Theo John

[AZMarqfan]

1) Theo playing with a torn ligament in his dominant hand (that requires surgery) means he's very limited, and not being asked to score much
2) Torrence, Cain, and Elliott look to feed the post much more than Howard, hence why the bigs often get some easy looks and our non-Howard guards gets assists when he's out.  When Howard is in, John and Jayce's entire offensive role is setting picks. 
3) Theo seems to get a lot of phantom calls.  His 5th foul tonight was nothing at all.  It seems every night that 2-3 of his fouls shouldn't be called. 

Theo does a nice job for what his role is--rim protector.  Listen to other teams' coaches gush about him and how he has to be a heavy part of game plans. 

[RJax55]

I appreciate the guy playing thru an injury. But, it is extremely disappointing that Theo can't figure out how to stay on the floor. 5 fouls in 14 minutes is nuts for an upperclassmen.

That said, in light of Theo's injury, the bigger issue is the play of Morrow. When he transferred-in it was assumed he was going to be an impact player for MU. Now, he's barely in the rotation. I have to wonder if Morrow doesn't wish that he had grad transferred out last spring.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Here is an alternative scenario:  Start Jayce to protect Theo from foul trouble. Jayce has been a monster on both boards, and Theo is obviously limited offensively with his injury. Buzz used to do this with Jae.

Here is another idea: Start Sy.  He is much more offensively efficient than Koby and he gets the whole team involved in the offense.  His assist rate is off the charts, much, much higher than Koby's but with similar turnover rates. He is a bigger liability defensively than Koby, and judging by minutes, Wojo doesn't have much confidence in him. But, by starting him, he may get off to a better start, and Wojo can fit Koby in better situationally than Sy.

[WhoaJoe2020]

Here is an alternative scenario:  Start Jayce to protect Theo from foul trouble. Jayce has been a monster on both boards, and Theo is obvious limited offensively with his injury. Buzz used to do this with Jae.

Here is another idea: Start Sy.  He is much more offensively efficient than Koby and he gets the whole team involved in the offense.  His assist rate is off the charts, much, much higher than Koby's but with similar turnover rates. He is a bigger liability defensively than Koby, and judging by minutes, Wojo doesn't have much confidence in him. But, by starting him, he may get off to a better start, and Wojo can fit Koby in better situationally than Sy.

If Koby hadn't had his two biggest games in our two biggest wins Maybe Symir would have been given more run. I think Wojo believes Koby can work himself back into a consistent scoring threat while still playing good defense.
I hope Symir is getting the message that good defense is rewarded with minutes.

[Goose]

skianth

Theo becoming an "elite" shot blocker has not helped his game, IMO. I stated last year that many of his blocks came after he was burned by his man or happened to be in the right place, by accident. It seems to me that he places too much emphasis on trying ways to block shots and not playing D on his man.

[WarriorPride68]

That said, in light of Theo's injury, the bigger issue is the play of Morrow. When he transferred-in it was assumed he was going to be an impact player for MU. Now, he's barely in the rotation. I have to wonder if Morrow doesn't wish that he had grad transferred out last spring.

Such a great point. 10 & 8 as a Soph at Nebraska and then invisible since he arrived.

[1SE]

Such a great point. 10 & 8 as a Soph at Nebraska and then invisible since he arrived.

Morrow would well be the biggest transfer bust of the Wojo era. It's baffling.

[HutchwasClutch]

Such a great point. 10 & 8 as a Soph at Nebraska and then invisible since he arrived.

Really have to wonder if those numbers were result of padding his stats in garbage time.  What else logically explains being a 10/8 guy in Big Ten to being so ineffective at MU?

[hairy worthen]

skianth

Theo becoming an "elite" shot blocker has not helped his game, IMO. I stated last year that many of his blocks came after he was burned by his man or happened to be in the right place, by accident. It seems to me that he places too much emphasis on trying ways to block shots and not playing D on his man.

