Realistic Expectations..

[RideMyBuycks]

This is Junior's team. Not buying the lack of leadership angle. 

Now if leadership is mistakenly taken as purely scoring, I think we all know that this team will have 4-5 guys (lockett, DG/CT, JW, Mayo) that can go for 15-20 on any given night depending on the type of defense put on us.

I expect Junior so be more vocal than he's ever been.

[frozena pizza]

This is Junior's team. Not buying the lack of leadership angle. 

Now if leadership is mistakenly taken as purely scoring, I think we all know that this team will have 4-5 guys (lockett, DG/CT, JW, Mayo) that can go for 15-20 on any given night depending on the type of defense put on us.

I expect Junior so be more vocal than he's ever been.

Yes.  Junior will be the leader, with Blue and Wilson in supporting roles.  Lockett's impact will be key to how far we get.  I always assume there will be at least one significant injury at some point.  Just hope that its early in the year and not season ending.

[Benny B]

"Leadership" is such a blanket statement in sports. It is a non quantifiable vague label used to criticize. "Leadership" and winning are not directly correlated.

To anyone who wishes to espouse the importance of "leadership," where, pray tell, was the "leadership" on UK's team this year?

Leadership begins and ends with the coach.  If your coach is a good leader, you don't need one on the floor.  In UK's case, you don't need a leader at all... just a crapload of talent.

[MarsupialMadness]

I see us getting to the S16 and possibly beyond again this year.  I had lesser expectations of last year as I didn't expect Jae and DJO to have the stellar years that they did.

I don't know much about Lockett, but from what I've been hearing about him combined with the fact that he has experience, I know it can only help our team, and possibly help out immensely.

Vander and Todd have had an offseason to polish their skills and develop new tricks.  They are going to be much stronger offensive threats this year, I believe. 

I really like where Davante's game has been going and he seems to be in the best shape of his life. 

And most of all, we are still going to run and beat everyone in the fast break, dive for loose balls, deflect passes, and do all the other little things that drive all our opponents crazy. 

[martyconlonontherun]

To anyone who wishes to espouse the importance of "leadership," where, pray tell, was the "leadership" on UK's team this year?

Leadership begins and ends with the coach.  If your coach is a good leader, you don't need one on the floor.  In UK's case, you don't need a leader at all... just a crapload of talent.

Yes, because it is easier to just throw 5 NBA-ready players on a court instead of having leaders. Leadership is still important, though, since most teams don't have the luxury of getting studs like that.

[GGGG]

Yes, because it is easier to just throw 5 NBA-ready players on a court instead of having leaders. Leadership is still important, though, since most teams don't have the luxury of getting studs like that.

So what is leadership exactly???

[Blue Horseshoe]

So what is leadership exactly???

From what I have gathered from this thread is that it has nothing to do with talent and everything to do with age.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

So what is leadership exactly???

Something only dudes that have graduated possess.

[Dawson Rental]

Lockett averaged 13 points two years in a row being the only consistent offense threat at ASU which meant he had to deal with a lot of defensive attention.  He will be aided greatly by the quality of his teammates, the increase in tempo, and the fact that the other team won't be able to focus mostly on him.

I look for Lockett to have a very good year.

Now as far as expectations go, the sweet sixteen is a rare accomplishment.  Getting there two years in a row for the first time since Al was head coach testifies to that.  Going three years in a row will be really special, whether we are too spoiled to recognize that or not.  Making the NCAA should be a given, winning that first game should be, as well.  Getting that next game is not a given and would be doable , but still awesome.

[jsglow]

I see us as a solid NCAA #5-#7 seed this year after posting 10 or 11 BEast wins.  I don't see us on the bubble and think we have an outside shot at a S16 run.  The one thing I don't currently see is an NBA (or near NBA) talent able to take over the game against a top 10 opponent.  I'll be watching Vander, Jamil and Lockett and Mayo for that potential.  I'm convinced JC will do an outstanding job as the 'team captain' basing that judgment on his private comments in Louisville.

[martyconlonontherun]

I find it funny that mu has exceeded expectations the last few year because seniors really stepped up and took over this team, yet fans of the program doesn't think leadership exists.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I question the Junior leadership contentions.  It seems he's made some questionable decisions in the past that have not been in the best interest of the team. I envision someone else stepping into that role.  (But Junior will have a good year.)

[strotty]

I find it funny that mu has exceeded expectations the last few year because seniors really stepped up and took over this team, yet fans of the program doesn't think leadership exists.

There absolutely has been a trickle down effect from Wesley to Lazar to Jimmy to Jae in terms of knowing what a leader is 24 hours a day, not just for 40 minutes in the Bradley Center. I believe Jamil Wilson is next in line.

Talking to Aki Collins, he said there will be growing pains with this year's team as to who will step up as the leader. It was the same thing when Lazar (and Mo and Cubillan) left. Jimmy wasn't a vocal leader at all, but as his game began to speak for itself he grew into that role.

