(03-07-2017 11:05 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  NIU was ranked 190 in assists per game last year and this year finishes at 336. All signs point to another round of rebuild next season and NIU really needs to land another starting caliber PG this offseason. Six seasons of under .500 ball in MAC play under Monty. Heading into year seven it's hard not to be frustrated with the state of program.

Ball State's current coach had five and seven wins his first two seasons and followed it up with back to back 20+ win seasons and two straight MAC West titles. Turning a MAC program can clearly be done in less than seven years with the right coach.

Ball State just beat WMU to reach the MAC semis. Here are their records going back to 2012...

2012: 15-15 (8-8)
2013: 5-25 (2-16)
2014: 7-23 (2-16)
2015: 21-14 (10-8, won two games in the CIT)
2016: 21-11 (11-7, MAC semis at the moment)

Their highest scoring (also averages 5.0 assists per game) and best rebounding players are sophomores and they only graduate two seniors that were solid contributors.

Porter was the only player on the team to average over 2 assists per game and he was at 2.2. Dontel averaged 1.7, Armstead averaged 1.6, Wilson averaged 1.2, and Justin Thomas averaged 1.2. Good luck next year. I don't see any possible way Monty makes it back unless he lands some ridiculous graduate transfer or something.

I don't think Ball State is all that good of a basketball team but your point is taken. Montgomery's fate was in the hands of Wilson and Porter. Sounds like NIU wont do anything until his contract runs out so we are in limbo for a few years unfortunately. The next coach needs to value offense. You cant win playing a scrappy MSU style unless of course you are MSU

Michigan State averages over 17 assists a game which is good for 12th in the nation and posts an assist/turnover of 1.20. NIU has an assist/turnover of .80 which is bottom 30 in D1. I think the recent turn of events at the guard position may set this program back multiple years in its progression.

(03-09-2017 07:48 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Michigan State averages over 17 assists a game which is good for 12th in the nation and posts an assist/turnover of 1.20. NIU has an assist/turnover of .80 which is bottom 30 in D1. I think the recent turn of events at the guard position may set this program back multiple years in its progression.

Its just hard to evoke a defense first mentality on a program without the skill players like MSU. The margin for error is so so so miniscule.

(03-09-2017 08:43 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(03-09-2017 07:48 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Michigan State averages over 17 assists a game which is good for 12th in the nation and posts an assist/turnover of 1.20. NIU has an assist/turnover of .80 which is bottom 30 in D1. I think the recent turn of events at the guard position may set this program back multiple years in its progression.

Its just hard to evoke a defense first mentality on a program without the skill players like MSU. The margin for error is so so so miniscule.

I agree but Michigan State almost always has strong guards. NIU has been ranked 320 or worse in assists every season (second to last twice) under Montgomery with the exception of last year which was 190.

I think last year was a glimpse of what things could look like when everything is running the way it is supposed to. The schedule was a bit soft but 20 wins with an RPI of 130 is respectable for NIU. The system works, they just need to get the right guys in and more importantly keep them.

(03-09-2017 09:18 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(03-09-2017 08:43 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(03-09-2017 07:48 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Michigan State averages over 17 assists a game which is good for 12th in the nation and posts an assist/turnover of 1.20. NIU has an assist/turnover of .80 which is bottom 30 in D1. I think the recent turn of events at the guard position may set this program back multiple years in its progression.

Its just hard to evoke a defense first mentality on a program without the skill players like MSU. The margin for error is so so so miniscule.

I agree but Michigan State almost always has strong guards. NIU has been ranked 320 or worse in assists every season (second to last twice) under Montgomery with the exception of last year which was 190.

I think last year was a glimpse of what things could look like when everything is running the way it is supposed to. The schedule was a bit soft but 20 wins with an RPI of 130 is respectable for NIU. The system works, they just need to get the right guys in and more importantly keep them.

I don't think it works if you are looking to win a championship though. You can never win 4 games in a row in a tournament by ignoring offense. At some point, the other team will hit its shots. I just can't stand the small margin of error. I think the other problem you run into when teams are overly dependent on 100 percent energy on the defensive end night in and night out, is that the probability of fading in the end increases. I don't think its any mistake Coach Montgomery teams fade late in the season.