I wouldn't get down on EMU or take too much from a game against MSU.
As one of the announcers said last year we started the year 1-11. I think Murphy will get the most out of the kids on the roster. We do need an upgrade at PG for next year. JR Sims is only a soph and seems to be getting better each season.

Someone made mention that there were a lot of basketball recruits at the game. James Still was there along with a number of PSL athletes and others.

Would like to pose the question as to where will Murphy and Co find there PG of the future for next season. Must recruit one along with a shooter or two. There is definately a need to score the ball.

I'd be curious to know what other Div I or other schools offered Still?

(11-28-2011 10:40 AM)emu79 Wrote:  I'd be curious to know what other Div I or other schools offered Still?

I hope we are not becoming the Fresno State (Jerry Tarkanian) of the MAC.

Murphy and Staff have not even oficially announced Still's commitment. Recruiting has been kept really QUIET, wonder why? You would think that they would like to blow their horn once in awhile.

They are taking a chance on Still so we'll see if they have made the right decision.

NEED A PG!

Lets keep the board positive in regards to Murphy and the B Ball program. Being positive will certainly help him out especially with recruiting for the future. I firmly believe that he will recruit and recruit well. We'll certainly see come this spring.

GO EMU

(11-28-2011 10:44 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-28-2011 10:40 AM)emu79 Wrote:  I'd be curious to know what other Div I or other schools offered Still?

I hope we are not becoming the Fresno State (Jerry Tarkanian) of the MAC.

The more I read about this player the more concerned I get. What I read reminds me of James Matthews on the court and off.

(11-28-2011 11:19 AM)Dennis Hoopster Wrote:  Murphy and Staff have not even oficially announced Still's commitment. Recruiting has been kept really QUIET, wonder why? You would think that they would like to blow their horn once in awhile.

They are taking a chance on Still so we'll see if they have made the right decision.

NEED A PG!

I can understand why Murphy and staff have not announced Still's signing. As to the other player I be curious as to why they haven't announced that player. Perhaps another player they are taking a chance on?

(11-28-2011 02:48 AM)TheClyde Wrote:  Anyone want to mention anything about Antonio Green? He missed an awful lot of shots today.....not sure what was up.

Also, we need to become a better free throw team. This has been a trend for a while. How much do they actually work on free throws in practice?

Green has never been a scorer. he plays good D and seems like a leader on the court. those are his strengths. he's filling the T-Lew role from a few years ago.

(11-27-2011 08:47 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(11-27-2011 04:37 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Can we finally say that J. Harris is a complete bust?

With his size and athleticism if he was a scorer he would be in the Big 10.

i completely agree.

he's only 1/2 done with his college career. any guy with his size/athleticism that 'falls' to a MAC school is going to take time to develop. in an ideal world this would be his first year getting 15+ minutes a game.

i don't expect a MAC big man to contribute until his senior season. we threw Balkema & Harris into the fire way before they were ready.

i'd like to see significant improvement from them this year so they are quality big men next year (their senior seasons). i would consider that a success. their poor play as freshmen/sophomores is a result of poor recruiting.

In regards to future recruiting, Murphy and staff will get it done, trust me!

(11-28-2011 11:55 AM)EMUAARON Wrote:  

(11-28-2011 02:48 AM)TheClyde Wrote:  Anyone want to mention anything about Antonio Green? He missed an awful lot of shots today.....not sure what was up.

Also, we need to become a better free throw team. This has been a trend for a while. How much do they actually work on free throws in practice?

Green has never been a scorer. he plays good D and seems like a leader on the court. those are his strengths. he's filling the T-Lew role from a few years ago.

Yeah....I guess it just appeared to me that he tried to force a lot of his shots....even when he had time and space to shoot.

(11-28-2011 11:24 AM)Dennis Hoopster Wrote:  Lets keep the board positive in regards to Murphy and the B Ball program. Being positive will certainly help him out especially with recruiting for the future. I firmly believe that he will recruit and recruit well. We'll certainly see come this spring.

GO EMU

I don't want people to be "artificially" positive just to help the coach! I just want people to be honest with their observations. None of us are cheerleaders. Coaches get paid a lot of money to get their programs sorted out, for the benefit of us fans and alumni.

(11-28-2011 12:06 PM)Dennis Hoopster Wrote:  In regards to future recruiting, Murphy and staff will get it done, trust me!

I've been saying this for months.

I became a believer listening to his introduction press conference and seeing what he did this summer with the transfers.

That was enough proof for me.

I never wavered even though others were very concerned that no November signees were announced.

We ought not 'micro-manage' our coaches...

