The most amazing thing to me is even at his nadir JB's teams are bubble teams

[Alsacs]

I mean his teams even when fatally flawed scrap enough to be bubble teams. This year's team is not great and still would be right on the NCAA bubble.
I am sad for Rak as he is likely losing a few extra games but this team is losing a chance to make the NCAAT and the media/NCAA better realize that. 8-5 with games against Pitt, UVA, @Duke, @NC State, @ND this could have made the tournament.
Rak could win the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award. JB should get some credit for when he bottoms out it is really isn't bad. There is no Duke 1995, North Carolina 2002, Kansas 1989, Kentucky 2006, UCLA 2003.

 

[RandygoCuse]

I mean his teams even when fatally flawed scrap enough to be bubble teams. This year's team is not great and still would be right on the NCAA bubble.
I am sad for Rak as he is likely losing a few extra games but this team is losing a chance to make the NCAAT and the media/NCAA better realize that. 8-5 with games against Pitt, UVA, @Duke, @NC State, @ND this could have made the tournament.
Rak could win the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award. JB should get some credit for when he bottoms out it is really isn't bad. There is no Duke 1995, North Carolina 2002, Kansas 1989, Kentucky 2006, UCLA 2003.

Give credit to his guys too. They haven't folded. I feel like last night's win was a shot of life. We had been in these other games, things just didn't fall our way. I still think we get 19 wins, but 20 is not out of the question. I really admire Rak. He's finishing strong despite everything. Whether he plays in the NBA or overseas, he'll get his chance to cash in on the court. And hey, he's already got his degree and no debt.

 

[RF2044]

I mean his teams even when fatally flawed scrap enough to be bubble teams. This year's team is not great and still would be right on the NCAA bubble.
I am sad for Rak as he is likely losing a few extra games but this team is losing a chance to make the NCAAT and the media/NCAA better realize that. 8-5 with games against Pitt, UVA, @Duke, @NC State, @ND this could have made the tournament.
Rak could win the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award. JB should get some credit for when he bottoms out it is really isn't bad. There is no Duke 1995, North Carolina 2002, Kansas 1989, Kentucky 2006, UCLA 2003.

Give credit to his guys too. They haven't folded. I feel like last night's win was a shot of life. We had been in these other games, things just didn't fall our way. I still think we get 19 wins, but 20 is not out of the question. I really admire Rak. He's finishing strong despite everything. Whether he plays in the NBA or overseas, he'll get his chance to cash in on the court. And hey, he's already got his degree and no debt.

Hear, hear -- two very good posts.

 

[bballbeadle]

Every game now is a tournament game. I wonder if the muscle/mind memory of playing fantastic defense in the second half will carry over into the rest of our games?

 

[jordoo]

And its in large part credit to his system which is often maligned here. Yes the staff and players (that we have left) have done a great job competing and giving themselves chances in almost every game but we are also in a very rare stars aligned improperly to kill the season type of situation.

Ennis was always supposed to be here for 2 years.
We didn't necessarily expect Grant to leave.
DC2 was hopefully going to be healthy.
Chris was expected to be a major contributor.

All of these things went against us to be down 4 scholarship players. Certainly you can plan for one or two but all 4 is pretty crazy which is why the supporting cast of characters isn't developed as much as we are used to.

 

[br801]

I mean his teams even when fatally flawed scrap enough to be bubble teams. This year's team is not great and still would be right on the NCAA bubble.
I am sad for Rak as he is likely losing a few extra games but this team is losing a chance to make the NCAAT and the media/NCAA better realize that. 8-5 with games against Pitt, UVA, @Duke, @NC State, @ND this could have made the tournament.
Rak could win the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award. JB should get some credit for when he bottoms out it is really isn't bad. There is no Duke 1995, North Carolina 2002, Kansas 1989, Kentucky 2006, UCLA 2003.

And all the while I thought JB was just rolling out the balls and experiencing an incredible 39-year run of good luck.

 

[Upstate]

Give credit to his guys too. They haven't folded. I feel like last night's win was a shot of life. We had been in these other games, things just didn't fall our way. I still think we get 19 wins, but 20 is not out of the question. I really admire Rak. He's finishing strong despite everything. Whether he plays in the NBA or overseas, he'll get his chance to cash in on the court. And hey, he's already got his degree and no debt.

Says a lot about the leadership on this team -- one of the areas we all hope continues to grow with next year's relatively young team (again).

 

[QManCuse]

I think it's pretty amazing that in 39 years of coaching, JB is only 5 wins away from achieving at least 20 wins in every year that he coached. (one season in the 80's with 16 wins and another in the 90's with 19 wins). Nobody comes close to that standard, maybe in any sport.

 

[NineOneSeven]

pitt

 

[Sgt Cuse]

IMO, JB early on placed in a strategy of being consistently good but not great. His teams routinely meshed upperclassmen with frosh. Good players wanted to come into slots that were opening up, but depth stunk.

About 5 years ago JB started cashing in on the rep created through being consistently good (and HOF coach). SU has been able to upgrade recruiting into mixing in the 2 and done strategy which (along with improved defense) has notched SU up into the routinely contending ranks.

This years team is like a blast from the past. Some good upperclassmen (Rak, G, TC) mixed in with players that will see their best days in the future - KJ2, McC, BJ etc.
If we had the 2 and dones on it, Ennis and McC, I believe we would be contending.