TXHoosierDaddy

I agree. 6"10 that can handle the ball and shoot. He's built a lot like KD. If he drops, the only explanation is that doctors were 'concerned' with how he will hold up. Otherwise, I agree top 10 for sure. Would love to see the Mavs take him at #5.

I never thought Michigan would be that tough to beat out. Have to hand it to Beilein, he has his footprint all over this program and it's as good as it has ever been year in and year out. To me, I want this kid as bad as I want TJD, Brooks etc. Heck, maybe even more. NCAA tourney runs always come down to having great guard play. Just look at Nova's two title runs, Carolina last year etc.

Interesting...can't blame him though. He wouldn't have any leverage next season and looking at past players that have stayed over the last few years, they really haven't improved their draft stock at all.

To me, the most polarizing player in this draft is Michael Porter Jr. Apparently, cancelled a workout yesterday because of a hip issue. It sounds a lot like Embid all over again. But he has turned out pretty well? The flip side is you invest a top 5 pick in this guy and he just can't hold up through an 82 game season. I see him going anywhere in mock drafts from 2-15. He has a workout today for a number of teams including the Kings at #2.

Noticed all of a sudden Memphis received 7 crystal ball predictions in the last week. What gives? I get these so called 'prediction guys' jump on each others picks. Playing at Memphis and that conference....man that just wouldn't get me amped if I am a high school kid. Then again, they have lots of NBA star power with Penny and Mike Miller holding down the fort. It's clear who the best coach though is out of the the three so called finalists. The others can sell their NBA experience but that's about it from a coaching standpoint in college.

I see that viewpoint but man Smith had things running on all cylinders here. He couldn't do anything wrong. We seem to be pretty loaded for next season only losing only three impact guys (Miller, Sowers, Steiver). I don't see any reason we can't finish in the top two of the BIG with everything we return and i think we should be ranked in the top 25 to start the year. Will be interested to see how we perform.

Yep, I saw where he is taking credit for 13 or 14 guys getting drafted under his watch. However, most of those guys were Smith recruits. I believe this was his first year of solely Lemonis guys. Sowers was supposed to be a high ranked draft pick. He went in the 31st rd out of high school and only parlayed that into a 29th round pick in 4 years at IU. Just one example so unfair to just pin that on the player development argument but this seems to be something to watch under Lemonis'. Like you said, Fineman was well positioned to get drafted before this season after building on his freshman campaign and then took a step back offensively. I thought Lloyd would take a step up offensively and I don't think he really did. We look to have a great lineup for next year but I thought the same of the lineup this year and most guys didn't show drastic improvement imo. Pitching looks promising too. We know Pauly is rock solid and Saafrank and Sommer showed well in the tourney as did Kreuger. Nice to have Lloyd back as closer as well. He's a great competitor. I am really going to be interested in this coming year with everything we return not even counting a surprise freshman stepping in or two. If we don't show improvement and are a top two team in the BIG, I will be disappointed. Then I would say let's take a look at Smith. I do have major doubts though that that unless Lemonis' takes a better job, he will be here for as long as he wants. Our AD doesn't strike me as one that will make a change as long as we continue to make the tourney.

It scares me how we lack some fundamentals yet Lemonis and staff keep acting like we don't. The aggressive baserunning and bunting come to mind and these have been issues all year. Did we lay down one successfully bunt this weekend? I swear I counted at least five or six crucial times that our hitters got down 0-2 because they couldn't lay down a bunt at a big point in the game. Then we are on the defensive and most of the time struck out. Other teams didn't seem to have this problem. I like the aggressive baserunning but sometimes it is overkill and we run into unnecessary outs. I get so nervous when we have guys on base because the pick off play is always close (seems like we are always leaning or too far off the bag). Why does this happen to us so much and not other teams? This lineup was loaded. Not as good as 2013 or 2014 because we didn't have a Schwarber or Sam Travis but 1-7 we had solid hitters all year. However, you can't expect to advance when a number of those guys just don't show up at the plate (Sowers, Kaletha, Fineman). Will we have that much talent offensively moving forward and if not what does that mean for the program? Aaron you might have answered that by saying not sure if we can sustain this. I agree. This may be as good as it gets.

That makes sense on Lloyd. Based on that, I think that he and Miller are gone. Stiever is 50/50 and Finneman and Milto definitely are back. Guess we'll see here soon!

Carton, TJD, Watford or Brooks (I would be happy with one or the other) Carton - We've seen it enough over the last few years but guard play especially PG play goes a long way in the NCAA tourney. This kid looks like he could be at the helm for at least a couple years anchoring teams to the tourney. TJD - A top in state big. Yes please. We have been missing this type of player for much of Crean's tenure. A big that is athletic and can run the floor. Watford/Brooks - I would be happy with either. Either one gives us a solid, athletic wing for hopefully two years.

