(02-06-2010 11:18 AM)Toby Wrote:  That was our old cheer for Ga State. It used to piss off all those near illiterate juco transfers Lefty always brought in and all their commuter school fans. Might as well recycle it if this is now a rivalry. If the shoe fits...

Yep, we're out of the running for a top two seed. Just have to hope for a hot streak to hit the first week of March. We host the tournament next year too, but next year looks like a rebuilding year for us.

(02-06-2010 11:24 AM)MercerFan Wrote:  I've been thinking next year was a rebuilding year for the longest time, but maybe it won't be. If Hoffman can snag a couple JUCO's that have the same talent level as Jeff Smith & Brandon Moore then we're in business. Plus if BJ Corley comes back (I hope, I don't know his status) then the team is looking solid. Mills, Corley, Moore, Smith, Hall as the starting lineup. Add in JUCO's and we're in business.

Anyone else see the humor in these back to back statements?

One moment you get to make fun of schools that bring in Jucos, and the next moment you are pining for your coach to sign some jucos.

hey hey! Not all JUCO's created equally!

to say they can't finish in the top two is, well, State math. they still play every team above them. they could be tied for first in a week. (they're tied right now with ksu, which could go up half a game if it beats upstate today).
mercer is 7-6, two games behind 9-4. mercer has seven games left, including against jacksonville. ju has seven left, including mercer.
and all the contenders play each other. mercer went from a possible tie for first to fifthor something in one day on that stetson-fgcu trip. campbell and lipscomb are struggling. unf won at lipscomb, fgcu won at belmont, stetson won at etsu.

they have to get consistent. florence isn't a cancer, somebody has to try to make a play and he is third in the asun in assists and seventh in steals. emerson is out of position, and they should play moore more, kusnyer is over 40 percent on 3s his past 5 games (shooters shoot, and they all miss). depth is why o'shaughnessy and ridastoomanyletters get early time which not a good sign and walker yes should play more.
mercer is one of several teams that could finish first or eighth. it's surprising that we have no idea which way they'll go.

hey justathought, welcome back. You should input thoughts more often. After you posted just once before I thought u were some kind of shill or plant -- how come you never replied back to your own post?

Anyways, yes like I said it would take a near 7 game win streak to end up at the top spots of the league. I agree with pretty much all you're saying. I don't know if you saw my second post about Kusnyer? After checking his stats I felt I was too harsh on him. I just came to the realization that his style and skill set is better served off the bench. There's no reason to have him in there all the time, as he's really only valuable on a catch and shoot. We don't want him dribbling, driving, or any kind of movement with the basketball. I'm sure he's well aware that his best shots come when he's motionless and catches & shoots. This can easily be accomplished with him coming off the bench in spurts -- totally fresh -- and then back to the bench to get energy back. Of course you don't pull him on a hot streak, but you also don't demand shots while he's in there -- only when they present themselves.

when he's on the bench you can run Florence, Smith, Moore, Emerson, Mills. Swapping out a big man for Walker or Hall as the alternate to rest big men.

What do you think of that?

There's a difference between a juco who didn't qualify and one who was overlooked athletically. I'm not aware of Mercer taking a player of the former variety.

Sorry for my moment of pessemism. I don't think a top two seed is impossible. I just think it's unlikely given how we're playing and our schedule. But then again, no other team is really taking control of the top of the standings.