Starting lineups 2024 and 2025

#26
#26
bleedingTNorange said:
Zeigler/Boswell
Dilione/Gainey
Mashack/Carr/DJ
Awaka/Phillips
Aidoo/Estrella

Not sure I’ve seen anything from any of the 3 frosh to make me think they should/would move past senior Mashack, senior Aidoo or junior Awaka.
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Surely DJ will portal out?

Also, do you see us going away from “small ball” and playing 2 post guys next season?
 
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#27
#27
Dougie_D said:
I think Mashack transfers out unless he’s guaranteed the minutes he’s rightfully earned in this program. He’s not gonna want to split 3 ways
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Mashack has made steady improvement each season and appears completely bought in to the UT program. Barnes brags on him as much if not more than anyone on the team. Unless someone else offers him a larger NIL than we’re willing to pay, I don’t see him leaving. JMO
 
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#28
#28
walkenvol said:
Surely DJ will portal out?

Also, do you see us going away from “small ball” and playing 2 post guys next season?
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Yea that’s very possible, but until it happens I won’t exclude him…I think style will depend on what we can get in the portal.
 
#29
#29
bleedingTNorange said:
Zeigler/Boswell
Dilione/Gainey
Mashack/Carr/DJ
Awaka/Phillips
Aidoo/Estrella

Not sure I’ve seen anything from any of the 3 frosh to make me think they should/would move past senior Mashack, senior Aidoo or junior Awaka.
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This line-up screams "shooters needed" which hopefully grab in the portal. Will be interesting if Aidoo keeps improving if he enters NBA draft also.
 
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#30
#30
bleedingTNorange said:
Next year he’ll be a likely starter, hard to see him leaving imo
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Just because you start doesn’t mean you get more minutes.
I’m curious what his role will be though.
He averaged 18 minutes last year and he’s on his way to 17-18 this year as a junior.
If he doesn’t get 26-28 minutes next year I think he bounces.
I don’t know how you split Mashack/Carr/DJ and still give him 26-28 minutes. If anything his minutes might stay at 17-18. That might be frustrating for a senior who’s been in program since a freshman
 
#31
#31
Dougie_D said:
Just because you start doesn’t mean you get more minutes.
I’m curious what his role will be though.
He averaged 18 minutes last year and he’s on his way to 17-18 this year as a junior.
If he doesn’t get 26-28 minutes next year I think he bounces.
I don’t know how you split Mashack/Carr/DJ and still give him 26-28 minutes. If anything his minutes might stay at 17-18. That might be frustrating for a senior who’s been in program since a freshman
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Well if DJ isn’t here that opens some things up
 
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#32
#32
Definitely going to need some lure shooter.

Next season's team reminds me of when Grant and Admiral left and the year after we relied on Pons and Fulky, was rough
 
#33
#33
bleedingTNorange said:
Well if DJ isn’t here that opens some things up
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I agree but if DJ leaves, that also opens up the transfer portal for another player. The trend across basketball (at least it seems in the SEC) is that most transfers make a huge impact on being leading scorers.
 
#36
#36
Dougie_D said:
Just because you start doesn’t mean you get more minutes.
I’m curious what his role will be though.
He averaged 18 minutes last year and he’s on his way to 17-18 this year as a junior.
If he doesn’t get 26-28 minutes next year I think he bounces.
I don’t know how you split Mashack/Carr/DJ and still give him 26-28 minutes. If anything his minutes might stay at 17-18. That might be frustrating for a senior who’s been in program since a freshman
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I predict Mashack’s minutes will continue to rise this year as he contributes in so many different ways. He seems to be growing in confidence with his offense also.
 
#40
#40
bleedingTNorange said:
I think it’ll be Milicic starting at the 4, but Dubar is going to play a lot at the 4. The rest of the starting 5 seems pretty accurate though imo
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I feel like Dubar fits best at the 3. It really depends on how our freshman from last season develop? If we can get some minutes at the 4/5 from either Phillips or Estrella that's more minutes Dubar can play at the 3. If I'm bringing one of the 2 (Dubar, Milicic) off the bench I guess Milicic makes the most sense since he can back up both spots? Thats why I think the lineup they propose is interesting because it does not have out 'best 5' starting but it might lead to the best rotation?
 
