Big 12 is going to be rough w/ Dawkins… need to make a change after the season
I’m thinking this is the right move as well, good or bad result. His recruits are underperforming. Since Tacko et al left in 2019 Dawkins is 39-33 (19-26).
I’m not bagging on Dawkins the person. This team is vastly inconsistent, though, but shouldn’t be. This is an extremely Senior-laden team. We have depth. As it is, he basically starts one lineup and brings in a second lineup. Prior to conference play, he (and staff) should recognize who is contributing in a game and who isn’t, and adjust accordingly. Bench kids and use that depth.
10 minutes into the first half I would have benched Mahan. There’s been 3-4 games this season I would have done that. He had that “negative” look to him: Moping, unemotional, whiny, poor shot selection, and poor shot %. He was 0-for-3 at that point. His was just a liability. Tighten up the rotation and give someone else those minutes.
Don’t get me wrong. That is a very solid Houston team that plays suffocating defense (sometimes too physical as they body into players and grab a lot as well….which wasn’t called) and moves the ball around really well on offense. They killed us on pick-and-rolls in the first half as well.
I don’t know. I just don’t see how this team makes progress this year and next. Potentially 6 guys are gone. Diong (who has been great) is gone and my hope for Reynolds stepping up isn’t happening this year. Mobley disappeared from the team. Mahan is gone. Perry is gone. Anders and Renaud are gone (why does every team “waste” a roster spot or two on some unused player(s) for like 3-4 years???….we should be using it to find someone that can contribute on the court, or at least push for time, even if they are the last few minutes a player would get. Not “feel good “ stories. We have the power of NIL. Find a way to basically make those slots scholarship slots. this should at least allow us to find better guys at the end of the bench.
Our Seniors next year are: Fuller (who saw no time last night), Green (who I really like but is quiet as a mouse), Tony Johnson Jr (who doesn’t play), and Walker (the only player I see with some leadership qualities). Even Walker is disappointing, though. That kid is a 5-star athlete and in his second full season is 9 pts and 6 rebounds per game (last year he was 7 pts and 5 rebounds…..not a big jump in productivity).
I just feel like basketball is floundering and needs change.
I know college hoops are fickle as well. Kids can look lost until “the light turns on.” but In the last 3 seasons the only player I’ve really seen go from nothing to something is Green.
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