Originally Posted by
Jumbo
I suppose I should post the reasons for my own starting lineup.
Paulus -- No-brainer.
Scheyer -- No-brainer (even though he's struggling with his shot, he's a steadying influence on the court and helps the team in a variety of ways).
McRoberts -- As close to a no-brainer as you can get without being one; as much as he frustrates me on offense, he has to be on the floor for his defense, rebound and ball-handling.
The last two spots are tricky. I went with Henderson and McClure.
The only change I would make is to leave Markie in the starting line-up. First, this is a big game, and the atmosphere is a lot to handle. So, tie goes to the vet. (That's a big reason why I'd put McClure in there as well). Freshman are more likely to make self-destructive mistakes at the beginning of games like this. (If Lance started, I bet he'd have 2 fouls before we got 5 minutes into the game.) Also, Markie seems to be a leader on this team, and he has been in that role most all of the season. I wouldn't want to rock his confidence, and instead would use this as an opportunity to pump him up with the importance of his leadership. Last, I like the idea of bringing in a high energy spark after the game is underway. At the first tv timeout (assuming no major foul issues before then), I'd replace Markie and McClure with Gerald and Lance.
"Just like you man. I got the shotgun, you got the briefcase." Omar Little