School has really gotten in the way of my project. I'll see how much progress I can make on it with some free time today.

It's lonely in here...

Somebody come talk to me. Certainly there's another Valley fan out there that reads some of these posts. Chime in. It only takes a couple of people to create a little traffic and slowly build towards more. We're running out of time this year though. Maybe I'll come in during the offseason some and talk about some of the recruiting or something.

Do I need to bump this again?

It's awfully quiet in here. I understand that it's summer and school doesn't even start back up for another three or four weeks, but we really need some more activity here.

You.. are.. not.. alone..

Glad to have you on board. I know there are a few others during the season, but I'd love to see this board pick up. I think it's potential is much greater than the other Valley board and the easy access to other teams/conferences around the country and their fans is a bonus.

Interesting note about SIU, the tallest guy they'll return next year will be 6'6" and they've already committed two scholarships to wings. We may see a five guard offense or a post filled with walk-ons next season in Carbondale.

(07-26-2013 10:05 AM)SubGod22 Wrote:  Glad to have you on board. I know there are a few others during the season, but I'd love to see this board pick up. I think it's potential is much greater than the other Valley board and the easy access to other teams/conferences around the country and their fans is a bonus.

I would be glad to help out over here any way I can. I would also be honored if you would post a couple comments from time to time on my tiny little Shocker forum. :)

(07-29-2013 01:02 PM)SubGod22 Wrote:  Interesting note about SIU, the tallest guy they'll return next year will be 6'6" and they've already committed two scholarships to wings. We may see a five guard offense or a post filled with walk-ons next season in Carbondale.

That is interesting and kind of sad. But that doesn't mean they can't compete in a guard dominated league like the Valley. They would be doomed in the NCAA's, but they very will could upset some team's destiny's in the Valley. How big are their guards?

The Valley has been dominated by guards, but that's been changing as teams have been getting much bigger.

As far as their two new recruits, one is 6'6" and the other is 6'3" I think. SF and SG. And I think the tallest guy they return is a 6'7" PF.

Returning size in '14-'15. Players 6'8" or taller.

Wichita (1) - Shaq Morris 6'8". (1 or 2 PFs at 6'7") It's why we're in on so many bigs for the '14 class.
ISUb (4) - Jake Kitchell 6'10", Justin Gant 6'8", Demetrius Moore 6'8", TJ Bell 6'8"
UNI (4) - Seth Tuttle 6'8", Nate Buss 6'9", Bennett Koch 6'9", Ted Freeman 6'9"
Bradley (3) - Mike Shaw 6'8", Nate Wells 7'1", Xzavier Taylor 6'9"
SWOMO (2) - Bruce Marshall 6'10", Tyler McCullough 6'10"
Loyola (4) - Cody Johnson 6'10", Nick Osborne 6'8", Matt O'Leary 6'8", Jeremy King 6'10"
ISU (3) - Michael Middlebrooks 6'9", John Jones 6'9", Reggie Lynch 6'10"
Evansville (4) - Ryan Sawvell 6'8", Rokas Cesnulevicius 6'8", Egidijus Mockevicius 6'10", David Howard 6'8"
Drake (1) - Robert Pulekis 6'10"
SIU (0) - N/A

I think ideally you want to have at least four or five guys that can play either C or PF on the roster. Maybe there are some 6'6" or 6'7" guys on some of these teams that do that for them, but MVC teams have been looking to get bigger AND more athletic in recent years. I know WSU will have 6'7" Darius Carter back to play PF and potentially Earl Watson of the same height. But I believe we'll sign two post players in the class of '14. And then probably looking for one in '15. It's not going to be easy to be relatively small in the paint anymore. We did it back in '06 with Ryan Martin, but it's not ideal and takes a special guy to be undersized and effective in the MVC. Especially as a couple of teams are looking to compete more nationally and not just in the conference.

My personal opinion is there are three programs building to compete on a national level. Wichita, Bradley and ISU. There are a couple of others that I'm unsure of in ISUb, SWOMO and Loyola. Then there's Drake, Evansville and UNI that I'm not sure have the ability to. SIU is a wildcard and is with the last three until something changes. That's not to say those last three can't be successful on any give year, but I'm not sure that they'll ever be able to compete on a regular basis on a national stage. UNI is one that I think has the potential to as long as Jake is there, but I'll need to see it in recruiting to give in.

I don't agree that ISU and Bradley are built to compete on a national level. I think only WSU has the players and the coach right now to do that.

While there are several big guys on the teams you listed, how many of them can play? Most of the true bigs in the Valley are projects that don't pan out. Ech. from Creighton was legit.

Neither Bradley or ISU are built for that this year, but that's where they're headed and both coaches have talked about it and said that WSU is the blueprint that they're trying to follow. Bradley is close to getting there and ISU may not be far off.

Some of those bigs I don't know about. Some are JUCO guys just coming in and a number of them are young FR/SO types.

Kitchell and Gant at ISUb are both fairly good.
Tuttle is fairly legit at UNI, the last two are incoming FR. I've read a lot of good things on Freeman
Wells is a bit of a project at BU, but Taylor is supposed to be a pretty good player.
Marshall wasn't too bad as a frosh last year at MSU. McCullough is a FR.
All 4 at Loyola are FR/SO but appear to be pretty solid. We'll know more since they're new when the season starts.
Middlebrooks and Jones should be solid for ISU
Sawvell and Mockevicius are quality bigs for Evansville.
Drakes guy is a FR.

SIU is going to struggle.