SamIam

Lol every time I think we get past this particular conversation on this board, someone else shows up No thank you.

Are we going to get Rice on campus? Or is the visit evidence that we like Carlyle more?

Perfect example is the aforementioned Ryan Conwell, who shot only 30% last year. This year he hit 73 more 3's than he did as a freshman at a 42% clip. It's hard to adjust to the speed and physicality of the game as a freshmen, 32% is a fine percentage to expect a jump next year.

I'd be shocked if he doesn't enter the portal. The real question is does he follow Schertz to SLU. I think at least Avila will but we should have a good shot at Conwell. Poor ISU is going to be gutted unfortunately.

They have similar builds. Both around 6'3 185. They could definitely play together. I prefer Rice, mostly because both have three years of eligibility but Rice is already two years older. I think Carlyle could be what Rice is in a few years. They both shot fairly high volume of 3's, Carlyle at a slightly higher clip, but I like Rice's form more, lots of room for growth. Rice was shooting fine from three until a stretch to end the season where he went like 2/27 on threes. Both around 80% from FT. Both would be good additions.

Just do whatever you have to do to get Conwell and Rice. Get a shooter and a rim protector off the bench. If we do that, I will be excited for next year.

Come on lol, let's not add to the perception that our fanbase is insane. UConn has won 4 championships since we last made it past the Sweet 16, and he's from the area. Yes, the B1G has more money, but the Big East is always going to be a player in MBB. If anything, Hurley should have been a lesson to all the people who wanted a "proven coach" that hiring a winner from lower levels is still how the best programs build success.

I'm seeing a lot of this so I want to explain why I think we NEED to play MR at the 5. It's true that he's not a lockdown defender, but he has elite offensive potential. If we put 10 more pounds on him I think he's an important piece. Yes, he's a tweener, but there are plenty of tweeners in the NCAA, look at past champions. Sanogo on UConn last year was the same height as MR and had a low block rate and it didn't hurt them. Baylor's starting big wasn't huge when they won either. Going back to 2019, Diakite on UVA was an inch shorter and skinnier than Reneau. Spellman on Nova was a textbook tweener. He doesn't need to become a great defender, look around the NCAA. Teams are increasingly using back to the basket big men who are skilled passers to run their offense. Hell, Burns at NC ST is a perfect example. You all love Schertz so much, that is how Indiana St. uses Avila. MR had a 20% assist rate this year in his first year starting. Think about that, he had a 20% Asst rate as a back to the basket big, meaning most of his passes are to cutters or spot up shooters, he's kicking to shooters on a bottom 20 shooting % team in the nation. Meanwhile, Cream Abdul Jabbar himself had a 24% assist rate on the number 11 3PT% team in the country. MR and MM would be a complete mismatch for nearly every other frontline in the country. MR will always be a huge mismatch on offense, and there is evidence to suggest he won't be quite as bad of a defender. He was playing out of position and his foul rate was still cut by a third this year compared to his freshman year. His base is incredibly strong, I think he holds his own best in the post. There will definitely be times when he is overmatched, so we also need to go get a huge guy with a 5%++ block rate, to come off the bench, eat fouls, defend the rim, and to play alongside Reneau for certain matchups. Go get Amari Williams from Drexel to plug that hole, and maybe one more body behind them and I'll be happy.

In three games played without KW, Malik had 34, 28, and 21 points. 2 of the games we played horrible defense, and 1 of them we held Illinois to 70. I think it's worth a shot, just get a backup 5 that can protect the rim.

Rice shoots over 80% from the line and his form is good, with most freshman I would say that will improve. Almost 15 pts per game in his first full season of college ball is VERY good. Good volume too, Mgbako is the only IU player who shot more 3's than Rice last year. He's going to be a sophomore by eligibility but he's already 21 and been in college 3 years. So he would be 24-25 when he is a senior, those are the kind of players that really help you win.

Of the players ranked 10-20 on 247 this past year, only 5/10 ended up being consistent starters throughout the year (Castle, Cadeau, McCain, Evans, Dillingham). Tucker is by no means a guaranteed starter, he is more of a developmental prospect than a ready made guy like McCain.

