Addition by Subtraction

[Treadway21]

i've been thinking this too. The problem for me was that everyone knew Mudiay was a one and done. At least with guys like Randall and Wiggins, there was a small shadow of doubt left about whether they would leave after one year or not, AND they weren't point guards. To turn the team over to Mudiay for one year only, that had the ability to backfire written all over it. If we was going to stay two years, that would have felt different.

100% agree

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Very good points, and there is a lot of truth in this. Thank you.

[JasonB]

I think the other item that comes into play a little bit is that Nic may have played the two with EM the one on offense, but they would have to switch back defensively because Nic doesn't have the size to guard the two.

Nic - Head/RM
Brown - Frazier
Martin
Tolbert - Ben Moore
Kennedy - Cunningham - YM

I think all of this means we see Frazier at the two instead of the three and possibly Tolbert at the 3 instead of the 4, even though his game is inside? You could maybe play him at the 3 if Cunningham and B Moore are in the game at the 4 and 5 because they can shoot out from the basket a bit?

RM can play backup at the point as long as he doesn't have to score. That is the biggest thing the transfers bring is more scoring depth so that players like RM don't have to force things. The reason the offense stagnates with Nic out is becase we didn't have enough players who could create their own shot. Shouldn't be a problem this year.

[Hoop Fan]

great point Jason. shawn williams was effective, but his scoring really came off of put backs and garbage when others drew the defensive attention. Martin and Tobert bring a whole other dimension that should take alot of pressure off of Nic, and should create more space for Keith.

[Harry0569]

Can I nominate this for the "Anti-Panic Thread of the Year?"

Well-said X. Team chemistry is such an underrated asset (or liability). Last year, the team seemed like such a tight knit group, so another year of the same core should only bring them more close together (coupled with getting shut out of the tourney).

[Harry0569]

great point Jason. shawn williams was effective, but his scoring really came off of put backs and garbage when others drew the defensive attention. Martin and Tobert bring a whole other dimension that should take alot of pressure off of Nic, and should create more space for Keith.

Not only space for KF, but space to drive and dish/dump for easy baskets. I'm all in on the 3 or Lay-up philosophy that is taking hold in HOU, ATL, SAS, etc.

[gostangs]

I agree that pressure comes off Nic when there is more offense - which Tolbert and Martin provide, however I think the main probably when nic was that we have trouble bringing the ball down against better teams when he gets pressed.

LB is 18 steps ahead of any of us on all of this so we will get a solution I would assume. I am just afraid there is no answer for the need to have two PG's on the floor on occasion - and a top quality ball handling reliever for 10-15 minutes a game.

Wont keep us from being successful but could keep us from advancing much, depending on the draw if we are fortunate enough to make the tourney. Somewhere in the tourney your PG needs relief, or he needs a great ball handler with him to handle a tough press. How far would UConn have gotten without Boat?

[DiamondM]

Wish there was a like button. HoopmanX is a great antidote to the sudden, unwarranted feeling that we are somehow screwed by this. Would it have been great to have an all-AAC PG backing up our phenom freshman PG? From a talent perspective, yes. But few of even the best teams have more than one true PG. We have a very talented, proven PG, and if on the rare (as Hoopman points out) occasions when Nic is in serious foul trouble, we'll manage (just as other good teams with good coaches do), and will do so with a deeper supporting cast than Nic had last year on the few occasions when that happened. And Nic will be more mature this year, so it should happen even less frequently than last year.

[Zman89]

I will say this about Nic(I may be a little bias)in the 9 years I've been watching him play he has improved every year. He didn't finish runner-up Mr.Basketball in Indiana by accident. Having Eman would have been awesome but last I checked the team that took the floor for the NIT championship was pretty darn good. This has to be the thread of the year so far. The guys have all the confidence that the team will be what we expected so I say we should join em.

[ponyinNC]

I like the positive spin, and perhaps this actually works out better for all involved...

..but I am still mad as hell that we will not get to see the national coverage we would've received with E-Man, or finally seeing the NBA draft lottery feature a player from SMU.

[gostangs]

Who knows who might emerge?

[East Coast Mustang]

We're not screwed, but my hopes of us winning a national championship have been delayed by 12 months. Assuming Nic and MK are back for 2014-15, that becomes the year:

Nic and Barefield at the point

Sterling, Keith, Emelogu, and McQuaid at the 2-3 spots, plus whoever we sign this cycle.

Markus and Ben upfront, plus whoever we sign this cycle.

Obviously one or two guys could transfer out, but damn, that team will be FUN

[StallionsModelT]

Good post hoopmanx. I still worry about the PG depth. We need Nic to be fresh and rested when we make our stretch run and (hopefully) our run in the NCAA tournament. Who gets those minutes? Manuel? Please no.

[hoopmanx]

If your goal/expectation was NCAA title, I don't see why that should change any. We are a program that is collectively lamenting a back-up PG, big effin deal. In all my years breathing this stuff, w/multiple programs, I have maybe 2 or 3 years total, w/less concerns than this years SMU team. Two of those years were Maryland, 2001 & 2002, both final 4 teams, one a national champion. Guess what? They only had one true PG on the roster, Steve Blake.

The other was Maryland in '99. Guess what, that team was scary talented but played their lottery pick PG at the 2 all year. Steve Francis was still great, but he was out of position, and it hurt chemistry and March results. If Maryland had played everyone in the proper position, Francis moves to the 1, and some redshirt frosh named Juan Dixon would have played the 2.

[hoopmanx]

Good post hoopmanx. I still worry about the PG depth. We need Nic to be fresh and rested when we make our stretch run and (hopefully) our run in the NCAA tournament. Who gets those minutes? Manuel? Please no.

Manuel has been very good for SMU over his tenure. The hate thrown at him for doing every little grunt thing the coaches ask, seems pretty unfair.