Let's live and die with Carter please

[mattyv1908]

Picked up family from the airport so had to watch the game late.

If we're going to have an up and down year, can we at least do it with Carter running the show?  He's the only player on the team who looks like a point guard.  He wasn't perfect.  He had some mistakes.  He was also the guy that had this team operating as it should and did a great job of getting the offense initiated.

[PGsHeroes32]

It really is the smart move. Help him develop this year so he's really ready next year as Rowsey joins to help.

And it doesn't halt Cheatam growth playing out of position like Zach Lavine with the wolves.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

It really is the smart move. Help him develop this year so he's really ready next year as Rowsey joins to help.

And it doesn't halt Cheatam growth playing out of position like Zach Lavine with the wolves.

It's never bad to have a 2G who can play some point in a pinch.

But I agree....Traci is the guy. He played well.

[jsglow]

Agree 100%. The offense runs so much smoother with Engine. He'll make mistakes and needs lots of work on the defensive end but it allows guys like DU and Cheatham to play their natural 2.

[brewcity77]

I really felt like Traci was SOTG until about the last 3 minutes. Needs to learn how to close the game, but he still only had 3 turnovers. There's clearly room to grow and he didn't have a great scoring night, but I loved his passing, rebounding, and aggressiveness. It's very early in his career, but he has the best skillset for a Marquette PG since Dominic James. I'm all for rolling with the kid.

[Skatastrophy]

Carter gets way out of position on D, but giving him playing time should help him improve more quickly. It doesn't appear to be a basketball IQ thing, just an experience thing.

[Daniel]

He is our natural point. Let him roll.

[Herman Cain]

Carter has the essentials at PG. He needs college level experience. There will be some growing pains along the way. I still think he needs to distribute the ball more, but that will come with time. The cupcakes will be a good training ground.

[Windyplayer]

Agreed, 100%. His ball handling and quickness are impressive for a freshman (leaps and bounds better than Derrick's making him a consistent threat to score or penetrate and dish--so back to 5 on 5 bball). The gaffes will come early on and perhaps throughout season, but he can be a bona fide starting PG for the next 3 or 4 years in blue and gold.

Another good get by Wojo.

[chapman]

The Engine needs to get the majority of minutes.  Quite good in the half court, and he'll score a little when he's comfortable.  Cheatham may improve as he learns the position, but I'd rather he utilize that nice driving ability off the ball.

[robmufan]

Thought Carter really got the offense moving yesterday...his stat line looks familiar to a guard that just graduated.

Funny how because his name isn't Derrick Wilson, everyone is on board.

[Windyplayer]

So because his stat line looked familiar to Derrick Wilson's career numbers last night, you think he's a similar guard to Wilson?

A quantum leap in logic there.

[robmufan]

I am not saying they are the same player, but Wilson had plenty of games like this and many were angry at him for it (usually with less turnovers). I believe Traci has better upside than Wilson did, however its just funny to see how quickly people love someone similar to one they hated while putting up similar stat lines.

[MUBBau]

Guess the name Derrick Wilson is still taboo around here.

[Windyplayer]

I get your point. But Carter does one thing of supreme importance already that Wilson was never able to do: opens the floor up for his teammates. Remember those half-court sets with Wilson running the point. The defense would collapse into the paint like it was a black hole and we would be forced into passing around the perimeter before jacking up a low percentage shot.

Carter's game already passes the eye test; DW's never did.

[Goose]

Not a major uptick over the previous PG. Watching him last night I did not see anything to make me believe he is the answer long term. PG is too important of position not to have a stud playing it. I hope he is a solid backup a year from now and not the main PG.

[Windyplayer]

Not a major uptick over the previous PG. Watching him last night I did not see anything to make me believe he is the answer long term. PG is too important of position not to have a stud playing it. I hope he is a solid backup a year from now and not the main PG.

