2009 Buffs B-ball

[slider]

So how are we looking this year? I'm really looking forward to the season. The garbage minutes the frosh played last year will help out a ton IMO. And we added much needed size in the paint (Relphorde, Harris-Tunks). The new S/C should pay dividends in the Big XII as well. So who are in the starting 5?

Starters:
PG-Thorne: giving the nod to the SR of Tomlinson
SG- Higgins: need I say more
SF- Dufault: I think he'll have a Higginsesque Soph. jump in production
PF- Veal: he really started to come on at the end of the season
C- Harris-Tunks? Crawford? No idea here

Bench:
Tomlinson did ok last year. Hopefully he calms down and fixes his turnover problem. I hope Burks is as good as advertised, he seems a lot like Higgins. Hornbuckle may be solid at the SF but needs to put on some weight IMO. Can't wait for the season. Thoughts?

Hopefully the new S/C program improves this:

 

[NiTownBuff]

Thanks slider for gettin some hoops talk going again!

I think our lineup will be very much the same as last year, but that everyone will have improved. NIT in 09-10, NCAAs in 10-11!

Starters:
PG- Tomlinson. I still think he will be a stud. Handles should be improved, and he is going to have a much better feel for the college game.
SG- Higgins. Going to dominate.
SF- Thorne. Solid all-around player.
PF/C- Dufault. I think he will continue developing into a Nick Collison-type player
PF/C- Harris-Tunks or Veal. I think ideally we'll move Veal between 3 and 4, but it would be nice if Harris-Tunks is ready to play, because we definitely need some height and rebounding.

Bench:
Finally we will have a little depth. Relphorde, Knutson, Hornbuckle, Burks, and Eckloff should all provide some good minutes off the bench. If Knutson's hip injuries are finally healed, he could really make an impact with his outside shooting and deceptive drives to the hole. Crawford needs to regain his confidence in order to crack the rotation. I still think he has decent skills, but just needs to believe in himself.

Any predictions on our B12 record? If things go right, I could see us with 8 wins this year in conference. Thoughts?

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

I don't know why, but I get the feeling that Dufault will regress a little next year. He sure hit the wall this year, which is to be expected. But I think this may carry over into the next season.

 

[Mick Ronson]

i'll guess around 6 conference wins (hard for me to go much higher, though it's possible I suppose). gonna be some good to very good teams in the conference next year in addition to KU as possible #1. UT a legit top 10 team by the end of the year. KSU, OSU, OU, ATM all tournament type teams. possibly Baylor and MU. Brackins is back at ISU.

 

[Scotch]

i'll guess around 6 conference wins (hard for me to go much higher, though it's possible I suppose). gonna be some good to very good teams in the conference next year in addition to KU as possible #1. UT a legit top 10 team by the end of the year. KSU, OSU, OU, ATM all tournament type teams. possibly Baylor and MU. Brackins is back at ISU.

:iagree:

I'll say 10 non-conference wins, and 4 wins in the Big 12 @ home. This should be the least that is expected imo. On the road in the Big 12 hoping for 2-3 wins, but really don't know what to expect.

Really need Dufault, Tomlinson, Veal, and Crawford to step it up, and get some quality minutes out of freshman like Harris-Tunks and Burks.

 

[sparkybuffs]

I don't know why, but I get the feeling that Dufault will regress a little next year. He sure hit the wall this year, which is to be expected. But I think this may carry over into the next season.

I'd be shocked if Dufault does not improve significantly. Yes he hit a wall, but so have almost every other freshman to play in the big 12. Dufault's problem last year was that he couldn't finish his scoring opportunities near the rim. He needs to get stronger and learn how to evade larger defenders near the basket

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

I'd be shocked if Dufault does not improve significantly. Yes he hit a wall, but so have almost every other freshman to play in the big 12. Dufault's problem last year was that he couldn't finish his scoring opportunities near the rim. He needs to get stronger and learn how to evade larger defenders near the basket

Don't believe in the sophomore slump?

 

[87toInfinity]

Don't believe in the sophomore slump?

I like to think positively. You negative asshole. :smile2:

 

[dyemeduke]

Harris-Tunks is skinny, and i doubt he really plays much this year. I think Crawford and Relphorde will be asked to play low next year.

I did not really watch last year, as I expected horrible play. It happened, and that only further made me not want to watch...I know, really weak of me if I call myself a fan.

Still, I do have high hopes for next year. I expected last year to be horrible just due to the amount of freshmen playing. Freshmen that aren't 5-star blue-chip type players often tend to need a few years of seasoning, and I think with last year under our belt, we'll do much better. Reports have Veal showing promise for next season, and I'd love to see that. I'm really excited about Hornbuckle and Burks, as they should provide some good options on the wings. I'm also excited to see Sharpe.

I say we get EIGHT conference wins and perhaps get an NIT bid next year. Yes, that's much too bold, but I really trust Coach Bz. :thumbsup:

 

[87toInfinity]

.

