Moving on to the 19-20 Season

[Jockey]

I dont know why you are quoting me.  I agree....I was responding to someone who said we seemed gassed and that Buzz played a deeper bench (as a causal to why we were gassed).

Wasn't trying to argue any point with you. I was just furthering the conversation.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Outside of Markus, there's a serious lack of high end talent on this team.  Everybody besides him would be, at best, a role player on a good team.  I think 19-20 will be a lot like Buzz's last season; we'll be close in a lot of games, but just not quite good enough to get over the hump.  Probable NIT team, but might make the NCAAs if things fall our way in some of those close games.  And yes, before someone reminds me, I realize that Buzz missed the NIT his last year here.

This is my honest, objective assessment of the coming year based on what I've seen from our returning players in previous seasons.  Wojo will need to have that huge 2020 recruiting class everyone's talking about to get things back on track.

Absolutely disagree

[Galway Eagle]

Outside of Markus, there's a serious lack of high end talent on this team.  Everybody besides him would be, at best, a role player on a good team.  I think 19-20 will be a lot like Buzz's last season; we'll be close in a lot of games, but just not quite good enough to get over the hump.  Probable NIT team, but might make the NCAAs if things fall our way in some of those close games.  And yes, before someone reminds me, I realize that Buzz missed the NIT his last year here.

This is my honest, objective assessment of the coming year based on what I've seen from our returning players in previous seasons.  Wojo will need to have that huge 2020 recruiting class everyone's talking about to get things back on track.

Koby is an unknown. Everybody else has been at best a role player on a good team, time to see if someone can make the jump

[Loose Cannon]

Koby is an unknown. Everybody else has been at best a role player on a good team, time to see if someone can make the jump

Yep, I see it as a wait and see.  How many Step up, how many don't.  Maybe not a good season, maybe a Big Happy surprise.

[Uncle Rico]

Yep, I see it as a wait and see.  How many Step up, how many don't.  Maybe not a good season, maybe a Big Happy surprise.

Count me in the corner of Brendan Bailey being the dude that steps up this year

[BrewCity83]

Count me in the corner of Brendan Bailey being the dude that steps up this year

I'm in that corner too.

[IrwinFletcher]

Count me in the corner of Brendan Bailey being the dude that steps up this year

Have never seen what others see in BB.  Certainly some talent there, but didn't seem to have a high BB IQ. Took a lot of forced shots and with the exception of a streak toward then end, shot poorly.  Not a great rebounder on the defensive end and didn't see many glimpses of being able to pass all that well.

Hope I'm wrong and that he proves to be much more than a 15mpg guy.

[Uncle Rico]

Have never seen what others see in BB.  Certainly some talent there, but didn't seem to have a high BB IQ. Took a lot of forced shots and with the exception of a streak toward then end, shot poorly.  Not a great rebounder on the defensive end and didn't see many glimpses of being able to pass all that well.

Hope I'm wrong and that he proves to be much more than a 15mpg guy.

In conference, had an offensive rating of 117.2 and real shooting % of 54.5%.  Definitely needs to continue to work on shooting from deep.  Didn't show the same rebounding capacity as Joey.

He was also off a 2-year mission.  He was a 4-star recruit out of high school, so he wasn't recruited as some project.  I get the concerns, I think the chance for a big leap is there, though.

[Loose Cannon]

Count me in the corner of Brendan Bailey being the dude that steps up this year

Yeah, I feel the same way, and certainly it will help in replacing some of Sam's offense. 

And one of the other things I'll like to see is more of Sacar's Short Jumper.   It seems if he misses early he doesn't go back to it,  kind of the dilemma of an unselfish player.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Not sure where this should go but Myles Powell is returning to Seton Hall.

Certainly gonna be buying tickets to that game next year. Hope Sacar torches him for 30.

[Herman Cain]

Not sure where this should go but Myles Powell is returning to Seton Hall.

Certainly gonna be buying tickets to that game next year. Hope Sacar torches him for 30.

LJ Figueroa also coming back to The Johnnies.

[bilsu]

I am very bullish on the prospects for this years team. I believe the team chemistry will be strong.  Very enthusiastic about Jamal and Brendan. Also the return of Greg is going to add a dimension we were missing last year. Overall this team has the  physical make up of what it will take to compete at the Big East level this year.

The Big East will be stronger this year, so our record might not be quite as good as last year, but I expect it to be close.

+1000

[bilsu]

Have never seen what others see in BB.  Certainly some talent there, but didn't seem to have a high BB IQ. Took a lot of forced shots and with the exception of a streak toward then end, shot poorly.  Not a great rebounder on the defensive end and didn't see many glimpses of being able to pass all that well.

Hope I'm wrong and that he proves to be much more than a 15mpg guy.

