Next Year

[SturgisJeff]

Re: Next Year

To bad we have to wait until November/

[SDSU16]

Re: Next Year

According to this morning's Argus, Terry will take a look at next season. He will be looking at who's coming back, which freshman will help, and what lies ahead for AJ. Can't wait for Sunday's paper.

GO JACKS

[JimmyJack]

Re: Next Year

I think we're going to go even deeper into the bench next year than this year. I don't expect another 3-loss season, but I'm thinking the potential is there to be every bit as good as this team by the end of the year, once the new players are worked into the rotation. They'll be different, but possibly just as good.

It'll be very interesting to watch AJ work out the rotations next year. There might be some early bumps in the road. But come tourney time, we should be a very deep, tough team.

[sdsujacks179]

Re: Next Year

It was so awesome watching the team on ESPN...it makes us all proud to be Jackrabbits! Go Jacks!

[sfjacksfan99]

Re: Next Year

I think we're going to go even deeper into the bench next year than this year. I don't expect another 3-loss season, but I'm thinking the potential is there to be every bit as good as this team by the end of the year, once the new players are worked into the rotation. They'll be different, but possibly just as good.

It'll be very interesting to watch AJ work out the rotations next year. There might be some early bumps in the road. But come tourney time, we should be a very deep, tough team.

I'm not out to rain on parades, I'm just a little tired and still bitter from Tuesday and now am watching my bracket fall apart.

We fans should savor what just happened with this team's accomplishments and should have accomplished more (ie. playing this weekend and maybe beyond). This program has been rock solid, but three loss seasons and runs in the NCAA Tourney are not things that just fall into your lap every year. So just sit back and smile because I think this was an amazing year.

On to next year. I never realized how valuable Oistad really was until watching the Summit and NCAA tournaments. That might hurt more than one thinks. I'm a little worried about the loss of her and Jen (obviously) because of their threat to shoot outside. The "bigs" now are not legitimate outside threats. My understanding is Dietel is, hopefully that's true. A 4 or 5 that has to be guarded closely on the perimeter than can take it to the hoop has been valuable to these recent teams.

After watching a game against a Big 12 team it is obvious for a team to compete on a big stage and extend in the NCAA's, taller, quickers guards are needed. Macie and Young are a tad undersized, but don't get me wrong, they are very good players for this team and would not trade them for anyone else in the Summit League or probably most other mid-majors in the country. I like the girl out of Watertown best out of the guards to step in as a freshman if she really is 5-9.

Summit League reg. season and post season titles have to be the preseason goal. BUT, we think the team got bent over with the 7 seed at 31-2? Wait until next year and they are 27-6 with a league title. Out of the Summit, that has 13 seed written all over it, even if they did open some eyes in the NCAA's. So first round win and Sweet Sixteen may be asking a lot.

[filbert]

Re: Next Year

Don't underestimate the importance of the tournament games this year for next year's NCAA tournament (should we make the field). If we're 27-6 with at least one quality non-conference win next season, we may very well get a similar seed to this year. We've become a name the selection committee will recognize, and that's essential for getting better seeds, no matter how much the committee says differently.

We just need to take care of business.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Next Year

Don't underestimate the importance of the tournament games this year for next year's NCAA tournament (should we make the field). If we're 27-6 with at least one quality non-conference win next season, we may very well get a similar seed to this year. We've become a name the selection committee will recognize, and that's essential for getting better seeds, no matter how much the committee says differently.

We just need to take care of business.

One quality win (ie top 25 team)

We will be hard pressed to match this year's OOC. We're off to a good start with the Junkeroo Jam, Utah, WKU, Gonzaga on the schedule. Hope there's some Big 10/12/East or SEC also. Upper MoValley (Creighton?/UNI) would be good too.

[filbert]

Re: Next Year

One quality win (ie top 25 team)

We will be hard pressed to match this year's OOC. We're off to a good start with the Junkeroo Jam, Utah, WKU, Gonzaga on the schedule. Hope there's some Big 10/12/East or SEC also. Upper MoValley (Creighton?/UNI) would be good too.

