What Could Have Been...

While basketball season ended with an unprecedented run through the Big Ten Tournament and an exciting trip to the NCAA Tournament, after looking back at what could have been of this team, I can't help but be a little disappointed. Disappointed not in how Battle and the other seniors performed (okay maybe Andrew Jones a little), but in all the pieces that were lost this year due to: injury, transfer, and suspension. With that in mind, I wanted to discuss how far you think the team could of gone, and how the team's regular season could have been improved by the presence of:

Taran Buie came off the bench in the first 11 games of the season. He averaged 5.8 ppg and shot 35% from the field. While his early season statistics aren't overly impressive, Buie gave this team a legitimate threat off of the bench. He even showed flashes of the talent he was lauded for as a recruit while scoring double figures twice in under 20 minutes of play. These flashes could have translated to a larger impact as Buie gained more experience throughout the season.

Sasa Borovnjak would have likely been the first or second big man off of the bench. He could have provided some much-needed depth, especially since the team seemed to have a large drop off in play when Brooks and Jones could not stay on the floor. For example, in games that Brooks and Jones had a combined 6 fouls or more the team had a 4-9 record.

Chris Babb could have added another shooter and experience to this year's squad. His 37% 3-point shooting percentage would have ranked second on the team this year. In addition his height could have been a huge asset while defending taller guards.

Bill Edwards showed a hunger for the ball and some good athleticism in his only year at PSU. His rebounding potential was shown in his two double-figure rebounding games against quality front-courts (PUR, TEM).

If the above players were able to contribute to the team this year could we be facing off against Kemba and UConn tonight?