Expectations for next season

[bent20]

Just curious what the expectations are for this team. There are a lot of unknowns right now, so it's hard to guess. We lose four seniors and two to transfers, we gain some redshirt freshmen and a transfer who is now eligible.

I think we'll miss Lathan the most and I'm not sure who we'll get the most production from in return. It will be interesting to see which players step up and show us more now that they'll have more minutes. We really need a steady contributor to emerge inside.

 

[bent20]

And for the record, I went with same result as this year, which right now feels optimistic with so many question remarks and the season we just had.

 

[Callmedoc]

I think khristian smiths talent level is the difference maker here. If he is as good as some of us say he is...we are a pretty good club. But when he struggles we will struggle

 

[Bluesier]

I think khristian smiths talent level is the difference maker here. If he is as good as some of us say he is...we are a pretty good club. But when he struggles we will struggle

K. Smith is no doubt one of keys for success, but I feel Manny Arop is underrated. I remember him for the Zags and he is very tough. Kinda plays like Carl (his junior year), tough rebounder, can shoot the three, and take it to the basket.

I voted for the tournament, because I never expect anything less!

 

[Callmedoc]

K. Smith is no doubt one of keys for success, but I feel Manny Arop is underrated. I remember him for the Zags and he is very tough. Kinda plays like Carl (his junior year), tough rebounder, can shoot the three, and take it to the basket.

I voted for the tournament, because I never expect anything less!

Manny had totally disappeared from my mind. I still think K smith is the most important of the two just because we dont have many guys who can create their own shots.
Another interesting note; after the rumor that Brandon Burnett was leaving...what fruit does he bear this season? We are getting taller on the wings, we have needed it for years.

 

[treeman]

i went with the strong year and NIT bid. we lose a lot, but there were obvious issues going on with our team throughout the year and i'm hoping that we lose those issues too. i'm banking on having a healthy odum which we will make our guard play a lot better. if eitel can improve as much as he did last year we are in for a real treat. R.J., Gant, and Kitchell will hopefully improve some and give us solid minutes all game long. and hopefully our new guys will fill in the gaps and be the X factors we need to be successful. there are a lot of "ifs" going into this season, but i'm hoping for another solid year of basketball.

 

[Sycamore Proud]

If both Khristian and Manny have the impact some feel they will we may very well be a tournament team. If they are major disappointments, we may very well end up a lot like this year. Somehow I feel these two players will have the major impact on the team--frosh and rs's will be solid but not difference makers for a year. I feel they will be somewhere in the middle, and we will be a solid NIT team.

 

[ISU_TREE_FAN]

I think the "Expectation Level" that our four seniors failed to deliver in a leadership capacity last season will be a thing of the past. On paper for what that's worth, but also by some first-hand knowledge of people who have regularly observed at least a couple of these guys that are being mentioned here, K. Smith & Arop, & don't forget Devonte Brown & Brandon Burnett, may as a group be better & hungrier than the players who have moved on? I voted for another trip to the Big Dance!

GO SYCAMORES !

 

[bent20]

I think we'll need Mahurin, Gant and Kitchell to grow and step up more. I think that's the big question and the real deciding factor as to whether we will improve or regress or stay the same. Overall, our defense has to improve tremendously. There are too many question marks right now and too much uphevel for me to expect a tournament run at this point. It's certainly going to take more than Arop and Smith living up to high expectations. As long as Odum continues his steady and stellar play, I think we're at least above .500, but beyond that???

 

[BrokerZ]

Every year I expect some marginal improvement, so I voted for "Strong year and NIT bid." There are too many unknowns with the team right now for me to expect a NCAA tournament bid, but I'm definitely hopeful. I expect the next wave of talent to be hungry and ready to play with so many redshirt freshman, transfers, bench guys getting their opportunities, etc. I also believe in the value of an overseas trip, and the timing for our trip to be this year will be very helpful with all of the new faces.

 

[bbpride]

There is no doubt in my mind that Odum is our leader, he just needs to make it happen. If he's at100% I know he will make the team play better as well! I'm so excited for next season!!! If we get our shot on, our D on, and our team's chemistry together I think there is no stopping us!

 

[sycamore tuff]

I voted NIT simply because the valley didn't show very well in the ncaa tournament last month.

