I love me some D-Burt

[GGGG]

That is one of my biggest gripes of the entire game.  I'm still not convinced Buzz is a great in-game coach.  Many more examples besides that, but why on earth he pulls the only guy hot on offense is beyond me.  It's common sense to leave someone in when they are producing that much so quickly.  If he screws up big time on D a few times and forces a couple shots, pull him.  I don't think he needed a rest either.  What do I know though.

As I pointed out elsewhere, he had been in the game for 7:30...and MU actually went +1 when he sat out for about 90 seconds.

[Wade for President]

you could see very easily in Burton's limited minutes against the cupcake opponents he has "it."  Hard to do much when you get 5-8 minutes of playing time, broken down into 2 different 3-4 minute segments - as Burton has been given.  Look what happened when Deonte, and even JJJ have been given long stretches of PT - they've performed their best.  It takes time to get into a rhythm/flow.  Sadly, the guys getting the most minutes - Derrick and Jake - produce the least, when they should be producing a lot more given there long, extended stretches of minutes - that no other players are afforded on MU.

Love Buzz, but feel his continued decision to ride Derrick and Jake for 25-30 minutes a game is what ails this team - and will all year, if he doesn't change his approach. 

Ners....In my opinion, you hit the nail right on the head.  Games like the one D-Burt had against SDSU, and JJJ had against C-State Fullerton, should warrant more playing time.  I've seen zero reason (practice aside) why Jake should get more minutes than JJJ.  Zero. 

[MarquetteDano]

Ners....In my opinion, you hit the nail right on the head.  Games like the one D-Burt had against SDSU, and JJJ had against C-State Fullerton, should warrant more playing time.  I've seen zero reason (practice aside) why Jake should get more minutes than JJJ.  Zero. 

Other than an Elite Eight coach disagrees with you.  Burton's game against SDSU is not the same as JJJ's against Cal State Fullerton as Fullerton's defense was atrocious.

Over time hopefully JJJ will improve his defense and get more playing time (presumably from Jake) but acting like this is a slam dunk right now just isn't the case.

I am hoping come conference tournament JJJ will be averaging 20+ minutes a game but it may be a bit early for that right now.

[Wade for President]

Other than an Elite Eight coach disagrees with you.  Burton's game against SDSU is not the same as JJJ's against Cal State Fullerton as Fullerton's defense was atrocious.

Over time hopefully JJJ will improve his defense and get more playing time (presumably from Jake) but acting like this is a slam dunk right now just isn't the case.

One could make the case that CSF's porous defense helped JJJ have a big game, but he was 3-3 from deep.  Jake was 1-4 against that same defense. 

In addition, JJJ adds another dimension to the game that we are desperately missing - the ability to take the ball to the rack.

Listen, we obviously support all MU ballers, but seeing Jake Thomas get the minutes he has this year is beyond head scratching. 

If we continue to struggle this year (and there have been few signs to argue the contrary), why keep rolling out the same players? 

Let's see what one of the highest ranked MU recruiting classes can do with more minutes.

[GGGG]

One could make the case that CSF's porous defense helped JJJ have a big game, but he was 3-3 from deep.  Jake was 1-4 against that same defense. 

In addition, JJJ adds another dimension to the game that we are desperately missing - the ability to take the ball to the rack.

Listen, we obviously support all MU ballers, but seeing Jake Thomas get the minutes he has this year is beyond head scratching. 

It really isn't all that head scratching.  He's a smarter defender.  Defense is the one thing that is preventing the freshmen from seeing more time.

[slingkong]

Guys get the minutes they earn. Todd and Dawson are getting what they have earned. When they play better than the guy in front of them, they will start to see more minutes.

Meritocratic minutes are all well and good but, at some point, doesn't Buzz have to think about who actually performs in games? He probably is - obviously none of us know - but I sure hope it's not just practice habits that defines playing time.

[MarquetteDano]

One could make the case that CSF's porous defense helped JJJ have a big game, but he was 3-3 from deep.  Jake was 1-4 against that same defense. 

