Willard & Maryland 2nd Place In b1g…..

[Hall-O-Daze]

Just thought I’d point it out, you know, considering a certain segment of people here still like to continuously shit on him and highlight every failing.

With big blue’s loss to msu today, Michigan and Maryland end the regular season tied for second place, but I’m pretty sure Maryland holds the the tie breaker on that one. I mean, I stand with most people here saying the b1g is overrated in terms of basketball, but second place in the conference is undoubtedly a sign of success.

After a tough west coast trip that saw them lose to lowly Washington and the university of nike, Kevin’s team really took care of business. Ended the regular season on a 11-2 run, with the only loses being a close one on the road against osu and the spectacular blown ending against msu.

Assuming they don’t blow it in the conference tournament, they should have a seed that creates a reasonable path to surviving the first weekend of the dance. I’m sure that won’t stop any 8/9 seed jokes, though.

 

[MBF72]

Congratulations to Coach Willard and the Terps.

 

[SOpirate]

Very happy for Kevin. He maximized his time at the hall and was shrewd enough to see the looming NIL disaster coming. His team is good, real good. If they don’t make a run in the tournament though it will only further reinforce the narrative that he can’t coach in march.

 

[williaza01]

I think @PirateFan94 owes lots people here some money ha

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Very happy for Kevin. He maximized his time at the hall and was shrewd enough to see the looming NIL disaster coming. His team is good, real good. If they don’t make a run in the tournament though it will only further reinforce the narrative that he can’t coach in march.

Just wait until they are a 4 or 5 and get geographically relocated

 

[radecicco]

Last season, Maryland shot less than 30% from 3. He recruited three perimeter guys who were 40%+/- three point shooters. He also landed an NBA first round center/forward and hs a top notch defense. Not much depth but they shoot the lights out. Most of these guys are new to post season so we’ll see what happens in the one and done NCAAT.

 

[SHUSource]

I'm sure his wife still isn't sweating the family vacation she planned for the second weekend of the tournament.

 

[TomD82]

They just beat Michigan on the road last week. They can get to am NCAA 3-4 seed with a good B10 tournament

 

[Piratz]

Hoping he makes a run for once with Reese and Queen up front plus some steady guards, they'll be a tough out.

Given how this year's gone, when do SHU fans get to watch Maryland vs. St. John's? Final Four? LMAO

 

[shudude]

Good for him. Miss him here.

 

[Fishjam]

Kevin is a good coach who has adjusted well to college's new rules at Maryland. Looks like he'll finally have the type of seed he should have had in 2020. Will he take the next step?

He has the type of versatile team that should be tough in March. They are strong defensively and extremley balanced offensively. All 5 starters average between 12 and 16 points per game. He has 2 excellent bigs and 3 guards who can all shoot.

 

[Piratz]

Kevin is a good coach who has adjusted well to college's new rules at Maryland. Looks like he'll finally have the type of seed he should have had in 2020. Will he take the next step?

He has the type of versatile team that should be tough in March. They are strong defensively and extremley balanced offensively. All 5 starters average between 12 and 16 points per game. He has 2 excellent bigs and 3 guards who can all shoot.

He's got his version of Mike Repople down there.

Good bounce back year for Willard after finishing under .500 last year and missing the Tournament. He got to the 2nd Round in his first season with that dreaded #8 seed.

They should get a 5-seed this year, maybe a 4, which will be his best position yet as a HC. Gotta fix that 2-6 NCAAT record.

 

[PJVegas]

💤💤

 

[lloyde dobler]

Wait…. People are saying nice things. Is that what the OP wanted?

 

[hallstorm]

Good luck to Kevin. His time in South Orange was done and his ceiling here maxed out.

But comparing the last couple seasons to anything in the past is like trying to say how awesome a Model T is in 2025.

 

[TheHall87]

I'm sure his wife still isn't sweating the family vacation she planned for the second weekend of the tournament.

She can invite Shaheen along then.

 

[SHUSource]

She can invite Shaheen along then.

As long as Kevin doesn't mind the tagalong, I guess.

Obviously, Seton Hall has to figure out how to succeed in this pay-for-play environment, and that's no given. Sha has to play his part in that, too. Seton Hall has given him nothing to help the transition, but there are things he could be doing, too. Those have been detailed at length here.

But assuming that happens (and that is assuming a lot), and he can get a tournament-worthy team on the floor, I don't expect one-and-dones to be the routine. He's a proven coach in a tournament setting, which is not necessarily something the fellow at Maryland can tout.

 

[Rockaway]

Kevin knew when to leave SHU for greener pastures.Got to feel for Sha NIL killed this season hope it doesn’t kill next season.

