While it would be a bummer if TO ultimately decides to go somewhere else, it's important to keep all this in perspective. It's not like Tariq is out there playing in the McDonald's or Jordan Brand games. Second, I cannot right now (on the limited YouTube footage I've seen), even put him up there amongst MAC bigs of the past 20 years that have gone on to be NBA draft picks. Point is, it will take development and coaching wherever he goes to realize his upside. I think he has a great opportunity in front of him to do that with coach Phillips and his talented staff.

Also, the larger schools that were pursuing him last year have moved forward with their recruiting since he signed his LOI. There are crowded front courts now at most of those schools. Either he is good enough to beat them out or he isn't. For players like LaVert, it eventually played out because of the players around him and the opportunities he got to work into that system. But there are lots of stories where a recruit like Tariq rides the pine for four years at a larger conference school. I remember being stoked about a guard a few years back who chose WVU over Ohio. He sat the bench with Huggins pretty much his whole college career. Yet, at the time, he looked like he could have dominated in MAC play. It wasn't too long after we lost him that we ended up with DJ Cooper.

Which brings me to my final point -- there will always be talent available for us to succeed in this conference and achieve some of OUr more lofty goals. Aside from a few very elite programs, college basketball is largely about great coaching. And I believe we have a coach who will be able to get a lot of focus and discipline out of this group and future groups. NDour, Setty, and Campbell is a talented front court. Their weaknesses from last season -- shot selection, turnovers from sloppy passes or traveling, free throws -- are all focus and discipline issues that can be coached and improved. I see Campbell developing into a Williams/Tillman/Hunter type player by his senior year.

I think Tariq Owens is a good talent and I would love to have him on the Bobcats. But his freshman year will not be without growing pains, development, etc. He would add good depth next year, but his sophomore year is more likely the breakout. NDour was successful last year partly because the JUCO development. I don't know what he would have looked like out there as freshman.

Anyway, Ohio will be in good shape with or without Owens because we have one of the best mid major coaches in the country. Aside from the elite talent that goes to Duke, UK, Kansas, etc. every year, good coaching is what it's all about. That, plus three pointers and free throws have always been the great equalizer come March, and I have no doubt that with these coaches, Ohio will wear the slipper yet again.

I agree, Dustin. From what I've seen of Owens, I wouldn't expect him to play a ton of minutes as a freshman even with Ohio. He's still sort of a raw athletic talent with a ton of potential but he's a long ways from reaching that potential. If he goes to someplace else, he may sit on the bench even more and it's possible that it could hold back his development some. Of course I'd still like to have him but Ohio will be fine without him if he chooses not to come and I understand him wanting to find the right fit.

He may be a little raw, and he may never turn out to be a huge scorer, but he would still be a huge difference maker. His combination of length/athleticism has not been seen in the MAC in a long time. 

Offensively, I think many would call him a "project" but I just think he is too talented to write off his ability to make an impact immediately at OHIO.

While Owens doesn't have the complete low-post moves of someone like NDOUR, I think he could come in and really score some high energy baskets for us. He also has a nice ability to dribble in space and he has a bit of a jumper, even if it is still a work in progress. Offensively, I think his game compares more to Devaughn Washington than Jon Smith.

Defensively/body type the comparison is definitely Jon Smith except a little taller and more athletic.

I think Owens would play 20+ minutes here next year. I think he fits into rotations perfectly with someone like NDOUR. NDOUR would draw the focus of defenses and allow Owens to run around somewhat unnoticed scoring on back door cuts only a guy with his speed/jumping can do... And really, the rebounding is why we would want him on the court. He might be skinny but his length would allow him to pull down rebounds at will in the MAC.

I completely understand if Tariq doesn't come to OHIO but waiting a little isn't going to stop me from wanting him to come at all.

So, is no news good news?

Relevant

Per. Recruitscoop, released from NLI

I guess Bobcat Love's recruiting strategy with the AAU coach didn't work out as planned.

he's at Temple today... seeing firsthand what an inferior campus and bball program look like.

This whole Owens saga reminds me a lot of that Eastern European kid Groce recruited that ended up choosing Arizona. The one who was a higher caliber recruit than we usually got, and had close to signing before he got swept up by bigger programs. My guess is the end result is similar here. Owens goes on to an unremarkable career in the SEC or AAC, and we only ever really hear his name again when we go looking for it.