Member?
 

Member when Kendall Pollard had two healthy knees and thighs?

Member when UD could play defense?

Member when UD was going to the NCAA tournament for four straight years?

All these things are fading from my memories right now and it makes me sad.

Also I have no interest in the NIT

Defense does not seem to be a priority to the players right now.

Lots of basketball to be played. Not ready to jump ship after 4 games.

Understatement. Also Archie's unwillingness to at least try playing zone frustrates me. It's not like a zone defense could have given up any more wide open shots than the horrible man to man did.

Does the C stand for Chicken as in Chicken Little
 

Member when we lost 5 of the first 6 conference games then went on a run to the elite 8. Season is young to early to give up on the Flyers

Some real exciting games coming up against Portland and Cal St.-Northridge. Woo. Hoo.

We just don't have the horses inside to defend the bucket. Tonight's game was plagued by giving up dribble penetration and hitting a cutter or a trailer. The usually reliable Kyle Davis got burned three straight times at the start of the game. Archie sat him down and the die was cast for the game - dribble penetrate and dish...and we didn't have an answer. Our "bigs," and I use that term loosely, are not big or strong enough to defend in the paint. At some point Archie has to realize that the only way this team is going to win games is to press and run...and not with 5 minutes to go in the game! We are going to have to press and run the entire game to be successful. Scoochie was not himself tonight; Kyle has been in a fog all four games; poor Darryl Davis is just in a horrible shooting funk; and I wouldn't count on Kendall Pollard being back for weeks if not months. And when he does return, I don't see him being the Pollard we remember as a sophomore. My optimism for this season is dwindling; the loss of Cunningham was tragic.

Probably just as well as UCLA would beat us by 30.

I was wrong about them being overrated in preseason.

Time to realize we waited four years for this and it has been taken away by no ones wrong doing. No matter how they finish the non conf, they will have zero quality wins. You may want to deny it, but they are already on the bubble... only difference is the a10 conference schedule doesn't allow you to play yourself in and with a crap non conf resume ... **** it, the writings on the wall.

I love Archie and Scooch, but this blows. Pollard plays less that 300 minutes this season and next year is gonna suck ass.

2016 is the worst year ever. Can't wait for New Years

2 up and 2 down, not that big of a deal. The problem is the tendency of the program to play down to the competition. In other words, you can't count on this team beating the low end or middle of the pack A10. And, 60 percent winning percentage in the non-conference will not result in NCAA tournament bid.

UD's approach seems to be "hope like heck" you have more points than the other team at the final buzzer. Currently lacking focus and discipline. Going up to weak, missing free-throws, not boxing out.

We need UCLA to lose, se we can get another chance at strong RPI opponent. That would help.

From what I saw, it wasn't the fact we were not big enough, we just were out of position. They had a million easy/uncontested shots. The same happened against St. Mary's. The concern has to be that the team just isn't committed to the defensive end. Archie's lamenting 61% shooting by NE at half and they finish at 56%? The concern I have for the defense is desire. And for all you betting on the Kendall train, keep in mind, he will on occasion rack up 2 quick fouls and have to head to the bench. He's going to be veru rusty when he does play.

BTW, 16 offensive rebounds, shoot 38%, AND score 78. How is the issue not defense?

I didn't get to watch the second half...

You can play small and win. Pollard isn't some traditional 5, but he plays bigger than what he is and he plays tough. You can be undersized but you have to be tough. You also have to be in position. This team is atrocious at defending the ball screen with a man cutting to the bucket. When they don't guard that ball screen, they don't rotate the backside. We have seen this before. Last year they had Steve to clean up the poor D. Now they are getting exposed.

I think ETSU, Winthrop, Northwestern, and New Mexico would be considered quality wins should we get them.