I say we get EIGHT conference wins and perhaps get an NIT bid next year. Yes, that's much too bold, but I really trust Coach Bz. :thumbsup:

Good overall post, sorry for deleting in your quote, but I could actually see this happening also. We didn't win games this year, but we were close in many games! As an older team, we should be able to pull a few of those out and while I'm guessing 6 conference wins, I could see 8 happening. Here's to hoping!! :drink2:

 

[Mick Ronson]

boy, .500 heady stuff for this observer. especially, if Harris-Tunks isn't much of a factor.

i like our chances to be as good or better than the bottom half of the league: ISU (need someone to guard Brackins inside, bad matchup for us), NU (Sadler is a good coach, but?), Tech (not a lot there minus Singletary) , MU (lose a lot with Carroll, Lyons and Lawrence), Baylor (the Bears have a huge, ranked class but we'll see how Drew manages his infusion of talent).

I say we finish in the middle of that pack in the T6th to 8th range of the conference standings. I'd say 6-7 wins is a decent, respectable improvement with a right to have legit/"time for BZ to produce" post-season expectations for 2010-11.

I think top to bottom, the league is going to be tougher next year than last. the top tier of KU, UT, ATM, OU, OSU, KSU seem pretty stout to me (there's a lot of top 150/McD's and Jordan all-star types on those rosters). according to Scout or Rivals (one of em), 7 of the top 15 freshmen nationwide are entering the Big XII next year. that's a pretty scary stat.

 

[Duff Man]

I think Mick and Scotch are right on this one. 6 conference wins, but we will finish very respectably in the conference. If we get 8 wins, I will be very pleased.:smile2:

 

[BlackNGold]

boy, .500 heady stuff for this observer. especially, if Harris-Tunks isn't much of a factor.

i like our chances to be as good or better than the bottom half of the league: ISU (need someone to guard Brackins inside, bad matchup for us), NU (Sadler is a good coach, but?), Tech (not a lot there minus Singletary) , MU (lose a lot with Carroll, Lyons and Lawrence), Baylor (the Bears have a huge, ranked class but we'll see how Drew manages his infusion of talent).

I say we finish in the middle of that pack in the T6th to 8th range of the conference standings. I'd say 6-7 wins is a decent, respectable improvement with a right to have legit/"time for BZ to produce" post-season expectations for 2010-11.

I think top to bottom, the league is going to be tougher next year than last. the top tier of KU, UT, ATM, OU, OSU, KSU seem pretty stout to me (there's a lot of top 150/McD's and Jordan all-star types on those rosters). according to Scout or Rivals (one of em), 7 of the top 15 freshmen nationwide are entering the Big XII next year. that's a pretty scary stat.

Baylor has had several good recruiting classes in a row. Missouri loses some but also has a lot of talent coming in. Talent wise CU will be in the bottom third of the league. The key is going to be getting home wins - 2 road wins max in the conference.

 

[Mick Ronson]

Baylor has had several good recruiting classes in a row. Missouri loses some but also has a lot of talent coming in. Talent wise CU will be in the bottom third of the league. The key is going to be getting home wins - 2 road wins max in the conference.

agree here. can't drop home games to teams of equal talent, for sure. and someday, i KNOW we'll win a close game in the final minute.

you are right about BU's classes but with Rogers, Jerrells, and the other guard (not Carter....) most of the young guys weren't getting too many minutes with the exception of Dunn. with that senior class gone, spots on the floor are open and Drew won't have the experience of someone like Jerrells to lean on and Dunn never met a shot he didn't like and never plays D....he'll need to grow up some or BU will be dangerous but very very young and (guessing here) undisciplined.

i think MU will be pretty good and while i'm not a fan of Missouri in general (i think their fans are dickheads mostly--they have a couple good teams and act like they've been good forever), i do like Anderson a lot. and was a big fan Carroll...who was about the most perfect Anderson system player i could think of. big, agile, shoots the rock, plays great D with size, physicality and wingspan, etc. hits the glass. Lyons was a nice player. with those losses, i don't see any deep run from MU this year, but the combination of Anderson, some national success and the new gym ought to make MU a contender in the Big XII for a while.

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

Starters:
PG- Tomlinson. I still think he will be a stud. Handles should be improved, and he is going to have a much better feel for the college game.

Man. I hope Tomlinson steps up. It was only his frosh year, so I'm still hoping he will be the starter. We need kids with experience.

 

[BuffNut]

Espn says "Harris-Tunks is very skilled and physical and his body is Big 12 ready". yet someone above says he is skiiny and won't play much...hmm, who is correct.

Tomlinson will be better. He showed real improvement last year during Big12 play. Am pretty sure his turnovers trended in the right direction. Hard to beleive he wont be considerably better this year. Sure potential for sophmore slump for any freshmen I guess, but I would bet against it here.

While a few other freshmen didn't get a lot of PT, it will ony help thier development.

Excited to see what a year with a dedicated S&C coach can do for the teams overall size/strength.

Excited to see the incoming freshmen and how they will contribute.....at same time hope the returners do thier part to keep those guys on the bench much of the time.

Good things!