Does Heldt start the rest of the way?

[jsglow]

I certainly hope not. This team ain't making the tournament if Matt Heldt is starting and getting more minutes than Luke.

And you say that why?  Look, I think Luke is a better player.  But Matt plays D and rebounds better.  That's a skill we very much need on the floor.  Now if Luke can elevate his game on the defensive end it's a no brainer, of course. Matt was a huge reason we won yesterday.  And had Markus not broken records, an easy SOTG winner.

[MU82]

One thing we have seen with Wojo is that who starts isn't all that important. He will give any position's backup a good run and whoever is playing better usually is who will get the majority of minutes - especially crunch-time minutes.

One need look only at how he has deployed Markus/Rowsey and JJJ/Duane.

He might start Heldt again for various reasons. But when Luke comes in to replace Matt, if Luke plays well he will end up with more minutes. And if the situation dictates - as has happened several times already this season - it's quite likely that neither will be in the game at crunch time (and not just because both have fouled out).

In general, I think Wojo has had a nice feel for distributing playing time. Saturday's game did feel a bit different because it certainly appeared he wanted to send a message.

[brandx]

Except fully two of Fischer's fouls were moronic, foolish plays that someone shouldn't commit even in their Sophomore year.  Both late in the game when foul trouble needed to be part of their approach, the first was a stupid foul 90 feet from the basket after X had clearly secured a defensive rebound and he reached and the second was his 5th and final foul when he simply should have given the layup at a point when two points meant next to nothing compared to his continuing eligibility.

I think his 3rd foul was chasing a guard at center court.

[#UnleashSean]

This is a tough one. Fischer is a better player but heldt is able to rebound. Something we desperately need. I like the combo of howard and rowsey and have been asking for it all year. I believe heldt starts next game as well.

[Markusquette]

Are we really going to say Heldt is the starter?  Good change-up by Wojo when it was necessary but come on.  Some silly stuff going on after a nice win and hot shooting performance from Markus.  I am less worried about us up front next year with Heldt, Froling, John and Eke, but Luke should not be coming off the bench for more than another game or so.  Luke's had some great defensive performances this year.

[jsglow]

I think his 3rd foul was chasing a guard at center court.

Was it really?  God, I must be trying to forget. 

[vogue65]

I think Wojo should have a daily tryout and top 5 start/play.

Glow---I thought I was watching Otule on those screen hedge foul 35' from the basket. When LF had 4 fouls and he is interlocking arms with OMeara I was screaming at Luke for 3 seconds prior to the call that the refs had to call. It wasn't necessary and I was obvious. Bizarre.

It's a dilemma, and the correct answer is to favor aggressiveness over timidity, at least in the Big East.    It may not work in any given game in the NCAA tournament, but it usually wins in the BE. 

This teams thinks too much, at this level it is a game of instinct.

[GoldenZebra]

One game is not even close to the amount of data needed to assess who should start. Luke is the better player, but Heldt picked up a lot of fouls quick. I think that was just more to the refs being absolutely terrible on both ends. A technical in the first 2 minutes, in a big east game? Ridiculous.

[awilhelmscream]

I really like the idea of not starting Luke just to help keep him out of foul trouble.  How many times has Luke picked up one either stupid or ticky tack foul in the first 4 minutes or so of the game?  I'd personally rather have Heldt be the recipient of that.  The game is 40 minutes long, is there really any difference in Luke sitting the first 4 or so vs 4 in the middle of the game at different points?  I will say there is a huge difference when he has to sit or play timidly at the end of the game. 

Heldt is a solid role player right now but reality is we need Luke to be able to play with no handcuffs on him at the end of the game.

[jsglow]

I really like the idea of not starting Luke just to help keep him out of foul trouble.  How many times has Luke picked up one either stupid or ticky tack foul in the first 4 minutes or so of the game?  I'd personally rather have Heldt be the recipient of that.  The game is 40 minutes long, is there really any difference in Luke sitting the first 4 or so vs 4 in the middle of the game at different points?  I will say there is a huge difference when he has to sit or play timidly at the end of the game. 

Heldt is a solid role player right now but reality is we need Luke to be able to play with no handcuffs on him at the end of the game.

Luke picked up 5 fouls in 12 minutes of playing time.  Everyone think about that for a second.  And he's a Senior. Just wow.

[brewcity77]

I'd rather start Luke simply because I think he's better at winning the tip. That can conceivably make a two-possession difference in a game if you win the tip, get the last shot in the first half, have the possession arrow to start the second, and have the last possession in the second half. In a close game, two more offensive possessions than your opponent is big, especially when you factor in our offensive efficiency.

[awilhelmscream]

Luke picked up 5 fouls in 12 minutes of playing time.  Everyone think about that for a second.  And he's a Senior. Just wow.

Awful, I forgot to mention that in no way should he ever be picking up a guard at the top of the key.  Teams are intentionally drawing him out of the paint at this point.  I'd rather take my chances with teams taking mid-range jumpers instead of wide open layups/dunks because Luke came up to play help defense on a guard. that was driving.

