ORU Eli Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 There are a lot of people, ORU fans and not, that have a lot more smarts on Summitt league teams than I do. So my question is, who is a legit contender to ORU for the regular season crown next year? I'd have to think if guys like DBH and H-Mac are making significant contributions by December, and everybody else progresses as expected, we have to be the clear cut favorites going into '09-'10. NDSU is losing a lot this year. Oakland is losing big contributors too. I don't think any of the mid to lower level teams are going to make a big enough jump to be a true contender...so what am I missing? Barring injuries, are we big time favorites next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 There are a lot of people, ORU fans and not, that have a lot more smarts on Summitt league teams than I do. So my question is, who is a legit contender to ORU for the regular season crown next year? I'd have to think if guys like DBH and H-Mac are making significant contributions by December, and everybody else progresses as expected, we have to be the clear cut favorites going into '09-'10. NDSU is losing a lot this year. Oakland is losing big contributors too. I don't think any of the mid to lower level teams are going to make a big enough jump to be a true contender...so what am I missing? Barring injuries, are we big time favorites next year? 1. Oakland 2. ORU 3. IUPUI 4. SDSU 5. NDSU 6. Southern Utah 7. Western Illinois 8. IPFW 9. Centenary 10. UMKC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I would think that even though Oakland is losing Kangas, they will be the clear favorite to capture the league championship next year. They return a nice nucleus (Jones, Benson and Nelson) of starters as well as some nice role players and talented transfers/recruits. They will be talented. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue82 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Ditto to the previous comments. As much as I hate to say it, this thread should be entitled "Who will compete with Oakland next season? The Grizz should be the prohibitive favorites, and ORU would fall into the category of "contender", meaning that we WILL compete with Oakland. Are there other contenders? Perhaps... but unless there are major contributors signed in April, I think the gap between OU, ORU and the rest of the league will be significant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I'm fourth in line to say that the conference championship next year is Oakland's to lose. As usual, we have a lot of unknowns, and it's hard to know how we'll compete. But I guessing that OT's list will be pretty accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Doc tells me that Southern Utah has commitments from two post players (6'9" or so) from the Australian Institute of Sports.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Doc tells me that Southern Utah has commitments from two post players (6'9" or so) from the Australian Institute of Sports.... There's a joke there somewhere, involving fake transcripts, Mormans, and kangaroos, but I just can't seem to sort it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Yikes....TheEagleman was thinking with the addition of DBH and Hunter McLintock, our boys would coast to the Summit title.....ORU all the way, baby!.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeflip1 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Here's a breakdown of probable Oakland and ORU starters. I didn't include Nelson because I thought he graduated this year, or Bell-Holter because Prep school stats are irrelevant when entering D-I. ORU Andre Hardy pts-7.5 F Reb- 5.5 6-6 230 So. Roderick Pearson at SEMO Pts- 10.2 G Reb- 2.5 6-2 Ast- 2.6 Jr. 190 Kyron Stokes pts-7.0 G reb-4.1 6-5 RFr. 210 Kevin Ford pts-9.4 F Reb- 7.4 6-9 Jr. 240 Dominique Morrison pts-9.6 F Reb- 3.2 6-6 Fr. 190 Combined Points-43.7 Comined Rebounds- 22.8 Oakland Will Hudson pts-7.4 Forward reb-4.6 6-9 225 SO Keith Benson pts-14.3 Height 6-11 Reb-7.8 Weight 225 lbs. Position C Blake Cushingberry pts-6.3 Guard reb- 3 6-4 225 FR Johnathon Jones pts-13.3 Guard reb-2.8 5-11 ast-8.1 165 JR Drew Maynard pts-7.1 Guard reb-3.0 6-7 220 FR Combined Points- 48.4 Combined Rebounds- 21.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeflip1 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 This will be a great matchup next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Wakefllip, you also left Keith Benson off of Oakland's starting five, and he was one of their stars THIS season. He'll be a junior next year. There's been a little concern expressed on the Oakland board about Nelson, and the fact that he hasn't been seen on the bench with the team. Could his injury be more lingering or disabling than originally thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeflip1 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Nice catch, I Updated it. I'm not sure how I missed him. I picked these guys based on average gametime minutes, and Benson is up there, and will definitely be a starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeflip1 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Here's my top 5. 1. Oakland 2. ORU 3. IPFW 4. IUPUI 5. SDSU IPFW will have 4 of their 5 top scorers back. I expect them to be a legitimate contender next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue82 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Here's my top 5. 1. Oakland 2. ORU 3. IPFW 4. IUPUI 5. SDSU IPFW will have 4 of their 5 top scorers back. I expect them to be a legitimate contender next year. Sometimes having the same guys back is NOT a good thing... unless they significantly improve. And while I can't say a whole lot bad about them (since IPFW did beat us this season), I don't see IPFW as "contenders" next year. I'd predict that they will compete with the "rest of the pack", around the lower middle of the standings (6th-8th). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeflip1 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Sometimes having the same guys back is NOT a good thing... unless they significantly improve. And while I can't say a whole lot bad about them (since IPFW did beat us this season), I don't see IPFW as "contenders" next year. I'd predict that they will compete with the "rest of the pack", around the lower middle of the standings (6th-8th). I agree with you that a team who brings back a ton of bad players does not make them a good team. Though, it does mean they should be a better team. Considering they have 4 of their top 5 scorers back, and finished fifth in the conference could indicate they will finish next season 1 or 2 spots higher. I could be dead wrong, but I think Fort Wayne will make for an interesting season next year. I went ahead and looked at IUPUI, and it appears they have 5 of their 6 top scorers returning (combined for 48.8 points). Points don't tell all, but it's a good indicator of what's to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plato1667 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I have to say ORU may really be 1 more year away. Kevin Ford will be a senior next year, but if Bell-Holter is all he seems to be domination may be the word for the 2010-2011 season. Bell-Holter in the middle, with Morrison at one wing Hardy at the other wing, Pearson and Stokes at the Guards. The starting 5 is not the big thing. It's the possible depth that could make us very veryscary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Hard to imagine we're getting a nationally-recruited guy like Hunter McClintock without assuring him some significant minutes as a freshman - don't know if he'll start, but I bet he gets 15-20 minutes a game this coming season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Hard to imagine we're getting a nationally-recruited guy like Hunter McClintock without assuring him some significant minutes as a freshman - don't know if he'll start, but I bet he gets 15-20 minutes a game this coming season. The interesting thing about McClintock is that he plays like a pg but shoots like a 2 guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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