After the Cooper commit: Constructing the roster.

If we fill the roster out with Strong and Stewart, I think it will look something like this at the start of the year

Cooper 25-28 minutes a game
Stewart 18-22 minutes a game
Battle 32-36 minutes a game
Garcia 32-36 minutes a game
Fox 22-28 Minutes (15-20 as "the five" slides to the four when Garcia is out)
Six Man Strong 20-25 minutes (all the back up PG minutes, 8-12 minutes at the SG spot as well)
Seventh Man Payne 20-25 minutes strictly as a five
Eighth Man Carrington 5-10 minutes a game
9th Man Ihnen/Hensley/JOJ 4-8 Minutes, will see one of them come in to Spell Battle
10th Man Thompson If Payne and Fox get into foul trouble will see him, hopefully we work him in the non con for a rotation in the first half

Could see Payne taking the five spot by the end of the year, I could even see Carrington starting, or if they get Strong and Stewart goes elsewhere, I could see them not forcing the issue and Starting Strong and increasing his minutes along with Carrington's bench role. Should be a good Battle for that 9th spot on the roster, suppose it would depend on the match up, could see Ihnen taking Garcia back up minutes as well as I am not sure he's quick enough to guard the perimeter, I have more confidence in Hensley in that regard.

After thinking about it the last 24 hours I think we will only sign one more significant piece. I know they have spent a lot of time on Winter and I assume the same with Chatman as well. I believe those are the two big targets in the 2023 class and the kid from Holy Family I think will go to Wisconsin.
 

After thinking about it the last 24 hours I think we will only sign one more significant piece. I know they have spent a lot of time on Winter and I assume the same with Chatman as well. I believe those are the two big targets in the 2023 class and the kid from Holy Family I think will go to Wisconsin.
I think it is likely that we would only take one more potential multi year piece but if there was a grad transfer option that doesn't hurt your ability to recruit guys for next year.
 

I think it is likely that we would only take one more potential multi year piece but if there was a grad transfer option that doesn't hurt your ability to recruit guys for next year.
I don't think coaches are as concerned with finding a way to open scholarships. The transfer portal (IMO) kind of works both ways now. I don't know who it will be, but we will likely two 4/5s completely buried on the depth chart next year. It wouldn't be surprising, at all, to see one or two of them leave. If we sign two more multi-year grad transfers, we will likely have another player or two buried (and potentially looking).

I think almost every team will find a way to bring in at least 3 players every year.
 

If we fill the roster out with Strong and Stewart, I think it will look something like this at the start of the year

Cooper 25-28 minutes a game
Stewart 18-22 minutes a game
Battle 32-36 minutes a game
Garcia 32-36 minutes a game
Fox 22-28 Minutes (15-20 as "the five" slides to the four when Garcia is out)
Six Man Strong 20-25 minutes (all the back up PG minutes, 8-12 minutes at the SG spot as well)
Seventh Man Payne 20-25 minutes strictly as a five
Eighth Man Carrington 5-10 minutes a game
9th Man Ihnen/Hensley/JOJ 4-8 Minutes, will see one of them come in to Spell Battle
10th Man Thompson If Payne and Fox get into foul trouble will see him, hopefully we work him in the non con for a rotation in the first half

Could see Payne taking the five spot by the end of the year, I could even see Carrington starting, or if they get Strong and Stewart goes elsewhere, I could see them not forcing the issue and Starting Strong and increasing his minutes along with Carrington's bench role. Should be a good Battle for that 9th spot on the roster, suppose it would depend on the match up, could see Ihnen taking Garcia back up minutes as well as I am not sure he's quick enough to guard the perimeter, I have more confidence in Hensley in that regard.
You're crazy if you think Ihnen is only going to play 4-8 minutes a game
 

You're crazy if you think Ihnen is only going to play 4-8 minutes a game
Would have to agree with you. Reports last summer said that Ihnen had gotten much, much better before he got hurt. I think he absolutely will compete for a starting position if his rehab went well and the reports last summer were accurate.

Regardless, saying Ihnen will play 4 minutes a game is downright disrespectful. He's going to be in his 4th year and is a guy CBJ prioritized in keeping here with the program (when everyone else transferred out).
 


