Todd Mayo will carry us to a BET championship

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Ok, maybe this is a little over the top but this board is in need of a positive thread. Despite the general consencus this season still isnt over yet. Todd Mayo is legit and if he doesnt foul out or get into foul trouble in the 1st half we beat St. Johns. Anyways, just need to spruce up this boad with some positivity.

[BlindboyPatSmith]

Positivity???  More like "once upon a time"

[Stretchdeltsig]

Excellent comment.  Love Todd's game.

[NersEllenson]

Nice effort Esard....without question the bright spot of this season and looking ahead to next is the emergence of Todd Mayo.  Played a great game yesterday - was too bad he was limited by foul trouble.  Todd's starting to show signs of putting it all together, and I don't think it is any coincidence it has coincided with him finally being able to play through rough spots, not get a quick hook - Todd like many players - really benefits from getting into a flow and rhythm, and he's finally been given the opportunity to get into that flow/rhythm.

[MUHoopsFan2]

Nice effort Esard....without question the bright spot of this season and looking ahead to next is the emergence of Todd Mayo.  Played a great game yesterday - was too bad he was limited by foul trouble.  Todd's starting to show signs of putting it all together, and I don't think it is any coincidence it has coincided with him finally being able to play through rough spots, not get a quick hook - Todd like many players - really benefits from getting into a flow and rhythm, and he's finally been given the opportunity to get into that flow/rhythm.

Absolutely.

Todd should have started from day 1 at PG once Duane was declared a red shirt and left there.

Period.

You don't play around with guards in college basketball.

[MU82]

Mayo = Kemba?

Stranger things have happened. Or maybe they haven't, but they are about to start happening!

[NersEllenson]

To tack onto this thread....think about what could have been, potentially, and in high liklihood had Buzz just rode Todd max minutes from the beginning of the year....look at point season point/minute differential between he and Vander...and points per 40...and Todd does it more efficiently...left 183 potential points on the bench.  If you gave Todd most all of Juan's minutes to make up the difference...still could have played Jake a lot of minutes...and in my opinion Jake finished the season as well as Lockett did last year...maybe even better...


http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/compare?add=todd-mayo&i=1&p1=vander-blue

[MarquetteFan94]

Will be difficult if he gets 5 first half minutes.

[77ncaachamps]

The same guy who fouled out of a Double OT game and wasn't on the court for the last possession.

Yeahhhhhhhh.......

[Class71]

We have a punchers chance to win the BET, if, and it is a big if,  Buzz maximizes Todd minutes and is more actively using Burton and to a lesser degree Dawson and JJJ in offense situations. Unfortunately Todd should have been tried at point much earlier in the season. Unfortunately I do no see Buzz trusting freshman and I do not see him abandoning what has gotten us to this point. Unless Buzz changes a very, very good coach will fall on his sword this year and next. Good role players on this team can regretably not fill starting roles with extended minutes. Freshman will make some ugly mistakes but I thought we would have used them more against the cupcakes earlier in the year to reduce those errors. While they will make some of those errors IMHO they give us a greater chance even now. Unfortunately, we may never know given the expected line-up.  

[NavinRJohnson]

Absolutely.

Todd should have started from day 1 at PG once Duane was declared a red shirt and left there.

Period.

You don't play around with guards in college basketball.

Really, the guy who comfortably leads the team I turnovers should be the primary PG? Ok.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

At least Todd takes chances off the dribble.. I would rather watch him and Deonte go the basket than have the ball pass back and for the around the perimeter

[mattyv1908]

Really, the guy who comfortably leads the team I turnovers should be the primary PG? Ok.

Todd leads the team in TO's with 58 by one over Jamil Wilson and by 13 over Derrick Wilson.

The real question that should be being asked is why does a player who all he does is dribble the ball past half court than pass to the wing either right or left of him have only 13 less turnovers compared to a player who actually attempts to create offensive opportunities?

The Mayo/D Wilson turnover ratio should be 4/1 based on the type of plays one makes compared to the lack of plays the other makes yet they're less than 1.5/1.

[NavinRJohnson]

The real question that should be being asked is why does a player who all he does is dribble the ball past half court than pass to the wing either right or left of him have only 13 less turnovers compared to a player who actually attempts to create offensive opportunities?

Give him the additional minutes you're suggesting and his turnover numbers would be off the charts, giving back everything you gain with the additional offense. I realize that requires more than the simplistic thinking many here love to ascribe to that playing certain guys more will fix everything because it will lead to more scoring, conveniently ignoring the additional turnovers, weaker D, weaker rebounding...

As much as youd like it to be true, there are no easy answers with this roster. With five guys needed on the floor at all times, there  is just no way to prevent weak spots or bad combinations. Where Mayo strengthens the teamin one area, he weakens them in others, same goes for Jake, Derrick, Jamil, Burton, etc.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Ok, maybe this is a little over the top but this board is in need of a positive thread. Despite the general consencus this season still isnt over yet. Todd Mayo is legit and if he doesnt foul out or get into foul trouble in the 1st half we beat St. Johns. Anyways, just need to spruce up this boad with some positivity.

"I'll have what he's having."

[77ncaachamps]

At least Todd takes chances off the dribble.. I would rather watch him and Deonte go the basket than have the ball pass back and for the around the perimeter

WHAT?!

A non-believer in side to top to side?!?

