Helmsman staff offers opinions on Tiger basketball

1. The Tigers are 18-8 now with five regular season games left. What will their final record be?

Jon: I don’t think they can beat Cincinnati or SMU on the road, so I think they will go 2-1 in the other games and finish with 20 wins.

Abigail: I think they end up 21-10.  Cincinnati and SMU are too good, especially at home.

Jeremiah: I say they will win three of the last five games. They will lose at SMU and Cincinnati.

2. Will the Tigers play in any post season?

Jon: It will be tough because of how the selection process has changed, but I think they will find a way into the NIT.

Abigail: They don’t have a shot at the NCAA tournament. I think that they have a pretty good chance to make the NIT, but that could be tough too.

Jeremiah: I don’t see them making the NCAA tournament, but I think they can squeak into the NIT.

3. How would you grade Tubby Smith’s first year?

Jon: I like how he has gotten this team to play hard every night, but they have lost some games that they shouldn’t have. I would give him a B minus.

Abigail: I think he has done some positive things without having much to work with. I think that they are on the way up, so I would give him a B.

Jeremiah: Considering the talent he has had, I’d give him a B. I thought he did a solid job having to pick up where Pastner left off.

4. What do the Tigers need to improve on going into the conference tournament?

Jon: If the Tigers want to make a run in the conference tournament, the bench has to find a way to be productive. Tubby Smith has had a hard time trusting his bench to play quality minute and give starters a rest.

Abigail: Three-point shooting for starters. They have improve their free throw shooting from early this season, and they have to keep their turnovers down.

Jeremiah: Three-point shooting for sure. You have to bump up that percentage from 30 to 35 if they want to make it far into the tournament.

5. Do you expect Dedric Lawson to win AAC player of the year?

Jon: I do. He has been solid all year and he is averaging about 20 points and 10 boards. Houston has a great scorer with Robert Gray, but he isn’t as good of an all-around player as Dedric.

Abigail: Yes, he has been consistently good all year. When you look at the conference leaders, he is always near the top.

Jeremiah: I’ll say yes. He is leading the league in double-doubles, and I haven’t heard anyone make a better argument for Robert Gray (Houston guard).

6. Should Dedric declare for the draft or return for his junior season?

Jon: I don’t think he can be an NBA play with his skill set right now. He really needs to return and develop a jump shot to become a stretch four.

Abigail: There are areas where he can improve, he has not been efficient shooting the ball the past few weeks.

Jeremiah: He should definitely return to work on his jump shot. He is too undersized to play the post, and I don’t think his handles and quickness are good enough to be a three.

7. Looking at Josh Pastner’s success, do you think Memphis made the correct decision with him?

Jon: Yes, I think Georgia Tech is just a better fit for Pastner, and I’m glad he is doing well. It takes a time to turn a program around, and I think that Tubby can make the Tigers a tournament team in a few years.

Abigail: I think Memphis made the right decision. I think Pastner hit his peak early with Memphis, and the fan base got tired of him.

Jeremiah: In the long term, I say yes. It just seems like the players respond better to Tubby than they did Pastner.

8. What are your expectations for next season?

Jon: I think that they will miss out on the tournament, because Dedric will probably go to the draft. But Tubby will bring in a new class and get the team heading into the right direction.

Abigail: A lot of it depends on Dedric staying or leaving. If he stays, I think they will win the conference and the NCAA tournament. If he leaves then Tubby will have a much tougher time.

Jeremiah: I think that they can find a way into the NCAA tournament under Tubby’s system.