Michigan - Still plays small ball lineup

[NikeHawk21]

Juwan Howard has 3 guards on the court for the stretch run of the 2H that are all 6’1 or less. Their PF is 6’7. All the guys are good defenders and can move their feet. Even their 7’1 center Teske moves his feet better than any of our bigs.

The point however there is a lot of other coaches out their who would play much smaller lineups if they had Iowa’s roster. I think Wieskamp would play the 4. Coaches are going smaller and quicker with more skill while Fran insists on playing slow footed bigs at the 4 spot.

 

[smitharooney]

Joe W has the foot speed of a 4 . I was actually thinking about this last night . Going small would make it tougher to beat us but they would probably still beat us . This roster is so poorly constructed it’s not even funny .I don’t think any combination would work. Garza, Joe W , JBO, Frederick and Joe T are the best overall players on the team . Might as well go with your best

 

[The Big LeHAWKski]

Joe W has the foot speed of a 4 . I was actually thinking about this last night . Going small would make it tougher to beat us but they would probably still beat us . This roster is so poorly constructed it’s not even funny .I don’t think any combination would work. Garza, Joe W , JBO, Frederick and Joe T are the best overall players on the team . Might as well go with your best

Hold on...hold on - wait just a McCaffery-minute.
You failed to list either of Fran's boys, so therefore your projected "Best possible-5" is null & void because of course they were both highly rated recruits with lots of stars, they could have played anywhere for anyone... right??
Anyone??.....anyone?

Take in a big whiff boys and suck in the sarcasm 'cause that's the only thing keeping my blood pressure in check these days!

 

[trj]

Juwan Howard has 3 guards on the court for the stretch run of the 2H that are all 6’1 or less. Their PF is 6’7. All the guys are good defenders and can move their feet. Even their 7’1 center Teske moves his feet better than any of our bigs.

The point however there is a lot of other coaches out their who would play much smaller lineups if they had Iowa’s roster. I think Wieskamp would play the 4. Coaches are going smaller and quicker with more skill while Fran insists on playing slow footed bigs at the 4 spot.

And your small ball lineup would consist of who? Juwan Howard has flexibility with his roster that Fran doesn't. Not defending Fran because he put this team together. His "I can make this work" approach when putting this roster together may not cost him his gig, but it is going to get his seat very warm.

 

[InGoodCo]

Juwan Howard has 3 guards on the court for the stretch run of the 2H that are all 6’1 or less. Their PF is 6’7. All the guys are good defenders and can move their feet. Even their 7’1 center Teske moves his feet better than any of our bigs.

The point however there is a lot of other coaches out their who would play much smaller lineups if they had Iowa’s roster. I think Wieskamp would play the 4. Coaches are going smaller and quicker with more skill while Fran insists on playing slow footed bigs at the 4 spot.

That's the only way to play Creighton - they are all G and no bigs. They would kill for our bigs, we would kill for their guards. I am kind of hoping we see which prevail in Vegas later this month but IMO, they played UM pretty tight so.....

 

[NikeHawk21]

And your small ball lineup would consist of who? Juwan Howard has flexibility with his roster that Fran doesn't. Not defending Fran because he put this team together. His "I can make this work" approach when putting this roster together may not cost him his gig, but it is going to get his seat very warm.

Toussaint
Fredrick
Evelyn
Wieskamp
Garza

4 guys who can handle and shoot them ball and one true big. That was the point of the OP. I think that’s the type of lineup a lot of coaches would employ if they coached Iowa.

 

[NikeHawk21]

That's the only way to play Creighton - they are all G and no bigs. They would kill for our bigs, we would kill for their guards. I am kind of hoping we see which prevail in Vegas later this month but IMO, they played UM pretty tight so.....

That’s true on Creighton but that wasn’t really matchup driven by Michigan as far as I can tell. Those are pretty much their guys, granted this is still Beilein’s roster pretty much and that’s how he liked to play so it shouldn’t be shocking.

 

[trj]

Toussaint
Fredrick
Evelyn
Wieskamp
Garza

4 guys who can handle and shoot them ball and one true big. That was the point of the OP. I think that’s the type of lineup a lot of coaches would employ if they coached Iowa.

I see the upside with that lineup, but you are asking that lineup to log heavy minutes and you are crossing your fingers that you don’t have guys getting into foul trouble.

It would help a ton if you could get more out of Nunge. It would also help if Connor could shoot or at least was a viable scoring threat. That way you could leave JW alone at the 2, 3 or the 4 spot based on matchups and flow of the game. In other words, you need more from Conner and Nunge because they would be the key guys coming off the bench.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I see the upside with that lineup, but you are asking that lineup to log heavy minutes and you are crossing your fingers that you don’t have guys getting into foul trouble.

It would help a ton if you could get more out of Nunge. It would also help if Connor could shoot or at least was a viable scoring threat. That way you could leave JW alone at the 2, 3 or the 4 spot based on matchups and flow of the game. In other words, you need more from Conner and Nunge because they would be the key guys coming off the bench.

Agree. Nunge is such an important piece of this team is going to be good. So far the results aren’t good but as I’ve mentioned he’s only played 25 minutes of basketball and hadn’t played a real game since the spring of 2018 basically.