In addition, JJJ adds another dimension to the game that we are desperately missing - the ability to take the ball to the rack.

Listen, we obviously support all MU ballers, but seeing Jake Thomas get the minutes he has this year is beyond head scratching. 

I don't disagree with long-term JJJ is the better option.  As you have stated he has a better all-around offensive game.  However it is on the defensive end that Jake is currently the better option.

The GW game was case in point.  On two different occasions JJJ's man goes right by him and instead of leading him to a secondary defender his man scores.  In that same game Jake gets owned but leads him right to Otule... who alters his man's shot.

Once JJJ learns how to play team defense he will get the playing time we all desire.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Meritocratic minutes are all well and good but, at some point, doesn't Buzz have to think about who actually performs in games? He probably is - obviously none of us know - but I sure hope it's not just practice habits that defines playing time.

Yes and no.

I mean, in theory, somebody could be a total dog in practice, but fantastic in games. However, that's highly unlikely.

I trust that Buzz Williams puts his toughest/most effective players on the floor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nf7SuRwIfE&feature=youtu.be&t=8m54s

http://youtu.be/uC7QEOa_MCo?t=6m23s

[Mobot]

Burton is an absolute ball-hawk.  That impressed me more than anything else throughout the tournament. He will eventually be a great defensive player once he learns rotations, etc.

[GGGG]

Burton is an absolute ball-hawk.  That impressed me more than anything else throughout the tournament. He will eventually be a great defensive player once he learns rotations, etc.

I have absolutely no doubts that JJJ and Deonte will turn into better defenders over time.

[Bocephys]

I have absolutely no doubts that JJJ and Deonte will turn into better defenders over time.

Well they can't get worse, Steve Taylor already took on that role.

[mu03eng]

I have absolutely no doubts that JJJ and Deonte will turn into better defenders over time.

+1, in fact they will be much better in March than they are now and as a consequence will have more minutes.

Jake has the maturity and knowledge edge on the players right now....that edge evaporates with time and I think by the end of the season Jake will be getting less than 15 minutes a game.  Or something has gone horribly wrong.

[Lennys Tap]

+1, in fact they will be much better in March than they are now and as a consequence will have more minutes.

Jake has the maturity and knowledge edge on the players right now....that edge evaporates with time and I think by the end of the season Jake will be getting less than 15 minutes a game.  Or something has gone horribly wrong.

+100. If Jake is still playing 25 minutes a game in March (at his present efficiency) we will be in trouble.

[PGsHeroes32]

It really isn't all that head scratching.  He's a smarter defender.  Defense is the one thing that is preventing the freshmen from seeing more time.

Valid but aside from the scorching hot start by ASU(against the "defensive" specialists might ironically) our defense has been more than fine. We cannot score.

Its time to mix in the potential offensive weapons more often. I would be absolutely shocked if our current starters ever have one of those amazing hot starts that we are prone to giving up. They just can't score enough consecutively to give us that chance. So, even if they do defend well, if a team is hot from 3....big deficit.

[MU82]

Well they can't get worse, Steve Taylor already took on that role.

Steve Taylor is serving as a bit of a cautionary tale for all those who proclaim that so-and-so is a surefire great player-to-be.

I liked Taylor's potential last season but I was never quite as high on him as some were because of the many stretches in which he seemed to get lost on both defense and offense. He actually appears to have regressed, which isn't very common under Buzz. Gotta be driving Buzz batty.

I agree with those who say this year's freshmen will have their day, some sooner and some later. The ones that can pass the "Buzz test" will end up being very good players for a very long time.

As for Jake's defense, yes, he "thinks" better than JJJ at this time in both of their careers and gets in better position. But he was quite bad against SDSU -- on both sides of the ball.

One sign that we are actually improving will be Jake getting significantly fewer minutes. I doubt he'll get completely mothballed as he did last season, but it will be a better sign for the team if, come conference season, he is closer to last year's minutes than this year's minutes.

