Next year's team

[mviale]

Very excited that 3 key contributers will be back next year with a reload of quality players.  Next year could be good!

Butler
Lazar
Acker

Maybe McMorrow, Fulce, Otule and Cube will come on strong after being healthy

Super Frosh in:
Coudagan
Buycks
Maymon
Williams
Roseboro

[MUWarrior06]

I agree. Was talking about this yesterday with some friends while watching the game. I am very excited about next year's class. We'll be young but I think the talent level is so high in our class. People will be asking themselves "Jerel who!?" okay, maybe not yet, but it won't be as drastic of a drop off as people think it may.

[muwarrior69]

Buycks will come in as a Junior, but I think you knew that.

[Brewtown Andy]

It's also worth pointing out that if he just replicates this season statistically, Lazar will finish top 5 all time in scoring and rebounding.

[mviale]

Lazar was a great Crean grab. The best big man he ever recruited

[BrewCity83]

Lazar was a great Crean grab. The best big man he ever recruited

at six-foot-four-and-a-half

[lab_warrior]

Our three best players yesterday were Hayward, Acker, and Butler.  So with those 3 and a nice recruiting class, I am excited and optimistic about next year.

[Dienerfor3]

Our three best players yesterday were Hayward, Acker, and Butler.  So with those 3 and a nice recruiting class, I am excited and optimistic about next year.

? Butler has been great. But yesterday he was not top 3.  Wes and Jerel struggled but they came through when we needed them, at the end.

[GGGG]

The main problem is at PG.  I hope Cadougan can unseat Acker otherwise what you are seeing now is what you'll get.

[Ari Gold]

Prediction: Acker leaves after this year. I could/may/probably will be wrong about that but call it a hunch. I had a hunch about Cleveland state...

It would be great to have Fulce Otule and Cubby playing at strenth. Add Williams and Roseboro to a bench with those guys and Jimmy as the 6th Lazar, Junior, Maymon Buykes and McMorrow starting we are VERY deep. Does Roseboro redshirt though?

my concern actually becomes can we give each of those guys their deserving/earned amount of playing time and keep everyone happy. Bench guys giving 8-12mins or more (Willaims and Jimmy giving 15+)

However if theses guys are as good as we hope, and that bench is able to perform there is no reason why we won't be playing our best ball til the very end. With a bench like that we shouldn't run out of gas. Also I think that we should still be expected to win 22-24 games plus quality runs in the BET and NCAA

[ChicosBailBonds]

You definitely are optimistic Ari.

I will be stunned if we are more than a NIT team next year.  You can't just replace 3 of the better players to come through MU in 20+ years with freshmen and first time Big East players.

If Buzz gets this team to the NCAAs next year he should be COY.

[gjreda]

Prediction: Acker leaves after this year. I could/may/probably will be wrong about that but call it a hunch. I had a hunch about Cleveland state...

It would be great to have Fulce Otule and Cubby playing at strenth. Add Williams and Roseboro to a bench with those guys and Jimmy as the 6th Lazar, Junior, Maymon Buykes and McMorrow starting we are VERY deep. Does Roseboro redshirt though?

my concern actually becomes can we give each of those guys their deserving/earned amount of playing time and keep everyone happy. Bench guys giving 8-12mins or more (Willaims and Jimmy giving 15+)

However if theses guys are as good as we hope, and that bench is able to perform there is no reason why we won't be playing our best ball til the very end. With a bench like that we shouldn't run out of gas. Also I think that we should still be expected to win 22-24 games plus quality runs in the BET and NCAA

No way Acker leaves only to transfer and have to sit out ANOTHER year.  He already did that once.  Plus, even if Junior starts, Acker will get solid minutes.

I just don't see it.  At all.

[nyg]

Next year's team will be something like:

Acker/Cadougan - PG
Buycks - SG
McMorrow - C
Hayward - SF
Maymon - PF

Bench - Butler, Fulce, Williams, Cubes and maybe Otule (god is he bad)

Acker leaving?  Doubt it, Hazel for sure.

Win 22 to 24 games and make significant BE and NCAA runs???  We had 24 wins this year with four seniors, two of whom will probably be drafted in the NBA.  I will be happy with an NIT bid next year.  We will be so inexperienced in a death league.  Look at our center next year, a hockey player and his backup Otule, who was lost, lost this year. Jeez...

[Ari Gold]

By leaving I mean graduating. He may not want to stay? He couldn't spend a year at Ball state w/o Jerel. He may just want to call it a career

McMorrow was a hockey player, Lacrosse player and Basketball. He should be tough in the paint.

