The "new" starting lineup

[GOSHOX1]

I think Dwill wasn't starting because of the ankle early on in the season. As the injuries happened he had to be hurried into the lineup. He wasn't all that the great the first couple of games but as the ankle has gotten better his game has picked up emencly!

[Signman]

And how do you take Dwill out. His D has been splendid.

Don't get me wrong, I think DW & TC have played great and their intensity, desire and will to win are superb. Add to that the way Wessel and Baker played prior to the injuries is almost as if we have 4 Graham Hatch's. In fact because they are raising the bar so high makes more gifted offensive players reach down further to move their feet and play at the same level of defense that these 4 have. It is a fun team to watch.

[Dan]

Maybe its that Baker was not 100% before the injury, but i'll take DWill's defense and slashing ability over Baker any day.

[1972Shocker]

And how do you take Dwill out. His D has been splendid.

I can go with starting D-Will or Tekele either way. Doesn't make much difference. D-Will brings a little more diverse offensive game and Tekele is a better rebounder. Both are lock down defenders. Tekele with more strength and D-Will with more quickness. Having this guys alternate each other is quite a luxury that will be a plus when Carl returns. Who starts is of little consequence.

[vancedave56]

One other thing I've noticed. Starting with the 2nd half of the USM game it seems like our offense is starting to flow much better. I wonder if not having Hall, who is a focal point of the offense, is allowing the rest of team to be more productive because they know they have to be.

Now, I'm not suggesting we are a better team without Carl, far from it. But we may be a better team with him just being one of five guys out there, rather than someone we want the offense to go through.

Coaches changed the offense. Now setting two ball screens out front with the bigs; one big rolls to the basket while the other remains for an outside look. PG also has a shooter in the corner after using the screen. PG has the option of penetrating, feeding the screener that went to the basket, hitting the other screener for the outside shot, getting the ball to the shooter on the baseline (corner), or taking the shot himself. Decision making. At least, that's what I think I have observed.

[CBB_Fan]

Don't think of it as a set line-up 1-12. I won't work that way, and I think we may even see some variation in starters. This injury situation has shown that we are possibly the deepest team in the country, truly 12 men deep. Many of those players can be used in multiple positions and have different talents on offense and defense. You also have to consider the way certain players play together.

Instead, imagine the team more as a toolbox for Marshall to use. A screwdriver is not better than a wrench, but both can be useful in specific situations. Say we are playing a team that plays a sagging man or a zone, giving up three pointers but protecting the rim fairly well. It makes a lot of sense to try to exploit that by bringing in Williams at SG, Wiggins at SF, and Early at PF. In certain circumstances, we will need to bring defense and rebounding from a backcourt position, which could give Cotton a lot of minutes.

Also, no basketball player plays the same every night. Maybe Jake White will get hot and start shooting 3s like Wiggins. Maybe Wiggins and Early struggle heavily from the 3PT line but are doing well at penetrating. Maybe Orukpe has been effective on defense but has too many fouls, forcing us to adapt.

In any case, it is a good position to be in. Instead of relying on 7-8 guys, we have a full toolbox of tools to play with.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

Dwill has played increasingly well with his opportunity. I was thinking about tht last night watching the game wondering what was going to happen when everyone comes back.

[pinstripers]

the strong will survive and the weak may not

[Rixtoy1]

When Pete Carroll was at USC, with Bush, Leinhart, etc. He regularly got 8-10 top 100 recruits each year. He promised them that if they won the job, they would start as freshman. He had no "orderly progession", as in a kid had to wait until the All-American in front of him graduated. There basically were no returning starters, it was always.........you win the job on the field, you play.

Actually, with Pete it was "You win the job on the field, we PAY."

[shocka khan]

My thoughts:

Orukpe has overachieved. He is looking better in stretches than Stutz used to. If he develops consistency, he could be scary.
Early. Dissapointed in Early, appears to be fouling too much, has spent a lot of time on the bench lately. He is a great player, but he needs to quit fouling or we will lose some games.
Jake White. I used to think Jake had offensive potential, but he has too many 0'fers. If he doesn't start hitting we will soon lose a game.
Wiggins. Needs to tighten defense up. Offensively, he looks great.

