College Basketball 2007-2008

[snoodmonger]

This is all assuming I'm able to add correctly and the NCAA doesn't knock out a scholarship for the future.

 

I wonder if this is a major consideration, though. What if they bring in a couple of mediocre JUCOs and then find out they get hit with a major scholarship reduction? Then they've got two warm bodies sucking up a portion of their already limited amount of schollies.

 

That leads me to this question--is there a limit on the amount of schollies the NCAA can strip when penalizing?

[SouthSideRyan]

I do agree with you though, that he'll likely turn things around as long as Greenspan lets him take his lumps.

[SouthSideRyan]

Oh, and that's a great get for Northwestern, congrats Jon.

[Jon]

Oh, and that's a great get for Northwestern, congrats Jon.

One would be hard pressed to identify a better commit in the program's history than Rowley. He's one of the best players in the state for the class of 2009 and was already receiving strong interest from Kentucky, Illinois, Washington State, Kansas, Louisville, Purdue, and Georgetown to go along with offers from Davidson, Baylor, Wisconsin, Southern Illinois, Marquette, and Indiana. If Evan Anderson's verbal to Wisconsin was the tipping point, thank you, Mr. Anderson.

 

Regardless of talent, though, I think that just about every Wildcat fan is absolutely stunned that we're going to have a guy who is 7 feet tall and close to 300 pounds in the low post.

 

If Northwestern finishes above .500 next season, I'd have to believe that Carmody's job is safe.

[SouthSideRyan]

It's now or never for Carmody. Next year's Big 10 is probably gonna be the worst it'll be for the foreseeable future.(Sloppy sentence, but I think you get my gist).

 

Northwestern could jump up to as high as 7th IMO. Start with those baby steps, and build from there. There's a lot of talent in Illinois for '09 and '10 to go grab.

[illiniguy]

Great get, but we were out of schollys so we weren't after him too hard Jon.

[Jon]

It's now or never for Carmody. Next year's Big 10 is probably gonna be the worst it'll be for the foreseeable future.(Sloppy sentence, but I think you get my gist).

 

Northwestern could jump up to as high as 7th IMO. Start with those baby steps, and build from there. There's a lot of talent in Illinois for '09 and '10 to go grab.

It is, but our new AD has to be very impressed with this recruiting class. As I mentioned befored, President Bienan, a good friend of Carmody and the reason Bill was brought/kept here, will be retiring after the next academic season. Carmody knows the pressure is on.

 

By the way, the similarities between Tavaras Hardy and Pat Fitzgerald are growing by the day. Both are former NU standouts who have had very good recruiting success at such a young age. We need to keep Hardy around.

 

Wow. Rowley has re-classified and is now part of the 2008 class, meaning he'll be at Northwestern for next season! He isn't sure if he'll redshirt or not and he's going to be raw, but I'm very excited.

 

Apparently this means that Sterling Williams is leaving the program. He has done very well academically and can probably graduate this June.

 

http://illinoishsbasketball.com/images/stories/players/kyle_dunk.jpg

[hawkeyecub]

Did Carmody make some changes on his staff in the last year or two? I'm glad they're recruiting better because it's good for the league. It just seems odd when they've gone 3-31 in the Big Ten the last two years.

[snoodmonger]

Northwestern sneaking into the tourney would be a great story.

[snoodmonger]

Congrats, Raisin.

 

It's sounding like Bobo Morgan will be a Bruin after all.

[bukie]

Is Northwestern the only "Big 6" team that has never made the NCAA tourney?

[Jon]

Did Carmody make some changes on his staff in the last year or two? I'm glad they're recruiting better because it's good for the league. It just seems odd when they've gone 3-31 in the Big Ten the last two years.

Some. Craig Robinson, brother of Michelle Obama, left a couple of years ago to take the HC spot at Brown. That opened up a spot for Tavaras Hardy. He joined the staff in 2006 and was a natural fit from the beginning. The guy is a former two-time All-Big Ten player who bleeds purple and even married a former NU womens basketball player. He's lived in the Chicago area all of his life and has an incredible knack for recruiting, especially locally. The inrease in recruiting success we've had in the last year or two can really be tied to him. Carmody has refocused his recruiting efforts, though, and I think that's paying off, as well.

[Guest]

Congrats, Raisin.

 

It's sounding like Bobo Morgan will be a Bruin after all.

 

Woa, I haven't been to a UCLA message board all day.

 

ETA: Sounds like he's asked out of his NLI per Rivals. Wowowow, hope it's true! Scout doesn't have anything.

[SouthSideRyan]

Is Northwestern the only "Big 6" team that has never made the NCAA tourney?

 

South Florida I think.

 

Northwestern should be improved with Rowley, but they'd need to win the Big 10 tourney to make the tournament. I bet the NIT would take them with a winning record though.

[Jon]

Is Northwestern the only "Big 6" team that has never made the NCAA tourney?

 

South Florida I think.

 

Northwestern should be improved with Rowley, but they'd need to win the Big 10 tourney to make the tournament. I bet the NIT would take them with a winning record though.

We've been snubbed before, but they should. The atmosphere are Welsh-Ryan for the last NIT game against DePaul was great. It would be an important step.

 

Here's a list of schools that have never played in the tournament from 2004. And guess which one hosted the first ever tournament.

 

Maybe it's a curse for tearing down Patten Gym.

