Who is predicted 2nd next year?

[BCPanther]

Sorry, was asking about how good he thought the team would be. Though I do appreciate the scheduling info. Jacobson has definitely rarely shied away from a challenging and bid-worthy schedule.

Top 50 minimum. Top 25 if our young bigs step up. We return 5 of 6 guards and add a 6'4" athletic JUCO. If Bennett Koch and Klint Carlson are ready to contribute, we're an at-large team.

Also, the schedule creates a nice margin of error for an at-large bid.

[Redbird Recon]

I just don't see UNI being that good next season. The hope for frontcourt success seems more wishful thinking than anything. I'm guessing they'll finish in the top half, but I see them much closer to the NIT than the top 25.

[uniftw]

I just don't see UNI being that good next season. The hope for frontcourt success seems more wishful thinking than anything. I'm guessing they'll finish in the top half, but I see them much closer to the NIT than the top 25.

If, and yes it's a big if, we can get production from our front court to match Singleton (shouldn't be that hard) and about 70-75% of Tuttle from a combo of Bennett, Friedman and one of the freshman the front court will be top half in the league.

The back court/wing will have Lohaus, Morgan, Bohannon, Jesperson and Washpun all back. The JUCO coming in should be ready from day 1 and there's a chance that the freshman PG coming in takes the role Lohaus had this year. That part will be fine.

75% of Tut shouldn't be hard to get from Bennett, Ted and one of the freshman. That's 12 points 6 boards 2 assists .7 steals .3 blocks. I would imagine that kind of production should be relatively easy to match for them. Tut actually had a better statistical year his JR year than this year. It's the leadership he'll be missed for most.

[Cdizzle]

Unfortunately, it isn't really the stats of Tuttle that need replaced. It's the impact he had on the game. Every team in the league, including WSU, had to gameplan around Tuttle. That won't be the case for a conglomerate of guys coming together to give 75% of the stats Tuttle did.

I do think UNI is a Top 50 type team with upside next year, but I'm not sold on going much higher than that. I think both the media, and myself, will vote ISUr 2nd.

[uniftw]

Unfortunately, it isn't really the stats of Tuttle that need replaced. It's the impact he had on the game. Every team in the league, including WSU, had to gameplan around Tuttle. That won't be the case for a conglomerate of guys coming together to give 75% of the stats Tuttle did.

I agree, and mentioned much the same.

However, I've seen Muller/ISUr's mental toughness.
I've seen UE's inability to make any kind of adjustment
I've seen Loyola when Doyle isn't 100% or is taken out of the game.

WSU's combo of coach and players are the only team that would be even/better than UNI's in terms of X's and O's and being able to adjust to different game types on the fly.

[BCPanther]

Also, Daishon Knight was easily IlSU's best player down the stretch. He's gone. Nobody seems to be talking about that. We're also valuing one win over the rest of the body of work.

[Cdizzle]

I would agree that Knight was ISUr's best player down the stretch. But I also don't believe that Knight was as critical to the the operation of their offense as much as Tuttle.

And while I agree that not many people would pick Muller over Jacobson in a coaching duel right now, I think Muller is getting better, and his team is gaining an identity.

I'm not sure where the 1 win over body of work thing is coming from.

[uniftw]

I would agree that Knight was ISUr's best player down the stretch. But I also don't believe that Knight was as critical to the the operation of their offense as much as Tuttle.

And while I agree that not many people would pick Muller over Jacobson in a coaching duel right now, I think Muller is getting better, and his team is gaining an identity.

I'm not sure where the 1 win over body of work thing is coming from.

Had ISU lost to WSU in the semi's would they have the same hype that they do now?

[Redbird Recon]

Also, Daishon Knight was easily IlSU's best player down the stretch. He's gone. Nobody seems to be talking about that. We're also valuing one win over the rest of the body of work.

The "body of work" was the third best in The Valley.

It reminds me of Muller's first year. Everyone placed high expectations on the Birds, but their "body of work" wasn't great; 9-9 in conference play, a nice run in StL and a 2-game run the NIT. Moore was a great player during those last 3 games, and he left a massive roster gap.

I don't think the hole left my Daishon is nearly as large as the one left by Moore. He was a great scorer but so is Akoon-Purcell. I'm much more concerned about out frontcourt depth with nothing but question marks behind foul-prone Lynch.

[Cdizzle]

I would agree that Knight was ISUr's best player down the stretch. But I also don't believe that Knight was as critical to the the operation of their offense as much as Tuttle.

And while I agree that not many people would pick Muller over Jacobson in a coaching duel right now, I think Muller is getting better, and his team is gaining an identity.

I'm not sure where the 1 win over body of work thing is coming from.

Had ISU lost to WSU in the semi's would they have the same hype that they do now?

Maybe not quite as much, but I know even before that game I had them as my projected number 2 next year.

Also, they didn't lose to WSU, so it isn't really fair to take that away from them when evaluating. If UNI fans think they should be picked higher than ISUr in the preseason poll, I don't blame them. I think they have enough to go on to believe that. I'm just giving you my opinion as a neutral observer of the two teams.