The most unique UK team I can ever recall in this one way.

[UK90]

I can't remember any other UK team where the bench measured up against the starters so well. Not even the esteemed 2015 bench challenged the starting lineup to this extent. Who would you bet on if our bench played our starters? This is the first team in UK history where I have to seriously think about that question. Consider:

--Do Sheppard and Dillingham deserve a starting spot based on their play this season? Absolutely.

--Is Thiero better than Edwards? Well, at least based on what we saw before Thiero was injured: Absolutely.

--Is Big Z better than Bradshaw? Well, admittedly, only one game is WAY too small a sample size to know, but at least based on that one game, it sure kinda looks so.

it's a weird situation. The question is whether Cal is willing to make the necessary adjustments to what he had originally planned (and perhaps even renege on some prior promises) to make the rotation more logical in light of actual performance.

 

[cats2010]

Cal will start his 3 prized 5 star recruits all year regardless of production. I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating. For those who balk at the notion that cal promises certain players a starting role need look no further than this years team.

I like shep and dilly coming off the bench, wouldn’t change that at all. Edwards no business starting this long and hopefully Theiro can come back soon to change that. If not him have to look at big Z. He has the potential to be playing 30 minutes/game. Edwards just doesn’t have it despite knocking down a couple threes tonight.

 

[Emarc]

Who cares. Just win.

 

[uky8unc5]

Is Big Z the #1 Draft choice in June?
If tonight was not a fluke, he has to be.
I told my wife: "Dan Issel is now our 2nd greatest alumni."

So to your point:
Whichever 5 has "Tonight's Z" playing for them wins the scrimmage.

 

[rob_47]

The bench would destroy the starting unit mostly because Edwards is such a liability. The combination of Rob,Reed, Thiero, and big z is a pretty dynamic little team in itself.

I think it is funny when this topic gets brought up because some people hate having to deal with the fact our head coach doesn't start his best players.

 

[cats2010]

The bench would destroy the starting unit mostly because Edwards is such a liability. The combination of Rob,Reed, Thiero, and big z is a pretty dynamic little team in itself.

I think it is funny when this topic gets brought up because some people hate having to deal with the fact our head coach doesn't start his best players.

The starting 5 fiasco is compounded by the fact they regardless what is going on in the game cal will start the 2nd half with the exact same unit he starts the game with.

 

[docholiday51]

I can't remember any other UK team where the bench measured up against the starters so well. Not even the esteemed 2015 bench challenged the starting lineup to this extent. Who would you bet on if our bench played our starters? This is the first team in UK history where I have to seriously think about that question. Consider:

--Do Sheppard and Dillingham deserve a starting spot based on their play this season? Absolutely.

--Is Thiero better than Edwards? Well, at least based on what we saw before Thiero was injured: Absolutely.

--Is Big Z better than Bradshaw? Well, admittedly, only one game is WAY too small a sample size to know, but at least based on that one game, it sure kinda looks so.

it's a weird situation. The question is whether Cal is willing to make the necessary adjustments to what he had originally planned (and perhaps even renege on some prior promises) to make the rotation more logical in light of actual performance.

Interesting observation, and valid to the max. A best of 3 game match could go either way. Reeves and Mitchell would give the starters a little advantage.

 

[CincyUKFan]

The starting 5 fiasco is compounded by the fact they regardless what is going on in the game cal will start the 2nd half with the exact same unit he starts the game with.

Do you think any of the assistants have the balls to ask him if it might be a good idea to keep Edwards on the bench to start the second half?

 

[storm1507]

I think that question (starters vs bench) was already answered in the Blue - White scrimmage early this year. We just didn't believe it at the time.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

I bet scrimmages are fun.

 

[saxonburgcat]

Is Big Z the #1 Draft choice in June?
If tonight was not a fluke, he has to be.
I told my wife: "Dan Issel is now our 2nd greatest alumni."

So to your point:
Whichever 5 has "Tonight's Z" playing for them wins the scrimmage.

At this point, I am going to say that tonight was a "fluke." Having said that, the kid is unbelievably gifted. But, hitting 3 straight 3's isn't going to happen that often. I am VERY excited but also holding back some of that excitement to see him in a few more games. However, I like what I see!

 

[UK90]

I like shep and dilly coming off the bench, wouldn’t change that at all. Edwards no business starting this long and hopefully Theiro can come back soon to change that. If not him have to look at big Z. He has the potential to be playing 30 minutes/game. Edwards just doesn’t have it despite knocking down a couple threes tonight.

Why? There’s absolutely no logical reason we need BOTH of our stellar guards coming off the bench. And the evidence overwhelmingly shows that this team plays best when Reeves …not Edwards or Thiero …is at the three spot.

Not sure why some seem so reluctant to simply start our best combination. If we take Edwards out of the starting lineup, it should be to go to the three guard set. No more experimenting needed. Just start the combination that we already know works best.

The answer is so glaringly simple that some refuse to see it.

