When did Howland lose you?

[Dawgg]

I think losing to Liberty in the first round of the NCAAT was the beginning of the end for me. It’s when I ran out of patience. We didn’t make the “Howland leap” in year 3 like everyone predicted but he took over a really bad team, so year 4 should have been the leap. That leap should have been a Sweet 16 at least.

We didn’t build any sort of momentum going into year 5 & we’re still losing to LaTech, New Mexico State, & Ole Miss. Postseason was cancelled, but we had a bubble team in our absolute best case scenario. Year 6, we’re still not going to the tournament. The NIT run was a fun consolation, but here we are year 7 and we’ve lost 7 out of the last 10 and I’m not 100% sure we’re an NIT team.

But yeah, for me, it all started with that NCAA tournament loss, which is oddly the most successful he’s been at State.

 

[BiscuitEater]

Losing to liberty in the tournament was a major let down with the talent we had.

Year 3 .. has zero passion and can't motivate ANY player!

 

[Lettuce]

Was it one specific moment/game or just a slow burn of not winning enough over time?

Ben never possessed the piss and vinegar to be an SEC coach. Our league opponents have psychopathic, mafia muster gas generals stomping the sidelines….We have Ol Ben, eating peppermints and freezing grapes, watching the kids wondrously twist around the court with their butterfly nets. “Mmm buttermilk and cornbread”

 

[Dawgg]

HIJACK: If the 2020 season hadn't been canceled and we made the tournament would it have bought him a year beyond this one?

If he made the Sweet 16 or better... maybe.

He still followed that season with an NIT season though... and this season is worse than that, so hard to give him another year.

 

[PapaDawg]

He lost me this year. I was excited for this team, but the product has not shown any level of improvement.

 

[Dawgg]

I also want to add that I’m not sure we have pieces coming back to make a tournament run next year either. I feel like we’ve built a team of ‘win now’ mercs, but the wins didn’t come, so now we have very little foundation going forward. I mean, that’s life in the transfer portal era, but we’re probably looking at another 2-3 years at least before we sniff the tournament again whether Howland stays or goes. So we can maybe make the tourney with Howland year 10 or somebody else’s year 3.

 

[aTotal360]

When did Howland have you?

 

[peewee.sixpack]

Spot on “forgetting to play someone”. I’m not sure the game but he said that once about Robert Woodard about not playing him in the 2nd half when he’d been outstanding in the 1st half. How the heck do you forget!! Guess if your already retired that will happen.

That was the Ole Miss home game (2020 I think). I took the family to that game and after he pulled that stunt I was done. I haven't been back to a game since. Woodard was dominating the game and he just sat him and left him there for about 1:30 in the first half and didn't put him in the second half. I think we blew a 16 point lead. I figured Woodard was hurt, nope just an incompetent coach.

 

[Junction John]

 

[Hot Rock]

He lost me this year. I was excited for this team, but the product has not shown any level of improvement.

^^ This^^ I kept hoping but never confident. The talent on this team is undeniable. I will still support the team but attendance, nope.

 

[ColoradoDawg]

When I realized that the team was struggling to make the tourney with Reggie Perry and Robert Woodard. I haven't seen 2 players that talented on the same team in awhile, should of been a lock.

 

[Go Budaw]

Florida game a few weeks ago. We’re in complete control for 33 minutes. Wheels fell off at the end and almost didn’t keep it within single digits

 

[curseddawgs]

This is the correct take and it nails Howland’s tenure

 

[msudawg12]

It wasnt day 1 but it wasnt long after day 2

 

[patdog]

I don't know. I think the talent on this team is pretty deniable. Molinar is projected as a mid-2nd round pick, but that's it.

 

[Nunya.sixpack]

When I realized that he was no better than stans.

 

[olblue.sixpack]

I don't know. I think the talent on this team is pretty deniable. Molinar is projected as a mid-2nd round pick, but that's it.

It is overhyped, as usual. Molinar is a really good college player and Brooks was solid at UNC, but the rest of those guys were and are still pretty average.

 

[onewoof]

There's some truth to this. We have been below average in both talent and depth for a while. Seeing guys from good programs transfer in did get us all a little hyped and hopeful for this season.

It's like we have a team built of 1 SEC starter and 4-5 sixth men this year. Our averageness and below averageness really shows on the road.

 

[beachbumdawg]

Was it one specific moment/game or just a slow burn of not winning enough over time?

Never had me - watched a few games at the beginning - boring as hell brand of basketball - it’s turned out exactly like I thought it would - mediocre and boring

 

[thekimmer]

Was it one specific moment/game or just a slow burn of not winning enough over time?

I tend to agree with others that, while I have been optimistic about his tenure, Howland never really had me sold. He did elevate the program out of the Ray crater but it has been 7 years of waiting for him to take the team to the next level that never came. For me it is more of when did I give up on Ben Howland instead of when did he lose me. The giving up process started two years ago when we found ourselves on the wrong side of the bubble despite having two NBA draft picks on the team. It progressed until I finally gave up on him for good after the UT game at home this season.