We will all miss Mark for different reasons. Restoring competitiveness to the JMU MBB program, the record 32 Ws this season, the huge wins over Michigan St., Wisconsin this year, and the UVA win a couple years ago all stand out.

But for me I love the fact Mark leaves JMU undefeated against ODU.

Gotta love him for all of those things, been waiting far too long for JMU basketball to be back to where it should be. I believe we'll continue to build on this, and if so then it's crazy how he was able to take us from such a low point to arguably a return to where Campanelli had us in just four years. Especially excellent use of the portal, and then we started to see some high school guys have success more quickly with XB and especially Carey.

If I had to pick out one thing though, it's definitely the UVA win. I really feel like that was the moment JMU basketball arrived under Byington and showed the first glimpse of where he would take it. Unfortunately we had the tournament ban that year and I think that did impact the team's performance later in the year, but that was an incredible atmosphere and a really special night. Especially for me as it was on my brother's birthday.

I hope he's successful at Vandy and I feel very good about our chances of finding another great coach to keep things rolling here. Go Dukes. ODU sucks.

The UVa win with the AUBC rocking will always my favorite memory.

What I will miss with Mark leaving.

1) Class he showed leading program.
2) substitution patterns were spot on and utilization of players.
3) great at utilization of TOs.
4) strong recruiter of getting the parts that worked well with his philosophy.
5) His honesty while leaving, stating its hard to make consistent runs to the tourny in a one bid 14 team conference.
6) As I have said for 2 decades - JMU should have at least a top 100 program that can be in the top 50 on good years,

He took us from scrapheap to a relevant program.

I'll certainly be rooting for Mark to succeed at Vandy, but it won't be easy.

Cheers Mark

In order for me

1 - beating #5 seed Wisconsin in the first round of the Big Dance
2 - qualifying for the Big Dance
3 - being ranked in the top 25 for 8 weeks
4 - home win vs UVA 2 years ago
5 - road win at Michigan State

These are all significant and lasting accomplishments which mesh well with the $100 million AUBC. We should expect great results with the next coach when they use the current momentum as a launching pad for even more success.

1.) Winning the Sunbelt.
2.) Upsetting Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament.
3.) Beating Michigan State in East Lansing.
4.) Watching him build the program.
5.) The way he conducted himself. Classy all around.
6.) Beating UVA in Harrisonburg.
5.) Whipping ODU a lot.

(03-27-2024 07:43 AM)Dukester Wrote:  2) substitution patterns were spot on and utilization of players.

Gosh, this was a really big one that's easy to get overlooked. Us couch-bound coaches are quite good at saying "What on earth is he doing?? Take that guy out and put in the guy who I think should go in!"

I don't we almost ever minced those decisions this year, because they proved to be right time and time again.

His ability to go into the Portal and put together the talent that brought us 32 wins
this year. Noah, Bickerstaff, Green, Randleman, Horton. In order for JMU to be
competitive year in and year out it will take a coach and staff that knows the Portal
inside and out. His best high school recruit, Carey is a classic case of why we will
consistently be raided in the Portal. You won't see great players stay for four years anymore.

I think there are a lot of huge games that define his career at JMU but my highlight would be his first season at JMU/the Covid season. That was such a negative time with nothing to do but tuning in to watch that men’s team showed me he was clearly the right hire for the job. Watching the freshmen he recruited, pieces he kept from Rowe, watching the progress over that season was so enjoyable. Fast forward to this season, I didn’t miss a game. He’s tuned JMU Nation back into this program - hope the next coach can keep the momentum!

All we needed was a coach without his head up his ***. We have a great school with great facilities. We're not that 10,000-student school playing in a convocation center that stumbled across Lefty Driesell looking for a job. We should be able to hire good coaches and good assistants from here on out. Not saying we'll always pick a winner, but there's no reason to settle any longer. If we don't win, it needs to be said afterwards, "It was a good hire that didn't work out."

32 wins in the season... 8 more than our program best.
several weeks of top-25 rankings, some in top 20. (first in program history)
best average home attendance in two decades. (don't fact check me, but it feels right).
Two 14-game win streaks in the same season (national best).
Conference champs.
depth like we've never had.
Two wins against Big 10 teams.
An NCAA tournament win. Like a real one, not a play-in game, in the 68-team format. Almost 40 years since the last win in a 52-team format.

It's unlikely most of us will repeat a season this successful in our lifetimes. What an incredible year.

(03-27-2024 07:43 AM)Dukester Wrote:  What I will miss with Mark leaving.

1) Class he showed leading program.
2) substitution patterns were spot on and utilization of players.
3) great at utilization of TOs.
4) strong recruiter of getting the parts that worked well with his philosophy.
5) His honesty while leaving, stating its hard to make consistent runs to the tourny in a one bid 14 team conference.
6) As I have said for 2 decades - JMU should have at least a top 100 program that can be in the top 50 on good years,

He took us from scrapheap to a relevant program.

I'll certainly be rooting for Mark to succeed at Vandy, but it won't be easy.

Cheers Mark

Agree, but I’d add
Best “half time adjustments” I’ve seen in years, maybe decades. And the right call when needed.

Every coach everywhere says “”We’ve gotta make halftime adjustments” and it rarely ever happens, or is evident.

This guy did it masterfully. Not screaming from the sideline, but a plan to turn the tables mid game.
My guess is he’ll get Vandy to a competitive point, maybe becomes the “Duke” of the ‘Sippi?

Best of luck.

You guys think Mark would still be with us if we got knocked out in the Semi's of the SBT?

(03-28-2024 10:21 AM)Dukester Wrote:  You guys think Mark would still be with us if we got knocked out in the Semi's of the SBT?

No.

(03-28-2024 11:35 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 10:21 AM)Dukester Wrote:  You guys think Mark would still be with us if we got knocked out in the Semi's of the SBT?

No.

You think he would of gotten offers even though he's never been to the NCAA tournament or NIT in a decade of coaching? I could see that as a tough sell for other fanbases.

(03-28-2024 10:21 AM)Dukester Wrote:  You guys think Mark would still be with us if we got knocked out in the Semi's of the SBT?

Good Question, but I am glad we won and made some noise in the Dance. :-)

(03-28-2024 12:56 PM)lexduke398 Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 10:21 AM)Dukester Wrote:  You guys think Mark would still be with us if we got knocked out in the Semi's of the SBT?

Good Question, but I am glad we won and made some noise in the Dance. :-)

That's why I claimed and rallied around "the future is now", and I enjoyed and appreciated every minute of it.

Are any of the 2023-24 players on this 32 win team going to be voted into the JMU HOF?

I’m going to assume Edwards will get the call, but what about Wooden? Any others?

(03-28-2024 01:01 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  Are any of the 2023-24 players on this 32 win team going to be voted into the JMU HOF?

I’m going to assume Edwards will get the call, but what about Wooden? Any others?

I think those would be the only two that would have a shot. I'd say each is more likely than not to make it, but not a slam dunk.

(03-27-2024 11:14 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  His ability to go into the Portal and put together the talent that brought us 32 wins
this year. Noah, Bickerstaff, Green, Randleman, Horton. In order for JMU to be
competitive year in and year out it will take a coach and staff that knows the Portal
inside and out. His best high school recruit, Carey is a classic case of why we will
consistently be raided in the Portal. You won't see great players stay for four years anymore.

+1 24.

This also strengthens the case for not bothering to recruit HS players. If you do happen to find a HS diamond in the rough as a mid major they will not stick around. Your plan should be to realize you will need to rebuild every year and build your team from the Portal. Byington had to do that each of his years here. He is a good coach and was able to find the right guys to mold and buy into his system.