Basketball 2014-15

The good news is Shonn Miller is back and looks healthy. Shonn is a defensive force (rebounding, protecting the rim) who can single-handedly move the Big Red from horrific on defense (#350 of 351 last season if you believe Ken Pomeroy) to merely bad. At bad you have a chance of staying in games you just didn't have when the other team was scoring 1.2 points per possession.

Ivy hoops online did a pretty good player-by-player breakdown: [ivyhoopsonline.com]. There is some talent on this team, but not enough unless this freshman class is truly special or the sophomores make significant jumps.

KenPom starts the Big Red out at #318 in the nation, which is last in the Ivys by a fairly wide margin. His computer is projecting 8 wins and a 3-11 league record. That's probably about right. 10/11 wins and 5-9 in the league is probably the best case scenario; worst case is around 5 wins and 2-12. (It is hard not to win five games in a full d1 season).

Maybe hard not to win 5 games, but we managed to last year. Interesting we had players transfer from last year's 1 D-1 win team, who now are playing at Vandy and Cal.

CAS
Maybe hard not to win 5 games, but we managed to last year. Interesting we had players transfer from last year's 1 D-1 win team, who now are playing at Vandy and Cal.

Even really bad teams should be able to luck into 5 wins. Only 3 D1 squads failed to reach that standard last season. Last year's team was just flat out brutal on the defensive end; Shonn's return should help a lot.

For those who don't know, Nolan Cressler transferred to Vandy. He was the best offensive weapon on last year's team and earned honorable mention all-Ivy. He'll be missed, but I have a feeling the returning guards are more than willing to increase their shot totals (that's not a compliment).

Dwight Tarwater graduated and is on Cal's roster this season. Dwight gave full effort for the Big Red and seems like a good guy, but in reality he was never more than "generic Ivy League forward." He would have been behind Miller at strong forward this season, so why not graduate and let Cal pay for the first year of grad school? I'd be surprised if he gets much playing time, though I wish him nothing but the best, and I imagine he's a great locker room presence.

FWIW - Harvard is ranked in the nations top 25.

[www.bostonglobe.com]

CAS
Interesting we had players transfer from last year's one D-1 win team, who now are playing at Vandy and Cal.

It's the system?

billhoward

CAS
Interesting we had players transfer from last year's one D-1 win team, who now are playing at Vandy and Cal.

It's the system?

They didn't like the system/coach at Cornell?

As down as I was on these guys, I need to step up and say that's a nice win to start the season. 68-60 over George Mason. Beating an A-10 team, even a bad one, hasn't happened since December 2009. {Edit: Temple is A-10, so March 2010 in the NCAA Tournament.} Miller makes a huge difference and he and David Onuorah down low take away many of easy shots we gave up last season. When Hatter is on, he's a difference-maker, but the question is going to be how often is he on.

In candor, I have to say George Mason looked awful and not ready to play. But after last season, a win is a win.

I can't believe it. Amaaaaaazing.

ugarte
I can't believe it.

Neither could the George Mason announcers. They weren't insulting or obnoxious -- they remember Courtney fondly from his time down there -- but over and over they would say "I can't believe that shot didn't fall."

mountainred
In candor, I have to say George Mason looked awful and not ready to play. But after last season, a win is a win.

And a road win. Miller was 4-6 from 3, hopefully he doesnt get to comfortable taking those 3's. Mason just beat Princeton so maybe we will be somewhat competitive during league play. They will probably be just good enough for Courtney not to get fired which after last season isnt a good thing

Free Feed for Loyola game: [www.loyolagreyhounds.com]

phillysportsfan
Free Feed for Loyola game: [www.loyolagreyhounds.com]

"Free." What a novel idea!

3 for 19 from behind the line was the killer

Al DeFlorio
3 for 19 from behind the line was the killer

Yeah, I thought on more than one occasion what a difference Cressler would have made today

OVERRATED! SUCKS lose 58-57 to Holy Cross, so much for being in the top 25

phillysportsfan
OVERRATED! SUCKS lose 58-57 to Holy Cross, so much for being in the top 25

Holy Cross pressed them out of the gate and forced 25 turnovers (give or take). Saunders, Chambers and Moundou-Missi are very good, but there is nothing backing them up right now. (Not that I'm complaining).

