I believe it's time to make a change in the starting line-up.

[denverMU]

I believe it's time to start J.Wilson instead of T.Lockett.  First, he is a better player.  Second, he adds height and allows us to match up better with most teams.  Third, we need more scoring and he is a much better offensive player than T.Lockett.  Fourth, I think he is better the more he plays and would like to see him playing 28 to 32 minutes a game.   

[jsglow]

Not sure that starting the game is as relevant as who finishes the game and gets the most minutes.  Jamil needs to cut down on his fouls before he can realistically get more minutes.

[LloydMooresLegs]

If I were to start JWilson, it would be in place of Anderson (but I would not do that).  I would, however, start Gardner in place of Otule.

[brewcity77]

If I were to start JWilson, it would be in place of Anderson (but I would not do that).  I would, however, start Gardner in place of Otule.

Gardner has zero chance of winning a tip against anyone in the Big East. Otule has only lost 3 tips all year. Buzz is handling it perfectly. Otule starts to give you the best chance of winning the possession battle and Gardner gets more minutes.

[denverMU]

I considered Gardner but I like him coming off the bench and I don't see him playing as many minutes as J.Wilson.

[JTBMU7]

a) stick with what works, we've won 5 in a row
b) buzz makes changes when needed based on opponent (J Wilson started vs Gtown)
c) we've seen this before with Jae and others, it really does not matter who starts most games since Buzz subs 3-4 guys every 2 min...

[Nukem2]

Gardner has zero chance of winning a tip against anyone in the Big East. Otule has only lost 3 tips all year. Buzz is handling it perfectly. Otule starts to give you the best chance of winning the possession battle and Gardner gets more minutes.

And Otule lost that tip against UConn in OT because several UConn players were lined up backward when its big guy faced the wrong direction.

[T-Bone]

Out of curiosity, I'd like to see Mayo get a start.  See how he reacts to it.  I don't think he's quite ready to do it, but it could be an interesting experiment.  

If Jamil cuts down on fouls, start him.  If not, keep running him the way we are.  I think that parallels Jae's junior year (in terms of coming off the bench - not in any other way, before anyone jumps off the cliff into the 100 page thread abyss), right?  

Don't mess with happy.

[brewcity77]

a) stick with what works, we've won 5 in a row
b) buzz makes changes when needed based on opponent (J Wilson started vs Gtown)
c) we've seen this before with Jae and others, it really does not matter who starts most games since Buzz subs 3-4 guys every 2 min...

As the announcers pointed out, Marquette had 10 different players on the floor in the first 3 minutes of the game. As noted here, starting isn't really that big of a deal.

[CTWarrior]

It doesn't matter who starts if the minutes aren't going to change significantly.  Buzz has his reasons for everything he does, though I don't always understand them.

I voted Cadougan, Blue, Lockett, J Wilson, Otule.  I think Buzz does what he does because he likes the combinations of J Wilson/Gardner and Anderson/Otule better than J Wilson/Otule and Anderson/Gardner, and he wants to limit minutes for J Wilson (fouls) and Gardner (stamina).

[Goose]

All that matters who is on the court when the game is on the line. Jamil almost looks better off the nench for some reason. If Jamil is more comfortable of the bench I would stick with it. Al, who never changed starting five, often did not have best five start.

[T-Bone]

Also it seems that Jamil and Davante have good chemistry when in the paint. 

[Nukem2]

It doesn't matter who starts if the minutes aren't going to change significantly.  Buzz has his reasons for everything he does, though I don't always understand them.

I voted Cadougan, Blue, Lockett, J Wilson, Otule.  I think Buzz does what he does because he likes the combinations of J Wilson/Gardner and Anderson/Otule better than J Wilson/Otule and Anderson/Gardner, and he wants to limit minutes for J Wilson (fouls) and Gardner (stamina).

Agree, its about the pairings.  Of interest, in 3 conference games, Davante is averaging almost 28 minutes per game. 

