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

[it's boogie time]

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 -

It looks like it worked well for him on the year you skipped.

http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/0304championship/

That was a painful trip to St. Louis

[Bravesfan]

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.

I couldn't disagree with you more either. You will "kill" a player making him play all of those minutes, even the best of the best. Maybe he could handle 40 minutes a game, but I would bet he would not be at his best playing level late in games because of this. And far more importantly, relying on one or more players playing almost the entire game means we have no bench/depth. That was none more evident than last night.

[BUBalum05]

If we're talking crazy, why don't we sit WE for the first half, since he's out for about half the game in foul trouble anyways? This way he can use all of his 5 fouls in 20 consecutive minutes down the stretch!

[Monmouth_Bradley_Fan]

My point is that this team relies on his success or failure and will obviously live and die by his performance, a lot like Kemba Walker was relied on at UCONN. I wish we could rest everyone significantly and play 10-12 deep but that obviously isn't possible. I know I am in the minority here, but if anyone on the floor has the motor to go 40 minutes its Walt. Last night, Walt already played 38 minutes. I don't feel that 2 more minutes from him hurts our chances. Walt plays for HOURS every day, and hours after game day. There is not a doubt in my mind he could run a game for 40 minutes and be more productive than his replacements, then rest up and do it again in 3 days.

[Da Coach]

It looks like it worked well for him on the year you skipped.

http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/0304championship/

That was a painful trip to St. Louis

Except that they lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament that year. They also lost their first game every year he took them to the tournament (2004,2005,2006).

[tornado]

It looks like it worked well for him on the year you skipped.

http://www.mvc-sports.com/mbasketball/0304championship/

That was a painful trip to St. Louis

did it? he limped thru a weak MVC field that was without SIU because SMS knocked them out..
then as da coach says, they got beat 1st game at the next level - that was McDermott's legacy - good every year but go into a tailspin with tired legs in March
...are they maybe hitting the same thing now at Creighton - they've lost two in a row..

[SFP]

If we're talking crazy, why don't we sit WE for the first half, since he's out for about half the game in foul trouble anyways? This way he can use all of his 5 fouls in 20 consecutive minutes down the stretch!

Problem with that is that we may be so far behind it will not matter. I like the thinking though!

WE usually makes one of those silly fouls after he misses a shot. Maybe what we need to do is have a coach yell to him after a miss shot that he should calm down and not foul anyone.

[it's boogie time]

- good every year but go into a tailspin with tired legs in March
...are they maybe hitting the same thing now at Creighton

I'm pretty sure Coach McDermott's team won the Valley tournament last year and won a second round game against Alabama in the NCAA tournament for thier eighth straight victory last March. I don't think it would have mattered if they had fresh legs in the third round against North Carolina.

[tornado]

The teams he recruited and had at UNI always relied extremely heavily on basically just 4 players...
The assessment of his tenure at UNI is that they generally fizzled out and did poorly in the post-season...

he's hardly been at Creighton long enough to say the same about things there -- and maybe he's changed?

[Future Walk-On]

We don't have a bench.

Prosser is as close as it gets.

[braveatheart]

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

I agree with you toronado on the Dana Altman part. It seemed that a big part of his dominating run was that his rotation went at least ten deep. Sometimes even 11 or 12 deep. He finished games strong and finished seasons strong. And like you said, come tournament time he always seemed to shine.

I kind of cringed when we were only going 7 deep in the early non-conf schedule this year. I think we will be much deeper next year.

[Monmouth_Bradley_Fan]

Walt & Ryc both post 39 minutes against ISU (ok, it wasn't 40, but come on...). Walt played so tough at the end of the game and didn't look tired for a split second. I still stand by believing that this team will live and die with Walt on/off the court. Walt is just one of those kids that can run for ever and ever and ever....We have to keep him in the game to be able to win the close ones, and to stay close. I don't think we win that game if Walt (and Ryc) don't play for 39 minutes each. Our bench just cannot keep up on the floor. In my eyes, Walt is on his way towards earning a spot as a first team all MVC-er. IMO, that talent must be on the floor at all times....when faced with the "bench" that we have.

[LittleBrave]

I think it's important to give guys like JC, KB some time to develop in-game.
It was obvious that KB in his freshman season, is not ready to face the level of competition in the top half of the league.

JC, though he didn't hit a couple outside shots, made a bucket and a nice assist, which hopefully helped boost his confidence a bit. We really need him right now as our best potential factor off the bench. Let's see if he can come on strong in this final stretch.

Both these guys will be relied on much more next season, and I think Geno knows that.
We can't expect the 4 newcomers to shine from Day 1.

[lefty]

Walt & Ryc both post 39 minutes against ISU (ok, it wasn't 40, but come on...). Walt played so tough at the end of the game and didn't look tired for a split second. I still stand by believing that this team will live and die with Walt on/off the court. Walt is just one of those kids that can run for ever and ever and ever....We have to keep him in the game to be able to win the close ones, and to stay close. I don't think we win that game if Walt (and Ryc) don't play for 39 minutes each. Our bench just cannot keep up on the floor. In my eyes, Walt is on his way towards earning a spot as a first team all MVC-er. IMO, that talent must be on the floor at all times....when faced with the "bench" that we have.

As nice as that would be it just doesn't make sense.....it worked out this game but when you play 3 games in a week it's tough...and there are times he has played tired. I think the crowd really helped last night keep their energy level up plus it was ISU...but one of the coaches will tell you that it's usually at the end of the half or game when Walt makes his careless mistakes...he is physically and mentally tired...last night both he and DSE battled through it..other times times they don't do it so well.

[SFP]

How many minutes did WL play against WSU? Also these guys are practicing almost everyday. They are young and can bounce back quickly but the can only take so much pounding. Rest him when you can and play him when you have zero alternatives is what I say.