Xavier Tillman and the Crystal Ball

[TedBaxter]

I'd put it at 50-50-0. With the zero being Purdue.

Without knowing anything other than the social media angle, I'm going 90% MSU and I'm being conservative for MSU.  Just one persons opinion.

[JakeBarnes]

To take a bit of an opposite approach to the "Wojo MUST get someone," I am gonna just believe that it will be a coup if they get X. It's hard to beat the hometown feeling, but lately Wojo and his staff have tapped the state of Michigan with some success and with players that X is familiar with.

Pragmatically, I do think TAMU is spot on with his percentages. I am super impressed how "in" on Xavier the staff has been.

[NotAnAlum]

So what's your answer as a middle aged man?

MSU, that's the point.  If X choses MU it will be based on his assessment of relationships that those outside the process can't possible know.

[brewcity77]

For anyone taking MUFINY's post on the Sparty site as gospel, it's worth mentioning that one of the main points outlined by the staff on Tanya's Twitter was Tamia's education. Safe to say they are leaving no stone unturned to make sure that edge MSU has is minimized.

Now that doesn't mean MU will actually be a cheaper or even comparable alternative, but the financial aid staff is very good at making Marquette look like an affordable option.

[GoldenDieners32]

If we don't get X we have Hasahn French locked up I think.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

So our recruiting pitch should be that "you're really not good enough for MSU anyway?"

As well as "Marquette isn't really good enough to recruit over you".  Par for the BC Hoopster course.

[Stretchdeltsig]

That's a terrible recruiting pitch. Not only is it small-minded thinking, but it's a lie. No chance MU is going to go four years without recruiting another PF (nor, obviously, should they). And promising a kid he'll start for four years? So, if say, MU has a chance to land a McDonald's AA at the same position two years from now they shouldn't?

The pitch should be that Marquette intends to play at the highest level. That means bringing in the best players at ALL positions to compete, and that competition will make Xavier (or whoever else they're recruiting) the best player they can be.

100% correct!

[HoopsterBC]

As well as "Marquette isn't really good enough to recruit over you".  Par for the BC Hoopster course.

True, last year was the first year in a great while that MU had a 4 and a 5 that were pretty good, before that it was Jimmy Mac and Key.  It seems to be very hard to
over recruit here, we are not stacking 5 stars over 5 stars at MU.  This is not the Al era anymore, not even sure the Buzz era.  If they are able to get X, I can see movement back to the top of the Big East again.  With the 2 kids last year, 4 this year and a couple next year, it sure seems Wojo might turn the corner.  Losing
X, will hurt, but I can still see a John, Cain and Hauser front line the following year and for a few years after that.  Sam will be the key in recruiting Joey.  I might
like Joey better than X, has he has an outside game.  Can play 4 out and 1 in with Joey.  Like Golden St. style of play.

[MuMark]

True, last year was the first year in a great while that MU had a 4 and a 5 that were pretty good, before that it was Jimmy Mac and Key.  It seems to be very hard to
over recruit here, we are not stacking 5 stars over 5 stars at MU.  This is not the Al era anymore, not even sure the Buzz era.  If they are able to get X, I can see movement back to the top of the Big East again.  With the 2 kids last year, 4 this year and a couple next year, it sure seems Wojo might turn the corner.  Losing
X, will hurt, but I can still see a John, Cain and Hauser front line the following year and for a few years after that.  Sam will be the key in recruiting Joey.  I might
like Joey better than X, has he has an outside game.  Can play 4 out and 1 in with Joey.  Like Golden St. style of play.

Gardner and Crowder

[real chili 83]

Well, Jim McIlvaine was ranked slightly higher than Tillman is (mid 70s, IIRC) and Kevin O'Neill kept him away from UCLA by using the "they'll recruit over you" pitch sucessfully.

Agreed, I recall that too.  Perhaps, O'Neil was unique in his abiity to spin like this.

[brewcity77]

This is not the Al era anymore, not even sure the Buzz era.

The Buzz era? Buzz did great with JUCOs, but Wojo is already proving to a better recruiter at the high school level. Buzz landed 10 RSCI top-100 kids in 5 full recruting years: Junior Cadougan (47-2009), Erik Williams (67-2009), Jeronne Maymon (73-2009), Vander Blue (48-2010), Jamail Jones (74-2010), Juan Anderson (81-2011), Steve Taylor (82-2012), Jajuan Johnson (30-2013), Deonte Burton (54-2013), Duane Wilson (59-2013).

Wojo has landed 7 RSCI top-100 kids in less than 3 years: Henry Ellenson (6-2015), Haanif Cheatham (87-2015), Matt Heldt (96-2015), Brendan Bailey (62-2016), Markus Howard (71-2016), Sam Hauser (94-2016), and Jamal Cain (95-2017). If we land one of Tillman, Nwora, or Epperson, that will be 8.

Also, I'm discounting 2014 because of Buzz's class being split up, Wojo not having a full year to recruit, and not knowing who to attribute Sandy to.

Obviously we'll see how retention goes, but 50% of Buzz's top-100 kids transferred on us (Williams, Maymon, Jones, Taylor, Burton) and thus far you could maybe argue that three (at most?) lived up to the billing: Blue, Johnson, and Wilson. Clearly we won't have a thorough estimation of Wojo's recruits for 2-3 years, but I'd argue that thus far, both Ellenson and Cheatham have already shown they were worthy of their lofty ratings. I think you could safely argue that while Henry was fantastic, Haanif was a better player as a freshman than any high school player Buzz recruited in his entire tenure. The only Buzz recruit that could maybe be included in the discussion is Duane Wilson, who did that playing for Wojo.

