Two big Ifs, but if we retain our players and do not lose them to the transfer portal, and if we stay real healthy- I see our MBB team heavy in the mix to to win the MAC.

We need one year where we can put it all together- I think next year is the year.

2 points off the bench tonight. When they beat Toledo, 19 off the bench. We need healthy players, a bench that can score, and 5 starters that can score. If Coit stays, and the team is healthy, they could be pretty good, but those are BIG IF's. Men's BB seems to have massive turnover everywhere.

I wish I could agree, but this team was losing games when most of its core was starting.

They need an inside game, get better at rebounding, and a defense.

Just like the Chicago Bulls, individually there are good players but collectively they are quite average, at best, as a team.

Crump, Thorton and Hunter all transferred and all their teams will be in the MAC tournament and NIU will not.

(03-03-2024 11:18 AM)CollegeMan33 Wrote:  Crump, Thorton and Hunter all transferred and all their teams will be in the MAC tournament and NIU will not.

Let's be slightly fair---all three technically played through their senior year here and Crump and Thornton are not exactly contributing factors at WM or Akron.

Hunter is having a nice year and it's not like he's the game changer for the program though.

The point is they went to other MAC schools to better their chance at playing in march madness. People have been asking why go to another MAC school. So far this year Crump and Hunter have spent time on ESPN to 10 and highlight of there game winning shots

(03-02-2024 10:55 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  2 points off the bench tonight. When they beat Toledo, 19 off the bench. We need healthy players, a bench that can score, and 5 starters that can score. If Coit stays, and the team is healthy, they could be pretty good, but those are BIG IF's. Men's BB seems to have massive turnover everywhere.

I believe MBB may have hit the all-time low in 25 years. Not a single thread on the Akron game yesterday and one comment about the game in a thread on MBB -Next Year. Even the diehard fans are finding better options on a beautiful Saturday.

Earlier in the week I was wondering, which schools besides NIU have not made the dance since 1996. I assume all p5 schools have made an appearance.

Not counting recent D1 schools like Incarnate Word, here are some teams along with NIU that have not been in the tourney since 1996.


never made tournament:
WIU
Army
New Hampshire
Maine
Chicago State
Youngstown State

(03-03-2024 04:20 PM)jjj Wrote:  Earlier in the week I was wondering, which schools besides NIU have not made the dance since 1996. I assume all p5 schools have made an appearance.

Not counting recent D1 schools like Incarnate Word, here are some teams along with NIU that have not been in the tourney since 1996.


never made tournament:
WIU
Army
New Hampshire
Maine
Chicago State
Youngstown State

Illinois State hasn't been to the Big Dance since 98 and they have always prided themselves as a basketball school. I do get your point.

We would for certain be in the MAC tourney at least this year if we had a normal amount of injuries.

I don’t think so they lost many games with starters playing

UT since '80 or '81, BG since 62,66?

(03-03-2024 06:13 PM)CollegeMan33 Wrote:  I don’t think so they lost many games with starters playing

But the starters never got to play consistently with each other- that matters IMO as time is needed to gel.

(03-03-2024 04:13 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  

(03-02-2024 10:55 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  2 points off the bench tonight. When they beat Toledo, 19 off the bench. We need healthy players, a bench that can score, and 5 starters that can score. If Coit stays, and the team is healthy, they could be pretty good, but those are BIG IF's. Men's BB seems to have massive turnover everywhere.

I believe MBB may have hit the all-time low in 25 years. Not a single thread on the Akron game yesterday and one comment about the game in a thread on MBB -Next Year. Even the diehard fans are finding better options on a beautiful Saturday.

All it will take is a solid start and optimism next season and we will all be in the fold. I think this season has been so tough that a few of us has just moved on for the ending. I do not think it is a big commentary on the state of the program. We have definitely been in far worse spots in the last 25 years.

Definitely all of Patton’s years


quote='ChicagoHuskie' pid='19496440' dateline='1709512995']

(03-03-2024 04:13 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  

(03-02-2024 10:55 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  2 points off the bench tonight. When they beat Toledo, 19 off the bench. We need healthy players, a bench that can score, and 5 starters that can score. If Coit stays, and the team is healthy, they could be pretty good, but those are BIG IF's. Men's BB seems to have massive turnover everywhere.

I believe MBB may have hit the all-time low in 25 years. Not a single thread on the Akron game yesterday and one comment about the game in a thread on MBB -Next Year. Even the diehard fans are finding better options on a beautiful Saturday.

All it will take is a solid start and optimism next season and we will all be in the fold. I think this season has been so tough that a few of us has just moved on for the ending. I do not think it is a big commentary on the state of the program. We have definitely been in far worse spots in the last 25 years.
[/quote]

(03-03-2024 07:49 PM)MPython Wrote:  Definitely all of Patton’s years


quote='ChicagoHuskie' pid='19496440' dateline='1709512995']

(03-03-2024 04:13 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  

(03-02-2024 10:55 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  2 points off the bench tonight. When they beat Toledo, 19 off the bench. We need healthy players, a bench that can score, and 5 starters that can score. If Coit stays, and the team is healthy, they could be pretty good, but those are BIG IF's. Men's BB seems to have massive turnover everywhere.

I believe MBB may have hit the all-time low in 25 years. Not a single thread on the Akron game yesterday and one comment about the game in a thread on MBB -Next Year. Even the diehard fans are finding better options on a beautiful Saturday.

All it will take is a solid start and optimism next season and we will all be in the fold. I think this season has been so tough that a few of us has just moved on for the ending. I do not think it is a big commentary on the state of the program. We have definitely been in far worse spots in the last 25 years.

[/quote]
You are right for us being in worse spots. In 27 years in the MAC, NIU has been over .500 just five times in conference. We also had 7 years with 4 or less MAC wins in 27 seasons. A summer break would help us all get ready for football.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sch...inois/men/

(03-03-2024 04:20 PM)jjj Wrote:  Earlier in the week I was wondering, which schools besides NIU have not made the dance since 1996. I assume all p5 schools have made an appearance.

Not counting recent D1 schools like Incarnate Word, here are some teams along with NIU that have not been in the tourney since 1996.


never made tournament:
WIU
Army
New Hampshire
Maine
Chicago State
Youngstown State

Toledo last went to the NCAA Tournament in 1980. Bowling Green hasn't been since 1968.

One "big" that can score about 10 a game, but play great defense/rebound would make this team better over night. I hope he can find one.

(03-03-2024 12:26 PM)Milwaukee Pilot Wrote:  

(03-03-2024 11:18 AM)CollegeMan33 Wrote:  Crump, Thorton and Hunter all transferred and all their teams will be in the MAC tournament and NIU will not.

Let's be slightly fair---all three technically played through their senior year here and Crump and Thornton are not exactly contributing factors at WM or Akron.

Hunter is having a nice year and it's not like he's the game changer for the program though.

To be really fair:
2023-24 Team Leaders
Points per game
Darweshi Hunter
G #4
12.2

2023-24 Team Leaders
Assists Per Game
Kaleb Thornton
G #3
2.5

Crump is a bench player playing ALL 29 WM games averaging 21 minutes per game.
Per minutes per game played he leads the team in rebounds.