The first preseason MVC preview

[tornado]

All I said was that it's possible there was contact before Zo got there..
still doesn't change my contention that Martin inherited a large part the team that served him well the next two years...
He certainly inherited as much as most coaches do since so many players always leave with a coaching change.

[TNMSUFAN]

All I said was that it's possible there was contact before Zo got there..
still doesn't change my contention that Martin inherited a large part the team that served him well the next two years...
He certainly inherited as much as most coaches do since so many players always leave with a coaching change.

Served him well? The roster his first year was the worst talent we have ever had and the worst team in our history of DI. The other thing I would add is Weems or Creekmore never played for Barry the year before so Zo inherited unknowns. Zo's 2nd year he turned the roster over adding 7 players and as I mentioned only 3 in the top 10 rotation were Barry guys. Keep throwing stuff at the wall though and maybe something will stick.

[chitown fanatic]

I think the newbie makes some good points, but I still stand by my opinion that while they will improve to 4th or 5th this season, MSU will not be contending for a top 3 finish. I just don't see the talent being top line. Who's gonna average over 15 a game? Weems maybe? The rest are middle of the road players..even Weems disappeared last season and was the bane of VT posters for a good portion of the season when they went downhill. For them, it might be"In cuonzo we trust", but to me, it's in cuonzo they'll bust.

[tornado]

The roster his first year was the worst talent we have ever had and the worst team in our history of DI.

I think I satisfactorily showed that the talent on Zo's first team was substantially the same talent he had on his 2nd team...PLUS Hinson's transfer Creekmore became available...
Hinson's players still accounted for more than half the minutes played, even two years after Barry was fired...(and in addition I am still not convinced that Martin landed Leonard all of his own doing only days after he was hired)

[LittleBrave]

I think the newbie makes some good points, but I still stand by my opinion that while they will improve to 4th or 5th this season, MSU will not be contending for a top 3 finish. I just don't see the talent being top line. Who's gonna average over 15 a game? Weems maybe? The rest are middle of the road players..even Weems disappeared last season and was the bane of VT posters for a good portion of the season when they went downhill. For them, it might be"In cuonzo we trust", but to me, it's in cuonzo they'll bust.

I don't see the talent being top line either, but I do think they can contend.
They could be weak at the point, but they seem solid everywhere else.
If BU won the CIT tournament and had practically everyone returning, wouldn't you think we could contend the following year?
There's a lot to like about this MSU team, like their chemistry. The question is -can learn to pull out road games in the Valley.
I guess we'll just have to see.

[TNMSUFAN]

I think the newbie makes some good points, but I still stand by my opinion that while they will improve to 4th or 5th this season, MSU will not be contending for a top 3 finish. I just don't see the talent being top line. Who's gonna average over 15 a game? Weems maybe? The rest are middle of the road players..even Weems disappeared last season and was the bane of VT posters for a good portion of the season when they went downhill. For them, it might be"In cuonzo we trust", but to me, it's in cuonzo they'll bust.

Guess we will see but we return 69pts per game including 3 double digit scorers Weems 13.6, Leonard 13.0 and Mallett 10.6. Creekmore averaged 8.6 and Ricks averaged 7.4 but he averaged 12 when he started the 4 games in the CIT. Scoring the ball is the least of our problems considering we led the Valley in scoring and return everyone except a guy who averaged 2.3pts per game. Defending better, finishing games and stealing some road wins will be the difference.

[TNMSUFAN]

I think I satisfactorily showed that the talent on Zo's first team was substantially the same talent he had on his 2nd team...PLUS Hinson's transfer Creekmore became available...
Hinson's players still accounted for more than half the minutes played, even two years after Barry was fired...(and in addition I am still not convinced that Martin landed Leonard all of his own doing only days after he was hired)

Now I know why even your own fans feel like they do...

Creekmore was a walk-on and paid his own way until this season. Spin any way you want but last year in our normal 9 man rotation only 3 Barry guys played...Fury, Weems and Creek.

highlighted Zo recruits...minutes averaged per game and ppg

Kyle Weems 28.8 13.6
Adam Leonard 32.7 13.0
Jermaine Mallett 30.8 10.6
Will Creekmore 20.0 8.6
Nafis Ricks 18.8 7.4
Caleb Patterson 16.1 6.1
Keith Pickens 16.5 6.5
Michael Porter 11.3 3.8 (would have been a big part of the season but was hurt and we played 8 most nights)
Justin Fuehrmeyer 21.4 2.3

[tornado]

Ok - obviously we differ...
but somehow I feel if someone bragged on the job Jim Les did in his 2nd season had he gone 8-10 finishing 7th or 8th..
(Bradley actually finished 6th in 2004 and I don't recall a whole lot of folks bragging about anything...)
...then most people would point out that half the minutes played, and HALF his production came from players he INHERITED, especially if one of them is one of the league's studs, the only sophomore on either the 1st or 2nd team All League..

[chitown fanatic]

I don't see the talent being top line either, but I do think they can contend.
They could be weak at the point, but they seem solid everywhere else.
If BU won the CIT tournament and had practically everyone returning, wouldn't you think we could contend the following year?
There's a lot to like about this MSU team, like their chemistry. The question is -can learn to pull out road games in the Valley.
I guess we'll just have to see.

No, when we played in the title games in both made up tournaments, i enjoyed watching more games and thought it was good for their development, but the real winners were playing in tournaments that were far more prestigious against far better competition. We played a sub .500 Cincy team in the 1st round, for crying out loud. I enjoy the CBI and CTI for what they are, but they are a joke compared to the goal of being an NCAA tourney team year in and year out and did not give me any hope of being a legitimate title contender. However, I do have high hopes this season that we can contend. we better, cuz after this season, it could be a few dark years ahead at the Hilltop.

[LittleBrave]

No, when we played in the title games in both made up tournaments, i enjoyed watching more games and thought it was good for their development, but the real winners were playing in tournaments that were far more prestigious against far better competition. We played a sub .500 Cincy team in the 1st round, for crying out loud. I enjoy the CBI and CTI for what they are, but they are a joke compared to the goal of being an NCAA tourney team year in and year out and did not give me any hope of being a legitimate title contender. However, I do have high hopes this season that we can contend. we better, cuz after this season, it could be a few dark years ahead at the Hilltop.

Another 4th or 5th place Valley finish would be unacceptable.
I have high hopes too, but don't want to get ahead of myself - I'm focusing as much on our deficiencies as on our strengths.
SO MUCH POTENTIAL!!!
You're right I believe - if we don't turn it around this year, it will likely get worse next year with our 3 seniors gone. No excuses this year.

[AZ BU Fan]

I don't see BU's future getting any worse in the upcoming years if they do not "break through" this season with their 3 seniors.

Seniors in 2011-12 include TB, WE, and AT. They will keep BU afloat, and DSE, WL and their newcomers should be good enough to keep BU competitive in 2011-12.

More middle of the pack finishes and being on the outside looking in re NCAA and NIT tourneys is more likely outcome.

BU does have a lot of scholly's open next year and time will tell if they can grab more impact players that get BU to the next level - contending for MVC title/tourney and NCAA's/NIT's.

[shaunguth]

BU does have a lot of scholly's open next year and time will tell if they can grab more impact players that get BU to the next level - contending for MVC title/tourney and NCAA's/NIT's.

At this time, we only have two scholarships open next year and that drops to one if we fill the last one this year.

[Da Coach]

FoxSports article about Greg McDermott and Creighton-

http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/2010/08/09/mcdermott;_win-win_in_move_to_creighton