First, why are Andrew Davis, Charron Woods, and Aaron Ganson even mentioned in this discussion? They don't play, so they're irrelevant as far as this is concerned.
Let's be clear on this -
JP -- Fresh
(2nd year of DI)
AD -- Fresh.
(Doesn't play/Doesn't matter)
DSE -- Soph.
(2nd year of DI, played significant minutes last year)
JE -- Soph.
(2nd year of DI, played significant minutes last year)
MK -- Soph.
(2nd year of DI)
CW -- Soph.
(Doesn't play/Doesn't matter)
AG -- Soph. Walk-on
(Doesn't play/Doesn't matter)
AT -- Jr.
(4th year of DI)
WE -- Jr.
(4th year of DI)
AW & DD -- The only Seniors
(Both 5th year players)
Again, of players who play, Walter Lemon is the only one with the 'experience' excuse.
By continuing to use this experience crutch, you're basically saying that we should not expect two 4th year bigs to be able to contribute anything at this level, nor should we expect 2 sophomores who averaged a combined 30+ minutes a game to contribute anything either. We have 4 players with in at least their 4th year of DI, and 2 others in their 2nd year of DI who logged big minutes as freshmen. But experience is our problem? Quality depth perhaps may be a problem, but not experience.
Anyone remember this article way back in November 2009?
http://www.bradleyhoops.com/news/x255180771/Essential-ingredients-to-be-in-MVC-mix
The strengths: Depth, experience, guard play, perimeter shooting and a potential star.
The Braves??™ roster hasn??™t been this deep since their NCAA Sweet 16 run in 2006. Eight players have cracked the starting lineup at some point in their careers and averaged 10 or more minutes per game over an entire season. Four started at least half the games last season. Andrew Warren, who missed last year with a broken foot, started all but one game the previous season.
So I guess we had experience last year after all. :-o
And what about this article, this November?
http://www.bradleyhoops.com/news/x115985123/Bradley-fans-hopeful-of-big-season
But Bradley this season will field its oldest, most veteran team since the 2005-06 squad reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in half a century.
After further review, despite our injuries, it appears that the Sweet 16 team had less DI experience from the top 8 players.
Ruffin - 3rd year DI - 21 yrs old
Sommerville - 4th year DI - 23 yrs old
Bennett - 2nd year DI - 21 yrs old
Boogie - 2nd year DI - 22 yrs old
Andrews - 1st year DI - 21 yrs old
O'Bryant - 2nd year DI - 19 yrs old
Tauai - 3rd year DI - 20 yrs old
Franklin - 1st year DI - 20 yrs old
18 years DI experience/average age 20.875 years during NCAA Tournament.
Dunson - 4th year DI - 23 yrs old (Will be 24 on Jan 6)
Warren - 5th year DI - 23 yrs old
Egolf - 4th year DI - 21 yrs old (Will be 22 on Jan 20)
Thompson - 4th year DI - 22 yrs old
Eastman - 2nd year DI - 20 yrs old
Simms-Edwards - 2nd year DI - 19 yrs old
Prosser - 2nd year DI - 19 yrs old
Lemon - 1st year DI - 19 yrs old
24 years DI experience/average age 20.75 now, 21 by the end of January.
I'll ask one final question - If 'experience' is what is keeping us from winning, all other things being equal (injuries, etc) would we be any better with Sam Singh playing? Right now Jordan Prosser is giving us 4.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg. Last year Sam Singh gave us 1.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg.
Enough about 'experience' being the reason we aren't winning. It was a weak excuse last year and it's a weak excuse this year. You get 13 scholarships not 5, and if guys aren't ready to contribute by year 2 let alone year 4, then perhaps the issue isn't really experience at all. I don't expect us to be as good losing 2 all-conference players, but I also don't expect to be as bad as we are now, especially since reality and mathematics says we have plenty of 'experience' to compete.