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You could also make an argument that the real success will be in the middle 3-4 or so guys. We probably know roughly what we're getting out of Burton, Sherrill and Yugi, but the difference between 5-8 in conference vs top 3-4 in conference is probably how well Mustaf, Harris and Lindsay or maybe Sisley perform.

I would love another Sam Alexis!

That is great in a perfect world, but foul trouble, fatigue & injury are certain. If Sherrell twists an ankle and is out for 3 games during conference play, who is playing center in your scenario when Samet picks up 2 quick fouls? I think a capable back-up center is still an absolute requirement for this roster.

We are looking for a Michael Durr, or if possible, a Sam Alexis comparable to fill out the backup big role. A solid citizen that can defend the post and isn't nervous out there. That's about it I would expect.

We keep getting a good discussion going in this thread which naturally leads to roster use and minutes projections. I am sympathetic and empathetic to those good souls who are regularly veering this thread in that direction. But cut it out!

More than likely the top 3 signings in Burton, Sherrill, and Yugi/Lindsey will be more crucial to our success than the last 3.

^^ Aren't these posts better off in the roster thread? Just trying to keep up with actual portal with IU interest stuff here --

saw this on facebook hahaha.

Living in the Evansville area my whole life and currently living across the river in Henderson, this pretty much sums up how I feel about pUKe struggles right now.

Yes. Personally, I care about this rivalry. Probably more than Purdue. I don't like them. And to be honest, they put a lot into their bball program and they're a good measuring stick for us. They've beat us up pretty good for 35 years, which is annoying (of course we had a period of not playing them in there). I'd love to see that change. And I'll say it again, once our current series contract with them is up, my wish would be playing them every year in Lucas Oil 50/50 crowd split at midcourt. If they want to alternate the 50/50 crowd to the Yum Center that's fine, but IIRC Louisville may be able to block that. Anyways, this should be the Red River Rivalry of CBB. To get back on topic, I hope UK's portal continue to go poorly.

"Tasty waves, a cool buzz" (and in Todd Golden's case, young chicks to CoachRizz).

Big weekend for OVs. I don't know how accurate the lists are but regardless, it's a list nonetheless. 247 List On3 List Monshun Sales Raheem Floyd Kenaz Sullivan Jayce Brewer Mason Oglesby Brady Scott Antwoine Higgins - Cancelled

Things are fine!

IU didn't pay the kind of money they did for either of them just to stagger them. They paid premium money to create mismatches on both ends by playing them together. Still think we need another 6'11-7 foot banger that can defend and rebound off the bench.

Team needs a tweener 4/5 that can play 15 mpg minimum, those minutes are there. That is the teams top priority. If Sisley cuts into his minutes, great, but you need front court depth. After Samet and Sherrell you have two other frontcourt players; one who couldn't crack the rotation at the end of the year on an 18-14 team and a reclass who physically is probably a year or two away. Not getting a serviceable big off the bench drastically lowers the teams ceiling.

100%. And especially because Mustaf and Harris, and maybe Sisley are as talented as our best/proven top three. Lindsay is more of a known quantity - doesn't seem to have a ton of variability, so our team's ceiling isn't as dependent on how he shakes out.

We better take advantage and curb stomp them in Lucas Oil

and if she isn't I've got a lot of egg to wipe off my face. She's on campus and Lenee and Fenn both posting pics on Instagram. 5'6" guard originally from Seattle, WA. Not an offensive threat but sounds like she's a really tough defender. https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/malia-samuels/17640 https://lasentinel.net/shes-got-game-and-a-mission-malia-samuels-is-changing-the-score.html https://www.theixsports.com/features/malia-samuels-defensive-chaos-usc/

UK adds unranked freshman point guard Zyon Hawthorne , little brother of redshirt freshman Brandon Hawthorne to its roster. Kentucky is now up to nine players, none of which have ever been all that successful at the division one level.

"There will be games you won't play but there will be games you play 15 or so minutes". This type of sale for 5 man could realistically get us a Payton Sparks level big man. I'd be ok with that in all honesty. You're not getting an ambitious high level player at this point imo.

I'm not wrong. You said Stirtz/McCollum were going to be a problem for the B10. They went 10-10 and lost to Penn State and Maryland, the two worst teams in the conference. They weren't close to contending in the B10 this year, they were .500. They finished exactly one game ahead of us, with a much easier schedule....and we were not good at all. A fluke tournament run doesn't change any of that.

I cannot wait to watch the UK meltdown at season's end when they end up with a coach that doesn't line up with their expectations of who they think they'll land.

Mike Davis gets a new gig. He's back in the SWAC. Maybe Jerry Rice can pony up some NIL money for him!

Agreed. Far too much Cayuts talk around Evansville. Need to bury them this year. Pope has proven to not navigate the portal well after the disappointment of years 1 and 2.

I can for sure see a need for another 5 AND another 4, and as you mentioned for depth.. I don't think a guard will play much at all, if signed.

You are far from the stupid guy around here. Maybe not even top ten! And as the current sixth stupidest guy, I should know! (for some reason, this reminds me of a Borat line) The "House" in House v NCAA is not the US House of Representatives taking legislative action, it is a class action suit brought by a U Texas swimmer named Grant House that established revenue sharing as a defined revenue stream that universities share with athletes. Now, multi-media sponsorship companies like Learfield have filed a motion that proposes that they are exempt from the established revenue sharing calculations. If that motion is granted by the court, the rich will get far richer; teams like Texas or Indiana with a major media/NIL platform will get tons more funding from exempted NIL through these multi-media sponsorships. Of note - this is a motion to be considered, and has not yet been decided on.

