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[ISP 939]

3 minutes ago, IUrocker said:

Connor went to school in my hometown where I graduated at Central Noble. If I’m remembering correctly, I knew him and his family being Michigan fans. Handfuls of older family pics of he, his brother, and parents in Wolverine gear……Oh, and if I’m remembering correctly again, Michigan just announced a new coach the other day…

who knows if he’ll actually end up there, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he had the chance. 

Family are big Michigan fans but IU is Conor’s dream school.

[Alford Bailey 12,664]

How come Connor Essigian’s production dropped off this year?

[IUrocker 2,417]

3 minutes ago, ISP said:

Family are big Michigan fans but IU is Conor’s dream school.

Well that’s cool, yeah didn’t know that part of it. I guess I just figured since they were Michigan fans that he’d wanna end up there. 

[steubenhoosier 1,403]

4 minutes ago, Alford Bailey said:

How come Connor Essigian’s production dropped off this year?

Recruited over.

[8bucks 6,833]

40 minutes ago, schoosier said:

He would be our best shooter why not? I’m sure we could get him for cheap

Given his numbers this year he would need to be in the cheap side 

[Stuhoo 84,409]

4 minutes ago, Alford Bailey said:

How come Connor Essigian’s production dropped off this year?

Injury

Defense lacked 

Blackwell took his minutes

[RaceToTheTop 27,652]

4 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

I’m not sure that Essegian is a good fit for IU, but I am sure that his skill set has little in common with Anthony Leal.

Assuming that MM comes back, IU is currently at:

Guards:  Galloway, Leal, Newton, Cupps

Wings:  Mgbako

PF/posts:  Reneau

I don't see the Leal/Essegian similarities at all.  Essegian averaged about 12 ppg as a freshman.  Leal is really just out there to provide something steady and nothing else.  I think for maximum roster flexibility you need 6 guards on the roster, especially with Newton's health being a potential issue -- and if you want a three good look at times, you need some guards.  Essegian IMO has a spot if we also bring in a legit point guard and another good shooting wing.  But shooters always have a spot on a team.

[RaceToTheTop 27,652]

7 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Injury

Defense lacked 

Blackwell took his minutes

Big one that I think gets ignored was Gard's handling of him.  Gard was brutal to him in the press, early in the season saying that 'we don't have time for his struggles' and that Wisconsin was 'looking to achieve higher things this year'.  Think Gard tremendously overestimated the talent on his team.

Rumors are out there that A.J. Storr is looking to transfer again...if so, think that says a lot about Gard.

[RaceToTheTop 27,652]

Davon Barnes, 6'2" guard, Sam Houston State.  13.5 points, 3.5 reb, 1.6 assists.  42/39/84.

[WayneFleekHoosier 49,531]

Big one that I think gets ignored was Gard's handling of him.  Gard was brutal to him in the press, early in the season saying that 'we don't have time for his struggles' and that Wisconsin was 'looking to achieve higher things this year'.  Think Gard tremendously overestimated the talent on his team.

Rumors are out there that A.J. Storr is looking to transfer again...if so, think that says a lot about Gard.

 

I dislike Gard as much as anyone but Essegian is a defensive liability. Look at the guards on these teams tonight. We need more of that. We can/should set our sights higher than Essegian for our needs. If Gard knew he needed better and I think he was right, we need better too.

 

 

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[RaceToTheTop 27,652]

8 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

 

I dislike Gard as much as anyone but Essegian is a defensive liability. Look at the guards on these teams tonight. We need more of that. We can/should set our sights higher than Essegian for our needs. If Gard knew he needed better and I think he was right, we need better too.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using BtownBanners mobile app

My problem was with Gard ‘s treatment of Essegian with the media.  Coach’s do have a responsibility to make their players better.  Guard’s comments to the media about Essegian basically laid the blame all at Essegian’s feet at a time when he was trying to work his way back from injury.

Should also be worth noting that Wisconsin’s defensive efficiency this year was the worst it’s been since 2018 so it’s not like the guards he had this year were killing it on the defensive end.  Essegians’s freshman year they were top 20 defensively;  this year they were 44th.

[Stuhoo 84,409]

10 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

 

I dislike Gard as much as anyone but Essegian is a defensive liability. Look at the guards on these teams tonight. We need more of that. We can/should set our sights higher than Essegian for our needs. If Gard knew he needed better and I think he was right, we need better too.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using BtownBanners mobile app

We have at least seven spots to fill. Connor Essegian has shown a P5 very useable skill that we don't have and therefore he is a strong choice for one of those slots IMO.

He is clearly not the bulldog point guard that we need the most, but he is a wing that can shoot who plays with a chip on his shoulder and was B1G all-freshman team.

[WayneFleekHoosier 49,531]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

We have at least seven spots to fill. Connor Essegian has shown a P% very useable skill that we don't have and therefore he is a strong choice for one of those slots IMO.

He is clearly not the bulldog point guard that we need the most, but he is a wing that can shoot who plays with a chip on his shoulder and was B1G all-freshman team.

Yeah, could be a decent option I think.  But he'd be a bench piece and I'm not convinced that is what he is looking for.  I think our staff thinks it will get Thornton once they are out of the NIT as our preferred starting PG.   I feel like it might be another week before we really know where we are targeting.  

