2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

[Looking For 9]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

He played in juco with no issues. Toledo coach has had several "kicked off" not sure why.

Players and coaches and those who have watched practice say he has real skills. He is more of a scorer but did well in juco. He has been in school and has practiced with the team.

Every thing I have heard says recruiting is going very very well. But we need to see signings. Colton is a real loss. And the seniors carried last years team.

[Panther Express]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

If it wasn't anything serious then hopefully it is our gain because next year's team does need an influx of scoring. As you said, and is true, we relied too much on Jacks and Bosley so their scoring needs to be replaced. Colton is a shame and hope he's ok other than just for basketball reasons. He will be missed especially on the defensive end with the way he dominated in high school with his blocks. I'm guessing Bell might run the point with Dzierzawski playing more of a ball handler but not the true point like Bosley did last season. It'd be a nice problem to have but if they signed Dennis from West Liberty then I'm guessing he would definitely be penciled in as the starting point guard. I am ready to see more actual signings too because so far I don't see an improved team thus far.

[Looking For 9]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I am from Columbus and Dennis ,in my judgement, is not as good as his numbers. Do not ask me to explain :) He is a good get if we have him. Dad will be a bit of a problem. We really need a three that can rebound.

[kwcpantherfan]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I'm curious why everyone is acting like Happy loses players all the time. Luis Becerra transferred because he wasn't ever going to get any PT. Lucas Barker was a Todd Lee player that wasn't happy under Happy, and Logan O'Bryan wasn't going to see the court either. Other than those, and now Big Mike, who has Happy lost? I don't have hard numbers but I would say more players left under Todd Lee than Happy (on average, year over year). I don't know if Sam will leave or not. If he does, it will be a real shame as he's got ridiculous potential, and his attitude late in the year was 100% better than at the beginning. I don't know what caused the suspension for the NCAA tournament game. I doubt we'll ever actually know. But I do trust the coach to make that kind of judgement. Believe me, I want to win every single game, but I also want the coach to keep the players in line, and I'm not ok with forgoing punishment just because the next game is a big one.

[Looking For 9]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I do not believe Happy loses any/many players that he wants to keep. If you notice players that leave often go to friends of Happy and get playing time. I do think sometimes he has "the grass is greener" issue but on paper each team he has had is better than the previous year. Next years team will not be as good as this years but it will be getting ready for the following year. We have players that just need playing time and learn from their on the floor mistakes. I hope we will see many players stay around the boro this summer and get to know each others games.

I hate to see other conference schools scoop up all the Ohio talent while we seem to always go south. If Dennis signs his father can help with Ohio players.


Different note.. WBB has a pretty good class coming in. Only one with much size and she is a point guard but the girls coming in can really shoot and play strong D.
Most are from KY. I think the word is out KWC is where a girl can excel on the floor and in life later.

[kwcpantherfan]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I do not believe Happy loses any/many players that he wants to keep. If you notice players that leave often go to friends of Happy and get playing time. I do think sometimes he has "the grass is greener" issue but on paper each team he has had is better than the previous year. Next years team will not be as good as this years but it will be getting ready for the following year. We have players that just need playing time and learn from their on the floor mistakes. I hope we will see many players stay around the boro this summer and get to know each others games.

I hate to see other conference schools scoop up all the Ohio talent while we seem to always go south. If Dennis signs his father can help with Ohio players.


Different note.. WBB has a pretty good class coming in. Only one with much size and she is a point guard but the girls coming in can really shoot and play strong D.
Most are from KY. I think the word is out KWC is where a girl can excel on the floor and in life later.

To be fair...most of those other schools are IN Ohio. But it is still a fair point. It seems like Ohio is a very deep recruiting pool. I also liked what Happy was quoted as saying in the ECP's story on Bell signing with us - we need to do a better job recruiting Evansville. It's that close and historically there are a lot of good players coming out of that city. I do like that Happy has recruited Kentucky more than Lee did. I'd just like to see some of the better local kids stay and play here.

[Looking For 9]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

Agree but WV schools are also recruiting Ohio with success. Quick examples D&E best player from Ohio.. AB best player from Ohio. MEC 2015 frost of the year from Ohio ( I hope sign him)

I think Ohio players are a bit better coached. Bigger schools and coaches paid more many times. Many wind up in D3 when they could play D2 but do not get recruited strongly.

[alumnifan]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

Todd Lee inherited a program that was absolutely decimated. He coached all eight of his seasons in a very good Conference without a full scholarship team (8 was what he had in the end). There is no way Osborne would have had as much success as Lee, and Todd Lee did about as well as he could do under the circumstances. He certainly will not be remembered as an outstanding coach, but that was probably not his fault. His budget was low.

The basketball program now is fully funded. If Osborne does not win a game in the NCAA tournament, he and Lee would be the only KWC coaches to not win a game in the D2 tournament in their first five seasons. Still, the situation was much different under Lee than with Osborne.

I would be surprised to not see Osborne come back in the 18-19 season due to the way Wesleyan honors their contracts, but he is going to have a difficult time winning the G-MAC Tournament next season.