Al DeFlorio
3 for 19 from behind the line was the killer

A five point loss on the road with a glaring statistical anomaly (IT BETTER BE AN ANOMALY) makes me think that this season won't be the horrible disaster last year was. Not that we'll be GOOD or challenge for the conference title or anything, but at least we'll be run-of-the-mill bad instead of the-subject-of-national-derision bad.

The problem was more the 19 than the 3. Been saying it for 4 years now, they take too many 3's especailly this year without Cressler. Hatter can be streaky and Pat Smith is supposed to be a good shooter but he is still hurt. What is Miller doing taking 5 3's, he should take at most 1 a game? Miller reminds me of Peck sometimes, all the athletic talent in the world but isnt willing to get beat up inside and use it, would rather take a junk 3pt shot with 30s left on the shot clock. I dont get why Courtney allows him to do that. If they only took 10 3's they probably would have won

I dont see Courtney ever taking them anywhere, he can recruit but cant coach at all. Its the last year of his contract, I wonder what it would take for him to do this year for them to resign him, I would hope another losing season which should be guarenteed and he would be gone. Whoever they bring in cant be a worse game day coach

3 for 19 is probably the same kind of statistical anomaly as 9 for 18 was on Friday. Shooting regressed to the mean very quickly.

The Courtney offense is take 3s or try to dribble penetrate for a circus lay-up and/or draw a foul. The only year it has worked was his first because he had Wrobo, Ferry and Groebe bombing away at a 40% clip.

I think ugarte has pegged our level. We're bad, but that's it. Unless Shonn goes down, in which case it will get really ugly fast.

I'm not even sold on Bill as a recruiter. There is some talent on the roster but too many guys with the same skill set of more athlete than basketball player. I do wonder what James Jones would do with this roster.

mountainred
3 for 19 is probably the same kind of statistical anomaly as 9 for 18 was on Friday. Shooting regressed to the mean very quickly.

The Courtney offense is take 3s or try to dribble penetrate for a circus lay-up and/or draw a foul. The only year it has worked was his first because he had Wrobo, Ferry and Groebe bombing away at a 40% clip.

I think ugarte has pegged our level. We're bad, but that's it. Unless Shonn goes down, in which case it will get really ugly fast.

I'm not even sold on Bill as a recruiter. There is some talent on the roster but too many guys with the same skill set of more athlete than basketball player. I do wonder what James Jones would do with this roster.

I also have little patience with Courtney's coaching style. I hope he proves me wrong this year with better talent to work with, but am not holding my breath.

Ugly game, but nice comeback: Cornell 58 Colgate 52. Big Red trailed by 17 early.

We're basically a playground team, but the playground moves can be fun to watch. The defense is much better, especially if the other team is easily rattled.

Cornell was down by 11 when I peeked about half an hour ago.

They won by 5. Already won more D1 games than last season.

Amazingly, 10 wins looks very doable. There's the D3 game and games with bottom 50 squads Bingo, UMass-Lowell and Howard. That's six. Win at home versus Dartmouth (we even did that last year) and Penn (they are brutal), eight. You only need 2-17 against the rest of the league slate and 5 games against so-so squads like St. Peter's and Canisius.

Interesting to note that last year, Cornell lost to Colgate by 28 points.

margolism
Interesting to note that last year, Cornell lost to Colgate by 28 points.

Imagine what the Colgate message boards are saying about their coach.

billhoward

margolism
Interesting to note that last year, Cornell lost to Colgate by 28 points.

Imagine what the Colgate message boards are saying about their coach.

Probably nothing. It's all a discussion of the free pizza.

