In Reply to: It's the Big 10 not the PAC 12. New team is still a work in progr posted by klkl on January 11, 2025 at 08:10:17
basically agree. Teams are built differently and games are called differently. More of a power than a finesse league.
And very much agree with you about this team - a work in progress. So much to learn. (By "delusional" Cronin meant his guys didn't really get what they were about to run into, how tough play was, how much pure fight was involved. You can't just dance around it in Big Ten play. Tracy Murray kept talking on the radio cast last night that drivers have to back into the defender, forcing him to foul; if you try to simply avoid him you get your shot stuffed back down your throat.)
To quote the philosopher queen Dorothy, I don't think we're in the Pac-12 anymore, Toto....
Yes, team is a work in progress, but don't think Cronin was able (lack of sufficient finances? recruiting ability? preconceptions?) to get all the requisite pieces in place yet and some of the players we do have will be a lot more ready next year than they are now - including Perry, Mack. Andrews too but that's a whole different subject. The one good thing last night to me was seeing a spark of life from Dylan. Reovering him is essential if we are to accomplish much of anything at all this year.
I think Tracy Pierson is right on this one: Mick needs to play Dylan as his lead guard, the role he has occupied last year and more. It's what he's used to and to get his head straight again, put him in his most familiar role so he isn't always thinking about what to do or getting hesitant to allow Clark to have the lead out there. Give him the ball and tell him to take it and go with it, to make things happen and to get to his spots for his favorite shots.
Don't know if Mick can get past his love affair with Skyy but Andrews clearly needs to be reclaimed and he did better when he took over the play for a stretch in the second half.
If he can't get it done, then pull him and go with Clark or Mack or Perry, but Dylan is quickest and plays the best defense of our guards (not a very high bar, admittedly) and when he is on his game, the scores and makes his team better.
About that stopper, the aircraft carrier in the paint, got to wait til next season for that, I'm afraid, give Mara and D Williams another year to add strength and some more heft but also bring in a bruiser as well. Neither are happening this season.