Lineup Next Year

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watertown 1987 guy n said:
Nwankwo will get 10-15 minutes a game unless Konate and Diedhiou never see the court at the same time again. Weather they play together or not, its a virtual guarantee that these two will average 7-9 fouls between them every game.
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FWIW - Pitino has said that he will play Konate and Diedhou together. Sounds like Gaston can also slide to the 5 as a backup. I'd guess you are right about Nwankwo's time. Regardless, I am hopeful that other teams do not get as comfortable driving the lane next year as they did last year.
 

Way too Early Lineup Projection

JMWZ said:
Since this season seems to have come to a close, it may be a good idea to look toward next season. I'm interested in what the lineup will look like next year, here's what I think:

PG: Kevin Dorsey
SG: Nate Mason
SF: Carlos Morris
PF: Joey King
C: Bakary Konate

Hopefully factored into the rotation: Gaston Diedhiou at the 4, Charles Buggs at the 3 or 4, Dupree McBrayer at the 2, and a JUCO guy like Chris Boucher who can contribute at the 4 and 5.

I'm of the opinion that Jonathan Nwankwo and Jarvis Johnson won't be huge contributors next year (I'm sure some disagree) but even so, freshman will be heavily burdened next year. Hopefully this year's class is better than last year's.
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Congratulations on taking the first shot! I think we will have a lot of fun with this in the coming months. I've been thinking about it for sometime, but never put anything down in writing. I believe they will make a move at the 3, and use Morris off the bench. We have needed a banger at the 4 for the past 2 years, but I can't see Joey getting beat out. He's the type of player you need coming off the bench on a good team, but we will never get to the dance with him as a starter.

I'm a huge fan of Jarvis Johnson, and even said he reminded me of Earl "the Pearl" Monroe.

Once again good job.
 

howieramone said:
Congratulations on taking the first shot! I think we will have a lot of fun with this in the coming months. I've been thinking about it for sometime, but never put anything down in writing. I believe they will make a move at the 3, and use Morris off the bench. We have needed a banger at the 4 for the past 2 years, but I can't see Joey getting beat out. He's the type of player you need coming off the bench on a good team, but we will never get to the dance with him as a starter.

I'm a huge fan of Jarvis Johnson, and even said he reminded me of Earl "the Pearl" Monroe.

Once again good job.
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Good post. I hope both Joey and Morris get beat out because that would mean that we would have a really nice team. If those two are able to come off the bench and play 15-20 minutes each, that's the beginning of a real quality bench. We'll have to see who they add in the spring and what certain guys do to improve their physical and mental approach over the summer.
 

Good to have you back Howie. Like the poster above me, I agree we need an improvement at the 3 and 4. King and Morris off the bench would be very nice.
 

bga1 said:
Good post. I hope both Joey and Morris get beat out because that would mean that we would have a really nice team. If those two are able to come off the bench and play 15-20 minutes each, that's the beginning of a real quality bench. We'll have to see who they add in the spring and what certain guys do to improve their physical and mental approach over the summer.
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If Both Joey and Morris are coming off the bench we are a top 4 BIG team and at top 6 seed in the NCAA tourney next year. That'd be our only 2 seniors (barring a senior addition) coming off the bench.
 


Nwankwo is the anti-Mo. He'll go through you every time he gets the ball down low. Jarvis has professional handles right now. And McBrayer is already better than anyone we have at the shooting guard.
Can't wait for next year to start!
 

I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't see Nate Mason losing the starting PG job. Here's my prediction:

PG: Nate Mason
SG: Dupree McBrayer
SF: Carlos Morris
PF: Joey King
C: Bakary Konate

I think Kevin Dorsey, Nwankwo, Jarvis Johnson, Diedhou, and Buggs get significant playing time off the bench (in that order unless Buggs picks up his game over the summer). I'd like to see a lineup where we play King at the 3 and go big with Konate and Nwankwo/Diedhou with Morris coming off the bench. Hoping we can pick up a JUCO PF or SF, but I think next season might be more of the same for the Gophs. It looks to me like we're headed in the right direction and I'm not ready to throw in the towel on Richie quite yet, but next year feels like it's going to be a bit of a learning experience for a lot of young players.

