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Message: [QUOTE="diggerfoot, post: 3388818, member: 1673"] If by dictating match-ups you are including starting line-ups, in what seasons, if any, did Auriemma use such a strategy? He has changed starting line-ups to send a message, such as benching Stewart and Tuck before South Carolina. He has changed starting line-ups a few games into the season after he becomes more sure of what he wants, such as replacing Chong with Nurse. And of course he has changed starting line-ups due to injury. However, to go with the example I already referenced, he did not let match ups dictate his starting line-up when he started Webber, despite both Sales and Berube being better players with expanded skill sets. I know that those with coaching experience may see changing line-ups as a way of flexing their strategy and tactic capabilities. Auriemma repeatedly claims he likes to know what he is getting. This is particularly true at the start of games. By sending out a known quantity and seeing how the opponent reacts he gets a better idea of how to proceed than sending out an unknown quantity and having to decide whether it's the unknown or the match-up that needs fixing. So I believe he will continue to start Irwin, in contradiction to my own previous claim, as he feels quite comfortable in what she brings to the start of games. Then as the game proceeds he has the luxury of two distinctly different freshmen to choose from as the match-up dictates. As with Wichita State, Irwin may not even be the one he subs as the match-up dictates. Returning to my original question, which I am curious about, in what seasons did Auriemma use changing starting line-ups as a match-up dictating response? [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach

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