I pulled this one out of the vault and am able to share it with you.
https://youtu.be/glhYR-9-Mb8

This is the best EMU bball team ever in my opinion.

(12-23-2016 08:03 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  I pulled this one out of the vault and am able to share it with you.
https://youtu.be/glhYR-9-Mb8

This is the best EMU bball team ever in my opinion.

This is awesome thanks for sharing

Wow, Wooden. I thank you enough for doing this...

I remember watching this game and feeling like there was no way this team was going to be denied when Dial put back his own shot @ 1:18. What a great team.

I'm watching it right now. Good stuff...

This is great.......nice pregame for the game tonight!

(12-23-2016 08:03 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  I pulled this one out of the vault and am able to share it with you.
https://youtu.be/glhYR-9-Mb8

This is the best EMU bball team ever in my opinion.

I completely agree!!

That team was very, very talented. I'm trying to think what made that team so great.

In all due respect to Dial, Tolbert, etc. but I think it was Boykins.

Boykins was like a quarterback, team leader, etc. etc. Maybe like a MVP QB in the NFL; the one player who carries the team on his back even with other talented players around him.

In that respect Boykins could be like Cam Newton, etc.

Cannot forget the marquee recruit of that team, Theron Wilson! He was a joy to watch.

The 90-'91 Sweet 16 team of Neely-Hallas-Kennedy-Charles and Carl Thomas still ranks for me as the best EMU team of all time. If those 2 teams played each other, it would have been a hell of a game. 

(01-11-2017 09:13 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Cannot forget the marquee recruit of that team, Theron Wilson! He was a joy to watch.

The 91-'92 Sweet 16 team of Neely-Hallas-Kennedy-Charles and Carl Thomas still ranks for me as the best EMU team of all time. If those 2 teams played each other, it would have been a hell of a game. 

I have to agree with Bobby on this one.

(01-11-2017 11:01 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(01-11-2017 09:13 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Cannot forget the marquee recruit of that team, Theron Wilson! He was a joy to watch.

The 91-'92 Sweet 16 team of Neely-Hallas-Kennedy-Charles and Carl Thomas still ranks for me as the best EMU team of all time. If those 2 teams played each other, it would have been a hell of a game. 

I have to agree with Bobby on this one.

I did not forget Theron, but that team might have been the most well balanced as any in MAC history (including say the 1990 BSU team, etc.)

Boykins was as good a PG as we've seen in the MAC.

Tolbert and Dial were explosive scorers and with the ball.

Wilson was a true shot blocker and defender.

Tremendous amounts of leadership.

What's not to like: Great PG, great scorers, great leadership, great shot blocker and interior defender.

That sounds like a complete team to me. Excellent coaching in Braun and Waters.

No doubt about it.

The reason I would give a slight edge to the Sweet 16 team of '90-'91 is:

Lorenzo Neely was as good a college PG as I have ever seen. He was a pure point guard, a 4 year starter in his senior season who led 2 separate EMU teams to the NCAA tournament. (He lead the Grant Long team his frosh year). He was battle tested and tough--the MAC's version of Isiah Thomas.

Marcus Kennedy DOMINATED MAC play in the paint. He was a second round pick of the Portland Trailblazers and if he was a couple inches taller he would have had a 10 year NBA career. Kennedy v Theron Wilson would be an epic battle.

Carl Thomas was an outstanding shooter and slasher. The guy could jump out of the gym. His alley oop dunk v North Carolina in the Sweet 16 game was a thing a beauty. He was another 4 year starter who hung around the NBA for awhile.

Charles Thomas, Carl's twin brother was a shutdown defender with outstanding athleticism. He was not as flashy as Carl but he was an amazing glue guy. We all remember he played a season with the Pistons.

Kory Hallas was a fundamentally sound player and all around solid basketball player. He could score inside and out and played great defense. He had a tryout with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

(01-12-2017 07:55 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  No doubt about it.

The reason I would give a slight edge to the Sweet 16 team of '91-'92 is:

Lorenzo Neely was as good a college PG as I have ever seen. He was a pure point guard, a 4 year starter in his senior season who led 2 separate EMU teams to the NCAA tournament. (He lead the Grant Long team his frosh year). He was battle tested and tough--the MAC's version of Isiah Thomas.

Marcus Kennedy DOMINATED MAC play in the paint. He was a second round pick of the Portland Trailblazers and if he was a couple inches taller he would have had a 10 year NBA career. Kennedy v Theron Wilson would be an epic battle.