[HoopsterBC]

The Buzz era? Buzz did great with JUCOs, but Wojo is already proving to a better recruiter at the high school level. Buzz landed 10 RSCI top-100 kids in 5 full recruting years: Junior Cadougan (47-2009), Erik Williams (67-2009), Jeronne Maymon (73-2009), Vander Blue (48-2010), Jamail Jones (74-2010), Juan Anderson (81-2011), Steve Taylor (82-2012), Jajuan Johnson (30-2013), Deonte Burton (54-2013), Duane Wilson (59-2013).

Wojo has landed 7 RSCI top-100 kids in less than 3 years: Henry Ellenson (6-2015), Haanif Cheatham (87-2015), Matt Heldt (96-2015), Brendan Bailey (62-2016), Markus Howard (71-2016), Sam Hauser (94-2016), and Jamal Cain (95-2017). If we land one of Tillman, Nwora, or Epperson, that will be 8.

Also, I'm discounting 2014 because of Buzz's class being split up, Wojo not having a full year to recruit, and not knowing who to attribute Sandy to.

Obviously we'll see how retention goes, but 50% of Buzz's top-100 kids transferred on us (Williams, Maymon, Jones, Taylor, Burton) and thus far you could maybe argue that three (at most?) lived up to the billing: Blue, Johnson, and Wilson. Clearly we won't have a thorough estimation of Wojo's recruits for 2-3 years, but I'd argue that thus far, both Ellenson and Cheatham have already shown they were worthy of their lofty ratings. I think you could safely argue that while Henry was fantastic, Haanif was a better player as a freshman than any high school player Buzz recruited in his entire tenure. The only Buzz recruit that could maybe be included in the discussion is Duane Wilson, who did that playing for Wojo.

Yes, Wojo has done a very good job of trying to re-build.  I would probably have to say Carlino and Reinhardt were Top 100 kids as well.  One thing we all must admit,
Buzz left the cupboard pretty bare.  The future looks bright, at least, MU will a bench and competition for playing time, that is first step in getting better.  Next year
MU will be very young, besides Matt, all freshman or Sam, a sophomore.

[brewcity77]

Yes, Wojo has done a very good job of trying to re-build.  I would probably have to say Carlino and Reinhardt were Top 100 kids as well.  One thing we all must admit,
Buzz left the cupboard pretty bare.  The future looks bright, at least, MU will a bench and competition for playing time, that is first step in getting better.  Next year
MU will be very young, besides Matt, all freshman or Sam, a sophomore.

That's simply not true. Next year Marquette will have two seniors (Duane Wilson, Andrew Rowsey) that will both be fifth year players and four juniors (Heldt, Cheatham, Carter, and Anim). While it's possible that we could see some of those players leave, that's still 46.2% of the roster being upperclassmen.

If your point is that they'll be young up front, that's partially true, but you specifically mention Heldt and Hauser, who will have more experience than our starting frontcourt did a year ago when Henry and Luke were manning the 4 and 5.

[Silkk the Shaka]

If we don't get X we have Hasahn French locked up I think.

I would be very pleased with either. Both the kinds of guys we've been missing for a few years.

[Windyplayer]

I would be very pleased with either. Both the kinds of guys we've been missing for a few years.

Bingo.

[94Warrior]

Can we get a Big Daddy update?
I'll put up the BD signal.

Is it just me, or is the Big Daddy signal The Sweaty, Phony Cowboy in a leotard? 

[Marqus Howard]

I think you could safely argue that while Henry was fantastic, Haanif was a better player as a freshman than any high school player Buzz recruited in his entire tenure. The only Buzz recruit that could maybe be included in the discussion is Duane Wilson, who did that playing for Wojo.

I agree with this analysis. Two of Buzz's better freshman were Todd and Davante. Todd was effective but inefficient his freshman year and Davante saw limited playing time because of his conditioning. But it's worth remembering that Duane and Cheatham played in a much different situation than most of Buzz's players did though.

[Big Daddy 84]

Is it just me, or is the Big Daddy signal The Sweaty, Phony Cowboy in a leotard?

Now you know why I am called "Big Daddy" 

Nothing final yet call expected on Thursday.

X 50%
HS 45%
both or none 2.5% each

[esotericmindguy]

MSU, that's the point.  If X choses MU it will be based on his assessment of relationships that those outside the process can't possible know.

Got it.  I'm with you, thought you were saying Marquette.

[Herman Cain]

Now you know why I am called "Big Daddy" 

Nothing final yet call expected on Thursday.

X 50%
HS 45%
both or none 2.5% each

I like that Hasahn probability is going up.

[94Warrior]

Now you know why I am called "Big Daddy" 

Nothing final yet call expected on Thursday.

X 50%
HS 45%
both or none 2.5% each

I prefer The Sweaty, Phony Cowboy looking-dude. 
But, it's your Big Daddy Signal, not mine.  To each his own.

Tillman or French.  More polished offensive game vs defensive presence.  Either is ok with me.

[Earl Tatum]

TILLMAN AND FRENCH.  GIVES US A PHYSICAL PRESENCE. HOPEFULLY JOEY WILL BE WITH US IN
2018 CLASS.

[94Warrior]

TILLMAN AND FRENCH.  GIVES US A PHYSICAL PRESENCE. HOPEFULLY JOEY WILL BE WITH US IN
2018 CLASS.

Is there room for both Tillman and French considering we have Eke, John, Cain, Bailey and possibly Joey within a year of each other?   I say take the first one to verbal, and do not oversign. 

[4everwarriors]

Now you know why I am called "Big Daddy" 

Nothing final yet call expected on Thursday.

X 50%
HS 45%
both or none 2.5% each

Use it or lose it, Pops, hey? Gettin' back ta reality, doe, da sun'll come up on Sat. regardless, ai na?

[PGsHeroes32]

Crystal ball is literally never wrong.

Always believe it