South Carolina with a pretty easy win over the Big Red, but that was to be expected. Next up tomorrow is Penn State, which will be tough. On Sunday, it will be either Drexel or Southern Cal who are both rated in the bottom half of D1.

mountainred
South Carolina with a pretty easy win over the Big Red, but that was to be expected. Next up tomorrow is Penn State, which will be tough. On Sunday, it will be either Drexel or Southern Cal who are both rated in the bottom half of D1.

At least we catch Penn State the day after they went to double OT.

Cornell got very unlucky to lose on a buzzer beater 73-72 to Penn State.

4 point lead with 15 seconds left, Cornell gets a block, but the ball goes to Penn State who passes it for a 3 with 4.5 seconds left. A Penn State player tried to call a time out (which should have been a technical) but his coach stepped on to the court to stop him (which should have been a technical) but there was no call. Cornell couldn't get the ball in, Penn State stole the inbounds and got a couple of passes for a baseline drive and got the shot off with 0.2 left for the win.

I don't dislike this team.

"Well, it's late, but I'll keep watching this game. It's not like Cornell will throw the game away in ridiculously brutal fashion at literally the last second."

Wow. Tough loss.

Ugh. The only thing missing was Havlicek making the steal.

On the bright side, it wasn't like Cornell was close because of freakish three point shooting. We shot well, okay 22 of 23 from line won't be repeated, but not anything absurd. We played good D. That looked like two evenly-matched teams. Ivy teams are going hate playing Cornell.

mountainred
Ugh. The only thing missing was Havlicek making the steal.

it reminded me of the lax final against syracuse but without any of the stakes.

ugarte

I don't dislike this team.

I'm torn on these guys. They play hard and to the buzzer. Shoot, they played hard in most games last season. I enjoy watching the defense go at it. I hate watching the playground offense, though that could just be my biases of what's "good basketball."

Excuse me, I have to go tell some kids to get off my lawn.

ugarte

mountainred
Ugh. The only thing missing was Havlicek making the steal.

it reminded me of the lax final against syracuse but without any of the stakes.

I almost said the exact same thing, except that they never played a lax final in 2009.

there are multiple winnable games coming up. lets see if the can win 3-4

ugarte

mountainred
Ugh. The only thing missing was Havlicek making the steal.

it reminded me of the lax final against syracuse but without any of the stakes.

+1

upprdeck
there are multiple winnable games coming up. lets see if the can win 3-4

At the half, the Big Red leads Drexel 26-17. It hasn't been pretty, but it's been effective so far.

Not as effective in the second half and Drexel rallies to win 61-59. Too many turnovers late. Next three games (Canisius, at Bingo and UMass Lowell) are all winnable.

2 games in a row cornell had leads with under 2 to go..

upprdeck
2 games in a row cornell had leads with under 2 to go..

This was infuriating to follow. They weren't just winning, they were dominating. And then they fell apart at the end again. Goddamn.

ugarte

upprdeck
2 games in a row cornell had leads with under 2 to go..

This was infuriating to follow. They weren't just winning, they were dominating. And then they fell apart at the end again. Goddamn.

Lack of coaching.

Win #3. Cornell 67 Canisius 60.

It wasn't pretty and the Big Red was rather fortunate that the Griffs did not capitalize on a ton of chances down the stretch. But after last season (and the Penn State game), the guys were due some luck.

Nice game for Daryl Smith: 13 points. He's not as flashy as our starters, but he makes better decisions.

mountainred
Win #3. Cornell 67 Canisius 60.

I saw that we had the lead and then refused to follow. No way. They had to win one before I started paying close attention again.

ugarte

mountainred
Win #3. Cornell 67 Canisius 60.

I saw that we had the lead and then refused to follow. No way. They had to win one before I started paying close attention again.

The last three minutes were pretty frustrating, so I'm not sure they solved anything. 3 turnovers and 5 fouls in the last three minutes. But it didn't matter because Canisius missed 5 FT's and a bunch of lay-ups down the stretch.

mountainred

ugarte

mountainred
Win #3. Cornell 67 Canisius 60.

