mbb 2022 Bryant 2/8

[cwdickens]

1 hour ago, jimbo said:

Why would anyone pay money to watch this team?

 

Great question, looks like most season ticketholders stayed home tonight.

If Killings is our coach for the 2023-2024 season, who will be willing to purchase season tickets? 

[bob87]

2 hours ago, jimbo said:

Why would anyone pay money to watch this team?

 

Because the next closest division 1 team is Marist and I really don't feel like traveling for a maac team. After no games in 2020, I still need to see games in person. 

But they are making it difficult to attend.

[cwdickens]

The top half of the AE Conference continues to roll over the bottom half of the conference

2022-23 Men's Basketball Standings

SCHOOL	CONF	CPCT.	OVERALL	PCT.	STREAK
Vermont	8-2	.800	14-10	.583	W6
UMass Lowell	7-4	.636	20-6	.769	W3
Bryant	7-4	.636	16-8	.667	W3
Binghamton	6-4	.600	10-13	.435	W1
UMBC	6-5	.545	16-10	.615	W1
New Hampshire	6-5	.545	11-12	.478	L2
Maine	4-7	.364	10-14	.417	L1
NJIT	3-7	.300	6-17	.261	L3
UAlbany	1-10	.091	6-20	.231	L8

[OrangeDane]

10 hours ago, cwdickens said:

Great question, looks like most season ticketholders stayed home tonight.

If Killings is our coach for the 2023-2024 season, who will be willing to purchase season tickets? 

Yep! What has happened to this once pretty solid program is an epic fail by UA on many many levels and the business side of it may be the very least of it.

[dslyank]

13 hours ago, nysteve661 said:

So Coach DK  emphasized defense going into this game.  Has this not proven his coaching skills are not there?  And his staff too?  Bryant will score more than 100.  

I know it maybe nitpicking; but IMHO still DO NOT know if DK can coach or NOT. The TALENT on this team is simply NOT THERE. If you were to rate the talent based on which active players are D1 material; IMHO the score would 2-3 at best. You could absolutely argue that he is responsible for putting this team together and held responsible [perhaps even fired.] But given what he's got to work with {some of which is his fault--i.e bad recruiting, bad judge of talent} and INJURIES {which cannot be blamed on him}; I personally do not see how we can possibly evaluate him as a "coach", strategist, game coach; whatever you want to call it.

How's the expression go:  "can't make a pig out of a sows ear."

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by dslyank

[nysteve661]

Any basketball coach will tell you that offense can come and go but defense must be there every game because most of it is effort.  If Bryant didn't call off the dogs, they could have scored 100.  This is Bryant, not a power 5 team with more height and athleticism.  We are getting blown out every game and I don't believe having guys like Neely and Little available would much difference.  Not like we lose by a bucket or two.  No reason our mid to low major players can't defend other mid to low major opponents.  Even D2 players, if coached well, can defend a low major D1 team reasonably well.  Have no idea what DK is practicing on their man to man or zone defenses cause it's not working.  And if it's lack of effort, then thats also on him. 

This dumpster fire may lead guys like Beagle to bolt.  A new coach will have to pick up the pieces and the program will be irrelevant for a few more seasons but may be worth it in the long run.  

[tnehurley]

Remember the days when Maine was the AE doormat, and New Hampshire was not far behind? We could usually count on 4 wins a year vs. those 2 teams. Those days are now gone. Other teams are now doing this to us. Anyway, I think we got a good early indication of what kind of team we had when we barely beat Skidmore, winning only because of 2 missed shots at the buzzer. Then the same vs. Union. If we do get a new coach soon, it would be nice if he has previous D-1 head coach experience, and knows how to hire good assistants. Here’s hoping!

[dslyank]

4 hours ago, nysteve661 said:

This dumpster fire may lead guys like Beagle to bolt.  A new coach will have to pick up the pieces and the program will be irrelevant for a few more seasons but may be worth it in the long run.  

 

2 hours ago, tnehurley said:

Remember the days when Maine was the AE doormat, and New Hampshire was not far behind? We could usually count on 4 wins a year vs. those 2 teams. Those days are now gone. Other teams are now doing this to us. Anyway, I think we got a good early indication of what kind of team we had when we barely beat Skidmore, winning only because of 2 missed shots at the buzzer. Then the same vs. Union. If we do get a new coach soon, it would be nice if he has previous D-1 head coach experience, and knows how to hire good assistants. Here’s hoping!

I really hope Beagle does not leave. And I agree this dumpster fire was evident from early on, including a poor performance vs a ST. Rose team that is less than 50% in its DII conference.

And we absolutely overpaid for a coach with no DI Head coaching experience; or for that matter no head coach at any level. NOT SURE firing him at this point and taking another step backwards is the best option or for that matter considering financial straights of the University an option at all. NOT SAYING I'M RIGHT {not even sure I believe my own opinion,} but at this point I would let him fulfill the last year of his contract.

Supposedly 3 incoming freshman are the real McCoy, Best chance of retaining Beagle & Neely, Hopefully DK would do a better job of attracting some Transfer Portal help (than his past signees,) and not having to take a $400,000 salary hit. Again I'm NOT saying those of you saying "fire him now" are wrong. Just saying for the reasons mentioned, I'm saying/hoping:  with the kids coming off injury, DK's freshman recruits as a whole have been a positive, and better recruiting off the portal;  MAYBE this train wreck can be salvaged without a 2-3 year backstep and more $dollars wasted??????????????????

