I guess one bright spot is we are taking care of the ball. Only 11 turnovers combined in 2 road games. Only 4 against niu. But still 2 losses.

I know it's early but this feel like the same start as the last couple seasons. And every year it turns out the same. There's always some excuse followed by "just wait till next year" with Walker.

First, it was covid, then injuries, then bad chemistry and now were getting to NCAA eligibility as an excuse starting to get built in. I'm getting sick of it and it shouldn't be an excuse to keep your job at this point. But keep this in mind, we haven't seen Mitchell on the floor. Who knows what he can bring and we cannot be certain he will be the difference maker. Don't accept the excuse!

Also, good coaches ADAPT to their situations. You see it with Foley's teams. His teams may have a tough non-con that doesn't look good on paper but the players usually develop during that time and find a way to be successful in conference play. He finds out what he fully has and adapts before conference play. I can't say the same with Walker.

Every game feels the same. We either fall behind so much in the beginning that we can't fully complete a comeback near the end OR we choke big leads (applies to all games). I can't remember a complete game with this guy at the helm with exception to NAIA games and maybe several in his one good year (with a roster he lost by next year).

My point is that don't give this guy the benefit of the doubt. He's had his chances and excuses. This is it. A new AD is coming in and if it's someone like Conque (or maybe he gets out of the Rio Grande Valley to come home), Walker may be gone. And from here on out, don't take any razorback fan's choice in a coach. They got scared of how good we got under Beard's coaching and sabotaged us with one of their own. We've shown we can be better than them in the past and it ain't over. We just got to be more accountable and bring up our expectations.

The excuses definitely get old. There has been absolutely nothing for fans to get excited about since the 2019-2020 season. Everything since then has been a nightmare scenario. DW is not a D1 quality coach and needs to find his life's work because this isn't it. I am totally amazed at what the administration allows with regard to this. They act like they don't care about being able to compete and having any pride about the program. We have dropped down to almost the lowest rated D1 conference and we still can't compete and even be a middle of the pack team. I used to travel from Fort Smith for some games but I wouldn't consider it at this time as traveling that far and watching my alma mater get housed in their home arena is not appealing.

Just made my Evansville reservations. Hope I don’t have to cancel (for family reasons)


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(12-19-2023 05:58 PM)RBL Wrote:  Just made my Evansville reservations. Hope I don’t have to cancel (for family reasons)


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With the nonconference season almost over, who would have believed it would be the ladies without a win. I still assume Coach Foley will right the ship. I still believe he will compete well in the league, but not sure I can go as far as predicting another first place finish. I do believe both teams will be in Evansville. I also believe they will both be top 4 seeds (if Mitchell's injury is not serious).