Mikey Saunders Jr. 6'0 PG Cincinnati Transfer to Cincinnati

[WuShocker2006]

Pretty sure he tore a hole in our defense and they beat us in the AAC tourney.

[wichshock65]

Is he another player that Shocker Nation collectively screams "NO" every time he chucks up a 3?

[calfan]

This is from BYU:

If you’re reading this article then you are familiar with Saunders Jr. BYU has been in consistent contact with him for weeks and is one of the favorites to land him. Saunders will announce his decision on April 15. I was told earlier this week by someone close to the recruitment that BYU and UNLV were the final two schools. Wichita State has entered the picture since then and they could be a contender to get Saunders.

https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/2021/4/9/22376325/byu-basketball-transfer-big-board-mike-saunders-jordan-goldwire-erik-stevenson-alponso-plummer-baker

[12eagle]

Pretty sure he tore a hole in our defense and they beat us in the AAC tourney.

Lol He was 3-9 shooting and 0-2 from 3 and Cincinnati scored 60 points.

[Shockm]

Well those guys weren’t really shooters, and that was the problem. You have to go back to reaves, shamed, frankamp for the last time we had 3 legit shooters on the floor and we had a top 5 offense that’s year. We saw this year how bogged down the offense got playing a subpar shooter at PG and this guys shoots worse than him. Hard pass on this guy.

But those shooters weren't very good defenders. Average at best, and probably often below that during that year.

[The Mad Hatter]

I am amazed at the degree to which fans of a program that has been successful on a defense first model and who just watched a defense first team from our conference make the Final Four routinely undervalue defense in evaluating recruits.

[12eagle]

I am amazed at the degree to which fans of a program that has been successful on a defense first model and who just watched a defense first team from our conference make the Final Four routinely undervalue defense in evaluating recruits.

Our final four team had 6 players that shot at least 10 3pt attempts and shot over 35 percent.
last year we had 3 players and that counts poor bear who shot 11 attempts. We gotta recruit more shooters.

[IndianaShocker]

I am amazed at the degree to which fans of a program that has been successful on a defense first model and who just watched a defense first team from our conference make the Final Four routinely undervalue defense in evaluating recruits.

Idk about anyone else, but I'm certainly not discounting defense. Adding a couple shot makers to a solid defense is a pretty decent formula.

[Shockm]

Our final four team had 6 players that shot at least 10 3pt attempts and shot over 35 percent.
last year we had 3 players and that counts poor bear who shot 11 attempts. We gotta recruit more shooters.

You have a selective memory Eagle. The F4 team and the 34-0 team were two very good defensive teams. FVV, Baker, Cotton, and our 3 headed Center group were all good defensive players, and great rebounders. Cle, Baker, and FVV all were around 35% from 3. We were a good 3 point shooting team that shot a little better in the tournament. We weren’t a great shooting team.

[pie n eye]

You have a selective memory Eagle. The F4 team and the 34-0 team were two very good defensive teams. FVV, Baker, Cotton, and our 3 headed Center group were all good defensive players, and great rebounders. Cle, Baker, and FVV all were around 35% from 3. We were a good 3 point shooting team that shot a little better in the tournament. We weren’t a great shooting team.

The final 4 team had two players who shot better than 40% (FVV, Wiggins). Both attempted 50 or more threes (I’m rounding up Fred’s 49).

This team had one, Ricky, and he did it on 27 attempts.

The F4 team had four guys who shot better than 34% (Baker, Cotton, Armstead, Wessell). WESSELL actually was at 45% but only 24 attempts.

This team had one guy, Tyson, who shot over 34%.

Oh and the F4 team had Cle who didn’t shoot well his Jr year (31.8% which is still as good or better than at least 3 of our main scorers this year) but who shot it at 37% his Senior year on 177! attempts.

The 35-0 team was even better.

Whether or not either of those teams are considered great shooting teams is beside the point. Compared to our teams in the last couple years they were great.

Nobody is saying we need to stop playing defense and rebounding. We need to do that and get better shooters. It’s not an either or proposition.

[pie n eye]

I am amazed at the degree to which fans of a program that has been successful on a defense first model and who just watched a defense first team from our conference make the Final Four routinely undervalue defense in evaluating recruits.

I don’t think anyone is undervaluing defense. WSU fans love defense. But basketball isn’t played on just one end of the court and you have to be able to put it in the hoop.

Houston was a top 3 defensive team and a top 2 offensive rebounding team and those were their calling cards but go look at their guys season shooting percentages. They are far better than ours.

[SubGod22]

Well those guys weren’t really shooters, and that was the problem. You have to go back to reaves, shamed, frankamp for the last time we had 3 legit shooters on the floor and we had a top 5 offense that’s year. We saw this year how bogged down the offense got playing a subpar shooter at PG and this guys shoots worse than him. Hard pass on this guy.

The offense didn't bog down because he was a poor shooter. It bogged down because he over dribbled and hunted his shot more than running an offense or creating for others. We can be just fine with a PG that isn't a great shooter if he doesn't think he's the man and should shoot 16 times a game.

[12eagle]

You have a selective memory Eagle. The F4 team and the 34-0 team were two very good defensive teams. FVV, Baker, Cotton, and our 3 headed Center group were all good defensive players, and great rebounders. Cle, Baker, and FVV all were around 35% from 3. We were a good 3 point shooting team that shot a little better in the tournament. We weren’t a great shooting team.

I never said they weren’t great on defense they were but the point is there was players all over the floor and up and down the roster who could shoot the ball and we haven’t had that in a few years. We gotta have more than one legit shooter on the team and the more the better.

[12eagle]

The offense didn't bog down because he was a poor shooter. It bogged down because he over dribbled and hunted his shot more than running an offense or creating for others. We can be just fine with a PG that isn't a great shooter if he doesn't think he's the man and should shoot 16 times a game.

Well one reason he over dribbled is because teams would go under screens and he didn’t trust his jump shot enough to make them pay so he would just keep dribbling until he was in trouble.

[Topshock]

The offense didn't bog down because he was a poor shooter. It bogged down because he over dribbled and hunted his shot more than running an offense or creating for others. We can be just fine with a PG that isn't a great shooter if he doesn't think he's the man and should shoot 16 times a game.

Basketball is so simple sometimes. If the defense lays off of you, you shoot. If the defense plays tight on you, you go around them and drive. If you can't shoot it is hard to do either. Simple as that!