The Bench as a Powerful Tool

I am not sure why Kugel didn’t play, but that aside… this was our most productive use of the bench. We went 9 deep, with guys off the bench getting heavy minutes.
As for the bench being a teaching tool…. I am all for it, though I think it’s best used in-game.
The DNPs with Kowacie was strange and overly punitive. Not sure what the story was tonite. But I generally liked our minute allocation. Thought Richard needed to in during the final possession, but it was moot.

 

I think because he’s been a walking turnover, and we clearly had little room for error against AU at their place.

Last night was the first time I’ve seen Golden yank a player though, when Richards took that side step 3.

 

I completely agree on Kugel tonight. His weakness so far has been loose ball handling and passing (pretty predictable for a ball dominant freshman, tbh), and this would have been against an elite pressure defense that feeds off turnovers in his first conference road game. We slid those minutes to Jones against a smaller Auburn backcourt, and Jones wasn’t bad (got to the line, hit a three, got some loose balls, even recovered nicely when he got beaten backdoor and was generally much better than Bonham defensively).

 

Unverified, but it has been mentioned that Kugel was kicked out of a practice earlier in the week.

 

During the Auburn press conference CTG thought "Wasie was great". The player I'm most curious about is Lane.

 

I tend to agree with you on your posts davis, but not this time. Auburn was terrible and played "down" to UF's level.

Good and Well Coached? Really?? At 7 - 6 and not a decent win in the seven wins????..........7-6 is a downgrade from CMW after 13 games. (IMO) - No way this UF team does any damage in the SEC and the dance looks impossible.

 

I am not overly concerned with Kugel’s turnovers. Last night was about the first game we played where there actually were driving lanes for our players. Kugel probably would have been fine on offense. His defense, unfortunately, has been terrible. That’s my guess why he didn’t play along with TG having a pattern of letting players sit for entire games. Kugel has the best court vision of anyone on this team. He needs to get into a good defensive stance and actively use his hands, arms and feet on defense. He should be a defensive stopper. Instead, he has been a sieve.

 

Have great respect for you tampa but Kugel was your boy coming in and so far, he has been anything "but" our boy.

 

i hear ya…
And a coach’s job is to get the right players the right shots. It’s their job to make em.
I said the same for White, and will do the same with Golden.
That said, I do think the real “right” shot for this team needs to more often be one of Castleton at/near the basket.

 

4 came off the bench last night with 2 of them (Wacie included) with starter-type minutes.

 

Brent, isn't it the coachs responsibility to bring in players that "Can-Shoot Em" when he sets the plays and the shots?

I can see a "one-off" or even two or three in 13 games.......- OK I will concede that, but Golden has collected as fine a bunch of Brick Masons as I have seen in quite awhile. It's TERRIBLE!

 

not just turnovers, but live ball turnovers

 

I've made the comment before, but the man just walks through sets. Zero urgency in his off ball movements.

 

In this day and age of NIL and transfer portals, I'm not sure the bench is as powerful as it was 10-15 years ago.

 

Riley definitely is one of the guys who I touted early on along with Erving Walker, Cheese, Nembhard, Glover, Scottie Lewis and maybe a few others. I am standing behind Riley, but he has yet to do what I expected of him.

 

He's still a freshman. Give him time.

 

I think the problem nowadays is “will he take the time?”

 

Defense definitely tough for him and, you’ve watched more than me but I feel Kugel has to finish at the rim. Seen him miss a good number of 1-2 footers or bunnies.