[mattyv1908]

Give him the additional minutes you're suggesting and his turnover numbers would be off the charts, giving back everything you gain with the additional offense. I realize that requires more than the simplistic thinking many here love to ascribe to that playing certain guys more will fix everything because it will lead to more scoring, conveniently ignoring the additional turnovers, weaker D, weaker rebounding...

As much as youd like it to be true, there are no easy answers with this roster. With five guys needed on the floor at all times, there  is just no way to prevent weak spots or bad combinations. Where Mayo strengthens the teamin one area, he weakens them in others, same goes for Jake, Derrick, Jamil, Burton, etc.

Does the .5 less turnovers per game Derrick has compared to Mayo justify the 5.8 less points, 5% FG percentage drop, 35% FT percentage drop, inability to handle token defensive pressure without help, stagnant dribbling around the top of the key, an extra defender being allowed to sag into the lane preventing entry passes and the complete inability to create any offensive movement resulting in open looks for team mates?

I'll take the .5 extra turnovers a game every single time.
I'll take the ability to make a critical basket at a key point in a game every single time.
I'll take a free throw shooter how makes 8/10 over one who makes 4.5/10 every single time.

You're grasping at straws and I think you possibly know it at this point.

[Sunbelt15]

Ok, maybe this is a little over the top but this board is in need of a positive thread. Despite the general consencus this season still isnt over yet. Todd Mayo is legit and if he doesnt foul out or get into foul trouble in the 1st half we beat St. Johns. Anyways, just need to spruce up this boad with some positivity.

I like Todd's game, but he's not consistent enough to carry anything. It has to be done as a team.

So Jamil, wake your ass up. Jake, we need your lights out shooting. And Derrick, don't shoot at all. Double digit assist per game should be your goal. Everybody else, keep doing what you're doing. Oh, and Buzz, Juan plays no more than five mins. per. Also, start Mayo and DG. We need our Thoroughbreds in the game at the tip as well as the end. See ya in the winner's circle.

[willie warrior]

The idea of Todd at PG is as far fetched as Vander at PG. Todd is best suited as the 2G. At point would not be his game. He would try to force things too much and increase his TO's. And he sure as hell could not guard PG's, as he goes for the pump fake every time. He needs to stay where he is most effective--at the 2G

[MarsupialMadness]

For a couple minutes towards end of the second half of the SJU game, Buzz had a lineup of Mayo, Jake, Jamil, Ox, Otule.  I figured he was doing this as a tribute to the seniors by having them all in at the same time.  But I actually really liked that lineup.  I know the OxTule project didn't go well, but I think that lineup gives us some edge. 

I think Mayo can be a spark plug, but he really needs to stop fouling jump shooters.  Sometimes down the stretch he doesn't make the smartest decisions.  That will need to change if he wants to take over.

[tower912]

He did that when Derrick cramped up and he was afraid of putting Dawson in the game.    Start Burton.   Let Todd and Gardner come off of the bench.   Let Dawson handle 6-8 minutes when Derrick needs a break.   Ride the top 8 hard, going for Juan or STjr situationally.   I've seen two BEast teams that I don't think MU can beat on a neutral floor.    But MU has to do it for 40 minutes. 

[Coleman]

The same guy who fouled out of a Double OT game and wasn't on the court for the last possession.

Yeahhhhhhhh.......

Can you really fault a guy for fouling out of a Double OT game?

[Silkk the Shaka]

Really, the guy who comfortably leads the team I turnovers should be the primary PG? Ok.

Not saying I agree that Todd should be the PG, but this is not true. Todd's TO rate at 20.8% is nearly identical to Derrick Wilson's 20.1%. Regardless, I want Todd thinking nothing but score when he's out there. The offense should flow through him and Davante the rest of the season, but Todd's effectiveness is maximized on the wing IMO.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm not sure about Todd at the point. He seems to have the right tools and the right mindset. But I've never seen him run the point for more than a possession or two. I would say that his offensive ability would be a welcome change at the PG position. His handle isn't solid, but the PG usually leads the team in the TOs.

I've said for awhile that our best lineup is:
Derrick
Mayo
Jake
Jamil
Gardner

But I would love to see what a lineup of:
Mayo
Jake
Burton
Jamil
Gardner

could do.

[MU82]

I'm not sure about Todd at the point. He seems to have the right tools and the right mindset. But I've never seen him run the point for more than a possession or two. I would say that his offensive ability would be a welcome change at the PG position. His handle isn't solid, but the PG usually leads the team in the TOs.

I've said for awhile that our best lineup is:
Derrick
Mayo
Jake
Jamil
Gardner

But I would love to see what a lineup of:
Mayo
Jake
Burton
Jamil
Gardner

could do.

At this point in his career, Mayo has not shown he possesses a PG's mentality when it comes to creating for his teammates, setting them up, making them better.

I like having him in the game. I hope he plays 32+ minutes for however many games we have left this season and then next season, too. I think he can be our leading scorer in 2014-15. But unless he has some traits that he hasn't displayed yet, he is not a PG. Not even a score-first PG like Westbrook (who also averages 8 assists per game).

I don't think Mayo handles it well enough, makes enough good decisions on the fly or passes well enough. He wants to score. And that's good. We need that kind of attitude ... on the court at the same time as we need a good PG.

If you don't think there's room for both in a college backcourt, then I guess you missed the Wade-Diener combo.