UF goes with a 3 guard lineup for the exhibition

[InstiGATOR1]

Just saw this and a bunch of other tweets saying the same thing:

Julie Quittner‏@JQuittner

In UF basketball media packet for this week's exh. game, #Gators "probable" starters: E Murphy, P Young, K Boynton, M Rosario & S. Wilbekin

[REM08]

Also pointed out on twitter that this lineup features 3 seniors and 3 Mcd's AA's. Thats gotta be a rare combo these days.

[tim]

Is there any way to see this game other than Gatorvision? Just wondering if any local channels might pick it up, I'm in jacksonville and can't make it down there

[gatordd]

called it... Casey isn't there yet.

[GatoRella]

called it... Casey isn't there yet.

Shame, hope he can progress quickly.

[jeffphillips21]

any idea how Yegeute did on offense? hear he has developed on that side of the ball...would love to be able to have he, EM and PY on the floor at the same time

[rserina]

called it... Casey isn't there yet.
Called what? That Prather wouldn't start in an exhibition game? That Larson would leave and Prather would become the fourth big and therefore the second team three to keep the rotation in tact? That Donovan would say he could have started Prather just the same or he did it to encourage Rosario to keep working hard?

Yep, you called it.

[ThePlayer]

Just as I pointed out in an earlier thread; Rosario will play the point.

[austingator]

Rosario has to play because he can at least be a threat to score. In basketball you have to be able to put the ball through the net. Yes, he is a bit erratic but it really is all we have until next year.

[tegator80]

Glad to see the basketball season upon us finally. I wonder if the Rosario/Prather thing is also about Billy's uneasiness of Scotty's ability to score enough. I would bet if he shows he is capable of being a threat to score and Prather doesn't turn the ball over a bunch of times, we may see Prather in the starting position very soon. Not that I don't like Rosario, but I think his game is best as an offensive spark off the bench. We will see shortly.

[dalwood13]

It is really difficult to play both Prather and Wilbekin at the same time. Neither has shown enough ability to score consistently. Plus, as was said earlier in the thread, Prather is now going to provide some depth in the post. Obviously, he won't play a lot down there but Larson leaving does force the rotations to change a little. This lineup will work though, because Scottie is so versatile defensively he can guard the other teams starter at the three. The problem, as Coach Donovan alluded to in an earlier press conference, is rebounding. Wilbekin will have to crash the glass, which is something he has not been coached to do up until this season.

[67walkon]

Is there a box score anywhere on UF v. Rollins? Curious to see how Adam and Kyle did.

[dalwood13]

I'm interested to see how the offense runs with this lineup.

[themistocles]

The Gators could start any combination of their top 7 players and it would be a very good lineup that plays good defense and creates matchup problems for opponents.

All of these players, except Young are likely to play at least two different positions on a fairly regular basis.

[MJGator8104]

Is there any way to see this game other than Gatorvision? Just wondering if any local channels might pick it up, I'm in jacksonville and can't make it down there

No, not an exhibition game. Gatorvision is the only way to watch it.

[UFnuts]

Just as I pointed out in an earlier thread; Rosario will play the point.

As a starter over Wilbekin or as a backup?

[GatorsGators]

Rosario has to play because he can at least be a threat to score. In basketball you have to be able to put the ball through the net. Yes, he is a bit erratic but it really is all we have until next year.Er... No. If we want a scorer at point, then put Boynton there. Rosario is not a point guard and will never be a point guard. He's always been terribly inefficient, and starting him at point would be a total disaster.

Wilbekin, Boynton, and Ogbueze are all more likely to play the point than Rosario.

[InstiGATOR1]

Is there a box score anywhere on UF v. Rollins? Curious to see how Adam and Kyle did.

By rule a team can not keep score nor release a box score or any other information about these scrimmages.

[InstiGATOR1]

The Gators could start any combination of their top 7 players and it would be a very good lineup that plays good defense and creates matchup problems for opponents.

All of these players, except Young are likely to play at least two different positions on a fairly regular basis.

I am with you on this, UF start:

1. any 3 of Boynton, Prather, Rosario and Wilbekin at the 1-3 positions

2. any 2 of Murphy, Prather, Yeguete and Young at the 4 and 5 positions.

Even a lineup of Wilbekin, Boynton, Rosario, Prather and Yeguete would be useful in some situations.

[GatorPlanet]

Congratulations to Mike Rosario. We know he'll score, and might even become the leading scorer if he remains the starter. Hopefully the rest of his game has been elevated.

