[quote="Class of 72" post=279910][quote="SJU14" post=279908][quote="REB" post=279900][quote="Room112" post=279896][quote="Paultzman" post=279865][quote="Chicago Days" post=279864][quote="RM86" post=279860]Maryland is hot after a 6'11 grad transfer thats a banger, could be a hold up for Tariq.[/quote]
Guessing this ‘buzz’ is what is behind Paultz’s cryptic post about Tariq. Geech, and the guy wonders why there’s a burgeoning cottage industry of ‘tea leaf’ readers over his posts!
Tariq coming back would be good, since it’s looking like only 1 Grad Big transfer is likely, and it makes us 7-deep (assuming we get a Femi-like guy and Shamorie returns).
But, it also makes next year’s recruiting more critical...to go with what may be 2 skilled/very skilled sit-outs coming soon.[/quote]
If Owens did return I doubt they could get either of their grad bigs to come because of PT concerns. Tricky! To me, get the first solid guy who wants in.[/quote]
A very good point that most have overlooked. Getting two grad transfers may have always been a pipe dream. Grad transfers usually seek out starting minutes or at least guaranteed minutes. We don't necessarily have that to offer for two.[/quote]
I don't see why we don't have minutes for two grad bigs if Owens is gone. Basically we then have three bigs, those two and Keita dividing most of 80 minutes at the 4 and 5 with Clark playing the 3. Marin Maric, who killed us this year for DePaul, averaged 27 minutes per game this season. I'd take his clone in a heartbeat, and apparently 27 minutes is all it takes.
For example:
Grad Big 1 - 25 min
Grad Big 2 - 20 min
Keita - 20 min
Clark, Simon, Ponds - 95 min
Dixon and Trimble - 30 min
Rest of bench - 10 min[/quote]
Why would a grad big come here to play 20 mins/game with a slight chance of making the NCAA Tournament? That isn’t exactly an easy sell.[/quote]
A slight chance???
If Ponds returns and that grad big isn't a useless Golem, Mullin should have the talent to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
Anyone who settles for the NIT next year should have their redmen.com membership revoked. That would signal the end. That's it's over. And at St. John's it's never over........................................[/quote]
I agree that we should make the tournament next year if we get a serviceable big and everybody who is expected to be here is here.
With grad bigs they are usually looking for one (or more) of these three things: more playing time, to play in the tournament, or get more exposure to play in the NBA. The issue with us and grad bigs right now is that we don’t exactly offer a ton of PT, the tournament isn’t a given, and there’s plenty of other programs that also offer exposure to the NBA.