This team would be slightly favored over the 16-17 tourney team

[torque-cat]

Player for player, more length, athleticism, defense, depth against BMac's guard play advantage.

1. Law now a much better player
2. Pardon now a much better player
3. Gaines = Sanjay (would actually say Gaines offense is now surpassing Sanjay)
4. Lindsay = Turner + Taylor
5. BMac is the only major edge for tourney team but Gaines would give him hell
6. Skelly slight edge over Benson
7. Falzon, Kopp, Nance and Greer give much better across the board (shooting, defense etc..) than tourney team had.

It's close and that team won some close games with not quite as tough a conference schedule. Fun debate anyway.

 

[mickbula]

Player for player, more length, athleticism, defense, depth against BMac's guard play advantage.

1. Law now a much better player
2. Pardon now a much better player
3. Gaines = Sanjay (would actually say Gaines offense is now surpassing Sanjay)
4. Lindsay = Turner + Taylor
5. BMac is the only major edge for tourney team but Gaines would give him hell
6. Skelly slight edge over Benson
7. Falzon, Kopp, Nance and Greer give much better across the board (shooting, defense etc..) than tourney team had.

It's close and that team won some close games with not quite as tough a conference schedule. Fun debate anyway.

I'd prefer to do this debate once we have secured another ncaa tourney bid. That would be a lot funner. Until then....

 

[hdhntr1]

Player for player, more length, athleticism, defense, depth against BMac's guard play advantage.

1. Law now a much better player
2. Pardon now a much better player
3. Gaines = Sanjay (would actually say Gaines offense is now surpassing Sanjay)
4. Lindsay = Turner + Taylor
5. BMac is the only major edge for tourney team but Gaines would give him hell
6. Skelly slight edge over Benson
7. Falzon, Kopp, Nance and Greer give much better across the board (shooting, defense etc..) than tourney team had.

It's close and that team won some close games with not quite as tough a conference schedule. Fun debate anyway.

Sorry but you cannot have Gaines replacing both Sanjay and BMac. Law may be better when he is healthy but he has not been Greer not there yet. And Lindsey that year was better. If Lindsey of last year agree but for 16/17, Lindsey had his head in the game and was pretty consistent. Kopp, Nance and Falzon are not their yet. Still advantage 16/17 but the gap may be closing. Still hard to replace BMac

 

[Catreporter]

Still hard to replace BMac

He was a difference maker and notice how we died last year after he got hurt, so no, this is not a better team than that one.

 

[torque-cat]

Sorry but you cannot have Gaines replacing both Sanjay and BMac. Law may be better when he is healthy but he has not been Greer not there yet. And Lindsey that year was better. If Lindsey of last year agree but for 16/17, Lindsey had his head in the game and was pretty consistent. Kopp, Nance and Falzon are not their yet. Still advantage 16/17 but the gap may be closing. Still hard to replace BMac

I don’t have Gaines replacing both, I have him “replacing” Sanjay but guarding BMac. I think BMac would struggle against Gaines strength and athleticism. BMac was key but also means if we limit him we limit central cog on team. Current team is much more interchangeable not just 1 guy who runs offense. It’s close but man I think this team has higher ceiling due to length, athleticism versatility and depth.

 

[hdhntr1]

I don’t have Gaines replacing both, I have him “replacing” Sanjay but guarding BMac. I think BMac would struggle against Gaines strength and athleticism. BMac was key but also means if we limit him we limit central cog on team. Current team is much more interchangeable not just 1 guy who runs offense. It’s close but man I think this team has higher ceiling due to length, athleticism versatility and depth.

You had this team compared with that team, not playing them. You have said Gaines is a similar player and while not there yet, does have the potential but not there quite yet. And while if they played each other, Gaines might guard BMac on occasion, it would not be his primary responsibility. Likely that would be Lindsey. How often did Sanjay guard the PG? This team might eventually be better, it is not yet and might be prevented from getting there by no PG. Greer might eventually take over the role but he is not ready yet and who would he replace?

 

[ricko6543211]

Player for player, more length, athleticism, defense, depth against BMac's guard play advantage.

1. Law now a much better player
2. Pardon now a much better player
3. Gaines = Sanjay (would actually say Gaines offense is now surpassing Sanjay)
4. Lindsay = Turner + Taylor
5. BMac is the only major edge for tourney team but Gaines would give him hell
6. Skelly slight edge over Benson
7. Falzon, Kopp, Nance and Greer give much better across the board (shooting, defense etc..) than tourney team had.

It's close and that team won some close games with not quite as tough a conference schedule. Fun debate anyway.