[statnik]

And Otule lost that tip against UConn in OT because several UConn players were lined up backward when its big guy faced the wrong direction.

Winning the opening tip is probably the most overrated aspect of basketball, considering the alternate possession rule.  It rarely makes a difference, unless you truly believe it gives the team that wins it momentum.

[lab_warrior]

I believe it's time to let Buzz Williams keep coaching the team how he sees fit, since we're off to a 3-0 start in conference play, and he's more qualified to do that than internet message board commenters.   

[tower912]

This is the most deep team in MU memory.   Don't worry about who starts.    Look who gets the minutes down the stretch.   In OT, Buzz subbed in Gardner for Otule and left him out there.    He subbed in for Jamil when he fouled out.   Vander, JWilson, DWilson (for Cadougan), Gardner, Lockett, Mayo.   There you go.   No Otule after the tip, no Juan, no Taylor.   If Cadougan was healthy, no DWilson.     So Buzz is going to keep running them out there fast and furious (furious after Blue gets a dumb TO), keeping players fresh, wearing down the opponent, and closing with the same bunch, barring injury or foul trouble.  

[avid1010]

my high school coach used to say "it's not who starts the game but who finishes it."  so we're getting blown out of a game and i'm taken out with about 5 min. left and in comes the guys that ride the pine...the game ends and i'm walking to the locker room pissed off and a friend/teammate who rides the pine but got in comes along side me and says "it's not who starts the game but who finishes."  needless to say, that quote no longer holds too much weight with me. 

[Marqevans]

I believe it's time to start J.Wilson instead of T.Lockett.  First, he is a better player.  Second, he adds height and allows us to match up better with most teams.  Third, we need more scoring and he is a much better offensive player than T.Lockett.  Fourth, I think he is better the more he plays and would like to see him playing 28 to 32 minutes a game.   

He gets too many early fouls to start.  Would rather he be available for the end of the game.

[tower912]

Buzz started the sophomore EWilliams ahead of the junior Jae Crowder for the exact same reason. 

[NersEllenson]

Thought Buzz was way too quick with the trigger finger on Mayo in Pitt game and Georgetown - at least felt his leash was REALLY short in the Pitt game.  He was getting yanked in and out of the lineup at an alarming rate...which never allows Todd to get in a good rhythm.  I'd guess his longest stint on the floor this season/at Pitt was roughly 5-6 minutes of game time.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Winning the opening tip is probably the most overrated aspect of basketball, considering the alternate possession rule.  It rarely makes a difference, unless you truly believe it gives the team that wins it momentum.

At best it can give a team one extra possession. At worst, it is a wash. MU has had five last possession games so far this season out of 15. I would error on trying to win the tip.  

More so, your starting line up should begin with defense. Otule and Lockett fit that bill, coupled with Juan's energy...that can set a tone...and is more important this year than in others.  Throw in the foul tendency of Jamil, and the Gardner and Mayo offensive change of pace after an initial energy burst that both team's expend to start a game...and Buzz's lineups are working well for me.  

[Stretchdeltsig]

It's comforting to watch Blue, Gardner, J. Wilson, Mayo and Cadugan on the floor when it counts.  It only makes sense to see them start.  Mayo and J. Wilson play better when the going gets tough and when they are challenged.

[denverMU]

I keep reading about all the fouls JWilson gets but he has 2 less than Lockett so far this year.

[MU82]

Who starts simply doesn't matter (with the very minor exception of Otule, who wins the jump ball and therefore gives us an extra possession every game).

Otherwise, all that matters is who plays the most minutes, who plays at crunch time, who plays at key junctures, etc. And overall, I have very few quibbles with Buzz's use of playing time.

It would be a different story if we were starting every game poorly offensively, defensively and/or on the boards, resulting in us having to battle back from big deficits. But we aren't.

[Marqevans]

I keep reading about all the fouls JWilson gets but he has 2 less than Lockett so far this year.

How does their up laying time compare?