(05-12-2020 02:42 AM)pono Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 09:29 PM)LongtimeFan Wrote:  Ish El Amin has decided to return to Ball State for his senior year. Cards will be loaded.

I agree, bsu has a bunch of solid guards and wings, but is there anyone in the frontcourt who can score? hazen is a solid defender. thomas showed a glimpse of talent. am I missing something/someone...

No and no.

(05-12-2020 08:00 AM)Frozenbaugh Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 02:42 AM)pono Wrote:  [quote='LongtimeFan' pid='16814614' dateline='1589250578']
Ish El Amin has decided to return to Ball State for his senior year. Cards will be loaded.

I agree, bsu has a bunch of solid guards and wings, but is there anyone in the frontcourt who can score? hazen is a solid defender. thomas showed a glimpse of talent. am I missing something/someone...

No and no.
[/quote ]
It depends on how Hendricks and/or Huggins develop.

(05-12-2020 02:17 PM)LongtimeFan Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 08:00 AM)Frozenbaugh Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 02:42 AM)pono Wrote:  [quote='LongtimeFan' pid='16814614' dateline='1589250578']
Ish El Amin has decided to return to Ball State for his senior year. Cards will be loaded.

I agree, bsu has a bunch of solid guards and wings, but is there anyone in the frontcourt who can score? hazen is a solid defender. thomas showed a glimpse of talent. am I missing something/someone...

No and no.
[/quote ]
It depends on how Hendricks and/or Huggins develop.

I would be stunned if Hendricks and/or Huggins become a factor. A lot of small forwards available (Gunn coming back, Thomas and Acree really showed a bunch by the end of last season, Hazen is high energy but can't consistently score and fouls a lot because he's forced to play the 5, Reggie Jones if available due to changes in transfer rule could be a decent midsized option as well), but everyone, as usual, is going to have to play one position further in than they should because Whit can't recruit inside guys consistently. Have not found a replacement for Moses (the only Whit exception) yet, and were forced last year to play a hodge-podge at the 5. More the same this year. I hope I'm wrong and the big guys have a miraculous development (while sitting at home this summer and not being able to attend big man camp, etc because of COVID cancellations), but I just don't see it. If Whit recruits better big guys, the Cards have more MAC tournament success during the Whit era this past decade. Simple as that.

(05-13-2020 07:27 PM)pennies4everybody Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 02:17 PM)LongtimeFan Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 08:00 AM)Frozenbaugh Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 02:42 AM)pono Wrote:  [quote='LongtimeFan' pid='16814614' dateline='1589250578']
Ish El Amin has decided to return to Ball State for his senior year. Cards will be loaded.

I agree, bsu has a bunch of solid guards and wings, but is there anyone in the frontcourt who can score? hazen is a solid defender. thomas showed a glimpse of talent. am I missing something/someone...

No and no.
[/quote ]
It depends on how Hendricks and/or Huggins develop.

I would be stunned if Hendricks and/or Huggins become a factor. A lot of small forwards available (Gunn coming back, Thomas and Acree really showed a bunch by the end of last season, Hazen is high energy but can't consistently score and fouls a lot because he's forced to play the 5, Reggie Jones if available due to changes in transfer rule could be a decent midsized option as well), but everyone, as usual, is going to have to play one position further in than they should because Whit can't recruit inside guys consistently. Have not found a replacement for Moses (the only Whit exception) yet, and were forced last year to play a hodge-podge at the 5. More the same this year. I hope I'm wrong and the big guys have a miraculous development (while sitting at home this summer and not being able to attend big man camp, etc because of COVID cancellations), but I just don't see it. If Whit recruits better big guys, the Cards have more MAC tournament success during the Whit era this past decade. Simple as that.

Reggie Jones has been granted immediate eligibility. Adds good depth for the Cards.

(07-21-2020 07:16 PM)LongtimeFan Wrote:  

(05-13-2020 07:27 PM)pennies4everybody Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 02:17 PM)LongtimeFan Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 08:00 AM)Frozenbaugh Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 02:42 AM)pono Wrote:  [quote='LongtimeFan' pid='16814614' dateline='1589250578']
Ish El Amin has decided to return to Ball State for his senior year. Cards will be loaded.

I agree, bsu has a bunch of solid guards and wings, but is there anyone in the frontcourt who can score? hazen is a solid defender. thomas showed a glimpse of talent. am I missing something/someone...

No and no.
[/quote ]
It depends on how Hendricks and/or Huggins develop.

I would be stunned if Hendricks and/or Huggins become a factor. A lot of small forwards available (Gunn coming back, Thomas and Acree really showed a bunch by the end of last season, Hazen is high energy but can't consistently score and fouls a lot because he's forced to play the 5, Reggie Jones if available due to changes in transfer rule could be a decent midsized option as well), but everyone, as usual, is going to have to play one position further in than they should because Whit can't recruit inside guys consistently. Have not found a replacement for Moses (the only Whit exception) yet, and were forced last year to play a hodge-podge at the 5. More the same this year. I hope I'm wrong and the big guys have a miraculous development (while sitting at home this summer and not being able to attend big man camp, etc because of COVID cancellations), but I just don't see it. If Whit recruits better big guys, the Cards have more MAC tournament success during the Whit era this past decade. Simple as that.

Reggie Jones has been granted immediate eligibility. Adds good depth for the Cards.

I agree that this makes me feel a bit more at ease, but I'd still like to see a 6'9" bruiser/rebounder to complement all of the small forwards and shooting guards. Doesn't even have to score much. Just control the lane, shut down some drives, rebound a bunch, block some shots, kick out some passes to open shooters, etc. Moses was stable in that role. Many during the Majerus/Hunsaker/McCallum years had that role, and even in the Buckley years. But since Taylor, the Cards haven't been able to consistently recruit that position.

NIU did a good job filling their holes inside in late recruiting. Ohio also remade it's frontcourt from too thin to thick (there's a pun in there if you know who they signed).

Toledo and CMU went juco for interior depth.

Ball St brought in some good new players, but surprising that their biggest need wasn't really addressed.