Go Gophs!
 

gopherdan said:
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't see Nate Mason losing the starting PG job. Here's my prediction:

PG: Nate Mason
SG: Dupree McBrayer
SF: Carlos Morris
PF: Joey King
C: Bakary Konate

I think Kevin Dorsey, Nwankwo, Jarvis Johnson, Diedhou, and Buggs get significant playing time off the bench (in that order unless Buggs picks up his game over the summer). I'd like to see a lineup where we play King at the 3 and go big with Konate and Nwankwo/Diedhou with Morris coming off the bench. Hoping we can pick up a JUCO PF or SF, but I think next season might be more of the same for the Gophs. It looks to me like we're headed in the right direction and I'm not ready to throw in the towel on Richie quite yet, but next year feels like it's going to be a bit of a learning experience for a lot of young players.

Go Gophs!
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Mason will likely move over to the 2 guard and also share point guard duties. You don't recruit someone like Dorsey to have him play out of position or sit on the bench. I suspect both will start and each do a lot of ball handling. Mason is a better scorer than play maker anyway. He played a lot of minutes at point guard this year because there was no capable second point guard and DeAndre struggled so often. I wouldn't think of positions as "fixed" when they are more likely conditional.

If the team lands Boucher or another true power forward with better interior potential, I think Joey still plays the majority of minutes (his true shooting percentage is too high to for him to be on the bench for too long) but will be the third forward playing more of a perimeter role (where he belongs anyway). It should be obvious by now that Pitino isn't hard wired to a three guard lineup (despite the numerous people on here who insisted he was). Also, if that happens, I think Carlos is 6th man and that is a role where he has the potential to flourish.
 

Here's what it should be...
PG- Kevin Dorsey sub Jarvis
SG- Nate Mason sub Dupree McBrayer sub Carlos Morris for defense
SF- Joey King sub Charles Buggs
PF- any forward recruit sub Gaston Diedhou
C- Bakary Konate and Jonathan Nwanko splitting time
The success of this lineup largely depends on finding that dynamic wing player. But if Pitino does, and King becomes a steady scorer, and Nwanko is the beast under the backboard I think he is...NCAA here we come.
 



beat bucky said:
Here's what it should be...
PG- Kevin Dorsey sub Jarvis
SG- Nate Mason sub Dupree McBrayer sub Carlos Morris for defense
SF- Joey King sub Charles Buggs
PF- any forward recruit sub Gaston Diedhou
C- Bakary Konate and Jonathan Nwanko splitting time
The success of this lineup largely depends on finding that dynamic wing player. But if Pitino does, and King becomes a steady scorer, and Nwanko is the beast under the backboard I think he is...NCAA here we come.
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You had me up until "sub Carlos Morris for defense".
 


bga1 said:
FWIW - Pitino has said that he will play Konate and Diedhou together
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Considering that Gaston is a PF and Konate is a C and they played together this season, it's not worth much... unless you have had your head up your *** for a long period of time.
 

next year

King cannot guard most sf's. If he is playing the 3 spot you have to play lots of zone. Felt Bugs plays better defense on the 3's for sure. Morris is too small for a 3 in most lineups, unless he puts on 20lbs. We are mid major sized and its an issue. We will be small at the 2 with Mason there but at least he has decent weight.

Ideally, we get a juco or upper class transfer for the 3 and 4. I think Konate can put up 6pts 7 reb, 1 blk a game as the center. Gaston seems like a physical 4 for defense, rebounding, setting picks. Morris and his quick trigger might make a nice 6th man.


howieramone said:
Congratulations on taking the first shot! I think we will have a lot of fun with this in the coming months. I've been thinking about it for sometime, but never put anything down in writing. I believe they will make a move at the 3, and use Morris off the bench. We have needed a banger at the 4 for the past 2 years, but I can't see Joey getting beat out. He's the type of player you need coming off the bench on a good team, but we will never get to the dance with him as a starter.

I'm a huge fan of Jarvis Johnson, and even said he reminded me of Earl "the Pearl" Monroe.

Once again good job.
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My .02....

Last 3 schollies...
- PF Cullen Russo (He wants to be here, fills an immediate need and only ties up a schollie 2 years)
- SG Zach Lofton (He wants to be here, fills an immediate need and didn't do anything criminal. No reason he couldn't come back on the right terms.)
- C Chris Boucher (He's not really a PF. At 6'10"-6'11" and 205lb, he's more of an athletic, shot blocking Center who can run the floor) or another African (I said the 'A' word!! :eek:) recruit we haven't heard about yet (Pitino continues to scour Spain and the Canaries for them.)

Rotation...
PG's- Mason/Dorsey/Jarvis
SG's- Mason/Lofton/Jarvis
SF's- McBrayer/Morris/Lofton
PF's- King/Russo/Diedjou (Sp?)/Buggs
C- Konate/Boucher/Nwanko
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
My .02....

