MSU checks in at #35, WSU in at #40

[beatingrillz]

I guess we have all forgot that ragland was a juco all american just like everyone forgot that ricks was juco player of the year

[pawball]

I'm partial to Mallet and Ricks as the lead-by-example leaders for the Bears. Neither one takes a play off, always going at it full bore. Can't recall when I've seen a couple of Bears as driven as these two are playing at the same time. Bears have a true 4 pronged scoring attack with Weems-Ricks-Mallet plus Leonard. Ricks really came on at end of last year. The bigs account for their share between them too. The loss of Pickens hurts. He gave them the extra dynomite on D and will be missed, tho might get made up for a bit by a couple of the newcomers.

[Snapshot9]

The guy might be right if the Shockers went with his starting line-up.

I doubt if that's the line-up Marshall uses. More likely the PG will be Demetric Williams, DWill, last years back-up point who showed a lot of gwowth over the last half of the season or Joe Ragland, Rags, a first team JuCo AA. Maybe Williams starts early and Ragland later as he adjust to the D1 game. Murry can play the 1 but something may have went wrong with the Shocker if he does.

Look for Murry back at the 2, he is a much better scorer when he doesn't have to handle PG responsibilities. Others that can play the 2 are Kyles, who this guy has starting, DWill, Rags, and Hatch.

Hatch looks to be a lock for the 3. The one guy that Marshall wanted in the game at crunch time last year was Hatch. Others that may see time at the 3 are Kyles, Murry, JuCo transfer Ben Smith and RS Freshman Tyler Richardson.

I also don't look for Ellis to start at the PF unless he can pick up he game and play up to his potential. I look for Durley here, who I think is more of a true PF than a C. That leaves Stutz at the 5 and I think he is way beyond where most expected in his development.

I think Bigs may be more useful in the MVC than PF and C. Competing for those 40 minutes we have Durley, Stutz, Blair, Ellis, RS freshman Hamilton and the highly anticipated Ehimen Orukpe.

The Shockers are a very deep talented team that returns almost everyone except All-Valley performing PG Clevin Hannah. The Shockers are hopeful the the added year of experience for the returners and the addition of 3 good JuCo transfers and 2 RS freshmen can offset that loss.

I think that most of the starters from last year will start this year:
to kick off the season:
Demetric Williams at the 1
Murry at the 2
Hatch at the 3
Blair at the 4 (I think he starts this year in lieu of Ellis)
Durley at the 5 (starts at the 5 as past years, but might switch to a 4 later on)

relieving them will be:
Joe Ragland at the 1 (possible that Rags may start later on depending on how well DWill and him do)
Kyles at the 2
Ben Smith at the 3 (good defense, and more offense, especially from the 3 - he and Richardson might alternate at this spot some)
Ellis at the 4 (good defender, better at Offense when closer to the basket - Hamilton might get some minutes at this position too)
Stutz at the 5 (He had a good year last year, and this could be a breakout year for him as a Junior)

Orukpe will fill in for Durley or Stutz at the 5 if either gets into foul problems.

[SubGod22]

There's no way in hell Stutz doesn't start unless his summer illness was a lot worse than we were led to believe.

I also won't be surprised to see Ehimen play more than Ellis.

[WuDrWu]

I am guessing he's all better now. I heard he timed the best mile of the bigs in an earlier workout. Outrunning Ehimen is a feat, I suspect.

[SubGod22]

I am guessing he's all better now. I heard he timed the best mile of the bigs in an earlier workout. Outrunning Ehimen is a feat, I suspect.

On that note, he starts.

[WuDrWu]

Yeah, in some ways a shame. Garrett needed a redshirt his freshman year but we had to have him play. The plan to redshirt him this year was genius, but Garrett didn't cooperate....he got too good too quick.

Now there is too much upside potential this season to sit him.

[Little Eddie]

Yeah, in some ways a shame. Garrett needed a redshirt his freshman year but we had to have him play. The plan to redshirt him this year was genius, but Garrett didn't cooperate....he got too good too quick.

Now there is too much upside potential this season to sit him.

GodStutzGod does not roll off the tongue...

[pawball]

I think Hatch and Murry will need to up their play a level for Shocks to win the Valley this year. Hannah provided the Shocks the intangibilities that aided production, he was the very key of keys. Not saying that Williams or Ragland won't be good, but Hannah was very special, as evidenced by how Shocks played with him and without him early last year.

[shockalot]

I agree that we need Murry to continue to raise the level of his game. If Hatch is even better, that will be a bonus, but I'm not looking for him to be a necessary key to making up for the loss of Hannah. But neither of them will likely handle the point position. We can do very well without needing our point to be a top scorer, as long as they can distribute the ball well they shouldn't need to score as much as we depended on Hannah to do. WSU should have plenty of scoring options, and I think they should also be even stronger defensively.
This could be the year the MVC begins its resurgence as a "must be respected" basketball conference and back to more than a one team bid for the Big Show. I'd love to see the conference force the committee to take three valley teams this year. While that is probably unlikely, its not impossible. But if we don't get two teams into the NCAA tournament this year I'll be very disappointed.