ESPN: MU Three Big Things

[MU82]

When Wade (top 50 of all time guy) left, so did Robert Jackson (4/5* center, All SEC as a freshman). Even with Diener, Novak and Merritt we had little (real) size (Novak played small) depth or athleticism. Not surprising we were sentenced to 2 years of NIT until the Amigos arrived. Conversely, this year's team had size at every position, depth and lots of athletes. It will be difficult replacing Jae and Darius offensively, but we'll be bigger, more athletic and better defensively. We'll miss the "X Factor" brought by Crowder, but I still think we'll be very solid.

When I think of the term "X Factor" in sports, I think of a guy maybe on the periphery who might surprise a little. Like, say, "Taj Gibson is the Bulls' X Factor."

Jae was not the X Factor last season. Jae was a star. He was the best player on a Sweet 16 team and the conference player of the year.

For a little while, Mayo was our X Factor, and maybe Gardner and/or Jamil were, too, at times.

This year's team appears to be loaded with X Factors. Here's hoping at least one of them emerges to be a star. Or at least star-ish!

[Lennys Tap]

When I think of the term "X Factor" in sports, I think of a guy maybe on the periphery who might surprise a little. Like, say, "Taj Gibson is the Bulls' X Factor."

Jae was not the X Factor last season. Jae was a star. He was the best player on a Sweet 16 team and the conference player of the year.

For a little while, Mayo was our X Factor, and maybe Gardner and/or Jamil were, too, at times.

This year's team appears to be loaded with X Factors. Here's hoping at least one of them emerges to be a star. Or at least star-ish!

For me, X Factor is the "Je ne sais qua" that turns really good players into stars -game changers. Hard to define, but you know it when you see it. Jae had it in spades.

[tower912]

A year ago, we were worried about whether Jae could stay out of trouble, lead, and defend as well as Butler.   Remember how buzz started EWilliams toward the end of 10-11 in order to keep Jae out of foul trouble?  We were worried about the turnover machine that was DJO.   We were worried about Cadougan starting at the point.    We were wondering where Blue was going to find his minutes because we assumed the starting frontcourt would be Jae, Jamil, and Otule.   
     Now we are wondering who is going to emerge as the leader, as the go-to guy.   It will work itself out. 

[GGGG]

I'm not worried about this - we have two choices here.  Gardner and Lockett.  Gardner is offensively effective and always wants the ball.  Lockett sounds like a prime-timer.

I am concerned about outside shooting, however.

I am no more worried about it than I was last year.  DJO was a decent, but not stellar, 3 point shooter.  Jae was pretty pedestrian.  They both hoisted a ton of shots however.  

I think Mayo is going to improve.  I think Blue is going to be better...but still not great.  But I think the key is that Lockett is enough of a threat to keep defenses honest.  He improved significantly each year at ASU.  He didn't shoot many of them however, but for this offense to work, you don't necessarily need to shoot and make a bunch of threes, but you need enough of a threat to open up driving lanes.

[GGGG]

I'm not worried about this - we have two choices here.  Gardner and Lockett.  Gardner is offensively effective and always wants the ball.  Lockett sounds like a prime-timer.

I am concerned about outside shooting, however.

I'm not worried about this because there really is no such thing as clutch shooting.  On average, basketball players do not perform any better in "clutch" situations than they do at any other time of a game.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

That is my point. We have heard it every year, but there really were outstanding, proven replacements returning every year. What I'm saying now is that we don't really have that. We can argue that Vander, Junior, Gardner, Mayo and Jamil are "proven," but it would be a stretch (and an inaccurate one, IMHO) to say any or all are proven the way Diener, Lazar, Jimmy, etc. were.

Again, I'm hoping these five, plus Lockett and maybe a surprise contributor do step up. But either you can hit 3-pointers or you can't. So it's lots of hope, lots of we'll-see.

I agree, however, we are replacing the Big East POY, and a guy that could have been Big East POY.

Bigger shoes (than normal) to fill.

With this said, MU has good depth and upside. If everybody gets a little better (which is realistic), I think they can be good. If somebody has a breakout year (like Jae last year), they will be really good.

Shooting is really my only concern. Some of the guys have decent %'s, but have not shot the volume that Jae and DJO did.

Need some outside shooting to keep the driving lanes open and keep teams from swarming Gardner (which is going to happen more this year).

[bilsu]

The problem with last year's team is that we became to much of a two man team. A balanced team is better. We have plently of scoring options and different players will step up every game. This makes it harder for the other team to game plan.

[lab_warrior]

We have said this every year though, at least since I've been on this board. We look back and say we had those guys, but that's only because they stepped up. I don't think anyone expected Crowder to be BEPOY going into the year. Possibly second team, borderline first, I think so, but not the top guy.

I really think we will look back and say Jamil Wilson was the guy to step up this year. He stepped up last year with injuries and I can see him taking another step forward. He oozes athleticism and potential. We have a lot of guys that ooze potential, and if most can live up to it, we can be very good. However, reaching that potential is much easier said than done.

I think we have this thread every pre-season; frequently enough so that we can add it to (think it's from Buzz Spillproff Chiclet Cup's???) the checklist:


Season checklist
(x) Concern about members of current roster playing well & replacing drafted/graduated teammates 
() Non-conference near-miss against inferior opponent (sky falls on Scoop)
( ) Non-conference stinker to inferior opponent (more sky-falling)
( ) Non-conference loss on big stage convinces board MU not ready for Big East
( ) Unmentionable conference loss
( ) Road Game we weren't supposed to win
( ) Late surge
( ) Top-half Big East Finish


I think we have PLENTY of bullets in the chamber in terms of defending, scoring, and rebounding.  This might be the best mix and match group Buzz has had.  We'll be able to play as fast/slow, big/small as we want. 

And I agree, Jamil Wilson gets my vote in terms of "stepping up" into that alpha dog role this season.  Wilson, Lockett, and Gardner, IMO.

[boyonthedock]

Gardner will be a beast this year. Probably the best big man season I will have seen since following Marquette.