21-22 Wishlist

[wufan]

We will need PG help next year, but for those that are comparing our PG to o FVV, you will always be disappointed. Same for comparing our bigs to X. Those guys were once in a generation players at any position.

I would like to see some more size. Specifically, at the 4/5. We still seem to have MVC size with everyone being 2” short for their position. We’ve got a plethora of wings with Dex, Council, and Jackson. Hopefully those guys can spend more time at the 2/3 than the 3/4, but I’m not counting on it. 20 lbs of muscle on Jayden would go a long ways!

[proshox]

Getting in every year is more important than seeding (fan base growth, recruiting, overall program stature).

Never-mind the fact we were consistently a much better basketball team in the MVC.

In the MVC - Any year where we did well in the non-con our seeding was good enough. As Gonzaga has proved - win enough tough non-con games and you will be seeded appropriately. If not the formula is simple: tear through the MVC, build a habit of winning, get in the tournament and make a run because you have learned how to win “possession-based” basketball games.

[proshox]

We will need PG help next year, but for those that are comparing our PG to o FVV, you will always be disappointed. Same for comparing our bigs to X. Those guys were once in a generation players at any position.

I would like to see some more size. Specifically, at the 4/5. We still seem to have MVC size with everyone being 2” short for their position. We’ve got a plethora of wings with Dex, Council, and Jackson. Hopefully those guys can spend more time at the 2/3 than the 3/4, but I’m not counting on it. 20 lbs of muscle on Jayden would go a long ways!

We have WSU in the American size...

[ShockerFever]

Getting in every year is more important than seeding (fan base growth, recruiting, overall program stature).

Never-mind the fact we were consistently a much better basketball team in the MVC.

In the MVC - Any year where we did well in the non-con our seeding was good enough. As Gonzaga has proved - win enough tough non-con games and you will be seeded appropriately. If not the formula is simple: tear through the MVC, build a habit of winning, get in the tournament and make a run because you have learned how to win “possession-based” basketball games.

I can’t believe you continue to ride with this. We likely made 3 NCAA Tournaments out of the 4 years we’ve been in the league and racked up a bunch more losses than we did in the Valley when doing so. Even excluding the prestige factor, nobody wants to go 28-4 in the regular season and sweat out a tourney bid. That’s what would happen.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

Wait is somebody actually advocating to return to the mvc? Holy sh!t Batman...

[Stickboy46]

Getting in every year is more important than seeding (fan base growth, recruiting, overall program stature).

Never-mind the fact we were consistently a much better basketball team in the MVC.

In the MVC - Any year where we did well in the non-con our seeding was good enough. As Gonzaga has proved - win enough tough non-con games and you will be seeded appropriately. If not the formula is simple: tear through the MVC, build a habit of winning, get in the tournament and make a run because you have learned how to win “possession-based” basketball games.

We've made it in 2 out of 3 years in the AAC ... Arguably could say 3 of 4 because most had us in last year before they cancelled.

[shoxlax]

proshox is to the MVC what Cold is to CoVid. I will hand him this, though, his arguments have been consistent for the last four years and at least are thought provoking.

[calfan]

I am glad WSU is not in the MVC. Having said that, WSU is still recruiting as if it is playing in the MVC. The rest of the conference not named Houston needs to get better as well. The conference perception this year is that Houston is a Power 5 level team and everyone else isn’t. I can’t argue that point.

On Selection Sunday, having at least 3 American Conference at large teams should be easy for people to see. Success needs to be measured not against the MVC, but teams in the Power 5 conferences. The American needs to get as many at large bids as those conferences. Anything less Calls for a need for improvement.

The American Conference promotes itself as a power 5 conference. It is time in basketball to act like it.

[wichshock65]

We probably have the preseason POY and one of the best sophomores in the league in RCIV. If we can get a legitimate big, a tough 4 with ability to score, and an offense, we are more than serviceable. Heck, we may already have our 4 in Jaden if we beefs up a bit. I guess I'll hold out hope for JB, but honestly think he is way too much of a project.

Porter was able to show good point guard instincts early in the year but somehow faded as it went on. The dude won a NC last year so we know he has what it takes to be our starter. My gut is that's who IB will turn the keys over to for next year. Don't know that I disagree.

Also, let's not forget about Jenkins. All accounts are he is going to be just what the doctor ordered.

The pieces are there, just needs to be tweaked a bit.

Now the question is will IB **** the bed or prove he is the man for the job. That question will be answered next season.

[ABC]

Gonzaga is a black swan, even more so than UNLV in the late 80s and early 90s.

Gonzaga has THREE players on most of this year's first or second All-american teams.

[Dan]

As “bad” as people on here act like we were this year, we were probably an Okie State win away from being an 8-9 seed. All we really need to do is perform well in the non -conf and finish top 3-4 in the league to make the tourney. We are a better program than the majority of team in our league already. If we can bring in a couple good players, we will be just fine.

[Veritas]

My final wishlist item - Move back to the MVC so we can be elite at basketball again.

I’d rather WSU competes at the highest level which might take some time getting to a dominant position, in contrast to dominating a lesser conference.

Gonzaga has had quite the run but their conference games must be extremely boring for their fans.

[proshox]

I’d rather WSU competes at the highest level which might take some time getting to a dominant position, in contrast to dominating a lesser conference.

Gonzaga has had quite the run but their conference games must be extremely boring for their fans.

No doubt - the cost of being elite in a less competitive conference is boring games. There is no doubt that trade-off is painfully real.

[ShockingButTrue]

Yeah, because watching high-level execution is always boring. Maybe if there were less high-level execution the games would be closer, and thus more exciting. Because even with all the evident high-level execution, "we just wouldn't no how good they really are" eh? My family that lives in Spokane sure ain't bored watching the Bulldogs (that'd be Gonzaga) this season, believe-you-me!!

So this years team, which undoubtedly executed at a lower level (to anyone with 2 eyes) was actually more exciting to watch because the games were closer?

[proshox]

I can’t believe you continue to ride with this. We likely made 3 NCAA Tournaments out of the 4 years we’ve been in the league and racked up a bunch more losses than we did in the Valley when doing so. Even excluding the prestige factor, nobody wants to go 28-4 in the regular season and sweat out a tourney bid. That’s what would happen.

Year 1 - WSU was stacked due to the MVC recruiting. I guarantee WSU makes a NCAA run had they come out of the MVC instead of the American. IMO - WSU would have been a well oiled machine instead of the mentally fragile team that entered the NCAA tournament.

Last year was a possible bid if the American Conference tournament went well - mostly driven by non-con performance.

This year WSU played the MVC-type schedule within the American. It worked to perfection. Hopefully the American is a two team league going forward (Houston and WSU) and the results (NCAA Bids) can be duplicated.

All that said - Your evaluation of WSU teams since joining the American is well documented - It is clear you believe the “American” WSU teams are a step below the “MVC” WSU teams of the prior decade.


In summary - We traded going to the tournament every year and being elite for better conference opponents and potential higher seeding. It is trade many would have made and I don’t fault those for making it... but boy do I miss cheering for elite basketball teams.

I assume all of other WSU programs were better off as well, but time will tell.