[Deejaatee]

One thing to note, playing time has reflected performance.

Lepolo started but played less than 1 half of the game (only got 37.5% of available minutes, fewer than two subs).  Somfai started but only played 40% of available minutes.  Eschmeyer came off the bench, but played 70% of available minutes, which might be a season high for her.  Swain started and played 90% of available minutes.  For all the Strum und Drang about MAS, she was only in for 10% of the game, the fewest minutes of anyone who saw any action.

We can’t play players 40 minutes a game (though we pushed Ogden, Agara, and Swain to 35 minutes).  I know we criticize our own team for playing 4 on 5, but Duke had two players who combined for 51 minutes and produced 4 points on 2/15 shooting.

BC

Ok I am going to make this a bit uncomfortable by design, but in the new NIL world I am not comfortable with the right perspective and balance around critiquing teams and players in college sports. I almost didn’t mention MAS and maybe should have left it alone.

1 I have never been a pure rah-rah fan. I try not to be a jerk or mean to players, and I do try to be analytical about what I see. As the players now get paid, I have leaned farther into that “analyze like they are pros mindset,” but here we hit real limitations with that approach.

2. You are right that especially as Eschmeyer ascends, MAS isn’t going to play a lot of minutes. But as you also note she is going to play 10-12 minutes a night because there isn’t another option; so she is part of the team analysis. 

3. One anecdote for analysis would be as Deejaatee noted she did try to make an offensive move, but got blocked. I guess that is good sort of. I will further note that she then got beat down the court the other way for an easy Duke bucket. Just ouch all around.

4. But what am I really analyzing here? It’s not effort or smarts or skills - it’s pure lack of athleticism. Not really her fault. Also not her fault that we don’t have another option.

4. If this really were full professional sports, we would see a new player signing. But this isn’t the WNBA.

So yeah I don’t know the right balance here.

Thinking outside the box here. I think there is another alternative to MAS. She is a hustler and a competent player and team leader, she is just short and less athletic than some of the people she is playing against. So, we have another player on the bench who is taller, faster, a better shooter, and a competent shot blocker. But she has limited experience thus far, and therefore has not gotten the coach to think about using her yet. Harper Peterson. I would love to see the coach use her more, maybe 10 minutes initially to see what she can do. And of course use Amborn to back up Ogden. That would bring taller, shooters onto the court with a different type of athleticism. Told you it was outside the box.

[Deejaatee]

One thing to note, playing time has reflected performance.

Lepolo started but played less than 1 half of the game (only got 37.5% of available minutes, fewer than two subs).  Somfai started but only played 40% of available minutes.  Eschmeyer came off the bench, but played 70% of available minutes, which might be a season high for her.  Swain started and played 90% of available minutes.  For all the Strum und Drang about MAS, she was only in for 10% of the game, the fewest minutes of anyone who saw any action.

We can’t play players 40 minutes a game (though we pushed Ogden, Agara, and Swain to 35 minutes).  I know we criticize our own team for playing 4 on 5, but Duke had two players who combined for 51 minutes and produced 4 points on 2/15 shooting.

BC

Ok I am going to make this a bit uncomfortable by design, but in the new NIL world I am not comfortable with the right perspective and balance around critiquing teams and players in college sports. I almost didn’t mention MAS and maybe should have left it alone.

1 I have never been a pure rah-rah fan. I try not to be a jerk or mean to players, and I do try to be analytical about what I see. As the players now get paid, I have leaned farther into that “analyze like they are pros mindset,” but here we hit real limitations with that approach.

2. You are right that especially as Eschmeyer ascends, MAS isn’t going to play a lot of minutes. But as you also note she is going to play 10-12 minutes a night because there isn’t another option; so she is part of the team analysis. 

3. One anecdote for analysis would be as Deejaatee noted she did try to make an offensive move, but got blocked. I guess that is good sort of. I will further note that she then got beat down the court the other way for an easy Duke bucket. Just ouch all around.

4. But what am I really analyzing here? It’s not effort or smarts or skills - it’s pure lack of athleticism. Not really her fault. Also not her fault that we don’t have another option.

4. If this really were full professional sports, we would see a new player signing. But this isn’t the WNBA.

So yeah I don’t know the right balance here.

Thinking outside the box here. I think there is another alternative to MAS. She is a hustler and a competent player and team leader, she is just short and less athletic than some of the people she is playing against. So, we have another player on the bench who is taller, faster, a better shooter, and a competent shot blocker. But she has limited experience thus far, and therefore has not gotten the coach to think about using her yet. Harper Peterson. I would love to see the coach use her more, maybe 10 minutes initially to see what she can do. And of course use Amborn to back up Ogden. That would bring taller, shooters onto the court with a different type of athleticism. Told you it was outside the box.