And if we play Portland the way we played Nebraska- we lose by 20 as i believe Portland is better than Nebraska and its not even close.
For some reason, mental toughness and/or lack of experience is catching up with us. I feel like the Flyers are playing the start of games the way i play golf after work with no warmup, (and my slow start ruins the round). Agree with others, the injuries and poor luck in general over the last year is on display and while i commend the players for not rolling over, they have to understand the importance of showing up ready to play from the opening tip and not digging a hole for themselves. Its just too much to overcome when the opponent is of quality.
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And so it begins............the sky is falling.


In Archie i trust

This sums up my feelings pretty well. UD is firmly planted on the bubble and has exactly zero room for error at this point. Some people are going to try and downplay it due to the injuries and say that it's still early in the season, but when the main goal of the program is to get to the NCAA tournament the Flyers are already in trouble.

Fortunately, the facts don't care about your feelings. The fact is that we will likely be favored in the remainder of our non conference schedule. Assuming for the sake of argument that we can and do win those games, our RPI will be somewhere between 10 and 25, and our SOS somewhere between 25 and 50.

In that scenario, would UD be "firmly planted on the bubble?" Sorry, I just don't buy this gloom and doom nonsense just because we don't get a chance to play UCLA. I'll be rooting hard for UD/Nebraska/New Mexico and the A10 today. Still a hell of a lot to play for.

What remains to be seen is what "should" happen vs. what "does" happen. Unless the on the ball and help defense doesn't improve, there's some assumptions that are looking pretty rosy.

The sentiment is not all doom & gloom, however, the sample size keeps growing on the wrong side of the ledger. KP coming back should help with physicality, and I think some (needed) mental swagger.

Don't count on Kendall Pollard anytime soon...if at all.

You fellas are confusing accurate and obvious analysis with so called "doom and gloom". It's not a matter of the sky is falling concept; as no one has posted anything like that. Many of you see, read, and hear what you want.

The point is, these two games were more than just winnable; but player focus, and staff preperation and adjustments simply were not up-to-snuff.

Ok losing to UCLA, Dayton needed final top 50 game versus VaTech or Texas A&M.

Need top 50 wins to make NCAA and only have Rhody and VCU each 2x left. Need to go at least 2-2 in those games and hope to get another in A-10 Tourney. NCAA selection all about top 50 wins.

Winning the A-10 Tournament erases it all. Hopefully Josh is 75-90% by then and kendall can give us 15-20 minutes. With those two we can do it.

I remember when Scott and Robinson were kicked off the team and thought the season was over. Every game became an adventure but I ended up enjoying that year as much as the previous one. Can only hope this season ends up as good.

Major. Bummer.

I think your right- the A-10 T may be our best way in... let me remind everyone those tix are on sale! As I've said on a different thread I've received mine- awesome seats for the early birds going thru the A10 site. Front row mid court. As a resident of the Burgh I'd love to see you all here!

What was UD's record after losing Dumb and Dumber? What is UD's today after the same?

Do you know something, or is that an opinion?

I fully understand people wanting to believe it's too early to call it. We all wait so many months for the season to begin. But the last three years we have always had scalps in the non conf to support being in a non power conference.

You cannot support an at large bid in the a10 without the non conf. If you think it's going to change this year you are drunk. If they run the table in the tournament god bless them, it will be awesome.

But, when mid feb early March roles around and people are on here screaming about lack of respect etc, just remember the sane people in this thread. Yes the season is early but the writing is on the wall, the remaining non conf is ****, even if they sweep them all or unless they go 16-2 in conference it's outside looking in.

The selection system ain't changing and they ****ed away st Mary's and Nebraska even short handed... And if pollard plays more than 300 minutes/Cunningham more than 5 more games - that would be amazing, however it's a 50/50 shot and you know it. Short handed due to divine intervention will be too much to handle this year.

Lets hope for a 6th year of Cunningham, Archie to stick around next year and move on to 2017-18. Cheers

Not sure of the relevance but they were 7-2 and won the next 8.
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I hated those 2 idiots
 

Addition by subtraction...:D

You cannot be serious. We are four games into the season and you've already decided the A10 tournament is our best way in?

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

Member when the Flyers went on an unexpected Elite Eight run in the 2014 NCAA tournament.

