Hunt on how MU might lineup.

[milkbone]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/269415471.html

[warriorfan4life]

Not even close, IMO. I would be highly surprised if Duane Wilson is not starting, and I also think that Juan cannot start as he will be the top sub for both backcourt spots. I would guess that the starters will be Carlino, Duane Wilson, JJJ, Burton, and Taylor, with Juan, Dawson, Derrick, and Cohen coming off the bench in that order. All nine guys may until Fischer is eligible (and hopefully ready to go), and then I would guess that Cohen and Derrick Wilson's minutes will be significantly cut.

Edit: Yes, I think Wojo may keep Hunt more in the loop, but I still cannot see that starting line-up for one second.

[TheSultan]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/269415471.html


Mike wakes up this morning, brushes the crumbs off of his shirt, and looks over at the calendar....

And to his horror realizes that it is the last day of the month! Knowing his contract calls for a number of substantive posts every month, and knowing his is still short, he decides to go full "Pull Something Out of My Ass" Mode.

He looks at last year's stats...at at the roster to see who is returning....and writes five names down. Makes a few observations. Make a few phone calls? Eh...why bother. His bosses are all either on vacation or are busy with the news out of Journal Communications yesterday. No one will know.

Get's it done just in time for his nap. He's good til the middle of August...at least.

[TheSultan]

Not even close, IMO. I would be highly surprised if Duane Wilson is not starting, and I also think that Juan cannot start as he will be the top sub for both backcourt spots. I would guess that the starters will be Carlino, Duane Wilson, JJJ, Burton, and Taylor, with Juan, Dawson, Derrick, and Cohen coming off the bench in that order. All nine guys may until Fischer is eligible (and hopefully ready to go), and then I would guess that Cohen and Derrick Wilson's minutes will be significantly cut.

Edit: Yes, I think Wojo may keep Hunt more in the loop, but I still cannot see that starting line-up for one second.


I'm not sure Wojo has a real good handle on what the starting line up will be. He's got three and a half months to figure it out!

[warriorfan4life]

I'm not sure Wojo has a real good handle on what the starting line up will be. He's got three and a half months to figure it out!

I am pretty confident that four spots will be Carlino, Duane Wilson, Taylor, and Burton. The fifth spot is a bit of a wild card, but I cannot see Juan just because we need him to back up both Burton and Taylor. I figure that JJJ will win the battle for the spot at the 3, but it could even be a third guard in Dawson or Derrick Wilson or hell Cohen shows enough to throw him right into the fire.

[Markedman]

I'm not sure Duane will start(Could be Dawson or Derrick) but I will be shocked if Juan starts for the reason wf4l mentioned. I can't believe Hunt actually gets paid to do what he does.......

Burton, Taylor and Carlino have to be locks.....

[TheSultan]

Who knows. Maybe he thinks Duane is best coming off the bench in a sixth man role? Maybe he values Derrick playing alongside Carlino?

Really the only two players I feel confident in saying they will start is Taylor and Carlino. The former because he is the only person on the team even remotely able to play the post, and the latter because he is the only back court scoring option with any experience.

[Mark Miller]

Sultan ... That is absolute gold. Classic.

[TulsaWarrior]

Who knows. Maybe he thinks Duane is best coming off the bench in a sixth man role? Maybe he values Derrick playing alongside Carlino?

Really the only two players I feel confident in saying they will start is Taylor and Carlino. The former because he is the only person on the team even remotely able to play the post, and the latter because he is the only back court scoring option with any experience.

Aint it the truth. :o

[MU/Panther]

I think it's a joke that Hunt has written off MU to even make the NIT with or without Mayo.
Hunt said MU didn't even make the NIT last season. Well, it's harder to make with 13 low to mid-majors making it with auto-bids, it's not like he would even know that. That was last year and different coaching staff. I don't know how anyone can really say what MU will be with a new line up and a new coaching staff.

My goal is for MU to be a NCAA tourament team. It's hard for me to overlook five top 100 recruits on the roster.

[Markedman]

I think it's a joke that Hunt has written off MU to even make the NIT with or without Mayo.
Hunt said MU didn't even make the NIT last season. Well, it's harder to make with 13 low to mid-majors making it with auto-bids, it's not like he would even know that. That was last year and different coaching staff. I don't know how anyone can really say what MU will be with a new line up and a new coaching staff.

My goal is for MU to be a NCAA tourament team. It's hard for me to overlook five top 100 recruits on the roster.

We have more then 5 top 100 recruits...most of them are either young(freshmen/Sophs) or to this point have not played up to that level(Juan/Taylor)

Top 100
Duane
Burton
Carlino
Juan
Fischer
Taylor
JJ
Cohen

[MU/Panther]

Didn't think Juan was. Forgot about freshmen, Cohen. Didn't give Carlino thought, other than a solid veteran player.
Your making my point even better! :D

[warriorfan4life]

If we had Luke Fischer from Day 1, my expectation may be NCAA Tournament. However, I fear that we drop all of the key non-conference games without him and have too big of a hole to climb out of for an at-large. Now, it would not surprise me if this group entered the Big East Tournament at something like 17-14/18-13 and won the thing, but I think that may be only shot for an NCAA bid. I think this group will be competitive if not undermanned and a bit inexperienced, but probably will be a year away from the return to NCAA's. After this year though, I think Wojo may be capable of taking us on another eight year run of tourney bids with some trips to the second weekend.

[TheSultan]

I'm not sure Luke Fischer would make *that* much of a difference. That is a lot of expectations to put on a sophomore transfer with about a dozen or so games under his belt.

