Walt Lemon should play 40 minutes a game and this is why...

[Monmouth_Bradley_Fan]

He is in the best shape of his life. With 8 media timeouts plus coaches time outs, he gets over 25 minutes a game to rest. He does not typically find himself in foul trouble, and is very clearly the leader on the court. He exerts more effort than much of the team combined. He is our future. Last, but most importantly,an exhausted walt is still twice as productive as what comes off of the bench. It is Walt's team and it is time to embrace that.

[tornado]

MBF - there's so much more to making subs than just giving a guy rest...
sure that's part of it but you gotta get the others some PT and some of his 5 turnovers & 4 fouls are due to fatigue - at times...
...you gotta match up personnel to what's on the floor, and sometimes you gotta get him on the bench to be sure he understands the game plan and doesn't just think it's his job to take all the shots
I don't see any benefit nor any game that the outcome is different had Walt played 2, 3 or 5 more minutes...

[Monmouth_Bradley_Fan]

Tornado, I obviously completely disagree with you. 4 on 5 basketball is hard. And that is what we have with him on the bench. A single minute in a basketball game can shift the entire momentum. And basketball is alllll about momentum. None of walts replacements can match up better on defense than him. Crawford? Bell? Its not happening... and it didnt happen tonight.

[KMart]

I disagree with 40 minutes a game. He already turns the ball over way to much, and with more minutes will come more turnovers. I'm not saying he is a bad player at all, but he tends to make a lot of mistakes on the court because he rushes everything. We aren't a really good team at the moment, and giving him extra minutes does not guarantee more wins or points. I'm really not a big fan of Crawford at PG either, but I believe you have to give Bell some minutes there to try to get a better idea of the college game, or if Walt does get in foul trouble, you have someone who can run the PG position. I know we have opposing opinions, but that's my two cents on the situation. Take it or leave it.

[Da Coach]

IMO, Bradley lost this game because of fatigue. They were at 51-50, then Bradley's offense stalled, and they looked worn out at the end. Their shots were short, and they were slow defnding UE. Even with Walt on the floor. It was because we don't have depth and don't have the opportunity to give our starters more rest, including Walt.
A point guard expends a lot of energy because he is always handling the ball and being defended closely. Maybe play him off the ball more of the time to take some of his workload off. But playing more minutes, IMO, is not the answer.

[LittleBrave]

IMO, Bradley lost this game because of fatigue. They were at 51-50, then Bradley's offense stalled, and they looked worn out at the end. Their shots were short, and they were slow defnding UE. Even with Walt on the floor. It was because we don't have depth and don't have the opportunity to give our starters more rest, including Walt.
A point guard expends a lot of energy because he is always handling the ball and being defended closely. Maybe play him off the ball more of the time to take some of his workload off. But playing more minutes, IMO, is not the answer.

Man, if we were deeper, which I thought we were, our fatigue wouldn't have kicked in and we could have made this a very close game.
Something Geno really needs to think about every game...and also for future recruits so that we don't have this extreme lack of efficiency with our bench.
smh

[Da Coach]

I am not sure what you are suggesting, but if you ask any coach, they will agree with what I said. If fatigue wasn't a factor, then every coach would just play their best 5 players 40 minutes every game, or as many minutes as fouls would allow. The most successful teams over the course of a full season are almost always the teams that have the deepest talent pool, and not necessarily the best 5 players. Walt and DSE are already 2 of the top 4 players in the MVC in minutes per game. I can't see playing him any more minutes. We need to get more from our bench.

[LittleBrave]

We need to get more from our bench.

So true.

Looking way ahead to next season, hopefully we will be deeper at guard.

Fields and Bell will be fill the 1, with Grier, Lemon, Tucker, and Crawford at the other guard spots. Who the heck knows how the other freshman will fit in. I imagine Walt will play the point from time to time too.

If the newcomers (Grier and Fields) play up to the BU hype, and Tucker does too, we will have 4 guards who can be very productive. I have a lot of confidence in JC, but now he himself seems to be struggling with confidence.

As of now though, we only have 1 big (at barely 6'6") who is worthy of starting, and that's pretty scary.

All in all, it's all speculation and we may very well be talking about this lack of bench production at this time next year if Shayok, Bell, Crawford, and Wells don't make significant improvement.

[Da Coach]

As of now though, we only have 1 big (at barely 6'6") who is worthy of starting, and that's pretty scary.

There have already been long stretches in most games where we played with 4 guards on the floor. Maybe we should start 4 guards?
The last couple years we had some fans react somewhat hysterically about the idea of playing 4 guards at a time.

[amettrick]

Maybe play him off the ball more...

I've always thought Walt would be a far more effective player at the 2-guard spot. I think if Anthony Fields can be the primary PG next year with Walt playing off the ball it will allow him to really have a great year.

[tornado]

.... The most successful teams over the course of a full season are almost always the teams that have the deepest talent pool,...

and even more noticable is when a team has a short bench - then has to go play 3 or even four games in one weekend in St. Louis - they get killed.
Dana's system always rotated 10-12 guys in at Creighton and bingo - they seemed to always do well in St. Louis..
while McDermott's system when he was at UNI played sometimes just 5 guys the whole way - literally all 40 minutes...and it didn't work - they lost time and again right off the bat in St. Louis

http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/2005-06/html/mvc-08.htm

http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/2004-05/html/mvc-4.htm

http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/2002-03/html/sms27.htm

[SFP]

I am not sure what you are suggesting, but if you ask any coach, they will agree with what I said. If fatigue wasn't a factor, then every coach would just play their best 5 players 40 minutes every game, or as many minutes as fouls would allow. The most successful teams over the course of a full season are almost always the teams that have the deepest talent pool, and not necessarily the best 5 players. Walt and DSE are already 2 of the top 4 players in the MVC in minutes per game. I can't see playing him any more minutes. We need to get more from our bench.

That's exactly what I've heard from coaches at all levels. Case in point is 1986 BU v Louisville. Our starting 5 matched up well with them but Louisville's deep talented roster was able to make up the difference and toward the last 5 minute their starters were fresh and ready to close out the game.

[shaunguth]

I think if Anthony Fields can be the primary PG next year with Walt playing off the ball it will allow him to really have a great year.

I am very much looking forward to this.

[Chico]

That's exactly what I've heard from coaches at all levels. Case in point is 1986 BU v Louisville. Our starting 5 matched up well with them but Louisville's deep talented roster was able to make up the difference and toward the last 5 minute their starters were fresh and ready to close out the game.

I remember being at that game in Ogden. The Braves didn't use their bench much if i remember right.

[SFP]

I remember being at that game in Ogden. The Braves didn't use their bench must if I remember right.

You are correct sir. The altitude in Ogden did not help either.