Next year
- Thread starter chicagocatfan24
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Nope, probably will be picked to finish behind Illinois now that they have a COY candidate leading them.
We do not have any games at home next year - not a single one. Remember what happened to DePaul when it moved its home games to Rosemont? I am sure that NU will have buses going to the Horizon, but it will not be the same as this year. We will have the talent to do well next year, but playing all year without a home court will be very difficult. Our home court will be in a big, half-empty, cold, metal barn. I do not expect a return trip to the NCAA tourney, but hope I am wrong. If these guys succeed next year playing at the Horizon, my hat is off to them.
Definitely of the opposite opinion - team played similarly if not better on the road. Playing at Rosemont will not be an issue.
Let's beat 10 and 21 -- our conference and regular season win totals this year. I'm more optimistic about Rosemont after visiting Salt Lake City. We had a real advantage in Utah. People will find their way to Allstate if we're good again.
I also think it'd be cool to have four starters shooting over 35 percent from 3. Falzon will stretch defenses and make Lindsey and Law look very good.
I also think it'd be cool to have four starters shooting over 35 percent from 3. Falzon will stretch defenses and make Lindsey and Law look very good.
Point of fact DePaul was pretty much Top 5 in the country for those first few years in Rosemont. Those were great teams and a great home court.
Agreed. I was in attendance at many packed house home games for DePaul in that arena when they were a perennial top 10 team.
No, the Big 10 will not be tougher.
1. Purdue will lose National POY Caleb Swanigan;
2. Maryland loses it All-American PG Melo Trimble;
3. Indiana will lose Thomas Bryant and maybe James Blackmon;
4. Michigan loses its MVP Walton and Irvin;
5. Illinois loses its MVP Malcolm Hill, C Morgan and PF Finke;
6. Iowa loses its MVP Peter Jok;
7. MSU will loses its best player Miles Bridges;
8. OSU loses Marc Loving and starting C Thompson;
9. UNL loses its best player Tai Webster
The only teams not losing players are Minnesota and PSU.
So no the Big 10 will not be tougher next season.
1. Purdue will lose National POY Caleb Swanigan;
2. Maryland loses it All-American PG Melo Trimble;
3. Indiana will lose Thomas Bryant and maybe James Blackmon;
4. Michigan loses its MVP Walton and Irvin;
5. Illinois loses its MVP Malcolm Hill, C Morgan and PF Finke;
6. Iowa loses its MVP Peter Jok;
7. MSU will loses its best player Miles Bridges;
8. OSU loses Marc Loving and starting C Thompson;
9. UNL loses its best player Tai Webster
The only teams not losing players are Minnesota and PSU.
So no the Big 10 will not be tougher next season.
I certainly hope you're wrong as well. We have just about all our players returning and I think will be better than this year. I see no reason for pessimism.
Michigan State may lose Bridges, but started two other freshmen today, has a couple of other decent freshmen, and apparently has a very good class coming in. Maryland loses Trimble, but had four good freshmen this year, three of whom played very significant minutes. Michigan loses good players, but has good ones coming back. Iowa loses Jok, but had a very good freshman class that played a lot of minutes this year. Penn State had some good freshmen and has some more coming in. Northwestern has its three best scoring options plus Pardon returning along with two guys who were out all this season with injuries. Swanigan will be hard to replace at Purdue, but they still have some good talent. Rutgers can't be much worse than this year, and they now actually have a coach with a pulse. As you mention, Minnesota will be good. The only team I think is really in trouble compared to this year is Wisconsin, who will find it hard to replace their two departing seniors. Even then, they should be OK if they can get some guys to fill in around Happ. I think the B1G will be tougher next season (just my opinion of course), but it certainly will be no worse.
Playing in Rosemont should not be a problem for next year. It could actually be a blessing as the larger arena easier access for non students could bring in new fans who may be intrigued by the excitement created by this year's team and the prospects of watching a leading Big Ten title contender in next year's team.
