Where is DC???????

[ER3]

Nut,

Then explain to me O master of basketball fundamentals why a guy who scored 9 points last night and played solid d never saw the floor Saturday? Was he too soft for the mighty Coleman? If you've watched all the games this year, there have definitely been at least a few occasions that Collins has shown some ability, including early games like UIC and Loyola. As soft as he's been and out of place position-wise, he's been watched like a hawk the minute he steps on the floor by his coach and yanked the minute he screws up. No other player on this roster has been subject to the same scrutiny....if Matt Salley was subject to the same logic, he wouldn't have been given the chance to actually have a decnet game like he FINALLY had last night. Here's a fundamental for you:
1)Feed the Beast- He's 7 feet tall and when you're getting killed on the boards- SIZE CAN NEVER HURT!!!!! I don't care if he's marshmallow soft...he needs to be on the floor without fear of being yanked. Bench a guy like him fo a half if you want to send hima message...just don't punch his lights out by sitting a whole game

I know this isn't addressed to me, but I'll give you answers to your questions...Sam Singh played a good game overall last night...but his playing time is totally dependent on the matchups from game to game...Sam's problem is not about being soft (because he isn't)...Sam's problem is that he has had so many surgeries that he simply doesn't have the foot speed, jumping ability, and overall athleticism that he needs to be able to defend post players that have any combination of size, speed, and skill.
Sam can be effective and play extended minutes against a team like MSU when a guy like Drew Richards is in the post...and he did this last night. But go back and watch the Butler game if you want an illustration of why he simply cannot play many minutes when there are quick, skilled big men on the other side...Every single time Singh entered the game against Butler, they would isolate Matt Howard in the post on Singh, give him the ball, and then run the other 4 players to the weak side...And time after time, Howard was too quick and beat Singh 1-on-1 for an easy score...
The same thing would have happened if Singh would have played minutes in the UNI game...they would have found a way to get Coleman isolated on Singh, and he simply wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop him from getting to the rim...It has nothing to do with softness because Singh is one of the few guys on this team that doesn't fall into the soft category...it has everything to do with matchups and keeping Singh away from post defensive assignments where his lack of foot speed can be exploited.
There will be enough good matchups in the Valley where Singh will be able to give us good minutes...UNI was not one of them...

As far as why DC isn't getting minutes...He is 7 feet, he is soft, and doesn't appear to have very good hands...but the biggest problem I see with him right now is that he just doesn't seem to 'get' what we are trying to do offensively and defensively...I'm not sure why this is the case...I thought it did look like he was progressing very well earlier in December, but these last 4 games he has looked totally lost to me...I hope the light goes on for him very soon because he is the only post guy that we have that actually has any idea how to set up and execute something that remotely resembles an actual post move.

Just my two cents...

[bu fan 9]

Great post ER3.

[chitown fanatic]

I also agree with ER3's well thought-out post...all except the part that says that DC doesn't "get " what we're trying to do defensively. I don't "Get" it either, and by giving up 85 points in a 32 minute span last night, it appears the team doesn't get it either. I'd like to know because I know this team can play better, it just has to get guys to know their roles and produce once they're in them.

[ER3]

I also agree with ER3's well thought-out post...all except the part that says that DC doesn't "get " what we're trying to do defensively. I don't "Get" it either, and by giving up 85 points in a 32 minute span last night, it appears the team doesn't get it either. I'd like to know because I know this team can play better, it just has to get guys to know their roles and produce once they're in them.

that's a good point...I guess it's difficult to be critical of a guy at the end of the bench for not "getting how BU wants to play defense" when the whole team that was on the floor didn't really seem to be exactly "dialed in" to their defensive responsibilites, either.

Maybe there with be a team-wide epiphany for BU in the near future and all 11 guys will simultaneously 'get it' on both ends of the floor...Then we can start beating teams 146-3 on a nightly basis.

[Dub]

David Collins hasn't shown us much...to that we can all agree. HOWEVER, at this point in the season, with very little to lose, I feel we should give him significant amounts of Sally's minutes and expose him to a trial by fire crash course on being a center. Make is simple for David and send him in there for 20-25 minutes per game for the next 3-4 games. Reevaluate his performance and progression at that time.

I feel our potential is very limited this year with Salley (and without David), and predict that late in the conference season we will be wishing we had done what I just said.....yet it will be too late. We need a post scoring threat, a shot changer, and a rebounder down low to do anything this year. We need it sooner rather than later.

DC hasn't been given enough consecutive floor time to adjust to D1 ball. If he had - we'd all love him by now. My opinion.

[dogsrus]

Collins is like the backup QB on a team where the starter is struggling.....he's very popular with the fans. Austin seems to fit that category also.

I don't know the answers but I'd sure like to see a game where DC was allowed to "play through" some mistakes.

Right now we appear to be headed toward the play in round. I don't care if we are peaking by the Valley tournament.....IF we don't stay out of thursday we are in trouble.

Home court needs defended.

It starts Saturday.....whomever JL decides to play.

[Dub]

dogsrus;

"I don't know the answers but I'd sure like to see a game where DC was allowed to "play through" some mistakes."


Dogs, I couldn't agree more!!!

[BradleyBrave]

Collins is like the backup QB on a team where the starter is struggling.....he's very popular with the fans. Austin seems to fit that category also.

I don't know the answers but I'd sure like to see a game where DC was allowed to "play through" some mistakes.

Right now we appear to be headed toward the play in round. I don't care if we are peaking by the Valley tournament.....IF we don't stay out of thursday we are in trouble.

Home court needs defended.

It starts Saturday.....whomever JL decides to play.

