Roster ‘19

[zebnatto]

I think what Pike will have achieved is to give us a roster of legit B1G players, nine or ten deep. That’s a rebuild that, I think, will make us middle of the pack or close to it. No reason to think that Geo won’t be our best player and a very good one. As much as I like Geo, I don’t see us having the guy or pair of guys who will be able to take over a game.

This year, I think we have a lot of close conference games, next year same. With maturity and added players, we win a higher percentage of those next year.

 

[RUsojo]

Personally think you’re a year ahead. I think we get blown out a lot this year and really struggle through the conference schedule. Next year with more experience and added depth at the guard position we will play a lot more close games but probably not enough to get to the middle of the pack. Should be enough to not finish last again though.

 

[zebnatto]

Personally think you’re a year ahead. I think we get blown out a lot this year and really struggle through the conference schedule. Next year with more experience and added depth at the guard position we will play a lot more close games but probably not enough to get to the middle of the pack. Should be enough to not finish last against though.

Yeah, I’d be very disappointed with multiple blowouts.

 

[RUsojo]

Yeah, I’d be very disappointed with multiple blowouts.

Me too

 

[zebnatto]

Me too

Is that what you expect, though?

 

[RUsojo]

Is that what you expect, though?

Yeah I imagine we finish conference play with 7 or so 18+ point losses. But that’s not what I want to talk about lol

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

RU will need to play well to avoid blowouts in their remaining road games....a team is more apt to lose by 10 to 20 on the road....depending on how the freshman play on the road, more than half of these road games are going to have RU as a 8 to 15 point underdog. I can guesstimate what Vegas will have as their spread. Vegas is probably the fairest way to confirm whether a team is playing to its percieved potential.

At Wisconsin...13 point underdog....lost by 5

At Minnesota....my guess is 8 point underdog

At Penn State....probably a 4 to 5 point underdog

At Purdue.....probably a 12 to 13 point underdog

At Northwestern...probably a 5 to 6 point underdog

At Ohio State.....probably a 12 to 13 point underdog

At Illinois......probably a 6 point underdog

At Michigan State......probably an 18 to 19 point underdog

At Iowa.....probably a 8 to 9 point underdog

At Indiana.....probably a 12 to 13 point underdog

It would not shock any realistic RU fan that any of these games get to a 15 to 20 point level, if the opponent plays and shoots well OR RU doesn't play well.

Keep in mind, I've not even touched the home games where we already played Michigan State (lost by 11 as a significant underdog to a Top 10-12 caliber team) and host Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, Maryland, Iowa and Indiana.....all of these programs are ranked or have been ranked in the Top 25 this season.

The hope is when RUs players like Geo and Mathis. Harper etc are sophomores juniors or seniors, that some of these programs who have seniors graduate and temporarily take a dip in experience.

Most if not all of these programs recruit very good prospects to hopefully avoid these dips and thats where RU is building towards...it will take time so there's a guard or player that can sustain a graduation or departure of a Baker or Eugene down the road.

Based on the 10 road B1G games, half of them being losses by 15 or more isn't going to be a surprise. The goal is to mix in a game like at Wisconsin and pick up a potential road win, if possible. That will be very tough with mostly freshman and sophomores, but that is the goal to shoot for.

Find yourself in a another 3 or 4 road games where you are a heavy underdog and stay close enough to steal one. And then do the same at the RAC. Then play well in a couple of the home games that figure to be close (hosting Penn State Northwestern).

Fast fact....RU has never opened as a game as a favorite since joining the league. I believe the closest thing was 2 years ago hosting Penn State on New Year's Day.

If Vegas believes the program is an significant or slight underdog in all 20 games in the B1G this year, it shows that we need another year or 2 of recruiting to get things caught up with our peers. That and player development and sticking with the rebuild.

B1G hoops is the 2nd best league right now behind the ACC. It's deep and offers more depth and talent in the bottom 1/3rd of the league than ever before. It's going to take time to leapfrog 5 to 6 teams and stay there.

 

[blockm2]

B1G hoops is the 2nd best league right now behind the ACC. It's deep and offers more depth and talent in the bottom 1/3rd of the league than ever before. It's going to take time to leapfrog 5 to 6 teams and stay there.

Computers that compare conferences by average strength of team rate them

1) Big 12
2) Big Ten
3) ACC

ACC is top heavy but middle and bottom are worse than the others. ACC gets weak really fast after the 5 or 6 best teams.

