Odds/Thoughts on building top 25 preseason

[HoosierHoopster]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

The team will be interesting as heck, and with top tier unproven guys like Mustaf and Harris the ceiling is pretty high. So not necessarily likely that it'll be probably unranked at the end. Could be a bust and could be a massive success. Not nearly as much meh-middle ground as last year was.

Gotta wait and see who DeVries and staff add after we get Sherrell -- would expect shooters, roster is far from complete and thus can't really call whether we're likely or not to be ranked etc. in the fall

[Home Jersey]

8 minutes ago, BGleas said:

Obviously Michigan was led by their "Big 4" of Yaxel, Johnson, Mara and Cadeau. 

But what I felt took them from good to great was the other 4 main guys around them. McKinney, Cason, Burnett and Gayle, Jr. 

Those were legit power conference role players. Replace those guys with Enright, Dorn, Miles and Bailey and Michigan isn't winning a title. 

All that to say, of Sherrill commits we have at least 3 (Burton, Sherrill and the Turkish big) of our lead guys. 

Question on how good we'll be is whether we can add another "lead" guy and then our role players are Mustafa, Harris and fill in a couple more (maybe Moody)? 

Can we get one more "guy", or are we starting both Mustafa and Harris. Can we push Harris to a shooter off the bench role?

Great start, lots to still figure out. 

Burton / Hall / Mustaf / Sherell / Yig

with Harris as sixth man could be interesting. Definitely lots to figure out still but elated we seem to have a much improved foundation moving forward. 

[Shooter]

32 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

Burton / Hall / Mustaf / Sherell / Yig

with Harris as sixth man could be interesting. Definitely lots to figure out still but elated we seem to have a much improved foundation moving forward. 

Agree. Adding Hall (or someone like him) would take me from cautiously optimistic about next year's squad, to "I think we're gonna be pretty good".

[str8baller]

52 minutes ago, BGleas said:

Obviously Michigan was led by their "Big 4" of Yaxel, Johnson, Mara and Cadeau. 

But what I felt took them from good to great was the other 4 main guys around them. McKinney, Cason, Burnett and Gayle, Jr. 

Those were legit power conference role players. Replace those guys with Enright, Dorn, Miles and Bailey and Michigan isn't winning a title. 

All that to say, of Sherrill commits we have at least 3 (Burton, Sherrill and the Turkish big) of our lead guys. 

Question on how good we'll be is whether we can add another "lead" guy and then our role players are Mustafa, Harris and fill in a couple more (maybe Moody)? 

Can we get one more "guy", or are we starting both Mustafa and Harris. Can we push Harris to a shooter off the bench role?

Great start, lots to still figure out. 

Don’t forget Tschetter or however you spell his name.  
 

But yea…we’re probably a year away from anything great due to roster continuity which I pointed out yesterday.  
 

In any event, if we spend top 5 money a top 25 roster should be a bare minimum expectation. Whether the AP voters see it initially is kinda irrelevant. 

[Asha’man]

2 hours ago, BGleas said:

Obviously Michigan was led by their "Big 4" of Yaxel, Johnson, Mara and Cadeau. 

But what I felt took them from good to great was the other 4 main guys around them. McKinney, Cason, Burnett and Gayle, Jr. 

Those were legit power conference role players. Replace those guys with Enright, Dorn, Miles and Bailey and Michigan isn't winning a title. 

All that to say, of Sherrill commits we have at least 3 (Burton, Sherrill and the Turkish big) of our lead guys. 

Question on how good we'll be is whether we can add another "lead" guy and then our role players are Mustafa, Harris and fill in a couple more (maybe Moody)? 

Can we get one more "guy", or are we starting both Mustafa and Harris. Can we push Harris to a shooter off the bench role?

Great start, lots to still figure out. 

I’d assume Harris is coming here to start and we need him to step up for sure. Maybe be a 9/10 point a game guy that’s over 40% from 3. I think adding Sherrell is the final piece to our starting 5. Which is a starting 5 good enough to compete with the top of the conference opponents. I agree on the depth argument, and I think we will see a drop off unless the freshmen are ready to go. But outside of Moody, I think they need to add strength before they contribute. 

[CSP]

6 minutes ago, Asha’man said:

I’d assume Harris is coming here to start and we need him to step up for sure. Maybe be a 9/10 point a game guy that’s over 40% from 3. I think adding Sherrell is the final piece to our starting 5. Which is a starting 5 good enough to compete with the top of the conference opponents. I agree on the depth argument, and I think we will see a drop off unless the freshmen are ready to go. But outside of Moody, I think they need to add strength before they contribute. 

