You mean the same “experts” that had Michigan/Purdue as favorites last year?
If so, I will take the fact that nobody (that isn’t an IU fan) in this thread, has Indiana as the favorites as a sign.
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If so, I will take the fact that nobody (that isn’t an IU fan) in this thread, has Indiana as the favorites as a sign.
To be fair, the conference doesn’t look that good on the whole. National analysts pick what they’re familiar with, and the league may actually be bad enough for this to be the best team. If Bates and JHS are legit, I’ll gladly eat crow. At this point, I’m highly skeptical.
Both JHS and Bates will have to be plus shooters from deep, as well as XJ shooting numbers holding up. Sounds doubtful.
Having multiple big men that can’t shoot is a going to be a nightmare for driving lanes/optimal spacing.
Clearly I’m in the highly skeptical camp as well.
You just said you'd take no one having Indiana here as a sign and didn't care what the experts thought, which one matters more/less.
A majority of the board chose Purdue/Michigan.
All of the “experts” chose Purdue/Michigan.
Which one made better predictions?
I’m totally on the same page that their lack of shooting is frustrating as a fan. I’m not under some illusion that they’ll be a good outside shooting team. All that being said, I’d way rather have someone with Tamar Bates’ upside playing 20+ minutes a game than someone like Parker Stewart who could do nothing but shoot (and by the end of the season he couldn’t do that).
At the very least Bates should act as another perimeter player who can beat his man off the dribble. He showed an ability to do that last year, his shooting and shot selection just left a lot to be desired.
Also FWIW, I don’t think IU is the favorite for the conference title next year. They have shown far too many warts the last three years to be given any benefit of the doubt. However, I’m going to give pushback on saying they’re a terrible team because they aren’t. They’re a talented, yet flawed team. That’s pretty much been my take the entire offseason.
Just want to pop in to say that in fairness to Brian, he also has been saying for awhile now that Booker isn’t the best fit for Purdue as well, so his opinion isn’t just isolated to MSU.
I can never remember less angst among the IU/Purdue fan bases about letting a top in-state kid get out of state in regards to Booker.
Just an odd recruitment. Back in the fall/winter, he wasn’t close to a sure thing but then the switch came on. Credit to Izzo for sticking with him the whole time.
The late bloomer thing has a lot to do with it I think. I also think MSU has been the perceived favorite even before he blew up. So the recruitment never got that hot.
We’ve heard Gonzaga tried to make a push but it wasn’t enough and he will be committing to MSU today.
Nice pull. I had NO idea he shot up the rankings so much on rivals/247. Really strong class for Izzo
Maybe because he’s going to a coach on his way out. When you kindve feel bad for Izzo’s for his past few years you don’t feel bad letting him land one last stud.
Never change Hail
Yeah we’re pretty happy with Fears and Booker.
Need some more guys in this class though. I’m hoping we can pull one of the guys on officials this weekend, Gehrig Normand or Coen Carr.
Hopefully it goes better than the last time it happened.
I like Booker but I’d be shocked if he finishes 1.
More potential than production at this point, which isn’t typical for being #1 or #2, but his ceiling seems to be ridiculously high according to all reports. Personally, it wouod be great if Booker chose Purdue, but we are also very happy with Colvin who also has a very high ceiling.
Congrats on the recruiting win. Obviously a huge talent.
with that said, I really think Zags would’ve been the best option for him if he wants to be a one and done. He could’ve gone there and been a secondary scoring option and let his skill-set shine in that supporting role, similar to the way JJJ joined that loaded MSU roster a couple years back. With msu right now, I just don’t see alpha type scorers for him to complement. If they find that guy, then Booker’s value goes way up imo.
Like someone said, Izzo stayed with him this winter and I’m sure the JJJ comp stuff was appealing for his development.
I will say, Booker is further along offensively than JJJ was at this stage by quite a bit. Even at MSU, JJJ could shoot threes and dunk, but he wasn’t a particularly great creator for himself and shined more on defense. Booker is not JJJ defensively and probably never will be (Jaren just knew how to eat space) but I see his ceiling as an offensive player to be higher than Jaren’s.
But honestly you can never go wrong with Gonzaga and I can’t argue that it wouldn’t have been a great place for him.
Agree on both. JJJ was special defensively. On offense, iirc, JJJ was more of a small ball 5 type as a recruit that needed to learn to play on the perimeter more but obviously showed glimpses. Booker is already comfortable (too comfortable at times imo) playing on the perimeter. And can do some jaw dropping shit when he’s on.
Purdue finished a whopping one game out of first....UM struggled----yet still ended up in the SW 16.
I get it, bro----you don't like Indiana. That's cool----I don't like Illinois. But that doesn't keep me from having a rational , non-biased thought on how good I think they can be. But with you.???? Naaaaah.
Whats nuts is you have said you think ON PAPER, IU is the second best team---Yet argue to no ends how crazy it is to tab them as favorites....What ****ing sense does that even make?
Who do think is the favorite? I mean you have said you think IU is the second best team. So why is it so outlandish to label them as favorites? Is the gap between 1 and 2 that big in your opinion?
Do you know anything at all about Reneau? Your post tells me you don't...
Why is it doubtful XJ's numbers will hold up? As for JHS, not really known as a perimeter threat. Bates shooting was highly touted....He struggled as a frosh, and IMO a lot of that had to do with how he was used... Again, as bad as Kopp seemingly was, kid still shot 36% from three. If you are a coach, do you respect a 36% shooter from three?
We will see...
Zero chance....Nothing but glowing reviews from Woody on him. Galloway is hurt, and Leal , well....Plus he's a terrific shooter, who can get his own, a plus defender, and can score the ball. If Gunn is a RS, things have went really, really well for IU
Kid is talented....But questions with him, especially his motor. Plus, I don't think any IU/PU felt he was ever coming to either school. MSU was on him early, and seemed to be a big fav for quite some time.
Welllll..............
2017-18 Preseason fav was MSU-----Guess who won the B10? Yep---MSU. MOF, they had MSU and Purdue 1 and 2----and thats exactly how it ended up.
2018-19: MSU preseason fav----Yep---MSU won it again. Had Michigan picked 2nd---finished one game behind Purdue----who was picked 5th.
2019-20: MSU : They tied with Maryland(2nd preseason) and Wisconsin(5th preseason)
2020-21: Illinois-----I mean the Illini did go 16-4, basically losing on winning percentage....
2021-22: Michigan/Purdue---Illinois received 3 votes. Way off on Wisky, who tied with Illinois, and Purdue finished one game out....
Seems to me the past 5 seasons, they have been pretty spot on, more often that not....
I think you have the second most talent, not the second best team.
As much as you’ll protest, fit and spacing are important. Somethings Indiana will continue to have problems with.
For example, it’s why a guy like Grandison was above Coleman Hawkins in the depth chart as long as Kofi was our center. In a vacuum Hawkins is a much better player, but that wasn’t the case for Illinois last year.
It’s just really damn crowded. Not a knock on Gunn but saying zero chance isn’t accurate IMO. Look at a guy like Trey Kaufman-Renn for us last year. He came in much more highly-regarded than Gunn and redshirted. Part of it was injury but we were also loaded in the frontcourt.
If you think Reneau is a good 3pt shooter, I really don’t know what to tell you other than you are delusional. Teams will love for him to take contested 2 point jumpers tho.
Same with JHS.
XJ, Bates, and Kopp can (hopefully) shoot well from deep. Will it be enough to make up for TJD and Race clogging the lane like no other? We will see.
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