I am expecting Brendan taking a big step up. Hopefully, he adds at least ten pounds of muscle during the offseason. Remember he actually started the first couple of games last season. There was a reason for this. However, he just was not quite ready to deliver.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

As far as I can tell here's the list of Big East players who were testing the NBA Waters:

Davion Mintz: Returning
Martin Krampelj: Gone to Draft
Jayce Johnson: Returning
Alpha Diallo: Returning
Shamorie Ponds: Gone to Draft
Justin Simon: Gone to Draft
Myles Powell: Returning
Caleb Daniels (Incoming Nova transfer): Returning
Quentin Goodin: Returning
Tyrique Jones: Returning
Naji Marshall: Returning
Paul Scruggs: Returning

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Most surprising departure is Creighton's Martin Krampelj. Leaves McDermott with a talented but tiny roster. Only 1 guy taller than 6'7" and he's coming off a major injury. Only 2 guys taller than 6'5" and yes Herman I know you are a big fan of Christian Bishop.

Even though they'll be a better team next year than they were this year, I think we go back to our pattern of sweeping them. Our current roster matches up with them a lot better than last year's. We've got a lot of guards/wings with long wingspans to challenge their tiny shooters.

[GoldenEagle323]

Most surprising departure is Creighton's Martin Krampelj. Leaves McDermott with a talented but tiny roster. Only 1 guy taller than 6'7" and he's coming off a major injury. Only 2 guys taller than 6'5" and yes Herman I know you are a big fan of Christian Bishop.

Even though they'll be a better team next year than they were this year, I think we go back to our pattern of sweeping them. Our current roster matches up with them a lot better than last year's. We've got a lot of guards/wings with long wingspans to challenge their tiny shooters.

Krampelj was a 24 year old junior so im guessing his age had to do with him leaving

[Cheeks]

Late season fatigue? Think you have Buzz confused with Wojo.

2009 we lost last 4 regular season games

2011, I think was the year, we finished 3-4 the last 7 reg season games.

Buzz's last year I believe we lost the last 3 or 4 regular season games

[MU82]

Wow ... St. John's might finish 11th in the BEast next season.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Wow ... St. John's might finish 11th in the BEast next season.

Could be. They have a great top 2 in Mustapha Heron and LJ Figueroa. They also have two solid transfers coming in Eli Wright and David Caraher. After that? Get's really dicey. They have no proven PG, either Greg Williams Jr will need to step up huge (and he's more of a 2 than a 1 IMHO) or true freshman Jonathan McGriff (#348 247composite) will need to be a major diamond in the rough.

[Nukem2]

Could be. They have a great top 2 in Mustapha Heron and LJ Figueroa. They also have two solid transfers coming in Eli Wright and David Caraher. After that? Get's really dicey. They have no proven PG, either Greg Williams Jr will need to step up huge (and he's more of a 2 than a 1 IMHO) or true freshman Jonathan McGriff (#348 247composite) will need to be a major diamond in the rough.

Yeah, not much depth to play Mike Anderson's aggressive style of play.

[Herman Cain]

Most surprising departure is Creighton's Martin Krampelj. Leaves McDermott with a talented but tiny roster. Only 1 guy taller than 6'7" and he's coming off a major injury. Only 2 guys taller than 6'5" and yes Herman I know you are a big fan of Christian Bishop.

Even though they'll be a better team next year than they were this year, I think we go back to our pattern of sweeping them. Our current roster matches up with them a lot better than last year's. We've got a lot of guards/wings with long wingspans to challenge their tiny shooters.

The Creighton MU series has been a good one. Yes, Creighton will be a small team next year, but with their style of play and lots of talented guys it is hard to just put Creighton in the two wins for us category.  As you rightly point out we match up better this year.

When this board comes out with our game by game predictions in the fall , I will probably be in the camp that we can get two wins from them, but that could change if McDermott somehow recruits a competent grad transfer big to replace Krampelj. Also as you point out we don't know which  form of Epperson Creighton is getting , the one that looked promising as a freshman or the injury riddled sophomore. If Epperson back on form then the analysis is different . 

[bilsu]

Wow ... St. John's might finish 11th in the BEast next season.

Anybody else think it is funny that DePaul won 7 Big East games and still finished tied for last.

[MUDPT]

2009 we lost last 4 regular season games

2011, I think was the year, we finished 3-4 the last 7 reg season games.

Buzz's last year I believe we lost the last 3 or 4 regular season games

09 they played 3 NCAA 1 seeds and a 3 seed who won the BET. Maybe the toughest end of regular season ever.

[willie warrior]

Outside of Markus, there's a serious lack of high end talent on this team.  Everybody besides him would be, at best, a role player on a good team.  I think 19-20 will be a lot like Buzz's last season; we'll be close in a lot of games, but just not quite good enough to get over the hump.  Probable NIT team, but might make the NCAAs if things fall our way in some of those close games.  And yes, before someone reminds me, I realize that Buzz missed the NIT his last year here.

This is my honest, objective assessment of the coming year based on what I've seen from our returning players in previous seasons.  Wojo will need to have that huge 2020 recruiting class everyone's talking about to get things back on track.

But wait...what about all the posts here that Wojo has MU trending in an upward trajectory? Something does not seem right with one of those analysis.

[tower912]

So.... shut the whole thing down, Willie?