Preseason predictions

[DCHoopster]

Yes, those 2 kids give MU something they do not have right now and with Howard will give MU the opportunity to move to the next level.  Add Grimes and now you
really have some athletes.  Then you just need some kids to rebound and play D.  John, Morrow will do that in 2 years.  A line-up of Howard, Grimes, Sam, Morrow and
John with Cain, Elliott and Joey will give MU some real talent in the future, and I like Bailey a lot.   Froling, Heldt, Cheatham and Sacar will see alot of bench time, that is how I see it.

[muwarrior69]

If I said that our starting line up was going to be Heldt, Hauser, Haanif, Rowsey, and Howard, most would acknowledge that our team is going to be small.     Our most experienced bench players in this scenario are Froling and Sacar, who have one semester of limited D-1 play and one season of limited D-1 play respectively.    We have 4 freshmen that we assume are going to be good at some point, but none of whom were a consensus top 100 recruit.    There is no doubt that there is talent here.    How soon will the talent contribute?    I am optimistically thinking bubble team.    But an inexperienced roster like this can go sideways quickly.

I just hope they are good rebounders. If we can get 10-15 rebounds per game from those 4 combined  I'll be ecstatic. I just have a gut feeling we might take one step back this season as we are a very young team, again. I think anonymous eagle is looking though Blue and Gold glasses because if they are as good as he indicates at least a one of the pre-season ranking articles would have taken notice.

[brewcity77]

I just hope they are good rebounders. If we can get 10-15 rebounds per game from those 4 combined  I'll be ecstatic. I just have a gut feeling we might take one step back this season as we are a very young team, again. I think anonymous eagle is looking though Blue and Gold glasses because if they are as good as he indicates at least a one of the pre-season ranking articles would have taken notice.

They often say rebounding is a skill that translates at the next level. If that's true, Jamal Cain could be really exciting. It sounds like he can score, defend, hit the outside shot, but what always impressed me in his box scores was rebounding.

Cain averaged 14 rebounds as a senior. What makes that most impressive is that it was actually down from the 15.7 he averaged as a junior. He seems to have a nose for the loose ball.

[Golden Avalanche]

Imagining Harry Froling trying to guard some of the athletes that play power forward in the BE is something that might give me nightmares.  If Heldt and Luke couldn't play together because neither could defend a BE power forward, I'm not quite sold that Harry and Heldt can get that done either.

Seems like you've watched Froling play quite a bit since his transfer to Marquette. Can you tell us more about his game and how it's developed since he joined the Marquette program?

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Yes, those 2 kids give MU something they do not have right now and with Howard will give MU the opportunity to move to the next level.  Add Grimes and now you
really have some athletes.  Then you just need some kids to rebound and play D.  John, Morrow will do that in 2 years.  A line-up of Howard, Grimes, Sam, Morrow and
John with Cain, Elliott and Joey will give MU some real talent in the future, and I like Bailey a lot.   Froling, Heldt, Cheatham and Sacar will see alot of bench time, that is how I see it.

Froling is way better than you think he is. 

[IrwinFletcher]

We are the most mysterious team in the conference. I honestly believe we could finish from third to seventh depending on a couple of variables that have yet to play out. They are:

1) The Michigan trio -- If they're the real thing, we should be very physical and very good. They're freshmen, so it is hard to gauge what we will get from them, but if they're as good as advertised, we'll be much improved underneath and have more depth.

2) Haani -- Do we get the Haani of two years ago or last year. If it is two years ago, we'll be in great shape. If it's last year, Haani may be who leaves to make room for QG. I'm voting for two years ago.

3) Froling -- Again, we have depth and I suspect that either Heldt steps up or he'll be backing up Froling by Christmas.

4) Defense -- It can't be worse and with a year of coaching, here's hoping it's better.

All said, I'm guessing 21-9 or 22-8 with penetration to at least the second week and I maybe the third. Depends on the unknowns.

You are thinking Final Four for this team???

[Herman Cain]

Froling is way better than you think he is.

