No Cupcakes for the Freshmen

[Boognish_MU]

Can someone explain to me why Tom Crean doesn't let the freshmen and bench players play a little more in these cupcake games? 

I mean the student section goes wild when the freshmen and Brice/Frozena come in, and as a fan, I want to see what we have at the end of the bench.

I think that the more playing time Agent 0 can get out there, the better.  After watching how nervous Agent 0 was after his airballed 3 pointer against Sac St., I was thinking these guys should be getting the playing time now to work out the nerves incase they need to be called upon in the Big East schedule.

Does anyone else want to see the end of the bench get maybe the last 5 minutes when we are up 20 + ?

[romey]

I'd like to see them get the PT because they work as hard as the stars, but get little or no recognition.  BUT, I dare say, if we have to worry about how they will fare in the Big East games, we may have a whole 'nother problem.  I think our depth will keep us from having to rely on a Tommy Brice jumper down the stretch vs. Pitt or GT.
Back when I was on campus, Don Smolinski was our Tommy Brice.

[bilsu]

1. Crean is to affraid to give up control of the game.
2. He is limiting Christopherson's time, because he recently had knee surgury.
3. Hazel will need to transfer if James & McNeill comeback.

What I hate is when he has the little used players in the game and then he will not let them shoot in the last 20 seconds.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

1. Crean is to affraid to give up control of the game.
2. He is limiting Christopherson's time, because he recently had knee surgury.
3. Hazel will need to transfer if James & McNeill comeback.

What I hate is when he has the little used players in the game and then he will not let them shoot in the last 20 seconds.

And if Crean let them shoot he would be villified for running up the score or being an assbag.

I think Hazel sticks around. James is graduating in May. He gone.

[TallTitan34]

I don't think James and McNeal's playing has any impact on Hazel.

[mu_hilltopper]

Crean not playing freshmen is nothing new.  I understand the need to keep the A-team fresh and tuned up, but the new guys need PT, and cupcake season is the best time to give it to them.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I actually think Crean does a better job than most of getting walk-ons in games. There are some coaches who will just not do it. I don't know why. But even back in Minneapolis, Crean gave Sichting an opportunity to play in the Kentucky game, which I thought was very nice considering he was from Minneapolis.

I don't know about freshmen, though. Hazel seems to be getting about the same amount of minutes that Burke did his freshman year and Christopherson is coming off an injury.

[MU gimp ONE]

sure it would be great to see the walk-ons get more minutes but in reality Crean is preparing the bench as well as he can for big east play.  like it was said before, i don't think we are going to be counting on a tommy brice shot, however we might be counting on a coobey shot or an acker shot, those are the guys i want to see getting a lot of minutes in these games.  

trust me, i do want to see more of christopherson and hazel, because they both have shown moments already of being able to contribute, but leave the walk-ons on the bench till the last couple minutes.

as far as hazel goes, he should be willing to stick it out and put in the work, because he has burke as a model.  how many minutes did burke play in his first 2 years, now he is starting and contributing.  just because you don't play your first year, doesn't mean you wont down the road.

[Marquette84]

Crean plays freshman at the rate at which they're ready to contribute and the needs of the team.  McNeal, Matthews, James, Novak, Diener, etc. all received major minutes as frosh.  One, because the team needed them.  Two, because they came in as players more ready to compete at the D1 level. 

Lack of PT for frosh doesn't just apply to Marquette.  Christoperson and Hazel are averaging more minutes than UW's Keaton Nankivil and Tim Jarmusz.   Nankivil and Jarmusz have played in more games, but that's largely because UW has been in fewer competitive games. For example, both played a minute against Duke, whereas Hazel didn't get in the lineup at all in MU's game against Duke.

[Daniel]

I'd like to see Scott C get more playing time, but the 3 games I attended, he really still seems to be favoring that leg - it would be nice to have him be a 3-point threat when we get to the BE to open up the game underneath.

[muwarrior87]

the frosh still need to get the strength and conditioning the rest of the team has. no cupcakes for them!! all they do is fatten you up...

[mu03eng]

I think the freshmen are playing just the right amount presently.  Remember even the starters are getting their legs under them in preparation for the BEast.  Maui was a quick turn around week but for the most part we have had at least 4 days to recover between games until we started the cupcake stretch.  The starters need to get use to going 33 minutes and playing again two days later.

[Tribby]

James is graduating in May. He gone.

Pardon my ignorance, but ... James is graduating in three years? Did he put in time at a CC or something? Three years is impressive for anyone, let alone a scholarship athlete ...

[mu_hilltopper]

Yup.  DJ has the credits.  IIRC, Wes has enough credits to graduate as well, a year early.

