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this is what we all crave....

I was always envious of Drexel with their big men who were only about 6'7 but 275 lbs and could move people around. I would like to see us get someone with some bulk to get tough down low.

Same here. Need some beef.

(02-11-2017 05:28 PM)FearTheLion Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 10:57 AM)757ODU Wrote:  We have to add a big man or we are going to be in big trouble next year.

Agree. And if we had one right now, Stith could play his natural position. Every time I see him banging against bigger guys, I think the same thing...how good would he be if he could ever have someone his size (or smaller) trying to guard him? They have got to do a better job--even if the big is a project. We need someone that is 6'8" or above that can bang inside. Personally I'd play Porter with him anyway and just let the big lefty spell them both for a few minutes at a time.

You could see more of this. Porter looks quick enough to handle a stretch 4 and he can knock down a jump shot. Let him and Brandan play together because in CUSA, there will be a mismatch out there, outside of MTSU. As far as beating them goes, we just better hope they're not hitting shots. If they are on, they are the best in the conference.

(02-11-2017 10:49 AM)ODUBB35 Wrote:  In trying to assess what has happened to our Men's Basketball team, I have been asking myself what has happened in two years to make this season so miserable. Jeff Jones did a masterful coaching job his first two years. He took a 5-25 team that lost it's only legitimate big man and went 18-18. He followed that up by taking a team with one player that was over 6'5" (then freshman Denzell Taylor at 6'7") and got us a brief Top 25 ranking and an NIT Final Four. I was excited to think what he could do when he gets some physically gifted players.

By all accounts, this years team is the biggest, strongest, most athletic team that Jeff Jones has had. So what happened?

Razor mentioned that Jeff Jones has yet to recruit a freshman big man. I thought about that for a while and it hit me. Not only has he not recruited a freshman big man, but he got off to a very slow start on recruiting freshman period.

When Jeff Jones took the job, the first recruiting period was pretty much over. He had Denzell Taylor, Jordan Baker, and Ramone Snowden (I know, let's not revisit that again.) After his first season, however, he did not land any freshman recruits (which would be this year's junior class). This year's junior class consists of Brandon Stith (not himself for injury or whatever reason), Randy Haynes, and Allasane Kah, all transfers. I think that is biting us right now.

In fact, in looking at this year's roster, I only see 4 scholarship players that Jeff Jones has recruited as freshmen: Ahmad Caver, Aaron Carver, Zoran Talley and Xavier Green. All are sophomores or freshmen.

Granted, you always want to keep some room on the roster for a good transfer (Trey Freeman), but maybe we are seeing the limits of trying to build a team with transfers.

Freshman recruiting appears to be picking up with the players mentioned above as well as this year's incoming class. We need to add a freshman big to get some game experience before Brandon Stith graduates.

Anyway, this year has been frustrating on any number of levels, but I am optimistic about the younger guys. Thoughts?

Talley was part of Jones first class. He is a Redshirt Sophomore that's why the junior class is all transfers.

Caver is the only "true" sophomore in the sophomore class

Really hoping Green turns into a PG. I am not encouraged with Pickney or Fields. If he can go at the point we'll have depth. Then we'll have Green, Caver and Talley who could create off the dribble to open up the new spot up shooters.

(02-13-2017 12:28 PM)ODU True Blue Wrote:  Really hoping Green turns into a PG. I am not encouraged with Pickney or Fields. If he can go at the point we'll have depth. Then we'll have Green, Caver and Talley who could create off the dribble to open up the new spot up shooters.

I think BJ is more than capable of creating off the dribble too.