 

[garyshu71]

It’s all about the money and getting great players. Boy did Kevin see it the handwriting on the wall at Seton Hall. Not sure how he would have withstood our NIL?? Good luck in The NCAAs

 

[Bud Boomer]

Although I generally disliked the way his teams played (particularly on offense), I was among the group that appreciated Willard while he was here and did not take his success for granted. Now that the curtain has been pulled back a bit on our leadership , I think I appreciate him even more. I imagine he did a fair bit of swimming upstream during his time here.

 

[Hall91]

Kevin Willard got out of SHU at the right time, but he did enough to conceive the Basketball Practice Facility build that ultimately put us in the hole as far as NIL goes.

He’ll do well at Maryland given the resources he has at his disposal. But question remains if he can give the Terps fans what they really want; a return to the Final 4. Will be interesting to see if they can get out of the 1st weekend. He’s got a legit shot to win the B1G Tourney Championship IMO.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Kevin Willard got out of SHU at the right time, but he did enough to conceive the Basketball Practice Facility build that ultimately put us in the hole as far as NIL goes.

He’ll do well at Maryland given the resources he has at his disposal. But question remains if he can give the Terps fans what they really want; a return to the Final 4. Will be interesting to see if they can get out of the 1st weekend. He’s got a legit shot to win the B1G Tourney Championship IMO.

And if they lose Friday night you will get my team had no games all week and the other guys had momentum...they have a 630 tip

 

[williaza01]

As long as Kevin doesn't mind the tagalong, I guess.

Obviously, Seton Hall has to figure out how to succeed in this pay-for-play environment, and that's no given. Sha has to play his part in that, too. Seton Hall has given him nothing to help the transition, but there are things he could be doing, too. Those have been detailed at length here.

But assuming that happens (and that is assuming a lot), and he can get a tournament-worthy team on the floor, I don't expect one-and-dones to be the routine. He's a proven coach in a tournament setting, which is not necessarily something the fellow at Maryland can tout.

No he’s not

 

[Burnsly]

His biggest accomplishment to date is rebuilding our program from a really low place to a consistent top tier Big East team, despite the minimal resources compared to other conference teams. Maybe this is the year for him to capture an even bigger accomplishment

 

[mountain25]

I liked KW while he was here, and I don't have a problem that he left for a bigger program. The problem I have is the way he left. He mailed in our BET loss and also our NCAA Tournament loss. He lied to us that he was not contacted by Maryland.

 

[Hall Is Life]

As long as Kevin doesn't mind the tagalong, I guess.

Obviously, Seton Hall has to figure out how to succeed in this pay-for-play environment, and that's no given. Sha has to play his part in that, too. Seton Hall has given him nothing to help the transition, but there are things he could be doing, too. Those have been detailed at length here.

But assuming that happens (and that is assuming a lot), and he can get a tournament-worthy team on the floor, I don't expect one-and-dones to be the routine. He's a proven coach in a tournament setting, which is not necessarily something the fellow at Maryland can tout.

Proven or lucky? Hasn’t won a Big East Tournament game in his first two tries. Maybe he gets one on Wednesday (LOL).

I miss having Willard as our head coach and will be rooting for him. Hopefully he finds his way to a second weekend to put that narrative to bed once and for all.

Of course it could be more of the same but that’s still more than we have going for us right now. Times are tough.

 

[SHUSource]

No he’s not

He's not? He's won conference tournaments, took a ragtag team to the Elite Eight, and won an NIT, which, regardless of its overall importance, is still a 32-team postseason tournament with all of its attendant dynamics. There isn't any coach who wins every tournament he coaches, but Sha's ratio of deep runs to tournaments played is pretty good.

 

[SHUSource]

I miss having Willard as our head coach and will be rooting for him. Hopefully he finds his way to a second weekend to put that narrative to bed once and for all.

I guess he's got the law of averages working for him. If he coaches long enough, he's almost bound to at some point, right? Isn't that how Shaheen Holloway did it? Even though it only took him a single NCAA Tournament to almost make it to the third weekend?

 

[The SHUttle]

I liked KW while he was here, and I don't have a problem that he left for a bigger program. The problem I have is the way he left. He mailed in our BET loss and also our NCAA Tournament loss. He lied to us that he was not contacted by Maryland.

It is expected for a coach to lie about being contacted by another school, but I wholeheartedly agree about the abysmal, mailed-in performances he oversaw on the court. That was and remains inexcusable.

