Which sub cracks the crunchtime rotation first?

[Hards Alumni]

I really like this answer!

you can just click the thumbs up!

[PGsHeroes32]

you can just click the thumbs up!

But there's no really like button!

[Scoop Snoop]

But there's no really like button!

Exactly! I really like your post. 

[Spotcheck Billy]

you can just click the thumbs up!

post count is post count

[Jockey]

My guess is Parham when both Ben and Jop are in foul trouble

[tower912]

Zaide became the first sub to play crunch time minutes.  Subbed in for Ben as Butler had gone small.

[NCMUFan]

Zaide became the first sub to play crunch time minutes.  Subbed in for Ben as Butler had gone small.

Congratulations Zaide and we thank all the other contestants.

[tower912]

Scoop crypto will be doled out accordingly.

[94Warrior]

Tre was also in the game with under 5 mins remaining.  At the time it caught my attention.  Don't remember when he subbed out.

[The Sultan]

Tre was in mostly due to Jop's foul trouble and because Butler was playing small. He is a decent defender.

[Its DJOver]

Shaka prioritizes defense. Whoever was going to crack the wining time rotation was going to do so because of their defense. Zaide is the furthest along on that end.

[1SE]

Tre was in mostly due to Jop's foul trouble and because Butler was playing small. He is a decent defender.

Shaka was subbing Tre and Ben O for D a bit there are the end - Butler's game plan was clearly whoever Ben was guarding to take him off the dribble - and most of the time it worked. Ben's 3 was huge and timely last night, and he had a few good rebounds and hustles, but dude is a major liability on D - he gets beat like 70% of the time in 1v1s which either leads to a layup or everyone else getting out of position and a kick out to a wide open 3. He just cannot stay in front of his man in a 1v1 situation.

[wisblue]

So much depends on what kind of game it is, like whether MU is slightly ahead or slightly behind, what the matchups are, etc.

Shaka showed last night that he won't hesitate to make offense/defense type substitutions in the final minutes if the situation calls for it, like he did with Lowrey and Gold last night.

[wadesworld]

Shaka was subbing Tre and Ben O for D a bit there are the end - Butler's game plan was clearly whoever Ben was guarding to take him off the dribble - and most of the time it worked. Ben's 3 was huge and timely last night, and he had a few good rebounds and hustles, but dude is a major liability on D - he gets beat like 70% of the time in 1v1s which either leads to a layup or everyone else getting out of position and a kick out to a wide open 3. He just cannot stay in front of his man in a 1v1 situation.

We watched different games, I think.  Ben got beat off the dribble a couple times.  But 70% of the time?  Yeah, no.  I saw more times that Ben played great defense and a player hit a prayer of a shot than I saw Ben get completely burned off the dribble.  That's definitely the weakest part of his defense, but he's been a lot better than I expected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33dMy3C-5uY

[tower912]

That video lends credence to the notion that Ben was not getting beat off the dribble and was actually right where he needed to be on defense.

[MUfan12]

Zaide was getting cooked off the bounce as much, if not more, than Ben did.

[MuMark]

I mean typically when Ben gets beat off the dribble it is by a much smaller/quicker player.....the vast majority of 6'10 guys will have trouble in that situation from time to time.......not everyone is going to guard like Oso out there.

He also had a great help play late in the game when Kam was fronting a big in the post and they tried to throw it over the top.......it would have worked if Ben hadn't reacted quickly on the backside to knock it away.......Kam was pumped after Ben helped him on that play.

[Shooter McGavin]

Also when Ben does get "beat" by a smaller guard he has the ability to still effect the shot from the side or behind with his length.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Shaka was subbing Tre and Ben O for D a bit there are the end - Butler's game plan was clearly whoever Ben was guarding to take him off the dribble - and most of the time it worked. Ben's 3 was huge and timely last night, and he had a few good rebounds and hustles, but dude is a major liability on D - he gets beat like 70% of the time in 1v1s which either leads to a layup or everyone else getting out of position and a kick out to a wide open 3. He just cannot stay in front of his man in a 1v1 situation.

This is a wildly bad take

[FairWeatherEagle]

Tough question since I think a starter would have to be in a funk. But perhap
A matchup thing. I see Jop being replaced if he can't hit a shot. Don't want to think about it

[1SE]

Dude is literally the worst defensive big in the league. He makes some nice plays here and there, but overall his D is not good.

 Not sure why there are so many Ben slurpers here.

https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Big-East-Conference/59/stats/2025/Advanced_Stats/Qualified/All/Season/C/per/desc/1/

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Dude is literally the worst defensive big in the league. He makes some nice plays here and there, but overall his D is not good.

 Not sure why there are so many Ben slurpers here.

https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Big-East-Conference/59/stats/2025/Advanced_Stats/Qualified/All/Season/C/per/desc/1/

There are many stats that attempt to quantify a players overall defensive value. None of them are good.  Drtg is the worst

[Its DJOver]

Let me just make sure I understand all this correctly.  We have "Literally the worst defensive big in the league" Gold, and "Will be addition by subtraction when he's gone" Joplin, both starting, combining for 56 mpg, and we're still 10-2 and ranked in the top 10. Either Shaka is the greatest coach in the history of the game, or there are some bad takes on the Scoop. I wonder which is more likely?

[tower912]

Both/and, not either/or.

[1SE]

There are many stats that attempt to quantify a players overall defensive value. None of them are good.  Drtg is the worst

You mean none good except the "TAMU eyetest"?

Ben does some defensive things well - he plays well in a zone and provides decent help. If he's in position he can defend the rim/alter shots. But overall his defense is below average - precisely why Shaka was subbing him O for D late. This isn't a controversial take for those without blue and gold glasses on.