bu in 2006-07 without pob?

[flipper]

how will pob going to the nba effect the bu team for the 2006-07 team? how do you think we will do? what do you think will be our starting lineup? jj, ruff, zack, ????

[Fastbreak]

This site just posted their ratings of the Class of 2008/College sophomores, and Patrick is rated #8 in the nation, #1 among centers (they classify Aldridge and Noah as PF)

http://nbadraft.net/Classof2008.asp

(Illinois' Brian Randle is #34)

[brainiac]

Obviously a bit of BCS-bias on that list.
In their entire Top 50 sophs, they name only two players from midmajor schools, Patrick at #8 and a guy from Xavier at #35.

[flipper]

what does that have to do with thread topic? seriously, what do you think our starting lineup will be next season? ruff, will, jj, zack and ?

will we run the same offense or try to fast break more?

[BradleyBrave]

I think BU will be better than some think next year. Up front, ZA will be improved, Matt Salley will add more inside scoring, and I think Xavier Crawford could bring more to the table than people think. In the backcourt, we return 2 very good point guards in Dan Ruffin and Will Franklin, a senior captain in JJ Tauai, and have big talented guards in Jeremy Crouch and Ray Brown who will have to step up.

IMO a lot will depend on how much Jeremy and Ray can step in and contribute offensively. If they can live up to expectations and become the players we were told they will be, BU will be fine. If they can't, it could be a long season.

[New Guy]

my biggest concern is on the D side. the pressure the BU guards were able to apply with POB lurking to thwart any drive may be gone. can zach, xavier, or someone else be that type of defender to let the guards take the risks. as fo the O I look for more of a fast break and perimiter game while the bigs develop. But like has been said many times on this board. POB was a several year project in most "experts" opinion before the Valley say him.

[mexicobufan]

SG Ray B.
PG Dan R.
SF Jeremy C.
PF Zack A.
C XC

A little small for my liking.......

[BradleyBrave]

SG Ray B.
PG Dan R.
SF Jeremy C.
PF Zack A.
C XC

A little small for my liking.......

That lineup is bigger than this year's starting lineup was. Ray is a legit 6'6", Jeremy is a legit 6'5", Zach is 6'8", and Xavier is 6'11". Last year we started 5'10", 6'0", 6'3", 6'7", and 7'0".

[BradleyBrave]

G - Ruffin
G - Tauai
G - Crouch/Brown
F - Salley
F - Andrews

Bench:

Franklin
Crouch/Brown
Jassey
Crawford
Adams

IR:

Singh

Redshirt:

Warren

We're going to get pounded down low. I wouldn't be suprised to see some more zone next year to neutralize our disadvantages inside.

[Braves4Life]

Totally Disagree

I do not believe we will get pounded down low --not in The Valley, at least.

I think you'll see that with our huge guards and athletic forwards we will more than hold our own. I also think we will see that Salley and Andrews will be rebounding animals. If Crawford is ahead of schedule and can play some we have the potential to put a near NBA team size-wise on the floor.

Now, if they can perform at even half that level (NBA) we'll just have to wait and see

[patrick_o'brian]

G - Ruffin
G - Tauai
G - Crouch/Brown
F - Salley
F - Andrews

Bench:

Franklin
Crouch/Brown
Jassey
Crawford
Adams

IR:

Singh

Redshirt:

Warren

We're going to get pounded down low. I wouldn't be suprised to see some more zone next year to neutralize our disadvantages inside.

I agree JJ has to start. we saw in the tournnaments and also he second half of the season how important he is to this program. The thing is that JJ came to this program as a scorer. Hopefully his senior year will bring the scorer out of him. we need to replace a legitimate 40 ppg this year. I think JJ has to be one of the major pieces to the scoring puzzle. Also we need RB to bring about 10 ppg to the table and I think one of the newcomers (AW or MS) need to bring 10 also. I'm not saying it is impossible, but we can make some noise if these guys step up. we only have 1 freshman right? True Freshman. AW, right? Maybe 2 with Jassey if you count him. I think he can contribute too.

[Bravesfan]

Re: Totally Disagree

I do not believe we will get pounded down low --not in The Valley, at least.

I think you'll see that with our huge guards and athletic forwards we will more than hold our own. I also think we will see that Salley and Andrews will be rebounding animals. If Crawford is ahead of schedule and can play some we have the potential to put a near NBA team size-wise on the floor.

Now, if they can perform at even half that level (NBA) we'll just have to wait and see

I'm glad to see more and more people are becoming optimistic about next year's team, considering how many doomsday posts we had here regarding POB's departure from this team! I think Bradley may just surprise a lot of people next season, and become next year's Wichita St!

[BradleyBrave]

Re: Totally Disagree

I do not believe we will get pounded down low --not in The Valley, at least.

I think you'll see that with our huge guards and athletic forwards we will more than hold our own. I also think we will see that Salley and Andrews will be rebounding animals. If Crawford is ahead of schedule and can play some we have the potential to put a near NBA team size-wise on the floor.

Now, if they can perform at even half that level (NBA) we'll just have to wait and see

We have ZERO froncourt depth. What happens when Andrews or Salley (or both) get in foul trouble? Last year we had Sommerville, Andrews, O'Bryant, Wright, and even Heemskerk to take some minutes and grab rebounds. I hope I am wrong, but I think we're looking thin up front. But, it doesn't mean I have given up or think we'll be bad next year. We'll just be a different team than we were this year.

[tornado]

Re: Totally Disagree

We have ZERO froncourt depth. What happens when Andrews or Salley (or both) get in foul trouble? .

I don't doubt we will be a bit short, mostly due to the loss of POB without much advance warning.

But the MVC is a guard-oriented league, and we will still be strong in guard play.
Very few other MVC teams are DEEP and STRONG in the front court, so who is there that is any deeper or stronger than BU will be?

Northern Iowa? They only had two players last year over 6'4", and used them almost every minute of every game, and in the end it was both their guards & front court that fell short, with injuries to Crawford and too many missed shots by BJ and fatigue in the big guys.

WSU? Nope, they lost the only inside guy they had. Wilson is basically a wing player and they utilize guards 90% of the time.

SIU? How so, their "big guy" Falker is really only about 6'6" and skinny, but he's good, I don't deny that. Shaw plays like a guard and the other big guys they have are deep bench so far and may not be starters. Again, SIU generally beats you with their guard play, and is neither deep nor big down low.

The rest? Nope, a few decent big guys like Evansville's Webster, ISU's Dill, & CU's Tolliver, but no depth, and in ISU's case really, really no depth.
Every other "big guy" in the Valley such as Dane Watts, Brent Heemskerk, Levi Dyer, Shaw, Odiakosa, Sky Frazier are either NO GOOD or they want to be guards and pop three pointers from 20 feet away from the basket, so they might as well throw all that height away.

So, BU with a front line of 6"11", 6'9", 6'8", 6'7", 6'6", 6'6" will actually be one of the, IF NOT THE biggest and deepest team in the Valley in front court players. I know we are a bit shy on experience, but by the end of the season, that will be taken care of.

So, BB, who in the MVC do you think has the ability dominate BU in the paint?

[flipper]

tornado - where do you see us finishing next season in the valley?