X
- Thread starter GORU2014
- Start date
Just announce already Caleb!
Interestingly it doesn't seem like we have been linked to any 4's in the portal with Lofton being the last target
Interestingly it doesn't seem like we have been linked to any 4's in the portal with Lofton being the last target
Don’t hold your breathe.
The deadline isn’t until June 1st.
I wouldn’t be shocked if we don’t officially hear until that afternoon.
Last year RHJ and Geo waited until the last possible minute to announce they were returning.
Pike most likely already knows Caleb is coming back and is recruiting with that in mind. It’s in Caleb’s best interest to stay in the process and continue to workout and get feedback.
He’ll mostly play 3 but gives us more line up flexibility in the front court. Having Caleb at 3 with either Hyatt or Mag at 4 works fine both up front and in the back court.
If you take Caleb out of that 3 slot - we run into some other problems. Mag and Hyatt can’t handle the ball - so it’s going to be hard to have them in the game together with Cliff and Spencer (whose strength supposedly isn’t ball handling). Would put a ton of pressure on Paul not having Caleb for help. On the other hand, putting in another ball handler (Miller, Simpson) instead of either Hyatt or Mag would really hurt our interior rebounding. Caleb seems like a very important piece for this team.
If i were to make a wild guess...wild guess
Paul Spencer McConnell Mag Cliff is our lineup most likely to finish games.
I am really worried about our offense. 1st year in I don't know how many years I am more concerned about O than D.
Paul Spencer McConnell Mag Cliff is our lineup most likely to finish games.
I am really worried about our offense. 1st year in I don't know how many years I am more concerned about O than D.
The game is changing.
I think he’ll likely play the 3 most of the time, but putting Caleb at the 4 provides spacing. The game is all about spacing.
Going back to Jerry's tweet, I didn't read it as implying that Caleb would be playing the 4 necessarily. I think the "Rutgers needs help at the 4 comment" may have been responding to the other tweet's last thought that "it sounds like KC is the guy Rutgers needs," although I don't know who KC is. Is he a 4?
Solid concern especially without a proven late game go-to finisher option.
Wouldn't mind another perimeter that can score. I understand that if Caleb is back that would stunt the growth of guys in the program...
my 160 minute envelope has
Simpson 20
Paul 32
Spencer 25
Miller 11
Caleb 32
Mag 20
Hyatt 20
So any new player takes minutes from someone. I have my ideas who they might be though
Would be a nice job by pike to get him back
We couldn’t score for years. Wouldn’t it be the opposite?
The problem with Caleb at the 4 is we need him to be guarding smaller perimeter players to help with Spencer and Paul.
Paul maybe can guard the 4 but it might get him in foul trouble or banged up. He also would probably be better off working on quickness and explosiveness vs adding muscle
With Caleb back I think we see Mag at the 4 with Hyatt sharing minutes... Oskar would be a dark horse candidate to get some minutes there
My big issue is Mag, Caleb and Paul on the floor together is a bad perimeter shooting bunch.....this isn't 2004.
Spencer can shoot. Paul can shoot too. When Caleb takes “his shots”he’s better than the stats indicate. I agree - Mag doesnt seem to be a shooter.
Level 1. If you give an ounce of day light they’ll drain it in your face
Level 2. Will take a lightly contested shot
Level 3. Issa. Only take if wide open
Paul is a 2
Still better than:
Level 4. Hoist an occasional prayer, or
Level 5. If you even think about taking it, your *** won't get off the bench for a month
I like Mag's form and a bunch of his misses were dead on back rim which is a high quality type miss. His sample size shooting from the outside is very very small. I think Mag's shooting will surprising people this year
He and Reiber just have to get stronger and put in the shooting reps this summer. I don't think either will ever be Mr. Universe, but a little extra bulk and strength will help. I think both can do it.
I hope so and it’s a small sample. Mag just seemed very inconsistent to me. A couple of really solid games but didn’t look very good in several others. I do see him as the most likely returning bench player to emerge as a major contributor.
Would you prefer Hyatt Mag and Paul together? That’s potentially what we’re loooking at if we don’t get Caleb back.
And where would Hyatt be on your shooting scale?
Assuming we’re not getting another forward, no Caleb would basically mean Hyatt would play extended minutes at 4 for sure (unless Dean plays there which I doubt).
The point is we can really only play Mag at the 4 if a bruiser like Caleb is beside him at the 3. That doesn’t work with a backcourt of Paul, Spencer, Simpson/Miller at 1-3.
Paul and Caleb play well together in the backcourt. Caleb has a decent handle and is a pretty good passer. As long Caleb is back whatever Spencer (along with Simpson and Miller) bring to ball rotation is supplemental. That is, as long as Caleb is back….
Without Caleb? Yes, this would be one of many concerns. Despite not being a great offensive player, Caleb just fills so many needs on both sides of the ball that would be big question marks without him. Let’s just hope.
But if Caleb doesn't come back then we will bring in someone to replace him so it's not this roster with or without Caleb. Its with Caleb or without Caleb + TBD... likely someone better offensively and worse defensively
Everyone is discounting the offensive impact of Caleb, who finished the year strong, and the skill set Cam Spencer brings as 3rd and 4th options added to the attention that Paul and Cliff will receive to start next year with either Hyatt, Mag or Reiber as the 5th. Side note, I get the sense we will get an instant offensive impact from Derek Simpson backing up Cam, gut feeling. Cam can handle the RHJ role and Caleb can handle the Geo role with better defense. Just have to solidify the 5th spot.
