GW Hoops / Shaka Smart at Texas

**Posted by The Dude** 3/20/2021 11:28 pm

The grass isn't always greener.

Round 1 loss
Missed tourney 4-14 in league play
8-10 in league play round 1 loss
8-10 in league play missed tourney
9-9 in league play, no tourney
Round 1 loss

52-56 in league play, 0 NCAA tourney wins

Texas fired Rick Barnes, an outstanding coach after a great run because his deep NCAA tourney runs had become more like round 2 exits.. Half a dozen years later, 0 NCAA tourney wins, sub .500 in league play for Shaka

Rick Barnes was 186–94 in league play, won 18 NCAA tourney games at Texas. Took Tenn to the Sweet 16 after Texas canned him.

BIG PROPS to Abiliene Texas though they played tremendous defense for 40 minutes.

Last edited by The Dude (3/20/2021 11:32 pm)

**Posted by BC** 3/21/2021 11:04 am

Abilene played some of the smartest ball I've seen in the last couple of minutes.

**Posted by The Dude** 3/21/2021 1:38 pm

That was one of the finest efforts in memory, the physical mismatch was incredible to overcome, the undersized guards played fantastic defense.

Porter Moser has now won 6 NCAA tourney games in the time Shaka has been at Texas, still stuck on 0.

Krutwig is a guy ever program could use, 3 years ago he was making all the same plays on their Final 4 run, this year they had a steady lead over a 1 seed virtually wire to wire, amazing.

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 3/22/2021 10:38 am

This just continues to be among the more ridiculous discussions on a board devoted to GW Basketball. If you were hell-bent to discredit Shaka's tenure at Texas, I'm not really sure it makes much sense to pick on his most successful year yet. Not only was the team ranked in or around the top 10 programs in the country for most of the season, but Texas won its first-ever Big 12 Championship. Not even the great Rick Barnes was able to pull that off.

If you follow the sport at all, you would know that the Abilene Christian win was an upset but not a huge one. They play very much along the lines of how Shaka's VCU teams played, ironically. Their defensive metrics are through the roof. Plus, just like Loyola's win over the great Brad Underwood, you have the little David with little pressure against the big state-school Goliath with a ton of pressure. Am not making excuses for Texas or Illinois except to say that this happens in the sport frequently. GW and Maryland split 10 meetings in the BB&T but I don't think anyone would say that GW was as successful a program as Maryland over the majority of these years.

Speaking of Barnes, he too did not fare very well, losing to 12th seed Oregon State. Nevertheless, nobody should be pointing a finger at Rick Barnes, Brad Underwood or Shaka Smart and perceive any to be a lousy coach. The latter two won conference championships in the two strongest conferences in the sport this season.

It's just a troll with an agenda for some unbeknownst reason. Top 10 virtually all year, Big 12 Championship (which naturally goes unmentioned by the troll), and THIS is a year you feel it's appropriate throwing stones? Just the work of someone with a misguided agenda.

**Posted by GWRising** 3/22/2021 11:23 am

Gwmayhem - We have posters here who like to troll. Repurpose whatever they hear that day on sports talk radio. I am sure they are regular callers from their mothers' basements or perhaps valued sources for Coaching Changes lol.

Last edited by GWRising (3/22/2021 11:24 am)

**Posted by Joel Joseph** 3/22/2021 12:42 pm

Dumb and dumber at it again.
GW can only pray to get a coach like Shaka. If Texas is "dumb" enough to buy him out (like Indiana did with Archie) someone else will be there ready to scoop him up.

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 3/22/2021 1:38 pm

BrianPaul wrote:
Name-calling. Nice. Why come to this string for that purpose? Meanwhile, national commentators are calling for Texas to hire a new coach. And, there is no real GWU basketball news. Just speculation.

It's Springtime guys. Plant your tomatoes. (Garden Troll talk.)

If you're going to spend countless hours here acting like a troll, you should prepare to be referred to as one.