Substitutions

[ElectricBoogaloo 4,293]

Maybe it's just me but I have not noticed, or seen much complaint about, the usual mass substitutions at inconvenient times this year. 

 

Am I missing something? 

 

That is one of the more rampant coaching issues from the Crean era and I have not really seen it this year. 

[WayneFleekHoosier 46,726]

He seems to have stopped the crazy hockey substitution method. He still sometimes pulls players on hot streaks or not subs for bad errors. However, this is an area he certainly has improved.

[Str8Hoosiers 2,965]

I don't see him pulling the Hockey subs but I still do see the Pulling a Player at the wrong time (of course that is my opinion of the Wrong Time), or not pulling a player when I think he should.

 

It also seems like instead of subbing 4 or 5 at once he just subs 2 but does it more frequently, still don't see the same lineup stay on the floor together for extended periods of time usually..

[X-Hoosier 529]

He seems to have stopped the crazy hockey substitution method. He still sometimes pulls players on hot streaks or not subs for bad errors. However, this is an area he certainly has improved.

I've seen a few times where this team will get into a groove after sitting Troy and then put back in after just a couple minutes and ruin it. I think he plays too much of the minutes he wants played instead of off the flow of the game.

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

Can't complain about them this year. Seeing him bench players (Troy) after turnovers.

And, we're first in the B1G. Doing something right.

[drock161 586]

Can't complain about them this year. Seeing him bench players (Troy) after turnovers.

And, we're first in the B1G. Doing something right.

 

But he still won't bench Troy in the last 5 minutes of a close game after 3 or 4 bad shots and getting blown by on D. He left him in way too long @ Wisky and PSU.

 

Subs are better but there are still a few too many questionable calls that could really hurt us in some games.

[JaybobHoosier 11,821]

It has definitely gotten better this year. My only complaint would be with Troy. While he can make highlight plays, he hasn't really been helping the team much. He made some good plays last night, but felt he still made the same amount in mistakes.

I still stick to my guns that OG should start for Troy or at least get more playing time in Troy's spot. OG played well last night, but he barely played in the 2nd half.

I can't really complain because we won, but just one thing that bugs me with subs this year.

[HoosierAloha 29,887]

What was the reasoning behind pulling Z so quickly last night? It seemed like Z hit a few shots and then got yanked. Almost like he was substituting offense/defense midway through the first half.

[BottomLine 677]

I think Tom Crean in the past has subbed players a lot because he wants to manage their minutes and keep fresh players on the floor.  It is part of the strategy of bringing fatigue to the game on the part of our opponent.  I've always thought in the past that he had a schedule beforehand and tried to stick to that.  Many of his "bad" subs in the past were because the sub was waiting at the table to come in, when there was a break in the action, and a player being subbed for was just getting hot after his replacement had reported in.  As the action goes up and down on the court you can see the new subs sitting on the floor waiting a break in the action.  Haven't noticed that as much this year.  I have seen Crean call players back to the bench from the scorer's table.  I think he has cut down of mass substitutions.  I think that some players, Troy Williams in particular, are on a much shorter leash.  The same was true of Blackmon before his injury.  Has Crean changed?  Probably a bit but it could also be a factor of early foul trouble, particularly to Hartman and Bryant, that takes away much of his flexibility.  We are deep this year but not as deep as Crean would like.  We are seeing more of a 9 man rotation this year instead of the 14 we have seen in the past.

[raorIU 300]

I don't know if it is good this year, or even better, but Crean's substitutions are definitely different. He still obsesses with players coming out on a "good note", and I think this is mostly detrimental. But, as others have mentioned, he's finally started to use the bench to control poor play more effectively. My biggest concern is Crean's complete disregard for fundamentals - here and in other facets. Case in point is bringing Bryant back in w/ 2 fouls when we're up 15 in the first half.

[ChiHoosier5 99]

One of the problems that bothers me is how he keeps putting Bryant back in the first half with two fouls. I understand sometimes if the other team is making a big run at you having to put Bryant back in to get some offense going through the post. But last night he had Bryant in with two fouls then we went up 16 with 6 minutes left and he kept him in there. Bryant proceeded to give up a couple easy baskets trying not to pick up a foul, but Crean should have pulled him and not risked it at all. 

[ElectricBoogaloo 4,293]

One of the problems that bothers me is how he keeps putting Bryant back in the first half with two fouls. I understand sometimes if the other team is making a big run at you having to put Bryant back in to get some offense going through the post. But last night he had Bryant in with two fouls then we went up 16 with 6 minutes left and he kept him in there. Bryant proceeded to give up a couple easy baskets trying not to pick up a foul, but Crean should have pulled him and not risked it at all. 

 

I don't know, I waver on this. You don't want him to pick up another foul but you also don't want to keep one of your best players on the bench for 15 minutes straight. I'd rather see him foul out late in the game than not play any minutes for fear of fouling out. Especially last night as Iowa was getting a ton of offensive boards in the second half.

[OliviaPope40 6,295]

He sure pulled Niego quick last night.

[coonhounds 8,690]

He sure pulled Niego quick last night.

after he scored and then made a great defensive stop he hit the bench lol

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

He has a history of stopping our own momentum runs with these type of substitutions. I believe its predetermined on his crib sheets.

[Old Friend 8,389]

I noticed he pulled Zeisloft immediately after he hit two 3's in a row last night.   He's not totally cured.

[Stuhoo 75,560]

just like Niego!! He was hot and ramping momentum and out he goes!!! Pi$$es me off so much I could and do scream!!! It's unacceptable game /momentum management! He does the same crap with OG.

COMPLETELY disagree. Niego was fantastic, but he is a freshman walkon guard. Getting him outta there before he faltered was perfect.

I think TB came back in with two fouls because Max had gone about twelve straight minutes during a fast paced game, and he didn't want Morgan to have to lean on/have his eyes poked by/be strangled by Woodbury.

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

He sure pulled Niego quick last night.

after he scored and then made a great defensive stop he hit the bench lol

Guys, Niego has really surprised us, but the kid is an undersized, unathletic, freshman. You can't leave him in a game against the #4 in the country for too long. He did his job! Got a stop, riled up the team and crowd, and hit a beautiful shot. Don't get greedy by leaving him out there for too long. Let him build that confidence.

When Crean does that with Troy or Yogi or RoJo, experienced starters, that makes no sense to me.

[BottomLine 677]

after he scored and then made a great defensive stop he hit the bench lol

Niegro was on the floor for only one reason last night.  With Blackmon gone we are short guards and Yogi was gassed.  He was in the game to buy time for Yogi to get a breather.  Would he continue to get stops?  Would he score more baskets?  Don't know.  If Yogi is ready to go back in he goes back in.  Who would you rather have on the floor - a walk-on freshman or a senior MVP candidate?

[ALASKA HOOSIER 11,169]

Actually, i saw that Yogi and Niego were in at the same time at one point.