On to 2019-2020

[Jaker]

I have zero expectations for next year

 

[mussels]

I have zero expectations for next year

I expect them to play hard and I expect the returning players to show development. If that happens I'm happy.

 

[JB75]

Ever see these guys play?

Just high school but what I’ve heard and seen and read, these guys are going to make an impact. Yer right I don’t have much to base it on except expectations , but I just have a good feeling about them. Fir some reason I think bouknight is gonna be nasty. I cud be wrong. Just a feel. I do kno that Polley and especially Sid did not impress me much this year. I don’t think I saw sid hit one jumper from January on. I’ll give sid a pass. Polley I’m harder on cuz he saw a ton of minutes this year

 

[AntG168]

We are so conditioned to no player development because of the prior regime. These guys are going to get better. The work coach hunter did with Josh this yr was incredible. You can expect guys like sid and Brendan Adams to also improve. Vital staying would be huge imo. I believe we could really see him blossom next yr with another yr under Hurley. Health is my only concern with rique. We should have a lot of hope for next yr because we have a staff that specializes in player development. Hurley and staff are up to the task. The guys we have returning and the talent we bring in will give us good times next season. I truly am confident in that. Trust The Process

 

[Phoenixhusky]

We are so conditioned to no player development because of the prior regime. These guys are going to get better. The work coach hunter did with Josh this yr was incredible. You can expect guys like sid and Brendan Adams to also improve. Vital staying would be huge imo. I believe we could really see him blossom next yr with another yr under Hurley. Health is my only concern with rique. We should have a lot of hope for next yr because we have a staff that specializes in player development. Hurley and staff are up to the task. The guys we have returning and the talent we bring in will give us good times next season. I truly am confident in that. Trust The Process

I agree with this100%

 

[StepbackCity]

Our front court is abysmal. Think about how bad we would have been without Josh having a huge jump the second half of the year.

You can’t win in college without a big time front court. Either a rim protector, post player, or both.

Next year, we’ll have both.

This is a bad take. Akok and Carlton is a monster starting frontcourt, and will be one of the best in the AAC. The only problem is the depth behind them.

Also wanted to add that Gaffney will start next year. He’s a better ball handler than anyone not named Gilbert, and Gaffney just knows how to score at all 3 levels.

 

[ucp990411]

Monster front court? Come on Akok is 185 lbs, I think he may get pushed around quite a bit, ever see any of the incoming recruits play? Or just going by boneyard hype? The hype said Sid was a stud, guess that proved to be wrong.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Wow there are some clueless people on this board. My goodness.

 

[ucp990411]

Wow there are some clueless people on this board. My goodness.

To whom are you referring?

 

[HuskyHawk]

We are so conditioned to no player development because of the prior regime. These guys are going to get better. The work coach hunter did with Josh this yr was incredible. You can expect guys like sid and Brendan Adams to also improve. Vital staying would be huge imo. I believe we could really see him blossom next yr with another yr under Hurley. Health is my only concern with rique. We should have a lot of hope for next yr because we have a staff that specializes in player development. Hurley and staff are up to the task. The guys we have returning and the talent we bring in will give us good times next season. I truly am confident in that. Trust The Process

Nice to see some sanity and common sense. The roster we had, including Diarra and Yawke, was easily NIT NCAA bubble capable without the injuries. Yawke and Diarra were our two toughest most physical front court players. They would have helped in league play where we got manhandled. I never want to see a 175 pound Sid at PF ever again. Hurley learned this year too. His teams will be bigger and more physical going forward.

Next year we need to be at least an NIT lock NCAA bubble team and I think we will be. Sid will be better. B. Adams will get better. Carlton will get better too, and anybody else who comes back. We do need some depth up front. Guys coming in will have an impact. Borges all but said Akok was already kicking everybody else’s butt in practices.

I also expect Hurley to stick with the press and running game all year next year. It was very effective at times, but we lacked the personnel to run it, especially once injuries hit.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

To whom are you referring?

Not you, I don't think. Maybe you.
The one suggesting Hurley should be fired next season if we aren't a coin flip for the NCAA tournament.

 

[Phoenixhusky]

Hurley will be here in five years and anyone anti Hurley now will be on the bandwagon.

 

[ucp990411]

Not you, I don't think. Maybe you.
The one suggesting Hurley should be fired next season if we aren't a coin flip for the NCAA tournament.

Well I certainly don’t think he should be fired if we don’t make the tournament. He probably would be coach of the year if we did. Painfully obvious how high the mountain is that we have to climb.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I really don't think some people understand how fortunate we are to have Dan Hurley.
Or how fortunate we were to win FOUR championships. And have been in the Big East. And have all of these great players come through this program.

 

[HuskyFich]

This is a bad take. Akok and Carlton is a monster starting frontcourt, and will be one of the best in the AAC. The only problem is the depth behind them.

Also wanted to add that Gaffney will start next year. He’s a better ball handler than anyone not named Gilbert, and Gaffney just knows how to score at all 3 levels.

That's literally what I said?

 

[JimHurley]

Let’s not forget the players on this year’s team will be better next year. We actually have a coaching staff who will develop its players.

 

[intlzncster]

Are we saying that these recruits aren't better than USF or Tulsa (18 wins)??? I don't believe that for a second, and neither did the national recruiting services when they evaluated them.

