STrib: Gophers might use a smaller lineup more often this season

per Marcus:

SMALLER LINEUP – At some point this season maybe sooner than later, Minnesota will rely on a smaller lineup to win. The starting five has pretty good size with 6-foot-5 Dupree McBrayer and 6-8 Coffey on the perimeter and 6-10, 260-pound Reggie Lynch at center. But Richard Pitino likes to go small to speed up the game when possible. That means playing senior Nate Mason and freshman Isaiah Washington in the backcourt together -- and not going with a traditional center when Lynch sits on the bench with foul trouble or to rest. Last season, the Gophers could play 6-9 Eric Curry at center, so they weren’t losing much in size off the bench. But with Curry out for the year, Pitino has played with 6-6, 250-pound Jordan Murphy at center and 6-7 Micheal Hurt or 6-8 Davonte Fitzgerald playing power forward. At 6-11, Bakary Konate would allow the Gophers to still play big in the middle. But the senior center still struggles with getting his hands on rebounds and passes in the post. Konate might set a record for over-the-back fouls this year if he isn't careful.

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-might-use-a-smaller-lineup-more-often-this-season/459160433/

Go Gophers!!

BleedGopher said:

per Marcus:

SMALLER LINEUP – At some point this season maybe sooner than later, Minnesota will rely on a smaller lineup to win. The starting five has pretty good size with 6-foot-5 Dupree McBrayer and 6-8 Coffey on the perimeter and 6-10, 260-pound Reggie Lynch at center.....

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-might-use-a-smaller-lineup-more-often-this-season/459160433/

Go Gophers!!

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Might some of this be a combination of getting Lynch off the floor sooner when foul trouble surfaces to save Lynch for late game situations while he can also be more comfortable this year with the rest of his say top 7-9 players? While I think everyone wants to see Lynch on the floor, is Lynch as critical to this team this year as compared to last year?

macgopher said:

Might some of this be a combination of getting Lynch off the floor sooner when foul trouble surfaces to save Lynch for late game situations while he can also be more comfortable this year with the rest of his say top 7-9 players? While I think everyone wants to see Lynch on the floor, is Lynch as critical to this team this year as compared to last year?

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I would say more valuable because of lack of depth behind him. Last year, we had Curry who played well and ate up a lot of minutes without creating an adventure. The bench behind Reggie this year is an unwanted adventure waiting to happen.