It’s one thing to say he wasn’t ready for KSU. That I agree with. It’s another thing to get absolutely housed by OSU in the paint and then not play Grant against SHU or Princeton. We had major problems in the paint and Pike waited til what, game 15 to give Grant a real chance. Martini was gettin destroyed inside and we kept trotting out the same rotation
Dylan Grant about to get PAID
- Thread starter BillyC80
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Could be many reasons why he didn't play. Likely mental stuff like not understanding defensive or offensive plays. It's not far fetched. Credit to the kid for running with his opportunity.
I try to be fair with this stuff, because Grant is a freshman, but we were really really bad in the paint. I find it very hard to believe he could not make an impact on defense against Princeton. Especially when you realize the game winning basket was Pierce scoring on Derkack. Either way, what we started at the 4 and 5 to start this season is completely unacceptable.
The way Pike talked about it when he first cracked the lineup it kind of sounded like he just wasn’t practicing very hard.
Post game after his first good game here Pike specifically said something about him having 3 straight really good practices and hopefully after having success he doesn’t let that impact practices or something.
He wasnt ready to play vs st peters, monmouth and merrimack? Not buying it
Where I think Pike deserves some criticism is that after giving Grant 3 minutes at home against Wagner in the opener, in which he had 2 rebounds and 2 missed treys, he never played him at home again until game #15 against Wisconsin.
After Wagner he got 6 straight DNPs and then suddenly gets 14 minutes against TAMU in Vegas, 3 more minutes at OSU, and doesn’t play at all in the next 4 games — 3 of which were at home and 1 neutral site vs Princeton.
If you’re trying to help a freshman “get ready,” you give him minutes AT HOME, especially against lesser opponents and before the heart of conference play begins.
After Wagner he got 6 straight DNPs and then suddenly gets 14 minutes against TAMU in Vegas, 3 more minutes at OSU, and doesn’t play at all in the next 4 games — 3 of which were at home and 1 neutral site vs Princeton.
If you’re trying to help a freshman “get ready,” you give him minutes AT HOME, especially against lesser opponents and before the heart of conference play begins.
Absolutely effin criminal. I can’t take the stupidity by Pike
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This is extremely dumb. He's better than all the alternatives. That's all that matters and it is the reason he should have been playing. Pike didn't make him good during the last month in practice while he sat on the bench during games while Martini and Acuff et all ****-up the court.
I wouldn't expect you to understand it. College athletics is very much mental as anything else.
How come every other school can play freshman in bball?
Lets just look at the top 5 schools in standings and frosh playing from day 1
Purdue: CJ Cox, Gicarri Harris played between 15-20 mins a night from day 1. Another frosh played about 8-10 mins a night from day 1
Michigan State: only one true frosh and he averages around 22 mins a night
Wisconsin: one frosh who plays 10 mins a night
Michigan: two frosh who play about 8 mins a night
Ucla: no frosh
So again, it is the norm for frosh to play from day 1 in bball. It is the exception that they dont. This isnt football
It’s crazy. I’m not even asking for day one or for him to have an impact on offense. But he 1000% could have played against Princeton, though
While I doubt this board has little to do with what happens out in the real world.. I didn't think we need to add to the NIL issue by making suggestions about players leaving. Next thing you know NJ.com and the S-L write stories that fans are even saying these players should leave. And then players leaving with tweet.. "even the fans told me I should leave. respect my decision"
Just stop putting it out there. react after it happens if it happens.
And, yeah, I am acting like board police on this sone but I know it is entirely up to you. you are free to say anything you want.
Just stop putting it out there. react after it happens if it happens.
And, yeah, I am acting like board police on this sone but I know it is entirely up to you. you are free to say anything you want.
Bro I am not arguing, if you cannot grasp this I really have nothing left to discuss.
How many of those frosh didn't play high school ball last year? Grant didnt.
Im not arguing, I’m just providing you with facts. It is the norm, not the exception that freshman play from day 1 in basketball. Especially vs powder puffs
There’s no amount of practice that will exactly replicate actual games. The way to bring along freshman so they’ll be ready, confident and able to contribute when it counts is to play them early in the season. If Grant had seen more minutes vs Wagner, St Peters, Monmouth and Merrimack he probably breaks out earlier. Our defense would’ve been better as well. Pike went with the portal transfers too long before realizing he needed what Grant brings to the table.