 

[williaza01]

He's not? He's won conference tournaments, took a ragtag team to the Elite Eight, and won an NIT, which, regardless of its overall importance, is still a 32-team postseason tournament with all of its attendant dynamics. There isn't any coach who wins every tournament he coaches, but Sha's ratio of deep runs to tournaments played is pretty good.

If you’re counting conference tournaments than KW isn’t as bad as you say…can’t have it both ways

“good tournament coach” is consistent wins in the NCAAT not a fluke run by a 15 seed

Now, KW is a “bad tournament coach” but to say Sha is a proven tournament coach is a stretch

Lastly, not that this matters at all…I don’t think many here grasp at the radical difference fans or outsiders judge and look at “tournament success” and insiders (coaches) look at it..and insiders don’t look much at the St. Peter’s run

 

[hallwins]

If you’re counting conference tournaments than KW isn’t as bad as you say…can’t have it both ways

“good tournament coach” is consistent wins in the NCAAT not a fluke run by a 15 seed

Now, KW is a “bad tournament coach” but to say Sha is a proven tournament coach is a stretch

Lastly, not that this matters at all…I don’t think many here grasp at the radical difference fans or outsiders judge and look at “tournament success” and insiders (coaches) look at it..and insiders don’t look much at the St. Peter’s run

A fluke run is perhaps the most confused term I have read on this board. A fluke would have been 1 win. Wins over KY, Purdue and a well regarding Murray State, was a tremendous run. Please tell me the coaches that think that run was anything short of tremendous.

 

[dehere23]

A fluke run is perhaps the most confused term I have read on this board. A fluke would have been 1 win. Wins over KY, Purdue and a well regarding Murray State, was a tremendous run. Please tell me the coaches that think that run was anything short of tremendous.

it’s interesting to read this thread and then the opinions expressed about Kevin Keatts in the other thread

 

[Hall Is Life]

I guess he's got the law of averages working for him. If he coaches long enough, he's almost bound to at some point, right? Isn't that how Shaheen Holloway did it? Even though it only took him a single NCAA Tournament to almost make it to the third weekend?

In a one-bid league, yes, he got it done. With a little help from his friends (Pitino losing and Shavar Reynolds throwing the game away).

He had an epic run. No doubt about it. But what he hasn’t been able to do is play with the big boys in a multi-bid league. We have to get to the tournament to win in the tournament. Or we can keep going around in circles and imagining “what if.”

 

[SHUSource]

If you’re counting conference tournaments than KW isn’t as bad as you say…can’t have it both ways

“good tournament coach” is consistent wins in the NCAAT not a fluke run by a 15 seed

Now, KW is a “bad tournament coach” but to say Sha is a proven tournament coach is a stretch

Fair enough. I'll confine my characterization of Willard as a bad NCAA Tournament coach. That's backed by his record. And Holloway will have to make some more of them before you can see a true pattern particular to them (though the NIT is the best comp), but his one time at it was a pretty good one.

I don't think anyone believes that his Saint Peter's team was a full-season equal with any of those teams he beat, but getting that far isn't a fluke, either. The first win was a surprise, but the second two opponents saw that team coming and still couldn't beat them.

 

[SHUSource]

In a one-bid league, yes, he got it done. With a little help from his friends (Pitino losing and Shavar Reynolds throwing the game away).

He had an epic run. No doubt about it. But what he hasn’t been able to do is play with the big boys in a multi-bid league. We have to get to the tournament to win in the tournament. Or we can keep going around in circles and imagining “what if.”

No one disputes that he had the misfortune of having this opportunity coincide with having a gigantic albatross hung around his neck at the exact moment he took the job. I don't think there is a coach in America who could've succeeded under the same fiscal circumstances. He's made some incorrect choices trying to work around it, but the lion's share of the blame is not at his feet.

 

[Seton75]

Great job by Willard. Congratulations!

 

[ivyhillparkk1963]

Means nothing unless sweet 16 or better..
Big 10 is very suspect again this year as usual

 

[Seton75]

Making the tourney for most schools, LIKE SHU, is HUGE. If it wasnt we wouldnt talk about it so much.

UM hasnt made 2 n a row since 2017. Great job.

 

[hallwins]

Means nothing unless sweet 16 or better..
Big 10 is very suspect again this year as usual

Your opinion. Willard is doing a great job at Maryland and many of the same people that are quitting on Sha, wanted Willard and Richmond for that matter, gone from Seton Hall.

 

[williaza01]

A fluke run is perhaps the most confused term I have read on this board. A fluke would have been 1 win. Wins over KY, Purdue and a well regarding Murray State, was a tremendous run. Please tell me the coaches that think that run was anything short of tremendous.

Off the record? That would 99.9% of high d1 coaches