WVBilliken

So do you think RM was not interested in Kowal because Rememkun is bigger, stronger and a big factor for the team this year? I do.

This is absolutely a no-brainer. You pick up Kowal for the depth he brings the team. Don't be like Uncle Brad and worry about hurting a player's feelings because they will actually have to compete more for playing time. My guess the players will see him as a welcome addition.

Can't see CR red shirting unless the Bills get Kowal. He could be the most improved player on the team based on the reports of his increase in size and height.

Looks like quite a get for a still young team. Not only a good, proven player but also could be a leader. Northern Iowa has had a winning program and that attitude would be great for the Bills. I see him as immediately being one of the top 8 players if not a starter. But I sure can't figure out who RM would sit. Nice situation to be in.

Would be a heck of a nice pick-up for one year. Crossing my fingers!

I agree that it is much better for Loe to get to SLU early and start getting acquainted with his team mates, perhaps doing some strength training and getting comfortable with his new surroundings. Best thing that could of happened for SLU. Let's hope he is on campus by August 1.

Why post anything about McLemore, if he is not going to SLU I don't think most posters are interested.

Many kids go prep because of grades. I seem to remember RM wanted Jett last year as well. I also seem to remember Jett was highly recruited out of HS as well. I am extremely excited about both Jett and McCall and can see both in our backcourt in two years. Time will tell who is better. And I will wait and see who has a bigger impact in 2010-2011 because I have no idea. I really hope both have a big impact. But remember, three years ago who was going to red shirt and who was going to be the stud freshman? Thompson or Reed? It happens almost every year.

I have never seen McCall or Jett play. So maybe those of you who are staying McCall will be the impact player next year and not Jett have seen both play. So tell me why McCall is so much better than Jett? Jett has played a prep year so I assume he is one year older. He also probably played better competition this past year and is bigger, I think about 6'2" and close to 200 pounds. That sounds like a more college ready body to me. It sounds like he doesn't have as much quickness as McCall and that he is not as good of a scorer. McCall sounds more wiry at maybe 6'1" and from all reports about 170 pounds. Jett sounds like he might be a better passer. But heck, all I know is what I have read on the recruiting sites and this board. But after reading all of this I still can't see that McCall is so much more of an impact player than Jett. SLU doesn't exactly play a running athletic game, at least not since RM has gotten to SLU. So why wouldn't a bruising defensive guard have more impact than a small quick scoring guard? I have no opinion on who will have the greater impact, I just want to understand why many folks all year long seem to be so much higher on McCall than Jett.

Could of sworn the three point line was moved last year, but I looked it up and you are right, it changed 2 years ago. Dam time flies.

We shot 34% from the three point line last season which isn't great but really not that bad considering the three point line was moved back last year. I see improvement in this areas simply by being more familiar with the distance and our returning players being a year older. The thing I really expect improvement on is the foul shooting. We shot 69% last year. We need that up to at least the 75% range. With better foul shooting last year we win several more games.

Yes, WVBilliken lives in West Virginia. I try to attend at least one game a year. I get a premium sports package on cable so I can see as many games as possible on TV. I was a season ticket holder before I moved to West Virginia. I graduated from DuBourg high school and then St. Louis University many years ago. And yes, I am a huge Billiken fan. I don't see as many games as most of the posters so maybe I am not as well informed as most. Yes the Billikens have some great young talent but there is a hell of a lot of terrific basketball players in the USA. RM has brought us a long way but I will still be happy just to get to the Dance. Anything beyond that is gravy!.

Never said they wouldn't make the dance. See you there!

Boy, some of you guys are sensitive. Still don't think we are getting the type of player that will get us into the Sweet 16 yet. I guess I am waiting to see us beat a top team, other than another A-10 team, at home or on the road. When that happens a couple of times I will be a believer. Until then, I have high hopes that we make the NCAA tourney next year and perhaps make some noise in the first round. But beyond that, I still have serious doubts.