[Markedman]

Yep Juan was......but again top 100 really doesn't mean that much until we see them succeed at this level. MU has had tons of great players who never sniffed top 100 and lots of top 100 guys who never lived up to the ranking.

https://sites.google.com/site/rscihoops/home/2011-final

[warriorfan4life]

I'm not sure Luke Fischer would make *that* much of a difference. That is a lot of expectations to put on a sophomore transfer with about a dozen or so games under his belt.

I think the guard play will be pretty good (even without Mayo) and that we will be a good offensive team. However, I fear us getting killed on the defensive boards/inside the lane as Taylor does not alter shots and Burton was a terrible defensive rebounder last year for a guy with his size and athletic skills. I foresee us losing 80-75 type games against good teams before Fischer becomes eligible. A healthy Fischer will significantly shore up the interior, and allow Taylor and Burton to move down a position at times (and move Juan from a 4/5 to a 3/4). In his brief time at Indiana, Fischer had an excellent block rate and I think could become of the top defenders in the Big East (and he has strong offensive skills to boot).

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I'm not sure Luke Fischer would make *that* much of a difference. That is a lot of expectations to put on a sophomore transfer with about a dozen or so games under his belt.

I feel people are doing that with Duane too... People are sure counting on a lot of inexperience to step up... I think this is an NIT team, lots of young talent and a bright future but I actually think this team would get beat by last years team. I don't know what has everyone so hyped about Duane Wilson, but I'd be shocked if he is the starter during any of the non conference games, even reports from practice last year didn't say Duane was tearing it up. Will he be a good four year player? I think so, but it's too much to expect it this year. I hate to say this because I don't like the guy, but I agree with Hunt's starting 5.

[warriorfan4life]

I feel people are doing that with Duane too... People are sure counting on a lot of inexperience to step up... I think this is an NIT team, lots of young talent and a bright future but I actually think this team would get beat by last years team. I don't know what has everyone so hyped about Duane Wilson, but I'd be shocked if he is the starter during any of the non conference games, even reports from practice last year didn't say Duane was tearing it up. Will he be a good four year player? I think so, but it's too much to expect it this year. I hate to say this because I don't like the guy, but I agree with Hunt's starting 5.

I do not think that Duane was fully healthy for much of last year, and I think last year was such a cluster that I am essentially throwing the results all out the window. The kid was a stud in high school, has put on some needed weight, and is entering a system that has done worlds of good for many players with similar skillsets. I believe that Duane steps right into Mayo's spot in the line-up and rides with the opportunity. I am not expecting an all-conference season or anything like that, and his efficiency will likely be suspect (at least at times), but I think he will be good enough to play over mistakes and learn on the fly.

[Phantom Warrior]

Regarding Hunt, he also overlooked the fact that for practice purposes we also have Levin and Wally, and that's where we need the extra guys - in the front court. But then again, logic and knowledge do not seem to be among Hunt's strengths.

By the way, I am pretty certain Carlino was not an RSCI Top 100 recruit, though Juan, Luke, Deonte, Duane, JJ, and Sandy were. That's six out of 10.

[warriorfan4life]

Regarding Hunt, he also overlooked the fact that for practice purposes we also have Levin and Wally, and that's where we need the extra guys - in the front court. But then again, logic and knowledge do not seem to be among Hunt's strengths.

By the way, I am pretty certain Carlino was not an RSCI Top 100 recruit, though Juan, Luke, Deonte, Duane, JJ, and Sandy were. That's six out of 10.

Steve Taylor also was consensus top 100, #82 overall in 2012 (https://sites.google.com/site/rscihoops/home/2012-final). I expect him to look more like a top 100 player next year, and build upon the promising freshman glimpses.

[TheSultan]

I think the guard play will be pretty good (even without Mayo) and that we will be a good offensive team. However, I fear us getting killed on the defensive boards/inside the lane as Taylor does not alter shots and Burton was a terrible defensive rebounder last year for a guy with his size and athletic skills. I foresee us losing 80-75 type games against good teams before Fischer becomes eligible. A healthy Fischer will significantly shore up the interior, and allow Taylor and Burton to move down a position at times (and move Juan from a 4/5 to a 3/4). In his brief time at Indiana, Fischer had an excellent block rate and I think could become of the top defenders in the Big East (and he has strong offensive skills to boot).


You really have to take his stats at Indiana with a grain of salt. He racked up a lot of stats against the soft part of their schedule. He played four games against teams from top conferences (Washington, UConn, Syracuse, Notre Dame) In those games Indiana went 1-3. And here were his combined totals.

35 minutes
2/5 FG; 1/1 FT; 5 points
6 rebounds
1 assist
1 block

Not trying rag on the kid by any means, but he played like a freshman. I expect that he will have growing pains this year and is hardly the difference between a NCAA team and an NIT one.

And yeah, I also agree about the outsized expectations for Duane as well.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

You really have to take his stats at Indiana with a grain of salt. He racked up a lot of stats against the soft part of their schedule. He played four games against teams from top conferences (Washington, UConn, Syracuse, Notre Dame) In those games Indiana went 1-3. And here were his combined totals.

35 minutes
2/5 FG; 1/1 FT; 5 points
6 rebounds
1 assist
1 block

Not trying rag on the kid by any means, but he played like a freshman. I expect that he will have growing pains this year and is hardly the difference between a NCAA team and an NIT one.

And yeah, I also agree about the outsized expectations for Duane as well.

100% agree, I firmly believe that both Duane and Luke will be very good for MU be the end of their stay... With that being said i think we all need to remember the struggles that freshman have, look at JJJ last year, he was a highly ranked freshman and all reports out of practice were that he was playing really well... Then games came and he stumbled. Let's give these kids time to adjust, the leap from High school to college is very large...