[Bruno7481]

Who the hell is Verdell Jones? Why is a kid from Champaign, Illinois committing to IU? Is he just not very good?

[snoodmonger]

Who the hell is Verdell Jones? Why is a kid from Champaign, Illinois committing to IU? Is he just not very good?

 

He could be a good player. I know UI and KU looked at him for a while but decided to go in different directions. He's a 3* on scout, and he was being recruited by good programs. I think he's the kind of guy who, if he continues to improve, could be a player by his Jr or Sr year.

[Magnetic Curses]

Who the hell is Verdell Jones? Why is a kid from Champaign, Illinois committing to IU? Is he just not very good?

 

because he was never recruited very hard by weber or his assistants. i'm actually really shocked that he's not headed to minnesota, really shocked.

 

he's got a lot of potential, that's for sure. but with the other guards in illinois, he was high on the illini's wish list for about 2 seconds---decided to bide his time and wait to make a decision, and then found himself out in the cold.

[Magnetic Curses]

Great get, but we were out of schollys so we weren't after him too hard Jon.

 

rowley's a monster, no doubt. definitely a project, and we already have one of those at center--although i think rowley has a lot better chance of making it that tis does.

 

as for 09-10 being stacked with great players, it's true. but we already have the cream of the crop, so it's nice to sit back and not have to worry about getting a share and then watching as they go elsewhere.

 

we just need those 2011 kids to start committing. oh yeah, and it appears that thompson doesn't have an illini offer just yet.

[snoodmonger]

Great get, but we were out of schollys so we weren't after him too hard Jon.

 

rowley's a monster, no doubt. definitely a project, and we already have one of those at center--although i think rowley has a lot better chance of making it that tis does.

 

as for 09-10 being stacked with great players, it's true. but we already have the cream of the crop, so it's nice to sit back and not have to worry about getting a share and then watching as they go elsewhere.

 

we just need those 2011 kids to start committing. oh yeah, and it appears that thompson doesn't have an illini offer just yet.

 

 

Sulley, you said KU was in the lead for some kid named Blackshear. I don't know anything about him. Could you provide some details/scouting report?

[Magnetic Curses]

Great get, but we were out of schollys so we weren't after him too hard Jon.

 

rowley's a monster, no doubt. definitely a project, and we already have one of those at center--although i think rowley has a lot better chance of making it that tis does.

 

as for 09-10 being stacked with great players, it's true. but we already have the cream of the crop, so it's nice to sit back and not have to worry about getting a share and then watching as they go elsewhere.

 

we just need those 2011 kids to start committing. oh yeah, and it appears that thompson doesn't have an illini offer just yet.

 

 

Sulley, you said KU was in the lead for some kid named Blackshear. I don't know anything about him. Could you provide some details/scouting report?

 

right now, he's the second ranked player in illinois for 2011, behind mike shaw. he's a 6-4 wing and super athletic. pretty raw in terms of skills, not a great ball-handler or shooter, but he was only a freshman. will develop in time.

 

unfortunately, he's still young so there's not much of a profile on him.

[illiniguy]

Who the hell is Verdell Jones? Why is a kid from Champaign, Illinois committing to IU? Is he just not very good?

 

because he was never recruited very hard by weber or his assistants. i'm actually really shocked that he's not headed to minnesota, really shocked.

 

he's got a lot of potential, that's for sure. but with the other guards in illinois, he was high on the illini's wish list for about 2 seconds---decided to bide his time and wait to make a decision, and then found himself out in the cold.

He chose IU for the playing time.

[Magnetic Curses]

Who the hell is Verdell Jones? Why is a kid from Champaign, Illinois committing to IU? Is he just not very good?

 

because he was never recruited very hard by weber or his assistants. i'm actually really shocked that he's not headed to minnesota, really shocked.

 

he's got a lot of potential, that's for sure. but with the other guards in illinois, he was high on the illini's wish list for about 2 seconds---decided to bide his time and wait to make a decision, and then found himself out in the cold.

He chose IU for the playing time.

 

that seems to be the word. if he DID have offers from ku and uk, and was more interested in minny and iu, it makes sense that he would have chosen iu so that he could play right away.

[snoodmonger]

Who the hell is Verdell Jones? Why is a kid from Champaign, Illinois committing to IU? Is he just not very good?

 

because he was never recruited very hard by weber or his assistants. i'm actually really shocked that he's not headed to minnesota, really shocked.

 

he's got a lot of potential, that's for sure. but with the other guards in illinois, he was high on the illini's wish list for about 2 seconds---decided to bide his time and wait to make a decision, and then found himself out in the cold.

He chose IU for the playing time.

 

that seems to be the word. if he DID have offers from ku and uk, and was more interested in minny and iu, it makes sense that he would have chosen iu so that he could play right away.

 

 

I can't speak for UI, but I'm pretty sure we never offered him. We definitely sniffed around. I believe his dad and Self became friends while Self was at UI. But I'm pretty sure we were lukewarm on him.

[hawkeyecub]

Who the hell is Verdell Jones? Why is a kid from Champaign, Illinois committing to IU? Is he just not very good?

 

The limited scouting report I've heard on him is that he's a solid all-around offensive PG but incredibly weak and thus seen more as a long-term guy. I thought he was headed to Minnesota but the immediate playing time at IU has to be impossible to turn down.