Osasere Ighodaro commits to Marquette

[Galway Eagle]

Future 1st round pick Nassir Little didn't start a collegiate game and averaged less than 20 mpg.  NBA drafts on potential, starting in college is a "what can you do for me now" business.

I know what the statistics and our numbers regarding transfers are, but Jr Jamal has been behind Soph BB all year, and there haven't been any rumors about him going anywhere.  When healthy GE is either 1st or 2nd off the bench (depending on how fast Theo picks up his first 2 fouls).  Writing them off as future transfers is foolish, especially when one of the players "running them off" is still an undecided recruit.

Which is why I qualified all of my statements with words like "if we get" "I have to imagine" "it's very hard to believe" no writing off anyone here

[brewcity77]

I have to imagine we lose Cain and/or Elliott in that instance. Can't imagine they'd be thrilled being bench players to two freshmen.

I don't think there's an "or" option there. I expect Greg & Jamal to stick together whatever they do. Considering Jamal wasn't even one of the transfer rumors this year before the Hausers left, I think he'll finish his career here, and as others have mentioned, Greg makes more sense to grad transfer.

Either way, if one stays, I think both stay.

[MU82]

I already feel bad for speculating about possible transfers as I did a few posts ago.

I like Cain -- been one of my faves this year for how much he has improved and bought in -- and I also like Elliott. I hope they are Warriors next season.

[Its DJOver]

I have to imagine we lose Cain and/or Elliott in that instance. Can't imagine they'd be thrilled being bench players to two freshmen.

My point was, I don't think that Mane and Garcia would come in and start over a Senior and a 4th year Junior from day 1, and unless you're a projected lottery you shouldn't expect to.  Depending on what happens with our lat two open scholarships (i.e. grad transfers), I would bet the starting 5 come November is; Koby, Greg, Jamal, Bailey, and Theo.

[wadesworld]

My point was, I don't think that Mane and Garcia would come in and start over a Senior and a 4th year Junior from day 1, and unless you're a projected lottery you shouldn't expect to.  Depending on what happens with our lat two open scholarships (i.e. grad transfers), I would bet the starting 5 come November is; Koby, Greg, Jamal, Bailey, and Theo.

I would bet that is not our starting lineup from day 1.

[CountryRoads]

I would bet that is not our starting lineup from day 1.

Garcia will start and play max minutes I'm thinking. No way Mane would commit here to come off the bench either.

[The Sultan]

Wojo has started freshmen when they are clearly better than the more seasoned player.  Markus Howard started over Duane Wilson.  Joey Hauser started over Jamal last year.

At best Jamal Cain has been inconsistent since he has arrived at MU.  Elliott has been injury prone and doesn't exactly light it up offensively.  Having Garcia and Mane start over them is not outside the realm of possibilities by any stretch. 

Hell, I can even see Justin Lewis backing up Garcia and Cain backing up Bailey.

[The Sultan]

And I think the only grad transfer we try to get is a back up to Theo.  No way we add two. Maybe a traditional transfer at guard though.

Point:  Koby, Symir
Guard:  Mane, Elliott, Akanno
Forwards:  Garcia, Bailey, Lewis, Cain, Osa
Post: Theo, Grad Transfer

[Its DJOver]

Wojo has started freshmen when they are clearly better than the more seasoned player.  Markus Howard started over Duane Wilson.  Joey Hauser started over Jamal last year.

At best Jamal Cain has been inconsistent since he has arrived at MU.  Elliott has been injury prone and doesn't exactly light it up offensively.  Having Garcia and Mane start over them is not outside the realm of possibilities by any stretch.

Future All-American over someone who wasn't the coach's recruit and a red-shirt Freshman over a Sophomore is different than a pair of Freshman over a Senior and a red-shirt Junior.

I'm delighted that Garcia is on-board, and a really hope we get Mane, but this kind of over-hyping of players that 1.) aren't even on campus yet, and 2.) may not even go here, usually leads to disappointment.  Garcia and Mane have combined to play 0 collegiate minutes, personally I'd rather set my expectations low (no matter how highly their currently ranked) and be pleasantly surprised, rather then state that they will "start and play max minutes" and be disappointed.  I would hope I don't have to remind people of the last time a Freshman stretch 4 started and played big minutes.

[The Sultan]

Future All-American over someone who wasn't the coach's recruit and a red-shirt Freshman over a Sophomore is different than a pair of Freshman over a Senior and a red-shirt Junior.

A senior who has started a total of five games and never played more than 20 mpg over the course of a season not to mention playing a different position, and a redshirt junior who has missed significant parts of his career due to injury.

[Its DJOver]

A senior who has started a total of five games and never played more than 20 mpg over the course of a season not to mention playing a different position, and a redshirt junior who has missed significant parts of his career due to injury.

1,180 (and counting) more collegiate minutes than Garcia, and unless Greg's injuries cause long term deficiencies (i.e. Fulce's knees, or Teve's back) they will have 0 impact on his starting or not next November.

[🏀]

A senior who has started a total of five games and never played more than 20 mpg over the course of a season not to mention playing a different position, and a redshirt junior who has missed significant parts of his career due to injury.

Versus two guys who have NBA draft profiles.

