SCU Men's Basketball - When There's a "Willie" - There's A Way

                                                                                         


With seven WCC games to go, our season results, to date, have shown the depth and breadth of Coach Sendek's roster.  Depth in that ten players see action and breadth in that it's not uncommon to have five of those ten score in double figures.  

We just need to get back our "height" to go with our depth to make a final run to 20+ wins.  While no one player makes the total difference on this roster, the loss of Willie Caruso for the past nine games, all of our WCC games to date, has been especially rough given the season ending loss of Zeke Richards.  Small ball is not our core strength. 

So I say, when there's a Willie, there'as a way to 20+ wins or more.  He's OUR Caruso, in the lineage of the great Caruso, both from Naples; one with a virtuoso voice and one with a nifty jump hook in the lane we sorely miss.  Longer term, the upside to his injury is that Jaden Bediako, as he is racking up more minutes, is also filling up stat sheets, coming off a 13 point, 9 rebound game at Portland.  

More depth and height.   

With both Jaden and Willie back, we can stop the offensive rebounding parade of our recent opponents.  The loss to Pepperdine was particularly glaring in the final minutes as Kessler Edwards made us pay with two putbacks to close us out.  That probably doesn't happen with both Willie and Jaden available.  

With the Broncos at Pepperdine Thursday, we have an opportunity to get one back at their house.  The Waves have been a mercurial team this year.  They took the Zags to the final seconds, but also lost to San Jose State, Sacramento State and Pacific in Malibu.  With or without Willie, it would be huge to get this one back. 

If we do, and soon after Willie returns, I can see 22 wins possible.  Doing that and making a little noise in the WCC tourney and who knows?

All I know is for the stretch run, we will need our "stretch" center to try take us to new heights.  And that's a view we will all enjoy!