Theo is a physical specimen, easy guy to cheer for, but not a good basketball.player. I said that about his blocks last year. He is going for the highlight block at the expense of playing sound defense. He becomes out of position and it costs him rebounds. I thought coaching would correct it, I guess my expectations for what a coach should do were too high.

[The Sultan]

Morrow would well be the biggest transfer bust of the Wojo era. It's baffling.

Harry Froling was by far the worst.  Joseph Chartouny wasn't very good either.

[muguru]

Really have to wonder if those numbers were result of padding his stats in garbage time.  What else logically explains being a 10/8 guy in Big Ten to being so ineffective at MU?

I think the answer here is simple...the year he averaged 10 & 8 for Nebraska, he was also AVERAGING almost 24 minutes per game. He hasn't come anywhere close to that at MU. Last year he averaged about 15 and this year so far he is at about 10. in 2016-17 his final year with Nebraska, the FEWEST minutes he played in any one game was 15..He had 14 games of 20+ minutes, 11 of those were 25+ minutes. Last year he only had 7 games of 20+ minutes for MU. In those games he averaged 6.5 PPG and about 7 boards a game. Not that much different from his 10/8 he averaged with Nebraska.

So really with Ed, the more minutes he gets, the more productive he will be. Honestly, none of them are great, but in his time at MU, Ed has at least shown that he CAN have big offensive games he had 4 double digit scoring games last year...not so coincidentally those were all games where he got 20+ minutes with the exception of 1 of those was a non conf game in which he got 18 minutes(close enough).

This year the only game he has even come close to playing 20 minutes in one game was Central Arkansas..again not so coincidentally that was also his highest scoring output at 11 and he also had 5 rebounds.

The more Ed Plays=the better he plays. The numbers bear that out...and yet, Wojo doesn't seem to understand that or care about it. Pretty simple stuff.

Ed CAN help you offensively, but he has to get the minutes...he just hasn't consistently with MU. Maybe it's time he starts getting them. His offensive production in those minutes could be very helpful. To me, he is the best offensive big of the 3(that's not saying much I know). Play him more..and he'll be more productive. The numbers say so

[The Sultan]

I think the answer here is simple...the year he averaged 10 & 8 for Nebraska, he was also AVERAGING almost 24 minutes per game. He hasn't come anywhere close to that at MU. Last year he averaged about 15 and this year so far he is at about 10. in 2016-17 his final year with Nebraska, the FEWEST minutes he played in any one game was 15..He had 14 games of 20+ minutes, 11 of those were 25+ minutes. Last year he only had 7 games of 20+ minutes for MU. In those games he averaged 6.5 PPG and about 7 boards a game. Not that much different from his 10/8 he averaged with Nebraska.

So really with Ed, the more minutes he gets, the more productive he will be. Honestly, none of them are great, but in his time at MU, Ed has at least shown that he CAN have big offensive games he had 4 double digit scoring games last year...not so coincidentally those were all games where he got 20+ minutes with the exception of 1 of those was a non conf game in which he got 18 minutes(close enough).

This year the only game he has even come close to playing 20 minutes in one game was Central Arkansas..again not so coincidentally that was also his highest scoring output at 11 and he also had 5 rebounds.

The more Ed Plays=the better he plays. The numbers bear that out...and yet, Wojo doesn't seem to understand that or care about it. Pretty simple stuff.

Ed CAN help you offensively, but he has to get the minutes...he just hasn't consistently with MU. Maybe it's time he starts getting them. His offensive production in those minutes could be very helpful. To me, he is the best offensive big of the 3(that's not saying much I know). Play him more..and he'll be more productive. The numbers say so

If you use "per 40 minute" stats, he is about the same player as he was at Nebraska.  (His scoring has dipped this year, but the rest are about the same.)

The reason he had more raw numbers at Nebraska is because he played more.  He wasn't a better player because he played more.

[Hards Alumni]

Theo is injured.

