The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(12-23-2019 11:31 AM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-23-2019 11:17 AM)odufansam Wrote:  

(12-23-2019 11:08 AM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(12-23-2019 10:44 AM)odufansam Wrote:  There's always going to be excuses. ODU doesn't need 4 - 5 star kids to be successful. There's still a lot of talent out there.

There are no excuses. ODU has the structure to compete within CUSA for a tourney bid (which they've done).

Outside of the first year from Jones and this year, we have competed strongly within the conference for the chance to get to the NCAA tourney. There has only been 2 years were we were not a strong contender to go the dance. When based on the conference you are in forces your entire season to depend on a 3 game stretch, you are at the mercy of small sample size fluctuations.

This season has been a disappointing rebuilding year. We can go in striving to compete for national titles. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen. I can certainly want to strive to be a top 50 program every year, we probably don't have the resources for that.

My counter argument would be last year was the first year Jeff Jones was able to beat Middle Tennessee. It was also his first time in the CUSA championship game without Trey Freeman. Were we ever serious contenders when there's a team in the conference he couldn't beat? Last year we benefited from a weaker conference. MT fell off a cliff.

Im not sure the performance vs. one team means anything. What does that mean?

Our 2015 and 2018 teams were the best teams ODU has had. As much as they were fortunate last year, they were unfortunate some in previous years.

We had the best team in CUSA in 2015 (~70) and lost to MTSU in a game were we didn't didn't play well, which happens in 1 game scenarios. (Made a strong run in the NIT) That team was in the discussion for an at large bid.

We had the best team in CUSA in 2016 (~100) and lost in a close game in the conference tourney.

We had the 3rd best team in CUSA as MTSU was clearly stacked and the cream of the crop (~120 ranking)

We had the 3rd best team in CUSA in 2018 despite this being the best team we have had an awhile and the best team we've had under Jones. WKY and MTSU were both top 50 teams and we lost to a better WKY team.

We had the best team in CUSA in 2019 (113) as the conference was weak. Won the tourney obviously.

Through the last 5 seasons prior to this year, we have had the highest rated CUSA team in 3 out of the 5 years and 3rd in the other 2 years (despite one of those being our best team).

After reading that glowing report of how strong ODU's basketball team has been in CUSA since 2015, I'm left with the feeling that they may well be the tallest midget in the conference. ~70, 113, and ~120 used to be considered less than successful seasons for ODU, especially the 113 and 120 ratings. Now apparently they are to be considered a strong showing by the team. We truly are in the era where everyone gets a pat on the back and a trophy.