[WashDCWarrior]

The one thing I'd like to see is working the future contributers (Trend, Hazel, Christopherson) in with the regular players.  Against UWM, for example, where the game wasn't in question the entire second half, I would have liked to see one of those three in the game at all times, so each of them getting around 6-7 minutes PT.  This would accomplish more than putting all three of them in together with 6-7 minutes left and having them finish the game, since if they are going to contribute, they'll be in with the regulars.

I love seeing the walk-ons get in, but no reason they should get more than about a minute and a half.  Other players could benefit the team more by getting those minutes.

[State]

Worse yet....the other night Frozena, Brice, Hazel, and Blackledge were all in with little time left in the game.  Mr. 'Pounds Chest/Cuts Throat' brings the ball up and puts up a three!!!  The guy plays a majority of the game...why not get the others involved??

Crean did replace Cube after this, but still....

[RJax55]

Let's be honest .... Does anybody really think that the freshman will develop by playing in the last three minutes of a game, when up 20 against a cupcake??

Development, IMO comes in practice. If the freshman perform in practice, then give them some time with the regulars. If not, that's what garbage time is for.

[TallTitan34]

Worse yet....the other night Frozena, Brice, Hazel, and Blackledge were all in with little time left in the game.  Mr. 'Pounds Chest/Cuts Throat' brings the ball up and puts up a three!!!  The guy plays a majority of the game...why not get the others involved??

Woah woah woah.  There was still a shot clock so they had to shoot and I have absolutely no problem with David taking an open three.

No offense to the walkons but I'd much rather have David working on his shot than Brice or Frozena.  

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

My gut says that for the most part Crean is trying to clearly develop "roles" for the guys while still experimenting with and motivating players (he didn't mix many words in the post game show, he was clearly disappointed in Ous and Burke)

I like when the younger guys get to play, but there is also a benefit to keeping a solid rotation that players become accustomed to.

It's kind of like how managers develop their bullpens throughout the year. It's nice to get guys in for mop-up work, but it's also important to build on their roles so they understand how to fit in to be effective in their role.

Probably not a "wrong" or "right" way... just different theories of coaching.

[TallTitan34]

Funny side note:  On last week's Tom Crean Show, Homer interviewed Trend who is apparently quite the master of video games.  (He actually won the tournament in Maui between Marquette players by beating Maurice.)  Anyway Homer asked him if when he plays the college basketball video game if he plays himself a lot.  Trend said he didn't since he wanted to win haha!  In all fairness he said his main strategy was shooting threes so he might not be his best option.

Not sure if this has anything to do with anything.   ???

[MuMark]

When the biggest thing we have to complain about is how many minutes our freshmen and walk-ons are getting in blowouts you know its been a pretty good year...........

[Boognish_MU]

Worse yet....the other night Frozena, Brice, Hazel, and Blackledge were all in with little time left in the game.  Mr. 'Pounds Chest/Cuts Throat' brings the ball up and puts up a three!!!  The guy plays a majority of the game...why not get the others involved??

Crean did replace Cube after this, but still....

I agree, this made me very mad.  A good teammate let's the guys who never get PT take he shot.  A good teammate is  excited for the walk ons and freshmen when they get PT.  If you watch when the walkons or freshmen score, most the starters are celebrating on the bench.

I understand that Cube will see more PT in Big East games so it makes sense to have him sharp, but I would've rather seen an attempt from Agent 0 at that point in the game.

[Wade-A-Minute]

The walk-ons are basically practice players. They pretty much know going into the season that game time will be VERY minimal. SC is clearly not ready for major minutes. Very slow afoot on defense. I realize he just had surgery, but even before that. He needs more practice time against the big three. What better on the job trainng.

[dwaderoy2004]

Worse yet....the other night Frozena, Brice, Hazel, and Blackledge were all in with little time left in the game.  Mr. 'Pounds Chest/Cuts Throat' brings the ball up and puts up a three!!!  The guy plays a majority of the game...why not get the others involved??

Woah woah woah.  There was still a shot clock so they had to shoot and I have absolutely no problem with David taking an open three.

No offense to the walkons but I'd much rather have David working on his shot than Brice or Frozena.  

This was a challenged three, and there was approximately 27 seconds left in the shot clock.  I was a little irritated when he took it as well. 

[Doctor V]

one of my biggest pet peeves of TC...Then the man goes and throws in Blackledge in the first 5-10 mins of a huge BE game- watch he does it every year. I am completely fine with that, but if u are gonna throw someone into the fire, make sure they have atleast had some PT. Not only that, you risk an injury to your key guys. There really is no reason for playing starters with under 5 mins and a 20+ point lead. I understand you wanna learn to close out games, but its IPFW and, the teams are so bad i dont even remember. Sit the starters down, give Hazel, Christopherson, Blackledge, some pt

About cubes, i know everyone loves him and I think he is good for the team and am shocked by his improvement, but he goes overboard at times. i guess thats what happens when u try to stand out with all that guard talent