Remember 4 years ago? We were starting three freshman and we surprised the big east. I think our team in our inaugural BE year and next years team are are about equal in overall skill.

[Nukem2]

You definitely are optimistic Ari.

I will be stunned if we are more than a NIT team next year.  You can't just replace 3 of the better players to come through MU in 20+ years with freshmen and first time Big East players.

If Buzz gets this team to the NCAAs next year he should be COY.

It will be an interesting season; but, getting to the NCAAs would be an impressive feat. An awful lot of new people or people inexperienced on the floor in buzz's system (whatever that is next year post-Amigos).  A real rooler-coaster ride I suspect.

[GGGG]

Why would Acker want to call it a career?  He's probably got one more year left in his life to play competitive ball at this level.  He will get significant minutes, if not start. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

It's also worth pointing out that if he just replicates this season statistically, Lazar will finish top 5 all time in scoring and rebounding.

Hayward is better than any of Matthews, McNeal or James ever were. Those three have been fabulous players, but their numbers are huge because of the opportunity they received as featured offensive options right off the bat. Not a single one of the "big three" is the offensive or rebounding talent that Hayward is...and Lazar's playing out of position.

I think he may be the 2nd best player Crean recruited to Marquette.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

By leaving I mean graduating. He may not want to stay? He couldn't spend a year at Ball state w/o Jerel. He may just want to call it a career

Are you nuts? They're not domestic partners. He left Ball State because of a coaching change and an opportunity at MU.

[Pakuni]

By leaving I mean graduating. He may not want to stay? He couldn't spend a year at Ball state w/o Jerel. He may just want to call it a career

Zero chance.
OK, anything can happen. Close to zero chance.
Why would a kid give up a free year of easy graduate studies (or hard, if he so chooses) while playing college hoops and being a BMOC for the opportunity to go get a real job in a terrible economy?

[79Warrior]

You definitely are optimistic Ari.

I will be stunned if we are more than a NIT team next year.  You can't just replace 3 of the better players to come through MU in 20+ years with freshmen and first time Big East players.

If Buzz gets this team to the NCAAs next year he should be COY.

Completely agree. Fulce/Otule Fulce/Otule Fulce/Otule. How many times have we seen people expecting some much from two guys who have shown nothing. I know, they were hurt. Well, they have been active since late December and have been basically glued to the bench.

No way we lose three of MU's all time greatest playerd and expect to compete the the same level next year. Next year we return 1 truly proven player, Lazar. After that we have Bulter and Acker. The Big East will be very unkind to the lack of depth.

[4everwarriors]

Wrong, Lil' (bald) Reese ain't goin' nowhere.

[4everwarriors]

Wrong, Lil' (bald) Reese ain't goin' nowhere. Perfect time for Buzz to start a freshman PG.

[Daniel]

Next year will have its challenges for us.  I also think that if we get an NCAA bid, Buzz is golden.  We will lose some of the pre-conf games (I hope not too many) - and the BEast will be BEastier for us next year.  I have no idea how many games we can win there, but each will be a bigger battle than this year for sure.  What we really need is a big to step up for us and play.

[MUSF]

By leaving I mean graduating. He may not want to stay? He couldn't spend a year at Ball state w/o Jerel. He may just want to call it a career

McMorrow was a hockey player, Lacrosse player and Basketball. He should be tough in the paint.

Remember 4 years ago? We were starting three freshman and we surprised the big east. I think our team in our inaugural BE year and next years team are are about equal in overall skill.

Dude, what normal person would just walk away from a year of elite college basketball?  What leads you to this conclusion?  Is it just wishful thinking? So many questions for such irrational speculation.

How many times do we have to hear about McMorrow's hockey and lacrosse experience.  There is no evidence that his hockey and lacrosse experience will translate to success as a post player in the Big East. 

Just because you want things to be true doesn't mean they are.

[MUSF]

You definitely are optimistic Ari.

I will be stunned if we are more than a NIT team next year.  You can't just replace 3 of the better players to come through MU in 20+ years with freshmen and first time Big East players.

If Buzz gets this team to the NCAAs next year he should be COY.

I think the reality is somewhere between your opinion and Ari's. Consider the following.

1. Hayward should be a stud next year. 
2. Butler and Acker were solid contributors this year and I would expect improvement from Butler.
3. If the newcomers are as good as advertised, we can expect contributions close to the level of James, McNeal, and Mathews 4 years ago.

NCAAs is not out of the question but the NIT wouldn't be a major dissapointment.  I don't expect to be at the bottom of the Big East next year ala DePaul, St. John's.  We will compete next year and end up with a season like WVU, Providence or potentially ND, GTown had this year.