Ndoye leaves and Schmidt needs to find another center, quickly in our opinion.

As we continue to put a bow on the Bonnies 18 win season we now turn our heads towards recruiting. Generally, I don’t following recruiting, I do not try to keep up with it or pretend to enjoy it. I don’t have the slightest interest in following 17 year olds around the country and consider which of them may sign with the Bonnies. I’ve seen too many kids “close” to being a Bonnie or even verbal or sign only to find their way elsewhere before the Fall. For me, just tell me whose on the team on say August 1st and then let me breakdown the roster. When a kid signs the dotted line I will do my due diligence in looking him up, chatting with them and finding out as much about their game as I can. Until then, I’ll leave the day-to-day recruit following to the masses.

Having said that it’s now mid-March and the Bonnies have two open scholarship left, according to my math anyway.

Out: Cumberbatch, Ndoye , Gathers and Dees

In: Woods and Griffin

So, what to do with the two available full-rides we have left? (Granted this is assuming that no one leaves the program which I would be is not the case. I won’t name names in this post but I would THINK that at least one current Bonnie will not be with the team next fall. This is the way of college hoops today). Also, if someone else does leave Schmidt has shown before he will pocket that ride and use it next fall. No needs to waste it on the last item on the shelf when the store will be restocked in a few months…

I’d think the two last ‘ships would have to be given to an immediate impact big man and shooter. I’d lean big man though. We only return Tyson as a player over 6-8 and he did not see the floor this season after being made a RS. Xavier Smith has to be nearly written off at this point as a possible contributor down low given his lack of playing time. We are super thin behind Dion down low next year. Losing Ndoye and Chris will prove tough to recover from. BUT, I think this team will have a new identity next year that will hopefully involve a faster tempo and maybe even some more pressure defense; since we are losing our rim-protector. I’d look for Schmidt to sign a JUCO center based on past methods (Think D’Lancy Carter but better?) as well as a bit of a hunch. He’d love to sign a kid to come in and buy him a year or two so he can find a another big man to develop like he did with Drew and Youssou. If the staff could get a center to come in next year and average eight points and seven boards shooting over 45% from the floor I’d take it.

What are your thoughts? What do the Bonnies need the most this spring and what do you expect them to do to address the roster?

Here’s what our depth chart looks like heading into 2015-2015.