Worst Titan Team Ever?

[udballer]

I try not to make threats, primarily because I doubt the University (or anyone else) really cares. I can honestly say that IF BA were to be let go and "replaced" with JJ... I'd discontinue going to Titan games moving forward. That would make no sense... and I don't want to be associated with that.

[ptctitan]

I would not rank this team as the worst one ever. In my lifetime, I would rank the 1987-88 and 1969-70 teams as worse. The '87-'88 team only won 5 regular season games and lost to Grand Valley at home when it counted and only won 3 conference games.

I think the decline of our performance in recent years is due primarily to the roster and what type of players have not been on it. 1) No strong rebounding center. 2) No solid point guard. If you look at each team in the top half of the 2017-18 HL, all have a decent center and a reliable point guard.

The center is at least 6'8" with some poundage. NKU has McDonald. Wright State has Love. UIC has Odiase. Oakland has Brock & Hayes in tandem. Milwaukee has Prahl & Nze in tandem.

We have not had any type of effective center since NJ. Hogan was really a power forward playing center. So, too, is Prince (who is closer to 6'5"). It should come as no coincidence that the 2011-12 league champs had Lowe and Holman inside. Their absence was a big reason why the 2012-13 team did not repeat.

Also, we have not had a reliable PG since Ray, Jr. This includes JJJr this year. My problem with him was not so much his poor shooting as it was his failure to see the floor on offense. It's hard to determine if this results from his lack of height, his inexperience at D-1 ball, or his problem transitioning from being the important guy in HS to a role player in college. Probably all of the above. Hopefully, experience solves part of his problems.

The problem this year is that none of the guards was particularly adept at passing except Black. But he lacks the quickness to play consistently well at D-1 for long minutes each game. The other 3 do not even look for the screener rolling to the basket.

All of our guards appear to lack the skill to score contested lay-ups. Allen and Black are not strong jumpers. Josh and Jackson can jump, but they are so small compared to their defenders that they get stopped at the rim and too often resort to desperation tosses hoping they go in. Chatman is also not a strong jumper; he maybe gets 6" off the floor. Same with Cole Long.

Once we lost Hogan, T.Jones and Blackshear, we were left with not even a pretend center. God Bless Roschon Prince for giving 120% effort at playing the post. Ballantyne and Eichler are too raw to adequately replace them. Isaiah Jones was a joy to watch, but his bad knees slowed him down.

Before I get to evaluating the coaching, I have to objectively evaluate the roster. All are good young men. Overall, they are not quick or powerful on the boards. The two most improved players are Josh and Cole - in that order.

[udballer]

Josh who? McFolley? Most improved?

Sorry, Josh looks the same solid player he was last season... though his numbers are down across the board due to misuse by the coaching staff.

[Tacitus651]

Josh who? McFolley? Most improved?

Sorry, Josh looks the same solid player he was last season... though his numbers are down across the board due to misuse by the coaching staff.

Yeah, but now he wears a sweatband and fights opposing players.

[udballer]

Josh who? McFolley? Most improved?

Sorry, Josh looks the same solid player he was last season... though his numbers are down across the board due to misuse by the coaching staff.

Yeah, but now he wears a sweatband and fights opposing players.

Good point. Maybe I jumped the gun. There is the potential that Josh has seriously improved his fighting style since last season. Maybe that's what PTC meant. I was thinking basketball-related stuff & was fooled.

[Commissioner]

By the way, nobody seems to have noticed that unless the Titans win the national championship, this year we will set a new school record for most losses in a season.

[Tacitus651]

By the way, nobody seems to have noticed that unless the Titans win the national championship, this year we will set a new school record for most losses in a season.

* Plus a loss to Wayne State

[TitanVoiceofReason]

I would not rank this team as the worst one ever. In my lifetime, I would rank the 1987-88 and 1969-70 teams as worse. The '87-'88 team only won 5 regular season games and lost to Grand Valley at home when it counted and only won 3 conference games.

