Who will be our starting five vs. UW?

[Secret of the Ouse]

Do you guys think were gonna go with out usual James McNeal Matthews Hayward and Burke?  The Badgers will most likely be starting Hughes 6-1, Krabbenhoft 6-7 Landry 6-7, Butch 6-11, and Stiemsma 6-11.  If we start our usual guys this would cause a significant size disadvantage for us, Hayward at 6-6 would probably have to guard a one of their 6-11 men.  With Hughes being their high scorer you would like to put McNeal on him, but if you do this then James at 5-11 would be guarding one of their 6-7 men.  I know he hasn't really proved himself to be worthy of a starting position, but do you think Barro will start on Saturday to try to minimize UW's hight advantage? 

[SoCalwarrior]

I think Duke provided a pretty good blueprint.  We should just run them out of the building.  And I would consider starting Barro, not because he's taller, but because he should be able to outrun their bigs.

[gjreda]

I agree with SoCal.  We can't let them dictate how the game is going to be played.  We need to just run them out of the building and use our quickness like we always do.  I think the starters stay the same as they have thus far.

[Ready2Fly]

I'm confident in James' ability to guard Hughes, as well as Hayward guarding one of their bigs.  If anything, they should be worried that they'll get run out of the building with KRABBENHOFT at the 2.  The Pillsbury Doughboy down low doesn't scare me either.

Regardless of who starts, Ouse should play 30+ minutes, along with Hayward. 

[🏀]

Leave Ooze on the bench until the first TV timeout. Someone on MU is going to collect the 3-4 early Kohl Center fouls, I'd rather it be Burke. Ooze outrunning the polar bears is going to be huge in this game.

[YoungMUFan4]

To start the game, I think it will be:
C-Burke
PF-Lazar
SF-Matthews
SG: McNeal
PG: James

and to start the 2nd half
C-Lazar
PF: Matthews
SF: McNeal
SG: Cubillan
PG: James

[Secret of the Ouse]

yaa we are just going to make their bigs run baseline to baseline as much as we can, i wanna see them with their hands on their knees by the end of the first half

[MarquetteDano]

I think Duke provided a pretty good blueprint.  We should just run them out of the building.  And I would consider starting Barro, not because he's taller, but because he should be able to outrun their bigs.

I like running, with one caveat... if there are UW players underneath the basket, DO NOT go all the way to the rim.  PLEASE!  I can only imagine the number of charges we will get.  We need to practice pull-ups before this game like nobody's business.  If we can hit 5 footers we will be okay.  It is better to let UW players try to swat at a 5 footers (and maybe get a foul or two called on them) versus barreling in for yet another charge call.

[Doctor V]

if it were up to me...

James, Mcneal, Hayward, Barro, Burke

I love matthews but he needs a wake up kick in the pants
Lets see what the double headed monster can do down low, seeing as we are going to have to use them together at some point (thats like a will purdue/bill wennington monster)
Lets give Hayward some ability to attack early on the offensive end, along with getting james and mcneal involved right away.
2 guard offense??? Bo will be clueless and they will be worn down a bit when we go to the 4 guarder and run them outta the gym
Allows for some easy buckets and confidence by our not so competent offensively big men, off drives from james and mcneal
Matthews comes off the bench all fired up and ready to prove something (or demoralized and useless)

Is fitz supposed to play?

[jmayer1]

I think you stay with the same starting 5, but be quick bring in either Ooze (if UW starts to dominate down low) or Cubillan (if one of the 3 amigos picks up a couple quick fouls or we need a dose of energy).

[Pardner]

IF TC goes with a match-up lineup, which I would on the road...it will be the three amigos, Lazar and Ooze.  Bucky is going to go right inside in this game to get fouls and the early lead to force us into a half court game.  Burke will be overmatched inside like with Chaminade.  Ooze can run the floor and provide some energy on the road to withstand the initial home crowd advantage.  He will get in foul trouble, but we have more depth and many more looks to throw at them.  I am guessing Fitz won't play so Wes will need to step up outside along with Lazar.  We will keep running our guards at them as we have plenty of fouls to give.

That said, I am going the other way and guessing TC will go with his same starting lineup (Burke) with a lot of varied looks with his rotations--which is why he makes the big bucks.   Pressure and press for us...match-up zone for them.  Classic match-up game:  quickness vs. size.  The boys will have to step up on the boards.  Bucky will do their usual low fouling on our dribble drives without the calls from the refs who will be looking at the arm/hands.  We'll need to get to the hoop on the transition as a result--lots of quick sets.