yeah I'd love to get Bryce but I'm not going to even entertain the thought until I hear something. I'd be shocked if we didn't call, though.
Next year team will be better than expected by this board
- Thread starter UR80sfan
- Start date
Am I the only one that thinks if we land Funk or similar, Goose and the transfer BOTH start? Burton is currently our starting 4, because we only have one other (Grace) who is proven at the 4/5 slots. Really we need 2 transfer bigs before Burton can spend most of his time at the 3. Unless that happens, Goose and a transfer guard are both starting. And yes I realize Dji, Crabtree, and others may also make claims at the spot at some point.
If we are starting Goose and Funk - that is not a good interior defensive team or rebounding team. I think if we cannot land bigs, and we land funk, and Burton is primarily a 4, we need Dji and Noyes at 3 for defense or rebounding. Really would like to see 2 interior players landed - with Grace/big 1/ big 2 sharing minutes at 4/5 - and Burton remaining at 3 (wing).
Might start them both in the beginning, but I predict that Nelson will eventually start and play starter minutes. I see Goose most effective as a "reserve with an important role" anyway.
My gut tells me that Crabtree will start at shooting guard unless they land a portal that beats him out.
I think we are mostly in the same place...look I just love talking basketball with you guys 😃 the last few days have been - me: looks around, students are working...let me see what the guys are saying on the MBs 😂 I'm multi tasking.
Yep, this board is a bit more hard to put away myself working exclusively from home the last two years.
Watching some video of Quinn and Funk, like them both on the offensive side of the ball. Worried about how they would be able to defend the athleticism in the A-10 vs the Patriot League that they were used to.
It has been our defense that has been pretty poor for a while now (and then got miraculously better in the A-10 tournament and against Iowa). So, if I'm Mooney, I'm checking out which guys can defend in our league as well.
The good thing about Quinn, is he is 7 feet tall. I have same concern about both - especially Funk. If he is a 45% shooter from 3, a little less. Sherod had a great career, but unfortunately due to the injuries was really a weak link on D. I am typically a defense first type of message board coach, so I share the same concerns.
Very happy to have him back!
Goose is loose. Great to have him back. Now let's get in that gym and work on that arc 
Spiders starter Andre Gustavson returning for fifth season, has played in 108 UR games
"Richmond is home."
And while i am dispensing advice, maybe pick up one more language
Goose and Grace are probably the easiest two wishes on your list. Let’s see how the rest goes.
Burton can certainly help out there. He has enough arc for Goose & himself.Goose is loose. Great to have him back. Now let's get in that gym and work on that arc
I don't know. My gut is that Goose has more than earned a starting role. Mooney has a long history of keeping starters as starters. This year there were 2 exceptions. After Nick's 2 injuries, it was evident he would become an early off the bench, as his starts were not great, and I like NS a lot. Also, Wilson was given ample time to show his value added, and he just didn't produce enough. Bottom line - I think Goose starts regardless of who is on the team next year.
ha, good point. Goose can borrow a foot or two off Burton's arc.
Goose fit this year's team well in that we had multiple scoring options on offense but needed defense. Who knows what next year's team will look like but I think we will need more scoring out of the 2 guard position than what Goose gave us this year. So, I disagree that Goose starts regardless.
Everyone was so sure that Sherod was our starter at 2 guard this year, which he was, but quickly became apparent that was a bad idea because Sherod couldn't defend. Same will apply with Goose but on the offensive end of things, if we get a guy either via transfer or Dji/Dread/Randolph who shows offensive aptitude superior to Goose.
And if we land one of these guards who averaged 15+ ppg last year, I don't see how that player doesn't get major minutes.
One of the few times I'll go on record & say I have faith in Mooney. It's here, and my analytics say as long as Goose is healthy then he's in the starting lineup game 1 next season.
They will probably wait until tomorrow if there is anything else. Spiders tend to give each guy his own day in the spotlight.
Goose is one of two returning starters from an NCAA team that lost 6 players. He is easily our best defender and will be on year 5. Most people think the team will be worse this year, but somehow Goose is no longer good enough to start on a weaker team? Something has to give here.
Even if we land Quinn and Ethan Wright, I still see Goose in the starting lineup.
Nelson
Wright
Goose
Burton
Quinn
If Goose is healthy but on the bench for our first game, Mooney must have nailed it in the portal AND some younger guys have really stepped up. I would love that, but it isn't realistic.
I think Goose definitely starts next year, and I think he should start. He is athletic, he can drive the ball and finish at the basket, can handle the ball, very good defensively, often takes the opponent's leading scorer completely out of the game, and offensively, he could only do so much as the 5th option. Each year, he has only taken an average of 3-4 shots a game, so I wouldn't worry too much about his scoring average. I would look for him to be more aggressive on offense, and think he can be about a 10 points a game scorer, especially if he can shoot the 3s around 35%. I think it's talent and experience, more than loyalty, that makes this an easy decision to start him.
it's not like he was the 5th option by mandate. he was the 5th option because he was the 5th best scoring option.
I hope you're right that he increases to 10 ppg and shoots 35% from 3. that would be awesome but surprising. we know he'll give us solid D and great effort.
Spiders starter Andre Gustavson returning for fifth season, has played in 108 UR games
"Richmond is home."richmond.com
Damn just for spiderman I wish Mooney threw Gary Payton into the quote, we'll stick with "elite defender"
In fact many will recall Mooney originally wanted tall points. Pretty adamant about it early on. Think his first PG recruit was Brian Morris. Could maybe even argue Butler but I don't think he was ever envisioned as a point.
He did a 180 because KA was a transformational recruit and he figured out that it's harder to get big guards at our level, the real small ones are underrecruited and we've been highly successful with them regularly.
He had to run with Sylla at the point in his first year, so he figured that was what a point guard looked like.
But ya, Morris was a big kid for point. As fate would have it, he only lasted a year before transferring to Towson, so KA was pressed into action as a frosh and the rest is history.
But ya, Morris was a big kid for point. As fate would have it, he only lasted a year before transferring to Towson, so KA was pressed into action as a frosh and the rest is history.
not to me. he's never sniffed 35% in four years. he's just as likely to shoot below 32% as above.
🔒 it in for Goose. I’m going with Dji( I know surprise) Goose, Tyler, Matt & transfer…BIG lineup
with some athleticism. If no Matt maybe transfer fills that spot.
Wasn't he 34/32/31 in 3 of his 4 years? Sniffles I'm going to refer u to a good ENT doctor.
