FOX 23: Paul Mills overhauls ORU basketball with eight new players

[ORUParentLurker]

Well two things are certain.  One, this team has undergone a massive overhaul.  Two, preseason polls never predict anything other than a repeat of the previous year.

So if you want to be real smart about it you'd predict a preseason 5th or 6th place.  That's not the basement and yet still massively pessimistic.

Personally I don't see the value in forecasting the predictions.  I see talent there and Mills getting his culture infused.  I see an easier schedule and some veteran leaders.  Top 3 finish should be the goal along with a winning record overall.

[Old Titan]

21 minutes ago, ORUParentLurker said:

Preaseason polls never predict anything other than a repeat of the previous year.

You don’t say. 

SDSU will be picked to repeat because they have the POY returning. 

NDSU and USD will be picked up there as well, because they have better players returning than the rest of the bunch. 

ORU will be picked at or near the bottom because they lost most of what little talent and experience they had, the incomers are young and/or unproven, and the coaching staff has been gutted for replacements who haven’t won anything elsewhere.

A recipe for success?  We’ll see...

[Dr. Cornelius]

30 minutes ago, Old Titan said:

NDSU and USD will be picked up there as well, because they have better players returning than the rest of the bunch. 

Not sure USD is returning all that much. Plus, they have an entirely new staff and lost every recruit that had committed for the year.

[GoldenEagleFan]

My early thoughts on Summit League preseason poll:

1. South Dakota State (Returns almost entire roster, plus Daum)

2. South Dakota (Lost Mooney, Fuller, new coach, returns everyone else)

3. Denver (Lost Amigo, returns Rozga, Krafka, Murkey... adds Townsend)

4. Fort Wayne (Lost Scott, returns Konchar, Harrell)

5. Oral Roberts (Lost Owens, White, Ruder, returns Nzekwesi, Kearns, Fuqua.... adds Weaver, Milton, Smith, Jones)

6. North Dakota State (Lost Miller, Jacobson, Eliason... returns Hunter and Ward)

7. Western Illinois (Lost Ancrum, Duff)

8. Omaha (Lost Wofford, Norl, Meyer... returns Jackson, Hahn, Robinson, Gibson)

9. North Dakota (Lost Crandall, Avants, Seales, Jones)

 

Thoughts?

 

[Dr. Cornelius]

I think Denver will finish higher than USD... Mooney did a lot for South Dakota last season and Burch-Manning will have to adjust to being the number one option.

[ORUParentLurker]

I'd put SDSU as the clear favorite but I don't see anyone else as a clear leader for 2nd place (not on paper anyway). 

I'm also expecting ORU to play a completely different style.

[Dr. Cornelius]

On 6/11/2018 at 1:23 PM, Old Titan said:

All previous points aside, I frankly see nothing new on this roster or staff that will preclude ORU from being picked in or near the basement when the Summit League preseason polls start coming out in a few weeks.

Got a long row to hoe, gentlemen...a long row.

I think this is probably right. I expect ORU to be picked 6th or 7th in the preseason. ORU lost the most in terms of points and rebounds per game of any team in the Summit. While the incoming freshman and JUCO players may contribute the adjustment to D1 could take some time. I think ORU will finish a little higher than 6-7 but it's reasonable to pick them there.

 

Summit League Losses Summary (League only Stats)
	Denver	Ft. Wayne	Omaha	ORU	NDSU	USD	SDSU	WIU
PPG	34%	46%	29%	50%	47%	40%	24%	20%
RPG	26%	48%	24%	55%	32%	36%	31%	19%
AST/G	32%	36%	25%	38%	44%	30%	23%	13%
STL/G	32%	63%	27%	46%	46%	45%	35%	24%

 

[Fam of ORU]

This is how I feel about the upcoming season too  SDSU  as the understandably clear favorite with no clear leader for the 2 spot. I too expect and am almost certain ORU will play a completely different  style. I’m very optimistic that the new players and style will give ORU just as good a chance as any other team at the 2 spot. 

[91jack]

On June 11, 2018 at 4:55 PM, GoldenEagleFan said:

My early thoughts on Summit League preseason poll:

1. South Dakota State (Returns almost entire roster, plus Daum)

2. South Dakota (Lost Mooney, Fuller, new coach, returns everyone else)

3. Denver (Lost Amigo, returns Rozga, Krafka, Murkey... adds Townsend)

4. Fort Wayne (Lost Scott, returns Konchar, Harrell)

5. Oral Roberts (Lost Owens, White, Ruder, returns Nzekwesi, Kearns, Fuqua.... adds Weaver, Milton, Smith, Jones)

6. North Dakota State (Lost Miller, Jacobson, Eliason... returns Hunter and Ward)

7. Western Illinois (Lost Ancrum, Duff)

8. Omaha (Lost Wofford, Norl, Meyer... returns Jackson, Hahn, Robinson, Gibson)

9. North Dakota (Lost Crandall, Avants, Seales, Jones)

 

Thoughts?

 

1.  I will take SDSU as the clear #1.  They return 4 starters and Key who played a lot in the conference tournament.  After those 5, it's all up in the air.  They have a walk-on junior (local kid), a sophomore transfer from Washington (has to sit out this season) and 7 freshman.  Four freshmen redshirted last year and three are true freshmen.

2.  USD-  I know they lost Mooney but they have about all of their other players back from last year.  Their new coach might struggle early in the season but he should be about to right the ship like TJ did at SDSU two years ago.

3.  UND-  This is a guess.  I don't know a ton about them.  I thought they only lost Jones.  If they lost all 4 players listed about, they drop way down.  Otherwise, they will have have an experienced/athletic team.

4.  Fort Wayne-  Koncher and Harrell are really good.

5. Denver-  The only reason I took them here is because the next two teams have to many unknowns.  Or I might move Denver to #7 and move up #6 and #7.

6. Oral Roberts-  I think I will take Nzekwesi, Kearns and Fuqua with their new cast over NDSU.

7. NDSU-  Ward, Hunter and Geu and their new crew.

8. Omaha-  I almost wanted to take them higher.  They have Jackson, Hahn, Gibson and Robinson that all averaged about 10 ppg or more but they don't really stop anybody.

9.  Western Illinois-  They have Johnson, Webster and Gilbeck but I just couldn't move them up.  

I can see NDSU and Western (if Gilbeck can take over a game) over achieving in the conference tournament.  

NDSU, ORU and SDSU are all really high on their younger players but SDSU has enough upperclassmen for this year and then we will see who's underclassmen are better.