[bilsu]

I also feel like Taylor has regressed, but we need to remember he had surgery and missed 4 or 5 months to work on improving his game. Time off leads to regression. I love Burton and have already stated he is going to be a stud. However, we got to remember when he was scoring inside again San Diego St. he was taking it mostly to a player that had four fouls. At the end of the game both 0 and 20 had four fouls, so Burton could attack without much resistance.

[Lennys Tap]

I love Burton and have already stated he is going to be a stud. However, we got to remember when he was scoring inside again San Diego St. he was taking it mostly to a player that had four fouls. At the end of the game both 0 and 20 had four fouls, so Burton could attack without much resistance.

Good point, but who was attacking #0 and #20 successfully other than Burton? If nobody, that certainly begs the question why?

[WellsstreetWanderer]

SDSU sagged off Dwill and doubled Jake every time he handled the ball. they gave him no chance to put a shot up. Burton just went to the rim or put up a shot promptly when he was open. He was the only one who didn't hesitate to try and score. Thought he has a scorer's mentality.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I really don't understand how people still think Jake doesn't deserve to be on the floor. He has really stepped up his game this year. Great defender, best three point shooter on the team, hi energy and hustle.

I do want to see more from the freshmen but all this Jake is worthless talk needs to stop

[MarquetteDano]

I really don't understand how people still think Jake doesn't deserve to be on the floor. He has really stepped up his game this year. Great defender, best three point shooter on the team, hi energy and hustle.

I do want to see more from the freshmen but all this Jake is worthless talk needs to stop

Here, here.  First it was he can't shoot three's in games.  Then it was there were way better shooters on the team than him.  Now that he leads the team in threes it is suddenly his poor defense.

Some have changed their mind others have their mind made up that there are better options at this very minute.  They may be right by season's end but not right now.

[JakeBarnes]

I believe Burton will be fantastic. He's got that same kind of hunger Jae Crowder had in him. But this idea of declaring "it", whatever the hell "it" is, after one game is idiotic. We were pretty much told a week ago that ASU had "it" and they were a top-15 team. We've been told John Dawson has "it". Well, "it" is a load of crap. You don't learn about anyone because of one game. You learn about them over time. If the freshmen can do it they'll get a chance to prove it, but they have to earn it. And they have to do that on the defensive end. I really want to see over the next few months and years what Johnson, Burton, Dawson, and DuWil can bring to the table. But until they earn it defensively, those chances will be limited.

And seriously, this stupid "it" has to be the worst cliche we've had on this site. Toss that baby out with the bathwater.

Did someone say throw It into the bathwater?

[Sunbelt15]

Did someone say throw It into the bathwater?

It doesn't matter, "THEY ALL FLOAT!!!!"

[MU82]

I really don't understand how people still think Jake doesn't deserve to be on the floor. He has really stepped up his game this year. Great defender, best three point shooter on the team, hi energy and hustle.

I do want to see more from the freshmen but all this Jake is worthless talk needs to stop

First of all, Jake is not a "great" defender. He can't man-up on a quick guard and he struggled in all sets against San Diego State. He is a decent athlete and a heady team-defender -- takes away passing angles, anticipates well, etc. I'm not dismissing that out of hand. It's important. He is better at it than I thought he would be. But he is not a "great" defender. Dominic James and Jimmy Butler were great defenders.

Second, I didn't say Jake doesn't deserve to play. What I said is that a sign that this team is improving would be if Jake plays significantly fewer minutes because the freshmen -- who potentially are much more skilled -- are taking minutes away from him. I stand by that statement, because Buzz won't play the kids over Jake until he's sure they will be an improvement.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

  Jake may not be a great "man up" defender but he knows where to be on the court, gets some good defensive rebounds and can get to a spot quicker than DG

[Bocephys]

Did someone say throw It into the bathwater?

That movie made me frightened of sewers for a long time.  Good thing these guys live down there as well to keep America safe.