Thoughts about the team after last night.

[Billikan]

what does it matter how many players we redshirt? if they arent going to play significant minutes why not? they can still practice, and if some injury comes up to a different player, the redshirt ends simply by putting the redshirted player in the game the next game. i'd seriously think about redshirting all the freshmen. i dont think any of them will contribute now but could be very good players down the road and would benefit greatly from redshirting now.

I think the decision to redshirt ET is a good one. He clearly needs a year in the weight room and he is a similar player to KC so next year he can come in like he was a new recruit with 4 years of eligibility and fill in his spot. I have only seen him a couple of times but I like his shot and his release and he appears to be quick. He also looks to be about 6'6" when you stand close and talk to him.

With the others I think the decision is more difficult. GG is clearly strong enough to step in and play and if we get in foul trouble, which is definitely possible then I can see him getting some minutes in relief. He will have to learn the offense and the defense but he seems to me to be the kind of player who is not pretty but gets the job done. We have an awful lot of tough strong inside guys about his size in the league and after Conklin has battled them for a long time it would be nice to have a tough guy to give us some minutes. The problem now is that no one knows whether Cody is ready to mix it up like we need him to in the paint. If he cannot hit the open shots--and he missed several wide open shots last night-- then GG, particularly after a few months of coaching from this veteran staff, may be better able to hit the defensive and offensive boards and defend tough 6'7" guys.

Manning is really difficult to figure. Any 6'11" big man frosh just out of high school would benefit from a year hitting the weights and learning how to play a more sophisticated low post game. Yet in practice and on the trip to Canada we have seen moments when JM seems like with a little more coaching he can give us some productive minutes off the bench this year. It seems like it is unfair to the player to tell him he is going to redshirt and then take off the redshirt in the middle of the season because someone gets hurt. He then loses an entire year.

In any event, we will be a pretty deep team compared to the past. I was shocked to see that it appeared we had a team of McCall, Loe, Ellis, Barnett and Dwayne Evans as the second team coming off the bench last night. Of course, Loe was injured but that would be a fine five players, possibly a starting five last year. I hated our sloppiness last night but we do have players!

[Cowboy]

-realizing it was one exhibition game...but the scoring drought after the first media timeout got to me, i was hoping we were putting those behind us

-i was also hoping we would have scored more overall points, see #1 and CE getting shut out

-both of the above were hoping we would make more shots by having better players take the shots, not giving up at all, hoping it still happens, expecting it to happen, probably unrealistic of me to think first exhibition game would have that this (is my way to rationalize this one)

-the full court pickup, change of pace from somewhere, i hope we were doing it all game for conditioning and practice of it and we see it a bit during the season

-the work the shot clock at the end was being done without KM, i expect this was an in game practice session

-LOVE the possession arrow on the scoreboard

-why not give the 50/50 amount? i like to see how much i did not win

[joe_davola]

No change in beer prices...looks like it is going to be a promising season.

[DirtyRican]

No change in beer prices...looks like it is going to be a promising season.

I am not sure about the team but I was in mid season shape last night. Dominated the beer vendors.

[joe_davola]

I am not sure about the team but I was in mid season shape last night. Dominated the beer vendors.

Yeah you were an animal last night. Getting ripped apart over text and then proposing a stop at the Fieldhouse before heading home. I love it.

[Box and Won]

I am not sure about the team but I was in mid season shape last night. Dominated the beer vendors.

This is true.

[jbizzle09]

Give us the example of the "raw" player with an obvious low basketball iq that rickma has given significaNt minutes prior to catching up? Imo, Barring a couple of major injuries to other bigs gandy will play very little this year. If I thought he could never catch up or contribute i'd say keep him on the ready to play list, but the thought of burning a year with that potential is exactly why I would redshirt him. Both him and manning are the exact examples of players to redshirt. Not quite ready but the potential t really turn around the level of contribution

Just for the sake of argument, Jon Smith. I would actually say that Smith was even more 'raw' than Glaze. He averaged 10.5 MPG, played in 35 games and even had a handful of starts.

[billiken_roy]

good example. i am officially off the redshirt bandwagon with that. thank you.

[slu72]

Just from reading the GDT and writeups, it seems we had two long stretches where we went scoreless. Those long lapses are what scares me. It would be nice if we could find someone, and I do think it will be KM, that will end those droughts. They are game killers.