I saw that we had the lead and then refused to follow. No way. They had to win one before I started paying close attention again.

The last three minutes were pretty frustrating, so I'm not sure they solved anything. 3 turnovers and 5 fouls in the last three minutes. But it didn't matter because Canisius missed 5 FT's and a bunch of lay-ups down the stretch.

Sounds like the Sixers. Bill Courtney is tanking for a draft pick.

Things to be thankful for:

- Only one blowout loss (thus far)
- 3 of 4 losses by 5 points (2 possessions) or less
- Perfect at home
- Already more W than last season

3 senior starters on team. Frosh haven't contributed much yet.

CAS
3 senior starters on team. Frosh haven't contributed much yet.

Yeah, if Miller graduates and takes his fourth year somewhere else, Cornell will have to replace more than half of its minutes. Yikes!

On the bright side, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth and Penn are a combined 2-15 so far this season.

Who would have thought that Cornell would have more wins than Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, and Penn combined, at this point?

props for another win..

upprdeck
props for another win..

Agreed. KenPom has Cornell up another dozen or so places and is now projecting 13-17, 5-9 in the league.

I will be pretty surprised if we only manage 5 league wins. We'd be favored in all 4 games against Penn/Dartmouth. Call me crazy, but if everything breaks right, I could honestly see us competing for 2nd in the league.

harvard lost to Holy cross and watching HC play against SU they are a scrappy team with no size and poor shooters. I think harvard is only marginally better than 2-3 teams in the ivy.

It's crazy. Our team should be 6-2 with wins over Penn State and Drexel on our record. This team isn't trash. I like it. Going to have to see them at Columbia and I was thinking about blowing it off this year.

semsox
I will be pretty surprised if we only manage 5 league wins. We'd be favored in all 4 games against Penn/Dartmouth. Call me crazy, but if everything breaks right, I could honestly see us competing for 2nd in the league.

You're crazy, unless "everything breaking right" includes Justin Sears and Javier Duren quitting basketball to become Whiffenpoofs. Yale is a very solid team.

This team isn't trash and could compete for the top half of the league. They've caught a few breaks: Brown is floundering, Penn is a mess and both Princeton and Columbia have been hit with injuries. That's not Cornell's problem and after last year they were due a few breaks.

The thing is, the margin for error for these guys is very small. They aren't a good offensive team; they turn the ball over too much, don't shoot well and grab surprisingly few offensive rebounds. They are going to need to make 65 or so points stand up. They're winning because opponents are shooting around 40% from 2 point range, and just 30% from behind the arc. If the guys can maintain that, they'll be fine. But that's pretty elite territory.

ugarte

upprdeck
2 games in a row cornell had leads with under 2 to go..

This was infuriating to follow. They weren't just winning, they were dominating. And then they fell apart at the end again. Goddamn.

HOW DID WE BLOW THE LEAD IN THIS GAME TO THIS TEAM [www.sbnation.com]

ugarte

ugarte

upprdeck
2 games in a row cornell had leads with under 2 to go..

This was infuriating to follow. They weren't just winning, they were dominating. And then they fell apart at the end again. Goddamn.

HOW DID WE BLOW THE LEAD IN THIS GAME TO THIS TEAM [www.sbnation.com]

Certainly not good for the KenPom rating

scoop85

ugarte

ugarte

upprdeck
2 games in a row cornell had leads with under 2 to go..

This was infuriating to follow. They weren't just winning, they were dominating. And then they fell apart at the end again. Goddamn.

HOW DID WE BLOW THE LEAD IN THIS GAME TO THIS TEAM [www.sbnation.com]

Certainly not good for the KenPom rating

Will it even factor in? They don't count D-II wins, but is there a penalty for the shocking loss to a D-II team?

Yale beat UConn tonight. Ivy race is going to be interesting.

Another MBB win. Undefeated at home. Beat a team that had won six in a row coming into today's game.