Carl Thomas was an outstanding shooter and slasher. The guy could jump out of the gym. His alley oop dunk v North Carolina in the Sweet 16 game was a thing a beauty. He was another 4 year starter who hung around the NBA for awhile.

Charles Thomas, Carl's twin brother was a shutdown defender with outstanding athleticism. He was not as flashy as Carl but he was an amazing glue guy. We all remember he played a season with the Pistons.

Kory Hallas was a fundamentally sound player and all around solid basketball player. He could score inside and out and played great defense. He had a tryout with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kennedy was one of the toughest inside players in the history of the MAC.

It reminds me of my old (about 25 years) thoughts on basketball: Great PG. Great center. Three good players surrounding them.

It has changed in recent year but a great PG is like a great QB in FB.

Bob lays out the slam dunk that the 90-91 team probably was the best team we've ever had; however, we were just 2 seasons away in what I believe could have been a potential final four team. As you recall for the 96-97 season, Braun had Signed Sean Lampley to EMU and Thomas Kilgore. When Braun Left, both players followed him to California. Lampley became a Pac-12 player of the year when he was a senior. Kilgore, who was MAC freshman of the year in 94/5 transferred to EMU and sat out 95/96. Later Kilgore became PAC Newcomer of the year. Both were big time players! I don't like hypothesizing too much, but these players had signed with EMU. Could you imagine returning veterans Boykins, Dial, Head, Ezugwu, Mills, Pennissi, and Zajack? Plus add Lampley and Kilgore. I believe this team could have made deeper runs then any MAC team. Fleck reminds me of Braun in aspirations. Braun told me once that he believed EMU could reach a final four. If he would have stayed, the 96/7/8 teams would have been the best in MAC history and I believe the 96/7 team could have gone to a final four. Even without Lampley and Kilgore with Barnes coaching, EMU beat Syracuse in the carrier dome. We started out like 9-0 ranked in the top 15.

What could have been.......?

Finally, when we go into each season, I compare the talent of the team to 90/1 and 95/6......Sorry Steve, EMU has not come close to this talent level and that's why I don't pick us to get to the tournament. I do believe that Murphy does have perhaps the top 1/4 tier talent compared to the league. This year, Thompson and Lee are as talented players I've seen at EMU but create distractions........

PS Braun played man to man defense.

(01-12-2017 01:10 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  PS Braun played man to man defense.

And so do 200 teams which will not be playing post season ball this March.

(01-12-2017 01:10 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Bob lays out the slam dunk that the 90-91 team probably was the best team we've ever had; however, we were just 2 seasons away in what I believe could have been a potential final four team. As you recall for the 96-97 season, Braun had Signed Sean Lampley to EMU and Thomas Kilgore. When Braun Left, both players followed him to California. Lampley became a Pac-12 player of the year when he was a senior. Kilgore, who was MAC freshman of the year in 94/5 transferred to EMU and sat out 95/96. Later Kilgore became PAC Newcomer of the year. Both were big time players! I don't like hypothesizing too much, but these players had signed with EMU. Could you imagine returning veterans Boykins, Dial, Head, Ezugwu, Mills, Pennissi, and Zajack? Plus add Lampley and Kilgore. I believe this team could have made deeper runs then any MAC team. Fleck reminds me of Braun in aspirations. Braun told me once that he believed EMU could reach a final four. If he would have stayed, the 96/7/8 teams would have been the best in MAC history and I believe the 96/7 team could have gone to a final four. Even without Lampley and Kilgore with Barnes coaching, EMU beat Syracuse in the carrier dome. We started out like 9-0 ranked in the top 15.

What could have been.......?

Finally, when we go into each season, I compare the talent of the team to 90/1 and 95/6......Sorry Steve, EMU has not come close to this talent level and that's why I don't pick us to get to the tournament. I do believe that Murphy does have perhaps the top 1/4 tier talent compared to the league. This year, Thompson and Lee are as talented players I've seen at EMU but create distractions........

PS Braun played man to man defense.

Lucky, great points...and yes the Sweet 16 year was '90-'91 not '91-'92.

When I look back on that great team, I always think what if we had 1 more solid big man? North Carolina's size took its toll on us in the second half. We were right there with them for the entire first half...Ben Braun was a once in a lifetime coach for EMU, when he left, the magic left the program.