Member when Archie had to replace three starters and four seniors from that Elite 8 team, and despite having a depleted roster that featured just six original scholarship players (and no active player taller than 6-foot-6), Miller led his Flyers to a 27-9 overall record.

Member when the Flyers won the A-10 league title last year.

I'm with Brob2Perryman3.. in Archie we trust!!!

It's the only way we can absolutely guarantee our spot in the NCAAT. Do I think it's our only way in- of course not. But the lousy luck we've had is unbelievable. I can't think of another DI team that's been impacted like us. With Big Steve (RIP big guy- we miss you) and no injuries we are a solid Top 10 team. I see us no worse than a bubble team as we are. We take over the 'Burgh during the A10T and we control our own destiny. Period. I don't trust anything else the way our luck has been going. The nice W tonight and the maturity of our sophomores does make me more optimistic.

Tommy, I respect the #€!! out of you, and I agreed with your post until this point. The loss of Cunningham was a huge setback. The loss of Big Steve was tragic.

Hopefully, the guys will remember that they're supposed to be dedicating this season to his memory, and start consistently playing like they mean it.
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Member when most of the easy drives to the basket our opponents are getting would have wound up in the cheap seats. Miss Big Steve a lot.

Unfortunately despite small ball and prior years' success we don't have the talent to compensate. Sam had a single rebound tonight against a small Portland squad and he's our center. When we went small we had Pierre and Pollard who played bigger than they are. Perhaps Archie really is a miracle worker, I hope so. If he can win with what we've got he should be canonized. But having watched all five games I cant see us winning more than 18 games with 3 already in the bag.

T-Bone84 - I like your style and the difference between what is a huge setback and what is tragic in life.

I cannot believe what I reading on this post. I am disappointed and dismayed by the start, but really...!! This ain't like college football where one or two losses ruins your playoff hopes for the entire season. Many games yet to play. I am bummed out too when the Flyers lose. If people are so concerned about what is going to happen, or not going to happen, four months from now to a college basketball team, maybe you really ought to get a life. If you really feel that despondent and standing on the edge of the ledge at this stage of the season, I suggest climbing back in the window and take a deep breath. Lots of games to play; maybe a team meeting at this stage; some players need to wake up and play like they are able to and have done in the past. I think what is needed now is a nice win on the road and a big win hitting on all cylinders at home no matter whom the opponent is.

We play four sophomores. They were better last night and will be better a month from now and two months from now. Scooch and Charles may be the best two players in the A10. This will be a good team.

I will say XW looks like the light is coming on.

I just don't think he is making any progress with his injury. It seems chronic to me.

I agree...two strong games in a row...in many phases - scoring, defending, and rebounding.

If you aren't concerned for this team after 5 games then we haven't been watching the same team. I want some of whatever you're drinking.

To be clear: I'm not giving up, nor am I 'all-in'. I'm simply somewhere inbetween. But to cite the 14&15 seasons success while ignoring the current landscape is ignorant. The A10 has far fewer OOC wins this season than in years past, and we are included in that. As we look forward, we don't have a 'bad loss', but we don't have a good win either. Bama will be a quality win, but not a great win; and that's it. Last year we had wins over Iowa, Vandy, Bama and Arkansas (and Monmouth). Year before wins against A&M, GaTech, BC and Ole Miss. In 14 we had wins against Cal, Gonzaga, Ole Miss and GaTech.

So to say You're not worried because we lost first 5/6 conference games and made E8...maybe you should be. Bc had we not had a strong OOC schedule, we wouldn't have made it. We barely made it in, as an 11 seed. And to cite success after dumb and dumber left, this is a new year, new team and we don't have big OOC wins to back us up. And even then we barely made it, getting into the play in game.

Point being, it is too early to jump ship, but we don't have as big of a cushion as years past. This makes NW and Vandy must win games, and to have a strong resume come March, we can't have any bad losses. We need to avoid the land mines--that is key.

Still early in season, yet there are some trends that Archie needs to focus on which in "I trust Archie", he has been doing.