 

[Coach]

There is no doubt in my mind that Odum is our leader, he just needs to make it happen. If he's at100% I know he will make the team play better as well! I'm so excited for next season!!! If we get our shot on, our D on, and our team's chemistry together I think there is no stopping us!

No disagreement there. Somebody should steer JO to the board & get his vote and comments. Bet I know what he will say?

:sycamores:

 

[skdent1414]

Now that we just signed Cummings, how is the roster going to look? The way I see it, we have 7 guys that play the same position. What is going on here?

 

[Jason Svoboda]

Now that we just signed Cummings, how is the roster going to look? The way I see it, we have 7 guys that play the same position. What is going on here?

Here is how I think it looks:

PG: Odum, Eitel, Brown
SG: Khristian Smith, Burnett, Cummings
SF: Arop, Rhett Smith
PF: Mahurin, Gant, Bell
C: Kitch, Samuels

That said, with the way the Valley plays, you do have a number of players that can play multiple positions.

 

[Tree Pride]

A lot of the success will come from how well the incoming players adapt not only to the DI college game but the on-court relationship with the experienced players coachs. If everyone doesn't play by the same playbook, the upcoming season will be long.

 

[Callmedoc]

Here is how I think it looks:

PG: Odum, Eitel, Brown
SG: Khristian Smith, Burnett, Cummings
SF: Arop, Rhett Smith
PF: Mahurin, Gant, Bell
C: Kitch, Samuels

That said, with the way the Valley plays, you do have a number of players that can play multiple positions.

Talking about a lineup that is opposite than what you would expect in the perimeter shooting area...

 

[region rat]

I think we'll need Mahurin, Gant and Kitchell to grow and step up more. I think that's the big question and the real deciding factor as to whether we will improve or regress or stay the same. Overall, our defense has to improve tremendously. There are too many question marks right now and too much uphevel for me to expect a tournament run at this point. It's certainly going to take more than Arop and Smith living up to high expectations. As long as Odum continues his steady and stellar play, I think we're at least above .500, but beyond that???

I think you nailed it, but if the 3 step up and are stronger, the new guys will be able to do their thing and it will be a great season. It also depends obviously how the other teams are.

 

[Sycamore Proud]

I think we'll need Mahurin, Gant and Kitchell to grow and step up more. I think that's the big question and the real deciding factor as to whether we will improve or regress or stay the same. Overall, our defense has to improve tremendously. There are too many question marks right now and too much uphevel for me to expect a tournament run at this point. It's certainly going to take more than Arop and Smith living up to high expectations. As long as Odum continues his steady and stellar play, I think we're at least above .500, but beyond that???

I think you nailed it, but if the 3 step up and are stronger, the new guys will be able to do their thing and it will be a great season. It also depends obviously how the other teams are.

All of this and a large dose of good chemistry. There are a lot of new, inexperienced players that must produce, and that may be asking a lot from them. But it's the only way we will improve.

 

[Bally #50]

Every year I expect some marginal improvement, so I voted for "Strong year and NIT bid." There are too many unknowns with the team right now for me to expect a NCAA tournament bid, but I'm definitely hopeful. I expect the next wave of talent to be hungry and ready to play with so many redshirt freshman, transfers, bench guys getting their opportunities, etc. I also believe in the value of an overseas trip, and the timing for our trip to be this year will be very helpful with all of the new faces.

I took my time to respond to this question but like BrokerZ, I selected strong year/N.I.T. I hope they are better but frankly, I am not sure at all what to think about this team following what happened in 2011-12. First of all, I have never seen FOUR losses in one season live at HC in like.......EVER, so I saw a lot of mediocre basketball last season. I love Coach and his upside is tremendous and I firmly believe in him, but I know he is maturing as a coach and the team to me is a big puzzle, period. I am worried about chemistry, a lack of leadership and shotty shooting on top of that. On paper this team should be better, maybe much better next season, but let's face it, team chemistry, to me, is oh so important and I am not sure where it's at. Add some factors brought up to me after the season, and I will be very conservative in the amount of improvement.

I am excited about some of the new guys, the kid from Arizona and Manny and this newcomer Burnett but we'll see how they mesh before I think they can contend for the MVC Championship. My prediction is that we may lose one more returning player too. So I will be conservative and predict a strong year but I may be overly optimistic. We'll see~