Everyone needs to calm down and admit that everyone on this board have overstated the talent on this team. Even with Lovett we are a bottom level team. We have nobody who can compete under the basket with the likes of Maric, Govan, Delgado etc. Yakwe is a stiff, Owens is not strong enough and lacks the will to battle and we have seen enough of Clark to understand that he has value as a shooter but he has no intention to be a battler underneath the basket. It is easy to blame the coach, but let's be serious, these are not the horses needed to pull this cart into the big dance. Ponds has been exposed as a point guard without Lovett and he is obviously feeling the pressure. I think we can all agree that Ahmed is not a big time player. Mullin without a doubt is not a coaching genius, but he has improved and will continue to improve hopefully. Now the good news.... They have set the program up in year four to be very well balanced and coachable. Unless Ponds loses his mind he will be back with Mickey Dixon and Greg Williams and perhaps Lovett. That is a very good guard rotation that will have beef under the boards with Keita, Brooks and Roberts. Owens, Clark and Simon can do what they do best without the expectation of playing like Moses Malone. Yakwe and Trimble will never see the hardwood and Diakite can enjoy a year to ease back into playing shape with no expectation to produce.
Mullin (Matt) has done a fine job of setting this team up in year four, now he needs to show that he can coach a balanced team next year or the heat will be deserved......but he needs to be cut some slack this year. He has to improve his coaching IQ but after watching every game nobody can convince me that our team is better without Lovett than Providence, Creighton, Seton Hall or even DePaul who has a balanced lineup. If you can not admit that to yourself you have drank some coolaid. Don't worry, they can go from worst to first next year. Keep the faith.