I know it's a little late in the year for a lineup change

[PGsHeroes32]

Because you want to maximize their minutes.  One never knows if Theo can give you 25+.  Only way to find out is to have him out there.  He and Ed come off on an 'as necessary' basis.  And the milkman buys you credible time.

Exactly. You sit Theo the first 4-5 min. He might still come in a get two quick fouls.

And if he comes in a plays foul free, you’ve just sat him for 4 minutes for no reason and started the game without your best defender

[Marqevans]

Hard to believe Theo is only a sophomore.  Hopefully next year he will get less of those ticky tacky fouls as his reputation grows as a great shot blocker and a player the fans want to see on the floor.

[jutaw22mu]

I think Wojo should pull him after the refs make a perceived tough call that favors MU.  For example, when they called DePaul for the foul on Markus’ 3 pt shot at the start of the second half, I thought Wojo should have pulled Theo for about 1 min or so, so that the refs could call their make up call on someone else (maybe Matty).  Theo got called for his 3rd foul on the next DePauk possession.

[TallTitan34]

Davante started on the bench because he had a 2 mm vertical and Buzz wanted to win the tip because that insures you cannot lose the number of possessions battle.

And that's how he became a two-time Big East Sixth Man of the year!

[MU82]

Excited is not the emotion that comes to mind when Matt enters. I'm not panic stricken either, I'm OK with it. But I'm not excited.

This. Precisely this. Heldt plays the exact number of minutes we need him to. Wojo has had an excellent sense of it, too, whether it was putting him in the starting lineup over Luke in 2016-17, or planting him on the bench this season, or anything in between those extremes.

One fairly big reason we are 21-4 is that we have gotten quality play out of our center rotation. And now some folks actually want to change it ... with some actually calling for more Matt Heldt? Oy.

Matty played very well last night.  He'd start for several of the BEast teams.

Which teams, glow? I'm not doubting it could be true, but I'm not seeing it, either.

[BM1090]

This. Precisely this. Heldt plays the exact number of minutes we need him to. Wojo has had an excellent sense of it, too, whether it was putting him in the starting lineup over Luke in 2016-17, or planting him on the bench this season, or anything in between those extremes.

One fairly big reason we are 21-4 is that we have gotten quality play out of our center rotation. And now some folks actually want to change it ... with some actually calling for more Matt Heldt? Oy.

Which teams, glow? I'm not doubting it could be true, but I'm not seeing it, either.

Yeah. I don't see him starting anywhere. SHU, DePaul, Georgetown, Providence, Xavier, Creighton all have far better bigs. He doesn't fit what Nova/SJU are trying to do. That leaves Butler. Maybe? I tend to doubt it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Which teams, glow? I'm not doubting it could be true, but I'm not seeing it, either.

St. John's? Just to take the tip?

[muwarrior69]

Matty played very well last night.  He'd start for several of the BEast teams.  The only difference now is that we're a Top 10, not an NIT caliber squad.  Let's appreciate his contribution.  Personally, I really look forward to his thunderous ovation on Senior Day.

Bring lots of Kleenex for Wojo; he is really going to need it.

[jsglow]

Yeah. I don't see him starting anywhere. SHU, DePaul, Georgetown, Providence, Xavier, Creighton all have far better bigs. He doesn't fit what Nova/SJU are trying to do. That leaves Butler. Maybe? I tend to doubt it.

You guys are probably right.  I'll amend and revise my remarks to be 'getting meaningful minutes.'

[RushmoreAcademy]

And tip-related, it really annoys me when teams put a guy on "our side" of the tip-off. We lost the Villanova & DePaul tips because they had guys in between Theo and our guys in our defensive half. Not a fan of that. It's BS, and that's a hill I'll die on.

That's part of the game.  It's like complaining about double teaming.  The tip is more than just out jumping a guy.

[We R Final Four]

I think Wojo should pull him after the refs make a perceived tough call that favors MU.  For example, when they called DePaul for the foul on Markus’ 3 pt shot at the start of the second half, I thought Wojo should have pulled Theo for about 1 min or so, so that the refs could call their make up call on someone else (maybe Matty).  Theo got called for his 3rd foul on the next DePauk possession.

Great point. Several immediate makeup calls last night and Theo was on the receiving end of at least one.

[MU82]

You guys are probably right.  I'll amend and revise my remarks to be 'getting meaningful minutes.'

That's possible, glow.

We all like Matt. Nice kid. Has done whatever his coaches and teammates have asked of him. Obviously loves being a Warrior. Seems like a great teammate. In general, however, the fewer minutes he gets the better it means we are because it means we don't have to play somebody with such limited ability at the 5.

The only reason to play Matt is if Theo and Ed are both in foul trouble. If Matt doesn't play, it means Theo and Ed stayed on the court, which greatly helps our chances of winning.

Just MHO, of course.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

The only reason to play Matt is if Theo and Ed are both in foul trouble.

Or we need a shot from half court

[muguru]

Or we need a shot from half court

Actually, Matt would be ideal in a role of late in the game when the other team is fouling, especially in an offensive-defensive situation. He makes his throws.

[SaveOD238]

According to Pomeroy, MUs 2 foul participation rate is 9.8% versus a national average of 21.4%.  Last year, MU was at 31.7%. It's a big reason why MU is so much better on defense, in that we don't have to play tentative and we have quality depth to sub in.

