Last year we were 4th
- Thread starter aTUfan
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Close to the same place....We have too many new players, and not enough
team speed to move up from there (hope I'm wrong)......
One thing about this team though.....We should get better as the season goes
along.....I think we certainly do have some new talent to intergrate into the team....
Our first eight might well change as the season progresses....We could finish
pretty strong down the stretch.....
Finishing at or below where we did last season will be a huge disappointment. With the traditional top teams in the conference rebuilding next season, I’d consider anything below 3rd a failure.
Depending on how we fare down low we could be in the same spot or maybe move up one. If we don't get some quality development and play out of our bigs it could be difficult to maintain that standing. Our shooters are adequate or better, but need space...
We're kind of in a middling rebuild ourselves, having lost our top scorer. Anytime that happens you might have a bit of trouble. I'm actually pretty pleased about what I've heard regarding our incoming recruits so we'll see if we got some diamonds in the rough or not. Hopefully we did.
Junior was a good player but he was a no show far too many games. We will be very impressed by the new guys.
We just need a couple of the new kids to hit the 3 reliable to make up for the loss of Junior (a great pick and pop guy from 3) and Henderson Jr. I'm hoping Horne and Moore are those guys. I'd also love to see Igbanu work on his face up game. He's great back to the basket but he really needs to show a 3 point shot to move to the next level.
Houston looks like they could be really good. They're kind of in a similar boat to us, replacing a really good top scorer with quality pieces.
I'm interested to see what happens at UConn + Memphis with their new coaches. Memphis might do really well with the level of talent they have. That's regardless of Penny's coaching. UCF and Temple will also be interesting. UCF will easily be a top 50 RPI team.
The last 10 games or so of his freshman year he demonstrated a great 3 point shot, I think he was 3 for 4 in one game, he just needs more confidence to let go when he’s open and the freedom to roam a little. If the new guys can give us true center play then that will allow Igbanu to join Jeffries in that stretch 4 role.
I’m not familiar enough with our new players to make a position prediction but I do think we will once again be in the top half if the league. Second or third is definitely possible if the new guys can shoot the three and/or protect the rim depending on position. UCF and Cincinnati seem to be the early favorites with Memphis also being hyped. I just hope the league can do well OOC so fourth or fifth (if that’s where we end up) will have us in the at-large conversation.
I remember that. He did the headiest thing I've ever seen against Cincinnati late in the season... fake a hand injury... go over to coach during the end of a timeout clutching at that hand.... then stays in the game and comes off a pick and sinks one that no one saw coming. I don't know if his hand was really hurting or not... but that was amazing. We should work that in a couple more times this season.
He didn't really shoot them at all this last season though. It was really odd. Even as a 5 man, I would expect you to be able to shoot a couple. We all know D'Andre Wright would pull the trigger for Haith every now and then.
I thought that was odd too because his freshman year his form looked solid and he was shooting well. He seemed hesitant as a sophomore.
I suspect it’s a couple of things. First we had a lot more guys last year that could regularly hit a three. Additionally the loss of Magnay during fall practice threw everyone off and I suspect he felt the need to be THE man in the middle.
I’m with the poke, I don’t see SMU or Temple either one as high as they have them. I’ll give UCONN the benefit of the doubt because they do have talent and have upgraded their coach.
Whitt, McMurray, Foster, Chargois. Computers love their grad transfer Nat Dixon. Then they add another transfer in Isiaha Mike that was all-freshman in the A10.
Igbanu doesn't need a 3 pt shot. He needs to be able to play catch and shoot facing the basket from 12-15 ft. If he does that things under the basket for cutters will open up. He also needs to read where the double team comes from and pass it back out quickly to beat it. If he does that teams will be hesitant to bring the double on him...and I feel fairly confident that there is not a player in the league that can stop him 1v1...even Tacko, who Igbanu has abused in their matchups so far.
SMU is garbage. McMurray is a very one-dimensional player in what he can do. Chargois...is still only half decent in 5 minute stretches. Dixon will be the guy their season keys on...I have not been impressed with Whitt. And Foster is meh. He was a nice complement on the floor with Shake and Emelogu, but he's not shown he is capable of being a go-to guy.
BTW, Sterlin Taplin has the ability to be conference player of the year. Whether or not he comes out playing with the confidence needed to achieve that is a different story.
That 12-15 foot shot is the least efficient in basketball (why you see fewer and fewer people taking it). A reliable 3 point shot is more valuable.
I know...we've discussed that on this board. Igbanu is not the player you need to do that. But having that 12-15 ft shot, keeps the defense from just collapsing in the paint or doubling one of the other 4 3pt shooters on the court.
I'm aware of that... but ideally, that's not the shot you want them to take even if they were open. You'd want them to drive for the layup then make a quick pass as the zone doubled them inside... either to the other big underneath or to a wide open outside shooter. If you settle for that shot you're basically letting the opposing team game the efficiency numbers against you.