I think the decline of our performance in recent years is due primarily to the roster and what type of players have not been on it. 1) No strong rebounding center. 2) No solid point guard. If you look at each team in the top half of the 2017-18 HL, all have a decent center and a reliable point guard.

The center is at least 6'8" with some poundage. NKU has McDonald. Wright State has Love. UIC has Odiase. Oakland has Brock & Hayes in tandem. Milwaukee has Prahl & Nze in tandem.

We have not had any type of effective center since NJ. Hogan was really a power forward playing center. So, too, is Prince (who is closer to 6'5"). It should come as no coincidence that the 2011-12 league champs had Lowe and Holman inside. Their absence was a big reason why the 2012-13 team did not repeat.

Also, we have not had a reliable PG since Ray, Jr. This includes JJJr this year. My problem with him was not so much his poor shooting as it was his failure to see the floor on offense. It's hard to determine if this results from his lack of height, his inexperience at D-1 ball, or his problem transitioning from being the important guy in HS to a role player in college. Probably all of the above. Hopefully, experience solves part of his problems.

The problem this year is that none of the guards was particularly adept at passing except Black. But he lacks the quickness to play consistently well at D-1 for long minutes each game. The other 3 do not even look for the screener rolling to the basket.

All of our guards appear to lack the skill to score contested lay-ups. Allen and Black are not strong jumpers. Josh and Jackson can jump, but they are so small compared to their defenders that they get stopped at the rim and too often resort to desperation tosses hoping they go in. Chatman is also not a strong jumper; he maybe gets 6" off the floor. Same with Cole Long.

Once we lost Hogan, T.Jones and Blackshear, we were left with not even a pretend center. God Bless Roschon Prince for giving 120% effort at playing the post. Ballantyne and Eichler are too raw to adequately replace them. Isaiah Jones was a joy to watch, but his bad knees slowed him down.

Before I get to evaluating the coaching, I have to objectively evaluate the roster. All are good young men. Overall, they are not quick or powerful on the boards. The two most improved players are Josh and Cole - in that order.

Yes, that's a fair assessment. I agree that Josh and Cole improved as the year went on. I'm sure they will continue to add to their game next year. I always was amazed at the improvement John Long, Terry Tyler and Willie Green made from year to year. I didn't think they could improve but they did. Add Terry Duerod, Joe Kopicki, Dennis Boyd, Jeff Whitlow and many others to the list.

[TitanTarHeel]

And the Woman's team is now 2-27 on the season. Yes, you read that right, 2 (aka TWO, TO, TOO, TOUS, pick your spelling) wins on the season.

2017-2018 Titan Basketball...The worst teams in program history and in America, A Robert Vowels production

[MotownTitan]

I would not rank this team as the worst one ever. In my lifetime, I would rank the 1987-88 and 1969-70 teams as worse. The '87-'88 team only won 5 regular season games and lost to Grand Valley at home when it counted and only won 3 conference games.

I'm sorry to disagree, but it's apples and oranges. Look at the quality of opponents in both of the bad years:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... edule.html

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... edule.html

In 87-88, Xavier was an 11 seed in the tourney. The problem with this year's team is that it finished in in last place in the worst season of the Horizon League (all teams) ever. No other conference iteration we were in during the past 30-40 years had a collection of teams so bad.

The Horizon (MCC,MWC) hasn't won a game in the NCAA tourney since 2011, the longest stretch ever.

[Titans96]

So correct Motown. Not only are your points 100% correct, but how can you be the Titans team with the most losses in Titan history in the worst league in Titan history and not be the worst team in Titan history? Answer, you can’t. They are the worst team in Titans history. Also, they have the worst coaching staff in Titans history with the worst AD in Titans history. Undeniably the worst.

[MooseGuy1]

96, is it fair to say you think this team has a few problems?

[R.B.J1]

96, is it fair to say you think this team has a few problems?

I think he's trying to say this is the worst titan team to date.

[Titans96]

Yep to Moose.

Absolutely to RBJ.