The "You're Coach McCaffery" Game: Who Do You Start Friday?

-Cole
-Archie
-May
-Gatens
-Cartwright

Fran said after the game he loves Matt at the FT line, but he's not playing fast or aggressive enough right now to get there. I'm guessing this changes starting Friday.
 
I agree with you Storm. Until Gatens is healthy and can contribute something on the court, I would play him very little. I know its only 5 games but I don't like what I'm seeing from Payne on the court either.
 
I agree with ElleHawks lineup, I still want Gatens starting for us. We need him to play well and shoot well. I'm just glad that we have 7 or 8 players that you can make an argument for the starting job.
 
People really want Gatens to succeed, but he really is a tweener. Too small to post and not quick enough to beat people off the dribble. He would be best running the baseline trying to get open 3's..

I agree with Spank... seems like the best lineup at this point... I never thought I would think Marble over gatens and Archie over Cole, but so be it..
 
One of the mistakes a coaching staff can make is sticking with the "veteran players" too long. The season is young but so is our team in general. If IF Gatens wasn't injured I don't think we would have seen Marble step up his game like we have. I like Gatens for his heart and loyalty, he's an above average baller as well, but sometimes you just need to add some speed and versatility to an offense:

PG - Cartwright - easiest decision
SG - Marble
SF - May
PF - McCabe
C - Cole

At the C position I don't think we have any legit Big10 talent so what I would do is start the Sr but rotate at almost every possible moment until one of them decides to step up. I would then ride the hot hand until he needs a break. Cole / Brommer or Archie have not established themselves as the 'guy' yet.

No way in hell do I run with Cartwright and Payne on the floor at the same time. They are both PGs and nothing more. May, Gatens & Marble along with Stoermer can handle the 2 and 3. McCabe and Basabe man the 4 and Cole, Brommer and Archie tackle the 5. If McCabe or Basabe get in foul trouble you can go taller with Brommer or shorter with May/Gatens.
 
I really don't think it matters who starts on Friday. Iowa should beat SIU-Edwardsville by 30+ (because they are that bad). Fran should use this game to put different lineups out there and really see what clicks. However, I think Gatens should sit out of this one altogether. The coaches and medical staff obviously know Gaten's condition more than I do but IMO there is no point in playing him in this one if there is any discomfort at all. Get him healthy for the instate rivals in early December. I wouldn't take Cole out of the starting 5 either. I think Friday will be a great opportunity to get him going against a team that will have no one to match his physicality. Archie is the hot player and should get a lot of minutes, but I think Cole will wind up being the more consistent player but I could be wrong. I think Fran should go big to start this game and take it to this team right away, so I would actually go Archie at the 4 and Cole at the 5. I also move May to the 2 and McCabe to the 3 spot. So I guess if I have to put 5 guys to start the game it would be:

PG - Cartwright
SG - May
SF - McCabe
PF - Archie
C - Cole

Like I said Fran should use this a game to really get guys who have been struggling some confidence so really the starting five shouldnt mean too much for this one.
 
Gohawks123 said:
I wonder how well Payne will take getting benched. He might be best suited at a DII or DIII school honestly.
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I don't think he's that bad. He is a soph that needs to work on his penetration and ball skills true but he's a D1 player. The kid was forced into action with absolutely no help last year. With a solid year of good coaching and help from his teammates I think the kid can be a solid player for Iowa going forward. You can still watch some of those stupid tendencies from Payne that Lick and staff taught but those can be fixed.
 
hawkeye12345 said:
I don't think he's that bad. He is a soph that needs to work on his penetration and ball skills true but he's a D1 player. The kid was forced into action with absolutely no help last year. With a solid year of good coaching and help from his teammates I think the kid can be a solid player for Iowa going forward. You can still watch some of those stupid tendencies from Payne that Lick and staff taught but those can be fixed.
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You might be right. I just haven't been impressed at all this year...almost seems like he's regressed.
 
May - Guaranteed to start 100%
Cartwright - Should start 90%
McCabe - Should start 80%
Marble 50%50%
Basabe 50%50%
Gatens 50%50% (depends how he's shooting in practice)
Archie/Brommer/Cole (all have their bright and weak spots) 33%33%33%
Stoermer 25%
Payne 25% (doesn't deserve to start)
 
storminspank said:
Here's my lineup:

- Cartwright
- Marble
- May
- McCabe
- Archie
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Interesting line-up, particularly for the names you don't include. :) I agree, hold Gatens until he is totally healthy. The kid can shoot and we desperately need that; would hate to screw that up rushing him back too quickly from his injury and surgery.
 
before Gaten's injury Gaten's was our most consistent player, give him a couple of weeks to get his bb legs and he will show what he is capable of doing.Fran is developing Archie into a high energy low skilled dennis rodman type, hopefully Brommer-archie combo can give us 9-10 fouls a game and help cole around the basket.

Cully is a great kid but would be better suited for a slow down grind it out style like northwestern or whisky. he is definately a D1 player but needs to play in the right system.

Cole and Gatens have been thru a lot of crap over the past 3-4 years, great kids that deseerve better, lets not turn our backs on them, give them some time and they will be fine.
 
ElleHawks said:
Fran said after the game he loves Matt at the FT line, but he's not playing fast or aggressive enough right now to get there. I'm guessing this changes starting Friday.
Click to expand...

Is this due to his injury, or something broader than that?
 
It would be interesting to see a plus/minus analysis of the lineup based on our personnel. I'm sure they do this with video/stat program. I used to use one of these and it was a great tool. It sounds like Fran charts everything. There are a few different versions of this; one is a plus/minus for each individual player, and the other is a plus/minus that charts points scored/given up for every lineup that plays together. It's often an amazing thing to see. It definitely supports the theory of not playing your 5 best players, but playing your 5 players who play best together. Fran is not "married" to anyone at this point. It's often very hard to not start/play your captains, but Fran will do what the TEAM needs. Go Hawks!
 
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