Marcus Williams

Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:59 pm

Checked on our guy and A&M is on an 8 game losing streak. Williams isn't have a very good year. More of a role player. Just watched the highlights of their Auburn game and something jumped out to me. There is a big gap still between the Arizonas/Auburns and Wyoming. Auburns get after the fast break points just like Arizona did to us. Something I don't see much of from Wyoming. Maybe it's because we have a short bench? They take misses and they push it up and score fast. Something we could add to our game? What would prevent us from pushing it like that?

Sat Feb 12, 2022 11:03 pm

laxwyo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:59 pm Checked on our guy and A&M is on an 8 game losing streak. Williams isn't have a very good year. More of a role player. Just watched the highlights of their Auburn game and something jumped out to me. There is a big gap still between the Arizonas/Auburns and Wyoming. Auburns get after the fast break points just like Arizona did to us. Something I don't see much of from Wyoming. Maybe it's because we have a short bench? They take misses and they push it up and score fast. Something we could add to our game? What would prevent us from pushing it like that?

From my understanding, this is by design. I think Linder prefers to run half court offense and feed the ball into the post with this team. Why he does that is anybody's guess. He might be saving legs since we have a short bench. Maybe he prefers the post touches to generate fouls. Maybe he's trying to avoid letting the other team get out in transition. We don't really have a point guard that excels in transition so that probably has something to do with it. We've been winning the rebounding battle most nights so maybe he prefers to have guys like Drake crash instead of running out on the break.

I don't think it's an accident though. We're 21-3, in first place, and about to be in the top 25. Whatever the reasoning is behind not running is working.

I think our style fits our personnel very well this season. There aren't many teams in the country that have an answer for Ike AND Maldo and if they do they usually leave the three point line open all night.

Sat Feb 12, 2022 11:42 pm

I tried watching him today, never saw him...oh well. I'll stick to the real Wyoming Cowboys, thank you!!

Sun Feb 13, 2022 12:35 am

Who on this team would you trust to attack in transition? The ball handling just isn't there on this team. Oden is the only big that would excel pushing the ball up the court. The rest of the big guys on the roster are slow up the court.

Linder is a brilliant coach and recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of his roster and has built a gameplan that puts them in the best position to win.

Sun Feb 13, 2022 2:07 am

I definitely think Linder has us run half court on purpose. There has to be a few spots that we can attack in transition, but you're probably right, we don't quite have the ball handlers.

Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:38 am

laxwyo wrote: ↑Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:59 pm Checked on our guy and A&M is on an 8 game losing streak. Williams isn't have a very good year. More of a role player. Just watched the highlights of their Auburn game and something jumped out to me. There is a big gap still between the Arizonas/Auburns and Wyoming. Auburns get after the fast break points just like Arizona did to us. Something I don't see much of from Wyoming. Maybe it's because we have a short bench? They take misses and they push it up and score fast. Something we could add to our game? What would prevent us from pushing it like that?

don’t have the wing players/depth.

And forget MW. Not a cowboy. He’ll regret not doing whatever he needed to to remain a Cowboy

Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:54 am

laxwyo wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 2:07 am I definitely think Linder has us run half court on purpose. There has to be a few spots that we can attack in transition, but you're probably right, we don't quite have the ball handlers.

The only two people I've seen that can handle the ball like a PG should this year are Maldonado and occassionaly Reynolds. We need ball handlers in the worst way.

Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:09 pm

https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/players/158867/

This to me is a good indicator of how well Linder does in maximizing the talent of his players. Williams has declined significantly in every meaningful statistic since transferring. He still plays 26 minutes a game so it couldn’t be just lack of playing time. Sure the SEC might be a bit more difficult in terms of overall conference strength, but huge drops in FG% and 3PT% exhibit to me that Linder knew how to use Williams. Also, while Williams is good, Linder’s coaching made him appear better than perhaps is real talent level. That might turn out to be a transfer that is harmful to Williams’ future pro prospects.

Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:19 pm

OrediggerPoke wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:09 pm https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/players/158867/

This to me is a good indicator of how well Linder does in maximizing the talent of his players. Williams has declined significantly in every meaningful statistic since transferring. He still plays 26 minutes a game so it couldn’t be just lack of playing time. Sure the SEC might be a bit more difficult in terms of overall conference strength, but huge drops in FG% and 3PT% exhibit to me that Linder knew how to use Williams. Also, while Williams is good, Linder’s coaching made him appear better than perhaps is real talent level. That might turn out to be a transfer that is harmful to Williams’ future pro prospects.

Losing MW was a blessing

Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:59 pm

DVDA wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 12:35 am Who on this team would you trust to attack in transition? The ball handling just isn't there on this team. Oden is the only big that would excel pushing the ball up the court. The rest of the big guys on the roster are slow up the court.

Linder is a brilliant coach and recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of his roster and has built a gameplan that puts them in the best position to win.

This, exactly.

If we had a true point guard, we'd probably be looking at a one loss season so far. If we had the point guard and another skilled handler we might be a top ten team.

Mon Feb 14, 2022 1:11 pm

Wyovanian wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:59 pm
DVDA wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 12:35 am Who on this team would you trust to attack in transition? The ball handling just isn't there on this team. Oden is the only big that would excel pushing the ball up the court. The rest of the big guys on the roster are slow up the court.

Linder is a brilliant coach and recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of his roster and has built a gameplan that puts them in the best position to win.
This, exactly.

If we had a true point guard, we'd probably be looking at a one loss season so far. If we had the point guard and another skilled handler we might be a top ten team.

Good analysis. I think it is really hard to say what a true point guard would do for this team because Maldo is most effective with the ball in his hands often. Does he get the same amount of touches if we have a true point guard?

I'm just impressed with the way Linder is able to adjust the style of play based on the players in the game. While watching the ball fed into the post to Ike with the rest of the team surrounding the perimeter to space the floor is in no way exciting for me to watch, it is truly very effective.

Mon Feb 14, 2022 2:44 pm

Our two best players are best at playing a style of basketball out of the 1990s NBA. Linder has found a way to maximize this while sprinkling in the modern importance of floor spacing and shooting. It’s what great coaches do to maximize their teams strengths and hide their weaknesses. Eventually our lack of a true PG and ball handling will bite us in the butt, but hey maybe that won’t happen until the Sweet 16? A guy can dream.

Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:03 pm

calpoke25 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 2:44 pm Our two best players are best at playing a style of basketball out of the 1990s NBA. Linder has found a way to maximize this while sprinkling in the modern importance of floor spacing and shooting. It’s what great coaches do to maximize their teams strengths and hide their weaknesses. Eventually our lack of a true PG and ball handling will bite us in the butt, but hey maybe that won’t happen until the Sweet 16? A guy can dream.

It's similar to Lebron playing with a bunch of shooters. This style can win

Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:33 pm

LanderPoke wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:19 pm
OrediggerPoke wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 12:09 pm https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/players/158867/

This to me is a good indicator of how well Linder does in maximizing the talent of his players. Williams has declined significantly in every meaningful statistic since transferring. He still plays 26 minutes a game so it couldn’t be just lack of playing time. Sure the SEC might be a bit more difficult in terms of overall conference strength, but huge drops in FG% and 3PT% exhibit to me that Linder knew how to use Williams. Also, while Williams is good, Linder’s coaching made him appear better than perhaps is real talent level. That might turn out to be a transfer that is harmful to Williams’ future pro prospects.
Losing MW was a blessing

Yes and no. Turning Hunter M into a point guard was a genius move. But Williams was a great penetrator with great quickness. I'm not sure we would have been better with Williams. He needed the ball to be effective. But on the other hand, he was asked to do a lot last year since we didn't have Ike most of the year. But let's face it - we are the best 1/2 court offense in the conference. I just wish we had a little more quickness and ball handling who could go against someone like Stevens at csewe.