Arkansas State hasn?t lost at home all season, but the Red Wolves are still trying to earn respect.
The respect of their own.
Arkansas State begins a key home stretch in Sun Belt Conference play this evening as it hosts Louisiana-Monroe at the Convocation Center. The Red Wolves are hoping their followers are beginning to recognize the accomplishments they?re making and will give them a decided homecourt advantage.
ASU is off to its best start ever under a new head coach and in contention, though still early, in the SBC West Division race. With four of its next five conference games at home, Arkansas State can solidify its place in the league as a contender rather than an early-season pretender.
?We?ve got 13 games left, and I don?t want to boil it down to the next four or five games to whether we?re going to be successful or not successful, but certainly it would enhance our chances for success if we can defend the home floor with this stretch of games coming up,? ASU coach John Brady said. ?You?ve got to be ready to play every single night whether you are at home or on the road. I think our team has demonstrated that if it does compete that we?ve got a chance.?
In seven home games, Arkansas State (11-5 overall, 3-2 Sun Belt) has had more than a chance. ASU has won by an average margin of 27 points on its home floor. Murray State is the only team to lead the Red Wolves at halftime at the Convocation Center and the only team to lose by less than double digits.
Arkansas State is coming off a 2-game Sun Belt road swing in which it picked up an overtime victory at Denver, then lost in triple overtime at North Texas. The 75-73 win at Denver was ASU?s 11th victory of the season, surpassing last year?s total in the first week of the new year.
But for all the early-season success Arkansas State has enjoyed, including road victories at Tennessee-Martin, Ball State and Indiana State, the program?s following has yet to buy in.
Brady said it?s a matter of regaining the respect of ASU fans.
?It?s like I told my team in the locker room before the season started, it?s all about respect,? Brady said. ?The thing you need to earn is respect. I think our crowds have increased with each game and I hope they will continue to. But our team has to do its part and we have to do our part as coaches, and with that you earn people?s respect and then they come out and support you.?
So far attendance hasn?t been wholeheartedly supportive.
After hiring Brady, who led LSU to the Final Four just two years ago, season tickets sales experienced a strong increase but fans showing up has actually decreased. Brady was expected to be an immediate connection with the fan base with his national name recognition and flare for winning.
But this season, attendance has staggered to an average of just 2,617 a night through the first seven home games. Last year, attendance at Arkansas State set a record with an all-time low average of 3,208 per game.
If the current path continues to hold true, attendance would sink to a new record low in 2009.
ASU forward Shawn Morgan said he didn?t know what to expect this season, therefore fans may not have known what to expect either and they may have been hesitant to return. ASU went 10-20 last year and finished near the bottom of the West Division.
?To be honest, we didn?t know what to expect with a new coaching staff and all,? Morgan said. ?We knew there were going to be a lot of changes. We didn?t know how things were going to be. With me being here last year, having experienced a lot of the ups and downs, we?ve definitely exceeded expectations.?
Brady admitted that he began the season a little unsure of what this year?s team could produce. But he hopes to at least be altering some of those public opinions by the success his team has had on the court.
?I thought it would be a work in progress and we still are a work in progress,? Brady said ?We are fortunate that we?ve been able to win some close games and I credit our players for making the right plays at the right times. ... We?ve been able to win some close games, and successful seasons are made by a combination of winning close games. I didn?t know if this team was going to be able to do that this early, but they?ve made tremendous progress.?
If Arkansas State?s most recent games are any indication, attendance may be about to receive a boost.
The Red Wolves played before their largest crowd of the year the last time out when New Orleans visited and 3,497 showed up. At the game prior against Southeast Missouri State just before Christmas, nearly 3,000 were in the stands.
With the team winning and school back in session, Morgan believes fans are becoming reacquainted with ASU basketball. He hopes they?ll find their way to the arena this evening to give them the emotional edge that the home court can provide.
?I think everybody is just getting a feel for us,? Morgan said. ?I think with each game the crowds are getting bigger, and I think with each game the fans are starting to buy into the program. They?re starting to see the changes that have been made and that things are for the better. We need them to come out.?
ULM (5-11, 1-4) has lost three of its last four games after enduring a 5-game losing streak through the middle of December. Arkansas State swept ULM last season, winning at home by a 75-64 score.
Brady hopes a good sized crowd will help his team remain unbeaten at home as it gets into the meat of its conference schedule.
