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Message: [QUOTE="hoophuskee, post: 5009373, member: 3535"] As stated I can see 9 max – so when you bring up Gardler as 9 – okay --but that is maximum stretch as I 1st replied to you. And you mention Bird—what year?-- 2001-2002? I assume you meant that season – I can’t see total minutes or avg anywhere so I had to go on Huskygames site (figure things out too – they have some game score typos :)). So I’ll go into their closer games. Dec 2021 vs ODU 14 point win Bird played 40 minutes. Dec 2021 14 pt win vs Oklahoma Bird played 39 minutes. Jan 2022 VS Tennessee 16 pt win Bird played 39. Jan 2022 9 point win vs Va Tech Bird played 36. April 2022 vs Oklahoma 12 point win Bird played 36. Unless you are talking about the 99-00 season? I can’t find any box scores. Maybe the NCAA has a history of this? When you refer to players like Big Rig I found a site Huskyhoops in which it shows Rig played in just 24 or 25 games and averaged one season a little above 4 minutes and another a little over 6 in her 2 seasons. What lead was she extending with so few minutes? And in some she would have been playing in blowouts. So what was her impact? Or were you referring to 00-01 with Bird? So, the above highlights what I believe the thread was also about more than just normal average minutes because Geno does play his stars an enormous amount in big games or tight games. He is not using his bench to wear down an opponent when he is loaded with all-American talent. He is going to use his All-Americans to wear down the other team. If in 01-02 was your point with Bird it highlights as I suggest. In order for her to have averaged only 27 and yet in those closest games of that season he played her between 36-40; this shows he uses his bench in comfortable wins and blowouts. But in close/big games he is looking for his stars to wear down or just prevail vs the opponent. You can never have a perfect team without any weaknesses. As result other teams have weaknesses too. The best way Geno exploits the other teams is use his stars as much as he can. Not have them sit on the bench. I believe Geno has showed that over-and-over again. To further this, the way Geno has recruited these many years – unless a rare game here or there- I don’t believe his team was driven or highlighted by extending leads because of his bench. Any season we can get stats and overall team performance I believe would show this which is why I separated normal (ie comfortable wins and blowouts) vs big games/ tight games. So, two players you brought up (Bird and Big Rig) sort of highlight what I said, right? [/QUOTE]

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