Quick pivot: the WMU telecast team did a really good job. The analyst, didn't recognize the name, is a former coach with broadcast skills. It showed. He was really good at breaking down plays and using terminology well.

I hate the mind numbing repeating of statistics. I want someone to call the game with technical skills. Bill Rafferty would start each game with, "Team A' opens man to man...

I posted about WMU having 7 offensive rebounds in the first half and I think EMU 3. About 15 seconds later the announcer said the same. That stat was VERY meaningful. Big difference than saying Team A shot 68% from the FT line and team B shot 72%. That is almost trivial difference, maybe one point.

Jalin Billingsley had his best game yet. 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. I think he is proving to be the clear starter in the frontcourt. When he started this year, I felt the guys did not want to play basketball. But steady improvement.

I also like Randle starting at center, he played decent defense in the post- certainly not great and may have been the opponent.

(01-10-2023 08:15 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  How long is Heath's contract?

I assume it was for 5 years as that seams so standard. But I don’t really know.

It is almost unthinkable how bad this season has gone.

Update: it is indeed 5 years when he signed. So 3 more after this.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...889114001/

(01-10-2023 09:19 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:13 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:03 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:01 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  Western is terrible! I'm done commenting on this team. On to football.

I'll take the bait (not Bates). When does spring ball begin?

Jerry Weaver, I believe it's WMU first D1 win this season!
Perfectly said as usual!

Close. Houston Christian is actually a D-I team. Southland Conference.

So this was their 2nd win and 1st conference win.

I really can’t believe how poorly this season has been. EMU gave Western their only their second D1 win?

I am calling it first, EMU will surprise and beat Akron on Friday.

Looked like WMU had more fans watching than we do at our home games.

I post game week threads on Sundays so I can get the latest scores and standings.

I mentioned this re CMU game that this team consistently gets off to a slow start the first half. That occurred again last night against WMU.

(01-11-2023 03:23 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Looked like WMU had more fans watching than we do at our home games.

Emoni sells tickets.

(01-11-2023 09:20 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(01-11-2023 03:23 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Looked like WMU had more fans watching than we do at our home games.

Emoni sells tickets.

That might be true. When I went to the @WMU game last year, there was hardly a few hundred there, AND it seemed like over half the fans were from EMU. Maybe things are different now with Covid, or maybe they are excited about a new coach. But definitely Emoni Bates is a draw.

(01-11-2023 09:39 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(01-11-2023 09:20 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(01-11-2023 03:23 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Looked like WMU had more fans watching than we do at our home games.

Emoni sells tickets.

That might be true. When I went to the @WMU game last year, there was hardly a few hundred there, AND it seemed like over half the fans were from EMU. Maybe things are different now with Covid, or maybe they are excited about a new coach. But definitely Emoni Bates is a draw.

Let me clarify more recent EMU home game attendance.

(01-11-2023 12:18 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  I am calling it first, EMU will surprise and beat Akron on Friday.

I admire brave people.

(01-10-2023 10:18 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Quick pivot: the WMU telecast team did a really good job. The analyst, didn't recognize the name, is a former coach with broadcast skills. It showed. He was really good at breaking down plays and using terminology well.

I hate the mind numbing repeating of statistics. I want someone to call the game with technical skills. Bill Rafferty would start each game with, "Team A' opens man to man...

I posted about WMU having 7 offensive rebounds in the first half and I think EMU 3. About 15 seconds later the announcer said the same. That stat was VERY meaningful. Big difference than saying Team A shot 68% from the FT line and team B shot 72%. That is almost trivial difference, maybe one point.

The same announcers pointed out EMU is last in the MAC in rebounding and a concern Coach Heath says needs to be addressed.

(01-11-2023 12:12 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:19 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:13 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:03 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:01 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  Western is terrible! I'm done commenting on this team. On to football.

I'll take the bait (not Bates). When does spring ball begin?

Jerry Weaver, I believe it's WMU first D1 win this season!
Perfectly said as usual!