 

[cats2010]

Why? There’s absolutely no logical reason we need BOTH of our stellar guards coming off the bench. And the evidence overwhelmingly shows that this team plays best when Reeves …not Edwards or Thiero …is at the three spot.

Not sure why some seem so reluctant to simply start our best combination. If we take Edwards out of the starting lineup, it should be to go to the three guard set. No more experimenting needed. Just start the combination that we already know works best.

The answer is so glaringly simple that some refuse to see it.

Cal usually has them coming in around the 17:00 minute mark and I love the energy and boost that generally follows. Against Miss. St we were up 8-5 but shep had 3 straight assist in one minute pushing us to 15-5 and last night we were down 10-8 and in the matter of 3 minutes we were up 19-10. If you recall the one game shep started this year we still got down 13-4.

For starting the game I,m fine with our current lineup, sans, Edwards. Needs to be Theiro, when healthy, or now even Z. But by the 17:00 mark changes need to happen. Our best lineup consist of any combo of DJ, Dilly, shep, reeves, Mitchell, Z, and Theiro with UGO/Bradshaw getting minutes as needed. Edwards just doesn’t play at this stage unless foul trouble comes into play. Only reason I continue starting Bradshaw is I do think he can bring value to the team but don’t think he would take getting benched and playing spot minutes very well. This way he can still start but minutes can be cut without effecting his frame of mind (at least to some degree). But I would change up how I start the 2nd half and go with who has played well in the first half. The set lineup no matter what is something stupid cal believes in.

 

[UK90]

Cal usually has them coming in around the 17:00 minute mark and I love the energy and boost that generally follows. Against Miss. St we were up 8-5 but shep had 3 straight assist in one minute pushing us to 15-5 and last night we were down 10-8 and in the matter of 3 minutes we were up 19-10. If you recall the one game shep started this year we still got down 13-4.

For starting the game I,m fine with our current lineup, sans, Edwards. Needs to be Theiro, when healthy, or now even Z. But by the 17:00 mark changes need to happen. Our best lineup consist of any combo of DJ, Dilly, shep, reeves, Mitchell, Z, and Theiro with UGO/Bradshaw getting minutes as needed. Edwards just doesn’t play at this stage unless foul trouble comes into play. Only reason I continue starting Bradshaw is I do think he can bring value to the team but don’t think he would take getting benched and playing spot minutes very well. This way he can still start but minutes can be cut without effecting his frame of mind (at least to some degree). But I would change up how I start the 2nd half and go with who has played well in the first half. The set lineup no matter what is something stupid cal believes in.

Why wait to get that "energy and boost" when you can instead get it from the start? Especially since starting halves poorly has plagued us all season. We know exactly how to fix those poor starts ...just put Shep or Dilly in ...it's worked virtually EVERY damn time this season.

But there's NO such evidence that playing Thiero there works. The minutes where's he's looked good this season were all at the four spot, not the three. And it ain't like there's any real strategic logic to having BOTH Shep and Dilly being bench guys. As far as I can tell, it's just something Cal feels like he has to do to keep his recruiting promises to Edwards and Wagner.

So, to me, it's obvious who our starting three should be. Not Edwards. Not Thiero. But instead Reeves. Why? Simply because that's what we KNOW works best.

 

[Rockfly78]

Why? There’s absolutely no logical reason we need BOTH of our stellar guards coming off the bench. And the evidence overwhelmingly shows that this team plays best when Reeves …not Edwards or Thiero …is at the three spot.

Not sure why some seem so reluctant to simply start our best combination. If we take Edwards out of the starting lineup, it should be to go to the three guard set. No more experimenting needed. Just start the combination that we already know works best.

The answer is so glaringly simple that some refuse to see it.

Having coached the game I can tell you there are intangibles that most fans won’t see. Bringing these two kids in together 4 mins into the game is an absolute gut punch to opposing teams I can promise you that. It allows for two of our best weapons to come in fresh against their starters who at this point will have a little less wind and maybe a foul or two. It certainly forces our opposition to face reed and dilly with subs. It’s one of the reasons we generally take the game over once they check in.

Unless we are stating games -10 there’s no reason to get away from what we are doing. I’d like to see adou replace Edwards but I think reed/dilly coming in together is a big reason the team is playing well.

 

[cats2010]

Why wait to get that "energy and boost" when you can instead get it from the start? Especially since starting halves poorly has plagued us all season. We know exactly how to fix those poor starts ...just put Shep or Dilly in ...it's worked virtually EVERY damn time this season.

But there's NO such evidence that playing Thiero there works. The minutes where's he's looked good this season were all at the four spot, not the three. And it ain't like there's any real strategic logic to having BOTH Shep and Dilly being bench guys. As far as I can tell, it's just something Cal feels like he has to do to keep his recruiting promises to Edwards and Wagner.

So, to me, it's obvious who our starting three should be. Not Edwards. Not Thiero. But instead Reeves. Why? Simply because that's what we KNOW works best.

How do we know just playing shep or dilly fixes the poor starts when the only time shep has started all season we still got down 13-4? I would not be opposed to a change by any means but I don’t think it’s a necessity as long as cal manages the remainder of the game properly and that includes starting the 2nd half with who is playing well.

