A win is a win is a win is a win

[The Sultan]

Query: can someone with more energy than me list and compare the players Wojo inherited with the players Deane inherited?

Deane inherited Eford, Peiper, McCaskill, Crawford, Tony Miller and Hutch.

Wojo inherited some talent, but not like Deane.

[Small Orange Soda]

Query:  If Wojo had to do a 2-3 year rebuild because Buzz left him a squad of bad players, then why do we always assume any coach after Wojo would have to deal with a 2-3 year rebuild as well?

[Warrior of Law]

The reason for the frequent turnovers and poor shooting (4 3s made) is that everyone outside of MH is simply a role/bench player. I watched the UW-UWGB game, and everyone on UW's main guys was better than MU's main guys. Really discouraging. Frankly, if it wasn't for the Dawson commitment, the chatter about Wojo would become a lot noisier.

[MU82]

As I watched this game, it reminded me of the OT win vs IUPUI in Wojo's second year and of the OT win vs Eastern Illinois a couple years later. Both of those teams were just good enough to not be good enough to make the tourney.

Not giving up on this season yet by any stretch of the imagination. That's just the feeling I got.

Here's hoping it was more like the unimpressive win over one of the directional Louisiana schools in 2012-13 (and the loss to UWGB shortly thereafter). That season turned out OK!

[Lennys Tap]

Query: can someone with more energy than me list and compare the players Wojo inherited with the players Deane inherited?

I'm including the rsci rankings of the players Wojo inherited, not Deane's (rsci doesn't go back that far)

Deane:             Wojo:

Eford                Du Wilson   59
Pieper               Fischer       71
T Miller             Anderson    81
McCaskill          JJJ              30
Crawford          Taylor          82
Hutchins           Cohen         75
Abraham          Burton         54
Joseph             De Wilson     not in top 100
Littles

[MUDPT]

The reason for the frequent turnovers and poor shooting (4 3s made) is that everyone outside of MH is simply a role/bench player. I watched the UW-UWGB game, and everyone on UW's main guys was better than MU's main guys. Really discouraging. Frankly, if it wasn't for the Dawson commitment, the chatter about Wojo would become a lot noisier.

Ummmm, no. I'd take King and Reuvers and that's it.

[CountryRoads]

Query: can someone with more energy than me list and compare the players Wojo inherited with the players Deane inherited?

According to 247, Wojo inherited 7 top 100 recruits:

Duane Wilson #59
JJJ #32
Deonte Burton #50
Luke Fischer #90
Steve Taylor #96
Juan Anderson #70
Sandy Cohen #76

Maybe that season should have been a little better than just a complete embarrassment. The above guys are no worse than the current group with the exception of Howard.

[wadesworld]

Let's keep in mind Buzz didn't win with the players he left for Wojo either, so you can't really put that all on Wojo. Buzz's history of hitting on his high school recruits wasn't outstanding. In fact some of his better high school recruits were the lower ranked guys.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So final tally on Howard's minutes is 25. I know he sat the last 7:30 of the first half with two fouls but he didn't pick up a foul the rest of the game and still didn't play max minutes in the second half. What do you all think? Intentionally didn't rely on him to get the other guys to step up? Or was Wojo legitimately limiting his minutes because he thought it was the best way to win the game?

[MU82]

Oh goodie!

Another discussion about whose cupboard was more bare.

I say Al's was.

[Mike Deane's Seat Belt]

This is gonna be a doozy of a season so strap in folks.   And not in a good way.   

No excuses for a performance like that against little sisters of the poor

[BallBoy]

Oh. So Coach got us a win. Cool.

On to the next one.

Sometimes coaching isn't about getting a pretty or blowout win against a cupcake. Sometimes coaching is about getting other players to step up and working out the weaknesses. Markus takes 6 shots which is his lowest career in a game he wasn't injured. The team was forced to figure it out against a team where the win was never in doubt. The team was playing to improve versus playing to just win.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I'm including the rsci rankings of the players Wojo inherited, not Deane's (rsci doesn't go back that far)

Deane:             Wojo:

Eford                Du Wilson   59
Pieper               Fischer       71
T Miller             Anderson    81
McCaskill          JJJ              30
Crawford          Taylor          82
Hutchins           Cohen         75
Abraham          Burton         54
Joseph             De Wilson     not in top 100
Littles

Let's not forget Mayo and Noskowiak (rated Top 100 by Scout and ESPN). 

[The Sultan]

I'm including the rsci rankings of the players Wojo inherited, not Deane's (rsci doesn't go back that far)

Deane:             Wojo:

Eford                Du Wilson   59
Pieper               Fischer       71
T Miller             Anderson    81
McCaskill          JJJ              30
Crawford          Taylor          82
Hutchins           Cohen         75
Abraham          Burton         54
Joseph             De Wilson     not in top 100
Littles

Deane inherited more experience. Wojo perhaps more potential.

[The Sultan]

So final tally on Howard's minutes is 25. I know he sat the last 7:30 of the first half with two fouls but he didn't pick up a foul the rest of the game and still didn't play max minutes in the second half. What do you all think? Intentionally didn't rely on him to get the other guys to step up? Or was Wojo legitimately limiting his minutes because he thought it was the best way to win the game?

I think Wojo is limiting his minutes to both give him rest, but also to let the team grow without him.

However what disturbs me was more how he played.  An example is when he dribbled into the lane, was wide open, and through a bad bounce pass to Theo.  He has to take that shot.  He makes that 99% of the time.  Yeah I know he needs to distribute, but scorers need to score.

