BrianLester posted on January 31, 2012 23:50
By BRIAN LESTER
As I watched the University of Findlay men's basketball team drag Ashland into a dark alley and beat the Eagles down in a 79-49 win on Saturday afternoon, one thing became clear.
The Oilers have figured out how to mesh this talent and make it work to their advantage. They never took their foot off the gas pedal against the Eagles as the closed out an important three-game homestand without a loss.
You have to give a lot of credit to head coach Charlie Ernst. The man can coach as well as anyone in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the nation.
You also have to give credit to the players for responding when their backs were against the wall and for rising up and playing up to their potential.
The Oilers are a different team than they were a month ago, or two months ago for that matter. Sure, it would be nice if they would get a little respect in the national poll by the coaches, but what can you do when the NABC voters have proven time and again this season that they don't know much about the game of basketball.
Findlay is playing the way we expected it to play, in large part because it has learned how to bring a consistent effort to the gym every night.
Now it's time for the Oilers to take their show on the road, starting this week with games against Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan.
The trip is brutal. Yet, this time, you get the feeling that the Oilers are ready for the rigors of playing on the road.
Sure, they might not shoot 60 percent from the field away from home, but they don't have to do that to be successful.
What the Oilers do have to do to be successful on the road is play hard for 40 minutes. If they do that, everything else will fall into place. The shots will go down, the defense will get stops and the Oilers will be in a position to win.
Findlay has the ability to play harder than any other team in the league because of its depth. I don't think anyone in the GLIAC is beter than Findlay when its at its best from an effort standpoint.
As we enter February, I feel good about where the Oilers are as a team. And as long as they remember to pack their effort for this upcoming four-game road swing, they will be ready to handle the challenges that come with life away from home.
Follow me on Twitter: @BLester1993.