A player scores 2 or 3 hoops and...

[M@RQUETTEW@RRIORS]

Often times is pulled from the game.  What gives?

Otule had his little streak last night and was pulled.  At that very moment Vandy went on their run.  Not saying taking Chirs out is what caused the run, but it seems strange that when a player gets on a role he is pulled from the game.

[🏀]

Chris was gassed at that point in time. Vandy's traditional play went coast to coast while half of the team was still making it to half court.

[dw3dw3dw3]

He was dead tired... took him about 20 seconds to make it back on a super slow Vandy fast break... I think they got a layup by the pg.  I think Buzz played Chris as much as possible last night. Buzz was pretty lenient last night the only pull I saw from a regular was VB getting yanked for 2 bad layup attempts. Cadougan and Gardner each got pulled pretty quick for the usual reasons.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Otule looked like me getting back on defense right before he was pulled.

[GGGG]

And let's not go all nuts about his scoring....it's not as though he was creating off the dribble.  He benefitted from others doing most of the work.  Not trying to diminish anything, but it's not as though we lost a big offensive threat when he left the game.

[dw3dw3dw3]

I disagree a little he worked hard and got great position on two post up moves last night and the team was really looking for him and gardner which we have never seen a MU team do since RJax. One of the issues was entry passes again. There were 5 or 6 that seemed to be stolen or easily deflected.

[chren21]

Otule was bushed getting back a couple of times.  Take a look at DG and Ewill on your TVO or go to espn3.com and watch the replay.  Times to fast forward to below.

-10:47 DG in.
-9:42 Gardner gives up offensive rebound.  Watch him CLEARLY get beat down the court.  He starts off ahead of his man but gets beat to the block.  Results in Taylor putback from the lane. (21-17 vandy)
-9:13 DG gets beat down the floor AGAIN.  His man gets the offensive board and results in Tinsley hitting a 10 footer.
-8:51 OK defense by MU, shot from baseline bounces long and DG's man gets the offensive rebound.  Tuff bounce.  DG gets pulled.

-1:58 Ewill in the game
-1:40 Ewill gets abused when he tries to box out.  Gives up offensive board, and easy put back.

[Mods, Delete me please. 8/26/2020]

And let's not go all nuts about his scoring....it's not as though he was creating off the dribble.  He benefitted from others doing most of the work.  Not trying to diminish anything, but it's not as though we lost a big offensive threat when he left the game.

Disagree.   Where are you seeing 7'0" post players creating off the dribble?  He created shots with some nice moves off the block and displayed good touch off the glass.   

[StillWarriors]

I disagree a little he worked hard and got great position on two post up moves last night and the team was really looking for him and gardner which we have never seen a MU team do since RJax. One of the issues was entry passes again. There were 5 or 6 that seemed to be stolen or easily deflected.

Even the threat of being able to dump it inside for two should open things up for outside shooting and driving lanes, and is a welcome change.

[GGGG]

chren, you got it.  Part of the reason we have trouble with the boards isn't because Buzz hasn't recruited size, but because our size has deficiencies.

[M@RQUETTEW@RRIORS]

I was just pointing to otule last night as another example.  This seems to happen alot this season.

Also, why is MU always the team getting gassed or is it happening to the opposition as well?  Shouldnt MU be the deeper team this year at least on a semi regular basis?

[MarquetteDano]

I was just pointing to otule last night as another example.  This seems to happen alot this season.

Also, why is MU always the team getting gassed or is it happening to the opposition as well?  Shouldnt MU be the deeper team this year at least on a semi regular basis?

It is not like the whole MU team is gassed.  Otule and Gardner cannot play more than about 15 minutes in a fast pace game (maybe 20 min in a slower game).

Cadougan, according to Buzz, cannot play more than 20 minutes.  Other than that, I don't think anyone else is getting too tired.  Maybe Fulce right now due to injury.

[tower912]

Otule played Ezeli, supposedly NBA ready, to a standstill.    12, 2, 1 in 20 minutes for Chris, 14/4/3 in 20 minutes for Ezeli.    If this is the kind of effort and production we can expect from Chris the rest of the year, we are going to win some games.    DG is slow down the floor, slow on his help rotations, and though he did a better job last night of handfighting in the post, doesn't box out or even rebound his area well.    Yet.    It has taken a couple of years for the light to go on for Chris, and DG has far better building blocks (hands, feet, touch, two eyes) to work with.   

[GGGG]

And remember, we still get Chris for two more years and Ox for three more.  I'm feeling good about the future of both of them.

[chapman]

Otule had also picked up his third foul.  Vandy went after him three straight trips down, knowing he was going to pick up his fourth or have to play soft D and they scored each time.  Otule answered twice on the other end, but was getting gassed and a defensive liability because of the fouls.  Unfortunately we didn't have anyone who could spell him and give us what we were getting from Otule on both ends.

[ATL MU Warrior]

And let's not go all nuts about his scoring....it's not as though he was creating off the dribble.  He benefitted from others doing most of the work.  Not trying to diminish anything, but it's not as though we lost a big offensive threat when he left the game.

This is a very bizarre statement.  When do 6'10" guys create off the dribble?  

As far as others doing all the work, I fail to understand how establishing good strong position, sealing off your defender and laying the ball in, diving to the front of the rim to receive a pass when a guard penetrates and your defender goes to help, and hustling down the court to receive a nice drop off pass for a dunk aren't considered "work"?  That's what post players do.  I guess it's been so long since we've had one we don't even remember what it is they bring to the game.  

