NCAA tourney next year?

[ABC]

I don’t think it is too early to discuss. Let’s discuss.

I say yes 80/20

[molly jabali]

yes 91/9

[Snapshot99]

I say no unless we get someone to replace MM and SHJ 3 point shooting prowess. Fernandes shoots the 3 pretty good, but we need 40% 3 point shooters or we would not survive in the big dance.

[AndShock]

SHJ is a bad 3 point shooter. MM is a meh 3 point shooter.

[WSUwatcher]

If you look at their four volume 3pt shooters, Dennis is good at .395 (especially considering his poor start -- he's been VERY good lately), McDuffie is okay at .346, SHJ is poor at .301, and Stevenson is worse at .284. Erik is fearless, and he does have a little of SHJ's remarkable "Big Shot Bob" mojo; but he's going to have to improve his shot from beyond the arc. (Maybe a few sessions with Chip Engelland, the Spurs' shooting guru, who transformed Kawhi Leonard -- does he make house calls?) Fearless but bad is definitely not the ideal combination for a shooter.

By the way, for perspective, the Final Four team shot .339 from three, and their only three guys to launch at least 100 were Armstead at .345, Early at .318, and Demetric Williams at .281(!). Even their secret weapon Baker, who shot more threes per minute than anyone else once he came out of the phone booth, hit just .357. And they did okay, wouldn't you agree, Snap? There are other things that can compensate for middling (or worse) three point shooting, as Pitt discovered in the first round of the tournament when WSU blew them out while bombing away at a Torresesque 2-20 from distance.

[newshock1234]

Its a huge disappointment if we dont end up there.

[1972Shocker]

Yes, there will be an NCAA Tournament next year.

[WSUwatcher]

Pretty good, 1972 -- and I'll go a step further: WSU will be in it barring some unexpected run of injuries, etc. -- in other words, the same circumstances as applied to most of the seven year run they just finished.

[kcshocker11]

Yep

[Shox The Revenant]

Nothing is impossible, but SHJ and MM represent 42% of the team's scoring. Just because we made the NIT Final Four doesn't automatically mean the natural progression is a NCAA tourney birth. Dexter can come in a help replace some of that scoring, but who else? We're going to need to see some major improvement from the current roster and our recruits come in and make an immediate impact for us to make the NCAAs.

[WSUwatcher]

Don't forget the guy no one can guard in practice, Rev -- Teddy will be free at last.

[WstateU]

Addition by subtraction... it’s not rocket science . We have arguably one of the top 5 coaches in all of basketball... some might argue he’s in a league of his own. :)
NCAA tournament in 2020, you can book it. I can feel it in my old bones and these bones have a lot of good miles.

P.S. These old bones are telling me next year is going to be quite special.

[ShockerFever]

I say no unless we get someone to replace MM and SHJ 3 point shooting prowess. Fernandes shoots the 3 pretty good, but we need 40% 3 point shooters or we would not survive in the big dance.

34% and 30% are not anything prowess worthy. Just because they take 70% of the team's 3 point shots, doesn't mean they are good shooters. With them gone, it opens the door to more good shots in the offense and less wasted shots that are essential turnovers because they're so bad, whether from 3 or wherever.

[ShockerFever]

Nothing is impossible, but SHJ and MM represent 42% of the team's scoring. Just because we made the NIT Final Four doesn't automatically mean the natural progression is a NCAA tourney birth. Dexter can come in a help replace some of that scoring, but who else? We're going to need to see some major improvement from the current roster and our recruits come in and make an immediate impact for us to make the NCAAs.

42% of the team's scoring because they're taking 80% of the team's shots. They can be replaced and the offense can be more evenly distributed. That's the Marshall system anyways. This year was not a textbook year for a Gregg Marshall type offense. People get too hung up on certain numbers but don't look at all of the numbers and the big picture.

By the way, how much of our team's scoring did we lose last year and how did we end up doing in regards to expectations this year?

[TGOWJ GOSHOX]

The two seniors will be missed more than some on this board think.....a lot of possible variables after the season ends. I think too early to say.

[1972Shocker]

42% of the team's scoring because they're taking 80% of the team's shots.

To be more exact they have scored 42.9% of the Shocker points and have taken 43.2% to the team's field goal attempts. What I am hoping for next year is that we won't have to rely on just two guys so heavily and have a more balanced and varied attack. That said it is very difficult at this point to predict with any certainty how the team will come together again as they will be faced with creating a new identity and team chemistry again next year. They could certainly gel and make the NCAA Tournament next year although they may very well need one more year of seasoning and development before getting there. But one guess is pretty much just as good as any other at this point.

[shoxtop]

Woah woah woah, let’s not let stats get in the way of firmly entrenched opinions.

[proshox]

Yes... these guys are as efficient as anyone on the squad. Probably more so when you look at their work load, the defense they face (there are still teammates the other team doesn’t guard), and ability to get big buckets.

Next year, DD must learn how to slash against closeouts. That is the missing element to greatness.

The bigs have to continue their progressions.

Erik has to become a 35% shooter.

TA has to be able to knock down a couple threes.

Ricky and Burton need to be willing shooters.

It is easy to project this team going to the NCAA’s next year, but there are some serious question marks.

[SHOXAAC]

Nothing is impossible, but SHJ and MM represent 42% of the team's scoring. Just because we made the NIT Final Four doesn't automatically mean the natural progression is a NCAA tourney birth. Dexter can come in a help replace some of that scoring, but who else? We're going to need to see some major improvement from the current roster and our recruits come in and make an immediate impact for us to make the NCAAs.

Many teams do it every year...and successfully.

[WSUwatcher]

Such as the Shockers the last time they won the NIT and lost a flock of seniors, for example?

[WstateU]

I have seen the future; stay tuned.

[ShockingButTrue]

Sure. Mitgard's improvement has been pretty phenomenal. The guy ran coast to coast to block a lay-up last week. He's a backup.

The 2013 squad lost how much from the NCAA team the year before? It's not unprecedented.

[choida]

I honestly think we need some more dudes like Dexter Dennis... If Teddy can show his toughness and Eitienne brings the heat... Then yes..