Rebounding -
Free throws -
in the paint D -

Are all negatives. How a good team becomes a great team is turning those negatives into positives, STRONG positives.

We an't there yet.

When or if we get those on the plus side will determine the teams March outlook.

Member when Charles Cooke pulled his groin when he did the splits in the Honda Center.

Oh that just happened! We have no luck at all.

Never forget what I said since the beginning, it will be the truth in the end. Get a new hobby for Jan or Feb, otherwise you will be depressed this winter. It pains me to say it but this season is over BECAUSE the NIT is GARBAGE

Member when some of the depressed were burying this team for the season? So now we have won two straight.

Watching the Flyers is not a hobby for me. It is what I do. Kind of like breathing and eating. I do not know how the season will end but I am going to continue to breathe and eat regardless.

Some are quick to voice their concerns, others quick to say "I told you so". Not sure there's much of a difference.

Clearly the last two games the Flyers played with significantly more defensive effort, KD became much more aggressive, and X is beginning to emerge, at least for this weekend.

Member when we were a horrible team in January a couple of years ago. Sure, the beginning of this season hasn't been what many of us were expecting. Could we be undefeated if everyone was healthy? We will never know. Would X, Sam, and Ryan be where they are today if everyone was healthy? Doubt it. I actually am feeling more comfortable when X comes into the game now. We have a loooong way to go but overall still ok with where we are considering the circumstances. Let's see how we progress or digress until the start of league play. Yes, I understand the point of not getting to play the top 50 with the initial loss but considering our current condition, maybe we came out ok.

Wish y'all would quit playing with your Members!

Yes, I agree, it sucks we lost to SMC and Cornholes, especially since it meant we played weaker competition the rest of the Wooden Classic, hurting our RPI. I agree this is not our best team (at least doesn't appear to be) under Archie. However, some of that is due to rather important losses in personnel. And finally I agree that the rest of our OOC doesn't provide any eye catching games for the committee.

However, I also see a group of Sophomores that some were treating like they would be the cause of a return to the JOB years getting better. These extra unexpected minutes are helping them mature and improve faster than they would otherwise. As someone stated, they will be better next month, and better than that in 2 months. And it at least gives me hope for the future, both for this season and beyond.

Is the margin for error here on out more narrow than we are used to under Archie....seems like it. However, I believe, with Archie in charge, this team will improve a ton as the year goes on. Yes, winning the A10 Tourney is always the best way in (because doing that you ARE in), but this team's chance to earn a selection without winning the A10 tourney is still solid....as long as they keep extending the current small winning streak and keep improving all season. Now, if they lose another non-conf home game, then it gets ugly, but until that happens (and hopefully it won't), let's keep our collective chins up, our Flyers still control their own destiny, it's simply a tighter road to get to the destination.

Raise your hand.........IF
with 7:00 to play in SMC game you thought
Flyers would be 4-2 after Wooden Legacy.

My hand is not raised......great job Flyers!!

Bump!!! Helping you and us to member your words of wisdom.

For those of you who raised their hand, you may be excused.....its the first door down the hall on your right:p

Great games, actually . . . except Cal St-Northridge morphed into New Mexico

_____________________
Whether your glass is half full or half empty, you still have more to drink
:beermug:

Those are 2 games we should have won. And did, though New Mexico made it interesting.

Member a couple years ago when Dayton was recruiting Tim Williams (transfer from Samford) and he picked New Mexico over Dayton?
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Member when Dayton went to Chicago and completely no showed.

Member when we use to go to CHI Town and win.
Member when we use to play 40 minutes in a 40 minute game.

Member when the coaching staff and players demonstrated brains and heart on the court?

Member when Dayton lost to VCU at home in January of 2014 and everyone including myself were covering the grave with dirt? That season turned out to be the pinnacle of my sports life.


Its never as bad as it seems, its never as good as it seems.

Over react ?!
 

Absolutely. And especially on this MB.

