Satalin had the program headed in the right direction but the uncertainty of the rape case happened,creating
2 recruiting classes lost and the frustration of the supensions and the 2 players being expelled  was too much to
overcome for Satalin. It seemed Jim lost his enthusiasm,he wasnt out busting his tail to recruit,lost out on the
two locals Herndon and Mccoy. I think both these guys wanted to play at Duquesne but Jim didnt seem interested.
 Both guys went up to UMASS and were vital cogs in establishing UMASS as a national power.
 Jim was a super guy,a very good coach caught up in a nightmare ,impossible situation.Very frustrating.

Carroll basically concluded that the team was going nowhere his first year, therefore, he decided to showcase Stevenson, basically giving him a season long green light. He might have won a couple more games running a more structured system, but not enough to make a difference, so he figured "The Mark Stevenson Show" would be more entertaining than playing boring ball, trying to win 10 games.

duq81 wrote:

Carroll basically concluded that the team was going nowhere his first year, therefore, he decided to showcase Stevenson, basically giving him a season long green light. He might have won a couple more games running a more structured system, but not enough to make a difference, so he figured "The Mark Stevenson Show" would be more entertaining than playing boring ball, trying to win 10 games.

I'm not sure what I find funnier. You using John Carroll and "more structured system" in the same sentence or the suggestion that that team had other viable options. What were you hoping to see, more skyhooks from Shawn Kelly off the pick-and-roll? Isolation plays in the low post for Brett Paige? High screens to spring Clayton Adams or Thomas Keegan for the wide-open 3? Just the same, Brian Anselmino (God rest his soul) averaged 13 points a game that year, almost double his career average. Tony Petrarca, who could make 3s but not much else, scored a career-high 11.5 ppg. Even Shawn Kelly, never known for a deft touch around the net, somehow averaged 6.9 ppg while playing way out of position as a 6-6 center. 
Stevenson was not only the best player on the team by a wide margin, he made every kid on that team better. Not that there were that many kids to go around. Carroll didn't have a recruiting class until the following season. Of Satalin's final recruiting class that carried over, one was an injury redshirt, one was a Prop 48 casualty, one was a transfer-ineligible, and the other was Leroy Mabins. And then Stevenson as a fifth-year transfer-eligible. There wasn't a legitimate D-1 player on the roster once you got past the starting 5, which included a hobbled Clayton Adams, who missed 9 games and played hurt in most of the others.

Yet they still won five conference games (equaling or beating Jim Ferry's total in 3 out of his 5 seasons) and destroyed St. Joe's in the A10 tourney with Stevenson doing his best Michael Jordan impersonation. They were actually a dangerous team by the end of the season, four wins in their last 6 before losing to a tough Temple team in the A10 quarterfinals. They had 8 losses by two possessions or less. I remember that team well. With all due respect, and I really do enjoy your posts, have for a long time across multiple boards, I don't think spreading the ball around more would have gotten them a few more wins.

 

Keegan made Jason Duty look like a gunner. For the record, he took 42 shots in 46 games over his first three seasons, making 21 of them. Then in his senior year, he got into all 28 games and exploded for 23 baskets in 63 attempts. I'd say he did a good job taking care of the ball but because he never shot, he rarely had a defender playing anywhere near him. I can remember fans at the Palumbo often imploring him to SHOOT! he was so wide open. Made the team as a walk-on Carroll's first season because they were so desperate for bodies at practice. I believe they eventually put him on scholarship but can't remember exactly.

ElDuque wrote:

And Keegan was a Jersey boy.

 
I worked in Chatam One and made sure on game days I stayed in the office ( was an outside marketing manager) and I would grab a bite to eat and bring in a coffee and they opened the doors at 6 pm, some times I would chat with players as they were just taking informal shots. The visiting team wasn't on the floor yet and often spoke to Tom Keegan. He was a cousin of Carrols and a walk on, but the widest open player I can ever remember.

I'd say, hey Tom when you gonna take some three's ! He'd say, Coach is on me to shoot more.

He could hit them in practice but seemed to freeze up in games.

I became a season ticket holder when they opened up Palumbo and had a lot of thrills there, I bet they return soon....