7 Man Rotation - Is It Enough?

[Tenspro2002]

The box score makes it clear that we're tightening up rotations as the season winds down.

Only 7 guys got more than 5 minutes, with spot minutes for Ross, Mahaney, and Nowell.

Besides the Reed/Johnson tandem at the 5 (and hopefully the minutes distribution going forward looks more like last night), we basically only have Stewart coming off the bench to spell the 1-4. That's a heavy load on Diarra, Ball, McNeeley, and Karaban, and compels us to go positionless (or PG-less) when Diarra gets a badly needed break.

Last year we basically played 7 and the results spoke for themselves, but the non-center off the bench was at least a true PG.

How are we feeling about this?

 

[Beowulf]

one of the ross/mahaney/nowell crew is going to have to play minutes at some point. you just hope you can get by during those minutes. they are all capable of doing ~something~

i think luckily you can sorta rely on karaban and ball to play 35+. mcneeley i'm sure you can handle that once it's march. barring foul trouble

 

[Storrs South]

one of the greatest teams in the history of the sport was basically a 7 man rotation last season

The only guys that played serious minutes by tournament time last year was Newton, Spencer, Karaban, Clingan, Castle, Diarra, Samson. Solo and Stew really only came in for mop up duty once the game was out of hand.

In the NCAA Tournament the commercials are longer so more rest time so it isn't as critical come March.

 

[djct1999]

I’d feel better about it if we didn’t foul so much at the 5 spot.

 

[navery12]

I think you give Mahaney, Nowell, Ross a 2-3 minute window to show something in the 1st half and when they all show nothing I'm good with the 7 man rotation

 

[Deepster]

The box score makes it clear that we're tightening up rotations as the season winds down.

Only 7 guys got more than 5 minutes, with spot minutes for Ross, Mahaney, and Nowell.

Besides the Reed/Johnson tandem at the 5 (and hopefully the minutes distribution going forward looks more like last night), we basically only have Stewart coming off the bench to spell the 1-4. That's a heavy load on Diarra, Ball, McNeeley, and Karaban, and compels us to go positionless (or PG-less) when Diarra gets a badly needed break.

Last year we basically played 7 and the results spoke for themselves, but the non-center off the bench was at least a true PG.

How are we feeling about this?

Are you trying to refine when you’re going to bet against UConn?

 

[TheShot1990]

I think you give Mahaney, Nowell, Ross a 2-3 minute window to show something in the 1st half and when they all show nothing I'm good with the 7 man rotation

Well I'd give Ross and Nowell 2-3 each. Pitino's bullies will focus on AM like a pack of wild dogs if he tries to bring it up the floor. Ross can give Stewie a breather if he can play good D and Nowell can hopefully give Hass a breather.

 

[Tiamat7]

And among the 7, you have one fellow (Diarra) dealing with knee tendonitis. Anyone who's had this diagnosis knows it comes and goes, but improves with rest. 35 minutes of pounding against St Johns won't help. They may do some injections, but pre-tourney it would be ideal to get those minutes down to max 30.

This means some combination of Mahaney, Nowell, and / or Liam. But you also need to rest Liam.

Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I just can't dismiss Aidan. We need him, even for short spurts. Mahaney has played and excelled against high level competition last year (Gonzaga, NCAA tournament). Nowell could surprise, but he needs time.

 

[navery12]

Well I'd give Ross and Nowell 2-3 each. Pitino's bullies will focus on AM like a pack of wild dogs if he tries to bring it up the floor. Ross can give Stewie a breather if he can play good D and Nowell can hopefully give Hass a breather.

That's one specific game, the conversation is the rest of the season

 

[Colin G]

Technically speaking we ran a 7-man rotation last year and won a natty. 7 1/2 down the stretch this year matchup dependent. Really don't think Ross should be in the rotation at all. Think 8th should be mahaney spot minutes

 

[jibsey]

7 man is not enough to press defend. Hurley said as much.

 

[HooperScooper]

 

[3rdbass]

The box score makes it clear that we're tightening up rotations as the season winds down.

Only 7 guys got more than 5 minutes, with spot minutes for Ross, Mahaney, and Nowell.

Besides the Reed/Johnson tandem at the 5 (and hopefully the minutes distribution going forward looks more like last night), we basically only have Stewart coming off the bench to spell the 1-4. That's a heavy load on Diarra, Ball, McNeeley, and Karaban, and compels us to go positionless (or PG-less) when Diarra gets a badly needed break.