"If you are a Dayton Flyer Fan, it's what you do! But if you want to save 15% on car insurance, talk to Geico"

Two ways in:
Outright A10 regular season champion
A10 Tournament Champion

Normally I would agree with you but with the A10's OOC performance this year, the only thing that may come with a regular season championship is a guaranteed NIT birth.

9-3 wouldn't be that hateful. I just can't see the A10 being a 1 bid league unless the League Title and Tournament goes to the same team and the other contenders really fall on their sword. Highly unlikely.

Member when Archie MillerLite was spot on

9-3 with zero top-50 wins and a mid 30's RPI. A lot of teams have been left out with less.

Name a year when the "outright" regular season A10 champion was left out of the NCAA.

Without comment.

Member how in the past 3 Flyers season Archie MillerLite was spot on about our success and how he told us not to worry about getting to the dance? Yeah, me either. :rolleyes:

Name a year when the A10 had 1 top 25 RPI and 2 top 50 RPI wins in OOC and only 3 teams finishing in the top 50 with the top one at 35.

Before you question my loyalty - I am betting on the Flyers winning the A10 tourney but if things go close to as predicted and the Flyers win the A10 regular season with a 2-2 record against VCU and URI, I will be sweating out selection Sunday big time, even if the Flyers lose in the A10 tourney finals.

We can't go on past history with the A10 now that 2 perennial top teams left. Temple and Xavier being replaced by George Mason and Davidson should make that obvious.

I agree with you there. The current make-up of this season's A10 members is very different from when X and Temple were members. We now have 14 members now too. But that is also the reason we can't take for granted that the regular season champ will be in the NCAA tourney.

The reality is that this has been a really bad OOC season for the A10.

The A10 has gone through many changes in its history. I hear the same argument every year. Until an outright regular season champion is left out I will stand by it.

"really bad" may be an understatement that even Cartman would understand!

Yes and the question now, is this a downward trend due to the loss of Xavier and Temple or is this just a down year. To think that the loss of the two above mentioned teams has no delayed effect would be naive. They helped give the A10 a lot of whatever prestige it held and helped recruitment for all schools within the conference.

Of course I'm not going to blame that for the effect of the Flyers since they are a senior team, but as for the conference performance in OOC play, I think we're finally seeing the effects. It won't be lost on the NCAA committee either, hopefully not this season, but soon if it's not just a fluke year.

Can You Say?
 

The A-10 may be a one bid conference this year? No team will qualify as an at-large entry.

Lot of basketball to be played. Too early to camp on the words, "no, never, always, lock, et al".

Do we have room for improvement? Egad, yes! It's not too late to learn how to play the first half of a game as well as we play the second half.

To beat the dead horse, this is why UD needs to get into the BE. Over the long run the BE will have more good teams, and a higher perception by the committee and the media. Forget the dogs, Fordham, Mason, DePaul and St Johns, the top and middle are very different. We are not going to save our bid by having a good year in the A10, but could in the BE. Recruiting for most A10 teams is just harder.

Most associated with Flyer bball would like to get in the BE and would accept the invitation in a heartbeat but they are not asking us to join. In the BG years we had a strong OOC performance only to fall on our faces in conference play. While this season's OOC play may not be exactly falling on our faces, it is close. It will take an extra strong performance in conference play to overcome the OOC play.

Dayton will have to turn to being Jesuits before anything will happen. We are good enough in basketball.

When we lost our 5th non-con game at home to Northeastern, yet were still one of the "Others Receiving votes" in the USA Today Poll? Oh sorry, I thought I was on the Michigan St. board. :)

RPI Forecast much better than I expected...
 

http://www.rpiforecast.com/teams/Dayton.html

2-2 against Top 50 probably gets us an 11 seed.