Look out, Syracuse (Dec. 31 at Syracuse). NJIT in the heart of resurgent Newark took down #17 Michigan yesterday, 72-70. NJIT suffered an 0-51 spell about 10 years ago. [scores.espn.go.com]

December 8:
Basketball, 5-4
Ice hockey, 5-5-1

billhoward
December 8:
Basketball, 5-4
Ice hockey, 5-5-1

I wasn't aware it was a competition.

See fierce competition above to dump on the coach. Basketball was 2-26 last year, lost players to transfer, lost recruits who saw a disaster zone, and yet is 5-4 and 3 points shy of being 7-3. Hockey is performing about as expected or a tad under, basketball is way outperforming.

What would it take for folks to feel the BB coach should stay / have contract extended?

margolism
What would it take for folks to feel the BB coach should stay / have contract extended?

Pigs flying over Schoellkopf.

margolism
What would it take for folks to feel the BB coach should stay / have contract extended?

.500 or close to it in-conference.

TimV

margolism
What would it take for folks to feel the BB coach should stay / have contract extended?

Pigs flying over Schoellkopf.

There's a Pink Floyd reference if I ever heard one!

ugarte

margolism
What would it take for folks to feel the BB coach should stay / have contract extended?

.500 or close to it in-conference.

I think 7-7 in the Ivies is a minimum requirement given that 3 of our top guys (Miller, Cancer and Cherry) are seniors. I personally think Noel should require at least a winning record in the league given the poor track record.

Cornell crushes DIII Alfred State 107-29. The 78-point margin of victory is the largest in school history.

[www.cornellbigred.com]

jeff '84
Cornell crushes DIII Alfred State 107-29. The 78-point margin of victory is the largest in school history.

[www.cornellbigred.com]

What's the point of scheduling D3 programs other than to pad the win column?

Ken711

jeff '84
Cornell crushes DIII Alfred State 107-29. The 78-point margin of victory is the largest in school history.

[www.cornellbigred.com]

What's the point of scheduling D3 programs other than to pad the win column?

We schedule one a year. I know that Donohue was a D-III guy, and I think he started the tradition. but I'm not sure if it preceded him.

Ken711


What's the point of scheduling D3 programs other than to pad the win column?

It gives the D3 team that comes to Ithaca a chance to cash in on a big payday.

Princeton women up to 19 in AP. With nothing but Ivies left, they could enter the tourney 30-0.

Two of the main issues with Cornell basketball this season is lack of a true point guard and lack of another inside scorer to complement Shonn Miller. Devin Cherry is giving his best effort out there but lacks the vision to be a good point man and unfortunately don't see any other options at the point beyond Galal Cancer. Basically Cherry is a 2 guard playing out of position. IMO recruiting a good point guard is harder than finding a good big man. The defense has been reasonably effective especially yesterday in the effort against Columbia which brought about the comeback (Special props to Robert Hatter for his defense on Maddie Lo). I am yet hopeful that the team can make it to 7-7 in Ivies. They'll go as far as Shonn can take them.

rss77
Two of the main issues with Cornell basketball this season is lack of a true point guard and lack of another inside scorer to complement Shonn Miller. Devin Cherry is giving his best effort out there but lacks the vision to be a good point man and unfortunately don't see any other options at the point beyond Galal Cancer. Basically Cherry is a 2 guard playing out of position. IMO recruiting a good point guard is harder than finding a good big man. The defense has been reasonably effective especially yesterday in the effort against Columbia which brought about the comeback (Special props to Robert Hatter for his defense on Maddie Lo). I am yet hopeful that the team can make it to 7-7 in Ivies. They'll go as far as Shonn can take them.

And when Miller leaves, where are we then? Probably still no point guard and no inside game, unless Stone Getting is a player. But can't expect too much from a Freshman.

Miller, Cherry, and Cancer are all seniors. Little scoring and rebounding returns for next year.

This team's personality is pretty clear. They don't give up good looks at the basket; they are #18 in the nation in defending the two point shot. They rebound fairly well so they don't give up a ton of second shots. And they need every bit of that defense, because statistically the offense is worse than last year.

