Interesting Projection on the MVC

by **Wufan** » September 18th, 2014, 6:25 pm

http://basketball.realgm.com/article/23 ... Conference

Good analysis and interesting read. I stole this from another poster on Shockernet.

**Sponsor**

by **PantherSigEp** » September 18th, 2014, 10:13 pm

Wufan wrote:http://basketball.realgm.com/article/234896/College-Basketball-Preview-14-15-Missouri-Valley-Conference

Good analysis and interesting read. I stole this from another poster on Shockernet.

I understand the skepticism in "2-star recruits who won't likely move the needle" opinion, but isn't that what UNI has essentially been doing for years. Tuttle, the Kochs, Egleseder, Stout, Coleman, I don't believe any of those big men came in as anything more than 2, maybe 3 star recruits at best. The fact that our post depth doesn't lose anyone except 6'6 perimeter specialist Chip Rank can't be a negative. Also, we all knew that Jesperson's offensive game wasn't the big reason that Jacobson and the Panthers went after him. Sure he started at Virginia and put up okay offensive numbers as during his time there, but his length, athleticism and defense are why Coach Jake was excited to bring him aboard. I'm not sure why defense wasn't really mentioned in his write-up but it has been his calling card for a long time and was the main reason he saw the floor so early on at UVA. A 6'6 athletic and defensive-minded guard will not hurt you in the MVC. It's not like he's being relied on to snag every rebound in the air but he's certainly more capable of doing that than most of our other guards save perhaps a Marvin Singleton who is also 6'6. Honestly I didn't know the perimeter was his offensive bread-and-butter...boy he'll fit right in if he starts chucking those bad boys left and right :Bam:

Overall I found the article to be very fair and impartial towards all of the teams. I really have no complaints other than my own homerism where the author didn't proclaim UNI to be the universe's one true savior. I mean c'mon Ben Jacobson does a fantastic job of acting in Mad Men.

by **Cdizzle** » September 19th, 2014, 8:59 am

PantherSigEp wrote: The fact that our post depth doesn't lose anyone except 6'6 perimeter specialist Chip Rank can't be a negative.

It could be. It falls in line with the question, "Is returning everything from a crappy team a good thing?"

UNI was 16-15 last year, 10-8 in an extremely weak MVC. I tend to believe they under-performed more than they were a crappy team, so I think drastic improvement is realistic given another year's experience AND a season of not under-performing. But I do think it can be a negative to return everyone...sometimes everyone sucks.

by **shockem** » September 19th, 2014, 10:25 am

Similar to the old line "the good news, we have everyone back. The bad news, we have everyone back."

by **PantherSigEp** » September 19th, 2014, 10:48 am

Cdizzle wrote:
PantherSigEp wrote: The fact that our post depth doesn't lose anyone except 6'6 perimeter specialist Chip Rank can't be a negative.

It could be. It falls in line with the question, "Is returning everything from a crappy team a good thing?"

UNI was 16-15 last year, 10-8 in an extremely weak MVC. I tend to believe they under-performed more than they were a crappy team, so I think drastic improvement is realistic given another year's experience AND a season of not under-performing. But I do think it can be a negative to return everyone...sometimes everyone sucks.

If returning Seth Tuttle and Nate Buss and having 4 more bodies to rotate in for the post is bad then I'd be pretty stoked to see "good". I see your point and their are valid concerns you bring up but UNI had numerous losses that came down to a possession or two or went to OT. I think I just counted about 8 if them. I am very confident that another year of practice and experience, especially for guys like Buss, Washpun, Bohannon and Morgan, coupled with the additions of our redshirts (mainly Koch), transfers (Jesperson) and the states top recruit (Lohaus...there is no way even as a freshman he isn't an upgrade over Matt Morrison, as much as I liked Matty Mo), that they wouldn't have the ability to turn those close possession losses into close/comfortable margins of victory. I think it's fair to say that this roster wins at least 5-6 of those 8 losses and 22-9 with a top 40-50 SOS looks a lot better going into this season. The schedule will still have a couple strong opponents before MVC play but they should be sitting much better than .500 going into conference games. If this season sputters then yeah, completely fair to question what the program is doing and how it is preparing because the talent is definitely there.

by **Khan4Cats** » September 19th, 2014, 11:32 am

The criticisms are fair. I have long gotten over the pundits scoffing at the 'talent' on our roster and the lack of recruiting stars, offers, etc. that they received.

Even in our best years, we were always a few bounces of the ball, one or two possessions between victory and loss. It's just the way Jacobson teams have played. Fewer possessions, closer scores. The big difference last year was that we weren't quite as good on defense. Jesperson will help with that, another year of Morgan getting stronger will as well. Adding Koch and Carlson to the frontcourt will give depth, which 'should' help as well.

Early season results won't tell everything. 2009 we were just over .500 in the non-conference and lost at home to a bad Indiana State team to start conference. 2010 we lost to DePaul in the pre-season. We'll see how this year shakes out, but I'll give it time.

by **Cdizzle** » September 19th, 2014, 12:14 pm

Khan4Cats wrote:The criticisms are fair. I have long gotten over the pundits scoffing at the 'talent' on our roster and the lack of recruiting stars, offers, etc. that they received.

Even in our best years, we were always a few bounces of the ball, one or two possessions between victory and loss. It's just the way Jacobson teams have played. Fewer possessions, closer scores. The big difference last year was that we weren't quite as good on defense. Jesperson will help with that, another year of Morgan getting stronger will as well. Adding Koch and Carlson to the frontcourt will give depth, which 'should' help as well.

Khan4Cats wrote:Early season results won't tell everything. 2009 we were just over .500 in the non-conference and lost at home to a bad Indiana State team to start conference. 2010 we lost to DePaul in the pre-season. We'll see how this year shakes out, but I'll give it time.

They don't tell everything but they are important, not only to UNI's at-large hopes, but to the league. The league has a 2-year window to make a national splash, this year and next. We have to convert while people still remember the success of the 2000's, making last year look like an anomaly caused by coaching changes, realignment, and youth, or it will take years to build the league up in the national perception again. With the experience and talent at the top of the league, those teams HAVE to come through in the non-conference this year.

by **Wufan** » September 19th, 2014, 5:34 pm

Here's a 4 min vid on Shaq Morris when he was the Oklahoma POY, state tourney MVP, won a championship in the states largest class and averaged 20 and 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0w9VnDN7jM

by **Wufan** » September 19th, 2014, 5:35 pm

After a red shirt year, here he is now, 25 lbs lighter:

by **Wufan** » September 19th, 2014, 5:36 pm

I'm excited to see what he can do! Basketball is only 7 weeks away.