Was screwing around with some numbers after reading some updated injury reports and Hurley comments this week. Looks like we have about 9 healthy players. Adams is still nursing some injuries and Akok is looking to have to wait until late November or December before he is doing live 5 on 5. Springs and Brown look like they still are expected to grow and improve before they see significant PT.
I was trying to figure out minutes and points per game based on comments from the staff about style of play and which players have impressed them so far. One thing I came away with is I think this team can score. The below numbers add up to 80 ppg which is plenty good. Also, the minutes. I realize different posters have different favs and how they see minutes. I give you the below numbers as baseline numbers. There's only 200 mpg. Not everyone can play 25-30 mpg. And all 200 minutes cannot come from the backcourt. So, for me, the 80 minutes for the 4 and 5 spot are taken up by Polley, Whaley, Sanogo and Carlton. Yes, I realize Martin will play some minutes at the 4, but Polley may play some at the 3, so it's a wash.
Once Adams and Akok become healthy, and if either Springs or Brown earn PT, their minutes have to come out of the hide of someone else shown below. Playing time minutes are a zero sum game.
I think Sanogo is really talented and expect him to probably get as many rebounds as he does points. As a freshman post player, there is a tendency to get in to foul trouble as 20-21 year old upper classmen post players are just quicker and more explosive than kids coming right out of high school. I expect Sanogo to have a few games of 8 minutes and 4 fouls. I hope Josh's dropped weight helps him out and makes him more effective, but Hurley has basically said Whaley is starting somewhere in the post.
Whaley showed some offensive skills on his own to score in the paint but was also effective on alley oops and offensive rebound put backs. I expect Whaley to have the most consistent minutes, points, rebounds and the rest of the box score amongst all the post players.
I think between Cole and Gaff they will each have games where one is more of the scorer and one is more of the distributor. I think overall at the end of the season they will have similar points, minutes and rebounds but individually each game those numbers will vary wildly.
I know Jackson had some knee injuries but DH has said Jackson has a chance to be one of the best freshmen guards in the country. I realize every freshmen guard has that possibility right now since no games have been player, but it is obvious DH plans on giving Jackson every opportunity to be on the floor and make things happen.
Polley is going to get minutes somehow. Defensive rebounding numbers aside, he is a reliable shooter and can be disruptive defensively with his length. He will play and score to some extent. Same thing with Martin. He's already being slotted as a "glue" guy who will do dirty work and earn some minutes. Not much of a shooter, but can fill the lane on the break, get a put back off an offensive board and get a bucket here or there. Add in some rebounding and defense and he gets a few minutes here or there.
Bouk is the guaranteed minutes played and scoring leader of this team. He go really good with his scoring efficiency and I expect that to only get better. Against some lower level teams he will easily get some 25 points in 22 minutes of playing.
| Name | MPG | PPG |
| Cole | 26 | 9.8 |
| Gaffney | 28 | 8.5 |
| Bouk | 31 | 17.9 |
| Polley | 24 | 9.5 |
| Whaley | 29 | 10.2 |
| | |
| Jackson | 19 | 8.4 |
| Martin | 16 | 5.8 |
| Sanogo | 15 | 5.6 |
| Carlton | 12 | 4.8 |
| Totals | 200 | 80.5 |