The rotation is fine.

What does this stat measure?

[jsglow]

That's possible, glow.

We all like Matt. Nice kid. Has done whatever his coaches and teammates have asked of him. Obviously loves being a Warrior. Seems like a great teammate. In general, however, the fewer minutes he gets the better it means we are because it means we don't have to play somebody with such limited ability at the 5.

The only reason to play Matt is if Theo and Ed are both in foul trouble. If Matt doesn't play, it means Theo and Ed stayed on the court, which greatly helps our chances of winning.

Just MHO, of course.

Of course you're right.  My only point is that Matt is more than serviceable.  And that fact with two guys now clearly ahead of him is one of the reasons we're a Top 10 team these days in contrast to only 2 years ago when Wojo's best option was to start a Soph milkman over Luke beginning about now.  Crazy to think about it.  And I'm not bashing Luke because his skills were on the offensive end.  But do all you guys remember the pick/roll nightmare and the idiotic claims by some here that Wojo couldn't coach D? 

We live in blessed times today boys.  And we never get hurt when Matty gives us 5 minutes.  Luxury. 

[cheebs09]

What does this stat measure?

I’m not entirely sure of the denominator, but it shows how willing a coach is to let someone play with two fouls. Might be Minutes played with 2 fouls/Minutes with two fouls. I’m thinking it is cut off at halftime.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Actually, Matt would be ideal in a role of late in the game when the other team is fouling, especially in an offensive-defensive situation. He makes his throws.

Or if free ice cream is on the line

[MU82]

Actually, Matt would be ideal in a role of late in the game when the other team is fouling, especially in an offensive-defensive situation. He makes his throws.

Matt made his FTs when he was more in the flow of games because he was getting (too many) minutes. He has barely played this season; not sure it's fair to expect him to make 'em.

Ed actually has made some clutch FTs for us. And Bailey would give us better ballhandling.

Mostly, though, we have 3 outstanding FT shooters. Shouldn't be too difficult to get it to one of them in the final seconds, especially one of the Hausers, who are tall. Most times when we have been protecting a small lead in a close game, we have been able to do just that.

[MUMountin]

Matt made his FTs when he was more in the flow of games because he was getting (too many) minutes. He has barely played this season; not sure it's fair to expect him to make 'em.

Ed actually has made some clutch FTs for us. And Bailey would give us better ballhandling.

Mostly, though, we have 3 outstanding FT shooters. Shouldn't be too difficult to get it to one of them in the final seconds, especially one of the Hausers, who are tall. Most times when we have been protecting a small lead in a close game, we have been able to do just that.

Yeah, I was surprised early in the year that Matt wasn't being put in for the last minute of a close game.  But, it has almost always worked out so far, as most of the time one of the three Hs have ended up at the line or Morrow has made a few clutch FTs down the stretch.  I do get nervous though about a hack-a-Theo strategy, but they have done a good job of keeping the ball away from him in those situations. 

I do think that a contributing factor in the second St. John's loss was that when we were getting fouled in the midst of our second half comeback, there were several trips that it was Theo or Sacar going to the line instead of Howard, Hauser, or Hauser, whereas St. John's had Ponds going to the line at the other end.  If a few of those fouls had been committed on the 3 Hs, I think it would've been a different ball game. 

[BrewCity83]

Yeah, I was surprised early in the year that Matt wasn't being put in for the last minute of a close game.  But, it has almost always worked out so far, as most of the time one of the three Hs have ended up at the line or Morrow has made a few clutch FTs down the stretch.  I do get nervous though about a hack-a-Theo strategy, but they have done a good job of keeping the ball away from him in those situations. 

Sure, it would be nice to have a high FT% big man on the floor at the end of close games, but don't forget about Ed's great defense against Booth on the last play of the Nova game, or Theo's epic block of Happ's shot late in the UW-M game.  Would Matt have made those plays?

[Its DJOver]

Sure, it would be nice to have a high FT% big man on the floor at the end of close games, but don't forget about Ed's great defense against Booth on the last play of the Nova game, or Theo's epic block of Happ's shot late in the UW-M game.  Would Matt have made those plays?

That was Ed as well.  Dude has made some huge clutch defensive plays.

[We R Final Four]

Sure, it would be nice to have a high FT% big man on the floor at the end of close games, but don't forget about Ed's great defense against Booth on the last play of the Nova game, or Theo's epic block of Happ's shot late in the UW-M game.  Would Matt have made those plays?

Probably not. However, when Nova calls a timeout with 12 seconds left...Ed would have gone back in the game anyway. So in your example...you could have had Matt for O, Ed for D.

[BrewCity83]

That was Ed as well.  Dude has made some huge clutch defensive plays.

Yeah, you're right.  My memory was a little foggy on that but I knew someone would set the record straight.

[BrewCity83]

Probably not. However, when Nova calls a timeout with 12 seconds left...Ed would have gone back in the game anyway. So in your example...you could have had Matt for O, Ed for D.

Yeah, that works if Nova calls timeout.  But if both Theo and Ed are on the bench because we have our good free throw shooting big on the floor, what if Nova decides to play on to exploit our lineup?