PG – Rivers – brings experience and leadership, also our best defender
SG – Creek – I think this kid is the real deal. He will be a starter and contribute
SF – Watford – Our all around best player I'm sure, 6'7 swing man now thats the start
to a big ten championship….he is a forward not a center…don't play him there
PF – Eltson – I like him, I think he has potential but he will fight for minutes with Bobby C
C – Pritchard – I would really like to see Bawa here and Tom at a starting PF, but I think Bawa is
too raw for early contribution from what I here…in the furture though all these guys
give us good depth in the front court
team two

PG – Hulls – This kid is going to do a lot of things with and with out the ball, as long as he can run
the team, reduce turnovers, and make some great passes we won't need him to score
SG – VJ3 – More of a point gaurd, but the next most talented player we have
SF – Dumes – A guard but all small forwards were really used in my first string
PF – Bobby C – He will play at both PF and C, I can see him contributing early
C – Bawa – The 7 footer; we will see how good he is if he is cleared

Roth – comes in at anytime for zone buster or big three, he will need to work on his defense to
earn more consistant minutes

PG – Rivers – brings experience and leadership, also our best defender
SG – Creek – I think this kid is the real deal. He will be a starter and contribute
SF – Watford – Our all around best player I'm sure, 6'7 swing man now thats the start
to a big ten championship….he is a forward not a center…don't play him there
PF – Eltson – I like him, I think he has potential but he will fight for minutes with Bobby C
C – Pritchard – I would really like to see Bawa here and Tom at a starting PF, but I think Bawa is
too raw for early contribution from what I here…in the furture though all these guys
give us good depth in the front court
team two

PG – Hulls – This kid is going to do a lot of things with and with out the ball, as long as he can run
the team, reduce turnovers, and make some great passes we won't need him to score
SG – VJ3 – More of a point gaurd, but the next most talented player we have
SF – Dumes – A guard but all small forwards were really used in my first string
PF – Bobby C – He will play at both PF and C, I can see him contributing early
C – Bawa – The 7 footer; we will see how good he is if he is cleared

Roth – comes in at anytime for zone buster or big three, he will need to work on his defense to
earn more consistant minutes

Who guards the small forward with this line-up? If VIII's added size/strength give him more defensive ability he has the long arms to handle it. Dumes is too short. Rivers possibly but not sure I like it. This may be a shortcoming for us defensively with the better SF's to defend.

We all talk about Watford's versatility, but honestly I think that's as a small forward. As a freshman power forward he will get pushed around a lot. As a 3 he creates mismatches. Looking forward to 2010 when TP is in his natural PF position with Capo & Bawa in the center position.

I think the starting lineup changes every game. There are a lot of players that give you similar game. It makes sense to me to start as many as 8 different players this year for multiple reasons.

More importantly, I think who finishes the game is of most importance. It's hard to measure that early, so by game 20 I go with Hulls, Rivers, VIII, Watford and Elston. If Dumes can stay more focused/less emotional and TP has better conditioning this could change.

Finally, I realize the objective is still to win games. But getting these guys in the Big Ten grind is a big deal. That includes Bawa and Capo even if it's for a few 3 minute stretches. One of these two will really surprise us this year.

Finally finally…….Matt Roth, if you are listening, I hope you accept our challenge of being the sniper every team needs. This dude lit up Ohio State for 29 as a frosh. I'm not giving up on him yet. If he gets hot, he seems to have the savvy to nail a 3 point FG for the win.

End of season

Rivers Creek Watford Elston Pritchard

Rivers, VJ3, Watford, Elston, Pritchard

^There's a lot of height in that lineup.

Based on what Coach Crean has been saying all sumer, I do not know how Rivers and VJ III do not start. I would not be surprised to see Dumes off the bench as I think he would be a good spark off the bench. Also, the coaches have been talking up Creek as a stud, and many on this message board have been touting him as the best prospect. Now, the argument might be he was not here all summer, but talent is talent. I think Watford is all but penciled into one forward spot and Pritchard will start in the middle. So my 5: Rivers, VJ III, Creek, Watford, and Pritchard.

Game on the line: Rivers (for ball handling and defense), Dumes (defense and shooting), VJ III (scoring in a variety of ways), Pritchard (big body – screens, rebounding, experience in B10), and Elston (screening, rebounding, versatility).

Odd men out (among those who got playing time): Moore, Finkelmeier, and Roth. I think the rotation will be, in the guard area, 5 players primarily rotating among the 3 spots (Rivers, Creek, VJ III, Dumes, and Hulls), and in the front court, Pritchard, Watford, Elston, and Capobianco are the main rotation. The great unknown is Bawa, what is he? If he has some skills he may be in the rotation, if not, he will be warming a spot next to Jobe.

Based on what Coach Crean has been saying all sumer, I do not know how Rivers and VJ III do not start. I would not be surprised to see Dumes off the bench as I think he would be a good spark off the bench. Also, the coaches have been talking up Creek as a stud, and many on this message board have been touting him as the best prospect. Now, the argument might be he was not here all summer, but talent is talent. I think Watford is all but penciled into one forward spot and Pritchard will start in the middle. So my 5: Rivers, VJ III, Creek, Watford, and Pritchard.

Game on the line: Rivers (for ball handling and defense), Dumes (defense and shooting), VJ III (scoring in a variety of ways), Pritchard (big body – screens, rebounding, experience in B10), and Elston (screening, rebounding, versatility).

Odd men out (among those who got playing time): Moore, Finkelmeier, and Roth. I think the rotation will be, in the guard area, 5 players primarily rotating among the 3 spots (Rivers, Creek, VJ III, Dumes, and Hulls), and in the front court, Pritchard, Watford, Elston, and Capobianco are the main rotation. The great unknown is Bawa, what is he? If he has some skills he may be in the rotation, if not, he will be warming a spot next to Jobe.

I think CTC will use 10 guys consistently, finishing with those 5 plus Hulls running some point, Dumes adding some energy/scoring, and Capo/Pritchard adding size and giving up some fouls

Odd Man Out: Most think it will be Roth, but he's in my mix of 10 that I think will play. I still think he's our best shooter and he has a year of experience under his belt. I don't see CTC burying a guy who can put up double digits between TV timeouts. My odd man out is Dumes. I think he will start at the beginning and contribute at the end, but as the season moves along, I see CTC looking towards 10/11 and playing those guys more. I expect IU to be .500, and if that's the case, most of the wins will come early and if the losses pile up, the young guys will play. I hope I am wrong.

With the game on the line who will be on the floor?
G Rivers or hulls
G Dumes or Creek
G VJ 3 or Creek
F Wateford or Elston
F TP or Bobby C (bobby c is going to play this year, no question in my mind)

Odd man out this year……
1. Matt 'freakin' Roth – he will get minutes but be the designated zone buster on occasion
2. Bawa – will get limited time
3. Tijan – in case of emergency