I hope we get Hall and whoever plays the best out of Harris, Hall, and Mustaf start.. 

[Jeff Flabjohns]

Harris is in no way penciled into the starting 2 spot. Not in the coaching staff’s eyes and probably not even in his own.
He’ll be competing for minutes but has a chance to win the role, but I’d guess he’s coming off the bench unless he forces his way in

[WayneFleekHoosier]

1 hour ago, Jeff Flabjohns said:

Harris is in no way penciled into the starting 2 spot. Not in the coaching staff’s eyes and probably not even in his own.
He’ll be competing for minutes but has a chance to win the role, but I’d guess he’s coming off the bench unless he forces his way in

We need to get him stronger comp then because as the roster sits now, he’s starting. Hopefully we can get another high level guy after Sherrell.  I think we are gonna need it. 

[HoosierHoopster]

With this roster we're well on the way to a top 25 spot imo, but need shooting and a backup point. Add quality players at those spots and this is a top 25 team

[BA47591]

I think we have one more up our sleeve that could push Harris or Mustaf to 6th man. If we don't and fill out the roster smartly, We still have to be pre-season top 25. Someone that can give us 15mpg at point is point of emphasis.  A combo guy, which I think someone mentioned. Brumbaugh fits that description. Dude shot 7.3 fts a  game, he can get down hill. 

Mikka would be the icing on the cake right now. He can play the 4 and some 3. 

[Shooter]

2 hours ago, HoosierHoopster said:

With this roster we're well on the way to a top 25 spot imo, but need shooting and a backup point. Add quality players at those spots and this is a top 25 team

Agree. I think if we add a clear quality starting wing, we should be preseason top 25.

Harris is unproven. I like Mustaf as a 5th option, secondary ball-handler, defense first type guy on a good team.

[Home Jersey]

Curious how different our offense and defense look next year. Should be a lot of fun with this caliber of athleticism and talent.

Burton / Lindsay / Mustaf / Sherrell / Yig

Bench: Harris, Sisley, sharpshooting wing, back up 4/5, PAM, Karvala, TBD

Redshirt: Manhertz 

[Uspshoosier]

4 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

Redshirt: Manhertz 

Doubtful in this new age.   You redshirt him and he still could bounce.   Might as well give him spot minutes if he can help.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

3 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

Doubtful in this new age.   You redshirt him and he still could bounce.   Might as well give him spot minutes if he can help.  

Acimovic is the perfect example.

[str8baller]

7 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

how different our offense and defense look next year. Should be a lot of fun with this caliber of athleticism and talent.

It would be nearly impossible for us to get less shots in the paint.. So I suspect we’ll see quite the change there.   
 

In any event, I would guess that we’re “returning “ enough production to put us into the top 25 at places like Torvik and Kenpom. 

[Home Jersey]

1 minute ago, str8baller said:

It would be nearly impossible for us to get less shots in the paint.. So I suspect we’ll see quite the change there.   
 

In any event, I would guess that we’re “returning “ enough production to put us into the top 25 at places like Torvik and Kenpom. 

Agree on both points. Looking forward to a new look offense. Very curious how the defense will shape up... I'm not familiar enough with all these guys to project that. Should be considerably improved though, hopefully.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

In terms of a preseason top 25 ranking IMO there's a good chance IUBB will be viewed like IUFB was until Cig arrived and our past way too many years of mediocrity will be what people think of and despite what the roster might look like our past performance is what votes will be based on.

[AZ Hoosier]

20 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

In terms of a preseason top 25 ranking IMO there's a good chance IUBB will be viewed like IUFB was until Cig arrived and our past way too many years of mediocrity will be what people think of and despite what the roster might look like our past performance is what votes will be based on.

No problem. Go ahead and under-rate us. Sneak attack. 

[Brass Cannon]

20 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

In terms of a preseason top 25 ranking IMO there's a good chance IUBB will be viewed like IUFB was until Cig arrived and our past way too many years of mediocrity will be what people think of and despite what the roster might look like our past performance is what votes will be based on.

I’d argue the way IU football is still being talked about 

[cthomas]

10 minutes ago, Brass Cannon said:

I’d argue the way IU football is still being talked about 

Anyone still underestimating IU football is an idiot. Hopefully, IU basketball catches up soon.