Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

[kdubnation]

They sent out an email blast earlier today about the coach's radio show tonight:

Please join us at Legends this evening (Monday, January 31st





Player | WBIO/WKCM 92.1 94.7 97.9 (owensbororadio.com)

I'm very tempted to text that # and ask something along the lines of "KWC basketball was for many years an elite "blue bloods" type program in D2, but the last several years we've been little more than mediocre. How are you going to turn that around and get us back to the top of the conference and D2?" or "Given the team's performances over the last 3-4 years, do you feel like you are in the hot seat a little bit what with the disappointing results?"

But I don't really think they would even address it. I love Joel Utley - the man is a living legend and an absolute treasure to have for the KWC program - but he is absolutely 100% positive everything. I have never heard him utter anything even approaching criticism of the team, a coach or player, no matter the situation so I simply cannot imagine a "tough question" or anything to imply Cooper isn't the man for the job would ever be allowed to air, at least under his watch.

[Lawson]

[kdubnation]

100% agree. Boyd was dominant in both of our exhibitions but as soon as real games started he disappeared.

[pantherfan]

It's odd for sure, but it isn't like he isn't touching the ball. He is top 5 in minutes played and averages 10.5 pts/game, but he's also 3rd on the team in TO's. Maybe the exhibitions are just a product of not having tape on him? But that still doesn't explain UK allowing him to score so often. His role certainly had to change some while Ben was out and then working his way back. I'm just grasping for anything but it is so hard to understand.

[WKYDave]

Thanks WKY Dave I forgot that was the reasoning behind the points. Appreciate the reminder.

Anyone else feel like the team has progressively gotten worse?

Guess what??? They brought point system back because, due to covid, teams may not play everyone twice! For instance, on girl's side, KWC is unlike to play at Tiffin (it's not scheduled as of yet, with little time and open dates remaining).

[kdubnation]

Cedarville is a good team. Maybe even a very good team. But there's no way in hell we should ever be going and getting beat by more than 30 points in a conference game. Cooper needs to go.

[pantherfan]

The only positive from yesterday was I didn't have to wait until 8pm to watch that pitiful display of basketball.

[kdubnation]

We have 4 games remaining on the season. The best we could finish is 10-10 in conference. But wait! All is not lost! We can still make the conference tournament!

We just need:

• To win all 4 of our remaining games
• And, one of the following to happen:
  • Findlay do no better than 1-6 in their last 7 games
  • Cedarville to go 0-5 in their last 5 conference games

I was actually thinking when I started typing that out that any one of Ashland, Hillsdale, Walsh or Malone going winless the rest of the season would also help us, but actually they all own tiebreakers over us and could do no worse than 10-10 if they did completely collapse, so that's no help at all.

So unless Findlay or Cedarville choose to play their cheerleaders instead of basketball players the rest of the season, there will be no postseason for us.

What are the ramifications of this? Is Cooper in any real danger of being fired? Is he even on the 'hot seat' at all? Does anyone know??

I know from a fan and alumni perspective, this is below what I would consider to be acceptable performance. But what does the admin consider acceptable? If it's having a good team GPA and good sportsmanship and winning a few games here and there, then we're going to be stuck in this boat for a long, long time.

I truly hope this new AD demonstrates that this isn't the case. If Cooper isn't fired outright at the end of this season he at least needs to be under pressure to perform better going forward. The last few years have NOT been KWC basketball.

5 seasons ago, JUST 5 seasons ago, we went 28-3, were in the midst of a nearly 50 game home court winning streak, and were 3 points shy of moving on to the second round of the NCAA tournament. FIVE SEASONS. Then Happy leaves us high and dry, Jason Mays 'leads' one of the most embarrassing and out of control teams we've ever put on the court, and Cooper walks in completely unable to build a team able to compete at the D2 level. And here we sit. In Cooper's 4th season we are in position to not make the conference tournament and MAYBE finish two games over .500 for the season.

If we assume that we win all 4 of our remaining games - a big assumption with how we've performed on the year - Cooper's record at the end of the season will be 48-51 with a conference record of 36-36.

That's pretty good ... for a Tiffin, Ohio Dominican, Trevecca, etc. Completely unacceptable for KWC. Have we ever had a coach with a sub-500 record after 4 years?

*Edit: I realize I've argued against this kind of rant many times in the past. I'm a firm believer in giving someone the benefit of the doubt. Of giving them a fair chance. And I feel like I've done that before getting to this point where I've completely lost confidence in this staff.

[UFOILERFAN]

How many teams are in the GMAC tournament this year? Also, our cheerleaders might surprise you. :D

[kdubnation]

For perspective, looking through the record book KWC MBB has had 9 sub-500 seasons going back to 1950.

They are:

• 1962
• 1964
• 1976
• 1979
• 2005
• 2006
• 2018
• 2019
• 2020

It is not being overly dramatic to say that we are in the midst of an historically bad period for KWC basketball.

[kdubnation]

How many teams are in the GMAC tournament this year? Also, our cheerleaders might surprise you. :D

For whatever reason, only the top 6 make the tournament this year. Why you wouldn't have a nice even bracket of 8 I have no idea.

[UFOILERFAN]

For whatever reason, only the top 6 make the tournament this year. Why you wouldn't have a nice even bracket of 8 I have no idea.

That's what I get for assuming it would be 8. That would make too much sense.

[WKYDave]

That's what I get for assuming it would be 8. That would make too much sense.

I'm not sure what to think about 6 team tournament. 1st, there are only 11 teams in conference so only 3 teams would be out if 8 team field. Why play regular season if only 3 are out? 2nd, the 15 team GLVC is letting everyone make tournament so maybe it's not silly to leave 3 teams out.

[WKYDave]

For perspective, looking through the record book KWC MBB has had 7 sub-500 seasons going back to 1950.

They are:

• 1962
• 1964
• 1976
• 1979
• 2018
• 2019
• 2020

It is not being overly dramatic to say that we are in the midst of an historically bad period for KWC basketball.

Left out 2005 and 2006.

They are favored in 3 of last 4 games, so they will probably be 14-14....but 11-14 versus NCAA competition.

[kdubnation]

You're right, I somehow managed to skip over 05 and 06. So 9 sub-500 seasons not 7 - over the span of 70+ years