[BobJoeJim]

Jared, one problem with relying on Malik to step up as the dominant player is that it's dangerous to put the ball in his hands at the end of the game because of his free throw shooting. He looks good so far (have you had a chance to watch the first three games? O-Zone is awesome!), and I think for the first 38 minutes of any given game he will look like the star we've been waiting for him to be. I don't want the ball in his hands at the end of a game though, until he proves he can hit free throws reliably.

You're dead on about the variance point, we live by the three and will probably die by it in a few games this year as well. We're also vulnerable defensively to a good post player, as WMU showed. I still maintain that the number one key to the season is how Porter and Brown can do at the point; there will undoubtedly be drop-off from Brooks, but if we can at least get replacement level play it could be a very good year. If those two struggle badly, though, it will get ugly and with how tough the conference is, we could find ourselves plummeting through the standings. Right now it's still too early to say which way it will go, but road games against St. Mary's and especially against K-State will go a long way toward figuring out this team.