My worry is that this is the high-water mark under Courtney. 55% of our minutes are seniors, as are three of four guys who can generate any offense. We are very similar to Penn's team in 2012 when Zach Rosen covered up a lot of flaws. This season is a Shonn Miller production.

mountainred
This team's personality is pretty clear. They don't give up good looks at the basket; they are #18 in the nation in defending the two point shot. They rebound fairly well so they don't give up a ton of second shots. And they need every bit of that defense, because statistically the offense is worse than last year.

My worry is that this is the high-water mark under Courtney. 55% of our minutes are seniors, as are three of four guys who can generate any offense. We are very similar to Penn's team in 2012 when Zach Rosen covered up a lot of flaws. This season is a Shonn Miller production.

I agree, could be a steep drop-off next year in what should be Courtney's last year (I hope).

Being as this is the final year on Courtney's contract, I think a lot of people hope this year is his last.

semsox
Being as this is the final year on Courtney's contract, I think a lot of people hope this year is his last.[/quote


That would be nice.

Another win. 57-49 over Brown. This season is a pleasant surprise despite the Penn State and Drexel games.

ugarte
Another win. 57-49 over Brown. This season is a pleasant surprise despite the Penn State and Drexel games.

Seems as if the only pleasant surprise the rest of the lynch mob wants is the coach gone. But didn't Donahue build slowly, and fans' expectations then was an Ivy title (tie) maybe every 10, 15 years?

billhoward

ugarte
Another win. 57-49 over Brown. This season is a pleasant surprise despite the Penn State and Drexel games.

Seems as if the only pleasant surprise the rest of the lynch mob wants is the coach gone. But didn't Donahue build slowly, and fans' expectations then was an Ivy title (tie) maybe every 10, 15 years?

Donohue caught lightning in a bottle and got lucky with a freak recruiting class. Wittman was injured as a senior and his stock plummeted; Dale was undersized and unrecruited and Foote ended up here purely because of the Gant injury. I have no idea if Courtney should be back. This is a pretty good year, though.

ugarte

billhoward

ugarte
Another win. 57-49 over Brown. This season is a pleasant surprise despite the Penn State and Drexel games.

Seems as if the only pleasant surprise the rest of the lynch mob wants is the coach gone. But didn't Donahue build slowly, and fans' expectations then was an Ivy title (tie) maybe every 10, 15 years?

Donohue caught lightning in a bottle and got lucky with a freak recruiting class. Wittman was injured as a senior and his stock plummeted; Dale was undersized and unrecruited and Foote ended up here purely because of the Gant injury.

Those three guys made Donahue look good. Until they arrived on his doorstep, he was an ordinary coach at best. He got lucky...was offered a high-paying gig...and failed.

Cornell lost to a good Yale team last nite. Courtney is 47-88 in his career at Cornell, with several wins over D-3 teams. Yes this year's 9-10 record against D-1 teams is better than last year's 1-26, but this year's team features 3 senior starters who average about 2/3 of the team's points. Not sure what next year's team will look like.

Donahue had winning Ivy records his last 6 years at Cornell, going a combined 63-21. Courtney is currently 21-39 in the Ivies.

CAS
Cornell lost to a good Yale team last nite. Courtney is 47-88 in his career at Cornell, with several wins over D-3 teams. Yes this year's 9-10 record against D-1 teams is better than last year's 1-26, but this year's team features 3 senior starters who average about 2/3 of the team's points. Not sure what next year's team will look like.

That's the scary part, unless there's some outstanding freshman he's recruited that project as starters, there could be a big drop off next year.

This year's freshmen have played little, and have scored a combined total of 74 points in the 20 games played.

CAS
This year's freshmen have played little, and have scored a combined total of 74 points in the 20 games played.

But I think the Freshmen are going to be solid players. Just stuck behind upperclassmen now.

CAS
Donahue had winning Ivy records his last 6 years at Cornell, going a combined 63-21. Courtney is currently 21-39 in the Ivies.