Dayton

Conference: A10
Expected RPI: 39.7
Current RPI: 36
Expected SOS: 75
Current SOS: 11
Current Record: 6-3
Expected Record: 21-8
Current Conf Record: 0-0
Expected Conf Record: 13-5
Expected Record vs RPI 1-25: 0-1
Expected Record vs RPI 26-50: 2-2
Expected Record vs RPI 51-100: 6-2
Expected Record vs RPI 101-200: 7-2
Expected Record vs RPI 200+: 7-0
Current OOC Record: 6-3
Expected OOC Record: 8-3
Expected OOC RPI: 58
Expected OOC SOS: 55

UD does not appear in Jerry Palm's latest bracketology on CBS Sports.

UD is not in the first four out either.

This might be Palm's first bracketology of the year.

SMC 6
NW 7
URI 10
VCU 11
ETSU 14



http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/bracketology



No NCSU...Groce maybe saves his job at Illinois.

Nor does UD deserve to be in anyones bracketology. Focus needs to be on the A-10 and best possible seed i.e Top 4 in Pittsburgh. Then handle business...weak league this year....

http://m.espn.com/ncb/bracketology?s...gle.com%2F"%7D

Lunardi's latest bracketology.


UD a 9 seed.

I honestly can't pay attention to this bracketology stuff until the last couple weeks of the season if that. Two years ago we thought we were shoo in for the tourney and were one of, if not the last, team picked and got placed in Dayton. Nothing will surprise me anymore.

Bracket project updated on December 25...we are down to an 11 seed...yikes.

VCU also an 11...URI has completely dropped out of the field.


http://bracketmatrix.com

Agree about the potential inaccuracy...sort of/maybe a good measuring stick though to determine where things stand at the moment.

Win in Pittsburgh and we can all print out the bracketology's and wipe our heinies with them........ i poke in on our RPI and SOS occasionally but I've come to realize bracketologies,rankings and projections are absolutely worthless. Just Win Baby.

Not just win baby, MUST WIN BABY!
On to the A-10 season...Go Flyers

One down, one to go.....

My wife calls me an optimist, (actually I play out every possible senario in my head, almost all ending in death and destruction, anything better than that makes me happy) so as such, things could be much worse, and this non con result could be a good thing. They have proven they could/should be undefeated. They skipped 3 halves, 4 if you count Vanderbilt's first half, and lost 3 games by a total of 9. What more motivation can Archie give them? If they just showed up for those 3 halves. . . . The players have to live with the losses, and hopefully they don't want to repeat that. Now, I don't expect an 18-0 conference record, but it is definitely in the realm of possibilities, they just can't take a game, or even a half off again. (BTW, you don't want to know how the senarios played out in my mind. NIGHTMARES)

George Mason is on 3 of the 29 brackets, so someone is sipping too much eggnog.

I noticed that the West Coast Conference may be the only conference, outside of the p5 and BE, to get multiple bids...they have Gonzaga and SMC.

And the WCC does not seem to have a long history of getting multiple bids...BYU and Gonzaga probably usually both get bids, but BYU has only been in the WCC for a relatively short time since coming over from the Mountain West.

The American may only get 1 bid with Cincinnati, SMU is on the bubble.

The A10 has 3, maybe 4 if you include Davidson, teams on the bubble.

No other conference has multiple teams in position to maybe get a bid.

Lunardi's latest...11 seed for UD...we do not have to play in the First Four.

SMC 5...NW 10...VCU 11 in the first four...no URI.


http://m.espn.com/ncb/bracketology?i...on=2&year=2017

I think this is fair right now. Looks like we are a 11 seed for procedural reasons, but really a 10 seed if you look at some of the 10s like Northwestern are one of final four byes.

http://bracketmatrix.com

Updated...still an 11 seed, average seed 9.79, but seem to have improved a bit from the last time...appear in 39 out of 40 brackets...anywhere from 6 seed to first four.

Expected rpi is 29 now...expected record 22-7.


Expected Record vs RPI 1-25: 1-2
Expected Record vs RPI 26-50: 2-2

Who would be a top 25 win? We have no top 25 games on the remaining schedule.

VCU and Rhody have a chance. And we play Rhody twice. Lot of pressure on this game tomorrow.

The irony is if we beat them it adds to their difficulty of getting to the top 25.