Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

[DUPanther]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Sounds like a solid hire. A bit unproven, but has done some winning and spent time under an excellent coach at this level.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

BTW - His TMC bio says that he currently lives in Louisville. I wonder if he will keep doing the long commute.

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Update: I'm now told all the players are leaving except for Hatton, who is now undecided. That includes Elkins. So much for having a core to build around. But that's OK...Coach Cooper's got no shortage of scholarships to play around with now.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I had heard he had 9/10 scholarships. I wondered if that was correct. I guess it is. I wonder who's choice it is that all leave. I had heard all will be gone long ago. About six games left in the schedule. I need to listen to my sources more.

I will say some guys have really messed with their future. I think twitter has led to poor behavior and some will become poor citizens.

I love to win but clearly it has become time to care about more than dunking and shooting.

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I have to say I will be disappointed if Brandon doesn't return. I don't mean disappointed in him ... just disappointed to not get to watch his senior season. He's been a really fun player to watch because of his attitude and personality especially.

It's going to be very interesting to see how Coach Cooper fills the roster. I know his focus, and that of the admin is to get back to the 4 year players recruiting model. But this first year or two to have much success I feel like he's going to have to mix in some transfers from D1 and juco just to have some older, more physically mature and ready to go players out there. Year one if he got 5 freshmen and 4 or 5 2 year transfers I would be happy with that mix.

[alumnifan]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Update: I'm now told all the players are leaving except for Hatton, who is now undecided. That includes Elkins. So much for having a core to build around. But that's OK...Coach Cooper's got no shortage of scholarships to play around with now.

Well, that changes things. I wonder if they were encouraged to transfer or just decided to start over at another school for one year? In either case it probably spells for more success in the 2019-2020 season. I would like to see Hatton stay on for various reasons.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I wish each player would stay represent the school, play like they can but I think it is too late to hope for that from most of them so......I am glad to get rid of all of them.

cussing pouting techs galore not what my school demands

[Lawson]

[WKYDave]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I think this is a good hire. I know we don't like to admit these things but basketball has changed since the "glory days" 10-20 years ago - at DII level and at KWC. We are no longer a "top flight" program and we don't have a well financed College, Athletic Department or team. We are not filling the Sportscenter again...just hope we can get back to 1000-1500 fans regularly. Three biggest pluses - Assistant at top level program (Bellarmine), Louisville native with ability to recruit area, and young. That means he knows what it takes to win, Louisville area has a lot of talent that is DII material that can help KWC succeed (6 Thomas More players are from Louisville metro area), and he will be looking to do well at KWC to move on to a better job. I hope his stay here as a similar trajectory as Todd Lee's. Rough couple of years turning program around then solid NCAA tourney years then leave for better job.

[Purplebuckeye]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I am ok with a fresh start. Pretty pumped up about new coach. Its going to take several years to build, and i realize the first year we will rely on transfers, but i hope he is more interested in recruiting high school players, and i hope the coach exhibits more energy than the past. A lot of folks on here say you dont need a big to win in d2, but i just watched the championship game today and both teams had dominate bigs. The lack of a crowd is hardest piece of the puzzle to figure out with all the available games now on TV

[crazznewt]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

There are 10 guards on the floor right now in the Loyola / K State game.

[Lawson]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I think this is a good hire. I know we don't like to admit these things but basketball has changed since the "glory days" 10-20 years ago - at DII level and at KWC. We are no longer a "top flight" program and we don't have a well financed College, Athletic Department or team. We are not filling the Sportscenter again...just hope we can get back to 1000-1500 fans regularly. Three biggest pluses - Assistant at top level program (Bellarmine), Louisville native with ability to recruit area, and young. That means he knows what it takes to win, Louisville area has a lot of talent that is DII material that can help KWC succeed (6 Thomas More players are from Louisville metro area), and he will be looking to do well at KWC to move on to a better job. I hope his stay here as a similar trajectory as Todd Lee's. Rough couple of years turning program around then solid NCAA tourney years then leave for better job.

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Anyone else from on here attend the intro press conference today? I left feeling even better about the hire than I already did. I think we are in for some excitement over the next few years.

[alumnifan]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Could you explain why? I wasn't there.

[Lawson]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Anyone else from on here attend the intro press conference today? I left feeling even better about the hire than I already did. I think we are in for some excitement over the next few years.

That is great to hear....unfortunately, I couldn't really drive in from DC.

Hopefully, he gives me a better reason to drive in some March in the near future.