Orukpe, Lufile, Early, DWill, Armstead - your starting 5.

I am being optomistic that Lufile will be available to start. I feel Early is fouling because he is a little challenged at the power forward position, and getting him back to the swing position will help him out.

Here's hoping Lufile gets well. I also like bringing Wiggins out as a SF at times, he creates matchup issues with his quickness.

I think all the guys have been busting their rears, please do not take these comments as criticism. We are lucky to be able to discuss a 12-1 team in this manner, and I hope HCGM can keep it rolling.

[another shocker]

My thoughts:

Orukpe has overachieved. He is looking better in stretches than Stutz used to. If he develops consistency, he could be scary.
Early. Dissapointed in Early, appears to be fouling too much, has spent a lot of time on the bench lately. He is a great player, but he needs to quit fouling or we will lose some games.
Jake White. I used to think Jake had offensive potential, but he has too many 0'fers. If he doesn't start hitting we will soon lose a game.
Wiggins. Needs to tighten defense up. Offensively, he looks great.

Orukpe, Lufile, Early, DWill, Armstead - your starting 5.

I am being optomistic that Lufile will be available to start. I feel Early is fouling because he is a little challenged at the power forward position, and getting him back to the swing position will help him out.

Here's hoping Lufile gets well. I also like bringing Wiggins out as a SF at times, he creates matchup issues with his quickness.

I think all the guys have been busting their rears, please do not take these comments as criticism. We are lucky to be able to discuss a 12-1 team in this manner, and I hope HCGM can keep it rolling.

13-1

[Shockeriffic]

Even before Wessel's injury, Demetric was still getting slightly more playing time and was in at the end of close games. I think he keeps his starting spot. Baker and Cotton fight over a spot and two out of Orupke, Hall and Early for the posts. Starting five of:
Armstead
Demetric
Baker/Cotton
Hall/Early
Orupke/Hall

I haven't seen Coach try to play Early at the 3 and I don't think he will once everyone is healthy.

[Trueshock]

My thoughts:

Orukpe has overachieved. He is looking better in stretches than Stutz used to. If he develops consistency, he could be scary.
Early. Dissapointed in Early, appears to be fouling too much, has spent a lot of time on the bench lately. He is a great player, but he needs to quit fouling or we will lose some games.
Jake White. I used to think Jake had offensive potential, but he has too many 0'fers. If he doesn't start hitting we will soon lose a game.
Wiggins. Needs to tighten defense up. Offensively, he looks great.

Orukpe, Lufile, Early, DWill, Armstead - your starting 5.

I am being optomistic that Lufile will be available to start. I feel Early is fouling because he is a little challenged at the power forward position, and getting him back to the swing position will help him out.

Here's hoping Lufile gets well. I also like bringing Wiggins out as a SF at times, he creates matchup issues with his quickness.

I think all the guys have been busting their rears, please do not take these comments as criticism. We are lucky to be able to discuss a 12-1 team in


this manner, and I hope HCGM can keep it rolling.

Maybe Ehimen can come out of his shell like Withey did. He is playing at least as well as Withey did before he came out of his shell. You are right about Early's fouls. Clea & the guys got an extreme amount of fouls against Tennessee and were unable to defend with any intensity.That in effect made the Shockers a weaker team than they actually are. Furthermore, all those free throws on top of the fouls was the nail in the coffin of the Shockers. Early still does have some problems ,but the team seames to have adjusted to the foul problem with far fewer ones these past 4 games.

[1979Shocker]

Dwill has played increasingly well with his opportunity. I was thinking about tht last night watching the game wondering what was going to happen when everyone comes back.

DWill will become a more complete player when he becomes more consistent on offense. 3-11 from the field and 3-6 from the line last night isn't going to hack it. He is becoming more offensive minded than last year though. I don't know why his free throw shooting isn't better, but it seems contagious.

[forevershockerfan]

It hurts my pea brain trying to issue my own starting lineup when we are suiting up and playing 11 players again. When it is all said in done, I hope we have 11 starters, and 11 finishers, all able to wear down our foes in the duration of 40 minutes to the point that we have a Season to remember.