These next four games have to be about getting Rupert, Wonders, Hornecker, & maybe Ebube (if he's back for SEMO) some valuable minutes before conference play resumes. I love watching Marcus Domask but if you sat him for one or two of these games just to give him a rest, I wouldn't even be mad.
Alcorn State might be a tougher test than a usual #279 KenPom team though. We saw them last year in a game SIU should have lost at home. The Braves have wins over #87 Wichita State and #180 Stephen F. Austin and don't really have an awful loss on their resume.
Meet the Braves:
Alcorn State uses their bench a lot, they're 7th in the country in bench minutes (42.7%). They're one of the shortest teams in college basketball though, 356th in average height (75.3"). Alcorn State was picked 2nd in the SWAC in the preseason media poll behind Texas Southern. The Braves represented the SWAC in the in the NIT last year after winning the regular season championship but lost to Texas A&M.
What the Braves do well:
On the offensive end, the Braves are 59th in the country in offensive rebounding % (33.6%).
On the defensive end, Alcorn State is 64th in the country in 3 point % against (29.9%) and 53rd in the country in steal % (11.8%).
What the Braves don't do well:
Alcorn State has been one of the worst shooting teams in the country. The Braves are 354th in the country in effective shooting % (41.3%), 334th in the country in 3 point % (28.0%), and 353rd in the country in 2 point % (40.9%). The Braves have also been very careless with the ball as they're 300th in the country in turnover % on the offensive end (21.4%).
On the defensive end, the Braves haven't rebounded well. The Braves are 325th in the country in offensive rebounding % against (34.7%). Alcorn State is also 350th in the country in free throw attempts per field goal attempts on the defensive end (46.6%) so teams are easily getting to the free throw line against them.
The Braves seem to be battling some injuries. They were missing 3 key regulars in their game against Tennessee and I doubt we get word who is going to play until the players are warming up. One of those players that missed the Tennessee game was their leading scorer 5'11 Junior Byron Joshua. Joshua is averaging 11.6 points per game this season on 37.8% shooting. He's 186th in the country in free throw rate (50.0%), 393rd in the country in assist rate (21.1%), and 268th in the country in steal % (3.2%).
Another player that missed their last game against Tennessee is their leading rebounder 6'6 Junior Jeremiah Kendall averaging 5.8 rebounds per game. Kendall is a transfer from Prairie View A&M and has been a key contributor for the Braves this season. Kendall is 9th in the country in offensive rebounding %.
Alcorn State's leader in possessions and shots is 6'4 Junior Dominic Brewton. Brewton is currently 79th in the country in % of shots taken when on the floor (31.1%) and 94th in the country in possessions gone through him while on the floor (28.6%). Brewton is averaging 11.4 points per game on 36.1% shooting and if Joshua and Kendall are both out, expect to see him being the focal point of their offense. Brewton is 457th in the country in assist rate (20.0%).
Links:
Foster Wonder Radio Interview with Mike Reis
Alcorn State Head Coach Landon Bussie Radio Interview with Rodney Watson
If there aren’t some significant rotation changes during this very, very weak homestand, particularly giving the younger guys more opportunities, there won’t be much point to these games.
Inserting Rupert in the starting lineup would be a sensible starting point.
I don't really care who starts, but at some point early in the first half I would like to see the following line up on the floor;
D'Amico - 1 - Point
Wonders - 2 - SG
Domask - 3 - Wing
Rupert - 4 - Small Forward
Hornecker - 5 - Center
Player positions should be as follows:
Johnson, Banks, and D'Amico at the 1
Jones, Wonders, Newton, and Brown at the 2
Domask, D'Amico, and Ferguson at the 3
Rupert, Domask, D'Amico, Muila, Hornecker at the 4
Hornecker, Rupert and Ebube, when and if he is back this year, at the 5
By using these rotations the Dawgs will have:
3 point guards
4 shooting guards
3 wings
5 small forwards
3 centers
No reason to not have fresh legs and a good defense and offense balance.
Ok, Time to reset, I'm disappointed for sure but I'm going to stay positive. Mullins is doing what he thinks is right for whatever reason, I'm hoping for cade, Rupert, wonders playing big minutes, hopefully he sees what we all see and changes it up, I'm just not sure he is willing to admit he is wrong. He definitely would have egg on his face if he changed rotations and started winning and all of fans will be geniuses!, lol It's time to turn the corner already
If he starts the same line-up, I'm staying home.
