What If?

[dennycrane]

It's easy to say now, kirky, but not so easy to carry out back then. I will agree that Eli's suspension cost us a handful of wins, let's say 4, in the early season and likely affected getting a better seed at tournament time. That team also lost 9 other games prior to sweeping the HL tournament however. It had trouble finishing close games. Chase would have chafed in a bench role; he was another shoot-first player. And Anderson, for all of his athleticism, was not an all around player either.

[sacredheartgreg]

Kirky, you forgot Chris the "Blizzard" Blake, guy was an offensive machine. With him off the bench that team had great 8/final 4 potential. Why couldn't he stay out of trouble and go to class? Oh, how quickly we have fallen!!!!!

[MooseGuy1]

What if this thread hadn't been started? I'd be a lot less depressed today.

I have to chime in on Reggie Hall. What if Reggie Hall had never bothered to seek me out, meet me, and leave free tickets the rest of the season when I first posted after attending a game on a free ticket? Chances are I'd not be a fan. I'll always have a warm spot in my heart for a fine gentleman whose absence is always obvious and always sad. In a way, I think we lost the glue that held us together. It seemed I'd just started a new friendship and suddenly it was over way too soon. I honestly can't think of hearing a bad word said about him.

The rest of the posts, while interesting to read, is depressing.

[uofdfan1983]

After beating UCLA, we had to play Ohio State with Ken Johnson in the middle against Walter Craft. Johnson would have fit perfectly, an intimidating shot blocking defensive monster in the middle. The irony: years after that game, OSU was punished for recruiting violations on that team and subsequently its record in that Tournament was wiped out. So, did Johnson switch from U-D to OSU at the last minute for illicit reasons, help them pound us in the NCAA 2nd round, and then end up "losing" the game to us many years later by forfeit because of his high school switcharoo?

As to Albert White: not sure we needed him. We were pretty loaded at guard. Tractor Trailer would have been a GREAT addition, however. We could always use quality big guys but sometimes adding another guard is just creating problems. Right now, even, when we are healthy: do you really want Allen or Josh's minutes taken by someone else? I am sure some here will say "no, but take away JJJ's minutes." Even if JJJ is playing too many minutes right now, would you rather he be IN or OUT of the Program? You need to balance your roster as far as classes, skillsets, sizes, etc. Too many guards is too many guards.

[Commissioner]

After beating UCLA, we had to play Ohio State with Ken Johnson in the middle against Walter Craft. Johnson would have fit perfectly, an intimidating shot blocking defensive monster in the middle. The irony: years after that game, OSU was punished for recruiting violations on that team and subsequently its record in that Tournament was wiped out. So, did Johnson switch from U-D to OSU at the last minute for illicit reasons, help them pound us in the NCAA 2nd round, and then end up "losing" the game to us many years later by forfeit because of his high school switcharoo?

So can we claim we were a Sweet 16 team?

[ptctitan]

Past what-if's

1. What if Don Haskins had not pulled a Josh McDaniel (before McDaniel was even born) and returned to Texas Western after having been introduced at a press conference as the successor to Bob Calihan as HC? Would the movie Glory Road have ended in Detroit with much more success than he had achieved after his return?

2. What if Keri Gaither had placed her duty as athletic director above all other considerations and not gotten involved with her subordinate, Asst Coach Thomas? #hertoo

Future what-if

1. What if the consensus of this board about the current men's team and its coaching staff is wrong?

Titan Reggie

This board's glue guy. A positive example for us all. Gone way too soon. We were blessed with his presence for the time that God had allocated to him.

[NC Titan]

Wasn't Traylor tied to a pay-to-play scandal at UM?

[udballer]

After beating UCLA, we had to play Ohio State with Ken Johnson in the middle against Walter Craft. Johnson would have fit perfectly, an intimidating shot blocking defensive monster in the middle. The irony: years after that game, OSU was punished for recruiting violations on that team and subsequently its record in that Tournament was wiped out. So, did Johnson switch from U-D to OSU at the last minute for illicit reasons, help them pound us in the NCAA 2nd round, and then end up "losing" the game to us many years later by forfeit because of his high school switcharoo?

As to Albert White: not sure we needed him. We were pretty loaded at guard. Tractor Trailer would have been a GREAT addition, however. We could always use quality big guys but sometimes adding another guard is just creating problems. Right now, even, when we are healthy: do you really want Allen or Josh's minutes taken by someone else? I am sure some here will say "no, but take away JJJ's minutes." Even if JJJ is playing too many minutes right now, would you rather he be IN or OUT of the Program? You need to balance your roster as far as classes, skillsets, sizes, etc. Too many guards is too many guards.

Unless we has a verbal commit from Boban Savovic, the scandal didn't affect our basketball program. It would have been nice if Johnson would have stuck with the Titans though.

[Tacitus651]

What If Corey Mendez had actually enrolled this academic year?

[Titan Andrew]

What If Corey Mendez had actually enrolled this academic year?

Then we wouldn't have signed Tariiq Jones and Bacari would have coached every game this season.

[Tacitus651]

Wow. I didn't even think of that. Mind blown.

[HSScout1]

What If Corey Mendez had actually enrolled this academic year?

Then we wouldn't have signed Tariiq Jones and Bacari would have coached every game this season.

Which means we could have 4 less wins this season

[Tacitus651]

Yeah. We would have been blown out by SLU with BA on the court trying to channel The Secret. Unless Mendez put up a triple-double.

[TitanTarHeel]

What If Corey Mendez had actually enrolled this academic year?

Then we wouldn't have signed Tariiq Jones and Bacari would have coached every game this season.

There was a time I thought the whole Mendez bit was tired and over done. This post here makes it quite funny and now I can't get enough of parallel Titan world.

[titandave]

Here are some optimistic thoughts regarding the 2018-19 season:

Kam Chatman: Horizon League 'player of the year'
Cory Allen: 1st team Horizon League
Cory Hightower: Horizon League 'freshman of the year'

[NC Titan]

Who has higher potential? Hightower or Adrian Nelson?

[Commissioner]

Who has higher potential? Hightower or Adrian Nelson?

Nelson is definitely better at this point. Hightower may have more long-term potential based on size. I doubt Hightower helps much next year, but Nelson should. He's really good, great team player, and, important for a team with JJJ, Cory, Josh, and Kam, he doesn't need to score to play a big role.

[titandave]

It will be interesting to see how the situation with Tariq Jones plays out. I'm hoping he can get his academics in order, continue to develop his skills in the off season, and be a major contributor in 2018-19.