Scoring?

[tornado]

Like it or not, Bradley was last in the MVC in scoring last year - and it wasn't even close, we were way behind Loyola and averaged only 61 ppg.
Now we've lost our two best scorers - both of whom were among the league's leaders.

so where's our scoring going to come from...
anyone want to stick out their neck and predict?

Here's what I think on ppg scoring - although injuries might take a toll on some guys' numbers....and I really hope someone breaks out and surprises tremendously

Barnes 12ppg
Sutherland 12ppg
Grier 10ppg
Shaw 8ppg
Cunningham 8ppg
Amerson 7ppg
Bell 7ppg
Morgan 4ppg
Taylor 2ppg
Jones 2ppg
Thomas 2ppg
Fields 1.5ppg
Harris 1ppg
Wells 0ppg
I think our team scoring may go up a little and as a team we may average 64-65ppg largely due to having a good, ball-distributing PG.
The team total won't equal the individual totals - it never does since we don't play all 14 players in each game.

[Da Coach]

It's really hard to guess without seeing any of the new players yet, so instead, I'll critique your numbers.
Bell averaged only 4.8 ppg last season, and I see him getting less playing time this year. Probably the same for Grier. He averaged 10.4, but will likely play fewer minutes this year.
And I would hope we get better production that 2 ppg from Warren Jones.
My guess for the 2 freshmen - Thomas 4 ppg, Cunningham 4 ppg.

[Chico]

For a top 100 player, why do you guys not expect Cunningham to be a better scorer?

[tornado]

I just think freshmen in the MVC face a tough task -
I just checked the past THREE seasons in the Valley and not once has a true freshman been in the top 20 in scoring over those 3 seasons (a RS-freshman did once finish 8th)

Plus - the position he plays is somewhat already occupied by some of our leading returnees ...but if he is really better than those guys and get more playing time then he might score more.
One more thing - the best scorer we've had in since Hersey Hawkins, Walt Lemon (finished his career with 1721 pt - the most career points since 1988 )
...and he only scored 6 ppg as a freshman.

[Da Coach]

For a top 100 player, why do you guys not expect Cunningham to be a better scorer?

While he is very athletic, he is not much of a shooter. So unless he was guaranteed to be a starter, all players take time to adjust to the D1 level. Players like JC, who need to work on their offense, especially take time at the D1 level to develop their offensive game. People thought Xavier Taylor would be more of an impact on the offensive end, but though he played in every game, and started most of them, he only averaged 3.4 ppg. Even Taylor Brown, who developed into a great offensive player, only averaged 3.4 ppg his freshman year. Will Egolf averaged just 1.5 ppg his freshman year.
And the two highest scoring BU players in the last 20 years, Andrew Warren, who finished 11th on the all time scoring list, averaged just 4.1 ppg his first year, and Walt Lemon, who finished 7th on the all time scoring list, averaged just 6.4 ppg.

[bu fan 9]

Shaw will be the leading scorer I think because Geno will let him take a lot of 3's.

[AZ BU Fan]

If the sum total of GF's offense is to just launch 3's, or to let players go one on one with shot clock expiring, or to set high screens and let players drive wildly to the hoop, BU has the wrong man at the MBB helm. Don't think BU will ever recruit enough players with the kind of talent to do this successfully on a consistent basis (ie more than 1-2).

BU needs strong defense/rebounding to produce transition offense and a motion/screening half court offense to improve scoring in the absence of pure shooting ability.

Making 80% plus of FT wouldn't hurt either.

[ihatetea]

For a top 100 player, why do you guys not expect Cunningham to be a better scorer?

Anthony booker was the last top 100 recruit that came to mind in the valley. He was #80 according to espn. Like Cunningham he was a 6'8"/6'9" power forward that dominated smaller competition in high school and was working on a perimeter game for college. As a freshman at southern Illinois he averaged 3.7 points a game his freshman year. I think jc will be better than booker but it is a similar comparison at this point.