 

[zebnatto]

Well, how do we define blowout?

To me 86-70 is not a blowout, UNLESS we’re talking 78-50 with six minutes left.
Is a 64-55 game at five minutes that ends 79-60 a blowout? Not to me.
Anyway . . .

I think there will be many games with an 8 or fewer point differential at the four minute time out.

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

The style that we are playing is not conducive to getting blown out. I don't think we will win many B1G games this year, but I think we will keep a lot of games relatively close. The B1G is loaded with above-average teams, but I don't think any are Final Four caliber, IMO.

 

[blockm2]

The style that we are playing is not conducive to getting blown out. I don't think we will win many B1G games this year, but I think we will keep a lot of games relatively close. The B1G is loaded with above-average teams, but I don't think any are Final Four caliber, IMO.

outside of Duke who everybody loves, what other teams are Final Four caliber if nobody in the Big Ten is?

 

[TDIrish27]

I think MSU and Mich can make the Final 4 personally.

After that it's Nevada , Tenn , Gonzaga and UVA as the best I've seen along with Duke.

But someone usually comes out of nowhere.

 

[kcg88]

outside of Duke who everybody loves, what other teams are Final Four caliber if nobody in the Big Ten is?

Duke, Virginia, Kansas, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Michigan, Nevada seems to be the consensus top 7.

Michigan State, UNC, Texas Tech are the next tier.

Talk of "Final Four" caliber is silly IMO... Nobody would've said Loyola Chicago or even Michigan was Final Four caliber last December.

 

[NJDOVES]

I think what Pike will have achieved is to give us a roster of legit B1G players, nine or ten deep. That’s a rebuild that, I think, will make us middle of the pack or close to it. No reason to think that Geo won’t be our best player and a very good one. As much as I like Geo, I don’t see us having the guy or pair of guys who will be able to take over a game.

This year, I think we have a lot of close conference games, next year same. With maturity and added players, we win a higher percentage of those next year.

I think what we have to remember is that Coach Pikiel doesn’t want a “take over the game” type player. He wants a “team effort” and I believe he did just that successfully at Stoney Brook, and I believe he’ll do it here.
This staff will develop players. In example, I’m very impressed with how quickly McConnell has come from the first two games he came in and subbed for Geo. He looked totally lost those first few games and now looks ten times better. I hope the same for Mathis and RH jr.
I’ll enjoy this year as a “get ready for some team work and great games ahead”. Next year, more wins!

 

[zebnatto]

I think what we have to remember is that Coach Pikiel doesn’t want a “take over the game” type player. He wants a “team effort” and I believe he did just that successfully at Stoney Brook, and I believe he’ll do it here.
This staff will develop players. In example, I’m very impressed with how quickly McConnell has come from the first two games he came in and subbed for Geo. He looked totally lost those first few games and now looks ten times better. I hope the same for Mathis and RH jr.
I’ll enjoy this year as a “get ready for some team work and great games ahead”. Next year, more wins!

Like what you say, Doves. But in our last two losses we’ve been lit up and beaten by guards who were the best player on the floor. It would be nice to have that guy. Geo is fine at the point and our best player; but I think for him to become that sort of player he’ll have to be moved off the ball.

I really do like our roster, and that’s why I think we’ll be very competitive but we fans want wins. Important that we have some early conference success. If so, with experience and confidence, we’ll be a good team in March.

 

[NJDOVES]

Like what you say, Doves. But in our last two losses we’ve been lit up and beaten by guards who were the best player on the floor. It would be nice to have that guy. Geo is fine at the point and our best player; but I think for him to become that sort of player he’ll have to be moved off the ball.

I really do like our roster, and that’s why I think we’ll be very competitive but we fans want wins. Important that we have some early conference success. If so, with experience and confidence, we’ll be a good team in March.

True about the guards however, both teams out performed us on shooting %. That shouldn’t mater as much if we’re playing team ball. I love Pikes quote here...
"We've shown signs of being good. We need to share the game more, we're better passers than we've shown. We've shown impatience, which isn't a great thing, but it's a trait of young guys”.
In Pike I trust!

 

[Fzacsattac]

Well, how do we define blowout?

To me 86-70 is not a blowout, UNLESS we’re talking 78-50 with six minutes left.
Is a 64-55 game at five minutes that ends 79-60 a blowout? Not to me.
Anyway . . .

I think there will be many games with an 8 or fewer point differential at the four minute time out.

To me anything over 15 is a blowout.