(11-27-2011 08:12 PM)wolverineeagle Wrote:  Eastern needs guards badly. In particular they need a PG desperately. A guy who can get the ball to Riley. Right now they do not have one.

Absolutely agree.

If things pan out on the court as they are written on paper, PG is the only position of concern.

Next year: Harris and Still at PF.

Riley and Balkema at C

Bryant at SF with Harrison also.

Harrison and Thompson at SG.

PG: Sims and Harper.

We'll match up well with most every MAC team next season except at PG.

That will be our achilles heal.

I've been touting Ray Lee as an impact PG/SG. We'll see how his recruitment goes.

I have NO idea if he will be offered or will accept.

I feel like for the most part, in college hoops you recruit offense and you coach defense. As Murphy gets more of "his" players into the rotation, I think scoring will improve. (And I do think he'll prove to be a good recruiter.)

(11-29-2011 05:22 AM)cmadler Wrote:  ... (And I do think he'll prove to be a good recruiter.)

Who would NOT want to play for him?

From what I can tell Murphy and staff are top notch individuals.

It was a nice thing to have many players from Detroit PSL at the game Sunday.

This wasn't simply players who are likely D-I recruits but other h.s. players too getting a chance to see a big game vs. MSU.

I thought it was a nice gesture. Coach White handled it.

(11-28-2011 02:59 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-28-2011 11:24 AM)Dennis Hoopster Wrote:  Lets keep the board positive in regards to Murphy and the B Ball program. Being positive will certainly help him out especially with recruiting for the future. I firmly believe that he will recruit and recruit well. We'll certainly see come this spring.

GO EMU

I don't want people to be "artificially" positive just to help the coach! I just want people to be honest with their observations. None of us are cheerleaders. Coaches get paid a lot of money to get their programs sorted out, for the benefit of us fans and alumni.

I agree Bob, if recruiting is a "brand" as some say it is then the type of players we sign indicate the type of "brand" EMU will have. We took a chance on players of questionable character in hoops Garrett, Rico Harris and Gino Smith with negative outcomes for the program. Hopefully the new staff will not repeat the same mistakes. Some athletes no matter how talented are not worth the baggage they bring to a program.

(11-29-2011 08:10 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(11-28-2011 02:59 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-28-2011 11:24 AM)Dennis Hoopster Wrote:  Lets keep the board positive in regards to Murphy and the B Ball program. Being positive will certainly help him out especially with recruiting for the future. I firmly believe that he will recruit and recruit well. We'll certainly see come this spring.

GO EMU

I don't want people to be "artificially" positive just to help the coach! I just want people to be honest with their observations. None of us are cheerleaders. Coaches get paid a lot of money to get their programs sorted out, for the benefit of us fans and alumni.

I agree Bob, if recruiting is a "brand" as some say it is then the type of players we sign indicate the type of "brand" EMU will have. We took a chance on players of questionable character in hoops Garrett, Rico Harris and Gino Smith with negative outcomes for the program. Hopefully the new staff will not repeat the same mistakes. Some athletes no matter how talented are not worth the baggage they bring to a program.

I hear you '79, but I think times are different.

What happened the last year of Boone was a real desperation act designed to save the staff from failure. (It didn't work, though).

This isn't a repeat of that, I'm pretty sure.

No way does this staff take a Rico Harris.

(11-29-2011 08:27 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-29-2011 08:10 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(11-28-2011 02:59 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-28-2011 11:24 AM)Dennis Hoopster Wrote:  Lets keep the board positive in regards to Murphy and the B Ball program. Being positive will certainly help him out especially with recruiting for the future. I firmly believe that he will recruit and recruit well. We'll certainly see come this spring.

GO EMU

I don't want people to be "artificially" positive just to help the coach! I just want people to be honest with their observations. None of us are cheerleaders. Coaches get paid a lot of money to get their programs sorted out, for the benefit of us fans and alumni.

I agree Bob, if recruiting is a "brand" as some say it is then the type of players we sign indicate the type of "brand" EMU will have. We took a chance on players of questionable character in hoops Garrett, Rico Harris and Gino Smith with negative outcomes for the program. Hopefully the new staff will not repeat the same mistakes. Some athletes no matter how talented are not worth the baggage they bring to a program.

I hear you '79, but I think times are different.

What happened the last year of Boone was a real desperation act designed to save the staff from failure. (It didn't work, though).

This isn't a repeat of that, I'm pretty sure.

No way does this staff take a Rico Harris.

Really? How was Rico Harris's past any worse than Still's? Not being a smart aleck, I really don't know.