I have watched a majority of the games this season and I truly believe that Walter Offutt's presence has changed this team.  His energy and leadership has rubbed off on the court.  When I look back at the 2009-2010 squad, KVK was very much that guy.  I think that was absent from last year's team and is a big part of the reason they didn't perform the way a lot of people thought they should.

I was at the Louisville game and while some people on this board were disappointed that Offutt didn't step up the scoring for the game and felt he was a bit of a non-factor, I felt the complete opposite.  First of all, he stepped up with some big buckets and boards late in that game when we needed it most.  Second, you could just sense, even without him taking over, that if we didn't have him on the floor we would have been blown out!  Even if he doesn't make a bucket the entire game, I think he is needed on that court and his presence alone is worth 3 to 5 wins.

I am truly excited about this team and where it is going, more so than last year, because the presence of Offutt! 

He sort of reminds me of Mychal Green although a little more athletic.  He's definitely a huge get after so many transfer disappointments. He's had a couple plays this year that got us out of our offensive funk that we have been so prone to.  I don't remember the exact circumstances but both times he took the ball strong to the hoop and either got a bucket or a foul and it seemed to spark the team.

That being said, we are much deeper this year than we have been.  Taylor and Goard give us one extra body that we can rely on in the front court and back court. That can't be understated.

Due to the history of transfers in our program, I took a public stance of wait and see.  I waited and really like what I have seen and read of Mr. Offut.  Congrats and keep up the good work.

Bassett was on his third school by the time he got here, and that turned out pretty well for us. 

Walt came up with a big time play during the second half last night vs. Marshall.  Marshall had begun a little mini run and was possibly in a position to get back in the game.  Walt took over.  He got the ball on the wing, dribbled strongly into the paint, and made the bucket plus one and drained the free throw.  That held off Marshall until they made their final run in the last four minutes. 

Wasn't Bassett kinda up and down until about the last nine games of the year?

Offutt better.  Definitely.

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The difference was that Walt is finding ways to put the team on his back within the system. It took the NCAA bound team the better part of the season to adapt to Basset's play. There was no give in what was happening, only that they were going to learn to play with him or fall apart trying to run the system they had been taught and implemented prior to him coming off suspension. If you recall they came out of the baox pretty hot and scoring scads with Kinney and the frosh contributing while running at a high speed then all at once the ball stopped and the extra pass became a dribble drive from the Marshall game at Charleston on....withthe debut of wasted possessions (00 Bassett, Armon......    0-9 fr 2   0-6 fr 3   4-4 FT    4pts  3  4TO's    28mins)  ....It took the better part of the season for that team to learn to accept what was essentially was force fed them and to their credit they all adapted to the new dynamic and their new roles. Not to be lost is the fact that that team would not even make the MAC tourney under the rules those coaches who got beat by Ohio on the way to defeating G'town got put in place in order to prevent the same from happening again.

Walt is an addition within the system and gladly runs in and out without pouting and takes a blow and returns readily and ready to go. His BBIQ is only surpassed by his willingness to be part of the team and lead by example.