One Minute Matt

[MU82]

Wojo's come a long way since Year 1 on the job.

We agree, Ners.

[We R Final Four]

1. Wojo explained it.

B. One shouldn't get playing time just for being a senior. It is a coach's job to put each player in a position to succeed and to help the team most.

3. The fewer minutes Matt plays, it means the better we are at the 5. And that can only be good for the Warrior Eagles.

D. We've played one game. R-E-L-A-X.

5. Thanks for chiming in, Mrs. Heldt.

#3 I so shortsighted....but I'm pretty confident you were well aware of this prior to posting it.

[NorthernDancerColt]

1. Wojo explained it.

B. One shouldn't get playing time just for being a senior. It is a coach's job to put each player in a position to succeed and to help the team most.

3. The fewer minutes Matt plays, it means the better we are at the 5. And that can only be good for the Warrior Eagles.

D. We've played one game. R-E-L-A-X.

5. Thanks for chiming in, Mrs. Heldt.

Love your 1B3D5....The funny thing is how Scoop was imploding last year about Matt chasing quicker players at the top of the key/ all around the perimeter. These same people don't understand Wojo spelling out, "their best shooter$ on the perimeter  are also their biggest players."

[MU82]

#3 I so shortsighted....but I'm pretty confident you were well aware of this prior to posting it.

Not sure "shortsighted" is the right word. It's just my opinion, and maybe I didn't articulate it very well.

There will be games we need Heldt more and games, like Tuesday, we need him less.

I think most of us agree that Heldt is pretty good at what he can do on the court but that he isn't an overly talented college basketball player. And it's my opinion that if Theo and "5-ish" players such as Joey and Ed are good enough to take away most of Matt's playing time, it means we have improved as a team.

I hate to unleash a name that could get Ners going again, but to me Matt is kind of a center version of Derrick Wilson. There is a place for him on the team, a role for him to play. But if he's playing 20, 25, 30 minutes most games, it means we don't have enough other good players at his position, and that limits our chances.

Take away the 5-10 games in which we need more size and more fouls to combat a true big, and I wouldn't be surprised if Joey averages more minutes at the 5 than Matt does in the other 20-25 games.

[We R Final Four]

If Theo gets in foul trouble at the "5" and Wojo puts in Matt, and not Ed/Joey, (therefore Matt is getting minutes) I don't think that we are a worse basketball team.
Your initial statement states that if matt's Minutes get fewer and fewer, that will be most beneficial for this team. I disagree and think Wojo does as well. His minutes maybe less than last year, but to imply that the closer Matt gets to not playing will be best for this team is shortsighted.
Matt will play a vital role on this team this year.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If Matt is getting less minutes because better players are getting minutes were are a better team. I believe that's what MU82 is saying. That's true of any player. If Markus got less minutes because we got a better player taking his minutes we'd be a better team.

[Its DJOver]

Not sure "shortsighted" is the right word. It's just my opinion, and maybe I didn't articulate it very well.

There will be games we need Heldt more and games, like Tuesday, we need him less.

I think most of us agree that Heldt is pretty good at what he can do on the court but that he isn't an overly talented college basketball player. And it's my opinion that if Theo and "5-ish" players such as Joey and Ed are good enough to take away most of Matt's playing time, it means we have improved as a team.

I hate to unleash a name that could get Ners going again, but to me Matt is kind of a center version of Derrick Wilson. There is a place for him on the team, a role for him to play. But if he's playing 20, 25, 30 minutes most games, it means we don't have enough other good players at his position, and that limits our chances.

Take away the 5-10 games in which we need more size and more fouls to combat a true big, and I wouldn't be surprised if Joey averages more minutes at the 5 than Matt does in the other 20-25 games.

Disagree with the bolded.  The one area where I believe that Matt is the best on the team is traditional post defense.  UMBC had little-to-no back to the basket players.  Even against teams that don't have the post presence of Kansas, we will play teams that have back to the basket players, and Matt will get minutes against them.  He will see his average minutes go down, but I would still guess that he has more games with 20+ minutes than he has with less than 5.

[We R Final Four]

If Matt is getting less minutes because better players are getting minutes were are a better team. I believe that's what MU82 is saying. That's true of any player. If Markus got less minutes because we got a better player taking his minutes we'd be a better team.

I took it to mean the closer Matt's minutes approach zero(fewer and fewer) its better for the team.
Matt has a role on this team, and I disagree that the best thing for this team is when he doesn't play.

[MU82]

If Matt is getting less minutes because better players are getting minutes were are a better team. I believe that's what MU82 is saying. That's true of any player. If Markus got less minutes because we got a better player taking his minutes we'd be a better team.

Thank you for saying this better than I did, and in a lot fewer words.

I took it to mean the closer Matt's minutes approach zero(fewer and fewer) its better for the team.
Matt has a role on this team, and I disagree that the best thing for this team is when he doesn't play.

See above response to TAMU.

[Benny B]

Look no further than this thread for confirmation that not only do the players actually read Scoop, but they participate as well.

[We R Final Four]

Look no further than this thread for confirmation that not only do the players actually read Scoop, but they participate as well.

Yes......I am The Milkman.

[Lennys Tap]

Matt is a known quantity. His strengths and weaknesses as a player are established. More variables/unknowns/questions about Theo, Joey or Ed at the 5. Positive answers to those questions = less time for Matt and good news for the team. Simple, no?

[MU82]

Matt is a known quantity. His strengths and weaknesses as a player are established. More variables/unknowns/questions about Theo, Joey or Ed at the 5. Positive answers to those questions = less time for Matt and good news for the team. Simple, no?

Superbly stated.

[barfolomew]

Yes......I am The Milkman.

goo goo g'joob

[MomofMUltiples]

Matt shut down Ethan Happ last year without a double team - so he's proved that he can do well against traditional post players.  But now that Theo has shown he can be on the floor for more than 5 minutes without fouling out, Matt's role is clearly diminished.  Add in Morrow and Joey playing the 5 part-time and you can see why Matt's role is limited.  We have a luxury of more than just one taller, bigger, tougher player and we should rejoice in that.  It's not meant as a slight to Matt.

Also the luxury of having 20 fouls to give against a guy like Aizubuike will, I hope, reduce the probability of total embarrassment in NY.

[MU82]

Also the luxury of having 20 fouls to give against a guy like Aizubuike will, I hope, reduce the probability of total embarrassment in NY.

You really think we'll beat Kansas that decisively?