[3Bill]

Give us the example of the "raw" player with an obvious low basketball iq that rickma has given significaNt minutes prior to catching up? Imo, Barring a couple of major injuries to other bigs gandy will play very little this year. If I thought he could never catch up or contribute i'd say keep him on the ready to play list, but the thought of burning a year with that potential is exactly why I would redshirt him. Both him and manning are the exact examples of players to redshirt. Not quite ready but the potential t really turn around the level of contribution

Willie Reed

[billiken_roy]

Willie Reed

are you suggesting that gandy and manning this moment are anywhere near as good as willie reed was immediately as a freshman? that is ridiculous. smith was a great example. reed is not.

[jjray]

I would redshirt Manning. It seems clear that he needs to get stronger. While Glaze is a little rough around the edges, he is physically ready to play at this level. Plus, he has a great motor. He can push guys like Cory and Cody and maybe steal a few minutes if they aren't bringing the intensity. He could be useful in certain matchups when we need a bruiser. Also, in case one of the bigs gets hurt or we have a game where we run into foul trouble, GG could contribute.

+1 Conk has an injury history and often gets in foul trouble. There might not be minutes for Grandy every night but he will contribute this season. I liked what I saw from him even though he obviously is still learning how to execute picks the way Rick wants it done and where to position himself on the offensive end. That will come soon enough. Grandy is physical, boxes out, is relatively quick on this feet giving him plus rebounding range, and finishes around the basket. Those are qualities we sorely need out of our bigs. The way our guards can penetrate (no pun intended), a big who can catch and finish inside is a huge plus for the team. As to Manning, he was getting stripped rather easily in the first exhibition but I did like the way he runs the floor. He really could use a red shirt although he could get minutes this season on nights where Cory gets in early foul trouble (which Cory has a habit of doing in the past). I think the small bigs from CS were a matchup problem for Manning and he might actually fare better against larger bigs in the regular season. Hard to tell though based on what we saw the other night.

[3Bill]

you asked for an example of a raw player with a low basketball IQ. no one was talking about who was better. willie was raw and had a low basketball IQ. many people, including majerus, had thought he would redshirt his freshman year.

[Westy03]

you asked for an example of a raw player with a low basketball IQ. no one was talking about who was better. willie was raw and had a low basketball IQ. many people, including majerus, had thought he would redshirt his freshman year.

Although not the brightest kid in the world, Willie had a very high basketball IQ especially on the defensive end. Rick had mentioned that numerous times in postgame new conferences.

[BillikenROAR]

http://www.foxsportsmidwest.com/11/03/11/Billikens-Defeat-Cardinal-Stritch-66-44-/landing.html?blockID=595688&feedID=8745

coach majerus post game interview

[cheeseman]

Just from reading the GDT and writeups, it seems we had two long stretches where we went scoreless. Those long lapses are what scares me. It would be nice if we could find someone, and I do think it will be KM, that will end those droughts. They are game killers.

At first that stretch bothered me but then I realized that if it was a real game then RM would not have been cycling players in during it - he would have kept his top 5 in there also during that time - early part of the game - KM was not shooting later in the game he got more involved and I don't really remember another long scoring drought stretch - when was that?

[billiken_roy]

you asked for an example of a raw player with a low basketball IQ. no one was talking about who was better. willie was raw and had a low basketball IQ. many people, including majerus, had thought he would redshirt his freshman year.

willie reed did not have a low basketball iq. he knew the ins and outs of a pick and roll, he knew the basics of man to man defense.

if you have watched gandy away from the ball you will have seen how much he is being guided throughout the game/scrimmages by those around him. he had to be told three times the other night they were in a man to man and who he was guarding.

i dont even have to discuss a comparison with manning.

look i like gandy. that body and his enthusiasm reminds me of jeff harris or maybe even tatum. long time since we have had that kind of potential. but he isnt likely going to provide much help this season. same with manning. i love we have some big bodies for the future. but it is what it is and neither are ready to make us forget willie reed at this point.

[waldo027]

http://www.foxsports...688&feedID=8745

coach majerus post game interview

"We did not prepare one bit for this game." And rightfully so, it's not a real game. Let them play at least 1 real game before saying stuff like "McCall what happened to you"

[slufanskip]

Just for the sake of argument, Jon Smith. I would actually say that Smith was even more 'raw' than Glaze. He averaged 10.5 MPG, played in 35 games and even had a handful of starts.

