MU/UCONN Game Thread

[SOSW]

LolCompletely and utterly disagree.  If the guy spent the entire offseason working his butt off and outworking the other bigs on the team, he absolutely, 100% starts early in the season.   

Sure.

But why is he starting now? The season is no longer "early," and he clearly isn't very good.

[BM1090]

I like him, and hope he stays, but thus far he's a pretty average big east player.

As a freshman, in his 4th BE game, being an average BE player is a good sign.

[tower912]

Sure.

But why is he starting now? The season is no longer "early," and he clearly isn't very good.

And he has played third string minutes the last two games.  Once due to fouls, once due to coaching decision.

You can't just shut him down.  If you accept that this season is lost, then you have to keep giving him an opportunity to figure it out.   

[Pakuni]

LolCompletely and utterly disagree.  If the guy spent the entire offseason working his butt off and outworking the other bigs on the team, he absolutely, 100% starts early in the season. 

You're right. We completely and utterly disagree. Distributing starting assignments and minutes on the basis of effort and not production is a losing strategy.
Would you have started Eric Snow over Allen Iverson?

Caedin was not in foul trouble last game.  He jacked up an early shot clock 3 and was yanked until Ben fouled out.  Bad play punished.

You're mistaken here.
Caedin had three fouls before halftime last game.
He remained in the game after that jacked up 3 (and I thought Shaka wanted players to shoot open 3s?). He later tried a wild, over the shoulder, back to the basket hook shot. After that miss, he reached in and fouled the rebounder. That's when he got yanked - after committing a dumb reach-in foul 90 feet from his own basket.
He then returned late in the first half and promptly picked up two more fouls. He didn't play at all in the second half.
Here's the play-by-play:
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/playbyplay/_/gameId/401822877

[tower912]

Caedin played 5 minutes against SH.  First 3, last 2. He got pulled 3 minutes in and never went back in until Ben fouled out.

He played 8 today, a couple of those after Ben went out with 4 and a half to go.

[Pakuni]

Caedin played 5 minutes against SH.  First 3, last 2. He got pulled 3 minutes in and never went back in until Ben fouled out.

You're entirely wrong. Go look at the play-by-play I linked.

[panda]

Caedin played 5 minutes against SH.  First 3, last 2. He got pulled 3 minutes in and never went back in until Ben fouled out.

He played 8 today, a couple of those after Ben went out with 4 and a half to go.

Caedin picked up the quickest 3 fouls I've ever seen someone unintentionally accumulate in the shu game

[rocky_warrior]

As a freshman, in his 4th BE game, being an average BE player is a good sign.

I agree.  But it's also not the NIL fortune I was replying to:

James could make a fortune with NIL somewhere.

[cheebs09]

Caedin played 5 minutes against SH.  First 3, last 2. He got pulled 3 minutes in and never went back in until Ben fouled out.

He played 8 today, a couple of those after Ben went out with 4 and a half to go.

I still can't see why he starts. Especially as Paint Touches showed the first 10 mins kill us. At this point, I'm sure it would help him relax by coming off the bench and hopefully play better.

[WhiteTrash]

I still can't see why he starts. Especially as Paint Touches showed the first 10 mins kill us. At this point, I'm sure it would help him relax by coming off the bench and hopefully play better.

Is that a question on Shaka or the board, because maybe I missed it, but I don't think anyone is supportive of him starting or playing meaningful minutes. Most/all here are questioning his ability to play D1 ball.

[tower912]

You're entirely wrong. Go look at the play-by-play I linked.

OK.  I forgot about the quick fouls.  He still played 5 minutes.  3rd stri g center minutes.  Josh has played more the last two games and Ben is playing almost all.  Ben can't play 40.  Neither can Royce.  Josh and Caedin will continue to play.

