Ben Gold

[The Sultan]

Gold can guard five positions? Which five positions are those?

You misread what Elon said. He said we are spoiled with Oso's ability to guard five positions.

That being said, Ben's defense...no bueno.

[CTWarrior]

Very dumb topic.  Gold is okay.  Not many 6'11" guys can guard 5 positions...

But usually, they can guard somebody at some position!

[Shooter McGavin]

Bens fist shot was a hesitant fadeaway three pointer that clanked off the front rim.  I think when he does that (fadeaway), Shaka needs to send a gentle reminder from the sidelines or the next time he rotates out that if he does it again he will be taken out. 

Shoot with confidence Ben!   Don't fadeaway!  Don't double clutch on open shots! Your skill set is needed! 

[Newsdreams]

Nobody is an NBA prospect

Willard don't know ball

[Uncle Rico]

Willard don't know ball

He doesn't even hang his Warriors pennant in his living room

[Newsdreams]

He doesn't even hang his Warriors pennant in his living room

SAD

[MU82]

Ben Gold has been a disappointment so far this season.

His disappointing season has little to do with the team's recent underachieving ways.

Are both of those not true?

The OP saying Gold should go back to Australia was precious, though. Next: "If Kolek doesn't turn things around, he should go back to Zimbabwe!"

[brewcity77]

Ben Gold is the only player on the team shooting a higher percentage from three this season than last season.

[nyg]

Ben Gold is the only player on the team shooting a higher percentage from three this season than last season.

Gold's last three made was on 12/22/23 against a dog crap Georgetown team. 

He's played three games since and is 0 for 7, but of course he is not the only player missing. Not as much as the core starters, but going to need him do alot better in upcoming games.

[Markusquette]

Gold's last three made was on 12/22/23 against a dog crap Georgetown team. 

He's played three games since and is 0 for 7, but of course he is not the only player missing. Not as much as the core starters, but going to need him do alot better in upcoming games.

Quite a few posters here were singing his praises in the offseason, deeming him as MU's most likely prospect to make the NBA.

[BCHoopster]

Quite a few posters here were singing his praises in the offseason, deeming him as MU's most likely prospect to make the NBA.

Some where hoping and dreaming, he still has a chance in maybe 3 years!

[Daniel]

Think we have to use Ben in different ways .... Not just tagged as our big, launching threes.   We need to see him drive and stuff, look for inside passes, back door cuts etc. Which might net him some rebounds too.

[DoctorV]

Chase and Ben had the most hype of "the others" coming into the season.

Saying that either has met expectations according to that hype would be wild.

Maybe the expectations were too hopeful?

Maybe the will get closer to them in the 2H of the season, now that both will be needed even more.

[Viper]

Considering what Gold has shown to this point, why not give Amadou more than a minute in garbage time for a dunk? Not redshirting, but doesn't offer enough to play 5-8 minutes of high energy defense/harassment? Maybe grab a board or two? Cut-n-slash to the rim? Doesn't really take talent to do any of that. He seemingly has the athleticism. Oso, Jop, Gold and a few minutes from Al. All hands on deck!!

[Dr. Blackheart]

Considering what Gold has shown to this point, why not give Amadou more than a minute in garbage time for a dunk? Not redshirting, but doesn't offer enough to play 5-8 minutes of high energy defense/harassment? Maybe grab a board or two? Cut-n-slash to the rim? Doesn't really take talent to do any of that. He seemingly has the athleticism. Oso, Jop, Gold and a few minutes from Al. All hands on deck!!

Al was sick last game and didn't even dress.

[brewcity77]

Chase and Ben had the most hype of "the others" coming into the season.

Saying that either has met expectations according to that hype would be wild.

Maybe the expectations were too hopeful?

Maybe the will get closer to them in the 2H of the season, now that both will be needed even more.

For Ben, I feel like he really worked on his rebounding and it paid off. He has been much better on that end with securing the ball and using his body to clear out. But we haven't seen jumps in offense or defense along with it.

For Chase, I do think he took major jumps on the defensive end. He also improved his touch around the rim as he's pulled off some of those Kam-type layups, but overall he didn't jump the way that other freshmen>sophomores did in this system.

I definitely expected and predicted more overall growth from them both. Of course, the injuries will only further slow improvement. But a big part of this team's ceiling was the belief that they had a solid 3-man bench that would provide little dropoff from the starters for about 50-60 minutes per night. Not only has that not been the case, but 2/3 of that bench is out for an extended time.