With Cadougan, I don't see an epiphany coming in the next three months that turns him into a vocal leader, but there's something about a senior who has been around the program for four years that leads me to believe guys will get behind him. It can even be something as small as Steve Taylor (example) struggling with Buzz hounding on him in practice, and he goes to Cadougan to get advice on how to get past it.

That's leadership, the same as Jae Crowder rallying the troops in the final minutes of the Murray State game is.

[muwarrior69]

With Cadougan, I don't see an epiphany coming in the next three months that turns him into a vocal leader, but there's something about a senior who has been around the program for four years that leads me to believe guys will get behind him.

Isn't Junior the best Karaoke singer, (vocal leader) on the team?

[The Process]

Isn't Junior the best Karaoke singer, (vocal leader) on the team?

I hear he can get a little pitchy at times...

[forgetful]

I see us as a solid NCAA #5-#7 seed this year after posting 10 or 11 BEast wins.  I don't see us on the bubble and think we have an outside shot at a S16 run.  The one thing I don't currently see is an NBA (or near NBA) talent able to take over the game against a top 10 opponent.  I'll be watching Vander, Jamil and Lockett and Mayo for that potential.  I'm convinced JC will do an outstanding job as the 'team captain' basing that judgment on his private comments in Louisville.

I think this assessment is about right.  The only thing I worry about it the unusually hard non-conference schedule, we could have a few more losses than normal in the non-conference.

[wyzgy]

*Roommates, I shouldn't have used the term friends so loosely.

do they have to sit to pee?

[bilsu]

Can we make the sweet 16? The answer is yes, but the biggest factor determining that is matchups. What if last year Florida and Murray St were seeded 6th and 7th instead of 7th and 6th? We would have played Florida the second game, which does not mean we would of lost, but matchups matter. Also, the refs assigned to the game matter.

[brewcity77]

I find it interesting the different expectations people have between the 2012-13 and 2013-14 teams. The general sense I get is that we will be anywhere from a 5-seed to a bubble team next year (though less bubble talk since Lockett joined up), but will be a Final Four and possible NC contender in 2013-14. How different will those teams be?

• Same CO/DG center duo
• Same expected switchable core of Blue, Jamil, Mayo
• Largely same bench, with Steve Taylor, Derrick Wilson, Juan Anderson, Jamal Ferguson
• Different PGs, Senior Junior Cadougan followed by Freshman DW
• Two top-50 freshmen, but still freshmen, and Jameel added

.
Most of these thoughts were formed before McKay joined the fold. Most of the time, freshmen don't have a huge impact, and I'd guess not too much would be expected of Burton and Wilson considering the talent ahead of them and that they aren't likely one-and-dones. Sure, our guys will be a year older, but I think the 5 players that will really be the core of both teams have shown what we can expect from them, and will likely have less of a jump from junior to senior years than they did from freshman to sophomore or will have from sophomore to junior.

Slightly higher expectations, considering more experience, makes sense. But we will also be losing a starting senior PG. I see us in the 3-4 seed range again next year (outside of that, 5 more likely than 2) and 2-3 the year after (outside of that 1 more likely than 4). But both will be very, very good teams.

[dgies9156]

I'm about to go out on a limb here, but:

    1) Trent Lockett will be a stable, leader that we need to replace Jae. In fact, with three years of D1 experience and a stong forward, I would expect we won't miss a beat here.

    2) DJO will not be easy to replace, but I have a great deal of confidence that the experienced trio of Todd, Junior and Vander will step up. Vander, particularly, has more upside potential than anyone on the team. If he works on his shot and matures the way he did as the season went on last year, I'm excited for his potential.

    3) The key to 2012-2013 is Chris Otule and Davante Gardner. I thought we had a potential for an Elite 8 or Final Four team in 2011-2012 if Chris had stayed healthy. I still believe that for 2012-2013 if Chris stays strong and can play a full season. We need a center who can dominate on defense -- something we sorely lacked after Chris went down. Nothing against Davante, but Chris is much better defensively and I kept muttering to myself when open backdoor shots happened..."....if only Chris hadn't gone down."

    4) We have as much depth as I ever remember and should go nine deep in the coming year.

There you have it. I think we're starting the season unrecognized and in a rebuilding project. By the end of the season, if Chris stays healthy and Vander continues to develop (which I think he will), we will be Top 10 and maybe Top 5 to 7. Both of the two conditionals are big orders, but I am very optimistic and think this year may be one of our finer moments as a basketball playing school.

[bilsu]

My expectations are that we will be better at three positions. Center with a healthy Otule and Gardner. Point guard with Cadougan and Wilson returning and small forward with Lockett starting. That leaves power forward with Wilson and Taylor and shooting guard with Mayo and Blue or Blue and Taylor as positions we could be not as good in. As good as Crowder was, I think we see a smaller drop off at power forward than we see at the 2g spot. Assuming Mayo is here we will have scoring from the two guard spot. Without Mayo we will not see much scoring from our guards.