In Reply to: Julius Halaifonua to Oklahoma State posted by ej on April 28, 2026 at 13:42:36
for Cronin as much as it is for the average fan (me included). He seems confident he can win with a smaller lineup—and to be fair, he’s done it before.
I don’t think that approach worked with Bilodeau. As effective as he was offensively against bigger players, the defensive trade-offs were just too significant. But if you look back at the Riley year, he was able to hold his own defensively while also stretching the floor with that baseline jumper and pulling opposing bigs away from the rim. That’s a huge advantage.
With Booker, Cronin has someone who can create a similar dynamic. If Booker is shooting close to 40% like he was late in the season, the Bruins should be ok offensively. The real question, once again, is whether they can defend. This time, though, instead of having two undersized post players getting overpowered, it looks like there will only be one.
Eric may not be an ideal three, but he showed improvement on the boards, and at 6'8" on the wing, he brings some physicality. I also expect to see a lot of Williams and Jovic alongside Booker—both of whom can hold their ground inside. So while it’s frustrating they didn’t land a true five, this version of a small-ball lineup feels more capable defensively than the last couple of years.
On top of that, I don’t expect the backcourt to be nearly as vulnerable as it has been. There should be noticeable defensive upgrades at the guard spots, along with more pressure and turnovers created.
I’ve been critical of Cronin, particularly regarding his off-court decisions and how they might impact recruiting—and I still think some of those concerns are valid. That said, he deserves credit for assembling a roster that fits his style. I think this team will be tougher than people expect. A championship run might be a stretch, but I do believe there's a chance that they’ll be better than last year.