#41
#41
pimo1 said:
I feel like Dubar fits best at the 3. It really depends on how our freshman from last season develop? If we can get some minutes at the 4/5 from either Phillips or Estrella that's more minutes Dubar can play at the 3. If I'm bringing one of the 2 (Dubar, Milicic) off the bench I guess Milicic makes the most sense since he can back up both spots? Thats why I think the lineup they propose is interesting because it does not have out 'best 5' starting but it might lead to the best rotation?
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Traditionally, you may be right, but the way this staff seems to like having 3 guard types on the floor with a versatile point forward type player at the 4 probably keeps him playing most of his minutes at that 4 spot. It seems like DD is taking on the JJJ role for this team.

If DD and Milicic are ever on the floor together, and Milicic isn't playing the 5 (so suppose Estrella or Okpara are playing there), then that is when you could see DD playing some 3, though he and Milicic are both pretty interchangeable there at the 3 and 4, I guess.
 
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#42
#42
pimo1 said:
I feel like Dubar fits best at the 3. It really depends on how our freshman from last season develop? If we can get some minutes at the 4/5 from either Phillips or Estrella that's more minutes Dubar can play at the 3. If I'm bringing one of the 2 (Dubar, Milicic) off the bench I guess Milicic makes the most sense since he can back up both spots? Thats why I think the lineup they propose is interesting because it does not have out 'best 5' starting but it might lead to the best rotation?
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I know you really are stuck in the 2 post system, but that’s not modern basketball and not what Barnes and staff really are trying to run either. Milicic has the size which is nice, but Dubar is in that JJJ mold which again is something the staff loved having at the 4.
 
#43
#43
cncchris33 said:
Traditionally, you may be right, but the way this staff seems to like having 3 guard types on the floor with a versatile point forward type player at the 4 probably keeps him playing most of his minutes at that 4 spot. It seems like DD is taking on the JJJ role for this team.

If DD and Milicic are ever on the floor together, and Milicic isn't playing the 5 (so suppose Estrella or Okpara are playing there), then that is when you could see DD playing some 3, though he and Milicic are both pretty interchangeable there at the 3 and 4, I guess.
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I can see that for sure. But it just seems like Dubar as the 6th man is more dynamic than Milicic? Then again haven't played game yet lol. I have watched all the tape I could find on Milicic from Charlotte the last few days and he is very intriguing. Good passer, Big catch and shoot guy. 3 level scorer mostly catch and shoots but good on pick and roll and duck-ins but has a nice turn around midrange shot also. He dos not look his size (compliment) watching tape I would thought he was like 6-7 the way he moves. Not explosive but very smooth. Sneaky athletic. Dubars Tape he looks a lot more like a 2/3 in his play, this is gonna sound weird but imagine Yves Pons with a jumper and better handles. He just seems really bouncy. Not really a post-up guy by the numbers but has the ability. These 2 look very promising, especially Milicic. If one can be the JJJ stand in and the other the Awaka+ stand in.
 
#44
#44
cncchris33 said:
Traditionally, you may be right, but the way this staff seems to like having 3 guard types on the floor with a versatile point forward type player at the 4 probably keeps him playing most of his minutes at that 4 spot. It seems like DD is taking on the JJJ role for this team.

If DD and Milicic are ever on the floor together, and Milicic isn't playing the 5 (so suppose Estrella or Okpara are playing there), then that is when you could see DD playing some 3, though he and Milicic are both pretty interchangeable there at the 3 and 4, I guess.
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I'd like to see some Milicic at the 5 especially if he's a decent shot blocker as I think it's been reported. Igor at 5 with DD at 4 would be this teams version of "small" lineup which wouldn't be all that small.
 
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#45
#45
Chaz-Vol said:
I'd like to see some Milicic at the 5 especially if he's a decent shot blocker as I think it's been reported. Igor at 5 with DD at 4 would be this teams version of "small" lineup which wouldn't be all that small.
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I think Milicic does a lot of his shot blocking from off the ball in the post and then as an on-ball defender against smaller players who try to drive on him due to his length. And truthfully, he only had 35 last year. Nothing to sneeze at, but I don't know how much shot-blocking you'd see from him playing the 5 against another team's 5-man. Strength might be a question at that point.