 

[KA4Prez]

Starters
PG Wagner
SG Reeves
SF Edwards
PF Mitchell
C Bradshaw

vs

Backups
PG Dillingham
SG Sheppard
SF Thiero
PF Ivisic
C Onyenso

I legitimately would probably take the backups. The starters could score with anyone but arguably, UK's four best defensive players are on the "backups" team, and between Reed, Dilly and Z, that team would still be able to score.

 

[jeffky]

Rupps runts were very unique too I was 3 then lol father told me Conley and kron had the flu in that final four 6 ft 5 tallest player

 

[UK90]

How do we know just playing shep or dilly fixes the poor starts when the only time shep has started all season we still got down 13-4?

You seem to have thoroughly missed my point. And you’ve actually just strengthened MY argument by bringing up the UNCW game. Who was starting and/or playing at the three spot throughout that game?

It's not about Shep/Dilly as much it's about simply starting the lineup combination that works best. It's about our big lineups vs. the small lineups. It's about who starts at the THREE spot more than the two guard spots.

All season long we have played best by far when we go with the smaller lineups with Reeves at the three. So what did we do against UNCW? That was the game where we did the exact OPPOSITE and played the big lineups for nearly the whole game. Not only did Edwards start, but he played 32 minutes against UNCW and that was also the game where we played Thiero some at the three. So what was the result of trying the big lineups for nearly an entire game? By far the worst loss of our season.

Thus UNCW just provides further proof that our starting three should be Reeves, and not Thiero or Edwards.

 

[ukfan1622]

Why? There’s absolutely no logical reason we need BOTH of our stellar guards coming off the bench. And the evidence overwhelmingly shows that this team plays best when Reeves …not Edwards or Thiero …is at the three spot.

Not sure why some seem so reluctant to simply start our best combination. If we take Edwards out of the starting lineup, it should be to go to the three guard set. No more experimenting needed. Just start the combination that we already know works best.

The answer is so glaringly simple that some refuse to see it.

I couldn't find a single word to disagree with. And believe me, I tried to find one.

 

[ukfan1622]

You seem to have thoroughly missed my point. And you’ve actually just strengthened MY argument by bringing up the UNCW game. Who was starting and/or playing at the three spot throughout that game?

It's not about Shep/Dilly as much it's about simply starting the lineup combination that works best. It's about our big lineups vs. the small lineups. It's about who starts at the THREE spot more than the two guard spots.

All season long we have played best by far when we go with the smaller lineups with Reeves at the three. So what did we do against UNCW? That was the game where we did the exact OPPOSITE and played the big lineups for nearly the whole game. Not only did Edwards start, but he played 32 minutes against UNCW and that was also the game where we played Thiero some at the three. So what was the result of trying the big lineups for nearly an entire game? By far the worst loss of our season.

Thus UNCW just provides further evidence that our starting 3 should be Reeves, not Thiero or Edwards.

You are making too much sense. Are you sure you're on the right board?

 

[cats2010]

You’ve actually just strengthened MY argument by bringing up the UNCW game. If don't you understand why, then you don't understand what my point was.

It's not about Shep/Dilly as much it's about simply starting the lineup combination that works best. It's about our big lineups vs. the small lineups. It's about who starts at the THREE spot more than the two guard spots.

All season long we have, by far, played our best when we go with the smaller lineups with Reeves at the three. So what did we do against UNCW? That was the game where we did the exact OPPOSITE and played the big lineups for nearly the whole game. Not only did Edwards start, but he played 32 minutes against UNCW and we also played Thiero some at the three that game. So what was the result of trying the big lineups for nearly an entire game? By far the worst loss of our season.

Thus UNCW just provides further evidence that our starting 3 should be Reeves, not Thiero or Edwards.

I have stated Edwards does not need to be playing at all much less starting. We do not know how a lineup of DJ, reeves, Theiro, Mitchell, and Bradshaw would start a game as they have never done so before. And again I’m talking about starting the game for a 3 minute stretch before the rest of the game is managed differently. If it became common that we were down by 10 points before the 17:00 minute mark I would certainly look to change that. I love reeves at the 3 but he’s not going to be playing there for 40 minutes and he has been starting games just fine for us recently at the 2 spot.

 

[CincinnatiWildcat]

I have stated Edwards does not need to be playing at all much less starting. We do not know how a lineup of DJ, reeves, Theiro, Mitchell, and Bradshaw would start a game as they have never done so before. And again I’m talking about starting the game for a 3 minute stretch before the rest of the game is managed differently. If it became common that we were down by 10 points before the 17:00 minute mark I would certainly look to change that. I love reeves at the 3 but he’s not going to be playing there for 40 minutes and he has been starting games just fine for us recently at the 2 spot.

Why can’t the 4 guards just play all the minutes at the 1-3 unless we have foul trouble? 120 minutes for 4 guys so 30 minutes a piece.
25/15 split for Mitchell Thiero
20/10/10 for Ivisic Ugo Bradshaw