Early top 32 for 11-12

[BioShock]

More publicity for the Shox: http://tourney.si.com/2011/04/05/aft...-2/?xid=cnnbin

Got me thinkin...will/should we be a preseason top 25 in the fall?

[Shocker Rocker]

Re: Early top 32 for 11-12

More publicity for the Shox: http://tourney.si.com/2011/04/05/aft...-2/?xid=cnnbin

Got me thinkin...will/should we be a preseason top 25 in the fall?

A few weeks ago most people on here thought we'd be down a bit next year with all of the senior frontcourt players gone (and that we'd probably be picked among the top three or so of the Valley). I don't know how much thoughts on that have changed since the NIT run, but I don't see any other Valley schools on or this list. It would be interesting if we were picked second or third in the Valley but still made the top 25 in the national polls.

[ShockerFever]

I sure wasn't expecting these type of accolades. Maybe it'll be simialar to 05-06, with the loss of a lot of key senior starters, an expected drop off to 5th, and then a "we'll see about that" attitude.

[tropicalshox]

WSU called a sleeper for 2011-12:

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2011/4/6/2094094/kentucky-north-carolina-basketball-rankings-ncaa

[notquiteBWing]

i think creighton could be favored over us in the valley. they got better as the season went as well, and their frontcourt ...is good.

[shock-it-to-me]

We definitely don't deserve any pre-season love considering what we lose and how that must be viewed, but I have a feeling we will do a lot of surprising next year.

[IAmWu]

Those aren't the only places saying we are supposed to be good....

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=6299371

[Perezident]

We definitely don't deserve any pre-season love considering what we lose and how that must be viewed, but I have a feeling we will do a lot of surprising next year.

I have that same feeling. :goshocks:

[Ta town]

i think creighton could be favored over us in the valley. they got better as the season went as well, and their frontcourt ...is good.

Good yes but thats where I would stop. Now they have GE and McD with nobody else backing them up. McD was already playing a ton of minutes so no drop off there. GE I just don't know, he reminds me a lot like Stutz (not body type, lol) he can have a great game or just disappear. Just depends on the night. So really I don't feel like their frontcourt is amazing, just solid.

Young is good but who else on the backcourt and he can be inconsistent at times as well?

WSU's backcourt is a HUGE strength next year and Hall and Stutz at the 4/5 won't be bad, especially if EO and White can just provide serviceable minutes.

[tropicalshox]

Like it our not we are getting, and are going to get more pre-season love. We return 6 members of the committee who looked liked a, shall we say at least top 20 team during the NIT. If people look close, we do lose front line key players. But we also bring in the top performing big man in the NJCAA to help reload the front line.

[fuball7]

maybe next year is the year the valley breaks this run of just 1 team in the tourney. I think creighton, us, in. state, and uni will all be good

[Shocker85]

WSU proved to a team of replaceable parts in 2010-2011. The graduating parts, Hatch, Durley, Ellis, Blair are all good players, but none were "go-to" slump busters game in and game out.

With Murry, Kyles, Ragland, Williams, Smith and Stutz you have another set of the replaceable parts. With the notable addition of Whita and Hall and the possible emergence of Orupke, the 2011-2012 WSU team isn't really a whole lot different than the 2010-2011 team. You might see more reliance on guard play until the new big men learn the system, but bringing back the floor general and much of the supporting cast doesn't indicate much of a drop-off.

Maybe the rotation becomes 8 or 9 guys instead of 10, but that probably isn't all bad.

--'85.

[Dan]

If Hall and/or Stutz get in foul trouble, we're screwed. I hate to rely on a freshman and a 7 foot Nigerian that hasn't been good enough to see the court.

[wufan]

If Hall and/or Stutz get in foul trouble, we're screwed. I hate to rely on a freshman and a 7 foot Nigerian that hasn't been good enough to see the court.

I disagree. Who else in the valley will be able to go to a 7 foot Nigerian and an all-American if the starters get into foul trouble?

[Aargh]

Those aren't the only places saying we are supposed to be good....

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/column...ndy&id=6299371

From that write up:

Wichita won the NIT and returns nearly every key player.

:shock: :lol: :shock: :lol: :shock: :lol: :shock: :lol:
Andy, Andy - it's spelled R-E-S-E-A-R-C-H