West Virginia 2/19 7:00 ESPN2

[Lobot]

Return game. Need it.

[sedz]

Yeah, but Ole Miss and Texas Tech are really good scoring teams, with very good coaching staffs. These are two things that UC does not have. Besides, neither one of the players that you mentioned is particularly a good one-on-one defender. In a switching man-to-man, I can maybe see a team that would be competitive.

They both have top 25 defenses that force a lot of turnovers. And of course they're good scoring teams. That's the point, small ball gets more scoring on the floor. I'm not following this logic. Going small is a bad strategy because good coaching staffs do it? Shouldn't we be looking to good coaching staffs for ideas?

"Use that which works, and take it from any place you can find it." - Bruce Lee

In any case, we have been going small for around 10 mpg since Page stopped getting minutes, and our offense has been better. My idea is to cut PG minutes and replace them with bigger wings.

[leeraymond]

say what you will about him, they lost reynolds, and mckinley got hurt. there's the inside bruisers that they're missing.

Amen brother.

[leeraymond]

From quick rotations, which you can't do with slow big men. No one is going to just stand in the paint like a traditional 5. This has been done before, both in college and the NBA. Ole Miss runs some very small lineups out there this year. They aren't a great rebounding team but they make up for it by forcing turnovers. I think that's what we need. Texas Tech is also small but Toppin is a great undersized rebounder. It would be nice if Mitchell could fill that role. They are about the same size.

Yeah, but Ole Miss and Texas Tech are really good scoring teams, with very good coaching staffs. These are two things that UC does not have. Besides, neither one of the players that you mentioned is particularly a good one-on-one defender. In a switching man-to-man, I can maybe see a team that would be competitive.

[leo from jersey]

Supposedly, but you wouldn't know it from his coaching decisions. His only full season in 2021 was our fastest in decades, but he ran everything through Keith Williams who was an awful shooter. And we had a backcourt trio of DDJ, MAW, and Davenport that couldn't get to the rim. He had Tari Eason on the bench and was afraid to use him, instead playing Chris Vogt who had a negative BPM. A lot of the same issues we're having now. So if he was using analytics, he's not using them how I would.

JB and Tari may have been personal and at that time, JB felt he had job security at that point but he jst didn't get it. he also had Mikey Saunders, Madsen and Zach H if I remember.

[sedz]

Wasn’t Brannen an analytics user? I seem to remember that about him.

Supposedly, but you wouldn't know it from his coaching decisions. His only full season in 2021 was our fastest in decades, but he ran everything through Keith Williams who was an awful shooter. And we had a backcourt trio of DDJ, MAW, and Davenport that couldn't get to the rim. He had Tari Eason on the bench and was afraid to use him, instead playing Chris Vogt who had a negative BPM. A lot of the same issues we're having now. So if he was using analytics, he's not using them how I would.

[leo from jersey]

say what you will about him, they lost reynolds, and mckinley got hurt. there's the inside bruisers that they're missing.

what about the PG -- CWM had to know Reynolds was going. Why wasn't his replacement recruited.

[Rufus]

say what you will about him, they lost reynolds, and mckinley got hurt. there's the inside bruisers that they're missing.

Neither Reynolds nor Lahkin liked how they were being used, or the rotation with Aziz last season. Lahkin is the only player that showed any improvement from year to year until last year when CWM brought in Aziz and Reynolds.

[London 'Cat]

Wasn’t Brannen an analytics user? I seem to remember that about him.

[sedz]

he was and he wasn't. iirc, it was pretty well known that he was going to 'bama.

Right, I don't think we were ever connected with him and probably had no chance to afford whatever Bama is paying. I just remember him being my dream hire at that time. He uses analytics more than any college coach. Fast pace, no midrange.

[D.A.H.]

Some advocate positionless rosters with guys playing all positions. There might be something to it if at least two could bang and one could pass to open teammates or will pass.

say what you will about him, they lost reynolds, and mckinley got hurt. there's the inside bruisers that they're missing.

[D.A.H.]

And Oats was available when we hired Brannen.

he was and he wasn't. iirc, it was pretty well known that he was going to 'bama.

[sedz]

Come on now Sedz. That lineup would get killed. Where is the defense and rebounding going to come from? Not big enough for inside the paint play. However, with McKinley and another active big man, maybe. Especially with Abaev.

From quick rotations, which you can't do with slow big men. No one is going to just stand in the paint like a traditional 5. This has been done before, both in college and the NBA. Ole Miss runs some very small lineups out there this year. They aren't a great rebounding team but they make up for it by forcing turnovers. I think that's what we need. Texas Tech is also small but Toppin is a great undersized rebounder. It would be nice if Mitchell could fill that role. They are about the same size.

[BorisTheCat]

Am I alone in having this feeling ? Super home court arena, cool uniforms, Jordan Brand, Air Jordan shoes, slick social media content.... all of it seems undeserved... I'm not trying to be cruel or personal about the players (and coaches) on this team but.... Just seems like they've gotten a lot of rewards for earning exactly nothing... maybe its just me being bitter at where we are as a program but... it's hard for me to not see all these trappings as being un-earned

[leeraymond]

It works if you have wings who can all rebound and guard multiple positions, possibly having to double team a good post scorer. Simas doesn't fit that mold. But I think you can run out Reed, Mitchell, Skillings, Betsey, and Rayvon together. I'd just like to try it once. Abaev and McKinley would fit too. If the other team presses you can go with a PG and four wings.

Come on now Sedz. That lineup would get killed. Where is the defense and rebounding going to come from? Not big enough for inside the paint play. However, with McKinley and another active big man, maybe. Especially with Abaev.