[Stuhoo 84,409]

18 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Yeah, could be a decent option I think.  But he'd be a bench piece and I'm not convinced that is what he is looking for.  I think our staff thinks it will get Thornton once they are out of the NIT as our preferred starting PG.   I feel like it might be another week before we really know where we are targeting.  

Thornton would be a great get, but I am assuming that one of the biggest benefits with OSU promoting Diebler is player continuity. It was probably far more likely he would be available if Holtman had stayed. 

I also think (and this includes both with Essegian and Thornton) that there is familiarity bias. We have seen guys like Essegian and Thornton a lot as B1G players. I am quite certain that there are many players who are less obvious to the IU fanbase that are also great gets. I like Essegian because I think the home-town element will be attractive to him, and given his sophomore year production he will come at a substantial discount, saving money for marquee NIL players at PG and C.

[RaceToTheTop 27,652]

Dishon Jackson(6'11" center, Charlotte, 11.4 ppg, 6.rebounds) has committed to Iowa State.  IU had contacted him;  Jackson says he chose Iowa State over Xavier, Indiana, Miami and USC.

New to the portal:  

Drake guard Atin Wright.  6'1".  14.1 ppg, 2.1 reb, 1.9 ast.  46/41/82.  Made 65 threes on 160 attempts.  1 year of eligibility left.  First three years at Cal State Northridge.

Northern Kentucky guard Marques Warrick.  6'2".  19.9 ppg, 2.6 reb, 2.4 assists.  Shot 43/30/87, although over four years he shot 35% from three.  Four year starter at NKU, scored 2,246 career points -- all time leading scorer at Northern Kentucky.  Lexington native so I assume Kentucky will be in contact.

Two Xavier bigs -- Abou Ousmane, 6'10" post, and Sasa Ciani, 6'9" post from Slovenia.  Ousmane got the most run at center, averaging 21.5 minutes.  Mostly a rebound and D player, averaged 6.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks.  Ciani averaged 13 minutes, 2.5 points, and 2.9 rebounds but thought he was worth mentioning as the Xavier boards seemed to like his game.

[str8baller 6,163]

12 hours ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Big one that I think gets ignored was Gard's handling of him.  Gard was brutal to him in the press, early in the season saying that 'we don't have time for his struggles' and that Wisconsin was 'looking to achieve higher things this year'.  Think Gard tremendously overestimated the talent on his team.

Rumors are out there that A.J. Storr is looking to transfer again...if so, think that says a lot about Gard.

This 100% and it started his freshman season when he started playing big minutes and then hit the freshman wall (some say injury…i don’t know). The staff leaked an obvious hit piece to the press that made the front page. Not the front page of the sports page but the front page on the main paper for a metro area of 500k+. I could barely believe it. But that’s Gard for  you.  
 

I was surprised he came back. Much like ISP I think he wanted to go to IU but there was no interest so he came back, but that is a guess.  
 

Wisconsin was very guard heavy this year and with 4 other guards who were better at getting their own shot. And that’s mostly what it devolved into as the season wore on. Essegian is not great at creating his own shot. He can come off screens or be a spot up guy and would probably be one of the best shooters in the league in such a role.  
 

If May wants to grab him for that offense to knock down shots and create spacing, I think he’d excel there. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 87,205]

[AH1971 2,011]

1 hour ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Drake guard Atin Wright.  6'1".  14.1 ppg, 2.1 reb, 1.9 ast.  46/41/82.  Made 65 threes on 160 attempts.  1 year of eligibility left.  First three years at Cal State Northridge

He was impressive in their tournament loss to Washington St, small for a 2 guard though. Have to think West Virginia is the early favorite. 

[AH1971 2,011]

1 hour ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Dishon Jackson(6'11" center, Charlotte, 11.4 ppg, 6.rebounds) has committed to Iowa State.  IU had contacted him;  Jackson says he chose Iowa State over Xavier, Indiana, Miami and USC.

New to the portal:  

Drake guard Atin Wright.  6'1".  14.1 ppg, 2.1 reb, 1.9 ast.  46/41/82.  Made 65 threes on 160 attempts.  1 year of eligibility left.  First three years at Cal State Northridge.

Northern Kentucky guard Marques Warrick.  6'2".  19.9 ppg, 2.6 reb, 2.4 assists.  Shot 43/30/87, although over four years he shot 35% from three.  Four year starter at NKU, scored 2,246 career points -- all time leading scorer at Northern Kentucky.  Lexington native so I assume Kentucky will be in contact.

Two Xavier bigs -- Abou Ousmane, 6'10" post, and Sasa Ciani, 6'9" post from Slovenia.  Ousmane got the most run at center, averaging 21.5 minutes.  Mostly a rebound and D player, averaged 6.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks.  Ciani averaged 13 minutes, 2.5 points, and 2.9 rebounds but thought he was worth mentioning as the Xavier boards seemed to like his game.

Ousmane would be the perfect complimentary big off the bench that provides interior defense and rim protection. 

[Alford Bailey 12,664]

Sparks back to BSU