[tower912]

Nailed it.   COT did EXACTLY what you want your 6'11" 260 pound center to do.   He worked for position down low, scored in traffic with some basic moves, and made himself available for dump offs.   Perhaps in another year, he will have serious post moves.   But a good showing against an NBA prospect his own size.

[lohaus]

I thought Otule looked good.  He caught the ball.  He finished.  I would have liked to see him make Ezeli use his left hand.  When you see the other teams big guy post up and make 3 buckets in a row off a baby right hook shot I would like to see our big guy recognize that and make him turn and use his left instead.

[chren21]

I feel these are the few big questions that need to be sorted out heading into BE competition. They must be crossing Buzz's mind regarding playing time.

- J. Jones...  Would love to get him time to keep him happy and get him experience but how?  If he gets 8-10 min a game how do you get Fulce, J. Jones and Ewill time too?   OR keep sitting him and hope he stays mentally there and just progresses through only practice reps.
- Fulce....  I respect the relationship w/ Buzz and everything he does on/off the court but has the thought ever been maybe it's better to give SOME of his possible future minutes to Ewill or J Jones so we dont lose another player?  That might cost us +/- 1.5 games this year but in the long run pay off.  OR get him the +/- 15 minutes that he deserves and most definitely would help us on our biggest deficiencies, rebounding and experience.
- Ewill...  Yes his defense and rebounding need work.  We dont see practice but I have seen enough of his jump shots to know he could be a real effective scorer.  He needs to somehow continue to get some minutes in big games if there is any hope for him to become a solid starter. Give him 5-10 minutes a game OR continue to sit him (or have him come in and remove him as soon as he makes a mistake) and hope he stays with us cause he has to realize that next year he should have the chance to compete for some real minutes.
-Junior...  Have him continue to give us quality backup minutes this year and that's about all.  Make him work for his spot at point next year which he may just lose to D. Wilson.  OR decide he is our guy and start him at the point and bring Buycks off the bench.

It's a tuff job, thats why he gets the big bucks.  I think these are the key decisions that I go back and forth on game to game..

Some will say what about Vander?  Well if he starts or doesn't I think we can all agree he is going to (needs to) get starter type minutes anyway.

[LAMUfan]

vander should start, no question

[Stretchdeltsig]

Thought Otule played tough.  Buzz pulled him when he ran out of gas; and played him as long as possible.  Overall Otule was very effective and a bright star for the future.  We need him as a big to compete in the BE.  Disappointed that Gardner played so slow!!! Why isn't he in better condition??? He has the potential to be a good player.  Is it his condition or attitude???  We sure could use him as a big to spell Otule.

[MarquetteDano]

Of the four guys chren mentioned (Fulce, EWill, Jones, Cadougan) the most key person in my mind is Fulce.  We have three good guards in DJO, Buycks, and Blue.  Yes, Cadougan is our only pure PG and he needs to play a big role.  However, Fulce to me is the key.  There are some really good offensive rebounding teams in the Big East and Fulce needs to play decent minutes (15 I think) in order to keep in the other team from those easy boards.

Because of that, I just don't know what EWill brings to the table right now.  If Fulce is healthy, he is EWill and then some.  Jones brings a bit more dimension because of the trey shooting but I am not really sure offense is where we should be concentrating right now.  We are a Top 25 offense but probably a 75-100 defense right now.

Fulce and Cadougan, of the four you mentioned, need the bulk of those minutes.

[NersEllenson]

I feel these are the few big questions that need to be sorted out heading into BE competition. They must be crossing Buzz's mind regarding playing time.

- J. Jones...  Would love to get him time to keep him happy and get him experience but how?  If he gets 8-10 min a game how do you get Fulce, J. Jones and Ewill time too?   OR keep sitting him and hope he stays mentally there and just progresses through only practice reps.
- Fulce....  I respect the relationship w/ Buzz and everything he does on/off the court but has the thought ever been maybe it's better to give SOME of his possible future minutes to Ewill or J Jones so we dont lose another player?  That might cost us +/- 1.5 games this year but in the long run pay off.  OR get him the +/- 15 minutes that he deserves and most definitely would help us on our biggest deficiencies, rebounding and experience.
- Ewill...  Yes his defense and rebounding need work.  We dont see practice but I have seen enough of his jump shots to know he could be a real effective scorer.  He needs to somehow continue to get some minutes in big games if there is any hope for him to become a solid starter. Give him 5-10 minutes a game OR continue to sit him (or have him come in and remove him as soon as he makes a mistake) and hope he stays with us cause he has to realize that next year he should have the chance to compete for some real minutes.
-Junior...  Have him continue to give us quality backup minutes this year and that's about all.  Make him work for his spot at point next year which he may just lose to D. Wilson.  OR decide he is our guy and start him at the point and bring Buycks off the bench.

It's a tuff job, thats why he gets the big bucks.  I think these are the key decisions that I go back and forth on game to game..

Some will say what about Vander?  Well if he starts or doesn't I think we can all agree he is going to (needs to) get starter type minutes anyway.

Good stuff.  Agree that these are def some of the big issues Buz has to figure out.  If we can also just tighten up our defense just a little bit..we should be really good this year.  Our offensive efficiency is through the roof..7t best FG % team in the nation.  Assisting on makes at ahigh level.