He doesn't seem to understand how to balance his game.  How he shouldn't just go nuts shooting the ball like he did v. UW.  But also not to defer when it isn't necessary like he did yesterday.  I worry it's in his head.

[lawdog77]

I think Wojo is limiting his minutes to both give him rest, but also to let the team grow without him.

However what disturbs me was more how he played.  An example is when he dribbled into the lane, was wide open, and through a bad bounce pass to Theo.  He has to take that shot.  He makes that 99% of the time.  Yeah I know he needs to distribute, but scorers need to score.

He doesn't seem to understand how to balance his game.  How he shouldn't just go nuts shooting the ball like he did v. UW.  But also not to defer when it isn't necessary like he did yesterday.  I worry it's in his head.

MH was pissed at himeslf atfter that play. He looked at the bench and made the shooting motion. He knew he needed to take that shot. I thought he played a decent second half. He took 5 shots, scored 11 points and had 3 assists.

[Earl Tatum]

Didn't see the game. Thank God. Bailey and Anim finally did something.
But  competition wasn't the greatest. Way to stink it up Markus. Team
leader,--PROVE IT.

[nycwarrior]

So final tally on Howard's minutes is 25. I know he sat the last 7:30 of the first half with two fouls but he didn't pick up a foul the rest of the game and still didn't play max minutes in the second half. What do you all think? Intentionally didn't rely on him to get the other guys to step up? Or was Wojo legitimately limiting his minutes because he thought it was the best way to win the game?

This.

Let's say Wojo enters yesterday's cup cake bake with a Mr Burns look in his eyes and utters "Smithers (Stan?) release the hounds." Markus plays 35 and drops 35. Koby drops another 15 and the rest of the squad manages 20 and we win in a laugher.

Is the team better prepared or more committed to work on shortcomings (say post entry passing, drive and dump to the short corner, goodness gracious St Ignatius)?

Lots more got revealed yesterday:
Defense still needs work
Transition offense is all too rare
Spot-ups on drive and kicks seem off
Sacar not playing like the glue guy we all love

Bright sides:
For most of the game we attacked the defensive glass like Pritzl (yes that hurt to type)

Bailey showed signs of life on both ends - this team is better if he's an efficient 10 ppg

More time and chances for Ed

A few more minutes for a grad transfer we'll need in big east play. C'mon Jayce.

Greg still coming back from a year off and looking like it

I'll leave it to others to declare talent or lack thereof. I will say I think the coach and team have a far better idea of where they need to keep building than if we'd gotten 50 points and minutes from the guys we know can do it.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Sometimes coaching isn't about getting a pretty or blowout win against a cupcake. Sometimes coaching is about getting other players to step up and working out the weaknesses. Markus takes 6 shots which is his lowest career in a game he wasn't injured. The team was forced to figure it out against a team where the win was never in doubt. The team was playing to improve versus playing to just win.

This is so blatantly obvious I'm surprised nobody else has posted it yet. 

Well, it is Scoop so maybe I'm not surprised.

[nycwarrior]

This is so blatantly obvious I'm surprised nobody else has posted it yet. 

Well, it is Scoop so maybe I'm not surprised.

Agreed. We need contributions outside the M&M boys (Markus & McEwen).

Yesterday Bailey, Sacar and Theo combined for 32 points on pretty efficient 12 for 22 shooting and grabbed 14 boards.

[bilsu]

I'm including the rsci rankings of the players Wojo inherited, not Deane's (rsci doesn't go back that far)

Deane:             Wojo:

Eford                Du Wilson   59
Pieper               Fischer       71
T Miller             Anderson    81
McCaskill          JJJ              30
Crawford          Taylor          82
Hutchins           Cohen         75
Abraham          Burton         54
Joseph             De Wilson     not in top 100
Littles

How many of these players were as good as their RSCI's?

[Shooter McGavin]

Deane inherited more experience. Wojo perhaps more potential.

The Deane team was hands down better and more well rounded and its not even close.   More potential is laughable.   Fluffy you are usually very pragmatic.  Forget recruiting rankings, this is a no brainer.

[The Sultan]

The Deane team was hands down better and more well rounded and its not even close.   More potential is laughable.   Fluffy you are usually very pragmatic.  Forget recruiting rankings, this is a no brainer.

Well ok. To be fair that is why I said "perhaps."  But anyway Deane inherited a decent set of players who went to the S16. Granted he didn't have Key or Mac, but I think he had enough to get to NCAA. But they got to the NIT.

[brewcity77]

So final tally on Howard's minutes is 25. I know he sat the last 7:30 of the first half with two fouls but he didn't pick up a foul the rest of the game and still didn't play max minutes in the second half. What do you all think? Intentionally didn't rely on him to get the other guys to step up? Or was Wojo legitimately limiting his minutes because he thought it was the best way to win the game?

I don't think Howard was right. Maybe picked up an undisclosed knock or had an illness, but he passed on a couple wide open threes as well as a drive into the lane where you would normally expect him to score with ease. I also noticed one play, I believe it was in the first half, where it really looked on TV like we were playing 4-on-5 on offense because Markus went to the corner and didn't move the entire set. It wasn't until the end of the play that the camera shifted enough that you could see him, but he had to pretty much be motionless waiting for the ball, making no effort to work for it.

[jesmu84]

Anyone take a guess as to why this team refuses to try and play in transition more? Granted, we haven't had many live-ball turnovers. But even on defensive boards, we're much more likely to walk it up the court.