I think Froling has worked hard to get into shape and is trying to make the most of his second chance. I am in the camp of keeping expectations low and hoping he out performs.  With an All Wojo recruited roster, he has as good a chance as anyone on the team to get minutes and contribute. 

It is worth reading the SMU message board.

http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=83306&hilit=froling

[NCMUFan]

I predict we will be undefeated in the preseason.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Froling, Heldt, Cheatham and Sacar will see alot of bench time, that is how I see it.

I love Theo a lot, but if you think Froling is going to not be playing, then he's either ineligible or he moved back to Australia.

We are in a lot of trouble next two years if Ike sees the floor more than Froling and Heldt.

[DCHoopster]

Froling is way better than you think he is.

I saw him in New York at the Garden when looked like an elephant, not very impressive but big.  Nice looking shot.  I have not seen him play at any MU event yet.
He definitely has a different body today then he did a year ago.  Looks much slender and somebody asked him what was the difference now?   Harry said
I can dunk much easier.  He is a below the rim player that can go out and shoot the 3.  Lets see how Wojo uses him.  I remember Lukes first few games, I thought he
could become the best center in MU history, but that did not happen.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think Froling has worked hard to get into shape and is trying to make the most of his second chance. I am in the camp of keeping expectations low and hoping he out performs.  With an All Wojo recruited roster, he has as good a chance as anyone on the team to get minutes and contribute. 

It is worth reading the SMU message board.

http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=83306&hilit=froling

Unless you are taking about Kostas, eh? 

And it's not worth reading the SMU message board. Its a bunch of bitter fans making fat jokes about a player who transferred from their team.

[MU82]

Froling is way better than you think he is.

I hope so. Because I can't shake the image of Heldt looking like he didn't even belong on the court against South Carolina. I'm not sure he could have played worse if he was in an all-body cast. I know he had a couple good games at the end of the conference season, and a few other OK games. But I'm hoping he's a 10-15 minute player because Froling earns the assignment.

I'm also hoping John can rebound and play D for 15-20 minutes as a frosh, and Cain can make a solid contribution as a slasher/defender.

Obviously, like the rest of us, I'm hoping Haani regains his confidence. I love ya, TAMU, but there is absolutely no way sophomore Haani was as good as freshman Haani, no matter what kind of spin you want to put on it or advanced stats you want to use. I have eyes, and like the rest of us, I know a little something about basketball. For most of the conference season, and certainly from Feb. 1 on, Haani wasn't just bad, he was awful.

So we get Froling being better than many here think, John contributing some toughness, Haani being decent again, some nice minutes from Cain, 10-15 solid minutes from Matt, and great play from Markus, Sam and Rowsey ... along with much improved team defense and Wojo doing his best job of coaching ... and maybe we have a 20-win team that can grab a 8-9-10 seed. I'd be pretty happy with that. But even for an eternal optimist like me, I know that's a lot of ifs.

[Herman Cain]

I hope so. Because I can't shake the image of Heldt looking like he didn't even belong on the court against South Carolina. I'm not sure he could have played worse if he was in an all-body cast. I know he had a couple good games at the end of the conference season, and a few other OK games. But I'm hoping he's a 10-15 minute player because Froling earns the assignment.

I'm also hoping John can rebound and play D for 15-20 minutes as a frosh, and Cain can make a solid contribution as a slasher/defender.

Obviously, like the rest of us, I'm hoping Haani regains his confidence. I love ya, TAMU, but there is absolutely no way sophomore Haani was as good as freshman Haani, no matter what kind of spin you want to put on it or advanced stats you want to use. I have eyes, and like the rest of us, I know a little something about basketball. For most of the conference season, and certainly from Feb. 1 on, Haani wasn't just bad, he was awful.

So we get Froling being better than many here think, John contributing some toughness, Haani being decent again, some nice minutes from Cain, 10-15 solid minutes from Matt, and great play from Markus, Sam and Rowsey ... along with much improved team defense and Wojo doing his best job of coaching ... and maybe we have a 20-win team that can grab a 8-9-10 seed. I'd be pretty happy with that. But even for an eternal optimist like me, I know that's a lot of ifs.

