Looking forward to next season.

[Redbirdfan76]

With the NCAA having now shut down the rest of the season, let’s start a discussion for next season. Certainly lots yet to be decided regarding the roster, but assuming we keep DJ, Antonio, Abdul, Fisher ,Boyd, Idowu, Bruninga, Sissoko and all the new freshman and the JUCO transfer, who will play and how will the team finish in the conference?
I would start DJ, Reeves, Fisher, Abdou and incoming freshman Howard Fleming. With this group and what other conference teams have coming back, my prediction today is a 9-9 conference record and a 6 seed at the valley tournament. What is everyone else’s thoughts? If I missed someone coming back let me know....

 

[TIMMY]

Chastain

 

[Hrtnfldhse]

I like the talent from the freshman and incoming freshman next year. We will have a slight uptick in wins next year but the 2021-22 season will be a good one.

 

[SgtHulka]

Wouldn't surprise me to see Matt and Taylor hang up their sneakers. According to an article I read, I think in the Normalite, Matt is on pace to graduate with two degrees (one a Masters). Hoping there is no further fall out , but we will see.

If we can sign a Dr Pepper machine we could be in solid shape, if we return the youthful core of DJ, Tone, Ndaiye, Boyd... and we can get similar output to DJ and Tone from the current signees

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

Fisher just competed his 4th year of school. I assume he is ready to graduate. I do think he stays though because he loves ISU and Copeland won't be around next season. Those two didn't see eye to eye.

Our freshman will just get better. Look at the jump in production from Penn and Freeman Liberty. The incoming freshman look good and come from winning programs. We are back to recruiting basketball players.

I don't think Taylor and Matt will be back. I see them going the Madison route. We have enough guards so I think that is why you see Kotov and another big in the mix.

The valley returns a lot but so do we. I don't see us playing on Thursday next year.

I had high hopes for Copeland but he didn't pan out. His head got in the way. To many bad shots, drives and passes. How many times did we see him make a mistake then commit a dumb foul on the other end out of frustration?

Hillsman was a roller coaster. We can replace him as well which with the bigs we having returning and going after I think his spot is taken be Tone. We will be a 2f 3g team next season.

Some of our best games were played with those two on the bench.

 

[WoodlandWarrior]

I do not want to see Boyd become another Copeland in taking inopportune shots. The Coaching staff really needs to focus on discipline and ball possession management. I believe Bruninga will be back and will be a key contributor.

 

[Baltimore Bird]

I am very excited about the 1st 4 signees and will wait and see on the last one. Most of us are in the camp that we will take another year of abuse if there is hope. This year was dreadful and there was only a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Horne and Reeves were that light and occasionally Ndiaye. Personally, I think there is some good bball in Taylor B and I hope he can have a good summer and come back healthy. If so, I believe he starts and contributes a lot. Taylor still has 2 years of eligibility. I would like to see Rey stay. He contributes in his own way and will add some stability to the program. Fisher plays really hard and was making positive strides as the season played out. I am undecided on Boyd. He seems to be a chucker in the Copeland mode. Chastain appears to be the odd man out to make room for the most recent recruit. I know little about Sissoko.

We just need to learn to value the basketball and make the smart play. We did not do that the last 2 years. I believe there will be addition by subtraction in that regard.
Like was said earlier, next year should produce a few more wins, but I hope a year from now, we are super excited about the upcoming season.

 

[ILLST25]

https://twitter.com/jonrothstein/status/1238509418981064705?s=21

 

[Bird Friend]

https://twitter.com/jonrothstein/status/1238509418981064705?s=21

Hoping the shoe companies cancel their 'events' over the next month, too . . .

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

I don’t see the 2020-21 team competing for the top echelon. However, I think that the 2021-22 season looks very promising. Therefore I would be in favor of getting the younger players a lot of playing time. My Starters going into Conference play would be:

DJ Horne
Antonio Reeves
Howard Fleming jr
Emon Washington
Keith Fisher

Rotation:
Josiah Strong
Dedric Boyd
Alex Kotov
Abdou Ndiaye
Alston Andrews
Rey Idowu (not feeling confident that Rey is a Redbird in 2020-21)

I don’t feel confident that Matt (too many knee surgeries). and Taylor (too many foot problems), will be playing. I’m guessing at least one will not be playing due to the Alex Kotov signing. Possibly going Madison Williams route.

 

[birdlife]

I don’t see the 2020-21 team competing for the top echelon. However, I think that the 2021-22 season looks very promising. Therefore I would be in favor of getting the younger players a lot of playing time. My Starters going into Conference play would be:

DJ Horne
Antonio Reeves
Howard Fleming jr
Emon Washington
Keith Fisher

Rotation:
Josiah Strong
Dedric Boyd
Alex Kotov
Abdou Ndiaye
Alston Andrews
Rey Idowu (not feeling confident that Rey is a Redbird in 2020-21)

I don’t feel confident that Matt (too many knee surgeries). and Taylor (too many foot problems), will be playing. I’m guessing at least one will not be playing due to the Alex Kotov signing. Possibly going Madison Williams route.

there will be names on this list that we haven't even heard yet. but i agree - looks promising.

 

[Loyl2u]

I don’t see the 2020-21 team competing for the top echelon. However, I think that the 2021-22 season looks very promising. Therefore I would be in favor of getting the younger players a lot of playing time. My Starters going into Conference play would be:

DJ Horne
Antonio Reeves
Howard Fleming jr
Emon Washington
Keith Fisher

Rotation:
Josiah Strong
Dedric Boyd
Alex Kotov
Abdou Ndiaye
Alston Andrews
Rey Idowu (not feeling confident that Rey is a Redbird in 2020-21)

I don’t feel confident that Matt (too many knee surgeries). and Taylor (too many foot problems), will be playing. I’m guessing at least one will not be playing due to the Alex Kotov signing. Possibly going Madison Williams route.