Would have to agree with you. Reports last summer said that Ihnen had gotten much, much better before he got hurt. I think he absolutely will compete for a starting position if his rehab went well and the reports last summer were accurate.

Regardless, saying Ihnen will play 4 minutes a game is downright disrespectful. He's going to be in his 4th year and is a guy CBJ prioritized in keeping here with the program (when everyone else transferred out).
How do you know he was prioritized?
 

Would have to agree with you. Reports last summer said that Ihnen had gotten much, much better before he got hurt. I think he absolutely will compete for a starting position if his rehab went well and the reports last summer were accurate.

Regardless, saying Ihnen will play 4 minutes a game is downright disrespectful. He's going to be in his 4th year and is a guy CBJ prioritized in keeping here with the program (when everyone else transferred out).
I agree. While this roster is much different than last year's, I believe Ihnen would have played 25 minutes a game last year had he not been injured and we would have won a few more games. I think a lot of those minutes would have been at the 4 and 5 spots in the lineup.
 

You're crazy if you think Ihnen is only going to play 4-8 minutes a game
Not if we see sophomore year Ihnen, but I would agree if we see 2nd half of Freshman year Ihnen.
 





After thinking about it the last 24 hours I think we will only sign one more significant piece. I know they have spent a lot of time on Winter and I assume the same with Chatman as well. I believe those are the two big targets in the 2023 class and the kid from Holy Family I think will go to Wisconsin.
I think Spaulding would tend to agree with you about Kapke, definitely not Marquette material 🤣
 

You're crazy if you think Ihnen is only going to play 4-8 minutes a game
Lol he just tore his ACL in a year that he badly needed to establish himself, he has shown to be too slow to guard wings on the perimeter, he has a slow high arching shot from deep. I think he can battle on the inside, but quite frankly Fox, Payne and Garcia are all better than him. I don't see a path right now where he gets more than eight minutes a game
 

Would have to agree with you. Reports last summer said that Ihnen had gotten much, much better before he got hurt. I think he absolutely will compete for a starting position if his rehab went well and the reports last summer were accurate.

Regardless, saying Ihnen will play 4 minutes a game is downright disrespectful. He's going to be in his 4th year and is a guy CBJ prioritized in keeping here with the program (when everyone else transferred out).
Fox, Garcia, Payne, whose he going to take minutes from? As far as positive reports go, do you really think the coach is going to say oh he fucking sucks I hope he transfers or tears ACL? I bet if I really wanted to look I could find positive reports on the likes of Jelly Fam, Konate, Gaston, Kevin Dorsey, Mav etc
 



I don't think coaches are as concerned with finding a way to open scholarships. The transfer portal (IMO) kind of works both ways now. I don't know who it will be, but we will likely two 4/5s completely buried on the depth chart next year. It wouldn't be surprising, at all, to see one or two of them leave. If we sign two more multi-year grad transfers, we will likely have another player or two buried (and potentially looking).

I think almost every team will find a way to bring in at least 3 players every year.
You're crazy if you think Ihnen is only going to play 4-8 minutes a game
We could only dream of having so much talent that Ihnen would be relegated to 9th man playing four minutes. The reality is he will play 20 minutes or more as sometimes starter and otherwise speller of three big men starters from the bench.

Don't know if coach will play 10 men once we get into conference. More likely he will rotate eight for most of the minutes. The beauty of having real depth is that it will not always be the same eight. Injury, sick, foul trouble, match ups, and cold hand / hot hand calculations will move a different guy or two up to the rotation some nights.
 

Would have to agree with you. Reports last summer said that Ihnen had gotten much, much better before he got hurt. I think he absolutely will compete for a starting position if his rehab went well and the reports last summer were accurate.

Regardless, saying Ihnen will play 4 minutes a game is downright disrespectful. He's going to be in his 4th year and is a guy CBJ prioritized in keeping here with the program (when everyone else transferred out).
Not really disrespectful, just flat wrong. And let's hope Ihnen is too busy working on post footwork, along with puring his stroke with 300 threes a day, to be reading GH.
 

