Help me out here. We have a very small sample size of MJ so far but it seems like he’s limited in his ability on offense to be more than a post up player on the blocks. The only effective guy in the BU era of doing that has been Kofi and MJ is only 6’9”. Does he have outside range? And, if he doesn’t, is he not fairly easily replaceable via the portal? I want the kid to stay but it doesn’t look, so far, like he’s going to be a guy who can lead a team to a Final Four (but again, maybe he has range and a complete game that we just haven’t been able to see yet)
Tennessee 66, Illinois 64 Postgame
- Status
Does MJ have outside range or is he basically a low block, energy, rebound guy? Those guys are obviously good to have around but he doesn’t have Kofi’s size and if he doesn’t have range I don’t see how he’s going to be a huge factor down the road. Therefore I don’t see the need to panic if he’s going to leave. Right now is he really that much different from Dainja? The sample size is very small…does he have range?
Just say no to drugs!!! Brad is throwing himself under the bus because his coaching decisions are costing us games!! His handling of substitutions is some of the worst in college basketball!! While Booth, who is by far one of our most gifted players languishes on the bench he marches other players out on the floor who are running around lost. Who was guarding Gainey????
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
I believe the idea is floor spacing—even if Ben isn’t hitting right now, defenses still have to respect him opening up driving lanes. Not sure that’s more effective though than having Morez in there with much more production.
Disappointing from the perspective that we were really close to winning this game..,.and in games like this, wins and losses are decided in the margins.
Ben is getting beat up on here. I was hoping he’d have a Sean Harrington type role, but Brad is trying to make him more than that. I get it, positional size blah blah blah. But he plays like he’s 6-3, not 6-8. I think he’d actually produce more in a secondary role against players 6 thru 8 instead of the starting unit.
Mores need to play more. If he fouls out who cares, if he and Tomi both foul out, who cares, we will probably be complaining about the refs anywhere. If all he does is collect put backs, I don’t see what the problem is with that. Sure, maybe he doesn’t play the last 2 minutes due to FTs, but maybe with him in those games aren’t close.
KJ has been amazing, and I get he’s one and done, but something doesn’t sit well with me with all the TO’s. He’s perfected the Coleman palms up look to the ref though. I’m not sure how the best athletes in the world don’t feast on him at the next level. It’ll be interesting to see though and I’m determined to enjoy him his one season here.
I’m wondering if the Will Riley opening game was the worst thing for his development.
Ben is getting beat up on here. I was hoping he’d have a Sean Harrington type role, but Brad is trying to make him more than that. I get it, positional size blah blah blah. But he plays like he’s 6-3, not 6-8. I think he’d actually produce more in a secondary role against players 6 thru 8 instead of the starting unit.
Mores need to play more. If he fouls out who cares, if he and Tomi both foul out, who cares, we will probably be complaining about the refs anywhere. If all he does is collect put backs, I don’t see what the problem is with that. Sure, maybe he doesn’t play the last 2 minutes due to FTs, but maybe with him in those games aren’t close.
KJ has been amazing, and I get he’s one and done, but something doesn’t sit well with me with all the TO’s. He’s perfected the Coleman palms up look to the ref though. I’m not sure how the best athletes in the world don’t feast on him at the next level. It’ll be interesting to see though and I’m determined to enjoy him his one season here.
I’m wondering if the Will Riley opening game was the worst thing for his development.
Great take and refreshingly lacking the histrionics.
Steelyunk
- Tobacco Road
I think he reacted to cover his man who may have been diving to the goal?
I would have used that timeout on last possession or after last free throw. Team was sped up at the end and Coach probably needed to get them into a play and/or coverage.
I’ll add my voice to the “fewer minutes for #3. “
chorus.
I would have used that timeout on last possession or after last free throw. Team was sped up at the end and Coach probably needed to get them into a play and/or coverage.
I’ll add my voice to the “fewer minutes for #3. “
chorus.
Last edited:
It's not helping us win games, but rather losing us games.
Idk I’m a little bitter after this one. A good lead late, fouls 10 to 3 in our favor, home crowd, their best players either out or very limited time… and we lose. Let’s hope they can get better as a unit, and have more than 6 assists in the future. Such a high bball IQ roster needs to space and pass more than they did tonight.
