SCU Men's Basketball - "A Season on the Brink"

John Feinstein's account of Indiana Men's BB 1985-1986 season is an acclaimed look at a program back on the "rise" under fiery Coach Bobby Knight with talented players that are slow to integrate into his system. 

Obviously, we are not a "blue blood" level program like Indiana, but I see a number of parallels with where we are with SCU MBB.

More struggles than successes.  A University with a rich history of notoriety in Men's Basketball.  Fiery Coach.  Animated, vocal, prowling the sideline.  A program trying so hard to rid itself of mid-major mediocrity .  Like Indiana with the "middle America" label, a cut below Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina as we are in the WCC, a level below Gonzaga, BYU, and St.Mary's.

So far, our season is disappointing to say the least. Our four wins are against teams with losing records. Only one team has an RPI below 250. We are 286.  We do have one quality loss to Arizona.

At 4-8, our season is on the "brink" as the WCC starts.  

Good news. Of the next 10 games, six are at home. Our WCC opener is away at Pacific (1-8).  BUT, then, we play St.Mary's, Zags, and Portland at home.  Away @BYU, @USD, and finally Pepperdine, LMU, and USF at Leavey.  Oh, then off to Spokane to play the Zags again!  Tough....

IMHO, it's not just our season, but our program is on the "brink."

With 18 games left before the WCC tourney, going 9-9 would be heroic, given the road schedule, for a full season 13-17 record. We are headed for our seventh losing season in the last nine years. The only event not to put us over the "brink" is a WCC tourney final upset.  

One thing for sure.  The team will play hard; effort is rarely a problem.

This puts our program on the "brink."  Fr. Engh, the Trustees, and the Commission recommendations are there to see in print - moving to National prominence.  I'm pretty sure this isn't the momentum and progress they are looking for.

As season ticket holders and fans, neither are we.  

Our program history has had its highs and lows like Indiana or any other program, but it just feels like we're treading water not "rising."

So, I looked back.  It's been 20 years since our last NCAA tourney.

But, going further back, since 1982, Santa Clara Men's Basketball has never had a losing record over any eight year period, until now. 

In terms of overall wins, it's all about the spin.  

For WCC coaches, over an eight year period, we're actually fifth not third as our PR suggests.   Our game day program states: "Keating has 128 wins in his seven years as a head coach at Santa Clara.  He is the third-winningest coach in the last 12 years in the WCC behind Gonzaga's Mark Few and Saint Mary's Randy Bennett".  Last time I checked last year would be coach Keating's eighth season and this his ninth.

To make us third, you have to extend the time period for coaches to 12 years and eliminate Dave Rose, Eric Reveno, Rex Walters as WCC coaches since none have tenure of 12 years.  Pretty silly.

For WCC conference only wins spanning eight seasons, we rank seventh with 46 wins and 78 losses.  Again, if you remove Dave Rose we're sixth.  Eric Reveno has been in Portland nine seasons, but still has more wins through eight seasons.  Rex Walters has more wins over seven seasons.

If Bobby Knight was witnessing this, he might throw another chair.

Reality, we'll never be an "Indiana" level program.  But as a program we're on the "brink" and have to ask the tough question, where are we headed?  There are two edges on the "brink." Where will we choose to go?   

As season ticket holders, our answer is pretty simple - UP.  

Up fills Leavey and energizes donors to make "national" a reality rather than another PR campaign.  Is SCU "On a Mission" or just located "On a Mission." 

We'll know soon....

Also on Twitter @Fcrary

Next up:  Close but no Cigar....