After watching this weekend I can't see Fineman going. Honestly, not sure anyone is a sure thing. I guess maybe Miller and Steiver? Also, what position would Lloyd be going for, first base? Dude is a good hitter but still swings and misses way too much.

Takeaways from the game last night: The good -Luke Miller raked the whole weekend. - Saalfrank piched very well last night as the starter. Bullpen came in and did their job. - Gorski had an amazing play in LF which surely looked like a double and another run scored. He also lined a shot to left in the 8th that should have scored a run and would have tied game 3-3. - defense The bad - Baserunning in general - Bunting. Can no one bunt on this team? The attempts were beyond pathetic and always killed us when we had momentum on our side. basically it put our guys in the hole 0-2. My question is if we can't bunt why continue to attempt it. Just let the guys swing. - Strikeouts. Way too many strikeouts and not enough contact. We gave that starting pitcher so much confidence last night. He only had one pitch for a while and then with the swing and misses he got confident in his curve. Outside of Miller and Bradley I feel like every hitter struck out too many times over the weekend. - Patience at the plate. Too many guys come up there hacking. Not enough are shortening their swing trying to make contact or even letting the pitcher work. Wow, we had some great chances against UT and could have easily won this game. Caught a tough break in the 8th with Gorski's hit to left that bounced over the fence for a ground rule double otherwise would have scored a run. Also, with 1 out in 9th ump rang up a PH on strikes with a ridiculously wide strike zone all of a sudden. Regardless, had opportunities and couldn't take advantage. Hitting to me is a major issue. We have talent there for sure but just didn't put the ball in play enough outside of the 1st inning in the A&M game yesterday (I didnt watch Texas Southern). Goes back to player development and seeing our hitters improve. I bet Sowers wants his opportunity back in the 8th. 3B made a heck of a play but Sowers was not keyed in all tourney. Tough way to go out.

Clemens doubled but Saalfrank gets out of first with no damange.

That's what I figured. Just making sure in case.

Also, on longhorn network. In Dallas so I assume this channel isn't available for most. Only time I will watch this channel :)

How many baserunning errors is that this weekend? I know the same thing happened to Houston on Friday. It's so frustrating to watch. We just take ourselves out of the inning by being stupid.

Why the hell is Fineman even leaning there? God our baserunning is atrocious. I doubt he would even go but its like we try to get the biggest lead possible.

We really need to tack on another run or two. Have stranded about a guy an inning since the first and most have been in scoring position.

That is how Lemonis coaches. He wants guys to be ultra aggressive and its been consistent for most of the year. Plenty of times I don't agree with it and the Lloyd play looked like it had no chance from the getgo. but I don't think they are going to change that philosophy.

Anyone know why Kaletha has been playing at the warning track for most of the weekend? Maybe he has since moved in but it is driving me nuts how poorly he has been positioned and makes me nervous anytime someone hits it to center.

Great start but I am still nervous with a 9-2 lead.

Wow! I really was concerned with recruiting once we fired Wilson and named Allen as the HC. To me, it was his biggest question mark. So far it doesn't really seem like recruiting has really dropped at all. In some cases, Allen has gotten more creative with the grad transfer route. Very exciting get!

I have to think it's just not a good fit at this point in time from a culture standpoint. Tracy is a Midwest guy but ASU is a perrenial top 5 program so it in essence would be a dream job for a lot of coaches. Tracy has now had a chance to bring in his own guys since this is his 4th year there and he is still not getting it done. They really haven't improved at all during his time there and even have regressed further if anything. His seat will be smoking hot next year so there will be a lot of pressure. At this point, I just don't see him getting it done but we'll see.

My guess is they get a Gonzaga like seed this year and falter earlier in the tourney with all the expectations. But man they have a heck of a talented team. As good as anyone in the country really and its primarily comprised of transfers. I have to think Mussellman turns this year into a better job.

The Longhorns leading hitter you speak of is Roger Clemens son. Also, A&M was a bubble team heading into the SEC tourney this weekend but won their first three games in pretty convincing fashion reaching the semifinals and beating Vanderbilt, #8 Georgia and #21 Auburn. They fell 2-1 to #4 Ole Miss. It is safe to say that given the momentum from having such a good tourney and also playing just a few hours away from College Station you have to like their chances. Couple that with us playing not great baseball as of recently. Overall, this is a pretty favorable region since there isn't a team that jumps out as 'stacked' or one that has two or three ace pitchers. UT lost in the Big 12 tourney to Kansas and Oklahoma, however, they finished the regular season winning 7 of their last 8. If we put it together we have a good chance here but that's a huge 'if' at this point in time given how this team has played within the last month or so.