You gotta be kidding. I am as much of a Billiken fan as anyone but we are still not getting top 150 talent. I will be happy to get to the dance and hope for a win in the first round. Anything more than that would be terrific but unexpected.

I find it hard to believe that if Femi cannot play he will have a scholarship past this year. I am sure there are ways to get him through his last couple of semesters of school rather than tying up a basketball scholarship in the 2011 - 2012 school year. Heck there are only 13 to give and as we have seen anything and everything can happen and before you know it you have a short roster (injuries, early departures, academic issues, etc.) I think he keeps the scholarship this coming season but not the next. That would mean we have two scholarships to give for the class of 2011.

If I am correct I count 12 scholarship players for next year ---- 4 juniors, 4 sophomores and 4 freshmen. So right now we have one scholarship to give for the class or 2011. Several months ago there was a lot of talk about the status of Femi John including talk that his injuries might have ended his career. Anyone out there know if Femi will be back? Has he recovered from his injuries or is he done?

If anyone is interested, here is a 2-page Charleston, WV Gazette article on Noreen's signing by the Mountaineers. http://www.wvgazette.com/Sports/201006290048 Here's a couple of sentences out of the article that ought to peak your interest. "Noreen is a 6-foot-10 forward from Minneapolis whose high school statistics are in another realm. As a senior at Minnesota Transitions School he averaged 38.6 points, 16.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.2 blocks as his team won the Minnesota Class 1A state championship." "He also carried a 4.0 GPA and reportedly scored a perfect 36 on his ACT."

Just heard on the local sports radio show that Bobby Huggins just offered his last scholarship to 6'10" Kevin Noreen. The Billikens were after him at one point. He committed to Boston College but changed his commitment after a coaching change. Why in the heck is a four star recruit still out there in late June?

I see Mike McCall has been upgraded to a grade of 88 on ESPN. I know these recruiting sites are pretty poor at times but it is nice to see a Billiken recruit upgraded at this point in the year. Usually it goes in the opposite direction.

So, are our four recruits cleared to play by the NCAA clearinghouse? I would guess Jett is good to go since he did a year of prep school. Sure would be great if all four arrive on campus for summer classes and conditioning. I think I heard that Loe should not have the problems Ellis had last year. We need him and the other three ready to go come this fall.

I don't know how anybody can guess which freshmen steps up and plays more minutes than any of our top 7 returning players. But if I had to guess which ones step up and gets some meaningful minutes I would have to say RL then JJ. Why JJ instead of MM? I think because he is a year more mature having been in prep school and the fact that he is taller and more physical than MM. Majerus loves players who can play D. So my top 10 would be: 1) KM 2) KC 3) CE 4) WR 5) RL 6) BC 7) CS 8) JJ 9) CR 10) MM I see no reason to play PE except for mop-up duty. I hope DE pushes himself up the list. I think that largely depends on how CE does converting to a 3. If he is not quick enough, then we will have to play more three guard line-ups or give DE more minutes. I see JJ as most likely to move up and CS most likely to move down. Both appear to be good defenders but who is the better shooter and ball-handler? I also think that CR can move up and steal some of BC's minutes if CR improves as much as I think he might over this Summer. You have to think RL is a major contributor from the start. But if he is typical of young bigs he could drop in minutes with CR again being the major beneficiary.

I can't believe RM is going to pocket the last scholarship for the class of 2011. So is there another player that SLU is going to sign this spring period. If so, who?

Well, I really wasn't too excited about signing Jake, but if RM wants him then that is okay with me. One thing I like about RM is that he likes to have a full squad. No more saving scholarships for next year like Uncle Brad liked to do.

I still say pass on the transfer. If we are truly as good as we think we will be next year we should be able to attract some pretty good recruits next year. Hopefully the "merry-go-round" of players coming and going stops. If that is the case then we truly have only two scholarships to give next year. Save these two scholarships unless we can get someone who can contribute next year.