In Reply to: Comparing our bigs posted by mh on January 17, 2025 at 13:17:26
thanks, mh. This illustrates why some - like Pierson and Woods on BRO to credit them - are falling off the bus about playing Mara more. To their credit, at least in their podcast-type weekly audio recording, recognize Aday's shortcomings. He goes in in the first half and plays pretty well but then, three or four minutes in, he appears to tire a bit and his positive contributions become a whole lot fewer and farther between and his lazier (tired?) transgressions - fouls, failure to hold position, missing rebounds - increase.
He's just not ready.
BUT, Tyler is NOT a five, not against any team that actually has one. And he's abysmal at defending the pick and roll or against guys coming off screens.
So I get the argument to at least play him more minutes. Not a ton more, not until he shows he can physically hold up under the extra load. But if he were playing 15 minutes a game instead of 7, that's 8 fewer minutes of Bilodeau at the five spot. And that's got to be a very good thing.
It's not mental in either case. They both try. They both have skills. They both have things they do well. But physically, Mara isn't ready yet to be able to do what he would like to do and Bilodeau just doesn't have a body to play post in the Big Ten. Not there.
The other suggestion is give Dylan the ball at his lead guard position with which he's most familiar and quit with the short leash in his case. Unless he's dogging it.
We don't improve what we are able to do in the paint and at the point, we will not make the tournament or even the top half of the Big Ten.
Those two things may not work - wouldn't be a shock if they don't - but what are doing now hasn't a chance. (Yes, we have 3 good quad one wins, but not a single one against a team from the traditional Big Ten)
Thanks again for all you do. This chart is excellent