....I foresee Sisely coming out this year looking more fit with a noticable increase in muscle. jmo

Seems USC, Maryland, Indiana did work in the portal this offseason. Not sure where all Washington’s money went. Oregon not spending like I’d expect either.

^^ 5'6" doesn't address getting bigger but experienced tough defending guard who can either play off the bench or start at times sounds like a good add -- Have to get a kick out of this from the first link: • Had a four steal performance against Indiana and this Samuels is the Trojans’ defensive engine: a 5’6 ball of energy who wreaks havoc the moment she checks in. She’s racked up 36 total steals in 23 games this season after posting 33 in 35 games all of last year and just 13 in 23 games as a freshman.

You and I are together on this one. I believe they definitely will bring in a big guy with one of the 3 spots but they appear to be aiming low. I also think they plan on getting Sisley some minutes there. I personally think they need a guard and a big that could pop. Create a little competition for PT. Fill 12 with contenders for PT. And if 8-10 play so be it. However with the agents and promises we aren’t rocking that way. I realize it’s a delicate situation. But having 3 freshman and in your 10 and not accounting on injuries is a risky move. Feels like we will bring in another Ristic/Acinominvic type player to fill. We didn’t keep a happy roster last year, even. That might account for how they are building this.

Of course just my opinion, I just don't see how the staff can realistically come to the conclusion that he's your first frontcourt player off the bench if you have high expectations, based on what he's shown thus far. You're an Aiden Sherrell or Samet Yigitoglu injury away from being a bubble team at best if the plan is to have Sisley and an insurance 5 be your frontcourt rotational pieces. I just don't know how the staff could feel comfortable elevating Sisley to a ~25 mpg role if something were to happen to one of the two proven frontcourt players on the roster. I'm not saying you need to get a Tobe Awaka, but there is a grand canyon sized gap between him and someone like Langdon Hatton.

Maybe we agree more than I thought, But in my opinion, they need someone for more than just worst case scenario/long-term injury. Fouls/match-ups/fatigue with the bigs are gonna be regular occurences. Much like we saw this last season, post play is vital in the B1G. So gotta have depth, since one is none.

Where's Yaak Yaak?

No you don’t. We’re already playing two seven footers surrounded by some unproven shooting. Your best bet will be to stagger some minutes with Sherrell playing 5-10 min a night at the 5. Playing a substandard 5 man 10mpg so you can always play two bigs just comes at the expense of our wing players where we are much deeper. We’ll just drive our efficiency, especially offensively, off a cliff trying to do that. If we get an Alexis-type, then great. I wouldn’t expect it with this next pickup though.

But that isn't the type of pitch IU has going into next year. IU has two proven front court players right now on it's entire roster and those guys are expected to start along side each other. Sisley obviously figures to factor into the rotation somewhere, but he's more of a tweener 3/4 than he is a 4/5. You can easily sell 15-18 mpg game to a more than serviceable big and not have to worry about breaking any promises. Honestly, I think Sisley's best path is improving as a ballhandler and perimeter shooter and becoming a 3 and D player on the wing. I'm not terribly comfortable playing Sisley exclusively at the 4 until he improves his strength and rebounding numbers.

A backup level one sure as insurance policy. A second true starting level center is not coming here as long as you have Big Z. You can be worried about her injuries and it’s legit concern. However, once you hitched your wagon to her, no high end post player will consider being an insurance policy. You can’t play them together and no top center will risk playing 10 min a game if Z is healthy. Its definitely a conundrum, but one you brought her back, you have to accept she is seen as the one who will play the vast majority of minutes in post. Also, Petrie did not fall off late in season and was in double figures six of last eight games. Every fan base thinks they won with the player they got in portal and only time will tell who is right.

Need a back of the rotation big for 8th man minutes and two practice players. Maybe we go to Europe for the 8th man.

The Dude abides.

What say we get some signees from this group over the weekend?

I don't even know what you're saying anymore? We don't have room for a 15+ minute per game big off the bench because the names anonymous posters are throwing around on message boards are too big for the perceived role? That seems different from you previously stating that we don't have hardly any minutes to sell.

Ok, so this revenue would at least theoretically be closely held by the schools/Leagues and not factored into the athletes’ pool, correct? So, and like it’s not almost comically the case already, P4 schools, and particularly the top of the food chain P4 schools, are just gonna swamp everyone else in resources and facilities and every other damned thing, that about it? Basically another step towards a P2 conference structure with about 30 Taj Mahal programs and everyone else is just along for the ride. Great

These last three players that get signed to fill out the roster I think is going to be crucial to the success of this team this year. I don’t really look at them as end of the bench pieces. I think our freshman class coming in will be that. These next three players need to be very good rotational pieces as we all know the big10 season is a grind and if we go dumpster diving, we’re in trouble.

Not sure what he’s looking for in his 4th school in 4 years, but he would be a decent get for a 13-15 mpg big off the bench which has pretty much been his career role to date. Believe Woodson and staff may have pursued him at one point or another but could be misremembering. Think he was teammates with Mgbako somewhere along the way.

If there was ever a testament to how bad of a coach Hubert Davis was, look what Tyson did the one year he was there.

Not really basketball related, but if Cig needs an H-Back/blocker type à la Nowakowski, might be worth the squeeze. His rep Buddy Baker is a big IU guy.

Slow day here. Once we finish the roster, Football time !!! :{

I may go snoop around on my way home and see if there is any action!