''Fox, Garcia, Payne, whose he going to take minutes from? As far as positive reports go, do you really think the coach is going to say oh he fucking sucks I hope he transfers or tears ACL? I bet if I really wanted to look I could find positive reports on the likes of Jelly Fam, Konate, Gaston, Kevin Dorsey, Mav etc
He's not going to take PT from anyone. He's going to be in a regular rotation of bigs to keep five guys fresh and strong 40 minutes. He will start some and come off the bench some. Either way he averages 20-plus a night.

The only way your take has legs would be if his recovery has not been good or if he hurts his knee again playing, as in the six year journey through land mines and sniper fire of Eric Curry.
 

He's not going to take PT from anyone. He's going to be in a regular rotation of bigs to keep five guys fresh and strong 40 minutes. He will start some and come off the bench some. Either way he averages 20-plus a night.

The only way your take has legs would be if his recovery has not been good or if he hurts his knee again playing, as in the six year journey through land mines and sniper fire of Eric Curry.
There are only 80 minutes per night spread across the 4/5.

It's a bad sign, IMO, if all of these guys are getting 20+, it will mean we are playing significant minutes with one of them at the 3. I don't think any of them should be playing the 3. I actually think Battle should be getting some of his time at the 4 as well.

I'm not saying it'll be Ihnen who plays less, but I think he is firmly battling against Fox and Payne for PT.
 

He's not going to take PT from anyone. He's going to be in a regular rotation of bigs to keep five guys fresh and strong 40 minutes. He will start some and come off the bench some. Either way he averages 20-plus a night.

The only way your take has legs would be if his recovery has not been good or if he hurts his knee again playing, as in the six year journey through land mines and sniper fire of Eric Curry.
Yep. If I had to guess based on the roster right now, I'd see Garcia and Battle getting about 30 a game. Ihnen and Fox about 20-25. Then Payne and Thompson picking up the rest of the minutes.
 

There are only 80 minutes per night spread across the 4/5.

It's a bad sign, IMO, if all of these guys are getting 20+, it will mean we are playing significant minutes with one of them at the 3. I don't think any of them should be playing the 3. I actually think Battle should be getting some of his time at the 4 as well.

I'm not saying it'll be Ihnen who plays less, but I think he is firmly battling against Fox and Payne for PT.
With what we have for ball handlers, I think Battle is a 3 all year long. Ihnen is not a good 3 man but he will spell Battle there some, IMO. Ihnen could be anywhere from 15-25 minutes depending on how his recovery went and how hard he has worked on his game.
 

There are only 80 minutes per night spread across the 4/5.

It's a bad sign, IMO, if all of these guys are getting 20+, it will mean we are playing significant minutes with one of them at the 3. I don't think any of them should be playing the 3. I actually think Battle should be getting some of his time at the 4 as well.

I'm not saying it'll be Ihnen who plays less, but I think he is firmly battling against Fox and Payne for PT.
Unless facing a team that plays small a lot, I see Battle at the 3 most of the time.
 

Defense is mostly effort. One thing that depth brings is the ability to demand effort for playing time. Last year's team played better defense than I ever saw in the Pitino era. I would imagine Johnson is not going to give playing time to anyone who doesn't play solid defense. We have so much more depth this year too that we can do things we couldn't do last year. We won't have the fear of having a starter foul out or get injured. Depth brings so much to a team....and compared to last years team....having 9-10 players who are capable of giving some number of solid minutes on a big 10 team is going to be awesome
I agree with this, and also agree with the previous post about having some guys who can stay in front of quick point guards. It would be useful for one of the next transfers to have those skills, but if not they'll have to play great help defense-not impossible. I think one guy who will get more minutes than most people are thinking is Payne. He will give great effort, and he's the only guy right now (Fox could be in the discussion) who can be really physical in the post. He'll surprise!
 

I see Ihnen as someone who has to own his role and be good at it to be a key factor on this year's team. (i.e. hit open threes, defend and rim protect at a high level, and bring some quiet nastiness to the court). Think of him needing to provide Jaden McDaniels-like value to really help this team out.
 