Cliff scored 171 pts last 12 gm(14.3pts/gm, 68-96 2pt, 1-3 3pt), 99 FGA(8.3)
Paul scored 150 pts last 12 gm(12.5pts/gm, 45-82 2pt, 12-25 3pt), 97 FGA(8.1)
Caleb McConnell 27-42 64.3% close 2, 44-118 37.3% far 2, 16-59 27.1% 3s
Subtract that awful first 6 games he started the year with 20 pts(3.3 pts/gm on 6.2 FGAs), 8-27 2pt, 0-10 3pt
Last 26 games, 207 pts(8.0 pts/gm on 7.0 FGAs), 22-35 62.9% close 2, 41-98 41.8% far 2, 16-49 32.9% 3s
Avg 10.0 pts/gm last 6, 21-37 2pt, 4-16 3pt, 53 FGA(8.8)
*vs ND 23 pts on 10-12 FG, 8-9 2pt, 2-3 3pt*
Caleb just has to build upon how he finished the season consistently in 22-23.
Cam Spencer, 19.1 pts/gm on 14.4 FGAs, 67-106 63.2% close 2, 77-163 47.2% far 2, 144-269 53.5% 2pt, 58-162 35.8% 3s
Vs UNC, 13 pts 6-14 FG, 3-3 close 2, 3-6 far 2, 0-5 from 3
Vs Charleston, 32pts 12-21 FG, 2-3 close 2, 9-11 far 2, 1-7 from 3
Vs Fairfield, 20 pts 8-15 FG, 3-6 close 2, 3-7 far 2, 2-2 from 3
Vs SBA, 13 pts 6-11 FG, 1-2 close 2, 2-3 far 2, 3-6 from 3
Total 78 pts(19.5 pts/gm on 15.3 FGAs), 9-14 close, 17-27 far 2, 6-20 on 3
Both UNC and Charleston were in their first 3 games(2-19 10.5% from 3pt, 39.2% 3pt last 27gm) after Cam only played in 5 games, 20-21, led to the early struggles from 3pt range.
Colgate 19pts, 6pts & Navy 18pts, 9pts were the only teams to hold Cam in single digits, double digits in 28 of 30 games.
I'm really not concerned with how we will score next year Pike will figure it out who takes how many shots. Cam was an 85% FT shooter last season, Paul shot 75-80%, Caleb is a career 75% FT shooter after a down year, Cliff shot 62% FT 32-52 last 12 games. I think Cliff will shoot closer to 70% next year. The scoring has been fine every year when we lost Corey/Mike/Deshawn, EO, Yeboah, Myles/JY/Tez and it will be fine without Geo and RHJ.
Cliff scored 171 pts last 12 gm(14.3pts/gm, 68-96 2pt, 1-3 3pt), 99 FGA(8.3)
Paul scored 150 pts last 12 gm(12.5pts/gm, 45-82 2pt, 12-25 3pt), 97 FGA(8.1)
Caleb McConnell 27-42 64.3% close 2, 44-118 37.3% far 2, 16-59 27.1% 3s
Subtract that awful first 6 games he started the year with 20 pts(3.3 pts/gm on 6.2 FGAs), 8-27 2pt, 0-10 3pt
Last 26 games, 207 pts(8.0 pts/gm on 7.0 FGAs), 22-35 62.9% close 2, 41-98 41.8% far 2, 16-49 32.9% 3s
Avg 10.0 pts/gm last 6, 21-37 2pt, 4-16 3pt, 53 FGA(8.8)
*vs ND 23 pts on 10-12 FG, 8-9 2pt, 2-3 3pt*
Caleb just has to build upon how he finished the season consistently in 22-23.
Cam Spencer, 19.1 pts/gm on 14.4 FGAs, 67-106 63.2% close 2, 77-163 47.2% far 2, 144-269 53.5% 2pt, 58-162 35.8% 3s
Vs UNC, 13 pts 6-14 FG, 3-3 close 2, 3-6 far 2, 0-5 from 3
Vs Charleston, 32pts 12-21 FG, 2-3 close 2, 9-11 far 2, 1-7 from 3
Vs Fairfield, 20 pts 8-15 FG, 3-6 close 2, 3-7 far 2, 2-2 from 3
Vs SBA, 13 pts 6-11 FG, 1-2 close 2, 2-3 far 2, 3-6 from 3
Total 78 pts(19.5 pts/gm on 15.3 FGAs), 9-14 close, 17-27 far 2, 6-20 on 3
Both UNC and Charleston were in their first 3 games(2-19 10.5% from 3pt, 39.2% 3pt last 27gm) after Cam only played in 5 games, 20-21, led to the early struggles from 3pt range.
Colgate 19pts, 6pts & Navy 18pts, 9pts were the only teams to hold Cam in single digits, double digits in 28 of 30 games.
I'm really not concerned with how we will score next year Pike will figure it out who takes how many shots. Cam was an 85% FT shooter last season, Paul shot 75-80%, Caleb is a career 75% FT shooter after a down year, Cliff shot 62% FT 32-52 last 12 games. I think Cliff will shoot closer to 70% next year. The scoring has been fine every year when we lost Corey/Mike/Deshawn, EO, Yeboah, Myles/JY/Tez and it will be fine without Geo and RHJ.
Last edited: