You’re including Miami at home as an assumed loss when we nearly beat them without Clayton on the road?! I respect most of your posts but you’ve gone a little overboard lately with the pessimism even if some of it is deserved.

Miami at home is a toss-up. Toledo will be a tough road contest and Akron is always going to be a very hard game but assuming losses in all three is a bit much even if it does end up playing out that way.

It's not that Miami won't beat Ohio, it's that you're assuming they will when the metrics all favor OU at home against them. KenPom gives the Bobcats a 56% chance of defeating Miami.

I get your logic and what you're saying. I'm not saying OU is going to win. You're being a little presumptuous saying we'll lose all three of those games.

Clayton has certainly been off since returning but he still has the ability to be a weapon at any given moment even when he's struggling.

I agree with all of your post except the above. We actually have 2 others who CAN even if they don't do it often.

AJ Brown and Elijah Elliott.

It's why I'm high on the idea of Elliott at PG next year, even if he hasn't blown the doors off statistically as a fr yet. He has great size for a PG. Great quickness. Can handle the ball. Can put in on the deck and get by people. And he's PLENTY athletic enough to finish around the rim.

What he lacks is assists (I think that comes with time and maturity) and outside shooting (which is why he would ideally be paired with a really good 3pt shooter at the 2 along with Brown at the 3).

AJ Brown, could be so much more than a catch and shoot 3pt guy who scores 12 a night. You saw flashes when Clayton was out and we basically had no other options. Multiple times he drove baseline and either got to the rim or got fouled (87% FT shooter, he should be trying to get there 10 times a night). And at 6'4 with decent hops and long arms he can elevate inside even if he isn't all that strong.

I think if you let Elliott break ppl down with the dribble and finish or kick to shooters (SG + Brown + Hadaway). Combined with a big who can post up and create easy buckets or post-post passes with Hadaway, or draw defense and kick to shooters. Then add AJB being "the man" and both driving and shooting. That becomes such a more balanced and intimidating offense that can do it all.

This year is a lot of drive and get stuffed/tied up/stripped in the paint or just launch 3s and hope.

Reef may be the only guy on this years team with the skills and guts to try and carry us come March. I think Jeff knows it too and it might be part of the reason Clayton is slightly less motivated/thrilled/engaged recently.

The no-call on Pavs did not look like a foul to me, and how Boals did not get a technical is a mystery. They gave us a gift with a great chance with 2.5 seconds on the clock down 2 and we treated it like we had 0.4 seconds on the clock down 3.

Another toss up game that we just don't find a way to win. Frustrating. I still can't believe we are 13-12. Rare to shoot well from 3 and lose. 22 points in the first 6.5 minutes was nice. 53 in the final 33.5 was not. Rebounding was the biggest fault for the loss, and sitting Clayton definitely contributed to that failure. AJC definitely had a couple stupid turnovers but barely playing down the stretch was a dumb call by coach.

Well first of all, I didn't label him our best player. But the idea that we want to try to win basketball games with Evans instead of Clayton is preposterous and shows the insane fickle nature of fandom. Sure he had a couple bad passes and missed a couple shots. Here are some other facts:

1 - He is the best shot blocker in the conference and generally plays pretty solid defense.
2 - He is a solid rebounder, positioning himself and reading the rim well on both ends of the court.
3 - He has always had an extremely high 2 point % with good touch around the rim.
4 - He is an excellent free throw shooter.
5 - He is our veteran leader that knows the system and team well.

Given the state of our front court, that doesn't sound like a guy you bench because he made a bad pass. I've consistently called for AJC to get more time in the paint and more selective 3 point shooting. I think he is a better big than he and his coach think he is, and we need him as that more than ever.

Problem is he's not a leader.

Well first of all, I didn't label him our best player. But the idea that we want to try to win basketball games with Evans instead of Clayton is preposterous and shows the insane fickle nature of fandom. Sure he had a couple bad passes and missed a couple shots. Here are some other facts:

1 - He is the best shot blocker in the conference and generally plays pretty solid defense.
2 - He is a solid rebounder, positioning himself and reading the rim well on both ends of the court.
3 - He has always had an extremely high 2 point % with good touch around the rim.
4 - He is an excellent free throw shooter.
5 - He is our veteran leader that knows the system and team well.

Given the state of our front court, that doesn't sound like a guy you bench because he made a bad pass. I've consistently called for AJC to get more time in the paint and more selective 3 point shooting. I think he is a better big than he and his coach think he is, and we need him as that more than ever.