Lack of Blocks and an Inside Presence?

[jdshock]

I probably over thought it because I'm trying to project how Shaq and Nurger might finish as seniors. The more I think about it, though, I'm not sure. I do think Nurger an Shaq are at least more athletic. Maybe that will pay off in the end.

It's impossible to know if Durley and Miller hit their true ceiling while in college. Durley in particular seemed to struggle at first with work ethic.

If Shaq buys in for the five years he is here and Nurger buys in for four years, their ceiling is probably higher than whatever level that either Durley and Miller hit. But we're not guaranteed that everything goes right for the next four years, you know?

It's a neat thought. I think Nurger in four years could be really really dominant. I think their senior year could be special. Nurger will stretch the defense. Shaq might become an immovable force in the paint.

[jocoshock]

Fifi Miller didn't break out until his senior year. He was forced to start due to lack of options. Nurger has already shown an ability to stretch the defense, he just needs to toughen up. He will be 25 by the time he graduates WSU, take that for what it's worth.

You are assuming that Nurger will be a four year player. He's 21, European, with a lot of options for pro ball coming his way...especially if he gets really good sooner than later. We will be fortunate to have him two years. Coaches may already know something we don't in that regard. Maybe that is partly why HCGM is not concerned about being over 2-3 schollies... WE all assume Rauno will be here... Coach might not... The faster Rauno improves, the sooner he might go pro overseas...

[Dave Stalwart]

You are assuming that Nurger will be a four year player. He's 21, European, with a lot of options for pro ball coming his way...especially if he gets really good sooner than later. We will be fortunate to have him two years. Coaches may already know something we don't in that regard. Maybe that is partly why HCGM is not concerned about being over 2-3 schollies... WE all assume Rauno will be here... Coach might not... The faster Rauno improves, the sooner he might go pro overseas...

I had never thought of that before

[CBB_Fan]

Hopefully we improve a lot before the tournament. I'll just say that. We shouldn't be competing with the likes of Alabama by the end of the season, we should be clearly better. If we aren't clearly better than a team that isn't currently projected to make the tournament, where does that leave us? And yes, Alabama was bigger and more athletic. There's a good chance every non-automatic bid in the tournament is going to be bigger and more athletic than us. And before you call bullshit, the only team with a lower effective height currently projected to make the tournament is Oregon. So we are really depending on freshmen development to not be hideously outsized in every tournament matchup, by much better teams than Detroit or Alabama.

As of yet, the Shockers have shown they can grit out games against NIT level competition very effectively. They haven't shown they can dominate against that level of competition, or beat 2-6 teams in the dance. We could be much, much better by the end of the season, but right now we are last year's KC Chiefs. Great against mediocre to good teams, but nothing to suggest we can best a great team yet. We have several massive deficiencies, whereas last year's team was good at almost every aspect of the game (KenPom page was basically all green).

I don't mean to sound massively pessimistic, because we are still in a good spot at 8-1. We'll probably finish with a fine record and be highly ranked. However, my concern this year isn't on win totals or rankings, but what we do in the tournament. We've faced a tough SoS, but we honestly have yet to reach anything close to the level play this team is capable of. We haven't had a game yet where we've played a tough team and I've come away thinking "wow, we're good." I had that last year quite a few times, and even the year before we looked quite good when healthy. This break going into Hawaii is probably exactly what this team needs to get into top mental and physical shape.

[WstateU]

Hopefully we improve a lot before the tournament. I'll just that. We shouldn't be competing with the likes of Alabama by the end of the season, we should be clearly better. If we aren't clearly better than a team that isn't currently projected to make the tournament, where does that leave us? And yes, Alabama was bigger and more athletic. There's a good chance every non-automatic bid in the tournament is going to be bigger and more athletic than us. And before you call bullshit, the only team with a lower effective height currently projected to make the tournament is Oregon. So we are really depending on freshmen development to not be hideously outsized in every tournament matchup, by much better teams that Detroit or Alabama.

As of yet, the Shockers have shown they can grit out games against NIT level competition very effectively. They haven't shown they can dominate against that level of competition, or beat 2-6 teams in the dance. We could be much, much better by the end of the season, but right now we are last year's KC Chiefs. Great against mediocre to good teams, but nothing to suggest we can best a great team yet. We have several massive deficiencies, whereas last year's team was good at almost every aspect of the game (KenPom page was basically all green).

