Saunders to MU

[ZiggysFryBoy]

per rivals.com.  Premium story on front page of ROA.

[rocky_warrior]

Coolio....The rivals boys breaking a story! 

But...I went to their front page and didn't see an article?  Am I missing something?  I was going to provide a link...

[ZiggysFryBoy]

http://marquette.rivals.com/noaccess.asp?SID=987&script=/content.asp&CID=604725

it's buried on their front page in the news box.  It's a premium article, but the first "teaser" line says it all.

[rocky_warrior]

Thanks...now I see it...buried on "The Ticker"...you'd think they would have given it better placement 

Anyhow...another good addition to the 07 Class!  I guess there was something to that rumor last week (even if it was jumping the gun a bit).  Now we just have to wait and see who won't be returning 

[LastWarrior]

I think this is an outstanding signing if true.  I hate to speculate on these types of things but I believe a scholly guarantee had to have been made to Saunders.  I have a feeling that there will be a transfer in our future.  Let's be sure to monitor the game minutes.

[mu_hilltopper]

I think that's a real head scratcher, counting on losing someone.

.. Obviously, the thought that DJ would go pro is option 1, but so hard to count on.  Say he gets injured.  Or really, say some other starter gets injured.  I have MU at 9-7 with a healthy team.  An injury to any starter easily costs us a game or more.  DJ with an 8-8 team, non-top 25, bubble NCAA team, and his stock drops quite a bit.

Just saying.  At this point, our record is 0-0, and DJ is a college player.

[tower912]

It is likely that it will be DJ, but lets look at it another way.   Right now, there are 3 PF types in the next class.   Kinsella and Lott are graduating.   The returning bigs for next year are Barro and Burke, with Trend and Fitz being wild cards.  I think options 2 and 3 are Mbakwe not qualifying or Burke transferring since he hasn't gotten PT or progressed.    And it sure would be nice if all of these 6'7" guys grew another inch or two.  3 6'9" guys would be nicer.    Peace.

[NYWarrior]

9-7 with a healthy team is a rather low expectation for this team IMHO.......think about last season - - - MU lost Matthews for 1/2 of the conference season, a starter -- one playing very well, and still wound up at 10-6 despite the James injury which likely cost us the game at Pitt (not to mention illness/injuries to Lott and Kinsella, Matthews' slow return to form, or even Novak's ankle injury).

Injuries happen, but so do good things to teams that return 8 of their top 10, and have an influx of productive talent (Cubillan, Blackledge and Hayward).

[ecompt]

I don't believe everyone on the roster is is eligble to return will return, and I also don't believe everyone who has been recruited for next year will actually be at MU. 

[spiral97]

I don't believe everyone on the roster is is eligble to return will return, and I also don't believe everyone who has been recruited for next year will actually be at MU. 

If both of what you say is true then we will actually have a surplus of schollies available and hence need to continue recruiting.. 

[ecompt]

I'm assuming Dominic won't be back for a junior year, and I would not be surprised if one of the freshman recruits never gets to campus. Tom knows what he is doing, and I expect him to keep recruiting.

[LastWarrior]

I would not be surprised if one of the freshman recruits never gets to campus. Tom knows what he is doing, and I expect him to keep recruiting.

Are your concerns on Mbakwe?  There has been much talk that he's already been approved entrance to MU as long as he keeps his grades at the same level.  Your theory has been out there a while but I don't think it is the answer.  My prediction is that someone is transfering... I don't think Crean would take the chance of having to free up a scholly by "pushing" DJ to the NBA.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

isn't signing day this week or next?  We'll know for sure then.

[rocky_warrior]

Scout.com now has a number of comments and articles listed:

http://mb33.scout.com/fmarquettefrm8.showMessage?topicID=13470.topic

[LastWarrior]

While I prefer the talk & banter on this board, the recruiting info on the other board is outstanding.  I would suggest subscribing today just to see some of the pics of Saunders from games.  The guy is an absolute freak athletically!!  In a couple of game pics that are posted, Damian has his elbows above the rim on dunks!!  Absolutely amazing!!

[ChicosBailBonds]

.

