Just wait till next year

[Aargh]

Usually "wait till next year" is said after a failed season. We can say it after a very successful season.

We return Early, Baker, Cotton, and VanVleet from a F4 team. We get Wessel back. That's 5 quality players from a F4 team. We lose two starters, but we lost 4 or 5 last year. We'll miss Hall and Armstead. We'll really miss those guys. They were absolutely great for us. We're bringing back probably 5 of our top 7 players, and those 5 guys have been to a F4.

We've got a solid recruiting class coming in - and I get the feeling we'll be seeing recruits at "another level" after next year.

[garylee]

we will dance again for at least two more years, probably more

[another shocker]

#1 team in the country. beginning to end.

[ShockerPrez]

We are good enough to win it all.

[TheYeti]

Maybe we could get that Michigan big man to transfer to replace Carl. Damn he plays as hard as Carl does.

[jocoshock]

CBSSports.com @CBSSports 8m
"These guys showed they belonged on Saturday night...they nearly shocked the country." -@GoodmanCBS on Wichita State: http://cbsprt.co/GoodmanWSU

[rjl]

"Wait until next year."

Funny. I said the same thing after our Sweet 16 run in '06. We had so much coming back, and we were only losing one guy out of our starting 5.

I know we'll be a good team next year. I know it will be special.

But to think that we'll have this opportunity again next year is pretty damn hopeful.

I'm not bitter. Just realistic.

[Dave Stalwart]

"Wait until next year."

Funny. I said the same thing after our Sweet 16 run in '06. We had so much coming back, and we were only losing one guy out of our starting 5.

I know we'll be a good team next year. I know it will be special.

But to think that we'll have this opportunity again next year is pretty damn hopeful.

I'm not bitter. Just realistic.

That team also had a mentally checked out Mark Turgeon and off the court player issues.

[1972Shocker]

The team chemistry and intangibles that it takes to make a deep run into the post season is a difficult commodity to measure and predict. I expect us to be good again next year. Whether we will have that special "it" that makes for an extra special team remains to be seen. No reason to think we won't have it under 3G's leadership but no guarantees either. That said I am really looking forward to next season with a good deal of optimism.

Go Shocks!

[another shocker]

The team chemistry and intangibles that it takes to make a deep run into the post season is a difficult commodity to measure and predict. I expect us to be good again next year. Whether we will have that special "it" that makes for an extra special team remains to be seen. No reason to think we won't have it under 3G's leadership but no guarantees either. That said I am really looking forward to next season with a good deal of optimism.

Go Shocks!

you almost sound satisfied.

[KC Shox]

This team is better prepared to make up for the loss of Armstead, but losing Carl will be harder to replace. Shaq projects to be a monster for us, but he'll still be a freshman and who knows how CK will be now that he will be facing tougher competition. But this team will be certainly capable of making another NCAA post season appearance next year.

[WSUwatcher]

Hall will be very tough to replace indeed, but the Shocks did manage somehow to go 6-1 without him.

Next year's team should be more talented overall, and if they manage to stay healthy, even deeper. And even without this year's seniors, there should be plenty of leadership returning, including the most important leader of all, the guy with the whistle. After the losses from last year and the injuries this season, there's no longer any question that Marshall can reload with the best of them. Plus, the 2013-14 Shocks have it all over the 2006-07 crew not just in talent, but in intangibles. Once that team came apart, MT couldn't put it back together again, and then he got the heck out of Dodge. That's not happening again.

Having said that, a trip to the Final Four requires a lot of things to go your way, and next year's Shocks could easily be better but have a stumble along the way that brings them up short. But Butler did it two years in a row, the second time without their best player, and they even went one game deeper. So yes, this is absolutely one to savor and remember forever -- but a repeat (or more) is certainly possible, and I for one am not about to doubt that whatever Brad Stevens and his program could do, Marshall and WSU can match.

On to Arlington!

[Cuttyhunk]

I want to comment on how classy your players were in the post game. It is so evident the love your coach has for his players. It is such a difficult time after such a close loss, but each and every one of your players showed class and were very gracious. It would be great for both our school's programs to schedule a home and home series. A game with you guys would keep any team humble. Good luck to you in the coming years.

[bunck]

I want to comment on how classy your players were in the post game. It is so evident the love your coach has for his players. It is such a difficult time after such a close loss, but each and every one of your players showed class and were very gracious. It would be great for both our school's programs to schedule a home and home series. A game with you guys would keep any team humble. Good luck to you in the coming years.

Representatives from the Barclays Center were talking to us this week about playing there, I'm sure Pitino wouldn't mind going back to New York for a good game.

[gman2]

"Wait until next year."

Funny. I said the same thing after our Sweet 16 run in '06. We had so much coming back, and we were only losing one guy out of our starting 5.

I know we'll be a good team next year. I know it will be special.

But to think that we'll have this opportunity again next year is pretty damn hopeful.

I'm not bitter. Just realistic.

When Hayward left Butler early, no one gave them a chance to do anything special the following season. All Butler did was return to the championship game. The Shockers took what is by far the best team in the country down to the wire, and probably could have played a better game. While it is definitely difficult to repeat something like this, Butler showed it is possible with hard work and great coaching, and the Shockers have both. Will be paying more attention to the Shockers next year.