[4everwarriors]

Really have to wonder if those numbers were result of padding his stats in garbage time.  What else logically explains being a 10/8 guy in Big Ten to being so ineffective at MU?

Ah, maebee currant chitty coachin', hey?

[1SE]

I don't know, Ed's giving him a run for his money this year - plus the regression.

[muguru]

If you use "per 40 minute" stats, he is about the same player as he was at Nebraska.  (His scoring has dipped this year, but the rest are about the same.)

The reason he had more raw numbers at Nebraska is because he played more.  He wasn't a better player because he played more.

That was entirely my point...ED hasn't been a bust for MU, he just hasn't played enough minutes to be as productive as he has shown he can be. If he plays more, his numbers will be there and people wouldn't be so hard on him. Theo hasn't shown me enough to where I wouldn't pull the plug, start Ed and bring Theo off the bench. Maybe that's what this team needs, a different player grouping to start the game or something.

[We R Final Four]

Here is an alternative scenario:  Start Jayce to protect Theo from foul trouble. Jayce has been a monster on both boards, and Theo is obviously limited offensively with his injury. Buzz used to do this with Jae.

Here is another idea: Start Sy.  He is much more offensively efficient than Koby and he gets the whole team involved in the offense.  His assist rate is off the charts, much, much higher than Koby's but with similar turnover rates. He is a bigger liability defensively than Koby, and judging by minutes, Wojo doesn't have much confidence in him. But, by starting him, he may get off to a better start, and Wojo can fit Koby in better situationally than Sy.

I said the same regarding JJ.

[Goose]

I would have given Ed the keys last season and run with it. Theo was not going to the answer, but Wojo ran with it. If Ed got the minutes his numbers would be much better. That said, he has been a disappointment IMO.

[The Sultan]

That was entirely my point...ED hasn't been a bust for MU, he just hasn't played enough minutes to be as productive as he has shown he can be. If he plays more, his numbers will be there and people wouldn't be so hard on him. Theo hasn't shown me enough to where I wouldn't pull the plug, start Ed and bring Theo off the bench. Maybe that's what this team needs, a different player grouping to start the game or something.

Oh OK.  I thought you were saying he would be more productive (on a per minute or per possession basis) if he played more. 

[1SE]

Oh OK.  I thought you were saying he would be more productive (on a per minute or per possession basis) if he played more.

I think his per-minute production this year is pretty similar to what Frolling's was.

[Cheeks]

And now I've officially heard it all.  Jayce is the MVP of this team.  Let that sink in for a second.  Seriously.......Let it sink in.  🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

No one said that, but as usual you f'd up what you read.  Seriously....let that sink in.

[79Warrior]

That was entirely my point...ED hasn't been a bust for MU, he just hasn't played enough minutes to be as productive as he has shown he can be. If he plays more, his numbers will be there and people wouldn't be so hard on him. Theo hasn't shown me enough to where I wouldn't pull the plug, start Ed and bring Theo off the bench. Maybe that's what this team needs, a different player grouping to start the game or something.

I do wonder what the staff sees in Theo. He has not improved. I get the injury, and i that is the case Ed and JJ should be getting the minutes until he is better. It is hard to believe we have 3 bigs who struggle to put the ball in the basket.

[lawdog77]

Why is it that it seems there are so many timesour guys get beat off the dribble it ends in a dunk, but when Markus, sacar and Koby get in the lane, missed shots. Are our bigs not running to the rim?

[StillWarriors]

Such a great point. 10 & 8 as a Soph at Nebraska and then invisible since he arrived.

I don't care to take the time to look it up, but anyone know if Morrow primarily played the 4 or the 5 at NE, and whether they had any other quality bigs that he would be out there with much?

[BM1090]

I would have given Ed the keys last season and run with it. Theo was not going to the answer, but Wojo ran with it. If Ed got the minutes his numbers would be much better. That said, he has been a disappointment IMO.

He's just way too small to play against the more physical teams. Great fit against Nova who plays a smaller 5 but he had no chance to defend the bigs from PC or SH.