Upgrades?

[Hillcrest1981]

Which incoming recruits would be an upgrade to what we currently have at that position. For example, is Ben Brust a better PG now than Cully Payne? Will Cody Larson be a better post player as a freshman than Cougill or Archie? Who might come in and start right away or later in the season next year as a true freshman?

 

[FreddyBrown]

IMO every one of them offers us something we're lacking right now, at least something we're lacking in adequate volume.

Brust = Ballhandling guard with excellent shooting touch and above average athleticism. No comparable player currently on the team.

Larson = Mobile, athletic big man who can shoot it from outside or score down low. No comparable player currently on the team.

Marble = Athletic slasher type who can play guard or SF. No comparable player currently on the team.

McCabe = Versatile forward who can handle and pass the ball well, can be a playmaker from the forward position, shoots it well. Closest comparisons on the team are Fuller and Gatens, but neither is quite like McCabe.

When I say there are no "comparable" players on the team I'm not saying the incoming recruits are all better than anyone on the team, I'm just comparing skillsets.

I do believe Brust is better than any true guard we have, right now, today. But that only makes him better than Payne and Lickliter. The others have a chance to be better than some onf the current players but I don't know that any of them are right now other than Brust.

 

[urohawk]

I really don't think any player coming in is going to start for us. Hopefully Brust is an upgrade at the backup PG position and McCabe or Marble are an upgrade of Bawinkle's minutes. Larson seems like he has the most chance to start but I think he will probably play the 4 position as a backup.

If the team will make a run at 18 wins Payne is going to have to be much better with his A:T ratio and May will have to become a much more assertive scorer similar to Shurna did this year for NW. Shurna went from 7.3 to 17.7 PPG. Now a lot of that is increased minutes from the Coble injury but he went from 0.4 ppm (points per minute) to 0.5 ppm. May is currently at 0.31 ppms at 30 minutes a game. If he can increase to 0.4 and average 35 minutes a game his average will be 14. I single out May because his skill set is the most likely to improve given this is the first time in his life he will concentrate only on basketball and not other sports.

 

[JDavis11]

Marble's 6'6 frame will hopefully allow him to become a really nice defender. After Eric May we don't really have anyone to put on the Evan Turner's of the B10.

 

[SCHawk]

It is not necessarily upgrades that this team needs (though that is always helpful), it is depth. If the team has 9-10 guys who can play in the Big Ten, being able to play less minutes per player, overcome foul trouble and injuries is an upgrade in itself.

 

[hoosieriniowa]

I think Larson is the most Big Ten ready. I don't know if Brust can play backup pg in the Big Ten. I have talked with people who think he is really underrated and some who think he will struggle in the Big Ten and benefits from dominating the ball in a weaker league. I do think he will get a lot of minutes.

I like McCabe. He plays his butt off when I have seen him. He seems to really enjoy the game.

I have not talked to anyone who has seen Marble play this season.

I hope everyone is patient with this group. It's easy to make them in to world beaters to give everone hope for the future.

 

[parquet]

I really don't think any player coming in is going to start for us. Hopefully Brust is an upgrade at the backup PG position and McCabe or Marble are an upgrade of Bawinkle's minutes. Larson seems like he has the most chance to start but I think he will probably play the 4 position as a backup.

If the team will make a run at 18 wins Payne is going to have to be much better with his A:T ratio and May will have to become a much more assertive scorer similar to Shurna did this year for NW. Shurna went from 7.3 to 17.7 PPG. Now a lot of that is increased minutes from the Coble injury but he went from 0.4 ppm (points per minute) to 0.5 ppm. May is currently at 0.31 ppms at 30 minutes a game. If he can increase to 0.4 and average 35 minutes a game his average will be 14. I single out May because his skill set is the most likely to improve given this is the first time in his life he will concentrate only on basketball and not other sports.

Hope you are right, but May and Shurna are totally different ball players. May might turn out to be very good but in his own way.

 

[ForeverHawk]

I think if you add a capable backup to Cully or any other player on this team, I think TO's will be cut down cosiderably. This team plays tired alot in my opinion, so more depth is going to help quite a bit. I realize that OSU only plays 6 or 7, but obviously they are better athletes capable of doing that!

 

[urohawk]

Hope you are right, but May and Shurna are totally different ball players. May might turn out to be very good but in his own way.

No doubt about that. Shurna is a much more natural shooter as he shot 46% as a Freshman. I just used him as an example what a little confidence and experience can do for a player. I think for Iowa to move forward that Gatens and Payne are going to have to do less dribbling (see their very high TOs) and we need to find another go to player. May and to some extent Fuller are the most likely. Both need to greatly improve their ball-handling and shooting to be go to players. I picked May because he is a freshman and he has never totally focused on basketball so the upside is higher. May will have to be able to get to the rim more frequently and develop a pull up jumpshot. Also a small improvement in three point percentage will go a long way.