I don't mean to sound massively pessimistic, because we are still in a good spot at 8-1. We'll probably finish with a fine record and be highly ranked. However, my concern this year isn't on win totals or rankings, but what we do in the tournament. We've faced a tough SoS, but we honestly have yet to reach anything close to the level play this team is capable of. We've had a game yet where we've played a tough team and I've come away thinking "wow, we're good." I had that last year quite a few times, and even the year before we looked quite good when healthy. This break going into Hawaii is probably exactly what this team needs to get into top mental and physical shape.

[Dave Stalwart]

Not that it necessarily means anything this early in the season, but Alabama is actually #19 in ESPN's RPI. That may actually be a really good win.

[top20shock]

This team needs Nurger to grow by leaps and bounds this year. That being said next year the team will be primed to be a top 5 team assuming Baker comes back and the rest of the team grows up. Adding a rim protector along with the rest will be huge.

[pie n eye]

It's still early and I might not he the best judge but I thought Alabama, Utah, Detroit looked like NCAA tournament level teams, at least the night we played them. At bare minimum we've faced teams, on the road and at home, with NCAA level defenses. Stats may very well refute that statement, I don't know.

[shockmonster]

Hopefully we improve a lot before the tournament. I'll just say that. We shouldn't be competing with the likes of Alabama by the end of the season, we should be clearly better. If we aren't clearly better than a team that isn't currently projected to make the tournament, where does that leave us? And yes, Alabama was bigger and more athletic. There's a good chance every non-automatic bid in the tournament is going to be bigger and more athletic than us.

Alabama is a top 20 (talent type of team) team potentially. If you don't see that you aren't a good judge of talent. They have been playing with a 250 basketball IQ. Therefore, they've been a bad basketball team on the road and pretty good at home. Against the Shockers, they had a great game plan and executed it perfectly for 35 minutes like the Top 20 type of talent that they have. If the Shockers had made the shots that they are capable of, it would have been a 10-15 point game. But we didn't and almost lost. The last 5 minutes showed that the Shockers are still a Top 20 type of team themselves because they found a way to win without their best game. C'mon, we are 8-1 and a top ranked team. We are going to get better, and our players who are in a slump will come out of it,and our young players will grow. We may not go deep in the NCAA Tournament, but we still have a Top 25 program and I think that our team's best year will be next year.

I don't want our program to be like the KU's, UK's, and North Carolina's where we act like spoiled brats instead of thankful basketball fans that our team has great players, great people, and one of the best coaches in the country. Be critical but be fair and stay thankful.

[Ricardo del Rio]

Slings and arrows.

[pinstripers]

Next season (or so it seems) our 5 will be a rotation of Morris, Nurger, and big Bush.

[AZ Shocker]

Next season (or so it seems) our 5 will be a rotation of Morris, Nurger, and big Bush.

Yikes. Well....gotta go with what we got I guess. Perhaps by the end of the year we'll see tons of improvement from the young bigs and be excited about next seasons 5 man rotation!!! Hopefully Hamilton and McDuffie can contribute as well!!!! Go Shocks!!!!

[forevershockerfan]

This team needs Nurger to grow by leaps and bounds this year. That being said next year the team will be primed to be a top 5 team assuming Baker comes back and the rest of the team grows up. Adding a rim protector along with the rest will be huge.

In terms of starters toward the end of the Season, if we went Nurger at the 5 and Carter at the 4, we have our starting line up all playing their best positions. Right now, we have Kelly and Carter starting which is a solid rebounding line-up. Not sure if Wessel will still start at the 4 when he gets well because his best position is the 3 but Cotton gets huge minutes from that slot. No matter what, Brown, Nurger, Shaq, and Bush will all get a fair look to see who emerges when the Lew and the Dance come time. I hope to see us rebounding and defending like rock stars by then because those are the areas that have given us a nice edge over our competition for the past 5 years.

I also like to think Ria'n and Henderson will give us a shot in the arm too because I love having good shooters backing up our starters when we look at every junk zone ever known to mankind in this here Valley race.