by PowderBlue » September 25th, 2011, 3:53 pm
I haven't read this entire thread as it's blown up, but just from looking at the last page or so it's pretty clear that there is just some silliness happening all around.
1. Indiana State is a much improved team over the ones of the previous 8 years. We've had some very good mid-major talent in that time (David Moss, Jay Tunnell, Harry Marshall), but two things kept those teams from being successful. One was the fact that the last 8 years (or at least the first 5 or 6 of the last 8) were some of the most successful in recent MVC history. Another was that those players never had enough of a consistent supporting cast to do anything. Even when Bird was at ISU, there were players around him that could contribute when other teams keyed on him.
2. Indiana State could win the MVC this year...but I don't think they will. I voted them third in this series of polls. The only way that I see state winning the MVC this year is if three big "IFs" happen. One is Kitchell coming in and producing at a very high level. Two is Justin Gant coming in and producing at a solid level as a true freshman. Three is RJ Mahurin learning how to play competently in the post. If all three of those things can happen, Carl can move to the 3 and ISU will have an extremely potent starting five and depth in both the front and back court along with the ability to spread the floor with 5 shooters or play a more traditional 3 Out-2 In motion - which is more of Lansing's bread and butter. The problem is, I don't know that I believe all three of those things will happen. ISU has a HORRENDOUS recent history of both recruiting and developing big men (Tunnell aside...and he really didn't take off until his senior year due to injury). Gant could be redshirted in order to let him develop more size, and RJ has never been a weight room guy...he's more of a perimeter post player.
3. ISU could finish outside the top 5 of the MVC...but unless injuries hurt the team, they won't. McWhorter had a few weeks where he disappeared last year, but he plays solid defense and is a competent ball handler when Odum needs a breather (or God forbid, gets hurt). Lathan should be fully healed, and hopefully a summer of rehab has given him time to figure out how to buy into the motion offense and play within it rather than complain about it. Our guard play overall should be enough to carry the season series vs. the bottom four in the conference, and while the interior play is suspect, Walker gives enough stability that you can't say ISU won't be able to at least compete with the top 3.
Just my .02 on what - I hope - turns out to be a continuation of last year for ISU. Intense play for the entire game with a focus on TEAM and not the individual. It was refreshing to see in Terre Haute, and can only make the conference better, IMO.
