Here are a set of predictions that are based more on gut than stats... I'll provide my thought process for each, then cover my head as you all prepare to beat some sense into me.
1. Bohannon will appear to suffer a sophomore slump.
He was FANTASTIC at the end of the season. People aren't treating him the same way as other sophomores. He takes a higher percentage of shots from deep, which are generally less consistent than layups. Inevitably, he'll go through a cold stretch. He is still young, and I have concerns about his true ceiling compared to what people seem to expect.
2. Garza and Nunge will combine for less than 15 minutes per game.
They're showing really well, especially for freshmen, in the PTL. The B1G is a whole different animal. They'll play, but expect to see Kriener, Wagner, and Uhl getting more minutes than people are expecting as they show the young guns what it takes.
3. Ellingson will have a higher offensive rating by KenPom than Isaiah Moss (needed an objective measure for productivity)
Folks seem to bank on Moss stepping up, but I'm expecting Brady to have the better year. Moss may flash a higher ceiling, but Brady has been more consistent so far.
4. Fran will not get T'd up this year.
He had to rebuild the program, establish the program's culture, and up the talent level. We're getting there. We already dealt with a 6 man freshmen class, so there should be less of a learning curve to upset Fran. Finally, the team is just better and building a reputation as being one of the tougher teams in the league.
More to come as the season approaches...
1. Bohannon will appear to suffer a sophomore slump.
He was FANTASTIC at the end of the season. People aren't treating him the same way as other sophomores. He takes a higher percentage of shots from deep, which are generally less consistent than layups. Inevitably, he'll go through a cold stretch. He is still young, and I have concerns about his true ceiling compared to what people seem to expect.
2. Garza and Nunge will combine for less than 15 minutes per game.
They're showing really well, especially for freshmen, in the PTL. The B1G is a whole different animal. They'll play, but expect to see Kriener, Wagner, and Uhl getting more minutes than people are expecting as they show the young guns what it takes.
3. Ellingson will have a higher offensive rating by KenPom than Isaiah Moss (needed an objective measure for productivity)
Folks seem to bank on Moss stepping up, but I'm expecting Brady to have the better year. Moss may flash a higher ceiling, but Brady has been more consistent so far.
4. Fran will not get T'd up this year.
He had to rebuild the program, establish the program's culture, and up the talent level. We're getting there. We already dealt with a 6 man freshmen class, so there should be less of a learning curve to upset Fran. Finally, the team is just better and building a reputation as being one of the tougher teams in the league.
More to come as the season approaches...