[4everwarriors]

the Saunder's commitment was made without concern for whatever DJ does or doesn't do at the end of this season. Personally, I think James should and will return next season.
Therefore, either someone is backing out of their verbal or is transferring.

[Big Papi]

I think there is a greater likelihood that one of our verbals will not make it official or will not qualify. 

I don't think TC would accept a verbal based on Dom's probability of going pro.  Nor do I see TC accepting a verbal with the knowledge that one of his current players are going to transfer.  I do believe that everyone who was eligible to play this year did see minutes against Cardinal Stritch.  If a transfer was imminent, we would probably already know about it.  In other words, why give some like Burke minutes against Stritch if TC knows he is going to transfer.

[LastWarrior]

If a transfer was imminent, we would probably already know about it.  In other words, why give some like Burke minutes against Stritch if TC knows he is going to transfer.

Let's not forget that Amo led us to the Great Alaskan Shootout championship and he played in games in Feb.  Rumors on his transfer broke early in the conference season (thanks to myspace) and he still played after that.  I think most likely scenario is a transfer and I have a feeling Crean and the player already have discussed this.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Let's not forget that Amo led us to the Great Alaskan Shootout championship and he played in games in Feb.  Rumors on his transfer broke early in the conference season (thanks to myspace) and he still played after that.  I think most likely scenario is a transfer and I have a feeling Crean and the player already have discussed this.

I actually think it's someone who will back out of their committment...or it's DJ.  Who knows.  If I had to guess on who would backout, it would be either Trevor (grades) or Hazel.

[Big Papi]

If a transfer was imminent, we would probably already know about it.  In other words, why give some like Burke minutes against Stritch if TC knows he is going to transfer.

Let's not forget that Amo led us to the Great Alaskan Shootout championship and he played in games in Feb.  Rumors on his transfer broke early in the conference season (thanks to myspace) and he still played after that.  I think most likely scenario is a transfer and I have a feeling Crean and the player already have discussed this.

Was that when he was still playing a decent amount of minutes or when his minutes dropped substantially?

There was no talk of Amo transfering during the non-conference schedule.  In fact I believe he was starting for the most part during that stretch.  He lost his starting spot somewhere near the start of the conference season and his minutes dropped quite a bit from than on.   That is when the rumors started to fly.  He was definitely in TC's doghouse come conference time but I don't think Amo and Crean determined that he was going to transfer halfway through the year.  I think his lack of minutes ultimately led him to transfer out and when TC found out about the decision, he told Amo to go home instead of going to San Diego.  (BTW, I don't have inside knowledge, just looking at it in a rationale manner)

Why would TC and a player go through the motions for the entire year if it is known that the player is going to transfer?  I believe TC would have none of that as evidenced by the Amo/San Diego scenario at the end of last year.

[bma725]

isn't signing day this week or next?  We'll know for sure then.

Not necessarily.  Most conferences(outside of the B10) allow you to sign more players than you have scholarships for and then narrow it down at a later date.  The same thing is going on at UWM who got two commits a few days ago and doesn't have enough scholarships(4 commits only 3 schollies).

[Warriorzz76]

I love this commitment as Saunders fits the mold of what Crean is recruiting.  He's hard working, tough and got great athleticism.

As for where the scholarship comes from, I don't think that Crean can or does rely on DJ going pro. Too many variables to make this a sure thing.  Also, don't think Hazel will be backing out of his commitment as he just made it.  Saunders was being recruited before Hazel even signed.  Could be Mbakwe backing out or not qualifying but I think the most likely scenario is a transfer.  Whatever the case, I'm confident that Crean has it under control.

[mu_hilltopper]

The more I think about this .. the more I'm uncomfortable.   Just thinking about the guys on the team right now, looking left, looking right, trying to figure out who Crean thinks is leaving .. and right at the beginning of the season, no less .. (unless, of course, they already know some information, for example, like DJ has told the team it's his last year.) (Although, hell, after Wes lit it up on Sunday, he should be the one telling the guys he's going pro! 

[NYWarrior]

but it may not have anything to do with this....."Just thinking about the guys on the team right now, looking left, looking right, trying to figure out who Crean thinks is leaving"

lets see how it plays out -- i'd imagine the eventualities here are not as unsettling to those on the inside as they can be to us