Wisdom of playing Mbakwe

[NotAnAlum]

WashDC, you are correct I had forgotten about Hazel.  However the fact that TM coming back from knee surgery goes into the first half of a game against Pitt with the result still very much in doubt while Hazel hasn't seen much other than garbage time tells you Crean's current confidence in their relative skills.  I would have to expect that Hazel's path will be simliar to Burke.  That is back up minutes as an upper classman.  I doubt you could expect him to compete for the starting center job coming out of the gate next year.

[Henry Sugar]

WashDC, you are correct I had forgotten about Hazel.  However the fact that TM coming back from knee surgery goes into the first half of a game against Pitt with the result still very much in doubt while Hazel hasn't seen much other than garbage time tells you Crean's current confidence in their relative skills.  I would have to expect that Hazel's path will be simliar to Burke.  That is back up minutes as an upper classman.  I doubt you could expect him to compete for the starting center job coming out of the gate next year.

I think the true impact of Hazel will be somewhere in the middle.  I think he'll play a larger role than Burke and that he'll definitely be more than just "backup min as an upperclassman".  However, totally agree that I don't think he'll compete for the starting center job coming out of the gate next year.

Hazel's first year statistics are a lot better than Burke's first year statistics. 

Burke (05-06)  ORtg 73  ; DRtg 104  ; Win% 0.018  ; Usage 1%
Hazel             ORtg 117 ; DRtg 86   ; Win% 0.974  ; Usage 0.3%

Granted, each is a small sample size, but when Hazel is in, at least he's making positive contributions (Rebounds / Blocks).  You could not have said that about Burke's garbage time min.

[WashDCWarrior]

I pointed out Hazel just to get the facts straight.  I actually think the comparison between him and Burke in terms of minutes is pretty accurate.  Hopefully Hazel will develop and be a larger contributer, but I see him being primarily a bench player over his career.

[wiscwarrior]

Is the wisdom still escaping some?