Last 3 schollies...
- PF Cullen Russo (He wants to be here, fills an immediate need and only ties up a schollie 2 years)
- SG Zach Lofton (He wants to be here, fills an immediate need and didn't do anything criminal. No reason he couldn't come back on the right terms.)
- C Chris Boucher (He's not really a PF. At 6'10"-6'11" and 205lb, he's more of an athletic, shot blocking Center who can run the floor) or another African (I said the 'A' word!! :eek:) recruit we haven't heard about yet (Pitino continues to scour Spain and the Canaries for them.)

Rotation...
PG's- Mason/Dorsey/Jarvis
SG's- Mason/Lofton/Jarvis
SF's- McBrayer/Morris/Lofton
PF's- King/Russo/Diedjou (Sp?)/Buggs
C- Konate/Boucher/Nwanko
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Nothing wrong with that list - except I really doubt that they would go with three two year guys this spring. I get the feeling that Pitino wants at least one extra scholly for the 2016 class.

I am hoping for Boucher and Ellison and leave the 3rd scholly open. I think Boucher is a guy who may not start but gives you an interesting situational guy that works real well against certain teams. I'd love to see Lofton get his act together and walk on... and get aid on an earned basis.
 

Costa Rican Gopher said:
My .02....

Last 3 schollies...
- PF Cullen Russo (He wants to be here, fills an immediate need and only ties up a schollie 2 years)
- SG Zach Lofton (He wants to be here, fills an immediate need and didn't do anything criminal. No reason he couldn't come back on the right terms.)
- C Chris Boucher (He's not really a PF. At 6'10"-6'11" and 205lb, he's more of an athletic, shot blocking Center who can run the floor) or another African (I said the 'A' word!! :eek:) recruit we haven't heard about yet (Pitino continues to scour Spain and the Canaries for them.)

Rotation...
PG's- Mason/Dorsey/Jarvis
SG's- Mason/Lofton/Jarvis
SF's- McBrayer/Morris/Lofton
PF's- King/Russo/Diedjou (Sp?)/Buggs
C- Konate/Boucher/Nwanko
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The proverbial elephant in the room.
I agree walk-on or scholly I think he is a good fit and fills an immediate need.
Hopefully the dismissal helped him get his act together.

Cullen Russo seems like a solid pick up too. havent seen much of him since high school but he was pretty impressive and has good size.
 

bga1 said:
I'd love to see Lofton get his act together and walk on... and get aid on an earned basis.
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If he is willing to walk on for a season and earn a scholarship for his final year of eligibility I'd be for that.

Just don't see it happening. I'd guess he really disrupted the team in practice with his selfish ball-hog ways, getting into one on one battles with Mason, etc.
 

HOOP DREAMS said:
If he is willing to walk on for a season and earn a scholarship for his final year of eligibility I'd be for that.

Just don't see it happening. I'd guess he really disrupted the team in practice with his selfish ball-hog ways, getting into one on one battles with Mason, etc.
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Lofton would only have one season wouldn't he? He may have 2 more seasons of eligibility, but I think his clock (5 years to play 4) would be up, wouldn't it?

I think the risk to team chemistry etc. is too much of a risk, I'd pass.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
You had me up until "sub Carlos Morris for defense".
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Carlos Morris has all the tools to be great 2 defender, length, quickness and daring. Yeah he might need a little motivation but, if his playing time depends on him manning up, I think you'll see him do just that.
Check it out, he was only 6 steals behind team leader lil Dre (58-64) with limited playing time.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Lofton would only have one season wouldn't he? He may have 2 more seasons of eligibility, but I think his clock (5 years to play 4) would be up, wouldn't it?

I think the risk to team chemistry etc. is too much of a risk, I'd pass.
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Lofton has have 2 years of eligibility remaining.

Jigga said:
The proverbial elephant in the room.
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Possibly, but I'd guess Pitino was done with him and fine with the decision.
 


