9 man rotation

[Cuse House]

Before seeing Thompson tonight, I would have said him and Moyer would be the odd guys out. Taurean was much more polished than I anticipated or heard from anyone. He will get run, just adding another piece to the puzzle.

 

[Trueblue25]

Thompson looked real good. If he's got any push on the boards we could be the best offensive rebounding team in the country.

Really like the looks of...

Gillon
Battle
Lydon
Roberson
Thompson

Smaller lineup (not really haha) but talented offensively in the post. Roberson looks like and apparently has been working tirelessly in his offensive game.

 

[Cuse House]

Thompson looked real good. If he's got any push on the boards we could be the best offensive rebounding team in the country.

Really like the looks of...

Gillon
Battle
Lydon
Roberson
Thompson

Smaller lineup (not really haha) but talented offensively in the post. Roberson looks like and apparently has been working tirelessly in his offensive game.

I like this lineup a lot. Still love me some Frank, think he will settle down. Love having a threat at the 5 spot with Lydon or Thompson. I think PC will be great for us situationally this year.

 

[Trueblue25]

I like this lineup a lot. Still love me some Frank, think he will settle down. Love having a threat at the 5 spot with Lydon or Thompson. I think PC will be great for us situationally this year.

Agreed, we legitimately have a 9 deep right now.Frank showed a lot of potential in transition (if he improves his decision making a bit), and PC is a positive just being a presence in the post or on D.

Gillon really, really impressed me tonight.

 

[jordoo]

Thompson is going to be really good next year and great as a junior. He is like a refined more athletic Rick Jackson. Looked pretty good playing forward on D as well.

 

[JrodCuse]

they all gone...

 

[IthacaMatt]

Before seeing Thompson tonight, I would have said him and Moyer would be the odd guys out. Taurean was much more polished than I anticipated or heard from anyone. He will get run, just adding another piece to the puzzle.

He gives us some nice depth. There are certain teams where I don't want to have to have Lydon guarding a 250 pound center to try to keep us in a game.

 

[OttoMets]

I doubt Thompson's going to get more than 20 or 30 total minutes after New Year's.

But he was very impressive. Reminds me of a more polished Christmas. Going back to probably John Wallace, I can't remember a young big man who's so calm, patient, and decisive on the block on offense. Since I'm not a recruiting follower, this was a big surprise. That kid can play. (But he won't in February and March.)

 

[OttoMets]

He gives us some nice depth. There are certain teams where I don't want to have to have Lydon guarding a 250 pound center to try to keep us in a game.

No one wants to see that. Except for the head coach, of course. Those long stretches with Lydon at the 5 offer a look at what we should expect all year long: situational minutes for the real centers and heavy reliance on Lydon away from his natural position.

 

[RF2044]

No one wants to see that. Except for the head coach, of course. Those long stretches with Lydon at the 5 offer a look at what we should expect all year long: situational minutes for the real centers and heavy reliance on Lydon away from his natural position.

Tend to agree.

Matt brought up a valid concern. But Lydon will also present matchup problems on the other side of the floor for those opposing 250 pound centers who aren't adept at guarding out near the three point line.

 

[OttoMets]

Tend to agree.

Matt brought up a valid concern. But Lydon will also present matchup problems on the other side of the floor for those opposing 250 pound centers who aren't adept at guarding out near the three point line.

I hope it's enough to offset the defensive liability, and I hope (against hope, really) that we can keep Lydon out of foul trouble in those situations.

One thing that gave me pause last night (I was generally pleased and think I'll start a redundant thread to sum up my observations) was that our wings don't play any differently when Lydon's at center. Roberson in particular is happy to cut off the passing lane to the corner and funnel dribble penetration toward the center. That's well and good if we've got a shotblocker back there, but I'd like to see our best offensive player get a little more help so he's not getting automatic (and unnecessary) fouls in the post.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Tend to agree.

Matt brought up a valid concern. But Lydon will also present matchup problems on the other side of the floor for those opposing 250 pound centers who aren't adept at guarding out near the three point line.

If we're going to do that, I'd prefer to see Thompson be that third center, unless we are doing it for offensive reasons. We got killed inside against Carolina, Florida State and a few other physical teams last year when Lydon played center. If the other team isn't too big inside, then yes, Lydon presents a match-up problem drawing the other team's big man away from the basket, opening driving lanes for our guards. But generally speaking, I don't want to see very much of Tyler Lydon trying to guard physical big men in the post.

 

[Cusefan0307]

If we're going to do that, I'd prefer to see Thompson be that third center, unless we are doing it for offensive reasons. We got killed inside against Carolina, Florida State and a few other physical teams last year when Lydon played center. If the other team isn't too big inside, then yes, Lydon presents a match-up problem drawing the other team's big man away from the basket, opening driving lanes for our guards. But generally speaking, I don't want to see very much of Tyler Lydon trying to guard physical big men in the post.

Carolina, Wisconsin and Pitt were really the only teams that truly killed us inside last year. That was 7 of our 14 losses right there. Against everyone else I thought we were fine. He did set the record of blocks in a single NCAA tournament last year.

I'm more concerned about our offense with Lydon at the 5. If I am an opposing team I would play zone to negate Lydon's 3pt ability and force him to go in the high post where he is effective, but slightly less dangerous. That will put more pressure on our PG's to make shots.