?We need them to be here,? Brady said. ?We can certainly use their help.?
The respect of their own.
Arkansas State begins a key home stretch in Sun Belt Conference play this evening as it hosts Louisiana-Monroe at the Convocation Center. The Red Wolves are hoping their followers are beginning to recognize the accomplishments they?re making and will give them a decided homecourt advantage.
ASU is off to its best start ever under a new head coach and in contention, though still early, in the SBC West Division race. With four of its next five conference games at home, Arkansas State can solidify its place in the league as a contender rather than an early-season pretender.
?We?ve got 13 games left, and I don?t want to boil it down to the next four or five games to whether we?re going to be successful or not successful, but certainly it would enhance our chances for success if we can defend the home floor with this stretch of games coming up,? ASU coach John Brady said. ?You?ve got to be ready to play every single night whether you are at home or on the road. I think our team has demonstrated that if it does compete that we?ve got a chance.?
In seven home games, Arkansas State (11-5 overall, 3-2 Sun Belt) has had more than a chance. ASU has won by an average margin of 27 points on its home floor. Murray State is the only team to lead the Red Wolves at halftime at the Convocation Center and the only team to lose by less than double digits.
Arkansas State is coming off a 2-game Sun Belt road swing in which it picked up an overtime victory at Denver, then lost in triple overtime at North Texas. The 75-73 win at Denver was ASU?s 11th victory of the season, surpassing last year?s total in the first week of the new year.
But for all the early-season success Arkansas State has enjoyed, including road victories at Tennessee-Martin, Ball State and Indiana State, the program?s following has yet to buy in.
Brady said it?s a matter of regaining the respect of ASU fans.
?It?s like I told my team in the locker room before the season started, it?s all about respect,? Brady said. ?The thing you need to earn is respect. I think our crowds have increased with each game and I hope they will continue to. But our team has to do its part and we have to do our part as coaches, and with that you earn people?s respect and then they come out and support you.?
So far attendance hasn?t been wholeheartedly supportive.
After hiring Brady, who led LSU to the Final Four just two years ago, season tickets sales experienced a strong increase but fans showing up has actually decreased. Brady was expected to be an immediate connection with the fan base with his national name recognition and flare for winning.
But this season, attendance has staggered to an average of just 2,617 a night through the first seven home games. Last year, attendance at Arkansas State set a record with an all-time low average of 3,208 per game.
If the current path continues to hold true, attendance would sink to a new record low in 2009.
ASU forward Shawn Morgan said he didn?t know what to expect this season, therefore fans may not have known what to expect either and they may have been hesitant to return. ASU went 10-20 last year and finished near the bottom of the West Division.
?To be honest, we didn?t know what to expect with a new coaching staff and all,? Morgan said. ?We knew there were going to be a lot of changes. We didn?t know how things were going to be. With me being here last year, having experienced a lot of the ups and downs, we?ve definitely exceeded expectations.?
Brady admitted that he began the season a little unsure of what this year?s team could produce. But he hopes to at least be altering some of those public opinions by the success his team has had on the court.
?I thought it would be a work in progress and we still are a work in progress,? Brady said ?We are fortunate that we?ve been able to win some close games and I credit our players for making the right plays at the right times. ... We?ve been able to win some close games, and successful seasons are made by a combination of winning close games. I didn?t know if this team was going to be able to do that this early, but they?ve made tremendous progress.?
If Arkansas State?s most recent games are any indication, attendance may be about to receive a boost.
The Red Wolves played before their largest crowd of the year the last time out when New Orleans visited and 3,497 showed up. At the game prior against Southeast Missouri State just before Christmas, nearly 3,000 were in the stands.
With the team winning and school back in session, Morgan believes fans are becoming reacquainted with ASU basketball. He hopes they?ll find their way to the arena this evening to give them the emotional edge that the home court can provide.
?I think everybody is just getting a feel for us,? Morgan said. ?I think with each game the crowds are getting bigger, and I think with each game the fans are starting to buy into the program. They?re starting to see the changes that have been made and that things are for the better. We need them to come out.?
ULM (5-11, 1-4) has lost three of its last four games after enduring a 5-game losing streak through the middle of December. Arkansas State swept ULM last season, winning at home by a 75-64 score.
Brady hopes a good sized crowd will help his team remain unbeaten at home as it gets into the meat of its conference schedule.
?We need them to be here,? Brady said. ?We can certainly use their help.?
