Next year's post-season

[WSUwatcher]

I've already voted NCAA even before Marshall confirmed that he'll be back, so I'm certainly not aiming any lower now.

Yes, the Shocks will be younger, but they may be just as talented and quite possibly more athletic. More important, they play differently from most Valley teams -- and may do so even more next season -- which gives them an advantage in league play, because their faster and more aggressive style is hard for conference opponents to prepare for and simulate in practice. The difference in style isn't as extreme as what we recently saw from VCU (which, you'll note, prospered again this season despite losing a LOT of experience), but it's there, and it may be there even more next year as Marshall tries to take advantage of speed and athleticism to offset reduced experience.

[1972Shocker]

Spring signing period runs from April 11th through May 16th. Hopefully, by mid-April we will have a good feel for where we stand roster wise by then.

I guess Teddy Hawkins' academic eligibility is still unsettled at the point or has that been resolved?

While we appear to have solid young talent, how we do next year may actually be more dependent on how our upper classmen step up. Carl, D-Will, Malcolm Armstead, EO, and I will go ahead throw in Cleanthony with the upperclassmen.

[ShockerPhi]

I voted very conservatively and picked NIT. However, I don't know how well our new freshman will carry us as well as our new sophomores. I have good faith in the incoming sophomores, seeing how some of them played last year. I still have faith that we can make the NCAA's again and I would LOVE to be wrong in my vote. Go Shox!

[shox1989]

Next year a one and done in the ncaa would be acceptable. This year it was not. We had what was arguably our best team since the early 1980s. We should have made it to at least the sweet 16.

[Wu du Nord]

Probably the only hope for the Dance is for the team to... win the Arch Madness.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

[wufan]

It's too early to predict as we don't yet have our roster in place. Also, I expect big things from Cleanthony, but if he is an 8 point, 4 rebound guy, or if the offensive/defensive schemes don't click for him, we will have a rocky road.

Creighton and Illinois State will be very good.

Drake and UNI have the potential to be very good.

Evansville will be a dangerous .500 team.

Our newbies (specifically Armstead and Early) had better be very good and we will need the returners to step-up. Sometimes that happens and sometimes it doesn't. We will be picked 5th in the pre-season, but we will be the most dangerous team in the league. How quickly it clicks is too difficult for me to tell.

[shockmonster]

Next year a one and done in the ncaa would be acceptable. This year it was not. We had what was arguably our best team since the early 1980s. We should have made it to at least the sweet 16.

Lots of very good teams don't make a long run in the NCAA. It's not something done on paper or is it owed. It takes a good draw and a little luck. Just a couple of plays would have made the difference. The more times that a school makes it to the tourney, the more likely they will make a run. VCU had a great run at the end of the year (18 wints in a row) but they didn't make it to the Sweet 16 either.

[WSU757]

If we have a 4 bid league next year we will be in the tournament. The opportunity for quality wins in conference will outweight this young teams early inconsistancies

Will the conference live up to the quality that we expect next year is the question.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I noticed the bar for the NCAA tournament selection was rose in color.

I assume it represents rose colored glasses.

[newshock1234]

Over at the MVC Fans, they are act like we are gonna be a play in team next year

[SubGod22]

Over at the MVC Fans, they are act like we are gonna be a play in team next year

There are a bunch of tools over there that don't know much. If we're a play in team next year, the Valley is getting at least 5 teams in the dance. We won't be picked lower than 6th in any preseason polls and that's based more on what everyone else returns and what we graduate. I'd be surprised if we finish worse than 3rd. CU and ISU are not going to run away from us in the standings. Unless CU learns to play D and Chatman becomes an All Valley performer.