(11-03-2017 07:39 AM)Kayjay Wrote:  The two graduate transfers that were brought in are likely to have marginal impact, not unlike Van Green did when he transferred to the Owls. Neither player was active during the 2016-2017 season.

I'm not sure that is a fair assessment. Neither Lapray or Jones was active due to injuries. If my memory serves correct, Van Green did not play at Columbia his last few years for reasons that were not injury-related.

Lapray averaged 11.4 mins/game in 2014-15 for #126 ranked Pepperdine (Kenpom) and 12.2 mins/game in 2015-16 when Pepperdine finished ranked #137. He was getting meaningful playing time on a decent team, but did not play in many games due to injuries. Lapray was also a very good recruit coming out of HS (ranked #317 nationally in 247sports' composite rankings). Jones did not play as much at Penn before his injuries started and he was not quite as high profile as Lapray coming out of HS (though he had some 3-star rankings). Both had decent lists of offers and were better-regarded recruits coming out of HS than Van Green.

That certainly does not guarantee that they will make a bigger impact at Rice than Van did in his season. But I think the evidence suggests that both guys have a higher floor and a higher ceiling than Van, assuming they can stay healthy.