As has been said several times in this thread, he was gifted three All-Ivy players for those last four years. Prior to that he was ordinary at best. Let's stop lionizing him. His first five years Donahue was 23-47 in the Ivies.

Al DeFlorio

CAS
Donahue had winning Ivy records his last 6 years at Cornell, going a combined 63-21. Courtney is currently 21-39 in the Ivies.

As has been said several times in this thread, he was gifted three All-Ivy players for those last four years. Prior to that he was ordinary at best. Let's stop lionizing him. His first five years Donahue was 23-47 in the Ivies.

Fairly or unfairly, context matters, and Courtney has put up his first 5 years in the wake of the most successful run in Cornell basketball history, coming off of a Sweet 16. Now if you think it's fair to do a direct apples-to-apples comparison between Bill and Steve's first several years, be my guest.

The truth is that in the wake of that success, with our basketball profile as high as we're likely to see, and having used that profile to recruit several players that are much more athletically gifted than Wittman/Dale/Foote were, we're topping out at .500 in the Ivies with a senior-laden team. The defense has been there this year, but the offense, as it has been for the duration of BC's tenure, is simply not competitive in today's college basketball landscape.

semsox

Al DeFlorio
As has been said several times in this thread, he was gifted three All-Ivy players for those last four years. Prior to that he was ordinary at best. Let's stop lionizing him. His first five years Donahue was 23-47 in the Ivies.

Fairly or unfairly, context matters, and Courtney has put up his first 5 years in the wake of the most successful run in Cornell basketball history, coming off of a Sweet 16. Now if you think it's fair to do a direct apples-to-apples comparison between Bill and Steve's first several years, be my guest.

The truth is that in the wake of that success, with our basketball profile as high as we're likely to see, and having used that profile to recruit several players that are much more athletically gifted than Wittman/Dale/Foote were, we're topping out at .500 in the Ivies with a senior-laden team. The defense has been there this year, but the offense, as it has been for the duration of BC's tenure, is simply not competitive in today's college basketball landscape.

Oh, please. Four of Donahue's starters graduated, leaving only Wroblewski. And don't make me laugh by saying recruits were more gifted than Dale, Wittman, and Foote.

My point is that Donahue was an ordinary coach until three extraordinary players found their way to Cornell with minimum effort from him. One even had to personally mail a tape of his high school playing. I'm not comparing Courtney to Donahue. I'm saying Donahue was ordinary until three terrific Ivy-level players found their way to his team. "Be my guest" if you want to disagree, but Donahue was nothing special until they arrived. And I agree Courtney is not a good half-court coach. Neither was--or is--Donahue.

Tough loss to Penn.

I didn't see the game but I was following the live stats. We had an 8 point lead at the half, 5 point lead with around 1:44 left IIRC. Penn hit a 3 to take its first lead in forever with around 40 seconds left, we tied it with a free throw (after missing one - a real problem as we went 1 for 2 on a bunch of late Penn fouls), and Penn hit the game winning jumper with 4 seconds left.

Booooo.

That pretty much sums up the Courtney era: crumbling in crunch time.

ithacat
That pretty much sums up the Courtney era: crumbling in crunch time.

Even without watching I'm not sure this one's on Courtney. Penn kept fouling and we kept going 1 for 2 from the line when we could have put the game away. That game was lost at the stripe not on the whiteboard.

They may not all be on Coutney, but it doesn't change the fact that one of the calling cards of his teams is folding under pressure.

ithacat
They may not all be on Coutney, but it doesn't change the fact that one of the calling cards of his teams is folding under pressure.

OK

ugarte

ithacat
They may not all be on Coutney, but it doesn't change the fact that one of the calling cards of his teams is folding under pressure.

OK

Why are you bringing up weather in a discussion about climate?

Robb

ugarte

ithacat
They may not all be on Coutney, but it doesn't change the fact that one of the calling cards of his teams is folding under pressure.

OK

Why are you bringing up weather in a discussion about climate?

lol