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2017-2018 Expectations

LanderPoke

LanderPoke

Well-known member
How does everyone think this season will unfold for the Pokes?

I'm thinking a top 1/2 conference finish for the Pokes and I expect them to challenge for an NIT spot. Please just let Justin James start and play 30 min/game. I'll be excited to see all the newcomers, too.
 
LanderPoke said:
How does everyone think this season will unfold for the Pokes?

I'm thinking a top 1/2 conference finish for the Pokes and I expect them to challenge for an NIT spot. Please just let Justin James start and play 30 min/game. I'll be excited to see all the newcomers, too.
Click to expand...

I'm kinda thinking along the same lines. I expect us to be a bit more athletic than last year since 2 big minute players..... Jmac, and Liebs, are no longer around and we will be much improved from an athletic standpoint without those 2. Barnes being gone is a bit of a plus as well, although I always admired his personality and how he carried himself as a teammate.
I will add that unless Aka Gorski is shooting like 50% from 3 this year, if he is relied upon for big time minutes, say 30 plus a game, we'll finish in the bottom half of the conference. Would like to see FOR ONCE the coaching staff put as athletic a squad on the floor as they possibly can.
 
LanderPoke said:
How does everyone think this season will unfold for the Pokes?

I'm thinking a top 1/2 conference finish for the Pokes and I expect them to challenge for an NIT spot. Please just let Justin James start and play 30 min/game. I'll be excited to see all the newcomers, too.
Click to expand...

I see pretty much the same. James is a stud and will have a great year. NIT might be a stretch just due to weak SOS, but I think 20 wins and an over .500 MWC record are reasonable goals for this team.

Big questions are rebounding and ball handling. Due to poor rebounding and turnovers we faced a possession deficit in many games last year. Need to clean both of those up. We probably won't be a good rebounding team, but we need to approach average. Same deal with turnovers, Edwards wants the team to be aggressive so expect a few more charges and risky passes than what Shyatt wanted, but we have to clean up the really stupid turnovers.
 
We lost Morris Marshall, Liebs, Barnes, and Mcmanimal....

We gained, Ny Redding, Austin Meuller, Buddha Jones, Anthony Mack, Hunter Maldonado, and Hunter Thompson.

It sounds very likely Hunter Thompson will still redshirt. We'll see if either Mack or Maldonado redshirt as well.

Right now it seems likely the following guys will play.

PG: Redding, Kelly
Sg: Louis Adams, Gorski
SF: Justin James, Austin Meuller
PF: Dalton, Moemeka, Buddha Jones
C: Herndon, Naughton

I didn't list any of the true freshmen on the depth chart, because I don't know if any of them will avoid the redshirt this year. Also, I have no idea what Edwards idea of minutes will be. You would need a witch doctor, a fortune teller, and Nostradamus to predict that.

To me it seems we still have guard issues that will keep us from making the NCAA tourney. We have the potential to be one of the best 64 teams in the country, but every thing would have to work out right.

We should be pretty damn beastly in the paint, with legit guys all over the court at the 3, 4, and 5. If we have rebounding issues this year, it's a system problem, because we'll have one of the longest post games in the country.

I could see an NIT appearance this year, but it we gel early, I could see us finishing top three in the MWC and possibly making the dance as well.
 
I think like most of you have said we'll be a top 4 or 5 team in the conference and have a good shot at the NIT. Although I say that not really knowing what any of the other teams in the conference will look like
 
Tough to say how it all shakes out this year. A lot of question marks for this team. How good is our coaching? How will the new guys blend in and what will they bring to the table? Are we going to miss the guys that left? Do we have reliable ball handling and decision making? Can we dominate the boards/paint? How's the shooting? Are we going to see more progression from key players? On paper the team seems poised to be a top 4 MWC team and championship contender. I'm really excited to see what might be the most athletic team since Nance's exit. The Pokes have really struggled with that even during Nance's time, it's really been since the Davis/Bailey years when they haven't had to fear a squad on athletic prowess.

I'm gonna say I expect a top 3 finish in conference but deep down I really wanted this year to be a top 2. I want the team to be in the hunt for NCAA/NIT. Everyone was looking at this year being the return to the top and it would really help the program if that's how it pans out. It's the Pokes so my optimism should be reserved and realism served full strength in 10 gallon barrel :lol:
 
I think at this point that all that can realistically be said is that a post season tournament is LIKELY. But ask the question again on January 1.
 
Sky's the limit, to quote the phrase AE loves to say, "by the end of the day" we should be fair and a factor in the MWC I'm ready for a challenge to the MW Conference Title this year, hope all goes well...GO POKES
 
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