There has never been a KWC coach who did not win big in six seasons, by that I mean getting to a Regional final. The vast majority won big right away.

I will say if Osborne finishes lower than 2nd place in the conference tournament without an NCAA bid, he may as well resign after what happened in the first round of the NCAA tournament this past season.

The KWC posters can hate me all they want, but I speak for the majority of the hardcore KWC fans. I will go further and say Osborne could be pushed out after this season if he does not produce. A booster might buy out his contract if they have someone in the wings they want to bring in.

Also, David Williams hired Osborne. The current Director of Athletics also has to produce, especially in basketball if he wants to advance his career.

[bkingbroker]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I would prefer he stays until retirement but you all do need to go in a different direction.

Todd Lee inherited a program that was absolutely decimated. He coached all eight of his seasons in a very good Conference without a full scholarship team (8 was what he had in the end). There is no way Osborne would have had as much success as Lee, and Todd Lee did about as well as he could do under the circumstances. He certainly will not be remembered as an outstanding coach, but that was probably not his fault. His budget was low.

The basketball program now is fully funded. If Osborne does not win a game in the NCAA tournament, he and Lee would be the only KWC coaches to not win a game in the D2 tournament in their first five seasons. Still, the situation was much different under Lee than with Osborne.

I would be surprised to not see Osborne come back in the 18-19 season due to the way Wesleyan honors their contracts, but he is going to have a difficult time winning the G-MAC Tournament next season.

There has never been a KWC coach who did not win big in six seasons, by that I mean getting to a Regional final. The vast majority won big right away.

I will say if Osborne finishes lower than 2nd place in the conference tournament without an NCAA bid, he may as well resign after what happened in the first round of the NCAA tournament this past season.

The KWC posters can hate me all they want, but I speak for the majority of the hardcore KWC fans. I will go further and say Osborne could be pushed out after this season if he does not produce. A booster might buy out his contract if they have someone in the wings they want to bring in.

Also, David Williams hired Osborne. The current Director of Athletics also has to produce, especially in basketball if he wants to advance his career.

[Knightmoves]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I agree that winning the GMAC will be difficult. I think Findlay will be one of the best teams, even possibly the best team, in the region next season.

[Purplebuckeye]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

Todd Lee inherited a program that was absolutely decimated. He coached all eight of his seasons in a very good Conference without a full scholarship team (8 was what he had in the end). There is no way Osborne would have had as much success as Lee, and Todd Lee did about as well as he could do under the circumstances. He certainly will not be remembered as an outstanding coach, but that was probably not his fault. His budget was low.

The basketball program now is fully funded. If Osborne does not win a game in the NCAA tournament, he and Lee would be the only KWC coaches to not win a game in the D2 tournament in their first five seasons. Still, the situation was much different under Lee than with Osborne.

I would be surprised to not see Osborne come back in the 18-19 season due to the way Wesleyan honors their contracts, but he is going to have a difficult time winning the G-MAC Tournament next season.

There has never been a KWC coach who did not win big in six seasons, by that I mean getting to a Regional final. The vast majority won big right away.

I will say if Osborne finishes lower than 2nd place in the conference tournament without an NCAA bid, he may as well resign after what happened in the first round of the NCAA tournament this past season.

The KWC posters can hate me all they want, but I speak for the majority of the hardcore KWC fans. I will go further and say Osborne could be pushed out after this season if he does not produce. A booster might buy out his contract if they have someone in the wings they want to bring in.

Also, David Williams hired Osborne. The current Director of Athletics also has to produce, especially in basketball if he wants to advance his career.

Agree

[Purplebuckeye]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

Agree

Been quiet on recruiting front, has anyone heard anything?

[Looking For 9]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I have heard happy has three that will be released soon. Not sure what the hold up is. I do know he is really good at allowing other sports have the some ink and not to over shadow them.

[alumnifan]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I have heard happy has three that will be released soon. Not sure what the hold up is. I do know he is really good at allowing other sports have the some ink and not to over shadow them.

If that is true, it means two more players will have to transfer given all three are scholarship players.

Congrats to the Wesleyan softball team. They placed three sophomore and three freshman players on the G-MAC All Conference First Team. The Panthers won their first round game yesterday against Ursuline. Today's games were rained out, but the conference tournament was moved up a day in anticipation of the rain today. KWC is scheduled to play #3 TNU tomorrow. A win would really position the team well in the tournament.

The softball team is exceptional this season, and the team will get even better over the next two seasons. Wesleyan has a very loyal coach that could really do something special this year and especially in the seasons to come.

[alumnifan]

Re: 2016-2017 Kentucky Wesleyan basketball thread.

I counted three outs in the bottom of the 7th inning according to the stats.

Kentucky Wesleyan Wins the 2017 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Softball Tournament Championship!

KWC - 7
Davis & Elkins - 0

The Panthers go undefeated in the tournament and ties the 1986 team for most wins in a season with 38.

This is really a shot in the arm for the softball program and the athletic department at large.

Wesleyan will get an automatic bid in the Midwest Region of the NCAA D2 tournament.