At least with Ross, you get consistent defense, some rebounding, and predictable, but not always reliable, outside shooting within the volume of shots he takes. Ball off the bench might work, but did not last night. If Ball is not making his shots, he doesn't help the team that much.
I think Hurley’s approach has been go with Solo until he shows he’s getting torched then put Ross in. Could Ross attack the rim on offense with his athleticism?
He would need a major boost in confidence. He is still tentative. Part of the problem is his handle still needs some work. He can jump, but doing it while dribbling through traffic is another matter.
Yeah just someone with some good size, strength, & athleticism at the spot. You’ll give up some shooting but you have to be thinking about sliding this guy next to Reibe & what a Reibe defense would need. If you can get Reibe even just respectful from 3 and then the rest of your team is shooting it well, a little slippage there from the forward spot is fine. Not easy to find that level of talent but you can sell huge minutes at that spot. You’re seeing teams go big there like Michigan, Duke, Zona, Florida, Iowa state etc.
Doesn’t it work for Michigan, Arizona and Florida?
Big minutes means sitting Stewart in his senior year. You think Hurley will do that? He is doing it now but I think it will be Stewarts minutes to lose next year and I'm afraid Hurley won't want to recruit over him leaving less chance his minutes are stolen by a new addition.
I would encourage you to read my other posts. Those teams are not playing 2 slow footed centers simultaneously.
Well when Stewart has started this year, it’s been on the wing, not in the frontcourt. He’s been playing reserve minutes there but not a ton. UConn shouldn’t be banking on Stewart as Alex’s replacement, that’d be a disaster. They need a bigger body there & quite frankly a better player in that spot.
make sure we win the Big East????
I think we have seen enough of Ross to know he isn't going to a consistent offensive weapon especially off the dribble . He doesn't have to be with Demary, Mullins, Reed and Karaban out there. He just needs to play great D, get some rebounds, hit the open 3 point shots and give the energy he brings.
The only player dribble driving to the rim is Silas. That’s why he goes to the line with few others besides Reed. We have a bit of a hole on offense with Alex injured. He has to heal and be a factor or we are toast.
Mullins has shown some glimpses driving. I know not effective yet but he has the skills to be a good driver too.
We have a few games to figure it out, within the flow of the offense. Two of those are really hard games.
Correction, they all are going to be hard games or at least I think we have to assume they will be until proven after the fact when the game(s) is over and there is a comfortable win. Don't look now, but Marquette is playing a lot better than they were in Nov-early January. I know they have a crappy record, but that game in Milwaukee will not be easy.
This team needs Jeff Adrien tough
Indeed, yes it does work for those schools. We also must recognize Hurley is not fully transparent about injuries, so hard knowing if Karaban is the answer to anything at the moment - with his leg issue?
Our guards then included Andre Jackson, Stephon Castle, Cam Stewart and Tristen Newton. They all could capably guard multiple positions with their NBA level size and elite athleticism. Additionally we had an NBA raising star level rim protector.
No he seems to pull him after he gets torched on D and isn’t hitting his shots
Excellent point about Big screen setters. Rip use to run off of double Big screens and imagine the wear and tear that took on the defender plus Rip’s elite gifted talent. A lot to be said for getting your best players minutes. And maybe our opponent guards won’t look so forward to taking us off the dribble if they know the Bigs will meet them at the rim. So often with the high hedge no one is home there.
Reed and Reibe move just fine in a true big role. You are pretending these guys on the other teams aren’t 250pds +.
I’m legit baffled you think that Reibe could guard any of the 4s on those teams especially outside the paint. All of whom are first round picks in part bc of their mobility. Reibe struggled with Creightons backup center. Just bc they all weigh the same does not equate to athleticism and mobility.
This convo is moot. Ain’t happening, pointless.
You need to move on from what’s not working, if you don’t have an awareness of that, how can you analyze a future hypothetical?