If we sign Kofi only in 2019 I hope we are able to make the NIT next year. I know we lost to whatever Florida school we lost to and people are frustrated, but we have competed in almost every game BU has coached in his tenure here. The talent and experience should be on this roster next year to win 18-20 games. Add a Top 10 wing and another Top 100 wing and that is NCAA tourney caliber roster. JMO.
I think the lack of chatter is directly related to a certain pessimism about our chances.
Probably. And yet, Mark Smith is playing right now. Stranger things have happened.
Illinois is shooting 0.424 fg pct, which is 272 out of 353 teams per ESPN stats. Kofi will help with that, and we hope others get better, but that won't cut it without improvement, regardless of what wing we might get. I agree that the experience should make us better, but you gotta take, and make open shots, and shoot close to 50% as a team to be really competitive in basketball. Along with getting your share of rebounds, limiting turnovers, and playing decent defense. At least that is what I think, after watching a few decades.
I really think as it stands now this team will be right in the NCAA conversation next year. Age and experience do wonders. Look at Tennessee's progression the last three years. 2 years ago they had a wealth of young talent and were bad. Last year a consistent top 25 team. Currently #2 and beating Miznoz by 11 at half.
Kofi or not, there is no reason that we shouldn't make the NCAA tournament next year.
I saw BU in a presser sometime over the holidays state that he couldn’t play so they gave him extra time to spend with his family.
I can think of many reasons. How many players over 6'6" do we have? How many players can consistently make 3 pt shots next year? Who is going to rebound with the lack of height? January is far from a given. Without two of Kane, Kofi, and GB, playing at the same time, rebounding may be a problem. With two of those 3 playing, we won't be pressuring as much, so less steals. I hope for the best too, but the team needs interior defense, it needs to shoot much better, and get rebounds. Counting on players improving a great deal, usually doesn't happen.
GB Kane, and Higgs are all big enough to hold down the 5/4 with help from guys like Jones. We're actually not looking bad on the boards right now and with all these guys getting another year we should be much better.
I wasn’t going for correlation if that is indeed what you meant. First things first. I can buy the finest European swimwear and pack it with a 12” prosthesis and get my body waxed but if I don’t start by losing 30 pounds I’ll never be able to wear a speedo on the beach without causing any poor woman who looks at me to gouge out her eyes.
Isn't this grammatically incorrect since Kofi is rated higher than Ayo? I think you're analogy would be - Kofi is our highest rated recruit since Jereme Richmond (whevever that was)
Kipper will be much better rebounding next year as he will be back more at a natural 3 imo...thus roaming, he does have a nose for the ball, he just isn't a four with that kind of athletic ability that can bang/box out and get the inside boards in close quarters. Playing from the wing allows angles, cuts etc...that is what Kipper can get better at.
So it took you a few decades to figure out that you have to be good at the fundamentals of basketball to be competitive at basketball?
I'm pretty sure the grammar is fine? Anyway, 247 composite is what I was looking at. Ayo #32, Kofi #33.
Wouldnt that then be 5 openings? We have an open spot now that caries over.
No one commented on this and I was wondering what our panel thought about it.
No problem with questioning the coaching right now, but to suggest that there is so much talent here that this team should definitely make the tournament next year is not fair. This roster still needs a major influx of talent and athleticism. I believe Underwood is a great coach. I believe his recruiting this far has not been good. If/when he gets the talent here they will win.