Goillinikobd
- Southeastern US
Box score just in case
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401707854
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401707854
There is very little hard cutting, fast movement or strong screens on our inbound plays. Four guys always seem to just drift to a spot and then try to use their bodies (too often not well) to shield their defender. Rarely do we ever hit a guy cutting to the basket. Fine, at least use some cuts to at least get the ball safely in away from the basket.
Why would losing by 2 points to the #1 team in the country completely collapse the culture?
That is the thing. A lot of people have been grousing about BU arguing with the ref during the timeout before a bad inbounds result. How often do coaches draw up an inbounds play in the huddle? Seems to me the arguing wasn’t the issue, it was having only bad inbounds plays to call upon
One word sums up this game. CHOOOOOOOOOOKE! Missed a couple key free throws, key turnovers, can't get ball in bounds, 2 missed layups, POOR COACHING, worst of all how do you let a guy drive the length of the floor with6 seconds left and get a layup? Big man was suppose to bring scoring in the middle. Ivisic din't show up in the biggest game of the year!
This not just a horrible blow but a devastating LOSS!
I will go back to the shooting, that this team was a great all-around shooting team-BULL-SHT. 29% for game, 17% from 3 will not win you any games period. THIS LOSS WILL HAVE A BIG HANGOVER AFFECT. I don't want to hear that we took the #1 team to the wire. There are no prizes in if's.
This not just a horrible blow but a devastating LOSS!
I will go back to the shooting, that this team was a great all-around shooting team-BULL-SHT. 29% for game, 17% from 3 will not win you any games period. THIS LOSS WILL HAVE A BIG HANGOVER AFFECT. I don't want to hear that we took the #1 team to the wire. There are no prizes in if's.
Huh? Tomi’s shooting hasn’t been there last 3 games and wasn’t tonight, but Tomi had 11 rebounds in 28 minutes while Morez had 2 in 12 minutes. Even I don’t need a calculator to tell me Tomi’s rebounding rate was way ahead of Morez’s against Tenn.
Proud of the way we fought. I don’t know that we matched their physicality but we came pretty darn close.
The beauty of our team is we have zero redundancy in our players. Everyone brings a different skill set. And Brad needs to learn which games call for which pieces.
I think Ben has been unfairly maligned, but a game where we were struggling with physicality and squeezing the ball is not a Ben game. It was a close game so you can point to a million different things, but I would argue being out rebounded 14-1 (albeit a spectacular one) at the 4 cost us the game as much as anything else.
There will be games where Ben gives us a clear advantage with shooting, spacing etc. and then he should play a lot. But this was a Morez game through and through.
The sooner Brad realizes what buttons to push when, the sooner we level up IMO
The beauty of our team is we have zero redundancy in our players. Everyone brings a different skill set. And Brad needs to learn which games call for which pieces.
I think Ben has been unfairly maligned, but a game where we were struggling with physicality and squeezing the ball is not a Ben game. It was a close game so you can point to a million different things, but I would argue being out rebounded 14-1 (albeit a spectacular one) at the 4 cost us the game as much as anything else.
There will be games where Ben gives us a clear advantage with shooting, spacing etc. and then he should play a lot. But this was a Morez game through and through.
The sooner Brad realizes what buttons to push when, the sooner we level up IMO
I mentioned this in the game thread, but last night he kept doing this shake and bake stuff out on the perimeter but didn’t go anywhere and then heaved up a shot that was more contested than if he had just shot immediately. And he’s just not strong enough to be effective in lane/at rim. He was drawing fouls though and making his FTs, which was good.
Haven’t seen this posted and considering all the comments that Boswell should have been on Gainey for last play, thought it should be.
The inbound play hate is a joke. Two crucial ones we had Freshman(Will and KJ) taking the ball out. Nothing wrong with the plays, just inexperienced guys making lazy passes. Not to mention inexperienced guys making lazy cuts. The plays are fine. Gotta execute! Yes, he should’ve called timeout after the made FT, that I agree with. But enough with the BU bashing. Just toughen up, learn from it, and move on. Beat Missouri!
I'm not sure what you mean about redundancy but the more you have the better. Having "zero" would be frightening, not beautiful.
- Status