Shaw transfers, way-too-early NIT list
Joey Shaw is evidently transferring after all. Too bad. He had all the marks of an explosive scorer with ability to do everything in a game. I don't blame Sampson for not liking his ball-handling or passing against pressure, but I feel it was the first time he had really come up against it. Give him a year to watch the game, and in 2008-2009 he could've been a starter for the Hoosiers. I don't Shaw for transferring, he was looking at no PT next year, especially if Stemler gets shifted to the 3-spot (as I expect), but it's a shame. He'll go to Juco for a year and be a nice pick-up for someone in a season, a la Earl Calloway.
Here's my way-too-early call on Men's 2008 NIT teams:
Akron
Arizona
Boston College
Brigham Young
Central Florida
East Tennessee State
Eastern Kentucky
Florida State
Fordham
Georgetown
Hofstra
Kentucky
Lousiana-Monroe
Manhattan (w/ Shagari Alleyne)
Miami (OH)
Michigan
Missouri State
Penn State
Saint Mary's
Southern Mississippi
Texas
Texas Tech
Utah
Utah State
Valparaiso
Vanderbilt
Villanova
Washington
Weber State
West Virginia
Wichita State
Xavier
posted by Indiana Fan @ 9:22 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I don't think Kentucky should be an NIT team....I hate em' too but they've always been a strong team. Even with a new coach.
Kentucky has been the hardest case for me to figure. Yeah, they're always tough, but they lost a lot. Losing Randolph Morris to the NBA may be the crippling blow. That leaves their best inside player the 6-9 Perry Stevenson, who weighs in at 178 pounds and averaged a whopping 10 min./game, 2.9ppg, and 2.2 rpg. Super-frosh 6-8/235 Patrick Patterson will allievate some of their losses, but Patterson ain't Greg Oden. I figure him to get a little more than half of what Morris gave the Wildcats. UK will have a solid perimeter attack returning, tho their 3pt shooting is merely average (tied for 143rd in the nation) and they lost their best shooter, Bobby Perry. But a good perimeter team with a dubious inside game often means N-I-T.
They looked good last season in the RPI, but the Wildcats finished 4th in their Division in the SEC last season, and it's hard for me to see them getting above 8th overall. Will they be good enough to get to the NCAA's? Maybe. But with 7 teams as good or clearly better than you in your conference, that equals at least 9 losses.
Arkansas was one of six SEC last year with a 7-9 or 8-8 record, and the only one to get in the Big Dance.
It's totally possible for Kentucky to get to the NCAA's again (& I wouldn't be surprised). I just think the deck is stacked against them.
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