[NorthCaptivaGator]

called it... Casey isn't there yet.

I'm hopeful that it just means Rosario is more there,

[InstiGATOR1]

I'm hopeful that it just means Rosario is more there,

Exactly, I hope UF has 7 guys who play starter minutes.

[your_perfect_enemy]

By rule a team can not keep score nor release a box score or any other information about these scrimmages.


Could you imagine the recruiting advantage that would give us if Randle saw Young put 14 pt and 11 rebs in a scrimmage against Rollins College!

Thank God the ncaa put an end to this, otherwise there would be CHAOS!

[gogators73]

I hate to be negative before even our exhibition game but if Rosario is starting for us we are in huge trouble. The guy can't beat anyone off the dribble and air balls as many 3's as he makes.

[tampajack1]

I hate to be negative before even our exhibition game but if Rosario is starting for us we are in huge trouble. The guy can't beat anyone off the dribble and air balls as many 3's as he makes.

If you make 1/2 your 3's and air ball the other half, that's 50%, which is darn good. I am not going to predict how Mike plays, but I can say that there can be a huge difference in performance when you are starting versus getting limited minutes off the bench.

[gogators73]

I guess, I just think he is way too slow to play at a high level for us. Hopefully with confidence he will play faster.

[InstiGATOR1]

One thing that Rosario is good at is slashing to the basket and scoring. So I would not say he can not beat anyone off the dribble.

His 3 point shooting percentage has risen slightly each year in college, from 30.2% to 32.6% to 33.7%. If he were to continue this this season and get up to say 35% this year, he would be a pretty good but not great threat from the arc.

[REM08]

Maybe he can adjust his role as well. My guess is that Beal took on added responsibilities based on the position he played. Obviously Rosario isn't Beal and there's zero reason to expect similar rebounding numbers. However, it'll be interesting to see how he can fit into that role by the end of the year. He's not going to get bigger or faster, but he may be able to adjust in other ways.

Just reading the tea leaves here, wouldn't this have to mean (as another poster mentioned) that Prather just isn't very close? If he's close, I think we'll see him still getting a lot of minutes with the hope that he can become a much more valuable contributor by the end of the year.

[GatorPlanet]

I hate to be negative before even our exhibition game but if Rosario is starting for us we are in huge trouble. The guy can't beat anyone off the dribble and air balls as many 3's as he makes.

He averaged 16 points a game as a freshman in the Big East. The dude is awful.

[sleeze]

I just dont like the hate against Rosario.

Donovan knocked his defense and hustle.

But i think he played solid.

[ThePlayer]

As a starter over Wilbekin or as a backup?

Starter.

[GatorsGators]

Starter.I expect Rosario to start, but certainly not as our point guard. He just isn't a point guard. He's a scorer. I'm alright with putting a scorer at point guard, but that scorer has to at least have some ability to get others involved. Boynton has that ability. Rosario has never shown that he's able to get others involved. He's a great scorer, but until he learns how to play within himself and the offense, he's always going to be terribly inefficient. That's not what you want in a point guard.

I'd be shocked if Wilbekin wasn't the point guard against Georgetown.

[NorthCaptivaGator]

I expect Rosario to start, but certainly not as our point guard. He just isn't a point guard. He's a scorer. I'm alright with putting a scorer at point guard, but that scorer has to at least have some ability to get others involved. Boynton has that ability. Rosario has never shown that he's able to get others involved. He's a great scorer, but until he learns how to play within himself and the offense, he's always going to be terribly inefficient. That's not what you want in a point guard.

I'd be shocked if Wilbekin wasn't the point guard against Georgetown.

Rosario will not play the point, he played no point last year, wilbekin will start at the one to be spelled by Kenny and Braxton, where does the talk of Rosario playing the one come from?

[UFnuts]

ThePlayer,

Where are you hearing that Rosario is going to start at PG?

[gogators73]

He averaged 16 points a game as a freshman in the Big East. The dude is awful.

Yea because that's what I said.

I'd love to be wrong, but the kid can't beat an SEC defender 1 on 1 from what I've seen. And considering I watch every minute of every season, I have a pretty good sample.

[oneatatime]

I admire Rosario because he realized that being a big fish in a small pond was not going to land him in the NBA.

I hope he has taken Billy D's criticism to heart, listened and learned, stays healthy, and has an outstanding senior year playing within the team concept