Use our depth for next 2 games

uk78_rivals88018

All-American
Feb 6, 2003
12,401
8,783
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I know it is hard to argue with the success. But, the rotations have shortened although Cal still has been able to use most of the team. I could point out that our defense against N. Dame may have equally been effective at the end because they (ND) were tired. Towns was on the bench a lot in the game and the first half. Other Kentucky players saw some action and there were times when they all got to sit.

When I look at the other 3 teams left, only Duke can demonstrate a number of all-americans but not all of them have gotten major minutes. Wisconsin may have a better starting 5. They have experience that Towns and several of our other players don't have. What they don't have is depth. I hope Cal continues to substitute and give most of the players minutes. It has won us several games this year and I will keep my fingers crossed that it remains so. I have liked since day one that a particular player may not be on his A game but there is so much talent that someone else steps up because everyone is playing. It relieves the pressure and makes for the opponent a super challenge in knowing whom to key on.

The depth and use of it can prove again to be the difference.
 

BigBlueFanGA

Heisman
Jun 14, 2005
26,435
23,456
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Yes, I agree. Our depth has been too much for anyone to overcome. Use it. I'm sure he will.
 

mbc82584

All-Conference
Jun 11, 2006
3,321
2,204
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We will continue to use depth to our advantage in the remainder of the games, but understand the advantage of depth is mitigated in the final for and championship rounds. TV timeouts go to 3.5-4 minutes so everyone is resting all the time.

In fact, in some cases, depth can actually hurt certain players because they may have 6 minutes of game clock, preceded and followed by 4 minute TV timeouts, plus a timeout in the middle, and all of a sudden a dude has been sitting for 18-20 minutes of real time and gets cold.
 

JasonS.

All-American
Moderator
Oct 10, 2001
41,867
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I'm not sure depth matters at all in the NCAA tournament. Maybe if you're a run and gun team, but that's not us.

The NCAA tournament has been dominated by short-bench coaches in the modern era. John Calipari is one of them.
 

canebreak

All-Conference
Jan 26, 2004
4,464
1,804
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It can possibly matter. If players buy in and don't try to "save themselves". In other words they never take a second off because they know they can get a blow. That might matter. But they need to buy in for that to work. Then it also helps with fouls, but then you are presumably putting other team on the FT line.

But I'll take the option and say thank you.
 
Feb 16, 2014
15,186
485
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We're basically an 8-man rotation now. Which is still cool.

Lee will get 1-2 minutes at the start but then he'll sit for the rest. Simply can't be trusted.
 

pascat

Senior
Aug 19, 2003
14,380
652
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The argument against using depth: When you play posession teams like Wisconsin, offensive efficiency becomes crucial, and you can't risk wasting offensive possessions on players who will not get you points each time down. Case in point vs. Notre Dame when we didn't miss a single shot in the last 10 minutes of the game and still only won by two.

The argument for using depth: When a team like Wisconsin only has 2-3 legit scoring weapons, you throw numbers at them in order to take them out of their games and to prevent our best post players from racking up fouls.

Bottom line: vs. Wisconsin, I think Calipari will use a very similar strategy that he employed vs. Notre Dame, with the exception of featuring WCS and Aaron Harrison in the offense more.

Versus Duke, I really see depth being an issue, especially as Duke will likely not play a grind-it-out style against us and will attempt an up and down game. This is one year Duke actually has the depth to last in the tourney.
 

IYAOYAS1

All-Conference
Dec 15, 2006
31,798
4,445
78
Lee saved our asses in a couple of games last year. Give the man some minutes!!!
 
Jul 9, 2004
93,075
38,060
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A week off. 5 time outs. 8 television time outs. 2-3 trips to the monitor. I think depth will be irrelevant this weekend.
 
KSR

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