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2014-15 Season


ORUIllini

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I enjoyed watching the game the other night so much, that I stated thinking about next year already! Now, I know I may be in the minority of holding out hope for a post season bid IF ORU does not run the table in Katy in a couple of weeks, but I still think they will split this weekend and go at least 1-1 in the conference tourney for a record of 18-15......

 

Anywhoo.....there is so much to be positive about going into next year with all the young, experienced talent, along with a healthy Obi, getting to see Dederick Lee and Albert Owens on board as well.

 

I started thinking about next years schedule and came across this article about next years early season tournaments. I know the philosophy of playing anyone, anywhere, and it looks like there are some really good tournaments to possibly get into.

 

Anyone out there have any insider information on next years schedule? Or am I just way to early to the party as usual.........

 

http://www.bloggingthebracket.com/2013/12/2/5166354/2014-15-college-basketball-early-season-tournaments-events-MTE

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You're so early to the party that the previous party is still going on....

 

Here's a calendar of things to do before next season starts:

 

MARCH:  Watch to see how ORU's opponents from this season fare in postseason play (especially the ones from the Southland and the Summit), while your NCAA bracket goes up in flames before your eyes.

 

APRIL:  Spring signing period - don't be surprised when ORU unexpectedly signs one or two unknowns, late in the game.  Also, the coaching carousel begins it's annual turn, though with not as much mention of Scott Sutton as in previous years.

 

MAY:  Rumors begin to circulate about a couple of ORU players who may not be returning next year - now you realize why they signed those new guys in the spring signing period.

 

JUNE:  Summer camps and family vacations for the coaching staff mean a dead period for any official news.  The annual summer rites begin on the ORU message board of composing haiku and arguing about the all-time best players in ORU history.

 

JULY:  It's NOW that you start hearing about opponents for the upcoming season, as other schools announce their schedules and holiday tournaments firm up their fields.  Also, like the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, the first signs of the upcoming season appear on the message board as trolls from the Dakotas start popping up in all their passive-aggressive splendor.

 

AUGUST:  ORU announces their 2014-2015 basketball schedule hours before the fall semester starts (if we're lucky).  The team roster also is posted on the ORU website, with some familiar names suddenly gone and mystery signees listed in their place.

 

SEPTEMBER:  Preseason publications begin to announce their predictions for the coming year.  ORU is picked somewhere in the middle of the pack in the Summit League; Korey Billbury gets snubbed as a preseason Summit League 1st-Teamer.  ORU is also left out of the preseason College Sports Madness Top 144 profile for the second straight year, a harbinger of another cold winter to come...

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Anybody care to make a projection as to what the ORU starting line up might look like in November, 2014?.....C: Kaufman/Owens....PF: Conley....SF: Billbury....SG: Lee/Word.....PG: Singleton/Jackson......?????.... :nerd:

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Dang...I sure did!....Does Obi Emegano go in there in place of Conley or perhaps the Lee/Word spot?....from what we have gleaned from Coach Sutton....Dederick Lee is going to be tough to keep out of the lineup.... :nerd:

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Revised 2014-15 lineup  starter and backups......Kaufmann/Owens......Emegano....Billbury....Lee/Word....Singleton/Jackson.......6th man/Conley?....Weber/Wilson/Henderson???....wow...that's 12 guys.....gonna be a battle for playing time...perhaps OT is right and one or two won't be back..... :nerd:

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Revised 2014-15 lineup  starter and backups......Kaufmann/Owens......Emegano....Billbury....Lee/Word....Singleton/Jackson.......6th man/Conley?....Weber/Wilson/Henderson???....wow...that's 12 guys.....gonna be a battle for playing time...perhaps OT is right and one or two won't be back..... :nerd:

 

If Obi is healthy, he is our best player.

 

And, if he is, he's a lock to start along with Korey.

 

Every other position is up for grabs, other than maybe Brandon Conley. He is really coming along. So, you've got the 2, 3, & 4 positions locked up, with depth behind them.

 

Fingers crossed that Owens is as good as advertised. If so, at 6-9, I'd have to imagine he'd start in the middle. But, hopefully Kaufman continues to improve and be even more of an asset/provide depth.

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Emegano and Billbury are a very solid duo for next season....those are two character players to build around....of course, we have to steer clear of the major injury which has hit ORU several times over the past decade.....still, we Golden Eagle fans have some hope on the horizon.... :eagles:

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I think it will be good for Jordan to have some big man competition with Owens next season. I would foresee Kaufmann getting a bulk of the playing time, especially since on the coaches radio show a couple of weeks ago Coach Sutton talked about how Jordan was recruited when we were still in the Summit, and Kaufmann is more of a true "post" man....the up tempo play in the Southland is not quite his style, so the return to the Summit will benefit him....I would like to see him dunk it one day soon!

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Good point, Illini.....Kaufman might be an All-American if he were playing for NDSU or SDSU..... :razz:

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if i had to guess opening night starters for next year it would be:

 

Jackson

Billbury

Emegano

Conley

Henderson

 

of course a lot can happen from now until then as OT pointed out.

 

i think Kaufman will develop into a good role player.  like Mickey says in the FCS broadcasts he has more of a Euro game.  he's more comfortable spotting up from 15 ft out and has soft hands.  he does not seem like a back-to-the-basket type guy that enjoys mixing it up in the paint.  if you watch those FCS games he is easily pushed off the post anytime he tries to establish position down low by guys much lighter and 4-5 inches shorter.

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You're so early to the party that the previous party is still going on....

 

Here's a calendar of things to do before next season starts:

 

MARCH:  Watch to see how ORU's opponents from this season fare in postseason play (especially the ones from the Southland and the Summit), while your NCAA bracket goes up in flames before your eyes.

 

APRIL:  Spring signing period - don't be surprised when ORU unexpectedly signs one or two unknowns, late in the game.  Also, the coaching carousel begins it's annual turn, though with not as much mention of Scott Sutton as in previous years.

 

MAY:  Rumors begin to circulate about a couple of ORU players who may not be returning next year - now you realize why they signed those new guys in the spring signing period.

 

JUNE:  Summer camps and family vacations for the coaching staff mean a dead period for any official news.  The annual summer rites begin on the ORU message board of composing haiku and arguing about the all-time best players in ORU history.

 

JULY:  It's NOW that you start hearing about opponents for the upcoming season, as other schools announce their schedules and holiday tournaments firm up their fields.  Also, like the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, the first signs of the upcoming season appear on the message board as trolls from the Dakotas start popping up in all their passive-aggressive splendor.

 

AUGUST:  ORU announces their 2014-2015 basketball schedule hours before the fall semester starts (if we're lucky).  The team roster also is posted on the ORU website, with some familiar names suddenly gone and mystery signees listed in their place.

 

SEPTEMBER:  Preseason publications begin to announce their predictions for the coming year.  ORU is picked somewhere in the middle of the pack in the Summit League; Korey Billbury gets snubbed as a preseason Summit League 1st-Teamer.  ORU is also left out of the preseason College Sports Madness Top 144 profile for the second straight year, a harbinger of another cold winter to come...

A brilliant synopsis of every calendar year I can remember as an ORU fan, and it's all right on the money except for one thing: the swallows aren't returning to Capistrano any more. Differing views as to why. Going to have to find a new metaphor. How about, "As sure as the sockeye salmon return to the Chilkoot River." Or, "The locusts return to the wheat fields of Kansas." Just a couple options to consider.

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