Furthermore, the question was a 50/50 to an NCAA bid, which means we are really talking about being locked in for the NIT. That's what we're saying here. If the expectation is that we can't make the NIT in year two, then what the heck are we doing here???

But those aren't equivalent. You can be 20/80 to make the NCAAs and still be locked into an NIT bid. That just means you don't have as low a floor, but still a limited ceiling.

If you're only saying, "a lock for the NIT", I'm more inclined to agree with you. I think that if we miss the NIT, next season would be a disappointment.

Not for nothing, despite what some claim on here, losing your best player is a blow. It's hard to get better when that happens. Same thing when guys like Kemba/Bazz left, and everyone over predicted our results.

And I think we have to accept just how low this program had fallen. So digging out ain't a piece of cake.

 

[intlzncster]

This is a bad take. Akok and Carlton is a monster starting frontcourt, and will be one of the best in the AAC. The only problem is the depth behind them.

Also wanted to add that Gaffney will start next year. He’s a better ball handler than anyone not named Gilbert, and Gaffney just knows how to score at all 3 levels.

I think both of you guys went to extremes. It's a decent front court. Young with Akok, and as you said, limited depth. Also, let's not make Carlton out to be the second coming of Ewing. I was very surprised at his strides this year, but he's still more of a role player, than a feature guy.

For instance, Wiseman at Memphis will likely abuse Carlton next year.

 

[UConnDan97]

But those aren't equivalent. You can be 20/80 to make the NCAAs and still be locked into an NIT bid. That just means you don't have as low a floor, but still a limited ceiling.

If you're only saying, "a lock for the NIT", I'm more inclined to agree with you. I think that if we miss the NIT, next season would be a disappointment.

Not for nothing, despite what some claim on here, losing your best player is a blow. It's hard to get better when that happens. Same thing when guys like Kemba/Bazz left, and everyone over predicted our results.

And I think we have to accept just how low this program had fallen. So digging out ain't a piece of cake.

That's fair. I guess I'm looking at the NIT lock as being very much in the discussion for an at large. Maybe you need a win in the conference tourney to be the last four in. Something like that. But what I can't do is hold Hurley to less of a standard than I held Ollie, for whom I said multiple times that missing two NITs in a row was doom.

What some here are mistaking me for saying is that I don't believe Hurley can do it. Quite the contrary. I'm fairly sure he will. And that's my point. You can already see Carlton and Polley making strides. If the team stays healthy, there's really no reason to expect anything less than NIT...

 

[intlzncster]

What some here are mistaking me for saying is that I don't believe Hurley can do it. Quite the contrary. I'm fairly sure he will. And that's my point. You can already see Carlton and Polley making strides. If the team stays healthy, there's really no reason to expect anything less than NIT...

That's probably my greatest worry, specific to Gilbert. Without him, they'd quickly be in a devastating hole that I don't see them getting out of.

Really need a decent experienced PG (Juco/Transfer don't care which) in case AG has to miss a few games.

 

[GHSWolverines]

That's probably my greatest worry, specific to Gilbert. Without him, they'd quickly be in a devastating hole that I don't see them getting out of.

Really need a decent experienced PG (Juco/Transfer don't care which) in case AG has to miss a few games.

Remember we only have 1 scholly remaining and the staff seems to be going all in on Precious. If we don't get him, the focus should be on a big in my opinion. Now, if at least 1 more opens up then go for a Point Guard

 

[ucp990411]

Just high school but what I’ve heard and seen and read, these guys are going to make an impact. Yer right I don’t have much to base it on except expectations , but I just have a good feeling about them. Fir some reason I think bouknight is gonna be nasty. I cud be wrong. Just a feel. I do kno that Polley and especially Sid did not impress me much this year. I don’t think I saw sid hit one jumper from January on. I’ll give sid a pass. Polley I’m harder on cuz he saw a ton of minutes this year

Don't buy the hype.

 

[intlzncster]

Remember we only have 1 scholly remaining and the staff seems to be going all in on Precious. If we don't get him, the focus should be on a big in my opinion. Now, if at least 1 more opens up then go for a Point Guard

I was operating on the assumption we'll have two. But yes, a backup center, preferably a bruiser, it's priority 1.

And I'm writing Precious off as of this moment. Who knows, maybe a miracle occurs, but I'm not banking on it.

Still though, without a primary ball handler in MCBB, you're dead in the water.

 

[intlzncster]

Don't buy the hype.

Why? What have you seen?

I think they'll be good, just maybe not year 1 immediate impact guys. Everyone of them will get serious minutes though.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I think both of you guys went to extremes. It's a decent front court. Young with Akok, and as you said, limited depth. Also, let's not make Carlton out to be the second coming of Ewing. I was very surprised at his strides this year, but he's still more of a role player, than a feature guy.

For instance, Wiseman at Memphis will likely abuse Carlton next year.

Wiseman is also the #1 prospect out of high school and possible #1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, so that commentary to prove your point about Carlton is pretty disingenuous. But I agree with most of your point. I don't think anyone has made Carlton out to be the 2nd coming of Ewing though?

I believe Carlton will be very good against the bulk of the AAC next season.