A quick rehash. The Huskies were very overrated to start this season. Multiple holes exist on the court. Anthony Maestranzi is a quality kid but not a starting point guard for a team the caliber of NIU. The big men in the middle are inexperienced and/or not very good (my vote). Todd Peterson is a wooden, one-dimensional player who doesn't even do that one thing particularly well. James Byrd is apparently on the roster to hand out towels. PJ Smith's game has suspiciously slipped (is he hurt and we just don't know the full extent?). None of the freshman are ready to contribute despite the screaming need for them to do so.

When you cry that Mike Morrison and Jamel Staten are gone things have gone inextricably and horribly wrong with Huskie basketball.

Anyone else want to chime in? What about the general state of basketball in the MAC? Doesn't look very good right now. Only 1 team will make this year's NCAA and that will be the team lucky enough to win the conference championship game.

Godd summation, but biBigger than those two losses is the loss of Jay Bates. His toughness and leadership set the tone last year. I would rather have him back on the team that Morrison or Staten. This team does not have a leader right now, and it shows.

Jay Bates was my favorite whipping boy. His mental lapses and often unorganized play drove me nuts. I for one was glad he graduated (at least I hope he got a degree) and that NIU was going to turn the page at point guard. As much at it pains me, I actually must agree with your contention on Bates. As frustrating and erractic as Bate's game was, he is much better than what we have now. Please oh please let Michael McKinney grow up in a hurry.

HuskieJ Wrote:Godd summation, but biBigger than those two losses is the loss of Jay Bates. His toughness and leadership set the tone last year. I would rather have him back on the team that Morrison or Staten. This team does not have a leader right now, and it shows.

I agree with you about Bates leadership, but he was a turnover machine. Evidently he was such a strong leader, Maestranzi, PJ, Sanders, Marcus and McKinney have felt compelled to emulate him in this regard.... :rolleyes:

I did think he was great either from a pure basketball standpoint, but he had a linebacker at Point Guard mentality that this team lacks. His second half of the season last year was a big contributor to the teams sucess.

HuskieJ Wrote:but he had a linebacker at Point Guard mentality that this team lacks.

He was aggressive as hell, wasn't he?!

I don't see Maestranzi evolving into that kind of player w his wee stature and all... :(

It seems like they are relying way too much, on the three ball. They were 3-17 in the Baylor game. When you miss three's......you get long rebounds which leads to alot of transition buckets. Our perimeter play both offensively and defensively is poor, and we lack speed with Mastronzi and Peterson out there for a majority of the game.

Even a little league coach would take some of these guys off the floor before they can put up so many threes. I can not uderstand what they are trying to accomplish by shooting so many threes.

HuskieJ Wrote:Even a little league coach would take some of these guys off the floor before they can put up so many threes. I can not uderstand what they are trying to accomplish by shooting so many threes.

I think they're trying to compensate for the fact we have no inside game.

Can Hughes step up and become a go to guy? I really think his development is key to our having ANY success this year...

In high school Hughes was an accomplished shot blocker, but never did much else to speak of. At 6'9" he was three to four inches taller than the centers he faced, but still never dominated offensively inside. Just don't think he has enough "toughness" to be a force.

It will be a lot easier to be tough at 250 lbs vs. the 190 lbs he came to NIU at one year ago. He has bulked up to 220 lbs now, and he needs to add at least another 20lbs of muscle. In HS I can imagine him being pushed around by Football crossover centers weighing more than 200 lbs. Once he gets bigger, I think he will be one of the better centers in the MAC. That is a pretty low bar, but it will help the Huskies win this conference eventually.