Close. Houston Christian is actually a D-I team. Southland Conference.

So this was their 2nd win and 1st conference win.

I really can’t believe how poorly this season has been. EMU gave Western their only their second D1 win?

Bates played a great game against CMU not as well against WMU. This team is built around Bates so as he goes so do we. Lovejoy is impressive as a true frosh but WMU had three impressive frosh play meaningful roles last night. They actually be competitive down the road.

(01-11-2023 09:20 AM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(01-11-2023 03:23 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Looked like WMU had more fans watching than we do at our home games.

Emoni sells tickets.

Absolutely. He may be a bigger draw on the road than at home.

I watched as long as I could into the second half and then had to stop.
Really bad bb. Game should have been easily won but wouldn't know that from watching EMU play.

Perimeter players never having hand up to stop entry passes. Shooters left alone for uncontested shots. So many fouls committed in the back court.

Emoni dribbles into traffic with no plan in mind, exposes the ball and turns it over. Noah does the same.

Forwards catch ball and are open to shoot a jumper, but instead decide to attack the rim where a defender is waiting for them. Forward miss give me lay-ups because their hand on side off ball rather than behind it. Same on some jump shots. Can go on and on. I'll stop.

M Live story:

https://www.mlive.com/broncos/2023/01/go...bates.html

Last night, we crossed over the half way point of the season and sit at 4-12 with 15 more games to go.

EMU had 4 really bad games, as I suggested in a previous thread. All the other games, EMU has been competitive in. So at a minimum, we should expect another few wins, perhaps several if some things start slighting our way. So somewhere in the range of 7-24 to 10-21 is probably a reasonable expectation.

This is such a dismal reality for a season that held such promise. At the higher end of that range, EMU probably sneaks into the MAC tourney and who knows what can happen then (but probably lose to Kent St in round one). But in all likelihood, we are waiting for next year at this point.

Noah will be back and hopefully gets his shooting groove back to go along with his new found passing skills. Tyson is a solid guard too. Lovejoy is an impressive freshman, I see Randle developing, and Billingsley gaining consistency. If these three (and Geeter) figure it out by years end, next year should offer hope.

For all the opinions on the matter, Emoni Bates scores way too easily in the college ranks (20.9 ppg) at the mere age of 18 for the NBA to pass up on his potential.. He won’t be a lottery pick, but easily a first rounder. So EMU likely just squandered their time with him. I know no one is happy about this situation, not the Team, not Emoni, not the fans, not the Coach. You can’t blame anyone, and you can blame everyone all at the same time. But it just is what it is.

EMU will have a lot of potential next year with all the returnees. But Coach Heath is going to have to recognize that he needs to make more changes to what he is doing. I am not sure what, but hoping Coach Heath figures it out.

In the meantime, I am still rooting for that 10 win mark to possibly get EMU into the MAC Tourney. Let’s start with Akron on Friday night! Go EMU!!!

(01-11-2023 09:42 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(01-11-2023 12:18 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  I am calling it first, EMU will surprise and beat Akron on Friday.

I admire brave people.

Probably more delusion than it is bravery.

(01-11-2023 09:58 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(01-11-2023 12:12 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:19 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:13 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-10-2023 09:03 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I'll take the bait (not Bates). When does spring ball begin?

Jerry Weaver, I believe it's WMU first D1 win this season!
Perfectly said as usual!

Close. Houston Christian is actually a D-I team. Southland Conference.

So this was their 2nd win and 1st conference win.

I really can’t believe how poorly this season has been. EMU gave Western their only their second D1 win?

Bates played a great game against CMU not as well against WMU. This team is built around Bates so as he goes so do we. Lovejoy is impressive as a true frosh but WMU had three impressive frosh play meaningful roles last night. They actually be competitive down the road.

Finally got to watch the second half just now. And yes, Hubbard, Lovejoy, and Monegro each had some impressive stretches. Don’t recall Hannah doing anything in particulate. Should be fun in the years to come.