People are saying 'play in' round, but keep in mind we started 2-4 in league play in '05-'06 and 1-3 last year. Hopefully Ruffin is back by the end of January. A league title is a long shot but staying out of Thursday isn't IMO. We don't suddenly go from a contender who took Vandy and Michigan St to the wire to a 7-10 seed in our own conference, I don't care who is injured. If that's where we end up, then some major leadership questions need to be asked.

[amckillip]

Go back to school and learn the basics of basketball and then you will figure out why some players get to play more then others.

Its posts like this that keep me wanting to come back to this board...

I think I like it better in the off-season when when I don't have to filter through these kind of posts. Basketball nut, go back to school and realize the things you say ARE opinion, not fact, and maybe if your such a master you should pick up a clipboard and whistle... in the meanwhile, leave the insults out of your posts.

[basketball nut]

I know this isn't addressed to me, but I'll give you answers to your questions...Sam Singh played a good game overall last night...but his playing time is totally dependent on the matchups from game to game...Sam's problem is not about being soft (because he isn't)...Sam's problem is that he has had so many surgeries that he simply doesn't have the foot speed, jumping ability, and overall athleticism that he needs to be able to defend post players that have any combination of size, speed, and skill.
Sam can be effective and play extended minutes against a team like MSU when a guy like Drew Richards is in the post...and he did this last night. But go back and watch the Butler game if you want an illustration of why he simply cannot play many minutes when there are quick, skilled big men on the other side...Every single time Singh entered the game against Butler, they would isolate Matt Howard in the post on Singh, give him the ball, and then run the other 4 players to the weak side...And time after time, Howard was too quick and beat Singh 1-on-1 for an easy score...
The same thing would have happened if Singh would have played minutes in the UNI game...they would have found a way to get Coleman isolated on Singh, and he simply wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop him from getting to the rim...It has nothing to do with softness because Singh is one of the few guys on this team that doesn't fall into the soft category...it has everything to do with matchups and keeping Singh away from post defensive assignments where his lack of foot speed can be exploited.
There will be enough good matchups in the Valley where Singh will be able to give us good minutes...UNI was not one of them...

As far as why DC isn't getting minutes...He is 7 feet, he is soft, and doesn't appear to have very good hands...but the biggest problem I see with him right now is that he just doesn't seem to 'get' what we are trying to do offensively and defensively...I'm not sure why this is the case...I thought it did look like he was progressing very well earlier in December, but these last 4 games he has looked totally lost to me...I hope the light goes on for him very soon because he is the only post guy that we have that actually has any idea how to set up and execute something that remotely resembles an actual post move.

Just my two cents...

Just read your post ER3 and I coulnd't have said it better myself. I would love to see DC have more playing time but until he understands the program, both O&D, he is a liability. There have been several games that not only DC, but others, have caused the team (DR & JC in particular) to have an increased amount of turnovers. Yes, he is big and can rebound but needs to learn how to hang onto the ball when he does and he needs to learn what we are trying to do at all times. It doesn't do any good for a guy to grab 10 rebounds but give up 30 points because he is out of position on D. This can be said for WE as well right now so I am not just picking on DC.
I would love for both of these guys to be playing more because we could use them but not as long as they are a liablity instead of a threat.
ER3 said it best about SS and that will not change. If SS had the legs and hops of DC or WE he would be playing all the time and we would see that inside presence that we would like. SS would be absolutely a ton to handle if 100% healthy w/ good knees. (I know about the knees as mine are shot and it hurts to walk somedays and the cortisone shots just keep coming every 3 months just so I can walk-don't want knee replacements yet)

[Beninator]

I hope the light goes on for him very soon because he is the only post guy that we have that actually has any idea how to set up and execute something that remotely resembles an actual post move.

Just my two cents...

ER3, this is exactly why I hope we go after another big with one of our remaining scholarships.

Also, AT was the only big that I have seen all year that had any type of legitimate post moves. Granted this was in an exhibition game and scrimmage... I know that AT doesnt have the frame to play night in and night out this year, but this at least gives me hope for the future.

[SFP]

Collins is like the backup QB on a team where the starter is struggling.....he's very popular with the fans. Austin seems to fit that category also.

I don't know the answers but I'd sure like to see a game where DC was allowed to "play through" some mistakes.

Right now we appear to be headed toward the play in round. I don't care if we are peaking by the Valley tournament.....IF we don't stay out of thursday we are in trouble.

Home court needs defended.

It starts Saturday.....whomever JL decides to play.

I agree Dogrus! If we do not establish an inside game both on the D & O we will be playing on Thursday.

It is a simple defensive scheme right now to play BU. Disrupt their guards from shooting and rebound. They will not penetrate much and their bigs are to soft to go inside with any type of game.

On the O, prepare to bang the boards after a miss, penetrate at will and pass to the open man for an easy 3.

Our troubles stem from not having an inside presence on either side of the ball and it will continue until we figure out how to create opportunities in the paint, rebound on D and close the lanes.

[real fan]

The biggest problem I have with Collins not getting playing time is he is a junior and if he isn't getting any time now then how is he ever going to get better; when he makes a mistake he usually gets pulled; there are a lot of others making mistakes as we just gave up 91 points ; I am tired of watching us blow leads because we continue to shoot so many 3 pointers because we did not develop an inside game ; would somebody please tell our team that 2 pointers are better then no points and if you pound the ball inside you can probably draw some fouls or even get one of the players on the other team in foul trouble.

[ph]

Unfortunately, on our most agressive O game, Butler, the horrid MVC crew took away our agressiveness.

We did a great job of getting inside that would normally draw fouls, we haven't been that good since.

[BradleyBrave]

David Collins? He's at Sully's. When I told him he needed more minutes, he respectfully said "Talk to my coach". MS and TW didn't seem overly concerned.