I'd set the neutral court line at 16-17 team ((-3)) 18-19 team.

 

[Katatonic]

Match-ups are key, so this team may be able to take 16-17 team, but over the course of a season, not having a true PG may give the BMac led team the edge.

Also, Gaines isn't quite = Sanjay (at least on the defensive-end).

Lumps could take on the 2nd big (teams like Purdue which were rolling out 2 bigs), being able to guard all 5 positions.

We have already seen this team struggle when teams like MSU rolled out 2 bigs.

 

[CappyNU]

The tourney team beat 5 NCAA tourney teams during the regular season+conf tourney. We've beaten maybe 1 so far this year. Until we score some big wins, I'm not favoring this team over 16-17.

 

[torque-cat]

I'd set the neutral court line at 16-17 team ((-3)) 18-19 team.

Very fair

 

[torque-cat]

The tourney team beat 5 NCAA tourney teams during the regular season+conf tourney. We've beaten maybe 1 so far this year. Until we score some big wins, I'm not favoring this team over 16-17.

Well the debate is more fun when all the data are not in. The BiG Ten is brutal this year and if we get a couple breaks and stay healthy we may well get those resume wins. But it is a long shot to surpass the achievements of 16-17. That said I think that team may not have made the tourney playing this year’s big ten.

 

[ricko6543211]

Match-ups are key, so this team may be able to take 16-17 team, but over the course of a season, not having a true PG may give the BMac led team the edge.

Also, Gaines isn't quite = Sanjay (at least on the defensive-end).

Lumps could take on the 2nd big (teams like Purdue which were rolling out 2 bigs), being able to guard all 5 positions.

We have already seen this team struggle when teams like MSU rolled out 2 bigs.

Yeah you nailed the difference between Sanjay and Gaines. Gaines is a better offensive player, but Sanjay could defend both wings (at a very high level) and bigs (at a pretty high level). His versatility was valuable. Gaines is very much a plus defender of wings, and he’s strong, but he can’t defend big guys like Sanjay could. And that lineup versatility on D was useful.

PS I’ll never forget that OT Purdue game I think in CC’s first year when our bigs fouled out and a younger Sanjay had to guard AJ Hammons. And he was able to fight him off, prevent entry passes, and hold him up if the ball got in even though it was clear that he was the primary target on every possession. Think he played easily >40 minutes. On offense by the end of the game he would just go hands on knees for half of the possession and let the others get at it as prepped himself for another round of battle at the other end of the floor. He beat Hammons by outworking him. One of the most impressive individual performances and gutsy team wins I’ve ever seen. Ugly game, but a beautiful win. Helped turn around that year and develop our identity under CC.

 

[torque-cat]

CC said Sanjay was the heart and soul of the team, even as a frosh. And I think Pardon said how Sanjay goes we go. I didn't think I would see another guy like him, but Gaines is very similar.

 

[scru]

CC said Sanjay was the heart and soul of the team, even as a frosh. And I think Pardon said how Sanjay goes we go. I didn't think I would see another guy like him, but Gaines is very similar.

When Sanjay hit a 3 in a game, you could chalk it up as a win

 

[NJCat]

When Sanjay hit a 3 in a game, you could chalk it up as a win

Sanjay was Mr. Consistency. In his 4 full seasons, he made 13, 13, 13 and 15 3's. In his Senior season, the Cats were 12-2 in games he made a 3. So you were right about the correlation between a Sanjay 3 and a W!

 

[Deeringfish]

Well the debate is more fun when all the data are not in. The BiG Ten is brutal this year and if we get a couple breaks and stay healthy we may well get those resume wins. But it is a long shot to surpass the achievements of 16-17. That said I think that team may not have made the tourney playing this year’s big ten.

Let's hope we are still having the debate going into theist game of then season.

 

[torque-cat]

Let's hope we are still having the debate going into theist game of then season.

Yes let’s hope. We could use a break to go our way (a la Hail Mary to Pardon vs UM).

 

[Palindrome_rivals517509]

I propose a two-game format with a wrinkle. In the first match the ’16-'17 team, with its “it”, would win.

But then do a switch by putting BMac on this year’s team and let ’16-'17 select one of our current ersatz point guards (not Law) in return. Let BMac work out with this year’s team for a week and play again. I put my dollar on the team with BMac in both games.

IMO, the current roster, plus BMac, would be something like 15-5 or 16-4. In both hoops and football, a gifted quarterback running the offense makes a world of difference. In BMac’s case, maybe 10+ points a game, not just from his scoring but also from making his teammates better and by minimizing turnovers and offensive breakdowns due to being out of sync.