(01-12-2017 01:26 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 01:10 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Bob lays out the slam dunk that the 90-91 team probably was the best team we've ever had; however, we were just 2 seasons away in what I believe could have been a potential final four team. As you recall for the 96-97 season, Braun had Signed Sean Lampley to EMU and Thomas Kilgore. When Braun Left, both players followed him to California. Lampley became a Pac-12 player of the year when he was a senior. Kilgore, who was MAC freshman of the year in 94/5 transferred to EMU and sat out 95/96. Later Kilgore became PAC Newcomer of the year. Both were big time players! I don't like hypothesizing too much, but these players had signed with EMU. Could you imagine returning veterans Boykins, Dial, Head, Ezugwu, Mills, Pennissi, and Zajack? Plus add Lampley and Kilgore. I believe this team could have made deeper runs then any MAC team. Fleck reminds me of Braun in aspirations. Braun told me once that he believed EMU could reach a final four. If he would have stayed, the 96/7/8 teams would have been the best in MAC history and I believe the 96/7 team could have gone to a final four. Even without Lampley and Kilgore with Barnes coaching, EMU beat Syracuse in the carrier dome. We started out like 9-0 ranked in the top 15.

What could have been.......?

Finally, when we go into each season, I compare the talent of the team to 90/1 and 95/6......Sorry Steve, EMU has not come close to this talent level and that's why I don't pick us to get to the tournament. I do believe that Murphy does have perhaps the top 1/4 tier talent compared to the league. This year, Thompson and Lee are as talented players I've seen at EMU but create distractions........

PS Braun played man to man defense.

Lucky, great points...and yes the Sweet 16 year was '90-'91 not '91-'92.

When I look back on that great team, I always think what if we had 1 more solid big man? North Carolina's size took its toll on us in the second half. We were right there with them for the entire first half...Ben Braun was a once in a lifetime coach for EMU, when he left the magic left the program.

I'm not sure that comparing EMU/UNC to EMU/UConn (2nd round in '96) is favorable to the '90/'91 team.

As I remember them, we struggled to be competitive with UNC but led (?) UConn at the half ('96) - or at least very close at the half.

Both the UNC and UConn games were very similar. Close, entertaining first halves and then the games got away in the second half. UNC had Rick Fox, Eric Montross, Pete Chilcutt, etc down low. They wore out Marcus Kennedy, we didn't have the size to play an entire game vs their bigs. I remember the UConn game being similar. A great first half followed by our guys wearing down.

(01-12-2017 01:21 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 01:10 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  PS Braun played man to man defense.

And so do 200 teams which will not be playing post season ball this March.

True and to that I say out of the last 20 national champions, only one played zone. I would think the 19 of 20 national champions that play man to man do this because it improves their chances to win.

(01-12-2017 02:31 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Both the UNC and UConn games were very similar. Close, entertaining first halves and then the games got away in the second half. UNC had Rick Fox, Eric Montross, Pete Chilcutt, etc down low. They wore out Marcus Kennedy, we didn't have the size to play an entire game vs their bigs. I remember the UConn game being similar. A great first half followed by our guys wearing down.

I was at the EMU vs Duke and vs UConn games. I believe it was tied at the half although EMU jumped out to a lead. In the second half the game was very close until the last 7-8 minutes. UConn got the benefit of several 50/50 calls that swung the game in UConn's favor. Tolbert and Ray Allen had a beautiful battle. I believe Tolbert scored like 24 poimts. I stayed at the same hotel as UConn and ran into several of their players in the elevator after the game (Ray Allen was one of them). I asked Ray what he thought of Tolbert's game and Ray said something like "He was on tonight" rolling his eyes in a complementary fashion.

(01-12-2017 07:19 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 02:31 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Both the UNC and UConn games were very similar. Close, entertaining first halves and then the games got away in the second half. UNC had Rick Fox, Eric Montross, Pete Chilcutt, etc down low. They wore out Marcus Kennedy, we didn't have the size to play an entire game vs their bigs. I remember the UConn game being similar. A great first half followed by our guys wearing down.

I was at the EMU vs Duke and vs UConn games. I believe it was tied at the half although EMU jumped out to a lead. In the second half the game was very close until the last 7-8 minutes. UConn got the benefit of several 50/50 calls that swung the game in UConn's favor. Tolbert and Ray Allen had a beautiful battle. I believe Tolbert scored like 24 poimts. I stayed at the same hotel as UConn and ran into several of their players in the elevator after the game (Ray Allen was one of them). I asked Ray what he thought of Tolbert's game and Ray said something like "He was on tonight" rolling his eyes in a complementary fashion.

If I remember that game correctly, Tolbert carried EMU with 'lights out' shooting in the first half.