Not crapping on Wojo but that's gotta be coaching, right?

[GGGG]

I'd rather start Luke simply because I think he's better at winning the tip. That can conceivably make a two-possession difference in a game if you win the tip, get the last shot in the first half, have the possession arrow to start the second, and have the last possession in the second half. In a close game, two more offensive possessions than your opponent is big, especially when you factor in our offensive efficiency.

Is there a statistically significant correlation between teams that win the opening tip and teams that win the game?

[brewcity77]

Is there a statistically significant correlation between teams that win the opening tip and teams that win the game?

No idea, but if you win the opening tip, the worst case scenario in a regulation game is finishing -1 in the offensive possession count. I'd be curious to see what the record was in close games based on the winner of the tip.

[skianth16]

One game is not even close to the amount of data needed to assess who should start. Luke is the better player, but Heldt picked up a lot of fouls quick. I think that was just more to the refs being absolutely terrible on both ends. A technical in the first 2 minutes, in a big east game? Ridiculous.

I think this is definitely right. Matt played what was easily the best game of his career against X, but I don't think that's enough to put him in the starting 5 for the rest of the season. He showed that he can play more minutes and contribute while on the floor, but I still don't think it's enough to give him the starting spot. Let's hope we continue to see this kind of improvement from him for the rest of the season and be happy with that.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Heldt should continue to start n play more minutes than the fish.  People look at the fishs points but its truly fools gold.  His atrocious defense and poor rebounding and horrible free throw shooting cost us more points than he ever scores.  We have the second best scoring offense in the big east.  Without the fish we can still score a ton.  We need interior defensive toughness n rebounding.  A huge part of the start against X was heldts interior toughness n rebounding.  We get none of that from the fish

[wadesworld]

Heldt should continue to start n play more minutes than the fish.  People look at the fishs points but its truly fools gold.  His atrocious defense and poor rebounding and horrible free throw shooting cost us more points than he ever scores.  We have the second best scoring offense in the big east.  Without the fish we can still score a ton.  We need interior defensive toughness n rebounding.  A huge part of the start against X was heldts interior toughness n rebounding.  We get none of that from the fish

A huge part of the start against X was they didn't have their 2 best players.

[amen426]

I imagine Heldt will start every game outside of Senior Night vs. Creighton.

With that being said, that doesn't necessarily mean he will be getting "starters minutes". I think Luke will end up getting more minutes, but Wojo will continue to bring him off the bench. Maybe to try and prevent him from getting 3 Fouls in the 1H. Maybe to try and motivate him.

But Heldt getting more minutes than Fischer was a 1-time thing IMO.

I'm more curious to see how the minutes will be allocated at the 2-4. JJJ won't get zero minutes vs. STJ. But I also think Wilson's minutes are here to stay.

Will we continue to see Howard/Rowsey play extended minutes together?
Personally I loved seeing those two starting. Why wait 8 minutes to find out if Rowsey is going to have a hot shooting night. Two highest eFg%'s on the team. Would love to find ways to consistently get them minutes together.

[Badgerhater]

If the seniors can be extricated from the lineup while the team is successful on achieving an NCAA berth, then I will tip my hat to Wojo.

If that is indeed the case, next year's team with such a level of success and toughness could be very interesting.

[keefe]

The idea of Helen starting, much less getting more minutes than Luke, is ridiculous. I hate to say it but the success or failure of this season rests largely on Fischer. We will only go as far as his shoulders carry us

[Markusquette]

Since Creighton on 1/21 Luke's averaging 3 blocks per game and only had two games with 5 fouls.  Yes, he's not what we expected and hoped he could be by now but again, let's not get carried away with Heldt playing a ton up front. 

He's still shooting very efficiently and getting his points other than the team taking a big crap vs. GTown.  The thing to take away from all of this is that fact that Heldt is not completely lost and a liability everywhere on the floor anymore.

[Goose]

The question of this thread is what frustrates me about the hopes of MU ball. IMO, there is not one person that knows a lick about ball that could even think Matt over Luke and hope for NCAA success. If these are the questions we are going debate, maybe MU leaving the Big East thread is not as idiotic as I originally thought.

[Benny B]

The idea of Helen starting, much less getting more minutes than Luke, is ridiculous. I hate to say it but the success or failure of this season rests largely on Fischer. We will only go as far as his shoulders carry us

Helen should not be starting, let alone even dressing, for any games at this point.

[MUfan12]

The question of this thread is what frustrates me about the hopes of MU ball. IMO, there is not one person that knows a lick about ball that could even think Matt over Luke and hope for NCAA success. If these are the questions we are going debate, maybe MU leaving the Big East thread is not as idiotic as I originally thought.

I'm old enough to remember Erik Williams starting games over Jae Crowder. So no, it's not some wild or idiotic premise.

If the coach thinks it's a way to get the best out of his two big guys, then I'm fine with trying it. Luke's performance Saturday didn't inspire a ton of confidence, though.

[MuMark]

According to Pomeroy Luke gets a higher % of available rebounds on both offense and defense then Matt.