I really see playing Fisher at the #5 and against the opponent’s 5 as a waste of what may be a great stretch 4 by the end of his career, if given the opportunity. I’d love to see the Birds go “big” with a 5, 2-4’s and a point and a soothing guard. That means that in addition to Horne, Reeves, Fisher, another stretch 4 and one of the three bigs(I really hope both Rey and Abdou stay but Andrews may be the answer).

I wish both Chastain and Bruninga would get a chance to play a full season- they both have shown they can play defense/score in different ways, even while playing hurt. My guess is Matt could be ready to move on w/life. Then you have RS/soph. Taylor, junior Kotov, RS Fresh Sookko and fresh Washington. Both freshman and JC transfers generally need a year to adjust to the defensive requirements of D1. I’m looking forward to much better defense from Horne and Reeves next year but I’d guess it will be a work in progress for the other stretch 4’s and you’d also need to rotate to give Fisher a break. Boyd, Strong and Fleming fight it out for rotation time behind Horne & Reeves.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

The Coaching staff really needs to focus on discipline and ball possession management.

What are the chances of this? I say zero.

 

[ILLST25]

https://twitter.com/jonrothstein/status/1238509418981064705?s=21

https://twitter.com/redbird_mbb/status/1238851469748645888?s=21

Luckily we can still talk to recruits. I feel so good about recruiting with Belcher at the helm.

 

[redbirdron1]

I'm not optimistic about next season yet, but as stated we'll have editions/subtractions to the
existing roster.

Belcher is key to getting us a guy down on the block who won't get pushed around and can be an
option on offense - otherwise Dan's guys will continue to shoot the 3 for majority of scheme.

And....I have Zero confidence in ball management skills/decision making. Just don't see it based on the past 8 years.
As a fan that is just disappointing in current regime.

So many question marks but I'll be there cheering and hoping for a turnaround.

 

[MadBird]

I like to point out as frequently as I can that Rey Idowu led the team in FG %. We all want better productivity from our inside players. As much as we talk - and even tho I'm a booster of his I seem to picture Rey missing a lot of bunnies - the numbers seem to say Rey can be helpful to the team. He's one guy who wasn't chucking 3's. He averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. He's a sophomore. He averaged just over 10 minutes per game last year as a freshman (and made 59.7% of his shots). Give him 20 or 25 minutes per game and he'll make more shots and do better over the course of the season. If we got 9 points and 6 rebounds a game from him that wouldn't be all that bad on a guard oriented team (those are Fisher's stats from this past season). That's only 2 more hoops per game and 3 more boards (not counting FT's either).

Don't get me wrong, I know Rey needs to improve. He had more personal fouls than made baskets. But he needs some coaching and skills work and a chance.

I don't think an inside trio of Fisher, Rey and Abdou is all that bad, especially if the last two improve, as young guys should. Not sure which assistant works with the bigs, but hopefully there'll be some improved coaching too, to bring those guys along.

 

[WoodlandWarrior]

Maybe we could keep Andy Strandmark on retainer as a special consultant to our post players. )

 

[Loyl2u]

I like to point out as frequently as I can that Rey Idowu led the team in FG %. We all want better productivity from our inside players. As much as we talk - and even tho I'm a booster of his I seem to picture Rey missing a lot of bunnies - the numbers seem to say Rey can be helpful to the team. He's one guy who wasn't chucking 3's. He averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. He's a sophomore. He averaged just over 10 minutes per game last year as a freshman (and made 59.7% of his shots). Give him 20 or 25 minutes per game and he'll make more shots and do better over the course of the season. If we got 9 points and 6 rebounds a game from him that wouldn't be all that bad on a guard oriented team (those are Fisher's stats from this past season). That's only 2 more hoops per game and 3 more boards (not counting FT's either).

Don't get me wrong, I know Rey needs to improve. He had more personal fouls than made baskets. But he needs some coaching and skills work and a chance.

I don't think an inside trio of Fisher, Rey and Abdou is all that bad, especially if the last two improve, as young guys should. Not sure which assistant works with the bigs, but hopefully there'll be some improved coaching too, to bring those guys along.

:text-+1: and then of course, you have to actually give them the game minutes and run an offense that give them the opportunity to improve/succeed; I.e. more than one of them on the court at a time.

 

[HT59]

:text-+1:
I like to point out as frequently as I can that Rey Idowu led the team in FG %. We all want better productivity from our inside players. As much as we talk - and even tho I'm a booster of his I seem to picture Rey missing a lot of bunnies - the numbers seem to say Rey can be helpful to the team. He's one guy who wasn't chucking 3's. He averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. He's a sophomore. He averaged just over 10 minutes per game last year as a freshman (and made 59.7% of his shots). Give him 20 or 25 minutes per game and he'll make more shots and do better over the course of the season. If we got 9 points and 6 rebounds a game from him that wouldn't be all that bad on a guard oriented team (those are Fisher's stats from this past season). That's only 2 more hoops per game and 3 more boards (not counting FT's either).

Don't get me wrong, I know Rey needs to improve. He had more personal fouls than made baskets. But he needs some coaching and skills work and a chance.

I don't think an inside trio of Fisher, Rey and Abdou is all that bad, especially if the last two improve, as young guys should. Not sure which assistant works with the bigs, but hopefully there'll be some improved coaching too, to bring those guys along.

 

[ILLST25]

Rey got taken to the wood shed on the defensive end. It was brutal to watch. He doesn’t have enough length and his feet are not very good. On the offensive end, he’s not versatile and his hands are not very good. He simply does not have enough length to impose his will against any D1 posts. Not to mention his coordination is not very good.