What I meant is that next year, we need to beat a Maryland (a top-tier program), not "just" a half-dozen NCAA tournament teams.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Next Year

TCU beat Maryland and California, both #3 ranked at the time, but then they turn around & lose to a non-ranked team, i think if we had not let our guard down this year & lost to Oakland, we would of got our #5 seed & probably made the sweet 16.
I also think if Baylor goes a long way in this years tournament, it can only add more significance to how we took them to the wire & almost beat them, especially if they make the final four.

[bigticket1]

Re: Next Year

TCU beat Maryland and California, both #3 ranked at the time, but then they turn around & lose to a non-ranked team, i think if we had not let our guard down this year & lost to Oakland, we would of got our #5 seed & probably made the sweet 16.
I also think if Baylor goes a long way in this years tournament, it can only add more significance to how we took them to the wire & almost beat them, especially if they make the final four.

I guess I wouldn't call going 17 and 1 in the conference letting our guard down-I don't think winning the Oakland game would have changed our seed.Also,I would be surprised if Baylor beats Lousiville,and shocked if they make the Final Four.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Next Year

I think Baylor is probably going down this weekend. But next year, with that 6'8" recruit and their 6'3" star player back, they're potentially a final four team next year.

[JamesJacks]

Re: Next Year

On to next year. I never realized how valuable Oistad really was until watching the Summit and NCAA tournaments. That might hurt more than one thinks. I'm a little worried about the loss of her and Jen (obviously) because of their threat to shoot outside. The "bigs" now are not legitimate outside threats. My understanding is Dietel is, hopefully that's true. A 4 or 5 that has to be guarded closely on the perimeter than can take it to the hoop has been valuable to these recent teams.

I've made this point as well. One of the things that makes us so tough to defend is that teams have had to guard our players all over the floor because our post players shoot the three. But I also feel we need to have a longer presence inside. I'm sure there is a way to balance it and if anyone can figure it out it's A.J.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Next Year

I guess I wouldn't call going 17 and 1 in the conference letting our guard down-I don't think winning the Oakland game would have changed our seed.Also,I would be surprised if Baylor beats Lousiville,and shocked if they make the Final Four.

When the conference that a team is in is perceived to be weak and a team wants to be considered a top program, any loss in conference will hurt your rankings. Think of Memphis on the men's side. They play in what can be considered a mid-major conference (C-USA) and they have not lost a conference game in like 3 years.

If the Jacks don't lose to Oakland they are ranked 3-4 spots higher in the polls and that game cannot be held against them by the selection committee.

I also think that the first half of the Summit Championship scared the seeding folks. Fair or unfair that is how it works when your conference isn't very good and you haven't made a true name for yourself.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Next Year

Quality bigs are hard to get, too few of them to go around,also, nobody's mentioned Lingle from Pierre.
I think recruiting Dietel was huge with losing Jenn& Stacie & if they can get a commitment from the 6'3" Ia. girl, we'd be set for a good while.If we keep winning the recruiting battle, we can keep winning the games , otherwise we start slipping.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Next Year

We ask this same question every year. How are we going to replace Shannon Schlagel? Melissa Pater? Brenda Davis? Megan Vogel? Jennifer Warkenthien?

AJ has this team set up with great balance across the classes and another great set of recruits coming in. No doubt that the 4 seniors will be greatly missed, but players will step up and get it done.

There are 3 juniors in Boever, Anderson, and Cornemann who will step up and take over leadership and young players in Westergaard, Sunnarborg, and the 5 freshman who will come in and fill the void and pick up minutes.

As we move up the national ranks the incoming recruits should be moving up in talent as well (as I think they have the last couple seasons). I think everything will be just fine next year, AJ has done a great job of a building a consistent program to make sure this wasn't a one year wonder.

Yes, i agree that AJ is a mastermind at keeping the flow of key recruits comming in at the right time to keep the program flowing so we don't all of a sudden have major gaps to fill with no one to fill them with due to graduation...that way , everything's easier, recruiting, winning, building the program, whoever heard of UConn til they built thier program up to where they're at now, they used to be , believe it or not, nobody.
Look at Tenn this year, thier program really slipped this year, too many freshman, i believe you have to have the "upper" classmen to take the "frosh" under thier wing so to speak& help teach them,thier best moves, etc.... & lead by example like the seniors on this years team did, like megan voegal did, & so on , they just didn't leave, they left & left the team better!