Yep

20+ wins

My point being is I don't think any team is going to want to play OHIO until MAC Final. Long way to go but the pieces are coming together.

Other than Zippy, everyone else is really close. Few teams have OUr combination of a good PG, good big, and guys that can shoot it. Keep playing improved defense and who knows what happens.


DEFINTELY coming together:

https://youtu.be/qDaGc0Dysh8

was thinking of which recent Bobcats our current Bobcats are most similar to, here's what I've come up with-


Simmons -- Cooper. PG that can stuff stat sheets and likes to lead. Has 100% commitment from HC.

Dartis -- Kellogg. Is smart, plays smart. Even tempered, plays calm and confident. Known as 3pt shooter but can develop all around game with time.

Kaminski -- Baltic. Stretch 4, prefers playing away from the rim. At times looks dominant, other times seems to fade into the background. Frustrating.

Campbell -- Keely. Big bruiser down low, works a strong 2 man game with PG. Clutch down the stretch.

Block -- Freeman. Great stroke, high IQ, does all the little things that show effort and guts.

Setty -- TJ Hall. Treg is like a snowflake but his game most reminds of TJ, sometimes he struggles, but sometimes he comes up big when his team needs it. Every team needs a Setty/Hall type player.

D. Taylor -- young Keely. You can see the potential, sculpt the physique, put in the work and good things could come.

Laster -- R Johnson. Can come off bench and provide solid minutes, Johnson built his value on defense, Laster would be wise to do same.

Gollon -- Taylor. Energy guard off bench, good in short spurts.


Using this kind of comparison I would say that what the current team is lacking most of all is an Offutt and a J Smith. Ideally Harley and Wadley would fill those roles but unfortunately they don't match up.

For this team to make a run next year they're going to need to find an Offutt and a J Smith.

Good list....I'm thinking Setty is more like KVK.

TC shooting the 3 is a question mark? Or was that a question that the defenses could deal with it? I think that is the thing he is heads above the 3 you mentioned for sure. Playing through him last night was exceptional. Ball into the post (mostly right low block) and then he went to work exploiting Balls D in the middle. When he stepped out finally in the 2nd half he buried the trey. that was exceptional.

Good list of parallels and attributes.

Oh he can shoot the three and I love it when he does. More about pick your poison if you're the D.

I feel like Culver could fit the Walt mode. He's an underrated guy but he's an athletic 6-foot-4 guy who can take it to the rack and hit from outside. I wish Ryan Taylor could have stayed and developed into that. I think he would have fit in great with this group. Instead my hope is that Laster can develop his jumper and fill more of that role. He has to get his ball handling and skills to catch up to his effort and "D." I also wish Block would decide if he wants to be a shooter or a driver. His effort is unequaled often times but he gets caught up making a move and going nowhere. I want him to become Treg if possible. Dependable from outside but moving to the hoop with a purpose.

Been saying it all season, even when things were a little bumpy. I say it every year, no one wants to play Ohio in the MAC Tournament.

The team can make the NCAAs but if you want to build a program in Athens I think its more important to finish with a 14-4 or better MAC record every year. The program was heading there under Groce and Christian w/ Groce players. Stability at the HC position killed momentum otherwise the program could have turned the corner by now and become an annual lock for the NCAA tournament. Ohio can get there again under Saul.

If I'm reading those stats correctly, the Advanced stats show that Tony is grabbing 30% of the defensive rebounds that are available when he's in the game. So 1/3 shots is being grabbed by him? That's a huge number.

The per 40 minutes stats are crazy too. If Tony were to play 40 minutes he'd be averaging 25 pts, 14 rebs. And then 35 pts and 19 rebs per 100 possessions. No wonder teams try to key on him and get him in foul trouble.

Totally agree with you here. You have to finish top 2-3 regular season every year, and it seemed like with those teams from a few years back that the program was on the way to that. Last year was an obvious outlier. Honestly, as long as Saul sticks here for 3-5 more years, I think those kinds of teams probably aren't as far away as people think.

I agree that OUr team was inconsistent early on. The recent stretch, where they've been 4-1, has shown a lot more consistency, particularly with regard to defense. The trend is in the right direction folks. Hopefully it continues tomorrow night.