Last year we basically played 7 and the results spoke for themselves, but the non-center off the bench was at least a true PG.

How are we feeling about this?

OP using last year's tournament as a guide we actually had 8 man rotation using your 5 minute mark as significant minutes. Jaylin played 7 minutes or more in every tournament game beside the final which he played 4. This year we need hopefully either Nowell or a combo of Nowell and Mahaney to give Diarra at least 5 minutes off the bench. It might have to be closer to 10 minutes as Diarra can't be playing more than 30 minutes all the time due to his knees. Someone is going to have hold the fort and even if not a big time scorer can impact the game in other parts at PG to keep us afloat when Diarra is on the bench.

 

[boog204]

It’s ironic as I was looking at an old Darius Adams thread and it derailed into how this years team could/would go 10-11 deep and would there be enough minutes for everyone. Then this thread where we’re wondering if we have enough players who can play meaningful minutes.

 

[uconn_jack]

I’d feel better about it if we didn’t foul so much at the 5 spot.

Honestly, that concerns me the least. Even when. We've been in foulf trouble at the 5, Karaban does a surprisingly good job defending the 5 when needed, and I think Singare is much more playable than many think (he just has Reed and Johnson in front of him) and is always ready to go with enthusiasm.

 

[Hoophound]

We foul too much and we don’t have the ball handling we need with the current 7. We need Nowell to play 5 minutes plus. Mahaney should get a heat check every night.

 

[Hoophound]

Honestly, that concerns me the least. Even when. We've been in foulf trouble at the 5, Karaban does a surprisingly good job defending the 5 when needed, and I think Singare is much more playable than many think (he just has Reed and Johnson in front of him) and is always ready to go with enthusiasm.

I love Singare.

 

[UofCT]

Well I'd give Ross and Nowell 2-3 each. Pitino's bullies will focus on AM like a pack of wild dogs if he tries to bring it up the floor. Ross can give Stewie a breather if he can play good D and Nowell can hopefully give Hass a breather.

Mahaney should never see another minute for us again. Andrew Hurley probably works him in practice.

 

[gsmooth]

It’s ironic as I was looking at an old Darius Adams thread and it derailed into how this years team could/would go 10-11 deep and would there be enough minutes for everyone. Then this thread where we’re wondering if we have enough players who can play meaningful minutes.

That's the Boneyard for you, over rating the depth of the roster at the beginning of the season. Bottom line, it's difficult to draw conclusions against the sub 300 ranked cupcakes on the schedule.

 

[blkknight1]

One thing I would worry about is that Samson and Hass were reserves last year during Ramadan, them being starters now is a bit of a worry. Samson not as much because of Reed but we have no proven backup for Hass.

 

[bendm]

7 would be fine if stew could play PG…have been saying that will be our Achilles heel for awhile now.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

And among the 7, you have one fellow (Diarra) dealing with knee tendonitis. Anyone who's had this diagnosis knows it comes and goes, but improves with rest. 35 minutes of pounding against St Johns won't help. They may do some injections, but pre-tourney it would be ideal to get those minutes down to max 30.

This means some combination of Mahaney, Nowell, and / or Liam. But you also need to rest Liam.

Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I just can't dismiss Aidan. We need him, even for short spurts. Mahaney has played and excelled against high level competition last year (Gonzaga, NCAA tournament). Nowell could surprise, but he needs time.

Mahaney is important to the team. He’s one of the best shooters on the team, but he needs to play more, and Hurley and Luke need to ride the officials, I mean it’s college basketball not rugby.

 

[boog204]

That's the Boneyard for you, over rating the depth of the roster at the beginning of the season. Bottom line, it's difficult to draw conclusions against the sub 300 ranked cupcakes on the schedule.

Yup, although this was the offseason when Stew was going to go lottery, Aidan was Cam 2.0, and Alex was a bonafide first team AA. Oh well. I legit thought Aidan was Cam 2.0...

Also love it when people do their scoring predictions and we come out averaging 118 points a game. Mathing is hard.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Yup, although this was the offseason when Stew was going to go lottery, Aidan was Cam 2.0, and Alex was a bonafide first team AA. Oh well. I legit thought Aidan was Cam 2.0...

Also love it when people do their scoring predictions and we come out averaging 118 points a game. Mathing is hard.

You mean Jayden Ross isn’t Reggie Lewis?! Say it ain’t so!