Better Start than Last Year

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

24 point win over Vandy is better than a 1 point win over LSU
32 point win over Howard is better than a 3 point loss to Belmont
18 point loss to Michigan on a neutral court is better than a 28 point loss to Iowa at home
3 point loss to Pitt is worse but not by much than an OT victory over Arizona State
25 point win over IUPUI is better than an OT victory over IUPUI.

I think it is safe to say that this team is better than last year's....and that team wasn't that far off from dancing. That's what gives me hope. What gives me doubt is that both our non-conference and conference schedules are likely to be more difficult. Will the improvement be enough?

[lohaus]

Yes

[MarquetteDano]

It should be better than last year. The frosh have experience now and losing Ellenson is offset by the quality newcomers.

[Eldon]

24 point win over Vandy is better than a 1 point win over LSU
32 point win over Howard is better than a 3 point loss to Belmont
18 point loss to Michigan on a neutral court is better than a 28 point loss to Iowa at home
3 point loss to Pitt is worse but not by much than an OT victory over Arizona State
25 point win over IUPUI is better than an OT victory over IUPUI.

I think it is safe to say that this team is better than last year's....and that team wasn't that far off from dancing. That's what gives me hope. What gives me doubt is that both our non-conference and conference schedules are likely to be more difficult. Will the improvement be enough?

[g0lden3agle]

How does one compare a loss to a top 150 team last year to a blowout win over a bottom 100 team this year?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

How does one compare a loss to a top 150 team last year to a blowout win over a bottom 100 team this year?

Belmont and Howard were the only two that didn't have an obvious partner to compare to. Is what it is.

[willie warrior]

How does one compare a loss to a top 150 team last year to a blowout win over a bottom 100 team this year?

Easy when you drink the Kool aid

[bilsu]

How could we have been close to dancing last year, when we did not even get an NIT bid?

[nyg]

Revisit the topic on 12/10/16 after the Georgia and Wisconsin games are completed.  Then we should know the status of this team. 

[mu03eng]

I agree it is a better start, and I agree the team has improved from last year. May not seem like it to most but that IUPUI win is a very solid win(especially in the manner in which it was won).

Wojo seems to have done some coaching between NYC and this game: Katin was much more disciplined within the offense with only a few lapses, Duane was creating, Luke seemed to look less lost, and the flow of the team seemed much better.

Let's hope the next two games give the team and Wojo practice time and confidence building to get them ready for the 3 games against quality opponents we need to win at least 2 of.

Monitoring status: Cautiously optimistic.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

[Dr. Blackheart]

Big difference is the much lower turnover rates even in this year's losses.  Yet, Carter and Howard at a poor 30%.  Start Duane at PG?

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Start Duane at PG?

That was my thought last night as well when I saw him going out of his way to 'pass first'.

[Marcus92]

According to Pomeroy, we're a better team this year:

2015-16
Season-opening ranking: 53
Ranking after 5 games: 99
Season offensive efficiency: 106.9 (116)
Season defensive efficiency: 99.0 (88)

2016-17
Season-opening ranking: 47
Ranking after 5 games: 40
Season offensive efficiency: 110.3 (40)
Season defensive efficiency: 95.3 (40)

[MUfan12]

Revisit the topic on 12/10/16 after the Georgia and Wisconsin games are completed.  Then we should know the status of this team. 

I watched UGA last night against Kansas. Don't have a ton of height, but some strength at the 4 which could give MU trouble. Their zone slowed Kansas down, and vice versa. Georgia shot it terribly. Saw some similarities to Pitt, but I think Pitt is better offensively. Winnable, but it could turn into a rock fight if MU forgets their offensive principles again.

[Litehouse]

Start Duane at PG?

I would love that.

[muwarrior69]

I watched UGA last night against Kansas. Don't have a ton of height, but some strength at the 4 which could give MU trouble. Their zone slowed Kansas down, and vice versa. Georgia shot it terribly. Saw some similarities to Pitt, but I think Pitt is better offensively. Winnable, but it could turn into a rock fight if MU forgets their offensive principles again.

It was our defense or lack thereof that cost us the win over Pitt. I was not impressed with our defense against IUPUI as well. Defense is our achilles heel thus far.

[Goose]

Dr. Blackheart

I would have DW playing a ton of PG at this point. That, if simply a building year, I would give Howard the time.

[robmufan]

It was our defense or lack thereof that cost us the win over Pitt. I was not impressed with our defense against IUPUI as well. Defense is our achilles heel thus far.

Still so many open layups down low off of pick and rolls...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

It was our defense or lack thereof that cost us the win over Pitt. I was not impressed with our defense against IUPUI as well. Defense is our achilles heel thus far.

Agreed but I think the straw that broke our backs against Pitt was getting away from our offense. Our defense was equally bad in both halves but in the second, we stopped running our offense. I think we are a great offensive and bad defensive team. We should work on our defense but we can still win as long as our offense is humming.

[MerrittsMustache]

Dr. Blackheart

I would have DW playing a ton of PG at this point. That, if simply a building year, I would give Howard the time.

Duane isn't a PG. He has the build of one and fans seem to want him to be one, but he just isn't. He can drive and create but he's not a strong enough ball-handler against pressure to log significant minutes at the point. He has also done very well providing offense off the bench.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Is Hannie at the point a crazy idea? Leading the team in assists and seems to have tightened his handle.

Personally I think you play Carter when you need defense and whoever is hot between Howard and Rhonda's brother when you need offense.

[brewcity77]

Duane isn't a PG. He has the build of one and fans seem to want him to be one, but he just isn't. He can drive and create but he's not a strong enough ball-handler against pressure to log significant minutes at the point. He has also done very well providing offense off the bench.

Duane may not be a PG, but I do think he could be a PGs best friend and an excellent complement to Howard or Carter.

It would make an undersized team more undersized, but I'd like to see a rotation like this:

1: Carter, Howard
2: Wilson, Rowsey
3: Cheatham, Reinhardt
4: Johnson, Hauser
5: Fischer, Heldt

Obviously there could be some flexibility with the guards, as well as the 3/4 positions, and defensively it'd probably require some schemes, but offensively a second ball handler out there and limits on how much Reinhardt plays (at least until he becomes less shot happy) would help vastly.

Of course, the biggest worry there is who would defend the 4.

[Jay Bee]

I don't mean this in the wrong way, but I REALLY like the idea of no more than 3 nonconf losses.

[wadesworld]

Rowsey and Duane at the 1 more please.  Even though Rowsey doesn't get a ton of assists, he's, in my opinion, our most reliable ball handler and even when he's not hitting 3s the defense still has to respect his shooting ability and run out to him.  2 turnovers in 5 games so far this season.