However, with Okpara (83 blks, last year) at the 5 and Milicic at the 4, you could see teams really struggle to get good looks on us in the paint.
 
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#46
#46
bleedingTNorange said:
I know you really are stuck in the 2 post system, but that’s not modern basketball and not what Barnes and staff really are trying to run either. Milicic has the size which is nice, but Dubar is in that JJJ mold which again is something the staff loved having at the 4.
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day to day you can survive without 2 posts.. but in the tourney you have to have bodies. Look at the Sweet 16 elite 8 final 4 and finals last season... whats the trend?

sweet 16
Iowa state was a tad light in the tail in the post game but bigger than us. lost to Illinois who were also kinda small but played more traditional 2 post game. rotating 3 big men at the 2 spots.
Uconn beat San Diego State Uconn played bigs. SDSU played small ball. Got spanked by 30 and outrebounded by 21.
Bama Vs UNC.. both teams played 2 traditional posts bama was bigger and won
Clemson vs Arizona... Clemson played 8 guys 3 were guards the other 5 were all 6-8 or bigger. Aizona has 2 7 footer but played one only 9 mins their 4 man was 6-6.. the rest of rotation was 5 guards.. guess who lost?
Ut vs Crieghton... they had Kalkbrenner and their starting 4 was 190 pounds...they played a 3 man rotation in the post.. pretty much a wash with UTs size. Kalbrenner played 40 mins because they had no backup for him. Bascially a small ball game
Purdue Vs Gonzaga...Edey...they did play smaller guys at the 4 but edey counts as like 5 posts. Gonzaga actually played 4 legit bigs...but 5>4
NC state vs Marquette NC State had all the beef on deck playing 3 legit bigs in rotation Marquette countered with slightly less beef but still a 3 man rotation of bigs at the 4/5
Duke Vs Houston... duke had 4 big men rotating. Houston went smallish with 3 guards and rotating 3 smaller guys at the posts... guess how it ended?

As the tourney went on elite 8
Uconn beats Illinois big over small
NC State beats Duke Big loses to bigger
Alabama beat Clemson more post got the most
Purdue Sends Ut home...Big wins

Final 4 nothing but big teams left. from the losing teams Burns went undrafted but is on Cavs roster. Bamas posts are pumping gas somewhere


Finals 2 lottery pick bigs. So in the Sweet 16 the only winning team that did not play 2 traditional posts was UT.

So yeah people that win play traditional bigs. Name the last NCAA champ that played small ball... ill wait.

There is this huge myth out there about positionless basketball and small ball. One team has every really pulled it off and won the Golden State Warriors and even they had bigs rostered who played significant minutes. There are lots of other teams that have tried it... none win with it.

Everyone laughed at me when I said Edey would go lottery and DK would not. Because the one thing that can trump age in the NBA draft is size. Win-win situation thought DK went to my Lakers I was hoping they'd get one or the other. Edey to Memphis was a bonus for me personally, gives me reason to tune into the Grizzlies.. DK had 100% lottery talent and was the second-best player in the country last year. If either of them was 2 years younger they go 1 and 2 in the draft. but beef wins the day in the championships period. Its a halfcourt game, small-ball is about transition.
 
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#47
#47
Bama played 2 true posts? Now im questioning if you even watched a game???

Really don’t feel like running through and pulling MPG for 4/5 for each S16 team, but I’m highly doubtful many of them played predominantly 2 posts who were 6’9”++ inside oriented players at a time, that’s not modern basketball at all.
 
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#50
#50
@pimo1 I went through all 16 S16 teams, found who played the majority of minutes at the 4. The average size was 6’7.5” 218lbs, and those players took 41% of their shot attempts from 3. JJJ was right in that mold, 6’7.25” 213lbs (draft measurements) and 56% of attempts coming from 3. Obviously those numbers are way more in line with a JJJ type rather than an Awaka as you’ve suggested before, or having Estrella or Cade out there at the 4 either, those numbers much more suggest Milicic or Dubar at the 4.

Only 1 team played a 4 majority of minutes that was taller than 6’8”, and that was Alabama with Grant Nelson who obviously if you’ve watched Bama is a perimeter oriented player more so than a post. Teams aren’t playing 2 posts, as I laid out above most teams, and most all of the best teams, are playing a 4 who’s in the 6’7-6’8” mold that shoots the 3.
 
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