March Bench Rotation

[Connecticut13]

If Mahaney is playing 10 mpg, then we're in trouble. I still like Nowell better as our backup pg -- he's a better ball handler, which isn't saying much right now. In my opinion, Nowell needs to see about 7-8 mpg to spell Diarra. Mahaney has gotten chance after chance - but he's constantly turning over the ball, gets burned on defense and seems afraid to shoot. Of course, I'd love for Mahaney to catch fire and prove me wrong.

 

[6Nattys4Us]

On paper we have some decent bench players but not one is consistent or reliable. If Reed starts, we have no bench. Its problematic that we can't call on a defensive stopper, or a scoring spark or even a high energetic game impactor (think AJ).

Our starting 5 can beat any 5 starters in the Nation. I just hope they all are capable of playing 35-40 minutes each this month.

Just saying going into the Tourney, we can't rely on our bench for production.

If by our starters you include Johnson, then I disagree...and hoping he is capable of playing 35-40 minutes is a bridge too far.

Then again, it's March so that is when Hurley teams tend to dial it up on Defense.

 

[GHSWolverines]

Unfortunately we do not have much depth.
1. Samson Johnson, even though he starts, IMO is our best
2. JS can be so much better at both ends but he disappears a ton. On offense he acts like he is the 6th option with only 5 players out on the court
3. AM & AN to me is a toss-up. While he has more experience at the college level, this league is too physical for AM while AN can handle the physicallity but has less experience. I think he would have been a different player by now if he saw more playing time during the season. I know he was hurt on a few occassions but he still did not see much time.

 

[Giddyup5]

Neither guy is bringing anything to the table right now, but at least with Mahaney you know if he knocks down a couple shots and suddenly starts feeling good, he’s capable of a 20-point night. Certainly not expecting it. Mental struggles are a beast to overcome and he’s never played well with us or in the tournament (he did put 25 on Gonzaga in a conference title game), so he’s facing massive headwinds. But he has had lots of big scoring games in his archives, and he could have a throwback night. Get him free for a couple wide open looks, they go down, and suddenly he‘s feeling good again and maybe a game changes. Would be a pleasant surprise. But that version of him does exist.

Nowell has never had an impact game at this level. Expecting him to suddenly be a difference maker is believing in a mythical version of him that nobody has seen.

This!

We need more game changers than someone to steady the ship. Roll the dice at this point.

 

[Palatine]

What has Mahaney shown us recently to think he can give us much of anything? I just don't see it besides maybe spelling Diarra for 5 minutes a game. Personally I rather see us go big with Stewart. Mahaney makes him look like an All-Start defender. LOL!

He scored 15 against PC. He was a spark versus Xavier. So there is some evidence he could help a bit. Considering we get nothing from Nowell, it depends on Hurley's priority, does he want to develop AN for next year, or hope AM can help a little bit now.

 

[jibsey]

Mahaney can go to the rim and score or get fouled. Nowell I’m waiting to see.
Neither player has a handle to brag about.

 

[cap10dingus]

Honestly, not the best situation, but if Diarra steps off the floor I like McNeeley bringing the ball up the court with Ball Stew AK and pickem at center (agree Samson has been outplayed but from a bringing the ball up the floor perspective it's not particularly relevant) on the floor as much as possible. I know he's not a natural PG or really even close but he fakes it better than our other options at this point.

 

[RuffRuff]

Reality is that we need to get our best 5 as many minutes as possible. Talking about our bench rotation is pointless as no one on the bench is going to be a difference maker in the post season, just there to give our starting 5 a breather and not to be a train wreck. Mahaney, Nowell & Ross need not to be a guaranteed net negative, Samson & Stew effective placeholders. This isn't the last two years where we could bring in the bench for an extra throttle or boost, this is just hoping we get enough through the middle of the game to get our starters rest.