If fans have expectations about Nebraska or Wisconsin being games RU could win, then you can't get upset and say how inept the roster or starters are.
The game was ultimately decided vs Nebraska via Williams Allick and Mast arrived via the portal to essentially replace Derrick Walker etc
The players who were limited as starters like CJ Wilcher or probably overwhelmed as starters like Lawrence for Nebraska, had slightly reduced roles. It's kinda been the opposite for the last 2 years for RU, but it needed to happen this year for obvious reasons.
As much as we like our defense and being ranked 3rd in the country, it's not going to be much different next year. The only hope or expectation is about roles and putting players 2 slots below where they can be competitive and comfortable.
We tried in the last 2 years putting Caleb, Paul, Cam and Mag into starting roles and asking them to play as complete players and now it's essentially the same this year with Mag, Davis, Simpson and this trio provides good to great defense in most cases. You just can't ask or expect any of the 3 to get you 10 PTS or make timely plays.
The difference now is we have bench strength being developed and starting caliber players coming in OR players who "could" be starters like Gavin, being put into the place where they're going to get better as underclassmen. I kinda expected a performance from Gavin like this 6 to 8 weeks ago but it's been a lot of improvement in a short amount of time.
I am not surprised at how good of a playmaker JWill is, he's confident and the player RU needs. We just need another wing or bigger guard/ player like JWill via the portal.
Finding a shooter who can't defend or rebound or handle the ball and make plays is NOT the solution for next year. A shooter who's is one dimensional, just creates another incomplete player, who we have to "coach around ".
We don't have to coach around JWill, he provides enough things at an above average level, to not have to be a 38% 3 Pt shooter. We have a 38% 3 point shooter now in Noah and had an even better shooter last year in Cam and the same problems present themselves. Shooters need to actually make plays beyond shooting, because half of the games where shooters "miss", they need to do something else well.
If we find another 6"4 to 6'6 player who can help bring the ball up and let Dylan and Ace freelance on defense and create on offense, we are set.
In terms of next year, I'm committed to finding minutes for all 5 freshman next year or at worse 4 of the 5 on the court for at least 18 minutes a game. I don't have any doubts that Dortch and Grant can defend at a high level like JMike and Simpson....and willing to wait for their offense to develop off the bench.
In terms of tonight's game bashing Hyatt, Cliff, Simpson etc, it's really not warranted.....starters next year are going to have bad shooting nights.....the upside next year will have Lathan giving RU a Wolf like game 8 to 10 times next year instead of once.....or Dortch and Grant getting key rebounds off the bench, that we gave up to Nebraska. We got starter level bench numbers (Wolf for Cliff, Gavin for Hyatt, Noah for Davis or Simpson)......what we didn't get were plays made by those players off the bench or left points on the FT line (Wolf, Austin etc).
The game was lost with 3 to 5 possessions where Tominaga got a 4 PT play, a reverse layup at 1 second on the shot clock and giving up too many 2nd chances....the shots we miss can get better with better looks or shot selection, BUT we have to play Dortch, Grant and Lathan and ask them to get rebounds, plays made that Oskar, Hyatt, Mag (when he played) and Noah just don't get enough of.
The better teams get better down the stretch of the season. I know it doesn't appear that way now for RU, but RU isn't losing 6 of 8 down the stretch like last year. It's won 5 of 9 and most of what I see, immediately translates over to next year. We will just have 9 to 10 legitimate players on the roster, as opposed to maybe 2 to 3 now.
