Start Stenger or Reynolds

[XU-XHI]

With the Stainbrook news official, who would you start, Stenger or Reynolds? This assumes that Philmore starts which I believe is a safe bet.

I would start Stenger. Jalen is the guy I want on the floor, but I have to believe that Buzz is going to look to pound the ball and try to get our bigs in foul trouble. I think Jalen will be so geeked up for his first BigE tourney that he is two fouls in the first minute waiting to happen.
Erik has enough quickness and strength to play decent low post D until the first media time out. At that point, I bring in Jalen and pray he's settled into the game.

If Jalen doesn't get into foul trouble, I can easily see him having a game like the one at St. John's. Especially if we can get out in transition. Jalen should easily beat their bigs down the court. Thoughts?

[LA Muskie]

I start Jalen and pull him after his first foul. Hopefully that's not 25 seconds in.

[sgarcia]

Any chance we start Farr just because he has the ability to score and bring in Reynolds a few minutes into the game when Marquette brings in Gardner?

[Milhouse]

Jalen just needs to wall up on gardener and stand his ground. He's been much better doing that lately.

[Juice]

I would start Stenger and Philmore. I would do what Mack did with Stenger recently and let him play like 3 minutes just to guard against Jalen picking up any dumb/early fouls.

[XU-XHI]

I didn't go the Farr route due to his defensive lapses. He certainly is going to be needed in the front court rotation but I can see Otule and Gardner eating him alive.

[xuwin]

Any chance we start Farr just because he has the ability to score and bring in Reynolds a few minutes into the game when Marquette brings in Gardner?

No chance and it's been a while since he has shown an ability to score.

[XU 87]

I would start Stenger and Philmore. I would do what Mack did with Stenger recently and let him play like 3 minutes just to guard against Jalen picking up any dumb/early fouls.

I agree with this. Jalen picked up a dumb foul in the first minute of the Villanova game and then sat for for about 8 minutes.

[PM Thor]

I love the kid and think he has a big upside, but starting Farr would be a trainwreck.

As it stands now, I think it's an easy choice to start Reynolds. Pull him at his first foul, or the 5 minute in mark, whichever comes first, keep just platooning those two, and hope Semaj understands that we need to lean on him more now than ever.

[UnCaged]

It's gonna be tough either way, as I don't think Stenger can guard either of Marquette's big men...but then again, Farr hasn't shown that ability either. Start Jalen, bc he wins you the tap and bring in controlled energy (Stenger) as soon as a foul is picked up or after the first tv timeout (if Jalen can hold out from maiming for that long). this game really revolves around Philmore's ability to at least be of moderate effective against Gardner. Stain was perfect for that role, as he's very cerebral and has the low post game to frustrate him on both ends.

[TUclutch]

Any chance we start Farr just because he has the ability to score and bring in Reynolds a few minutes into the game when Marquette brings in Gardner?

Farr has had little ability to score since BE play has started. Hes simply not as good as he tried to show early on and he is horrible on defense.

[XUFan09]

Farr has had little ability to score since BE play has started. Hes simply not as good as he tried to show early on and he is horrible on defense.

Actually, he was fine in the first half of Big East play. It's in the second half where he has really fallen off. This has coincided with the reduction of his minutes (probably in good part due to Reynolds' improvement) and his shooting drought from deep, going 0-9 after starting the conference season shooting 37.5%.

[GoMuskies]

Wichita State has a guy named Evan Wessel who started the year 0-20 from 3 point range. He fit his 21st and promptly made two of his next three. It would be nice if Farr could break out of his slump with a similar flurry Thursday night.

[throwbackmuskie]

or Myles to break out as well.

As far as this debate, I think starting will only help Reynolds in the long run, he has to learn to play a whole game and keep the fouls down.

[xufan2434]

or Myles to break out as well.

As far as this debate, I think starting will only help Reynolds in the long run, he has to learn to play a whole game and keep the fouls down.

X needs to win now, he can learn how to play a full game next season. If X was already a lock in the tournament then I would agree. If they are going to start Reynolds (which I believe Mack has already decided) then I would love to see some back pick alley oop for him right off the bat like for Derrick Brown.. It gets him going and the team fired up early.

[The_Mack_Pack]

X needs to win now, he can learn how to play a full game next season. If X was already a lock in the tournament then I would agree. If they are going to start Reynolds (which I believe Mack has already decided) then I would love to see some back pick alley oop for him right off the bat like for Derrick Brown.. It gets him going and the team fired up early.

I wish they'd bring that play back. Lavender and Brown were good for one of those every game it seemed. That same play worked to perfection a couple of times against Kansas State in the tournament game with Tu and JCraw too. Semaj and Reynolds should be able to connect on that.

[throwbackmuskie]

X needs to win now, he can learn how to play a full game next season. If X was already a lock in the tournament then I would agree. If they are going to start Reynolds (which I believe Mack has already decided) then I would love to see some back pick alley oop for him right off the bat like for Derrick Brown.. It gets him going and the team fired up early.

So you are going to start Stenger? I mean the kid works hard, but he has no skills on O. His 31% FT % doesn't do anything either. Like I said I like that he tries and plays hard, but right now we need all the talented guys on the court, the ones who cna explode for a double-double.

[blueblob06]

If Marquette is still doing the thing where Gardner doesn't start and then subs him in ~5 mins in, I'd say start Jalen. Then when Gardner comes in, make the call. Obviously if Jalen already has a foul or maybe if he isn't playing smart, then sub in Stenger at that point to help body them up in the paint.

GO MUSKIES!!!

[xufan2434]

So you are going to start Stenger? I mean the kid works hard, but he has no skills on O. His 31% FT % doesn't do anything either. Like I said I like that he tries and plays hard, but right now we need all the talented guys on the court, the ones who cna explode for a double-double.

I didn't say that, I just didn't agree with the reasoning that it should be to help him play a full game. Also I brought up running some kind of play for him because if they aren't going to look to get him involved early and use his offense, then you might as well start Stenger and save the fouls.

BBLOB just made a great point though with how Buzz hasn't been starting Gardner and bringing him off the bench. In that case I think start Jalen 100%

[drudy23]

Stenger is the safe bet...and I say screw the safe bet. If you say you believe in him, now's the time.

[XU 87]

So you are going to start Stenger? I mean the kid works hard, but he has no skills on O. His 31% FT % doesn't do anything either. Like I said I like that he tries and plays hard, but right now we need all the talented guys on the court, the ones who cna explode for a double-double.

While I agree he kills us on offense, I still would like to see him start and play a couple of minutes at the start- only so Jalen doesn't start and pick up a dumb early foul (see Villanova). It also seems to me that the first 5 minutes of the game generally has the lowest scoring so he doesn't hurt as much offensively at the start.