Your intentionally dissing Ike.

[Herman Cain]

Unless you are taking about Kostas, eh? 

And it's not worth reading the SMU message board. Its a bunch of bitter fans making fat jokes about a player who transferred from their team.

The SMU message board is pretty engaged. Message boards tend to be directionally accurate.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The SMU message board is pretty engaged. Message boards tend to be directionally accurate.

Do you spend a good amount of time on SMU message boards?

I have no idea if the SMU board is directionally accurate or not, but the thread you linked had twice as many fat joke posts as jokes offering any sort of insight to what kind of player Harry is.

[Newsdreams]

The SMU message board is pretty engaged. Message boards tend to be directionally accurate.

Lol 

[mu03eng]

I think we may have just figured out who SMU17 was.....

[MU82]

Your intentionally dissing Ike.

You're

[Jockey]

I hope so. Because I can't shake the image of Heldt looking like he didn't even belong on the court against South Carolina. I'm not sure he could have played worse if he was in an all-body cast. I know he had a couple good games at the end of the conference season, and a few other OK games. But I'm hoping he's a 10-15 minute player because Froling earns the assignment.

Couldn't agree more. I love the hustle that Matt provides, but we know what kind of player he is. He is a classic backup center. If he is our best inside player this year, we are in trouble and a definite 2nd division team in the BE.

[DCHoopster]

You're

Ike was told might red-shirt, any body else here that?

[Galway Eagle]

Ike was told might red-shirt, any body else here that?

*Hear

[DCHoopster]

*Hear

thanks for the correction!  here, hear all sounds the same to me!

[Lennys Tap]

I hope so. Because I can't shake the image of Heldt looking like he didn't even belong on the court against South Carolina. I'm not sure he could have played worse if he was in an all-body cast. I know he had a couple good games at the end of the conference season, and a few other OK games. But I'm hoping he's a 10-15 minute player because Froling earns the assignment.

I'm also hoping John can rebound and play D for 15-20 minutes as a frosh, and Cain can make a solid contribution as a slasher/defender.

Obviously, like the rest of us, I'm hoping Haani regains his confidence. I love ya, TAMU, but there is absolutely no way sophomore Haani was as good as freshman Haani, no matter what kind of spin you want to put on it or advanced stats you want to use. I have eyes, and like the rest of us, I know a little something about basketball. For most of the conference season, and certainly from Feb. 1 on, Haani wasn't just bad, he was awful.

So we get Froling being better than many here think, John contributing some toughness, Haani being decent again, some nice minutes from Cain, 10-15 solid minutes from Matt, and great play from Markus, Sam and Rowsey ... along with much improved team defense and Wojo doing his best job of coaching ... and maybe we have a 20-win team that can grab a 8-9-10 seed. I'd be pretty happy with that. But even for an eternal optimist like me, I know that's a lot of ifs.

Solid analysis, especially (and regrettably) the paragraph on Haani.

[Galway Eagle]

thanks for the correction!  here, hear all sounds the same to me!

I here what your saying but their are posters on hear that care two much about grammar butt I figured Id correct it before they did

Sounds the same but pretty much unreadable

[Jay Bee]

There were 475 "power 6" players who played at least 40% of their team's minutes. Of those 475, only 10, or 2.1%, had single-digit %Shots. No one was lower than 8%.

Heldt (who was over 30% but under 40% minutes) was at 6.5%. Six-point-five. That is extraordinarily low. Can he build it up to 11-14% while keeping turnovers low and making a nice eFG%? Maybe. But 6.5% is craaaaaazy low.

By the way, Luke was a healthy 20.6%.

With far less production coming from the center position, and seemingly nearly impossible comps on the 3FG% side of things, I can't help but project a decline in offensive efficiency.

Need some nice gains in defense. I think Haani and hopefully Sacar can earn some PT simply by what they can do defensively.