So four games in as a freshman, he's still an improvement over a senior PG last year? I'll take that.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Haanif had another rough game against high major talent--a 62.5% turnover percentage! The Engine wasn't great, especially at the end, with a 31% rate, but that is 100% better than HC.  Growing pains, but TC is our future at PG so let's stick with him.  Haanif is a very good finisher at the rim as a combo guard.  Wojo needs to put these kids in a position to be most successful.  All are very talented.

[Big Papi]

Not a major uptick over the previous PG. Watching him last night I did not see anything to make me believe he is the answer long term. PG is too important of position not to have a stud playing it. I hope he is a solid backup a year from now and not the main PG.

I totally agree.  If we want this program to reach high levels, we need a stud point guard.  The Cheatham experiment at the point is a disaster.  He is going to be a very good player at the 2/3 position that can handle the rock but he is not a point guard.  I can see Carter being a good point guard in a few years but we could really use a high level impact point guard.  We have not had one in such a long time.  James being the last one.  Junior was average especially since he was he was surround by elite talent but looks better and better with each passing year with the point guards we have been rolling out.  I would think a stud point guard would be easy to recruit with the coaching staff here and the talent that are at other positions.  Give me a dynamic point guard over a big with that last ship and we will have the makings of a great team.

[RushmoreAcademy]

Agreed. Roll with Carter. 

[Benny B]

Traci isn't an engine so much as he's a conundrum right now.  He plays good ball for 38 minutes but is showing early signs of being prone to mistakes in crunch time.

Do you take a guy who can run your offense like Diener the whole game but turns into Derrick Wilson down the stretch.  Or do you take a guy like Cadougan who basically plays middle-of-the-road most of the game showing flashes from time-to-time of both greatness and stupidity.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, as the case may be), this team has neither of these guys right now, but it demonstrates how I feel about Traci.  In other words, I'm not sure what I'd rather have... a PG who just "hangs around" all game or one that leads the charge only to piss everything away in the last minute.

Mental mistakes can often be fixed... that's why I'm still optimistic that Traci can get through this, making this whole discussion moot.

[fjm]

Roll with the engine.
1) he's a frosh.
2) it was his first start against a top 25 team.
3) Not just him, but the whole team looked rough against the press.

He'll evolve. Wade wasn't a solid guard his first games, look what he turned into.

Sh!t quick edit... I'm not saying he is wade like or will be like wade.. I am saying, it takes time for freshman, we need to remember that.

[jsglow]

Could some of you losers be any more impatient?    The kid gets his first real shot last night and performed admirable against a very quick, Top 25 team.  Yes, he had some defensive lapses.  Yes, he mishandled the ball a couple of times.  But Traci is a quality Frosh PG with a significant upside.

I'll point to one second half play.  Duane feeds HE twice in a position where he couldn't quite get comfortable.  Much to HE's credit, he didn't force the issue, but rather found Traci who had moved to the exact correct spot to bail out his big man, received the pass and then threaded a perfect backside pass to Fishy for the slam.  It was freakin' textbook.  Not picking on Derrick but he didn't make that good a pass in 4 years.  Moreover, Traci's 'good enough for a Frosh' play at the PG puts guys like our 4 wings (DU, JjJ, Chief, and Haanif) in positions to do what THEY DO BEST as none are built to be primary PGs and are misused in that role.  I'm even remembering a Traci drive where he kicked the ball in absolutely perfect rhythm to JjJ for a well timed (and swished) corner three.  When a PG is doing his job on offense, his teammates get the ball exactly when and where they need it to be effective.  Carter brings that better than any young PG we've had since Dom.

He'll certainly need a break.  But between now and the start of conference he needs 30-32 minutes every night.  We'll be better off in league if Wojo let's him grow.   

[jsglow]

Quoting myself?  Typo.

[chapman]

Weren't his 3 turnovers all against the press?  Coachable and correctable.  Which would give him 9 assists and 0 turnovers in the half court.  In his fourth ever game, and first time getting more than 14 minutes.  Wait until he starts making a few shots, and he will.