We are also much deeper now then we were then. Imo if RL, BC, CR, CE, and possibly DE some can't fill the 4-5 spots and we need GG we aren't making the tourney anyway and would still be better with him redshirting. Just saying what I think should happen, not what will

[jbizzle09]

We are also much deeper now then we were then. Imo if RL, BC, CR, CE, and possibly DE some can't fill the 4-5 spots and we need GG we aren't making the tourney anyway and would still be better with him redshirting. Just saying what I think should happen, not what will

I agree with you. I think if we have to rely on GG to play major minutes, then we are not nearly as good as we should be. He is a very exciting talent, and the future looks positively bright for him, but it is obvious he has a LOT to learn. I was just providing an example to Roy where RM has given minutes to a raw player who still had a lot to learn.

As for what will happen, it appears that both GG and JM will not redshirt, gauging from RM's post-game comments. He pointed out that ET could've played, but since he definitely isn't going to play this season, and he needed to make sure to get GG and JM minutes, no reason to play ET in the exhibitions. I don't think they will be in the regular rotation, but he definitely wants the flexibility they provide in the frontcourt, in case of foul trouble or injuries.

Finally, it looks like it will be a 9-man rotation. Even with ET redshirting, and GG and JM at the end of the bench, this still leaves a non-freshman not getting regular minutes. I think the following players are the definites that we know:

KM

KC

BC

RL

JJ

DE

MM

CR

That leaves the following 2 players competing for that last regular turn in the rotation:

JB

CE

Considering how high RM has been about JB in past interviews and dicsussions, I can see JB getting regular minutes while CE is just used for matchups and providing relief when BC and DE are in foul trouble. Just my thoughts.

[SLU_Nick]

Wow if someone would have told me 2 years ago that CE would be fighting for a spot in the rotation as a junior...I would have said they were crazy.

[Quality Is Job 1]

are you suggesting that gandy and manning this moment are anywhere near as good as willie reed was immediately as a freshman? that is ridiculous. smith was a great example. reed is not.

Roy, the guy's name is not "Gandy." Practice with me, now: grandy, grandy, grandy (since I know you don't use the shift key most of the time).

[slufanskip]

I agree with you. I think if we have to rely on GG to play major minutes, then we are not nearly as good as we should be. He is a very exciting talent, and the future looks positively bright for him, but it is obvious he has a LOT to learn. I was just providing an example to Roy where RM has given minutes to a raw player who still had a lot to learn.

As for what will happen, it appears that both GG and JM will not redshirt, gauging from RM's post-game comments. He pointed out that ET could've played, but since he definitely isn't going to play this season, and he needed to make sure to get GG and JM minutes, no reason to play ET in the exhibitions. I don't think they will be in the regular rotation, but he definitely wants the flexibility they provide in the frontcourt, in case of foul trouble or injuries.

Finally, it looks like it will be a 9-man rotation. Even with ET redshirting, and GG and JM at the end of the bench, this still leaves a non-freshman not getting regular minutes. I think the following players are the definites that we know:

KM

KC

BC

RL

JJ

DE

MM

CR

That leaves the following 2 players competing for that last regular turn in the rotation:

JB

CE

Considering how high RM has been about JB in past interviews and dicsussions, I can see JB getting regular minutes while CE is just used for matchups and providing relief when BC and DE are in foul trouble. Just my thoughts.

I understood what you were saying. I wasn't trying to contradict you, just adding a point. I'd bet we have 10 guys that approach at least 10 minutes per game if someone doesn't get hurt.

[cheeseman]

"We did not prepare one bit for this game." And rightfully so, it's not a real game. Let them play at least 1 real game before saying stuff like "McCall what happened to you"

Look, MM had a whole season as basically a starter as well as full practices before the season, after the season when allowed, prior to Canada, Canada, and practice sessions now. When RM says that they did not prepare for the game what he means is that they did not practice especially for this team like they would for a real game not that they have not prepped for the season so the players could be ineffective and that is what he expected. Now, my comment still stands because he should have played far better than he did just on his talent and previous prep - by the way if you had read my entire post you would have seen where I did talk about how the team was running plays regardless of the score - for you that meant they did not play based on the actual situation as they would during a game. You can agree or disagree with me but anybody who watched that game could not have been impressed by MM's play on the floor. By the way, I never said he was shot for the year just that whatever he had been doing last year was not there so go find it.