V-Tech leading scoring doing a grad transfer too

[Windy City Cat Fan]

Guard Adam Smith will graduate in May and transfer to play next year as a grad student. Not sure NU even would have room for him or if he would even play much as he is a guard and NU has good experience at guard coming back next year. Just a thought given the other grad transfer from V-Tech.
This post was edited on 3/27 8:53 AM by Windy City Cat Fan

 

[realcatfan]

Our back court will be pretty crowded next year with Demps, McIntosh, Ash, and Lindsey all getting time. Then you have Vassar competing to get minutes too. Not sure what adding a another body to the mix does except for taking minutes away from Ash and Lindsey which will be critical to their development.

 

[spartcat]

Heck with the team. He' be a great addition to the economics department.

 

[FeliSilvestris]

Originally posted by realcatfan:
Our back court will be pretty crowded next year with Demps, McIntosh, Ash, and Lindsey all getting time. Then you have Vassar competing to get minutes too. Not sure what adding a another body to the mix does except for taking minutes away from Ash and Lindsey which will be critical to their development.

What about adding a reliable scorer, who averaged over 13 a game and shot over 40% beyond the 3pt line, in one of the very best college basketball conferences? What about adding experience (would be a fifth-year SR who just started 21 games and averaged almost 30 mins per game, again, in a top conference)? What abou adding insurance against personnel losses (who knows who will be lost for much or all of next season, b/c of injuries, grades, burn out, etc?).

If there was indeed a roster spot open for next season, and Smith did qualify academically, and no obviously stronger candidate be available (this late there are very few candidates left who can actually help a B1G team), there isn't any doubt that the coaching staff should and would take Smith.

OTOH, he isn't transferring because of playing time, or wishing to move to a more competitive conference (see above)...the most likely reason is that he wants a higher profile (more successful) team...(VT won only 2 reg season ACC games this season)....say one expected to advance to the late rounds of the T next season....so it isn't likely that he be interested in the cats (except perhaps b/c of the "make history" angle)...the presence of vZ could help or hurt, since vZ had some problems down there....Most likely AS will play elsewhere.

 

[willycat]

Just asking. Is there a limit on how many 5th year transfer students a school can have on it's roster or per year?

 

[EvanstonCat]

Actually I actually agree with Feli on this one. Kind of.

He'd be better than most of the guards you listed. And I don't know why one would assume Ash would get minutes over Vassar at this point.

This said, most likely AS will go elsewhere. I doubt we would go after him. It sounds like we don't have a scholarship for him anyways - unless someone were to transfer.

One thing I'd disagree with Feli on - NU is in a position to make history next year so I think the pull to NU could be very compelling, especially if a kid wants to do more than just make the tourney and instead wants to make history and go for a shot at the Wheaties box and the Tonight Show, etc... (see 1995). The addition of a veteran guard could be what brings us to the NCAA's and helps us make a run. Maybe JvZ is recruiting him hard, and telling Collins how great he is. Nothing is impossible. Then there is perhaps his greater focus on his graduate degree. With a year left. An econ masters at NU is no joke nor would a 1st year at Kellogg. I think overall, we have an advantage over many schools including powerhouse programs (e.g. Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas, etc...) in recruiting 5th year seniors, since their thinking may be more mature and focused on life after basketball.

 

[Deeringfish]

I don't really know how it feels to be on a team but at some point, if you bring in upper classmen in this sort of surprising way, do the young guys feel like they are being pushed back down after having higher expectations for their playing time next year? Seems to me that shifting expectations are tough on people especially young people. JVZ was a bit of a victim of shifting expectations. Just wondering.

 

[hdhntr1]

Does the departure of JV affect your thoughts on this?