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The lineup is a little bigger this year than most. By bigger, I'm talking about weight, and you know that there's not much fat in the weight numbers. Baker and VanVleet are both built similarly to NFL running backs.

Fred VanVleet - 5'11" - 204
Ron Baker - 6'3" - 222
Tekele Cotton - 6'2" - 200
Darius Crter - 6'7" - 245

Then there are 3 newcomers who are expected to see significant action

Rauno Nurger - 6'10" - 237
Rashard Kelly - 6'7" - 234
Both of them are 4-year HS players and a year in prep school, where they lifted. Nurger's strength coach in prep school was a former WSU basketball walkon, who uses WSU's lifting methods.

Shaq Morris - 6'7" - 275
Morris arrived weighing 280 - 290. He got down to 257 at one point during his red shirt year, and is now back up to 275. He ran stadium steps with VanVleet every morning last summer. When he missed one morning, VanVleet ripped him a new one on twitter.

WSU is known for playing physical basketball. It's going to be more physical this year. The players pack some weight.

Outside of Morris that is not incredibly bigger than SIU's roster.

Only comparing size, not talent. SIU is still terrible.

Not listed are JUCO Transfers; 6-8, 206 Tevin Glass and 7-0, 224 Tom "Bush" Wamukota. Obviously they are not bulky.

saluki762 wrote:Only comparing size, not talent. SIU is still terrible.

That's funny. And yet some experts are picking SIU for as high as 3rd in the conference. I take it you aren't buying it?

mark it down SIU will finish no higher than 5th. Hinson knows how to keep his team out of the cellar, thats about it.

glm38 wrote:

saluki762 wrote:Only comparing size, not talent. SIU is still terrible.

That's funny. And yet some experts are picking SIU for as high as 3rd in the conference. I take it you aren't buying it?

5-8 for SIU, still a year away. They are top 4 next year. Since day 1 of the Hinson tenure, I have said wait until year 4. I think this year will be similar to last year. Struggles early, will be a team no one wants to play late in the season. Actually the talent level is a big step up this year but they are new and young. Hard to expect too much out of a team with no seniors that aren't walk ons.