[The Sultan]

1,180 (and counting) more collegiate minutes than Garcia, and unless Greg's injuries cause long term deficiencies (i.e. Fulce's knees, or Teve's back) they will have 0 impact on his starting or not next November.

Playing more minutes doesn't necessarily make you a better player.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

And I think the only grad transfer we try to get is a back up to Theo.  No way we add two. Maybe a traditional transfer at guard though.

Point:  Koby, Symir
Guard:  Mane, Elliott, Akanno
Forwards:  Garcia, Bailey, Lewis, Cain, Osa
Post: Theo, Grad Transfer

Could use a grad transfer role player PG as well.  Pretty thin at the point - I like Symir, but I don't think Koby is a true point at all. 

I could see Cain looking at that depth at the forward spot and not loving his fit.  But not sure he's going to want to sit 1 to play 1. 

I hope Wojo is able to land a legit traditional transfer as well.  I hate burning scholarships. 

[wadesworld]

A senior who has started a total of five games and never played more than 20 mpg over the course of a season not to mention playing a different position, and a redshirt junior who has missed significant parts of his career due to injury.

Not to mention the hole in the argument that Joey was a "redshirt" freshman.  Sure, he technically was.  But it was what was supposed to be his freshman year, and would've been his freshman year had he not decided to rehab his ankle at MU for a semester rather than in Stephens Point.

Nothing Elliott or Cain have done has shown us they are more than bench guys (which are important players to have).

[Its DJOver]

Playing more minutes doesn't necessarily make you a better player.

It does make you a more experienced player though, which many times is more important.  I'm not disputing straight up who has more talent, just pointing out that (everywhere not just at MU) new players have an acclimatization period.  Remember when everyone was writing off Jayce back in November, and now he is having  a significant impact. 

[Nukem2]

Could use a grad transfer role player PG as well.  Pretty thin at the point - I like Symir, but I don't think Koby is a true point at all. 

I could see Cain looking at that depth at the forward spot and not loving his fit.  But not sure he's going to want to sit 1 to play 1. 

I hope Wojo is able to land a legit traditional transfer as well.  I hate burning scholarships.

Koby has looked very good at the point the last 2 games.

[🏀]

Koby, Symir & Elliott are enough PG depth.

[wadesworld]

It does make you a more experienced player though, which many times is more important.  I'm not disputing straight up who has more talent, just pointing out that (everywhere not just at MU) new players have an acclimatization period.  Remember when everyone was writing off Jayce back in November, and now he is having  significant impact.

I certainly don't think everyone was writing him off.  I know I personally expected him to be our best big, but when he injured his knee I thought it'd take a month or two for him to get fully back into the swing of things, especially being a new player and still getting comfortable in his role.  It took him a few weeks, that's for sure.

Koby, Symir & Elliott are enough PG depth.

This.  Plus Mane could play some, and possibly Dexter but not sure about that.

[The Sultan]

Koby, Symir & Elliott are enough PG depth.

Exactly.  It's pretty obvious that Wojo doesn't necessarily want a "true PG" anyway.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Koby has looked very good at the point the last 2 games.

He has.  But he looked genuinely terrible the majority of the previous 15 games.  I suppose if Mane is actually around, there are plenty of guys that can play point, but not sure I am quite ready to assume he's coming to MU. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

Exactly.  It's pretty obvious that Wojo doesn't necessarily want a "true PG" anyway.

And he has said that since he got here. He values space over paint touches with his system. And his offenses have performed at top levels.

[MU82]

I won't predict who will start -- especially if one of the subjects we're all talkin' about is a guy who might never step foot on the Marquette campus again. Plus, who starts isn't all that important.

I fully expect Garcia to get plenty of minutes next season, as will Mane if he joins our Warriors. If Lewis is as tough as advertised, we have a need for that, too. I mean, even Cain averaged 17 mpg as a freshman, and Joey averaged 29, so it's not crazy to think Wojo will give these highly regarded athletes 20 or more.

[Nukem2]

I won't predict who will start -- especially if one of the subjects we're all talkin' about is a guy who might never step foot on the Marquette campus again. Plus, who starts isn't all that important.

I fully expect Garcia to get plenty of minutes next season, as will Mane if he joins our Warriors. If Lewis is as tough as advertised, we have a need for that, too. I mean, even Cain averaged 17 mpg as a freshman, and Joey averaged 29, so it's not crazy to think Wojo will give these highly regarded athletes 20 or more.

Yup.  Sam averaged almost 27 mpg as a frosh as well.  Wojo is not afraid to play frosh.

[Galway Eagle]

Future All-American over someone who wasn't the coach's recruit and a red-shirt Freshman over a Sophomore is different than a pair of Freshman over a Senior and a red-shirt Junior.

I'm delighted that Garcia is on-board, and a really hope we get Mane, but this kind of over-hyping of players that 1.) aren't even on campus yet, and 2.) may not even go here, usually leads to disappointment.  Garcia and Mane have combined to play 0 collegiate minutes, personally I'd rather set my expectations low (no matter how highly their currently ranked) and be pleasantly surprised, rather then state that they will "start and play max minutes" and be disappointed.  I would hope I don't have to remind people of the last time a Freshman stretch 4 started and played big minutes.

Markus also played over coaches recruits Rowsey and Carter. there's always a qualifying statement I just don't think it's set in stone either way.