IU has all the parts, but if they don't develop some chemistry then sweet 16 is about it. Judging on some passing I believe they can and will develop as a team then the bar is much higher. Don't underestimate the fact DD is back in the middle, he is a 60% shooter there.
Who will win it all?
- Thread starter Wall2Boogie
- Start date
We won't beat Duke on the road, but UK as usual is way over ranked...
If they play every game at anywhere near the level they played last night, Duke isn’t going to lose this year.
That was the most impressive college basketball performance that I’ve seen in a long time — maybe ever. And they did that to a really good team.
3 of them (Barrett; Zion; Reddish) damn near did.
What really set Duke apart last night was the "other guys". White and O'Connell both had solid games - especially White (game high 11 rebs). Bolden showed flashes of why he was a top recruit 3 years ago. Kentucky didn't get anything close to that type of support. Their holdovers from last year really struggled.
Cal's non-Freshmen are kids thst didn't pan out quickly and leave early for the draft. They are not that great. Coach K is "out-Cal-ing" Cal. Too funny.
I agree. But, judging by what I saw last night, I’d probably hit “Enter” a few times more between Duke and Kansas.
This is what I've been telling fpeaugh.
Cal did well with the OAD when he was getting the John Walls, Julius Randles, KAT's . . . he's not anymore. And it shows. Quade Green was #23 - technically a 5 star - but it's Fools Gold if you comparing him as a 5 star to kids like Trevon Duval, Collin Sexton or Gary Trent Jr, I'd take Trae Young or Jaylen Hands over him, too. We can make the same comparisons for Nick Richards (PJ Washington I think can play significantly better than last night; he just had no help).
Nothing wrong with recruiting the kids that Kentucky has gotten the past 3 years - unless you have them leaving en mass every year and replace them with the same caliper of kids. Being young every year finally caught up to Calipari because he's not getting the transcendental OAD's anymore.
Look at Duke. They brought in a monster class last year (2017) - but couldn't get past a veteran Kansas team. Many of those guys moved on to the pros, but Coach K not only brought in the best class ever he also developed the returnees into better players. If one is honest, you didn't see anything in Green or Richards that showed they were better than last year. That's on Cal.
It will be interesting to see how UK responds to the beating they took last night. I still think they will be good, but they're not close to being a top 10 team right now. Got a LOT of work to do.
Sure would be tough being Duke or UK right now wouldn’t it?
Another miss on your part.
Much like your coach’s final four appearances...
It’s a good thing you and Archie have a better strategy than Coach K and Calipari. Who would want to make annual trips to the Elite 8 and beyond?
Calipari has been to the Elite 8 7 out of 10 years. But I’m glad you know a better strategy than the one he’s using.
The flip side of the 1-and-done recruiting argument is that the other 6 Elite 8 teams combined have 3 frosh playing more than 12 minutes per game (K. Clark, A. Henry and K. Edwards). None of the 3 were RSCI Top 100 rated recruits.
There is nothing wrong with getting several NBA ready frosh, if you can do it. It's a very difficult recruiting strategy to implement though. There are only so many of those type of recruits available to begin with, and you have to out-recruit Cal and K to get them. If you are lucky enough to get one such player every year, you're fighting the trend of teams failing miserably which have just one 1-and done.
So, you need multiple 1-and-done's for the strategy to be successful and you must beat Cal and K to do it. I still think it's better to recruit players who are not pre-determined 1-and-done's as a strategy myself, but if Archie or any IU coach can start landing super classes and knock Cal or K from their perch, I would be as happy as the next guy.
It’s really very simple.
You get the very best players you can. If they’re one and done, fine. If they’re not, fine. But you get the best players and construct your team around that. Every single coach in America does this.
Unfortunately we have some bozos on here who think it’s a good idea to pass on elite recruits because they’re likely one and done and these crazies think you can’t win with them. It’s insane and delusional on all fronts.
Man Kentucky has the luck. Get their best player back and the next opponent loses theirs.
Not sure if you're trying to lump me in with these "bozos" who want to pass on "elite recruits", but if so please link to where I've said that in this forum. Thanks in advance.
Quite honestly, I think that I'm the house "bozo" that he is referring to. He probably just doesn't remember that it was me. I've said and tried to show for years why I wasn't a fan of chasing after 1-and-done players. However, even I was caught up in the Romeo Langford recruitment.
I still think my reasoning is sound for avoiding the dedicated 1-and-done, and missing out on an NCAA bid with the guy that we obsessed over for months didn't really hurt my argument. That said, if IU could become a 1-and-done factory... I do see the allure. I also see the bright side of Jake Forrester growing to 7'1 over the summer and that is probably just as likely to happen.
You’ve said for years how recruiting one and dones is a bad strategy and we’re better off with 3-4 star guys like Damezi Anderson and Clifton Moore. In spite of the facts every single year. Best of luck to you though.
So you believe we should start turning away Romeo Langford’s if they want to come to IU? Just tell them thanks but no thanks?
I think you've been mistaking Taz for me. I'm the one who puts up data every year that the star chasers debate with. I don't talk about it anymore, because I got caught up in the Romeo recruitment like everyone else.
I'm wrong sometimes. Then again sometimes I'm right. I'm not yet convinced that chasing after 1-and-done's is the best strategy, just because I think it's near impossible when competing with Cal and K. I think you can still skin the cat with roster continuity, experience and coaching. You must have the coach though... after that it all falls into place.
I'm more with ya than against ya on almost everything else you say though, even when it's extremely unpopular. So we can agree to disagree on this one topic, which is probably a mute point anyway. I just don't see a UK/Duke level super-class in IU's near future.
I've got a big horse racing day today, so I'm not going to go back down this road again right now. We can revisit it all after the triple crown season is over, if you want. I'll just say that I was all in on the Romeo recruitment myself... I get it! If IU can get them, go get 'em! Even as extreme as my position might seem, I even think you have to try to lock down the best players in Indiana even if they are only coming for 1 semester.
My preference though is roster continuity and experience, which are both difficult to achieve if you've got players only invested for one season. In the end, you are probably right and I'm most likely wrong though... I see that as a very real possibility
Jeez. The Moderators should go through this thread and ban several of the contributors for some of the worst predictions ever made on any fan site.
My mistake. I think I am confusing you with Taz. I remember now you’re very reasonable with your thoughts and opinions. My apologies.
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