PonyFans.com

Just for fun I was thinking about how our lineup would look next year with McMurray and likely a grad-transfer and it got me excited for the future. Love our current team and am so excited to see how this season finishes, but wanted to do this just for fun. Wanted to see what other people think.

Starters:
G: Shake Milton
G: Jimmy Whitt/Jahmal McMurray
G: Jarrey Foster
F: Semi Ojeleye
F: Grad-Transfer
Rotation: McMurray/Whitt (20mins), Ethan Chargois, Ben Gu
Spot players (6-12Mins game): Will Douglas and Everett Ray
Bench: Elijah Landrum and DaShawn McDowell

I Just cant see Jank playing more than 10 guys regularly and more than a tight 8-9 man rotation. I think Landrum and McDowell will get some burn to show what they can do before McMurray is eligible & Douglas will likely get more extended minutes, but once he is eligible and conference starts can only see us playing 5-6 guards.

Obviously any of this could change like Ray getting more minutes than Chargois or the Grad Transfer, or Landrum playing more or there is an injury, but just what I thought.

McDowell has quietly improved his game from the start of the season, when he and Wilson would alternate games. Nobody knows if he can shoot, but when he is on the ball, he can get to the basket when he wants to, and has a good knack for finding an open player. He handles the press. And he puts in a lot of effort defensively. I think he is going to get a lot more playing time than people suspect, especially when he builds his strength.

With Whitt and McMurray coming in along with McDowell and Landrum, I think Shake will move back to the two.

Ray and Chargois will have to both be in the rotation because of the lack of size.

Looks good on paper-my only concern is that we are going to lose a lot more from the graduation of Ben Moore and Sterling Brown that can be seen in the Stat Box. Some of those guys can play kind of soft at times. Just wonder if the culture will be the same

^^^^^So true those two guys have been incredible this year. BMoore the calming force, the team player and Sterling the fire in the belly. Both so steady.

Can we really count on a graduate transfer big? What happens if none appears?

These days they will be out there-its an incredible opportunity for someone-part of the selling job

AusTxPony wrote:^^^^^So true those two guys have been incredible this year. BMoore the calming force, the team player and Sterling the fire in the belly. Both so steady.

I trust Shake and Jarrey to take on the leadership roles next season. They have had incredible teammates in front of them in that regard.

We will be a premier, if not the premier, destination for grad transfer bigs. Can sell starting playing time on a potential top 20 team

i have to think that if you are on of the top three or four post guys that could come in next year (Juco or grad transfer) that this has to be the best spot you could drop into. Ready made tourney team with better depth, desperately in need of an inside presence. Drop a Tolbert type dude into this mix and look out.

Not to mention if (big if in these days of transfers) we dont like our options at grad transfers or Juco then we are a top option for a top 100 big who decommits late

stangsup4 wrote:

AusTxPony wrote:^^^^^So true those two guys have been incredible this year. BMoore the calming force, the team player and Sterling the fire in the belly. Both so steady.

I trust Shake and Jarrey to take on the leadership roles next season. They have had incredible teammates in front of them in that regard.

I know those two will step up but Semi and Gu will be the seniors. Semi backs down from nobody and Gu will continue to progress. He's very tough. I'll miss Ben and Sterling maybe more than I miss Nic but it doesn't worry me given how this crew has come together since November.

Getting a top notch Juco or grad transfer big who plays our style has to be a priority. If we can get a Tolbert type we'll have a very good team. As for the guards we do have some injury/attrition insurance built in.

It will be interesting to see if we go to more a point guard focused offensive game plan or we continue to rotate four or five different guys as we've done this year. I really think the point guard by committee frustrates opposing coaches in their game planning. Last year if you could bottle up Nic or he was having an off night we were at a big disadvantage. That has not happened lately....somebody always steps up for a stretch and then somebody else goes on a little run.

We wont be as tall/long 1-5 at time next year as Whitt, McMurray and Landrum are all smaller.

SMUstangs22 wrote:Not to mention if (big if in these days of transfers) we dont like our options at grad transfers or Juco then we are a top option for a top 100 big who decommits late

About 90% of those guys signed in October-probably most of the rest are academic questionmarks or playing games with their options

I really think a year at SMU is just what Marques Bolden needs.

Stallion wrote:

SMUstangs22 wrote:Not to mention if (big if in these days of transfers) we dont like our options at grad transfers or Juco then we are a top option for a top 100 big who decommits late

About 90% of those guys signed in October-probably most of the rest are academic questionmarks or playing games with their options

True but there is always the chance of decommitments after coaching changes

unless they are released by the university they can't decommit or be signed by another school for a year after their admission date