 

[FrancoPizza]

If I am an opposing team I would play zone to negate Lydon's 3pt ability .

Right because a 6'9" forward who can shoot the 3 from distance will be neutralized by a zone. :crazy:

 

[Cusefan0307]

Right because a 6'9" forward who can shoot the 3 from distance will be neutralized by a zone. :crazy:

Well IUP played zone yesterday. Where was Lydon standing? Not at the 3pt line. He was in the high post.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Well IUP played zone yesterday. Where was Lydon standing? Not at the 3pt line. He was in the high post.

Yes, but that wasn't because the zone was deterring him from shooting the 3.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Yes, but that wasn't because the zone was deterring him from shooting the 3.

Correct, but if he's at the 5 and teams play zone against us, he won't be at the 3pt line.

 

[721Comstock]

Carolina, Wisconsin and Pitt were really the only teams that truly killed us inside last year. That was 7 of our 14 losses right there. Against everyone else I thought we were fine. He did set the record of blocks in a single NCAA tournament last year.
.

Lydon got hugely BIG-BOYED by AO's lil' bro on Llvll.
Kid had a career game against us - mostly against Lydon.

Just because he can play the 5, doesn't mean he should.
JB has 3 other bigs he can use there in DC, PC, and TT, and all are not giving away the lbs and inches that Lydon is.
Why risk fouls on D for the guy who may be our most important player this year?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Lydon got hugely BIG-BOYED by AO's lil' bro on Llvll.
Kid had a career game against us - mostly against Lydon.

Just because he can play the 5, doesn't mean he should.
JB has 3 other bigs he can use there in DC, PC, and TT, and all are not giving away the lbs and inches that Lydon is.
Why risk fouls on D for the guy who may be our most important player this year?

He's also 20 pounds heavier this year. How did he do in the second half against Virginia?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Right because a 6'9" forward who can shoot the 3 from distance will be neutralized by a zone. :crazy:

He's saying he can't shoot the three if he is at the foul line.

 

[tbonezone]

i just don't want to see rico racking up fouls underneath early cuz he's overmatched physically. he serves us better on the wing.

 

[bozophobe]

Looks like AW is the most problematic player on the team, then - by that I mean the way his use moves other players around more than anyone else. AW definitely adds more as a 3 than as a 2, and Lydon always at the 3 might expose his lack of motion and ball handling expertise (but he's improving in these areas). But if Lydon spends a lot of time at the 4 or 5, that just moves Thompson out of the picture for now (maybe not such a bad thing for now; just would love to see all good players find a way to make an impact).

 

[Dave85]

I doubt Thompson's going to get more than 20 or 30 total minutes after New Year's.

But he was very impressive. Reminds me of a more polished Christmas. Going back to probably John Wallace, I can't remember a young big man who's so calm, patient, and decisive on the block on offense. Since I'm not a recruiting follower, this was a big surprise. That kid can play. (But he won't in February and March.)

Thompson will not get 20 or 30 but a solid 8-10. There are going to be nights where aggressive play is going to lead to foul trouble. On those nights, Thompson might be the big difference between winning and losing the game. We have 4 solid guys who can play forward. We are going to need all of them.

I think Thompson will really shine come March. He has a really good offensive game in the low post. He may play himself into more PT by March.

Moyer should probably red-shirt and spend a year in weight room beefing up. He doesn't look the part yet.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Thompson will not get 20 or 30 but a solid 8-10. There are going to be nights where aggressive play is going to lead to foul trouble. On those nights, Thompson might be the big difference between winning and losing the game. We have 4 solid guys who can play forward. We are going to need all of them.

I think Thompson will really shine come March. He has a really good offensive game in the low post. He may play himself into more PT by March.

Moyer should probably red-shirt and spend a year in weight room beefing up. He doesn't look the part yet.

Dave - when Ottomets said 20-30 he meant total. And I believe this was not meant to be a knock on TT, but just a numbers game and lack of minutes to go around.

TT is a great luxury to have and helps ease concerns about the future of the bigs. He may be like MCW was his frosh year, a very good player that everyone can see, but caught behind too many people ahead of him.

 

[SoBristol]

... We have 4 solid guys who can play forward. We are going to need all of them.

I think Thompson will really shine come March. He has a really good offensive game in the low post. He may play himself into more PT by March.

Moyer should probably red-shirt and spend a year in weight room beefing up. He doesn't look the part yet.

Agree about Thompson -- he can help this season, especially if JB wants to press a lot. And his ability to score inside adds a dimension to this team.

About Moyer, I don't see it as a matter of beefing up. He is 6ft 8 and 220 -- that is more solid than Roberson last season, or Lydon last season, and not a lot different in bulk than Thompson at 6ft 10 and 226. At this stage in Moyer's development, he does not bring the skills (shooting or driving or rebounding) to allow him to push for minutes against of the other options we have at forward. That's ok -- he is a good prospect for next season.

About Lydon in the center position (other messages above), why get stuck on how he did last season against North Carolina or Louisville's centers? He has added 20 lbs and has improved his inside moves. Consider the alternatives -- Thompson does not look as solid as Lydon; Coleman is shorter than Lydon, not a shot-blocker, and more likely to foul; and Chukwu is rail-thin, awkward, and won't provide any offense in the half court.