I'd sign up for 18 wins and a postseason tournament next season. I think this team is talented enough and deep enough to compete in the MVC, and I think it's a testament to PM's recruiting. I genuinely see an increase in talent from previous years, and I think the fact that WSU is so good in the Valley will help our recruiting (even more so than Butler being good in the Horizon during their runs). However, PM needs to start bringing these guys along in their development. This must be the year when he proves he can be more than just a great recruiter but a great coach as well.

When you have 4 guys who are 6'8 or over (O'Leary, Osborne, Johnson, and King) plus Christian Thomas who plays like he's 6'8, you have enough bodies back there. It also helps that all of them have a lot of raw skill and potential. But it's on PM to be able to coach them to a level where he's comfortable playing each one of those guys for at least 10+ minutes a game. Johnson especially showed plenty of flashes throughout the year.

Ingram should help give us another really athletic body on the wing who can slash his way through the tough defenses of this league (a la Doyle). Richardson will be a good complement to Turk, and Crisman played his heart out towards the end of the season. Hopefully the other guys (especially Turk) can step up and not force us to play Crisman 30 minutes a game. Joe would be a role player on just about any other team in the Valley. But between those 5 guys, we should have a nice rotation on the 2 wing spots.

Keke played great to end the season. Hopefully he continues to improve this offseason. If he does, he'd be a HUGE asset to us at the point. If Pickett returns to be his backup, great. I'm sure he'd be good for around 5 minutes a game (which is all you should really need out of a backup point guard). I think Richardson could even play some point; at 6'2 he might not be cut out to be solely a pure shooter. If Pickett does leave, PM should use his scholarship on a JUCO guard or even a Russell Wilson type player (kind of like Tony Nixon for us this year) who can be a backup right away.

I'd think this would be a solid depth chart for us (Doyle playing either SG or SF, Thomas and O'Leary at either SF or PF, and Osborne at PF or C depending on the team we're playing against):
PG- White, Pickett
SG- Turk, Crisman, Richardson
SF- Doyle, Ingram, Knuth?
PF- Thomas, Osborne, O'Leary
C- Johnson, King

2015-16 should be our year to challenge for the top spots in the conference. If we do achieve what we should next year and get some finishing and postseason experience, we'll be in a position to win 20+. White, Osborne, O'Leary, Turk, and Johnson will be seniors; Doyle, King, and Pickett (?) will be juniors; next year's recruiting class will be sophomores and hopefully able to make strong and substantial contributions. Maybe we can find a capable juco or two to add to the mix with a defensive or offensive specialty and to add depth.

Oh yea? I'll have you know I was called a "genius" on Shockernet today.

I'm not saying you're not being realistic about Loyola's prospects for next year; my point is that being realistic is not always the best course of action.

I'm sure given your background you're familiar with this quote from Daniel Burnham:

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work."

The way I look at it we are undefeated in the 2014-2015 season!

Check out Playing Angrier on the Shockernet board. Our Swellafelon might very well be a genius!
Okay, the Shockers might have a better team ( at the moment), but we have better board posters!

I would have thought that you'd think being called a genius on the Shocker board would be an insult.

Daniel Burnham assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to Chicago and the other citiies he planned for long before there was such a thing as a SWOT analysis. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to have a Daniel Burnham dinner: Oysters, Salad, Soup, fatty meats, rich cheeses, dessert, and half a bottle of a sweet appertif.