I don't really care who starts, but at some point early in the first half I would like to see the following line up on the floor;
D'Amico - 1 - Point
Wonders - 2 - SG
Domask - 3 - Wing
Rupert - 4 - Small Forward
Hornecker - 5 - Center
Player positions should be as follows:
Johnson, Banks, and D'Amico at the 1
Jones, Wonders, Newton, and Brown at the 2
Domask, D'Amico, and Ferguson at the 3
Rupert, Domask, D'Amico, Muila, Hornecker at the 4
Hornecker, Rupert and Ebube, when and if he is back this year, at the 5
By using these rotations the Dawgs will have:
3 point guards
4 shooting guards
3 wings
5 small forwards
3 centers
No reason to not have fresh legs and a good defense and offense balance.
I prefer Cade or Ebube at point, Clarence or JD at shooting guard, Newton and Cross at forward, and Brown at center. Domask and Jones can sub at center. D'Amico can sub at point.
I went to the Indiana State game. And while I was perplexed and puzzled as to why Rupert was not left in the game in second half, the game was lost in the first half by the total lack of energy from our players. There is no way we should have been down by double digits at the half, and if Foster Wonders is any barometer, the players recognize that.
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James Madison
I don't really care who starts, but at some point early in the first half I would like to see the following line up on the floor;
D'Amico - 1 - Point
Wonders - 2 - SG
Domask - 3 - Wing
Rupert - 4 - Small Forward
Hornecker - 5 - Center
Player positions should be as follows:
Johnson, Banks, and D'Amico at the 1
Jones, Wonders, Newton, and Brown at the 2
Domask, D'Amico, and Ferguson at the 3
Rupert, Domask, D'Amico, Muila, Hornecker at the 4
Hornecker, Rupert and Ebube, when and if he is back this year, at the 5
By using these rotations the Dawgs will have:
3 point guards
4 shooting guards
3 wings
5 small forwards
3 centers
No reason to not have fresh legs and a good defense and offense balance.
I prefer Cade or Ebube at point, Clarence or JD at shooting guard, Newton and Cross at forward, and Brown at center. Domask and Jones can sub at center. D'Amico can sub at point.
🤣 🤣 🤣
I went to the Indiana State game. And while I was perplexed and puzzled as to why Rupert was not left in the game in second half, the game was lost in the first half by the total lack of energy from our players. There is no way we should have been down by double digits at the half, and if Foster Wonders is any barometer, the players recognize that.
Getting pulverized for nearly 50 points in the paint certainly didn't help.
--Insert something witty here--
I know many were very unhappy with the schedule, but these next few games are a blessing and exactly what this team needed. A chance to further heal. A chance to get Wonders, Cade, Rupert, etc MORE playing time. A chance to get everyone more comfortable and used to playing with each other in game situations. And finally a chance to build some momentum after a very rough stretch of games.
I will protest if Mullins starts the same lineup. There is NO reason that Rupert is not getting significant playing time. Rupert didn't transfer from an elite eight team to the middle of nowhere to ride the bench and watch D'Amico prance around.
I know many were very unhappy with the schedule, but these next few games are a blessing and exactly what this team needed. A chance to further heal. A chance to get Wonders, Cade, Rupert, etc MORE playing time. A chance to get everyone more comfortable and used to playing with each other in game situations. And finally a chance to build some momentum after a very rough stretch of games.
Reluctantly, I see some merit in this post. But it is a failure that a senior-led team picked 3rd in the league needs a NET-killing stretch of Alcorn State-Lincoln-Chicago State-SEMO to (hopefully) get well.
Bryan Mullins pregame:
I know many were very unhappy with the schedule, but these next few games are a blessing and exactly what this team needed. A chance to further heal. A chance to get Wonders, Cade, Rupert, etc MORE playing time. A chance to get everyone more comfortable and used to playing with each other in game situations. And finally a chance to build some momentum after a very rough stretch of games.
I have to agree this is SUPPOSE to be Bryan's best team. The next 4 games is where he needs to step up those rotations, we aren't getting into post season without 3 wins in March in St Louis. NOW is the time to work on those. We can't expect Domask to play over 35 minutes a game all year and lead to us to the promised land without a little bit of help. The current rotations aren't working. Go Dawgs
