2025-2026 MBB computer projections thread

He’s good. YouTube is your friend. That’ll be one of our guards’ toughest defensive assignments of the season.
You have any good neutral channels to recommend that cover basketball? Something like Baldy's Breakdowns does for football? I don't use youtube for a past time much. Usually the first results are people with an overstated agenda about someone being the best ever or trash and neither are particularly useful.
 
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I share this concern, but a little differently.

They've been scoring a lot, but in the half-court its really just Lipsey driving and JJ backing a guy down. That isn't going to be very effective vs really good teams. So those games, you have to either get lots of points of TOs (which they can do) and/or shoot the 3 well like 40%+ (which they can do).

But there will be games vs teams with good guards that don't turn it over, and they won't hit crap from 3. And those are gonna be a problem.

The glass half full though is they can beat you either with defense (turning you over) OR shooting the 3 at a good rate. It's a lot like last year.

You're describing pretty much ever team in existence, though, aren't you? You never hear of a good offensive team that relies solely on half court offense with poor 3 point shooting. Every team out there struggles offensively against a good set defense in the half court.

I'd also say that Milan hasn't been as prolific as Lipsey or JJ, but he has shown some post up and driving ability. As a third option in the half court.
 
Can someone tell me about Braden Smith? I don't think I have watched him since Edey was playing and was hard to tell if he was good or a benefactor of playing with him. Is the noise around him deserved or overstated?
Braden Smith is small and isn't exciting athletically, but he's incredibly smart at making reads and crafty enough to make himself a scoring threat. Reminds me a little bit of the Haliburton conversation. The analytics aren't popping because of hype. He's legit.

He's a big reason Purdue with a weaker supporting cast was neck and neck with Houston last year in the tournament.

 
Braden Smith is small and isn't exciting athletically, but he's incredibly smart at making reads and crafty enough to make himself a scoring threat. Reminds me a little bit of the Haliburton conversation. The analytics aren't popping because of hype. He's legit.

He's a big reason Purdue with a weaker supporting cast was neck and neck with Houston last year in the tournament.


Crafty is the word that comes to my mind when I think of his game. One of those guys that you'd love to see graduate if you've had to play against him every year.
 
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Miss St lost to the fighting Tangs (KSU). 98 x 77. Early still but maybe not as impressive of a win for us as we thought earlier in the week.
Or K-State may not be as bad as we thought. They can really shoot the ball. They've got some offensive talent. Defense is not great but if they are hitting shots they could probably give most teams trouble.
 
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Or K-State may not be as bad as we thought. They can really shoot the ball. They've got some offensive talent. Defense is not great but if they are hitting shots they could probably give most teams trouble.
You might be right but it's K State so.

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Or K-State may not be as bad as we thought. They can really shoot the ball. They've got some offensive talent. Defense is not great but if they are hitting shots they could probably give most teams trouble.
PJ Haggerty is very good offensively. Top 5 offensive guard in the country with three straight games with over 30 points. They are a team of shooters and run and gun. Their defense is very bad though.

They are a game removed from barely beating Tulsa at home, a game they should’ve actually lost. Also, Mississippi State stinks outside of Hubbard.
 
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PJ Haggerty is very good offensively. Top 5 offensive guard in the country with three straight games with over 30 points. They are a team of shooters and run and gun. Their defense is very bad though.

They are a game removed from barely beating Tulsa at home, a game they should’ve actually lost. Also, Mississippi State stinks outside of Hubbard.

Reminds me of the old Wayne Morgan teams.

One play they throw a pass between a defender's legs on a break.

Next play they throw it out of bounds on a SLOB.

Truly the best of times and the worst of times.
 
Reminds me of the old Wayne Morgan teams.

One play they throw a pass between a defender's legs on a break.

Next play they throw it out of bounds on a SLOB.

Truly the best of times and the worst of times.

My last vivid memory of them was when they had a lead at a ranked OU team but then Blaylock tried to wrap the ball around his waist on the way to the hoop and traveled or something and it was pretty much OU's game after.
 
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My last vivid memory of them was when they had a lead at a ranked OU team but then Blaylock tried to wrap the ball around his waist on the way to the hoop and traveled or something and it was pretty much OU's game after.

I like the imagine ol' Wayne didn't even really try and coach them.

Just said, "Go out there and have fun, boys."

Led to some spectacular hits and misfires along the way.
 
My last vivid memory of them was when they had a lead at a ranked OU team but then Blaylock tried to wrap the ball around his waist on the way to the hoop and traveled or something and it was pretty much OU's game after.
Can you really call it a win unless it's on an And 1 video? True ballers play for the glory not just the win column.
 
I haven't seen him play but I am expecting something more akin to another Big 10 player we all hate, Aaron Craft.

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He's likely insubordinate and churlish.

Craft triggers a few on here (and no hatin' love you all <3) to irrational hatred on here.

I brought up he ended up going to medical school and got flamed for it.

Craft pissing us off was kind of a fluke, though. Yeah, he hit a game-winning shot against us in the NCAA tournament. The biggest of stages. But it was more or less random we bumped into him.

Phil Forte and Keiton Paige pissed me off twice per year (and probably a few extra times in the Big 12 tournament for good measure) for a total of eight seasons. ******* hate those guys.
 
Craft triggers a few on here (and no hatin' love you all <3) to irrational hatred on here.

I brought up he ended up going to medical school and got flamed for it.

Craft pissing us off was kind of a fluke, though. Yeah, he hit a game-winning shot against us in the NCAA tournament. The biggest of stages. But it was more or less random we bumped into him.

Phil Forte and Keiton Paige pissed me off twice per year (and probably a few extra times in the Big 12 tournament for good measure) for a total of eight seasons. ******* hate those guys.
I bet he was awesome at tests in med school. You know his answers were always in the circle...
 
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