Yup, they had some very good games on that court. They just could never quite get over the hump after Aguirre's freshman year when they went to the final four.
The last time NU had a major construction project on its bball arena, Alumni Hall became a great home away from home for a season. I fully expect the Rosemont to be a similar environment for us next season.
I'm surprised by the pessimism already. What more do you need to see from this team before you'll believe they "belong"? Team has improved each year under Collins, and I expect the same next year. I think they'll be even better. How much we improve relative to the rest of the conference is the question. Watching the pst game interviews with Mac and Law, they already seemed ready to get to work on improving themselves for next season. This team has no quit.
I was at Alumni Hall that season, and the difference is AH was small and usually full of NU fans. Rosemont is twice the size of WRA and will rarely (if ever) be full.
I think the players will get used to playing in the d barn, as you put it and the fans will as well, especially if they have a winning record. remember they a good season when they played their "home games" at DePaul and packed the Horizon whatever it was called then for two NIT games.
I think anything less than a B1G championship and a Final Four berth would have to be considered as less than our ceiling. Not to say the year would be a failure if we fell short, but I think that we will be capable of that goal next year.
Collins on the Score this AM, said the goal is to win championships in the Big Ten get to the final 4. Hope all the positive attention NU has received helps then bring in two more top recruits for next season.
What I don't want to ever see...
"Never has had back to back NCAA Tournament seasons."
I want more but getting to the tourney twice in a row is important, sort of like not being a one and done was important.
"Never has had back to back NCAA Tournament seasons."
I want more but getting to the tourney twice in a row is important, sort of like not being a one and done was important.
Kansas is on a nice 28yr stretch and so let's look forward to 2044
(Gonzaga is at 19)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men's_Division_I_Basketball_Tournament_consecutive_appearances
This. The players will do fine in Donaldstevenstown. We'll be in good hands at the Arena. Only downside for the fans is if they run out of beer by halftime.
"I think that we will be capable of that goal next year."
Hedging your bets on this one ECat?
What happened to the old, "take the strong stand and don't eat crow until convincingly proven wrong ECat"
"I think that we will be capable of that goal next year."
Hedging your bets on this one ECat?
What happened to the old, "take the strong stand and don't eat crow until convincingly proven wrong ECat"
When the bar is low, I have no problems drawing a line in the sand.
I don't think we can expect to win championships and go to the Final Four every year. Let's be reasonable. That's a bit of a tall order, don't you think?
In college basketball it is NEVER about who you lose, it's about who you bring back and who you add. Freshmen and transfers can have such massive instant impacts that it doesn't pay to focus on what gets lost. Look at what each team brings back and what they add to that.
True.
For NU, Falzon, Ivanauskas, Gaines > Lumpkin, Taphorn.
I like the Cats prospects.
"If we land him" ??? - jeez stpaul was right. What's wrong with you? Where's the over the top Ecat bravado we've all known and come to love/hate???
quite a few other schools also have some nice additions. Michigan (for example)will lose Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton, but former 5 star Charles Matthews will be eligible after transferring from Kentucky and he might be kinda good plus add another freshman coming off redshirt and 3 more talented freshmen recruits.
I think attendance may be a problem in Rosemont. I heard too many STHs in my section who were talking about "taking a year off" to think otherwise.
With the incredible season, I'd bet ticket/fundraising policies are going to drastically change for the new arena. If so and I was the good Dr, I might fire a warning shot with some type of "incentive" to build attendance in Rosemont.
With the incredible season, I'd bet ticket/fundraising policies are going to drastically change for the new arena. If so and I was the good Dr, I might fire a warning shot with some type of "incentive" to build attendance in Rosemont.
considering we only lose Lumpkin and Taphorn - next year should be the best team in program history. Not sure if that equates to better outcomes, but the team, on-paper, should be better.
Could be but it depends on where a ST holder resides. I've heard fro a couple who like that getting to Rosemont will drastically reduce their travel time.
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