Preseason, I thought Ben would play 30 and Caedin and Josh would split 20.  Shaka said that Caedin worked hardest in the offseason.  I accept that.  Ben spent tine with the NZ national team and Royce spent time in the U-19 camp.  Caedin practiced every day

Anyway.  The rotations are evolving. 
Want less Tre?  There has been less Tre.
Want less Caedin?  13 minutes combined the last two games

More DO?  He has played more.  Not better yet, but more.
Zaide not producing? AS starts.  Zaide leaves.

Very frustrating season.  What matters now is building for the future.  And, with the exception of Ben playing so much out of necessity, that is starting to appear.

[cheebs09]

Is that a question on Shaka or the board, because maybe I missed it, but I don't think anyone is supportive of him starting or playing meaningful minutes. Most/all here are questioning his ability to play D1 ball.

Just that even though his minutes have been low, him starting has a negative effect by getting off to slower starts.

[WhiteTrash]

As for Caedin starting; maybe, just maybe, Shaka loves his practice effort even though he knows he is a liability, and he wants to motivate the roster to put forth better effort in practice?

I'm grasping at straws here because I am truly shocked how bad Shaka looks. Maybe I'm trying to fit this square peg into the round hole of Shaka's career.

And, yes I realize that makes it look like, if not outright stating, Shaka has lost the team.

[jesmu84]

Zog,

I don't think he has any idea how to play the game yet, but he's a tier 1/elite athlete with tremendous downhill speed.  I think he would be more impressive with better players around him.  I would say he's 100% a keeper but it's really hard for him to develop with our current roster.  Still, he has to try to find a way to trust the guys around him. 

Lol.

This could have been said about Sean every year.

I think Nigel is much better than Sean already

[Viper]

Hurley talking up Shaka and Marquette's culture in the post-game interview.

akin to Bobby Knight talking up Steve Yoder and Wisconsin back in the day. IU would kick RED's tail regularly and easily ...of course Knight wanted UW to keep Yoder. No different now. Shaka is Hurley's all you can eat buffet.

[Viper]

Reminds me of when Bob Knight would talk about how wonderful Steve Yoder was after beating the Badgers by 35.

...sorry I didn't see yours first, bro. My bad...and yup, you are correct.

[MarquetteMike1977]

To my eyes Hamilton is the worst player in Division 1 in part since He looks not very coordinated and it looks like it takes him awhile to decide what to do. It is not his fault he plays. If there are worse players in Division 1 list any please it will help in processing thank you

[MarquetteMike1977]

As for Caedin starting; maybe, just maybe, Shaka loves his practice effort even though he knows he is a liability, and he wants to motivate the roster to put forth better effort in practice?

I'm grasping at straws here because I am truly shocked how bad Shaka looks. Maybe I'm trying to fit this square peg into the round hole of Shaka's career.

And, yes I realize that makes it look like, if not outright stating, Shaka has lost the team.

Agree and it appears to suck the energy out of some of players and some of the fans when Hamilton starts. But maybe we are just bad.

[burger]

Can't say we lost a 7th in a row against the spread....The line opened at 12.5 and was at 19.5 at game time on FanDuel.....Yes a 7 point move in 4 days....Most I have seen in a long time.....

[panda]

Can't say we lost a 7th in a row against the spread....The line opened at 12.5 and was at 19.5 at game time on FanDuel.....Yes a 7 point move in 4 days....Most I have seen in a long time.....

The line absolutely did not open at 12.5

[LAZER]

The line absolutely did not open at 12.5

And it absolutely didn't open 4 days ahead of tip

[Shooter McGavin]

And he has played third string minutes the last two games.  Once due to fouls, once due to coaching decision.

You can't just shut him down.  If you accept that this season is lost, then you have to keep giving him an opportunity to figure it out.   

Not in a starting position you don't,   You treat him like a back of the bench guy.  Sporadic minutes when you see fit.  You risk losing players and parents with this tact.

It is so obvious that I'm not sure if you are trolling people at this point.

You had similar views of Tre last year that were way off the mark even though he looked light years more competent than Caedin.

Your basketball knowledge seems to be way better than this.