This Basketball team will be better than last years team...

I was wondering what the SEC outlook was like this year.

Mays is a much better ball handler than our last 2 Point guards. He looks like he will be really good

They are far from perfect, and need to Gel together, and need to work on a bunch of stuff but they might surprise everyone if they can really get it together

The guards looked decent and with a star like Blakney, if one of two can step up besides Patterson or Sampson it will be great guard depth. Reath and Victor down low will be some athletic bigs. Reath could get pushed around a bit but these will be two of the best bigs we've had in a while (with some meat and strength on the bones) not counting Jordan Mickey.

I am optimistic about the season and think we will be better than people expect.

Even against an NAIA team we still exhibited classic infuriating characteristics of a Jones-coached team. Reath looked pretty good but again... an NAIA opponent. I like Victor obviously but we need more reliable post players for when he inevitably gets two quick fouls and has to sit for 15 minutes. Let's tap the brakes a bit.

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Tap the brakes on being better then last year??

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Yes.

I would not base any analysis on the game tonight. The team they played is an NAIA squad. Too early to say. Turnovers and poor defense are my biggest concern for this year. Inside the paint depth is next.

Impossible to tell much from an exhibition game against an opponent who had no bigs and wasn't that good. But . . . there is no denying we have individual offensive talent on this team. It is whether they can play within themselves and not try for the home run ball so often. Also whether they can improve on defense and take as much pride in that as their scoring.

Outside shooting will once again be a game killer or a game winner. Sampson was hot and the new kid from Australia. We need a lot of that to go with Blakeney and the bigs.