[Chico]

This team is still picked to finish in the 2nd part of the MVC, so IMO, you would think a top 100 player would get more playing time and be a higher scorer.

[patrick_o'brian]

Shaw will average at least 12 ppg. I really think that in order for Grier to average double figures, you have to bring Taylor's average up because Grier will miss alot of 3's trying to get to that double digit mark. With that being said, I would expect Taylor and and Cunningham both to be closer to double figures with Taylor being a double-double threat. IF he stays out of foul trouble.

[Mikovio]

Anthony booker was the last top 100 recruit that came to mind in the valley. He was #80 according to espn. Like Cunningham he was a 6'8"/6'9" power forward that dominated smaller competition in high school and was working on a perimeter game for college. As a freshman at southern Illinois he averaged 3.7 points a game his freshman year. I think jc will be better than booker but it is a similar comparison at this point.

I don't like that comparison. Booker was only top 100 because he had a monster Vegas AAU tournament that skyrocketed him up the charts. JC's ranking was based on a much larger body of work. Also, Booker played in the STL suburbs while JC played in the Chicago Public League and with the Mac Irvin Fire with and against some of the best competition in the nation.

I think a better comparison, although they're different positions, is Fred Vanvleet, who I'm pretty sure is the last top 100 player in the Valley. He came off the bench behind Malcolm Armstead most of his freshman season but really started to blossom later on and into the NCAAs. I see JC starting out the same way behind Barnes for the first few months at least, and we can only hope he comes along like FVV did. I'm certainly not going to make that prediction, but I do think he'll be eased in and we won't see a whole lot from him early on. I'm hoping Shaw and either Amerson or Jones emerge as big double digit scoring threats.

[ihatetea]

I don't like that comparison. Booker was only top 100 because he had a monster Vegas AAU tournament that skyrocketed him up the charts. JC's ranking was based on a much larger body of work. Also, Booker played in the STL suburbs while JC played in the Chicago Public League and with the Mac Irvin Fire with and against some of the best competition in the nation.

I think a better comparison, although they're different positions, is Fred Vanvleet, who I'm pretty sure is the last top 100 player in the Valley. He came off the bench behind Malcolm Armstead most of his freshman season but really started to blossom later on and into the NCAAs. I see JC starting out the same way behind Barnes for the first few months at least, and we can only hope he comes along like FVV did. I'm certainly not going to make that prediction, but I do think he'll be eased in and we won't see a whole lot from him early on. I'm hoping Shaw and either Amerson or Jones emerge as big double digit scoring threats.

i forgot about fvv. i think the point remains the same in regards to his freshman scoring, not to get too excited. i agree i think he will be much better than booker was, and hopefully like fvv he will be a key member of the rotation by the last third of the season or earlier.

[mexicobufan]

I expect this team to do better than most expect based on two things. Better talent and depth at all positions and Shaw's leadership on and off the court. I hear Shaw is demading of his team mates and pushes everyone every day in practice. I think Shaw plans on winning and winning this year.

[mexicobufan]

Sutherland - 13
Barnes - 11
Grier - 11
Shaw - 8
Cunningham - 7
Morgan - 6
Taylor - 6
Amerson - 7
Thomas - 5
Bell - 5
Jones - 4
Fields - 1
Harris - 1
Wells - 0

[Buesch N Chips]

If the sum total of GF's offense is to just launch 3's, or to let players go one on one with shot clock expiring, or to set high screens and let players drive wildly to the hoop, BU has the wrong man at the MBB helm. Don't think BU will ever recruit enough players with the kind of talent to do this successfully on a consistent basis (ie more than 1-2).

BU needs strong defense/rebounding to produce transition offense and a motion/screening half court offense to improve scoring in the absence of pure shooting ability.

Right. Based on this roster and the exodus of Lemon I see a renewed focus on team ball. Geno will be channeling his inner Norman Dale. FOUR PASSES!!!!