Question about late game substituting

[SHOXJOCK]

This is what I think. We still have a lot of development to do and these games are those opportunities. Marks, Kelly, Connor, Nurger, Brown are all young and still need minutes. Lots and lots of minutes. Even though they look good, they don't look great.

They need to look great.

These guys will be the starters next year. They need lots of minutes this year for next year.

[RoyalShock]

Years ago I heard about a rule of thumb, that you don't empty the bench until there is 1 minute for every 10 points of the lead remaining. For example, if you lead by 20, empty the bench with 2:00 remaining. If the lead is 30, 3:00, and so on.

What I've noticed is that if the lead is 20+, coach empties the bench shortly after the under 4 timeout, so 3:30-4:00. He expects those guys to play hard, and that's just about the right span before guys who only play a few minutes per game might begin to get tired. So that might play into the timing, as well.

[chicagoshocker]

Years ago I heard about a rule of thumb, that you don't empty the bench until there is 1 minute for every 10 points of the lead remaining. For example, if you lead by 20, empty the bench with 2:00 remaining. If the lead is 30, 3:00, and so on.

What I've noticed is that if the lead is 20+, coach empties the bench shortly after the under 4 timeout, so 3:30-4:00. He expects those guys to play hard, and that's just about the right span before guys who only play a few minutes per game might begin to get tired. So that might play into the timing, as well.

I've heard the same rule of thumb....I think from Mike Kennedy on a pre-game show.

[WuDrWu]

My stance on this has evolved over the years. It's also different at every level of sport. For instance, when I coached junior high and high school, I thought it was ridiculous when a coach with 10 players on the bench still had his first team in when he was up 20 in the fourth quarter.

I would try to get in kids that rarely played at all costs. Even if I was up like 6-8 in the last minute, I'd try to get somebody in that didn't usually play.

That's high school, not college.

Zach Bush and JRS know what they signed up for and they're men. While I think it's fun to see them play, I couldn't care less if they ever do. It's 100% on Coach to play who he wants based on getting his team better for next week, next month, next year. He's at practice and he can determine who needs/deserves to play.

As a fan, yes, at some point it seems silly to press with your starters when you lead by X number of points. As yet, while Gregg Marshall has been the coach at WSU, I have NEVER seen that particular sequence of events play out. Even when he brought the starters back in late a couple of games ago (I don't remember the exact time or score, or game for that matter) it didn't bother me in the least (except that the guys had shut down, I thought, for the game and I was concerned about them getting hurt trying to warm up again).

I want to watch the team, no matter who's on the court, win every possession. From tip off to final buzzer. Who plays when means almost nothing to me. If it's not competitive, good. That means we're really good.

[shockmonster]

My stance on this has evolved over the years. It's also different at every level of sport. For instance, when I coached junior high and high school, I thought it was ridiculous when a coach with 10 players on the bench still had his first team in when he was up 20 in the fourth quarter.

I would try to get in kids that rarely played at all costs. Even if I was up like 6-8 in the last minute, I'd try to get somebody in that didn't usually play.

That's high school, not college.

Zach Bush and JRS know what they signed up for and they're men. While I think it's fun to see them play, I couldn't care less if they ever do. It's 100% on Coach to play who he wants based on getting his team better for next week, next month, next year. He's at practice and he can determine who needs/deserves to play.

As a fan, yes, at some point it seems silly to press with your starters when you lead by X number of points. As yet, while Gregg Marshall has been the coach at WSU, I have NEVER seen that particular sequence of events play out. Even when he brought the starters back in late a couple of games ago (I don't remember the exact time or score, or game for that matter) it didn't bother me in the least (except that the guys had shut down, I thought, for the game and I was concerned about them getting hurt trying to warm up again).

I want to watch the team, no matter who's on the court, win every possession. From tip off to final buzzer. Who plays when means almost nothing to me. If it's not competitive, good. That means we're really good.

Well said Doc.

Gregg doesn't use this time as a reward. He uses this time at the end of games to build his team, add chemistry, practice time on aspects of play like the full court press that they don't often use in games, build his bench, teach his team to compete, etc. If you get an opportunity to play, Gregg expects you to compete. I too, enjoy watching good basketball from everyone including 10-15 on the bench.

[Husker4Shockers]

Years ago I heard about a rule of thumb, that you don't empty the bench until there is 1 minute for every 10 points of the lead remaining. For example, if you lead by 20, empty the bench with 2:00 remaining. If the lead is 30, 3:00, and so on..

I hadn't heard that; makes sense. Thanks.