White is 6'8". And I doubt Booker starts. The more I've seen the more I expect McGee to come off the bench. My lineup is:
Allen-1/2
SC-2
Ejim-3
Babb-3
White-4/5
Updated Starting Lineups
- Thread starter RustShack
- Start date
White is 6'8". And I doubt Booker starts. The more I've seen the more I expect McGee to come off the bench. My lineup is:
Allen-1/2
SC-2
Ejim-3
Babb-3
White-4/5
I don't think Booker will ever start in his ISU career unless we really need to go big.
1/2 Allen
1/2 mcgee
3. christopherson
4. ejim (rebounds like a big man)
5. white
I think the only other starting lineup to start the season is..
1. Allen
2. christopherson
3. babb
4. ejim
5. white
those are the only two lineup I see happening.
1/2 Allen
1/2 mcgee
3. christopherson
4. ejim (rebounds like a big man)
5. white
I think the only other starting lineup to start the season is..
1. Allen
2. christopherson
3. babb
4. ejim
5. white
those are the only two lineup I see happening.
Allen has one year of eligibility, he starts every game. Royce White is our most dynamic player and will also start every game. Everything else can be argued but that is pretty much fact. Since Scotty is one of the best three-point-shooting guards in Iowa State history, he gets the majority of the starts. Babb and Ejim will likely start early in the season based on experience alone. McGee-Sledge, and to a lesser degree Booker - those guys have to earn a spot on this team. Based on talent alone, we have at least 7 guys who can start and they may all start at one point in this season, but they don't just get it handed to them. Allen, White, Babb, Scotty, Ejim and some people throw in Booker (he may have been injured while he sat out?) paid their dues last season and deserve starting roles.
I tend to agree with this assessment. And its interesting to think about because Booker was a top 50 recruit coming out of high school. And its likely that he wont start for Iowa State! Thanks CFH.
Someone here posted they've either played with or been around White. They said he's 6'6 something.
I have very limited knowledge on Booker, but I see him as a guy who will get the majority of his points off of offensive rebounds, and passes from a double teamed Royce. I could see alot of value with him in an uptempo system running the floor, and being active at the backend of our full court press on defense, that I think we will use some. It seems we won't run many plays for him, but thats alright every team needs a player like that.
We'll get destroyed on the glass with either of those lineups. We finished 2nd to last last year in rebounding margin. That killed us more than anything. How many 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. chances would we give up.
Ejim averaged 6.2 rebounds per game last year. Very good... but hardly rebounding "like a big man". Allen averaged 2 rebounds per game at Michigan State. Babb averaged 1 rebound per game at Penn State. If Booker is not starting and playing major minutes, we're in trouble IMO.
Tubby Smith was quoted as saying something to the effect that White is the best natural rebounder he's ever coached, so if Ejim can chip in and the rest of the team works well as a team to rebound I think we might be ok there. But yeah, when Railey/Booker are in I see there most important role as rebounders as well.
Having this much talent on a roster scare me because I know a few players are going to quit by conference play. The question is who?
1. Bubu Palo
2. Austin McBeth
3. Aaron Law
4. Percy Gibson
5. Jordan Railey.
We got 3 quick guys that are able to run and gun and a couple of bigs to pick up the rebounds!!
2. Austin McBeth
3. Aaron Law
4. Percy Gibson
5. Jordan Railey.
We got 3 quick guys that are able to run and gun and a couple of bigs to pick up the rebounds!!
We were last in the B12 in rebounds allowed last year. We gave up an average of over 40 rebounds per game. To me, that was our single biggest weakness last year and cost us probably 7 or 8 games alone. It was due to being undersized and a "big man" who wasn't a rebounder.
Ejim was letting up some of those rebounds... probably quite a few of them by playing out of position. I think we'll be better defensively which will help. But, there is no one other than White who will be another undersized "5" and Ejim who has proven they can rebound. Those two alone won't cut it, especially given the historical dropoff with Babb, SC, Allen, etc. Remember we had Jake last year who outrebounded Ejim. I'll be stunned if Booker doesn't start and play big minutes.
Winning solves a lot of this. Win games and players are less likely to leave. They are willing to play their part, work hard and develop, and take the starters' reigns in a few years.
I really love the lineup
McGee
Allen
Babb
Ejim
White
But then I think to myself how do I leave out scottie and booker. I just think that lineup is more rounded. Also they can come off the bench fresh, great advantage of having depth. Especially in long B12 games. Having these conversations and debates are great signs though.
McGee
Allen
Babb
Ejim
White
But then I think to myself how do I leave out scottie and booker. I just think that lineup is more rounded. Also they can come off the bench fresh, great advantage of having depth. Especially in long B12 games. Having these conversations and debates are great signs though.
I disagree. Royce will board, ejim is great on the offensive glass and he will board. babb will board. also you could argue that last years poor rebounding could be because we virtually put 5 guards out there. (I refuse to cal JVB a post) and I think white is an upgrade from JVB on the glass, don't you? sure, we lose Jake Anderson who boarded for us, but I think his high rebounding numbers are skewed because we had no one else besides ejim to rebound. i'm not worried at all about rebounding with that lineup. not one bit. my only worry would be post defense. against a team like Baylor with Perry jones and that other 6'11 120 pound kid. in that case we may go, Royce and Booker at the 4 and the 5. or even railey at the 5 with Royce at the 4.
Its really hard to compare last year to this year though. This year I expect to see alot more aggressive defense, with perhaps some full court pressure. Our style of play might demand more minutes from a guy like Babb than Booker. I don't really know though, its hard to say for sure until we see how Fred pieces things together.
Babb averaged 2 rebounds/game at Penn State. He's a shooter. He has never put up solid rebounding numbers. Ejim does ok for his size but gives up a lot of boards by playing out of position.
I just can't see us winning consistently on the road with our tallest "starter" (White) at 6'6-6'7 (as someone claimed), and three guards that aren't strong rebounders (Babb, Allen, SC)... especially when our shots aren't falling. We desperately need some size around the basket to match up against KU, Texas, A&M, OSU, etc. We can afford to go smaller against someone like MU. We'll know a lot more after this trip to Italy.
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G- Tyrus McGee
G- Chris Allen
G/F- Royce White
F- Melvin Ejim
F/C- Scottie Christopherson
Smells like Big XII championship to me:yes:
G- Chris Allen
G/F- Royce White
F- Melvin Ejim
F/C- Scottie Christopherson
Smells like Big XII championship to me:yes:
I unfortunately didn't make it to any of the cap city games but from what I have heard about our guys I wouldn't be surprised if there is not a set starting lineup all season. Why not go with the lineup that matches up best with the opponent? If we need the size both Booker and White starts, if we need some speed or more perimeter defense Booker comes off the bench? Nonetheless it sounds like we have a lot of talent and depth which is not a bad thing and more importantly it's who is in the game at crunch time more than who starts it.