Assuming that Battle and Garcia start at the 3 & 4, I see them playing 30-34 mpg. Can Ihnen fill both sub spots? If so, that could give him 15-20mpg. That is assuming he has developed the skills to effectively play both spots. Many teams run the majority of their starters 30+ mpg then use 1, maybe 2 subs, to fill in the 15-20mpg depending on depth.

The same can be said for the 5 spot assuming Fox and Payne job share.

Who knows how and who will share the PG and SG spots. I hope we have three guys capable of doing that.

So that means we would be using an 8-9 player rotation for the most part and the rest hope they get a chance to work up a sweat.
 

There are only 80 minutes per night spread across the 4/5.

It's a bad sign, IMO, if all of these guys are getting 20+, it will mean we are playing significant minutes with one of them at the 3. I don't think any of them should be playing the 3. I actually think Battle should be getting some of his time at the 4 as well.

I'm not saying it'll be Ihnen who plays less, but I think he is firmly battling against Fox and Payne for PT.
Of that group only Battle and Dawson will get 30 plus.
 

Assuming that Battle and Garcia start at the 3 & 4, I see them playing 30-34 mpg. Can Ihnen fill both sub spots? If so, that could give him 15-20mpg. That is assuming he has developed the skills to effectively play both spots. Many teams run the majority of their starters 30+ mpg then use 1, maybe 2 subs, to fill in the 15-20mpg depending on depth.

The same can be said for the 5 spot assuming Fox and Payne job share.

Who knows how and who will share the PG and SG spots. I hope we have three guys capable of doing that.

So that means we would be using an 8-9 player rotation for the most part and the rest hope they get a chance to work up a sweat.
I'm hoping that's not the case. I think playing Ihnen at the 3 would be an absolute disaster. He doesn't have the handles of a wing and he would destroy spacing.

I'm not saying it won't happen, but if Ihnen gets regular minutes at the 3, I think it's a really bad sign of our ability to construct a roster.
 

Of that group only Battle and Dawson will get 30 plus.
I agree with you, but then where do 20 minutes come for Ihnen?

If Battle gets zero minutes at the 4 (which would be a big mistake IMO), then there would be a total of 50 minutes left at the 4 and 5 spot. I don't see a way to spread out those remaining minutes between Ihnen, Fox and Payne in a way where they all get 20 minutes.
 

Okay folks it always seems like we have this problem where we feel like we have 10 guys who will see 20+ minutes in the spring...and it never happens.

And yes I know that depth is a fluid thing, sometimes guys get hurt/sick or in foul trouble or get benched for performance or suspended or leave the program etc.

But it's fun to think about our "ideal" lineup and minutes allocation.

Avoiding the discussion of positionless basketball I put together a couple Google Sheets called the Rosterbater Tool. There are two tabs, the second one allows you to go by traditional positions 1-5. If you want to mess around and see how minutes could be allocated in a theoretical game, it's a fun way to force yourself to make the numbers "true up".

I had a difficult time finding minutes for Ihnen/Thompson, as well as Carrington/Henley/Ola-Joseph if we bring in two more impact transfers.

These aren't necessarily my projections, just a baseline guess.

 

My stab at minutes: I am still assuming a wing and combo guard addition.

Post Fox 22. Payne 18
Stretch 4. Garcia 28. Thompson 6. Ihnen 6
Wing/ Combo Forward. Battle 30. ihnen 10
Wing/shooting guard. Stewart/ Walton type 25. Combo guard or Carrington or Henley 15
PG Cooper 25. Combo guard or Carrington 15
 

Are we certain Fox will be ready to go full speed ahead after his injury?
 

Lol he just tore his ACL in a year that he badly needed to establish himself, he has shown to be too slow to guard wings on the perimeter, he has a slow high arching shot from deep. I think he can battle on the inside, but quite frankly Fox, Payne and Garcia are all better than him. I don't see a path right now where he gets more than eight minutes a game
How do you know Payne is better than him?

I think Ihnen and Fox come close to splitting minutes and then Payne will have to battle Treyton for the backup 5 minutes which will be less than 10.

Even though he wasn’t shooting great, Ihnen has always been very very effective at getting offensive rebounds, blocks and deflections with his length at the least.
 




Top Bottom