MadtownGopher said:
You are right. He played JUCO in 2012-2013, ILL ST in 2013-2014, sat out 2014-2015; which leaves 2 more seasons/years of eligibility.
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How does it work if he were to go some place else next year? Is he eligible to play immediately, given he sat out this year?
 

beat bucky said:
Carlos Morris has all the tools to be great 2 defender, length, quickness and daring. Yeah he might need a little motivation but, if his playing time depends on him manning up, I think you'll see him do just that.
Check it out, he was only 6 steals behind team leader lil Dre (58-64) with limited playing time.
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Morris has good length and jumping passing lanes for steals is his specialty on defense, but that's only one small part of playing defense. Agreed, he has the tools to play defense, but I think he lacks the understanding of how it works. Remember all those wide open 3's that rained on us this season? That's usually Morris (or Buggs) getting lost after the ball rotates a few times and not being able to get back out to cover his man in time. Also, I think Morris is soft. He (and Buggs) failed to fight through screens all year long, instead doing the soft and/or lazy thing by going under them, which left 3 point shooters wide open. Don't be fooled by the steals, Morris was one of the worst defenders to ever wear Maroon and Gold last season.
 

golfing18now said:
How does it work if he were to go some place else next year? Is he eligible to play immediately, given he sat out this year?
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I think he sacrificed his chance of playing elsewhere next year by not transferring schools during winter break.
Only way he can play next year is as a Gopher.

or maybe if he were to transfer back to Illinois State and be eligible immediately a la Moe Hargrow when he transferred to Arkansas and sat his red shirt year only to transfer back to the U of M and was eligible immediately. (I don't forsee that happening though) anything is possible.

Or maybe he has given up on basketball and is just focusing on his education from here on out. Lots of talent tho, shame if he is not able to put it to use.

I think the risk to team chemistry etc. is too much of a risk, I'd pass.
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Team didn't seem to have much chemistry this year imo, so i dont see that a 'big' risk.
 

Those are all fair points but, call me crazy, I think Morris gets a little bit of a bad rap. Not only was he third in team scoring but he was third in team steals and rebounds last year so he must have been in good position sometimes...His offense was a little erratic and his turnovers too high and that's why Mason and McBrayer could be playing ahead of him, but if Pitino can get him motivated, he'll be a great sub at the 2 and maybe the 3 if the lineup goes small.
 

I don't think Mcbrayer cracks the starting line up next year over squirell not saying he wont be good but I just think Morris experience puts him in better position to contribute.
 

Jigga said:
Only way he can play next year is as a Gopher.
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Augsburg might give him some run :)

Jigga said:
Team didn't seem to have much chemistry this year imo, so i dont see that a 'big' risk.
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I disagree, one space cadet only concerned about his own game, touches, points, etc. can really-really F-UP a team.
 

beat bucky said:
Those are all fair points but, call me crazy, I think Morris gets a little bit of a bad rap. Not only was he third in team scoring but he was third in team steals and rebounds last year so he must have been in good position sometimes...His offense was a little erratic and his turnovers too high and that's why Mason and McBrayer could be playing ahead of him, but if Pitino can get him motivated, he'll be a great sub at the 2 and maybe the 3 if the lineup goes small.
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Grasshopper, it's inappropriate to use the word great and Carlos Morris in the same sentence. His value next season is as a warm body able to occupy the 3 and even the 2 if need be. I sense Coach P. and staff are not going to spend another season trying to plug the dike with their fingers. As CRG said in another thread, I'd rather win 3 or 4 games with a young team, than 6 with upperclassmen.
 

HOOP DREAMS said:
Augsburg might give him some run :)
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Forgot about D2 Or D3 route... Just an obvious high major talent imo... If he does go that route I suspect he'd average about 30 ppg.

Augburg worked for Devin George.

disagree, one space cadet only concerned about his own game, touches, points, etc. can really-really F-UP a team.
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Yeah, I guess. I don't think he is that kinda player tho.
We were desperate for scoring, size, and athletism in the back court this year tho. I just figured he would give us that and help with on-court chemistry.
Chemistry is something I feel we were already lacking in.

In addition if he walks on as some suggest he do. It's all on him and no skin off the coaches back if he F's up and is kicked off the team. Could be a very valuable player at a bargain of a price
 

Jigga said:
Yeah, I guess. I don't think he is that kinda player tho.
We were desperate for scoring, size, and athletism in the back court this year tho. I just figured he would give us that and help with on-court chemistry.
Chemistry is something I feel we were already lacking in.

In addition if he walks on as some suggest he do. It's all on him and no skin off the coaches back if he F's up and is kicked off the team. Could be a very valuable player at a bargain of a price
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True. When we were so short on players they we didn't have enough people to practice-rotate-rest guys and brought in a new walk-on I thought that might be his chance to come back and show he can help the team as a body for practice and put in good effort, but that didn't happen. Who knows... we don't even know the real reason or reasons he got the boot.
 

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