Big Men

[Out of Balance]

And don't forget UNI and WSU. I think WSU has one 7-footer and just signed two more.

Great

[That Guy]

I have been thinking for a couple years that we just need someone with the skills of Matt Salley. I had some problems with his play, but I think we lack the defense and steady rebounding he had. I'd love to have someone who could score more. I would take just adequete though.

So we need to recruit a guy with minimal offensive basketball talent, who defends by fouling, is a terrible chemistry guy, and a bad off the court influence? No thanks...

[SFP]

I was not a Matt Salley fan for most of his BU career but that last month I became a convert. He left it all on the floor every night. He was nasty enough that the other teams' guards thought twice to head to the rim. His basketball skills were questionable but he did defend the paint like he owned it. Did he own it is another question.

[ER3]

AT is not going anywhere. Who do we have as a back-up 5 next year? He has 2 year left after this year so there is still hope. Even if we get a JUCO 5 AT can still serve as a back-up with WE moving to the 4.

AT is not a 5...and he still can't find the floor on a team that is completely devoid of decent post options off the bench...so even if he comes back next year, I don't see how he is going to do anything to solve our post problems.
We have a lot of holes and not a lot of open scholarships to fill them with. We don't have the luxury of filling our bench right now with a bunch of projects that 'might give us some serviceable back-up minutes by the time they are seniors'...If AT is going to give us anything next year, it is high time that Les gives him a chance to show something, anything in some meaningful minutes this year...

[NSBF]

Lets add Both ISU's and Drake's bigs to the question They are in the MVC, are they not I said it the other day, this BS about finding Bigs, well it's just that, BS

ISU's bigs = Odiakosa, Lewis, Carmichael, Thornton, and Mishler. Watching Mishler a couple of times this year he's not bad for a walk-on. Don't think he gets much PT based on the players in front of him.

Then they add Jordan Threloff next year and only lose Odiakosa. No doubt Jank will pull a rabbit out of his hat and get another "walk-on" big to go with his depth!

[Da Coach]

I like what I have seen of Carmichael and Lewis so far. Thornton will be a backup for the next couple years. But Mishler will never play any significant amount. He'd be better off at D2 or D3.
And I have seen Threloff, and he could have the potential to be a good player in a couple years. But I wouldn't be surprised if he redshirts next year. He is slow-footed, and a below-the-rim player right now who gets by against far smaller opponents with his height advantage. IMO, he will need to adjust a lot to the college game, but I am sure he'll be able to do that eventually.
None of their big men are in the same category as Odiakosa is.

[Future Walk-On]

I wouldn't consider Jackie Carmichael a STUD yet.....remember he had a good game against us.....at ISU he didn't really do anything...7 points? his average?

[tornado]

here's a bit more on the above referenced comment by Tom Crean...
one of the Indy Star writers followed up on the recruiting issue with Crean...
and the lack of any big man prospects...

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100216/SPORTS0601/2160345/1069/SPORTS0601/Help-inside-for-IU-Not-yet

the two comments in that column of note, that there just don't appear to be any decent big men out there to recruit and that IU is hurting for beef...
...and that Indiana just doesn't have the recruiting prowess they mighta once had...

"Some believe Crean should simply be able to go out on the road, say he's
from Indiana and the top prospects will follow him like the pied piper back to
Bloomington. But...... that's unrealistic.
"Indiana has a great history, a great tradition, and it's a great basketball
state,'' Meyer said. "But honestly, not a lot of today's recruiting prospects
are aware of that, and even if they are aware, it doesn't really matter to them.... to the top-level player that doesn't have that connection, Indiana is
basically just another school.''

[wily coyote]

I wouldn't consider Jackie Carmichael a STUD yet.....remember he had a good game against us.....at ISU he didn't really do anything...7 points? his average?

Disagree totally. Carmichael is a STUD now and will only get better. He is exactly what we need but can't seem to get. WHY??? If he was in a Braves uniform we would be battling WSU for 2nd. ISU gets Frosh bigs that can play. We have 6 year and 3 year bigs who can't . Sorry SS I love ya but can't tell a lie.

[bu fan 9]

Carmichael is a stud. I hope we can get a player like that in this recruiting class.

[BradleyBrave]

I wouldn't consider Jackie Carmichael a STUD yet.....remember he had a good game against us.....at ISU he didn't really do anything...7 points? his average?

Carmichael is the kind of player that usually bypasses the MVC. He is a stud.

[GoBirds]

Honestly the biggest reason Carmichael's numbers arent that great is Jank. He really limits his minutes at times that seems to confuse even many of the ISU fans. Having been able to see everyone of his games this year his athletic ability is not that of a typical MVC frosh big man. I gotta defend Mishler, honestly has been solid when he gets minutes. Yes he will never be a world beater and quite frankly he just looks goofy out there.

[afan]

coach Stowell

Seems like they keep pushing Coach Stowell farther away from the program. He is the only one on the radio broadcasts that calls it straight.

They don't even let him ask Coach Les questions after the games most of the time.

If you will notice, Coach Stowell is always in a big hurry to go home after the games. He rushes through the stats and almost never goes to the away games. I have watched him during the games. I have noticed that he is off by himself and says very little. It may have something to do with him being up in his 80's. Understandable! I do not agree that he is the only one that calls it straight. Coach Buescher is very vocal and straightforward (and, I think, a very good announcer).