Some people refuse to accept that Grant did NOT play at all his Senior year in HS & that had a major impact on his ability to play early in his Freshman year in College.
Depends on their goals.
How many other programs would put a back to the basket, post center as a key offensive piece?
I would imagine most other programs wouldn't ask as much of Lathan offensively.
Just guessing though.
Perhaps Grant should have been playing early. On the other hand, it could be an example of Pike and the staff handling a kid correctly. Rather than rushing a kid on to the floor, he was given time to acclimate to college life and ball, which has allowed him to be successful when it was his time to play big minutes. Either way, he's a really nice piece moving forward and it would hurt to lose him.
You don't GIVE kids playing time, you make them earn it in practice. At least good coaches do.
Are you suggesting that Grant was so bad in practice that he earned 0 (zero) minutes in the 5 games (PSU, SHU, Princeton, Columbia, Indiana) leading up to Wisconsin, where he suddenly “earned” 16 minutes, and subsequently has averaged 20 minutes (even before EO got hurt)?
Was he was dogging it so much in practice that he did not deserve 5-7 minutes per game leading up to that Wisconsin game, and then 2 good practices skyrocketed him to 20 minutes per game?
C’mon. I find that hard to believe.
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We are starting 4 freshman and people are acting like Pike makes them ride the pine until their 4th year. I love how we credit Pike for the development of someone like JMike, but don't believe that practices have anything to do with said development.
Practices absolutely have a lot to do with development, and absolutely players have to earn playing time in games, which is also part of their development.
It defies logic that Grant went from 0 to 20 practically overnight. Surely he must’ve earned 5-7 minutes of PT earlier, but Pike chose not to play him.
As a fan, I love Pike, but we all know he’s not infallible.
Still wonder what would have happened if Acuff, Bailey, and JWill had been healthy at the start of the season. I'm guessing Pike wanted to bring in Grant earlier but hard to make that decision when you are barely beating St. Peter's and Merrimack and losing to KSU. Or maybe they wanted to bring him in for SHU only to see that almost becoming a season ending loss. Then by the time you get to Princeton, that is a win you really need and can you blame Pike for thinking Martini is the one to go with that would finally give you something playing against his old team.
Pike had to make some tough choices due to injuries and the schedule. Finally making the call when it was kind of "break glass" time and you have to say F it and roll the dice.
Pike had to make some tough choices due to injuries and the schedule. Finally making the call when it was kind of "break glass" time and you have to say F it and roll the dice.
Lol you always state your opinion in any debate as a fact FWIW. That doesn't make it a fact.
No no all college freshman should be playing from Game 1. Even if they're out of position, even if they don't grasp switching, zoning, boxing out, don't have plays down in November, they should play anyway and just be a liability.
What are you talking about lol?
We’re giving our freshman wayyy more minutes than all of those teams you listed. And it’s not even close.
Also Pikiell hasn’t really ever been shy to play freshman in past seasons.
He clearly had reasons on why Grant wasn’t ready to play (maybe bc he didn’t play last year…). My guess, knowing Pikiell is that he couldn’t pick up the defense side of things.
You can say he was probably too loyal to the guys he brought in (Martini, Hayes etc) thinking they would put it together and was a bit late on giving Grant a chance.
But this notion that he doesn’t play Freshman is pretty silly.
Im talking about how Grant could have and should have been getting minutes from day 1.
How many scholly top 150 frosh are in the big ten? Of those what % would you guess didnt play opening night? I know the number but curious what you think it is.
Can you go back to all those teams you posted and list all the freshman who weren’t getting minutes?
Lol.
Imagine a game this year where Ace, Dylan and Grant all put up 20+ points!. Let's start with Iowa. A lesson Pike hasn't learned this year is when a player gets this flu, you don't let them attempt to play, go to women's games, fly on airplanes etc. You put them under medical supervision which also includes rest. We have prolonged the illness in some cases by having them fly with the team and not supervising some strict medical protocols. The flu probably costs us a few wins. Ace should have been in bed yesterday rather than attempting to play and then sitting on the bench. I would also be interested in whether we isolate the sick person to prevent them from passing it on. Not resting Ace yesterday may make him not available for Iowa or him being substandard for IOWA.
In terms of next year and NIL, the new court driven revenue sharing plan will help a lot. RU Basketball Men’s should have $1.5-2M to go around, which should be the same as other teams. And NIL should be much different, more equal and less/little pay to play
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