[MU82]

For Ben, I feel like he really worked on his rebounding and it paid off. He has been much better on that end with securing the ball and using his body to clear out. But we haven't seen jumps in offense or defense along with it.

For Chase, I do think he took major jumps on the defensive end. He also improved his touch around the rim as he's pulled off some of those Kam-type layups, but overall he didn't jump the way that other freshmen>sophomores did in this system.

I definitely expected and predicted more overall growth from them both. Of course, the injuries will only further slow improvement. But a big part of this team's ceiling was the belief that they had a solid 3-man bench that would provide little dropoff from the starters for about 50-60 minutes per night. Not only has that not been the case, but 2/3 of that bench is out for an extended time.

Yep. I admit that I, for one, had an outlook of "Kolek, Oso and the others improved so much from their first season under this coaching staff to Year 2, so just wait until they are joined by the vastly improved Ross, Gold and SJones!" So far, that hasn't happen and, given the injuries, now won't happen. Not this season anyway.

Considering what Gold has shown to this point, why not give Amadou more than a minute in garbage time for a dunk? Not redshirting, but doesn't offer enough to play 5-8 minutes of high energy defense/harassment? Maybe grab a board or two? Cut-n-slash to the rim? Doesn't really take talent to do any of that. He seemingly has the athleticism. Oso, Jop, Gold and a few minutes from Al. All hands on deck!!

Maybe Shaka Smart and their assistants, who (unlike you and me and other MU fans) see Amadou for multiple hours every day, don't think the kid is ready to play meaningful minutes in games?

The injuries could force Shaka's hand to play Amadou for a few minutes in some games, although the main depth problem is now at guard/wing.

[Viper]

Al was sick last game and didn't even dress.

ok, one game. What is your point here...was he sick for all the other games? Shaka has 3 freshmen that get chump change playing time. Odd, it seems.

[Dr. Blackheart]

ok, one game. What is your point here...was he sick for all the other games? Shaka has 3 freshmen that get chump change playing time. Odd, it seems.

My point is it is hard to play him when he isn't even on the bench. 90% of the comments here referred to the Butler game where Scoop didn't even know the dude wasn't even on the bench (or that Ben is a Kiwi).

Note: Just because I quote you doesn't mean I disagree with you. Just maybe adding context sometimes.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Yep. I admit that I, for one, had an outlook of "Kolek, Oso and the others improved so much from their first season under this coaching staff to Year 2, so just wait until they are joined by the vastly improved Ross, Gold and SJones!" So far, that hasn't happen and, given the injuries, now won't happen. Not this season anyway.

Kolek, Oso, Kam, and O-Max all improving that much in one offseason is an extreme outlier.  Getting that kind of progress from one or two players is a huge bonus.  Four is practically unheard of.

The pendulum swung the other way this year.  No one made a major leap.  The sophomores all showed steady progress, but no one leveled up.

[MU82]

Kolek, Oso, Kam, and O-Max all improving that much in one offseason is an extreme outlier.  Getting that kind of progress from one or two players is a huge bonus.  Four is practically unheard of.

The pendulum swung the other way this year.  No one made a major leap.  The sophomores all showed steady progress, but no one leveled up.

Agree, good points.

And really add Stevie and Joplin to the list of those who improved markedly from Year 1 to 2 under Shaka, even if not as sensationally as the other 4 did.

But I now realize it was unrealistic to expect that level, as you say. And also, though I'm not writing them off by any means, maybe the sophomores just don't have as high ceilings as their predecessors.

[willie warrior]

He doesn't even hang his Warriors pennant in his living room

You have never been in my living room. It is in my bar. But it always makes my day when I see that I still live rent free in your clouded brain.

[Uncle Rico]

You have never been in my living room. It is in my bar. But it always makes my day when I see that I still live rent free in your clouded brain.

You have your Warriors pennant in a bar?  Disgraceful

[bilsu]

Gold can guard five positions? Which five positions are those?

I not a fan of big men playing all over the floor.
Against Purdue Oso got a useless foul reaching in far away from basket. This foul may have been what caused us to lose to Purdue, since Oso ended up in foul trouble.
Otule hurt his knee and was lost for the season, when in slipped on logo way out on the floor trying to play defense. MU was undefeated when the injury happened.

[The Sultan]

The problem wasn't Oso guarding out on the floor, the problem was that Oso reached.