The season is finally upon us, and today VCU will allow fans into the Siegel Center at 4:00pm to get a first glimpse at the 2018-2019 roster in action. We all have certain things we'll be looking for in today's scrimmage, but I thought I'd reach out to the experts to get their thoughts. I contacted three of my favorite experts on VCU basketball - Rodney Ashby, Michael Litos, and our own Mat Shelton-Eide. Below are their thoughts on what to look for in today's matchup.
<ul>
<li>The most obvious item first - how will VCU handle the PG position with Marcus Evans recovering from injury. VCU has two options for the time being - true freshman P.J. Byrd looks very promising, but is our youngest option at the point, and Malik Crowfield, a junior SG has been practicing in the PG role to fill the gap. The basic question can be answered today: do we have the ability to execute until Marcus is healthy?</li>
<li>Defense. Mike Rhoades has had his team focused on defense all summer. With Justin Tillman out of the mix, how will the Rams handle defending the interior? Rice transfer Corey Douglas already knows how to play in Mike Rhoades system, and is a promising presence. Michael Gilmore returns to VCU as a senior and part of our largest presence inside this season. Marcus Santos-Silva is poised to make a big leap this season. Who will own the match-ups down low today? You'll have 3-4 guys battling to make a mark at that position today.</li>
<li>Where does Sean Mobley conduct his business? He's a skilled perimeter passer but a big kid. How do we utilize him?</li>
<li>How will crowd attendance look today? It’s been 7 years since a black and gold game wasn’t after an NCAA tournament game. Size and energy. How do we look as a fan base today?</li>
<li>The freshmen. P.J. Byrd, Keyshawn Curry, Vince Williams. Who will make a name for themselves today? I have my money on Vince Williams, I know others do as well. But, do these 3 newcomers have the all-in mentality that VCU head coach Mike Rhoades is pushing?</li>
</ul>
Many of the points above may be difficult to analyze in a situation where your team is scrimmaging itself. But, we can learn a lot about how this year's team will look in this brief glimpse being offered today.
<ul>
<li>The most obvious item first - how will VCU handle the PG position with Marcus Evans recovering from injury. VCU has two options for the time being - true freshman P.J. Byrd looks very promising, but is our youngest option at the point, and Malik Crowfield, a junior SG has been practicing in the PG role to fill the gap. The basic question can be answered today: do we have the ability to execute until Marcus is healthy?</li>
<li>Defense. Mike Rhoades has had his team focused on defense all summer. With Justin Tillman out of the mix, how will the Rams handle defending the interior? Rice transfer Corey Douglas already knows how to play in Mike Rhoades system, and is a promising presence. Michael Gilmore returns to VCU as a senior and part of our largest presence inside this season. Marcus Santos-Silva is poised to make a big leap this season. Who will own the match-ups down low today? You'll have 3-4 guys battling to make a mark at that position today.</li>
<li>Where does Sean Mobley conduct his business? He's a skilled perimeter passer but a big kid. How do we utilize him?</li>
<li>How will crowd attendance look today? It’s been 7 years since a black and gold game wasn’t after an NCAA tournament game. Size and energy. How do we look as a fan base today?</li>
<li>The freshmen. P.J. Byrd, Keyshawn Curry, Vince Williams. Who will make a name for themselves today? I have my money on Vince Williams, I know others do as well. But, do these 3 newcomers have the all-in mentality that VCU head coach Mike Rhoades is pushing?</li>
</ul>
Many of the points above may be difficult to analyze in a situation where your team is scrimmaging itself. But, we can learn a lot about how this year's team will look in this brief glimpse being offered today.