Edited February 9, 2023 by dslyank

[dslyank]

Ps addendum to above. Take a look at the track record of the guy who would be responsible for finding DK’s replacement. 🤪🤑😥

[Oldtimer]

Coach has to go.  He has basically admitted to the incident to one of his players by accepting the UA suspension and fine.  That should be a violation of his contract unless Benson drew up a terrible contract.  UA should owe Kilings zero.  Offense is talent but defense is a skill you can learn.  We need a coach or assistant coach that can coach "D"!  The freshman are good and the injured are good--we are at least two years away but need good recruits. The PORTAL is a disaster for mid-majors.

[cwdickens]

4 hours ago, tnehurley said:

Remember the days when Maine was the AE doormat, and New Hampshire was not far behind? We could usually count on 4 wins a year vs. those 2 teams. Those days are now gone. Other teams are now doing this to us. Anyway, I think we got a good early indication of what kind of team we had when we barely beat Skidmore, winning only because of 2 missed shots at the buzzer. Then the same vs. Union. If we do get a new coach soon, it would be nice if he has previous D-1 head coach experience, and knows how to hire good assistants. Here’s hoping!

I remember an article in the Times Union around 1998 detailing New Hampshire whoa concerning basketball and its low position in D1 basketball ranking.  In my lifetime, I never ever thought UAlbany would be in this position.

[cwdickens]

2 hours ago, dslyank said:

 

I really hope Beagle does not leave. And I agree this dumpster fire was evident from early on, including a poor performance vs a ST. Rose team that is less than 50% in its DII conference.

And we absolutely overpaid for a coach with no DI Head coaching experience; or for that matter no head coach at any level. NOT SURE firing him at this point and taking another step backwards is the best option or for that matter considering financial straights of the University an option at all. NOT SAYING I'M RIGHT {not even sure I believe my own opinion,} but at this point I would let him fulfill the last year of his contract.

Supposedly 3 incoming freshman are the real McCoy, Best chance of retaining Beagle & Neely, Hopefully DK would do a better job of attracting some Transfer Portal help (than his past signees,) and not having to take a $400,000 salary hit. Again I'm NOT saying those of you saying "fire him now" are wrong. Just saying for the reasons mentioned, I'm saying/hoping:  with the kids coming off injury, DK's freshman recruits as a whole have been a positive, and better recruiting off the portal;  MAYBE this train wreck can be salvaged without a 2-3 year backstep and more $dollars wasted??????????????????

Even the best talent, needs a coach who can put a game plan together and handle changes to the game plan if the need arises.  Further, the coach must recognize the best skill set in each player and making it work within the team framework.  None of that currently exists.   Right now, it is just chaos!!

[dslyank]

16 hours ago, Oldtimer said:

He has basically admitted to the incident to one of his players by accepting the UA suspension and fine. 

No way this is an admission of guilt. Numerous reasons a person takes a plea. Just trying to move on; not worth the fight; just trying to do what's best for the team/ the university and maybe even for the kid involved, etc.

And even more importantly he admitted to an "over zealous and inadvertent contact in a hype drill/activity." DK has in NO WAY "admitted" to an assault and the university has definitively denied all charges against them/ the coach/the AD. Also, in the assault charge in Kentucky courts not a single witness or shred of evidence was presented. And in the civil & NY State suit as far as any one knows officially no witness statements or evidence have been presented yet.

Where the heck do some of you keep coming up with "admitted to the incident."  Not true and not even relevant to the charges made.

[Don Nichols]

On 2/6/2023 at 7:06 PM, Clickclack said:

Let it all burn...let the fire cleanse this program...I doubt they win another game. We haven't been good in many years, but this is a complete disaster of epic proportions. I'll go to my grave remembering how this program was torched. There is no redemption for Mark Benson. It was the right move to move on to a new coach, but his hire has been a complete disaster and Mark Benson needs to wear that. This halwift gave close to a half a million dollars a year to a guy with zero HC experience, to learn on the job. The results have been predictable. This is his legacy, Dwayne Killings and that loser Greg Gattuso...

 

FIRE MARK BENSON NOW! 

Saw a highlight on ESPN involving UA and thought I would check in over my lunch break.  Hate to see the program in the current state, good to see/read the passion the group still has for the team and the desire for success.  While I wish DK nothing but the best, I still think the coaching change was a mistake, and my belief was only reinforced watching Coach Brown with the Patroons.  And much of what I was impressed with was the marketing (something I know a thing or two about) around the team and Coach Brown's involvement.  With his deep ties to the business community, who would have been better to usher in NIL at UA than Coach Brown?  Don't want to relitigate Coach Brown's tenure but will say from my vantage point there was little chance for success to the degree that would have satisfied supporters.  In every level of sports, when the players feel like the staff has lost the support of the administration, it's over.  I have seen it play out up close and personal at every level of college sports and the pros with ownership.  No slight to anyone, but the amount of support needed at the Div 1 level to be successful is likely beyond most folks grasp if you have never been intimately involved.