Perkins is a beast, a proven B1G contributor, and from IN. I will never say no to having a bulldog like him on the roster. The biggest issue with him is that his skillset heavily overlaps with Gallo. It's fine if one of them is coming off the bench, but I really want to see us using our NIL to bring in different guys at first. I think the tournament has shown that plenty of teams use a passing big man to run their offense, I would like us to surround Reneau with shooting, he would absolutely torch people without being doubled every time. Go get a game changer at PG, give Conwell whatever he wants when he enters, and fill in the bench with a couple big guys, a backup 4, and maybe a 3rd string PG. I like Walker, he is a true PG, and he has improved a ton. I think he could be a starter as a senior but it is hard to project that initial jump to the B1G. Do we have any chance at at with Javon Small? He would be perfect. One last note - I started watching a lot of Tucker's highlights. I don't think he's is starting right away. I think it's just as likely that he comes off the bench like Tamar and Reneau as Freshmen. He's not a great shooter yet but his form is actually pretty good, most of the problems come from an inconsistent base. Ironically, the ability to make shots off-balance and without a set base helps him be an elite midrange scorer. If he can tweak his base and timing he has real potential from out there.

I'm wary of Ivy transfers. Ivy teams seem to always get an upset in the tourney, but it seems like their best guys don't translate too well to major conferences.

ND's three basketball fans must be living the absolute dream

He's visiting this weekend.

The MVC as a whole seems to transfer pretty well - Domask averaged 16.7 in the MVC and 16.1 this year. Jones averaged 13.8 in the MVC and 12.1 in the B1G this year. Krikke is the only one I can think of that didn't keep his production, but he was the only option at Valpo anyway, he went from 19 pts/game to 13.8.

Tyson is interesting because what position would Woody want him to play. He seems like a 3 at this level, but does that mean MM is gone? Will MM finally play the 4? Do they think Tyson could play the 2? It's super early but so far I have only really seen them target backup level rim protectors...maybe they finally learned and MR will be at the 5. We should absolutely get Hickman. Two MVC transfers were absolutely key to the two best teams in the league this year in Domask and Jones, and Hickman would be here in a heartbeat if offered. He wants to come home.

We have bench spots open and enough scholarships, surely someone who made the All-B1G Freshman team along with 3 NBA players is worth a shot, especially with how much we have struggled with shooting.

Buyout will probably be 100% remaining on the contract and he got 5 seasons 3.75 mill/yr so it would be 15 mill next year. I do think that Dusty would rather have the IU job and he has to know that he isn't likely to get another chance at it, but it might be a Jeff Brohm and LVille situation where next year is simply too early. Besides, how good would he have to do to get the admin on board with going after him? McCasland had a 6 seed in year 1 at TTU, Tang got a 3 seed last year. Is a year like that good enough to convince us to go after May?

I'm hoping they target a backup shot blocker. That should be a good sign that they will play MR at the 5, and they could still play two bigs when the situation calls for it. The more I look into it, the more I think it could work. He will never be a shot blocker, but he does have a plus wingspan. His block rate is low and his foul rate is high in part because he is stuck out of position at the 4. And there are a ton of teams in the tourney that use a skilled/passing big man who is not much of a shot blocker. Put 10 lbs on MM and MR, they will be serious mismatches at the 3 and 4.

That's so interesting. I know he preaches loyalty but you have to think he knows that the job may never be offered again if he turns it down once. Now we have him at a great program in our recruiting base...if he is successful Dolson is going to pay for not getting it done.

So is the hope for Dusty dead or do you think he would still take the IU job in the future if offered?

No, everyone in the country is now eligible immediately no matter how many times they have transferred in the past.

Conwell hit 86 threes this year at 40% and has 2 years left. Need him.

Pretty cool that FAU plays Northwestern. Dusty May's high school coach was Mark Barnhizer, now he coaches in an NCAAT game against Mark's son, Brooks.